Pyrenean Mountain Dog

Do not take on a Pyrenean lightly! They are sly, manipulative and cunning and will only do something if there is something in it for them! Cookie can be wonderful but can be very naughty. I can honestly say that he is not like any other breed of dog as he will not do things to please his owners unless it pleases him. He managed to get his Bronze good citizen award but failed the silver as he just couldn't be bothered. You have to be very firm with him but at the same time know the ways to get him to do things - just ordering him won't work! He also suffers with Addisons disease where his body does not produce enough steroid to live on. He has a dose of artificial steroid every day at exactly the same time. 20 tablets a day come quite pricey! No one in the Pyrenean world will discuss this condition but he started showing signs at 6 months old and almost died after he went into kidney failure. I would urge any potential owners to do a lot of research on this breed before buying one. Cookie is a rarity in that he loves people and dogs but there is one dog by us whom he really hates and almost becomes uncontrollable when he sees it. I would dread to think how it would be if I had a Pyrenean who didn't like any dogs. Walking would be very tricky as he is very powerful. I think that speaking to other owners is probably the best way to gain the truth, the info on the breed website doesn't really give you a true insight into a Pyrenean. I realise this sounds as though I hate Cookie, I don't he's so loving when he wants to be, I just want to give the real picture, don't be fooled by the good looks!

I think every dog, like every person, has a different character; or perhaps it is because I own a female Pyrenean and she was spayed at 6 months old.
Lily is very loving, all the time, whether there is something in it for her or not. She brings toys to you to play and even her bones, which we can take out of her mouth without a fuss. She is not aggressive to other animals or people, being dogs or cats (and we have 6 cats). She, however, can look threatening to strangers approaching the house; which is just as good as we live very isolated. But once the stranger has been allowed in, she does not do anything. She is territorial with people, cars, bikes, etc. but once away from home on walks she does not bark or chase. She is actually quite timid with people, as there are hardly anybody passing by the house.
She is a barker, though, and spends hours barking at who knows what; but thankfully at night she only barks occasionally. She has selective hearing when it comes to prowling. She loves going out on very long walks, better if it is in the car. She will escape under the fence to go to the village or to roam around if she is bored, but after several times when the result was being locked up in the kennel for the rest of the day, she has learned to come back- albeit reluctantly- when called.
She is a careful eater, chews her food properly and does not eat too much at a time. We do anyway feed her three times a day smaller meals to avoid bloating. She is now 20 months old and so far she has given us no problems health wise.
She does not shed her coat and has to be brushed at least once a week. She thinks it is all a game. Once the hair is off her, it is all over like candy floss threads, sticking everywhere.
She also the amazingly self-cleaning dog. Dirt seems to come off her on its own, apart from brambles and gorse, which has to be combed out.
I do think people wanting a dog should look into the breed profile. Pyreneans are big dogs bred to be independent and spend days in the mountains taking care of sheep without human interference. They bark a lot and need plenty of room.