Pastoral group · France
Pyrenean Shepherd
Also called Berger des Pyrenees, Pyr Shep, Petit Berger.
What makes them remarkable
A working partnership: the small Pyrenean Shepherd moved the flock while the much larger Great Pyrenees guarded it.
- Energetic
- Affectionate
- Active
- Mischievous
- Devoted
- Size
- Small
- Weight
- 7 to 14 kg15 to 30 lb
- Lives
- 17 to 19 years
- Energy
- Very High
- Trains
- High
- Barks
- High
Training
Training a Pyrenean Shepherd
Pastoral breeds. Give the brain a job or it will find one. Chasing, nipping and fixating are the breed doing its work.
Windshield Wiper Energy
Start here
Among the most energetic breeds, needs extensive daily exercise or becomes neurotic.
Quick and Clever
Extremely fast learner, keep training sessions short and varied.
Strong Bond
Forms intense attachment to owner, can develop separation anxiety without proper training.
The app turns this into five to fifteen minutes a day.
Add your Pyrenean Shepherd and it builds the plan around their age, where they came from and what they already know, one step at a time.
Free to start. iPhone. No card needed.
At home
Living with one
Bred to herd and guard livestock. Watchful, responsive, and wired to control movement.
Gets on with
- ChildrenModerate
- Other dogsModerate
- StrangersLow
- CatsModerate
Breed averages. Early socialisation and the individual dog matter more.
- Exercise
- 2+ hours daily. Intense exercise and mental stimulation essential.
- Grooming
- Moderate. Regular brushing, varies by coat type (rough or smooth-faced).
- Drool
- Low
- Coat
- Rough-faced: Long, harsh, Smooth-faced: Shorter, fineFawn, Grey, Blue Merle, Brindle, Black
- In a flat
- Needs more space than a flat gives.
Health
Things to ask a breeder or vet about
Hip Dysplasia
Mild
Less common due to smaller size
Patellar Luxation
Moderate
Kneecap problems in smaller dogs
Epilepsy
Moderate
Seizure disorder found in breed
Where they come from
History
Worked alongside Great Pyrenees in the Pyrenees Mountains for centuries, the small Pyr Shep herding while the big dog guarded. One of the longest-lived breeds. Used as messenger dogs in WWI.
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Pembroke Welsh Corgi
Those short legs belonged to a cattle herder, bred to move much larger animals by nipping at their heels.
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