Foster dog a Great Pyrenees?

[Alanna]

The staff at the Humane Society I volunteer  with has suggested that my latest foster (now a permanent resident) may be a Great Pyr.  Her personality is certainly very similar to that described in the Big Dog Breed Book that the Humane Society uses, and they found a picture that looks alot like Delila.  This picture shows a dog with alot more color than I thought Grey Pyrs had, but then there is was!  Any thoughts or info on Great Pyrs with color patches?  We've been curious, because she definately presents with herding instincts, but her personality and behaviors don't match the smaller herding breeds.  She just meets the height requirement for bitches, but her build is a little slight, and she'll never be more that 65 pounds.

[PupDaddy]

Does she have double dew claws? How about a pink spotted belly?

[tanimara]

Looks like a Pyr/Border Collie mix to me.  A common mix due to folks using working dogs of both breeds and not bothering to have them fixed.

Jackie Wood Tanimara Great Pyrenees

[tanimara]

I dont think I really answered your question so lets try this again.  Approximately 60 - 70% of Great Pyrenees puppies are born with color.  Only about 25% of those puppies born with color, maintain that color to adulthood.  Even a smaller % maintain more color than just ear rims being dark.  As they grow older the color fades.  The puppy posted above was 6.5 weeks of age and would be considered a strongly colored pup.  He has a very pale mask and body spots now at 18 mo.  According to the standard, no more than 30% body color is acceptable for the breed.  And never do they reach adulthood with body color as strong as the dog you posted pictures of.  The best way to describe the color on an adult or juvenile Pyr is that they look like they have been air brushed.

Do I understand she does or does not have herding instinct?  The only time you will ever see a Pyr herd, is in the process of guarding their livestock.  Ie: pushing them into a corner while other dogs deal with the predators.

Hope this was a more helpful post than the first one...lol

Jackie

[mastiffmommy]

I dont have any help to offer really, you have already gotten great information here. BUT I wanted to say what a cutie pie your foster lol.... is (Its real easy to keep them isnt it....)

Marit

[Alanna]

She does have herding instincts....W hen she came to our home, she had been returned to the humane society twice for heal nipping strangers entering her new home (after ignored verbal warnings).  She no longer does this. She'd been turned into another shelter as a stray at 3 yoa, and we think she was on her own for awhile.  After 6 months in my home, with my dog pack, she will bark when she senses something out of the norm, but seems secure in the 'safety' of the pack. and has not shown any indication of nipping (although I assume she may revert if stressed).  Sounds like the Great Pyr/Border Collie is a good thought.  She is very layed back, and an independent thinker.  She also walks on very quiet, silent feet and occassionally seems to appear out of nowhere, with a smile on her face.  Oh, and no dew claws on the back, but since she was 3 when I met her, I don't know if she had dews originally.

[Alanna]

Oops - forgot the belly spots.  Yep, she has pink belly and spots.  Also spots on her skin under her coat (like my white greyhound)

[Alanna]

Someday I'll get all my thoughts together and not have to post 3 times  .  Delilah is a thief (she has stolen my heart) and the breed issue is more out of curiousity that anything else.  When all is said and done, She is a "Delila" dog and very treasured and loved for that above all else!

[Nina]

So true, Dilbert was a mystery to us, He is a Pry mix, with what I have no idea, I think Delilah is a sweet heart, and super beautiful. She does look like she is Pyr Border collie cross. Are you going to keep her?


Nina

[Kermit]

Your foster dog reminds me of my foster dog! He is a pyr/collie mix, and has the double back dewclaws. He looks like a huge fella but he only weighs 60 lbs at 11 months.
Yours is real pretty.

[Alanna]

Delila has found her forever home here.  This girl is so special, another volunteer (Gene) that she stole the heart from couldn't bear to think of her being put down (being returned for biting/nipping is a death sentence in this case) that he adopted her, placed an ad in the local paper, when I agreed to foster her.  I took several calls about her, but realized there was no one on earth except Gene and I (well, no one that was calling about her) seemed to take her special needs seriously, and the more I spoke with people, the more I realized that her intended place was with us.  End of a great beginning!  I take her to the humane society every week or so to visit Gene on his volunteer days. She starts bouncing around the van and vocalizing her pleasure at the impending visit!