Family-friendly: | 5/5 |
Exercise needs: | 5/5 |
Easy to train: | 2/5 |
Tolerates being alone: | 1/5 |
Likes other pets: | 2/5 |
Energy level: | 4/5 |
Grooming needs: | 2/5 |
Shedding: | 3/5 |
- Dogs suitable for experienced owners
- Extra training required
- Generally healthy breed
- Enjoys active walks
- Enjoys more than two hours of walking a day
- Medium dog
- Some drool
- Requires grooming every other day
- Chatty and vocal dog
- Barks, alerts and may be physically protective/suspicious of visitors
- Could have issues with unknown dogs but gets along with known dogs
- May need additional training to live with other pets
- May need additional supervision to live with children
- Needs a large garden
- Best suited to countryside
- Can be left occasionally with training
The Pyrenean Sheepdog breed can suffer from:
- Hip dysplasia
Priority Kennel Club health schemes and testing:
None but there are several recommended schemes that the Kennel Club recommends which can be found here.
Personality
The Pyrenean Sheepdog is an extremely quick witted, sharp minded and intelligent little dog. Built to endure harsh weather and steep, rough terrain, they also have the brains to control large numbers of potentially panicky and argumentative sheep who outweigh them by as much as 50kg. As such, while physically small, this is both physically and mentally a tough dog.
Loyal and responsive to their owners, they are suspicious of strangers and strongly motivated to watch for movement, herd and bark to alert to danger.
Did You Know?
There is another variety of Pyrenean Sheepdog, the Pyrenean Sheepdog (Smooth-faced) which has been known and recognised in France for the same length of time the Pyrenean Sheepdog has – these are due to be recognised by the UK Kennel Club in 2021.
In rural France this breed was traditionally subjected to ear-cropping. This has been illegal in the UK since around the 1820’s but was only out-lawed in France in 2010.
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