Pyrenean Shepherd

The breed is native to the French side of the Pyrenees, where written and pictorial records of small herding dogs go back centuries and local strains varied from valley to valley. Shepherds bred purely for work, valuing stamina, agility on rock and scree, and a dog that could think for itself when out of sight of its handler.

The First World War brought the breed wider notice, when Pyrenean Shepherds served the French army as messenger dogs, search dogs on the battlefield and sentries, work their speed and nerve suited well. The Reunion des Amateurs de Chiens Pyreneens drew up the first standard, and the Societe Centrale Canine recognised the breed in 1926.

Pyrenean Shepherds arrived in North America only in the 1970s and 1980s, and the American Kennel Club admitted the breed to its Herding Group in 2009. France recognises the smooth-faced dog as a separate breed from the rough-faced one; the AKC treats them as two varieties of a single breed. Numbers remain low everywhere, and the working population in the Pyrenees is still an important part of the gene pool.

This is a small, light, sinewy dog with no bulk to it, built for endurance rather than power. Rough-faced dogs generally stand about 15.5 to 18.5 inches at the shoulder and smooth-faced ones about 15.5 to 21 inches, with weights commonly between 15 and 30 pounds. The body is longer than tall, the movement is low and shaving-close to the ground, and the overall impression is of an animal permanently ready to move.

Two coat types are recognised. The rough-faced dog carries a harsh, flat or slightly waved coat that may cord on the elbows and hindquarters, with furnishings on the muzzle giving a windswept look; the smooth-faced dog has short, fine hair on the face and a shorter body coat. Colours include many shades of fawn, from tawny to charcoal-shaded, plus grey, blue merle, brindle and black, often with small white markings on the chest and feet.

The Pyrenean Shepherd is enthusiastic, mischievous and highly reactive to movement and sound. Its energy is famous even among herding breeds, and a bored one becomes noisy, destructive and frantic rather than merely restless. Given a job, the same dog is cheerful, cooperative and remarkably attuned to its handler.

It typically bonds intensely with one person and is wary, sometimes distinctly suspicious, of strangers. Rough-faced dogs tend to be the more reserved; smooth-faced ones are often a little more open. Broad socialisation from puppyhood is essential if you want an adult that can cope calmly with visitors, vet visits and busy public places.

With children in its own family a well-socialised Pyrenean Shepherd is usually devoted, but the herding instinct shows up early as chasing, circling and nipping at moving heels, which needs redirecting rather than tolerating. They can be vocal, they are quick to react, and they do best in households that appreciate a busy, opinionated dog rather than a placid one.

As a herding dog the breed works with speed and initiative, gathering, driving and holding sheep on ground where a heavier dog would struggle. Working lines are still used in the Pyrenees, and the breed competes successfully in herding trials.

Its athleticism and drive have made it a standout in dog sports well out of proportion to its numbers, particularly agility, where its turning speed is exceptional, along with obedience, rally, flyball and tracking. Some also work in search and rescue. Any of these gives an owner a practical way to satisfy a dog that genuinely needs a job.