Pyrenean Mastiff: a description of the breed and reviews

This is a large breed of service dogs, Molossoid type. Its homeland is Aragon - a locality located in Spain and bordering France. Here is the main part of the Pyrenees. Hence the name of the breed. Originally used to protect animals in pastures. Today, these are magnificent guards, bodyguards, companions.

From the history of the breed

Since ancient times, the Pyrenean mastiff was valued primarily for its excellent qualities as a guard. These dogs have proven themselves as assistants to shepherds. Physically strong, incredibly hardy, these animals perfectly resisted predators - bears and wolves. Surprisingly, these dog-threatening dogs were very affectionate and attentive to their "wards" in the herd.

For a long time no one was involved in the breed. They were peasant working dogs, so their appearance was of no interest to anyone.

For the first time they were presented at the Madrid exhibition in 1890, and from that moment the Pyrenean mastiff began to gain popularity rapidly. In 1946, the first expert description is published and the breed standard is adopted.

In the middle of the twentieth century, Spain is experiencing a serious political and economic crisis. It becomes difficult for peasants to keep such powerful dogs, so their numbers are significantly reduced. The breed is on the verge of extinction.

Save the vanishing breed took dog-lovers, who, united, decided to develop it by all means. Their work was productive - in the second half of the XX century the Pyrenean mastiff (we posted it in this article) again began to appear at exhibitions. In 1974, representatives of this breed Iru and Perrault receive the primacy and weight of praise from experts. Again, the popularity of these dogs is increasing dramatically. In 1977 the Club of Pyrenean Mastiffs began to work. He united not only the Spanish breeders, but also their foreign colleagues.

In 1981, the Spanish Kennel Society approved the breed standard. In the same year, she was recognized in the world (FCI No. 92).

Today the breed is in a state of active development, although it still remains not too numerous.

Pyrenean Mastiff - description of the breed

This large and at the same time elegant dog has a large massive head. The skull is wide enough, roundish. It features a smooth transition from the forehead to the muzzle, which has a square shape. Eyes almond- shaped, small, usually dark-brown. Triangular ears are not very large, flatly hanging along the cheekbones.

Housing

Pyrenean Mastiff - a dog with a body of a stretched format, with a strong bones. A powerful neck is conical in shape. The back is dense, muscular, the wide groove is slightly skewed. A tight and tight stomach.

The limbs are strong, with well developed musculature. Feature of the breed - profitable fingers. Paws round, "cat's", with arched toes.

Wool

These dogs have a thick, dense and hard wool of medium length. On the neck, shoulders, hindquarters of the extremities, the belly is longer.

Color

Always white, with a clear "mask". On the body are allowed spots of the same color as the mask. Whole or white tricolor color is not welcome. The paws and the tip of the tail should always be white. Admissible colors: white with gray, bright yellow, brown, black spots.

The height of males at the withers rarely exceeds 77 cm, the branch - 72 cm. These animals weigh 55 to 80 kg.

Character

Pyrenean mastiff gives the impression of a harsh, even formidable dog. Of course, there is some truth in this, because these animals are shepherds, guards. And for the sake of protecting the life and property of the owners, they are ready for anything.

In the family they are very affectionate and peace-loving, immensely attached and devoted to the master. For children this is a quivering and caring nanny.

Care and maintenance

Pyrenean mastiff, the characteristic of which differs little from that of other large dogs, requires space and quite serious physical exertion. Keep it in the apartment is not desirable. Even if the apartment is spacious, it will not give this beautiful giant proper space. Therefore, it is necessary to spend a lot of time on walks, and not everyone is ready to do this. It is much more correct to keep mastiff in a country house.

Walk it must be at least two times. Walking should be long - at least an hour. Try to ensure that in the open air your pet has the opportunity to run and play.

Care of hair

Pyrenean mastiff is naturally endowed with a magnificent "coat". The coat is very thick, there are a lot of it. But this should not scare future owners. Care for her is not so complicated. It is enough to comb it with a brush once a week. During molting, this should be done more often. Wash and cut it is not recommended. To swim a dog it is necessary only in the event that it is strongly soiled, using thus good shampoos for dogs.

Periodically it is necessary to examine and clean ears and eyes, and also to cut off claws.

Food

Feed such a pet can be both natural food and dry food. The first option will require you to prepare daily meals for your pet. Feeding dry food is much easier, but on condition that they are premium. They are completely balanced. To ensure that such food has gone to the dog for good, observe certain rules:

• The quantity must fully comply with the instructions;
• Do not give the dog extra vitamins and mineral supplements;
• Make sure that there is always clean water in the bowl.

Beginning dog breeders need to know that experts do not recommend feeding animals with mixed feeds. In other words, natural products and dry food should not be mixed.

Particular care must be taken to feed the puppies. If you plan to feed the animal with dry food, you should know that during different periods of the baby's development, different feeds will be required - during the active growth, it will need calcium and proteins in large quantities, so much nutrients will not be needed for an adult animal.

A young Pyrenean mastiff should not be lethargic and apathetic. If your pet has become sad and inactive, consult a veterinarian. It is possible that the food that he receives is not quite balanced. Remember that the main problems with the health of a dog begin with the wrong feeding.

Choosing a puppy

Mastiffs are distinguished by strong health. The bitch can easily be bored without help. At birth, the pups weigh an average of 750 grams. By two months - already 15 kg, so it is very important at this time to provide the kids a balanced diet.

When choosing a puppy, pay attention to the conditions in which animals are kept. The room should be spacious enough, dry and clean. It should not have a sharp odor.

Many people think that the Pyrenean mastiff does not differ greatly in its speed. Puppies must also be mobile, moderately active. Pay attention to how the mother treats the babies - she must feed them and not show aggression to their young.

Despite the fact that the breed of the Pyrenean mastiff is not yet widespread in Russia, a nursery that breeds these animals in our country can be found if desired. For example, "Star Shain" in the city of Yekaterinburg, "Amanauz" in the suburbs, the nursery "Polini" in the Moscow region, etc.

We have not in vain talked about nurseries. Buy a puppy Pyrenean mastiff should be only in a specialized institution or a well-established breeder. Only in this case you can be sure that you acquire a purebred and healthy animal. As a rule, in the nursery puppies at the time of meeting their new host (8-10 weeks) are already completely independent, vaccinated, have some behavioral skills. Moreover, they are ready to move to a new family.

Training

As already mentioned, this is a very clever and curious dog - the Pirinean mastiff. Puppies from a very young age are very eager to learn new skills. They strive to please the owner as much as possible in order to deserve his praise. Puppies and young dogs are very quick to learn commands. However, it is necessary to know that sometimes a mastiff can show obstinacy, and then the owner must gently, but persistently seek submission. The physical effect on the puppy is strictly prohibited.

Training should be built in the form of a game in which the puppies are happy to join. Training should be regular, without long intervals, otherwise the young mastiff can simply forget the knowledge gained.

Pyrenean Mastiff: reviews of the owners

All who bought this dog for living in a country house are 100% satisfied with their pet. This is an indispensable guard. Mastiff owners note that these animals fearlessly protect their territory and property of the owner. Along with this, it is extremely tender and peaceful person in relation to adults and small members of their family. Many owners admire the ability of these giants to play with very young children. They will never harm a child, even accidentally.

And the owners, who decided to have such a dog in a city apartment, are often disappointed. Their pet feels very uncomfortable, requires long walks, to which many owners are not ready.

Pyrenean mastiff attracts attention of dog breeders by its unpretentiousness, peaceful and balanced character, ability to be a friend to the whole family. Mastiff owners appreciate their pets for their loyalty and nobility, endurance and strength.

It is based on the feedback of the owners, we again strongly recommend that before purchasing a puppy it is good to weigh the pros and cons not to be disappointed in your pet and not to make the living entity suffer.