Pyrenean Shepherd - Top 10 Interesting Facts

The Pyrenean Shepherd is basically a native from the French Pyrenees Mountains where he is used as a herding dog.
There are top 10 interesting facts about Pyrenean Shepherd.

1) 6 000 Years Old History
You can find absolutely no information of where the Pyrenean Shepherd originated from or how it was developed, however we know that this breed of dog is certainly essential for sheep and goat herding in the Pyrenees Mountains of Southern France. The fossil record shows that sheep and goat herding were well-established in this area by 4,000 B.C. If the Pyrenean Shepherd has been around since the beginning of herding in these mountains, they've been around for more than 6,000 years.

2) World War I
During World War I, Pyrenean Shepherds were used as couriers as well as search-and-rescue dogs. This was the very first time the breed received acknowledgement outside of the Pyrenees Mountains, and the army representatives were amazed with their abilities and their bravery.

3) Small Size
The Pyrenean Shepherd did not have to protect the flock from possible predators; that was the job of the Great Pyrenees, his much larger version. Because they had different dogs for protection, shepherds intentionally bred the Pyrenean Shepherd to become small. Small canines tend to be more effective at navigating the mountainous landscape quickly. In addition they don't need so much food, so the shepherds could easily afford to keep more dogs.

4) Marathon Dogs
With a dog-to-sheep ratio of 1 to 500, Pyrenean Shepherds need to do plenty of running in order to do daily management. Pyrenees farmers also move their flocks long distances between grazing grounds (a process called transhumance), and they can not do it without their dogs. With all this responsibility, a Pyrenean Shepherd can expect to regularly cover 25 miles per day.

5) Excellent Managers
As William shakespeare would state, "Though they be but little, they are fierce." Regardless of its small size (15 - 21 inches at the shoulder), the Pyrenean Shepherd has the ability to handling large flocks. Just 2 Pyrenean Shepherds are needed to handle a flock of 1,000 sheep.

6) Health
The Pyrenean Shepherd is a fairly healthy breed of dog and is not vulnerable to any particular genetic illnesses. As the dog gets older, he might develop hip dysplasia or some eye issues which could always be prevented by regular check-ups.

7) Personality
The Pyrenean Shepherd is a very smart dog with high exercise requirements. He likes to go on long runs or challenging outdoor hikes and especially likes to be left loose with no leash. Due to his herding traits, he is often cautious and alert for threat and makes a great watchdog. They are really watchful, quick to learn and also want to assist in everyday tasks around the house.

8) Trainability
These dogs are really easy to train because they are very clever and can quickly understand what they are supposed to do. In reality, they are so intelligent that they can pick up on the way of doing minor household chores and other behavioural characteristics simply from watching other people perform them.

9) Coat
The dog comes with two types of coats. The first is the smooth-faced coat that has short, fine hair round the mouth and a little bit longer hair around the rest of the body. The second is the rough-faced coat that has really long hair on the face which often almost drops to the eyes. The color of the coat differs from golden hair, blue plush, plush red markings black markings along with brindle, merle and white coat colour.

10) Part of French Art
The Pyrenean Shepherd is so important in France that it has appeared in French artwork since the beginning of Renaissance years. For instance, Dartiguenave’s book of paintings, named "Costumes des Pyrenees," features a Pyrenean Shepherd. One also shows up in Descamps’ painting, "Le Retour du Berger."