INTRODUCTION

The Pyrenean shepherd is a French dog which exists in two varieties: the long-haired and the smooth-faced. Both are recognised as separate breeds by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale. The long-haired breed (or variety) is slightly smaller and, of course, has a longer coat. Both then and now, these dogs perform herding functions as they are a very intelligent and active breed.

THE ORIGIN OF THE PYRENEAN PIED SHEPHERD DOG

Like other Pyrenean shepherd dog breeds such as the Basque shepherd or the Gos d'atur catalá, the Pyrenean Sheepdog has an unknown history. However, they have lived in the French Pyrenees for centuries, where they have been used for herding purposes. During the 18th and 19th centuries, these dogs were very valuable to horse traders and cattle drivers, as well as to the army of the First World War for their work as messenger dogs.

The blue blackbird blue face appears to have been one of the ancestors of today's Australian Sheepdog as they were employed between the 1940s and 1070s in the Western Range Association.

Today, some of these dogs still guide and guard flocks in the French mountains, but more are living the comfortable life of beloved pets. Even so, the breed is little known in the world and only enjoys a certain popularity in its native France, but its success in Agility championships and other dog sports is making it increasingly famous.

THE STANDARD OF THE PYRENEAN PYRENEAN SHEPHERD DOG WITH A FLAT FACE

GENERAL APPEARANCE: On the whole, the Pyrenean Shepherd Dog has the same characteristics as the long haired Pyrenean Shepherd Dog.

IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS:

• The skull is of approximately the same width and length.
• The muzzle is slightly shorter than the skull, but longer than that of the long or semi-long haired Shepherd Dog.
• The length of the body is almost equal to its height.
• The distance from the elbow to the ground is more than half the size at the withers.
  
  

HEAD: Short, fine hairs (hence the name of ‘flat face’). The muzzle is slightly longer than that of the long or semi-long haired Pyrenean Shepherd Dog.

BODY: Slightly shorter than that of the long-haired Pyrenean Shepherd Dog, almost square in shape.

LIMBS: They have a smooth coat, with a slight fringe of hair on the forelegs and a breeches on the hind legs. The foot is at the same time tighter and more arched than that of the long-haired shepherd. The angulations are more open in this variety.

COAT

HAIR: On the body the coat is semi-long or less than semi-long. It reaches its greatest length on the neck and withers (6-7 cm) and on the midline of the back (4-5 cm).

GAIT / MOVEMENT: The Pyrenean Shepherd Dog with a flat face covers less ground than the long-haired.

SIZE:

• Males: 40 to 54 cm.
• Bitches: 40 to 52 cm.
  
  

FAULTS: Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.

DISQUALIFYING FAULTS:

• Aggressiveness or extreme shyness.
• Any dog showing clear signs of physical or behavioural abnormalities.
• Faults and disqualifying faults are the same as those indicated for the long-haired variety, except as regards coat and proportions.
  
  

N.B.:

• Male dogs should have two apparently normal appearing testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
• Only functionally and clinically healthy dogs of typical breed conformation should be used for breeding.
  
  

THE HEALTH OF THE PYRENEAN PIED SHEPHERD DOG

The average life expectancy of a Pyrenean Shepherd Dog is between 15 and 17 years when properly cared for and fed a good quality diet suitable for its age, it is a fairly healthy breed.

COAT HAIR : The Pyrenean Shepherd Dog can have a rough face or a smooth face. Dogs with rough faces may have a long or moderately long coat and may be wavy or may be straight. Smooth-faced dogs have a moderately long coat that is rough to the touch and there is very little undercoat. Dogs that boast long coats may have naturally corded coats. Therefore, the amount of grooming a Pyrenean Shepherd needs really depends on the type of coat they have, but as a general rule, dogs with shorter, closer coats are lower maintenance in terms of grooming than dogs with longer, corded coats.
Twice weekly brushing is necessary to prevent knots and tangles from forming and to keep coats tidy, although a Pyrenean Shepherd's coat is naturally ‘scruffy’ when the coat is long. They shed little throughout the year, only it may be more during the spring and then again in the autumn when more frequent grooming is generally necessary to keep on top of things and to remove dead and shed hair from a dog's coat. It is also important to regularly check a dog's ears and clean them when necessary. If too much wax builds up, it can lead to a painful infection that can be difficult to remove. In short, prevention is often easier than cure with ear infections.

EXERCISE: The Pyrenean Shepherd is an energetic and intelligent dog and, as such, needs to receive the right amount of daily exercise and mental stimulation to be truly happy and balanced dogs. They need a minimum of 1 hour of exercise per day, with as much off-leash time as possible. If not provided with the right amount of mental stimulation and exercise every day, a Pyrenean Shepherd would quickly become bored and may even start to display destructive behaviour in the home, which is their way of relieving any stress they feel and not necessarily because they are naughty.
A shorter walk in the morning would be fine, but a longer and more interesting one in the afternoon is a must, with as much off-leash time as possible. These dogs also like to be able to roam in a back garden to really let off steam. However, the fence must be extremely secure to keep these active, high-energy dogs inside, because if they find a weakness in the fence, they will soon escape and could get into all sorts of trouble.
That said, puppies should not be over-exercised because their joints and bones are still growing. This includes not allowing a dog to jump up and down from furniture or up and down stairs. Too much stress on their joints and spine at a young age could result in a dog developing serious problems later in life.

FEEDING: It is important to feed them with quality feed and high percentages of meat, such as fish feed or lean meat like pork or horse, Reis d'Aranda has feed of these varieties.

THE PERSONALITY OF THE PYRENEAN SHEPHERD DOG WITH A FLAT FACE

These dogs are very intelligent, courageous and active. Because of their intelligence, they are very versatile and capable of performing several functions. They are also very loyal dogs and tend to form a very close bond with one person.

Pyrenean Shepherds are very loyal and attached to their family, but tend to be territorial and reserved with strangers. Although they are not usually aggressive, socialisation from an early age is very important to reduce territoriality and allow them to become less sullen.

Although they do not usually present serious behavioural problems, these dogs can be sullen with strangers. In addition, their strong herding instincts may lead them to try to herd children or household pets.

These dogs are definitely herding dogs and live best in a rural environment, but they can also make excellent pets if given the exercise and companionship they need, and are not forced to be friends with everyone.

CONCLUSION

These canines are very active and familiar with their own but, because of their guard dog nature, they have to be territorial and protect their own from strangers, so good socialisation will be necessary for this dog to also know how to relate to other dog companions, other humans, other animals and their environment in general.