Pyrenean Shepherd?

[casablanca1]

Anyone have/know about these? I saw one of these at an agility trial this weekend, and it was adorable. Why must I always fall for the rare/uncommon/hard-to-find dogs?

[oc_spirit]

Here is a bit of info I found for you:

Closely related to the Spanish Catalan Sheepdog and old French herders, the Pyrenean Sheepdog was developed in the Gavarnie and Lourdes regions in the 18th century, but this working population of related herders can be found in many other areas as well. Although it is sometimes known as the Labrit, it should be noted that this name should actually be reserved for the Landes Sheepdog breed and not the Berger des Pyrenees. This hardy little breed used to work alongside the mighty Great Pyrenees for centuries. The small energetic worker has traditionally been employed as a drover of the flock and alarm dog, while the guarding duities were commonly handled by the Great Pyr, who is more than capable of confronting and killing a wolf. The ever-alert Pyrenean Sheepdog is also an excellent and dedicated property watchdog.



A breed of immense agility and stamina, the Berger des Pyrenees is valued as a tireless worker and a devoted companion. If socialized properly and given plentiful excercise, it can make an agreable family pet. There are two coat types, equally popular and fully weatherproof. Both the shorthaired and longhaired varieties are common in shades of fawn, blue, gray and brindle. The average height is around 18 inches.
http://www.molosserdogs.com/modules.php?name=Encyclopedia&op=content&tid=2775

General Appearance - A small, sinewy, lean, lively dog whose sparkling personality and quicksilver intelligence are reflected in the vibrant expression of his unique triangular head and windswept face. A superb athlete, his beautiful, flowing gait “shaves the earth.” Uncoiffed, light-boned and built as a horizontal rectangle, his high energy and intelligent, cunning, mischievous attitude show that he is always on alert, suspicious, ready for action. An ardent herder of all kinds of livestock, his vigilant attitude and great vivacity of movement give this little dog a highly singular gait and appearance, characteristic of no other breed. The Pyr Shep is naturally distrustful of strangers, but when well-socialized from a young age, he or she has a very lively, cheerful disposition. The two varieties, Smooth-Faced and Rough-Faced (including both demi-long and long-haired coat types) are born in the same litters.


Size, Proportion, Substance - Size - Rough-Faced: males: 15 ˝ to 18 ˝ inches at the withers, females: 15 to 18 inches. Smooth-Faced: males 15 ˝ to 21 inches at the withers, females 15 ˝ to 20 ˝ inches at the withers. Weight – An absolute minimum of weight is required -- just enough flesh to cover the bones; the ribs should be readily felt. Disqualification - Individuals under the minimum height, or exceeding the maximum height by more than ˝ inch. Proportion - In rough faced dogs the body is clearly long (from the point of shoulder to the ischium) in proportion to the height of the dog, whereas Smooth-Faced dogs appear much more square. Substance - The dog in good working condition is lighhtly boned and sinewy, correctly proportioned and well-balanced, and must never appear overdone.



Head - The head is generally triangular in shape, rather small in proportion to the size of the dog, well-filled-in under the eyes; the top skull is nearly flat. Expression - Intelligent, alert, and cunning, evenn a little mischievous. Eyes - The eyes are almond-shaped, open, andd very expressive. They are neither prominent nor deeply set. They are dark brown in color. Partially or completely blue eyes are acceptable only in merles. Eye rims are black no matter what color the coat. Disqualification - Missing pigment on the eye rims. Disqualification - Blue eyes in a dog of coat color other than merle. Ears – Both cropped and uncropped ears are equally acceptable. The ears are rather short, moderately wide at the base, set on top of the head. Ears are traditionally cropped straight across and stand erect. Natural ears are semi-prick with one-third to one-half of the leather falling either straight forward, or to the side in the case of a rose ear. Skull - The skull is almost flat on top with only a slight central furrow, gently rounded on the sides, and with only a slight development of the occiput. The top of the skull slopes gently to the nearly-parallel muzzle with no marked stop, and the sides of the skull blend gently into the muzzle, giving the head a triangular wedge shape. Faults - too much hair on the head – particularly if it veils the eyes. Muzzle - Straight, slightly shorter than skull, it lets the skull dominate the face; narrow, but not exaggeratedly so, it affects a wedge shape, well filled-in under the eyes. This lends a triangular shape to the head. In Smooth-Faced dogs, the muzzle is slightly longer and more pointed than in the Rough-Faced dog. This is emphasized by the distinctive smooth face with its short, fine muzzle hair. In Rough-Faced dogs, the hair on the end of the muzzle and chin must be naturally short and it lengthens as the muzzle widens toward the skull. This gives the characteristic windswept appearance so necessary for correct expression. Nose – Black. Disqualification - Nose other than black. Lips - Tight-fitting, often giving the impression that the dog is smiling. The mucous membranes of lips and palate are black or strongly marked with black. Bite - The teeth are large and strong. Complete dentition is preferred. A scissors bite is strongly preferred, an even bite is admissible. Faults - More than 1 missing incisor or 2 missing premolars. Teeth broken or missing by accident shall not be penalized. Disqualification - Overshot or undershot bite.



Neck, Topline, Body - Neck - Rather long, well-arched flowing smoothly into the shoulders, and well muscled, well set from the shoulders. Topline - The topline is firm and strong. The tops of the rather long shoulder blades clearly project above the line of the back. The back is level. The loin is slightly arched, and is slightly higher than the top of the shoulder blades. In Rough-Faced dogs, especially among the long-haired coat type, the rounded loin is accentuated by the coat. In Smooth-Faced dogs, the topline appears much more level. Body - Cleanly boned, the body is rather long and well supported, the loin is short, the croup is rather short and oblique, flank well tucked up, ribs slightly rounded and extending well to the rear. The chest is of medium development and descends only to the elbow. Tail - The tail may be docked, natural bob, or naturally long. All are equally acceptable. The naturally long tail must not rise above the level of the back but should continue along the slope of the croup. It should be set on rather low and forming a crook at the end; well fringed in Rough-Faced dogs, well plumed in Smooth-Faced dogs.



Forequarters – Shoulders - Shoulder blades are rather long, of moderate angulation. Upper Arm - Oblique and moderately long. Forelegs - Light-boned, sinewy, rather finely made. Rough-Faced: Fringed with rather long hair in long-haired dogs, rather shorter hair in the demi-long haired dog. Smooth-Faced: The hair is short on the fronts of the legs, and may be furnished with feathering along the back of the leg from elbow to pastern. Pasterns - Strong, sloping. Dewclaws - The front legs should carry single dewclaws, not to be removed. Feet - Oval shaped. The foot of the Smooth-Faced dog is a little shorter and more cupped than in the Rough-Faced dog. The pads of the feet are dark. Nails - The nails are hard and dark.

cont'd...

[oc_spirit]

...cont'd

Hindquarters – Hind Legs - The stifle is well bent. The upper thigh is rather short. The lower thigh is long. The hocks are clean, well let down, well angulated and often close together. When viewed from the rear, the legs present parallel columns of support from hip to hock. Rough-Faced dogs with demi-long coat are generally not as heavily furnished in the rear as the long-haired dogs. Feet - The foot of the Smooth-Faced dog is a little shorter and more cupped than in the Rough-Faced dog. Dewclaws - Double dewclaws, single dewclaws, or lack of dewclaws in the rear are all acceptable, however as dewclaws are an ancient breed characteristic, all else being equal, the dog possessing dewclaws must be preferred. Feet - Oval shaped. The foot of the Smooth-Faced dog appears a little shorter and more cupped than in the Rough-Faced dog. The pads of the feet are dark. The hind feet characteristically toe out slightly and this must not be faulted. Coat - Coat quality is more important than abundance. Rough-Faced - The Rough-Faced dog's coat can be of long or demi-long hair, almost flat or slightly wavy. Demi-long dogs have culottes on the rump, while the long-haired dogs are often more heavily furnished with woollier hair that may cord, especially on the elbows, croup, and thighs, but never on the head. The texture is harsh, being halfway between the hair of a goat and the wool of a sheep. The undercoat is minimal. The hair on the end of the muzzle and the chin must be naturally short and it lengthens as the muzzle widens toward the skull. The longer hair on the sides of the muzzle and cheeks is swept back giving a windblown look. The eyes must be readily visible, not veiled by hair. Smooth-Faced - The muzzle is covered with short, fine hairs, hence the term Smooth-Faced. The hair becomes somewhat longer on the sides of the head, blending into a modest ruff. The hair on the body is fine and soft, attaining a maximum length of no more than 3 inches for the ruff and culottes, 2 inches along the back. The fronts of the legs are covered with short, fine hairs; there is often some furnishing on the elbows and thighs. Faults - Excessively long coat, excessive furnishings. Too much hair on the head, especially if the hair veils the eyes or displays a pronounced moustache or beard. NO RIBBON SHALL BE AWARDED TO A DOG WHOSE COAT HAS BEEN SCISSORED, ESPECIALLY ON THE FACE, EXCEPT FOR NEATENING OF THE FEET.

Color - Various shades of fawn from tan to copper, with or without a mixture of black hairs; grey, ranging from charcoal to silver to pearl grey; merles of diverse tones; brindle; black; black with white markings not exceeding 30% of the body surface. A little white is acceptable on the chest, head, and feet. Faults - Too many white patches or white patches tthat are too big; black with tan points. Disqualifications - White coat color covering 50% or more of the body.

Gait - The trot -- our little shepherd's favoritte gait -- must be solid and vigorous. At the jog trot, the head is carried rather high. As the stride lengthens the head lowers to become level with the backline. It is a very flowing gait. The feet barely leave the ground. He "shaves the earth." The correct gait is very pleasant to the eye. It is a result of the harmony of the front and rear angulations. As speed increases, the legs converge under the body toward the center line.

Temperament - The Pyrenean Shepherd is not merely a header or a drover. Such a division of labor is unknown to him. He is a versatile herder to his very soul and has the intelligent initiative to adapt to all manner of changing circumstances in order to fulfill the human shepherd's every need with unequalable prowess. The powerful herding instinct is so strong in him that from the very youngest age he knows how to manage the flock even without the example of an older dog. He is dominated by his love for his work. He has the tendency to become passionately attached to his owner to the complete exclusion of all others and is astonishingly sensitive to his owner's moods. As a companion, he is very active and enthusiastic and insists upon being involved in the day's activities whatever they may be. He is very affectionate with the members of his immediate family, but is distrustful of strangers.

Disqualifications:
Individuals under the minimum height:
Rough-Faced: males - under 15.5 inches at the withers, females - under 15 inches at the withers.
Smooth-Faced: males - under 15.5 inches at the withers, femaless - under 15.5 inches at the withers


Individuals exceeding the maximum height by more than 1/2 inch above 18.5 inches at the withers, females - more than 1/2 inch above 18 inches at the withers.
Rough-Faced: males - more than 1/2 inch above 18.5 inches at the withers, females - more than 1/2 inch above 18 inches at the withers.
Smooth-Faced: males - more than 1/2 inch above 21 inches at thee withers, females - more than 1/2 inch above 20.5 inches at the withers


Missing pigment on eye rims.


Blue eyes in an individual of coat color other than merle.

Overshot or undershot bite.


White coat color exceeding 50% of the body.
http://www.geocities.com/pyrshepclub/

The last link has a TON of info on the Pyr Shep and I highly recommend going through it thoroughly. It is the link for the Pyr Shep Club of America

[planet molosser]

One should always refer to the Club either USA or Canadian and then back to the founding club in country of Origin >They have ACCURATE Profiles written from BREEDERS and Experts vs commercial websites.
If web profile does not have reference material than consider is part fact - part cut and paste- part hype- part rumour-part opinion of the author.
And if the author is not a published expert look else where.

US Breed Club:http://www.geocities.com/pyrshepclub/geninfo.html?200630

I have met a few in the last decade.
http://www.geocities.com/pyrshepclub/hdr2.gif


HISTORY OF THE PYRENEAN SHEPHERD
Its origins lost in the mists of time, the Pyrenean Shepherd has resided in the Pyrenees Mountains of Southern France since time immemorial. Myths abound – that the breed is descended from native Pyrenean bears and foxes; and that this was the original dog of the Cro-Magnon people who painted the cave at Lascaux. What we can know is that bones of small dogs abound in Neolithic sub-fossil deposits, and that sheep and goat herding were so well developed in the Pyrenees that by 6000 BC, the ecology of the region had been transformed by overgrazing. Throughout the centuries, transhumance herding has been the mainstay of the economy of the High Pyrenees, and this ancient lifestyle persists even into the twenty-first century. Many Pyr Sheps of excellent type (but with no registered ancestors) still herd sheep every day in the Pyrenees Mountains.

Medieval accounts of life in the Pyrenees mention the dogs as constant companions; wherever the shepherd went, his little dog went too (see e.g. Montaillou). Beginning in the early modern period, depictions can be found in engravings, lithographs, and paintings. Noteworthy are Buffon’s Histoire Naturelle (“chien de berger de petite race”), Dartiguenave’s Costumes des Pyrenees, and Descamps’ Le retour du berger. It is well-known among residents of the High Pyrenees that when the Virgin Mary appeared to the young shepherdess Bernadette Soubirous at Lourdes in 1858, Brigitte had her little Pyrenean Shepherd by her side. Representations of the breed dating to the eighteenth century display the same ear crop that is still used today

Some Pyr Sheps came to North America in the 19th century accompanying flocks of sheep imported from the Pyrenees Mountains. These dogs were primarily smooth-faced blue merles, and they were instrumental in founding the Australian Shepherd. Mary Crane of Basquaerie kennels, founder of the Great Pyrenees in America, imported four Pyr Sheps in the 1930s, one being Houzard de Fontanettes from M. Senac-Legranges' kennel, but did not breed Care
The breed comes in two varieties, the Smooth-Faced and the Rough-Faced, and several colors in both varieties - all described in the Standard . These coats, although they look like they require a lot of maintenance, surprisingly do not. A coat with a proper texture is easy to maintain and stays very clean. A quick brushing once every couple of weeks will keep his coat in tip top shape. A long-haired pyr shep, whose coat is not brushed, may cord. One must remember to trim his double dewclaws on their back legs or these nails will grow very long and may cause injury.


Health
The Pyr Shep is known as one of the healthiest of breeds, but of course, no breed is free of genetic defects. This breed is known to be subject to occasional cases of hip dysplasia, epilepsy, sub-luxated patellae, PDA, and progressive retinal atrophy (PRA). These diseases are not common, nor life threatening. Dogs exhibiting these problems should not be bred. And preliminary testing for such problems should be done on all breeding stock.
Members of the Pyrenean Shepherd Club of America are bound to the PSCA Code of Ethics.





them

[planet molosser]

Looks like the standards and profiles written by the club are a bit more complicated. They have 2 varities and have specific breed type and head structure that is well documentated on this link.
Often details are forgotten on multi breed commercial sites and if the info is spammed by others it turns in allot of not fully accurate info.

http://www.geocities.com/pyrshepclub/description.html?200630

ILLUSTRATED PICTURES OF THE TWO VARIETIES

The following is a description of the ideal Pyrenean Shepherd. Departure from this standard must be penalized to the extent of the deviation. Although good structure is very important in the Pyrenean Shepherd, the essence of the breed is to be found in its type. Excellence of type in expression, conformation, and movement are to be valued much more highly than any specific structural perfections. It is breed type that makes the Pyrenean Shepherd what it is.

General Appearance - A small, sinewy, lean, lively dog whose sparkling personality and quicksilver intelligence are reflected in the vibrant expression of his unique triangular head and windswept face. A superb athlete, his beautiful, flowing gait “shaves the earth.” Uncoiffed, light-boned and built as a horizontal rectangle, his high energy and intelligent, cunning, mischievous attitude show that he is always on alert, suspicious, ready for action. An ardent herder of all kinds of livestock, his vigilant attitude and great vivacity of movement give this little dog a highly singular gait and appearance, characteristic of no other breed. The Pyr Shep is naturally distrustful of strangers, but when well-socialized from a young age, he or she has a very lively, cheerful disposition. The two varieties, Smooth-Faced and Rough-Faced (including both demi-long and long-haired coat types) are born in the same litters.

http://www.geocities.com/pyrshepclub/jaqfawn.jpg

[oc_spirit]

Thanks for quoting more from the site I posted ;) It really has a lot of great info on it!

[planet molosser]

Well I would never quote and or link to the site you posted for obvious reasons.
And yes any OFFICIAL breed club site is GReat for accurate information thumbs up to you. :)

[oc_spirit]

I find nothing wrong with the site from which i quoted from...either of them. But hey to each their own. Just because you have some personal issues with the site owner is no reaon to consistantly bash the site with lies :) But again, to each their own.

[planet molosser]

OC I normally dont start something I cant finish I am closing down my accounts for a few days my old 10 year had a bad reaction to a vaccine.

Your are entitled to your opinion and me mine. Why hijack this thread with personal issues real or not.

So for the record since I wont be able to answer you on the other threads as well.

And I dont back any site i dont care if Ronald Reagan ownes it if they sell backyard bred dogs or if he himself became a backyard breeder. You call it lies I call it facts ..

I have one face and that if for the best for dogs NOT humans or not making human friends.....

And since you know only one side of a situtation how about leaving my life out of the equation. I have not posted ANY personal info I have on that person and NEVER will. HIs dog life is up to critique as all breeders are who live on the net and that speaks for itself not matter what you "hear".

So again I will be happy to pick up where I left off in a few days..

Back hurts from sleeping on floor with dog.

So to any pvt pms I will be back after her white blood cell county is taken on thurs..