Pyrenean Shepherd
A small, quick-witted French mountain herder with boundless energy and strong loyalty to its own person.
At a glance
- Size
- Medium
- Height at the withers
- Males 42–48 cm · Females 40–46 cm
- Weight
- Males 8–15 kg · Females 7–13 kg
- Life expectancy
- 14–17 years
- Exercise
- 90–150 min a day
- Grooming
- Once a week
- Coat
- Rough, Wavy, Smooth, short, medium, long
- Colours
- Fawn, Grey, Brindle, Black, Blue merle
- Bred for
- Herding, Companionship
- Country of origin
- France
- FCI
- Group 1, no. 141 · Sheepdogs & cattle dogs
Breeders on Kuldo
No breeders on Kuldo have this breed yet.
Living with the breed
| Affectionate with family | 5/5 – Very high |
|---|---|
| Good with children | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Good with other dogs | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Good with cats | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Open to strangers | 2/5 – Low |
| Energy | 5/5 – Very high |
| Playfulness | 4/5 – High |
| Needs mental stimulation | 5/5 – Very high |
| Easy to train | 4/5 – High |
| Prey drive | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Watchful and protective | 4/5 – High |
| Barking | 4/5 – High |
| Shedding | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Grooming effort | 2/5 – Low |
| Drooling | 1/5 – Very low |
| Good for first-time owners | 2/5 – Low |
| Suits apartment living | 2/5 – Low |
| Adaptability | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Copes with being alone | 2/5 – Low |
| Copes with heat | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Copes with cold | 4/5 – High |
Kuldo's own guidance from the breed's typical traits. Every dog is an individual, so talk to the breeder.
Is it the right breed for you?
Great if you …
- want a small, very athletic sports dog
- have time for daily training and activity
- want a dog closely attached to you
Think twice if you …
- want a relaxed, quiet companion
- have a busy home with many visitors and little structure
- are new to herding breeds
Care
Temperament
Pyrenean Shepherds are lively, sensitive and very loyal, often to one person. They are reserved or suspicious with strangers and quick to bark. They react fast and notice everything.
Exercise
Expect to give one and a half to two and a half hours of activity daily, with plenty of brain work. Agility, herding, flyball and trick training suit them.
Grooming
The coat is fairly easy: comb weekly and check the hindquarters, where long coats can cord or mat. Smooth-faced dogs need even less.
Training
Very intelligent and quick, but sensitive and easily bored. Positive, varied training and lots of early socialisation are important.
Health
This small herding breed is generally healthy and long-lived; hip dysplasia, patellar luxation, epilepsy and some eye conditions are occasionally seen. Breeding dogs are usually hip and eye screened, so ask the breeder for results.
Health tests breeders usually do
- Hips (HD)
- Eye examination
- Kneecaps (patella)
Ask the breeder to show you the parents' results.
About the breed
The Pyrenean Shepherd is the smallest of the French herding dogs and has worked flocks in the Pyrenees for centuries, often alongside the large white guardian dogs. It comes in long-haired and smooth-faced types, and it was used as a messenger and search dog during the First World War.
It is a light, fast and very energetic dog that lives on alert. It attaches closely to its owner and is often wary of strangers. In an active home with plenty of training, it is a devoted and spirited companion that excels in agility and other sports.
Did you know?
Pyrenean Shepherds served as messenger and search dogs for the French army during the First World War.