Pyrenean Shepherd breed guide

Pyrenean Shepherds are very smart, energetic and trainable, strive to please and connect closely with their owners. They love games and intense activity.

AKC says they were bred to herd with their bodies and not with eye contact as some other breeds do and many today channel abundant energy into other challenges, since lots of activity and a job to do are essential.

Pyrenean Shepherds live 17 to 19 years. AKC calls the breed healthy with a long expected lifespan. Breeders screen for hip dysplasia, patellar subluxation, patent ductus arteriosus, epilepsy and eye defects such as choroidal hypoplasia and progressive retinal atrophy.

Dedicated breeders run genetic tests on all potential breeding dogs with the aim of reducing certain conditions.

The Pyrenean Shepherd needs weekly brushing to keep the coat free of mats and tangles. The scruffy look comes from a double coat of a soft undercoat and a protective outer coat that mixes straight, short to moderately long hair and the harsh outer coat may shed quite a bit.

Roughs have thick windswept hair above the muzzle and a harsh coat, while smooths have short facial hair, a finer coat and a slightly longer, pointier muzzle.

Pyrenean Shepherds descend from an ancient line of herding dogs known to the shepherds of the Pyrenees, the mountains forming the natural border between France and Spain, since time immemorial.

No one can say how long they have moved flocks between grazing areas on the slopes and valleys, but they still do the job in their homeland, often working in tandem with the Great Pyrenees, the region's flock guardian.