Great Pyrenees FAQs

Food & Nutrition Requirements:

The brand of dog food we recommend is Purina. Blue bag at Tractor Supply is called Purina PUPPY CHOW Large Breed. Next, we use Red bag Purina ONE Plus Large Breed Puppy Formula. Please note that this dog food is hard & soft and it can cause the puppy to choke so watch your puppy for the first 7-10 days as they transition to this puppy food. Once they are full sized we use Red bag Purina DOG CHOW. All three dog foods can be purchased at a Tractor Supply store. We recommend feeding three times per day at 7 am, 4 pm and 9 pm with pupples and they get 16 ounces per feeding. Our Baier & Beauty gained on average 18 pounds per month, so feeding the puppy properly is critical to their growth! When they hit their adult weight they will back off to 8 ounces traditionally twice a day like a black lab. Baier is our male and he weighs 120 pounds as an adult. Our females all average around 75-95 pounds.

Kennel/Dog Cage:

We train all our Dogs to be crated for their safety if needed. We buy the kennels from Tractor Supply and they are the Extra Large wire crate for the puppies when they are young so they understand the cage concept. It's safer to transport puppies in vehicles when we deliver them as well. They like an open crate to see out if not the hard sided crates which can cause them to feel claustrophobic.

Toys:

Toys for a Great Pyrenees are the Benefel hard chew toys & rope toys. They seem to help with teething and last a long time to help the dogs with any boredom.

Dog collars:

We recommend the Halo Advanced GPS technology.

Fencing:

We use Premier hot netting with our sheep & goats which the dogs can feel the electricity in them.

Recommended reading:

We recommend a book called Great Pyrenees. A Complete pet owners manual and is available on Amazon. It has a special chapter on understanding your Great Pyrenees. It's a great read on the breed & things to always consider!

Wormers:

Sentry HC WormXDS liquid dog wormer for dogs available at Tractor Supply. It removes large roundworms and hookworms in pupplies and dogs. Treats up to 120 pounds.

1) Great Pyrenees at a Glance:
Pyrs are a large breed, with males growing up to 32 inches and generally weighing 100 pounds or more. They have floppy ears and a white coat, which can come with markings of gray, tan or brown. This coat forms a thick ruff of mane around the neck and shoulders, which was useful while guarding sheep as it stopped wolves being able to get a good grip on their necks. The ruff is more pronounced on males of the breed.

2) History of the Breed:
Pyrs are an ancient breed, and their remains have been found in fossil deposits from the Bronze Age. They worked with shepherds in the Pyrenees Mountains between Spain and France, protecting livestock from attack. Their elegance and character meant they could not remain in the mountains and by 1675 they had been named the Royal Dog of France. This increased the demand for the dogs, and many members of the French nobility owned one. However, they mostly remained a working dog and can still be found guarding sheep today.

3) Great Pyrenees Personality:
Pyrs were often left alone in mountain valleys with just their flock for company, so have developed a strong, independent streak. This has not made them aloof, though. They are generally known as calm, well-mannered, and devoted to their family. The Pyrenees have an affectionate nature and their time spent as guardians have made them gentle with children and small animals. They try to protect their family if the need arises, and many remain wary of strangers, especially if they sense their owners are uncomfortable.