Pyr temperament

[pyr4me]

I'm just curious...Jenn y is my first experience with a Pyr ever...when I found her on the rescue site I started researching the breed to find out if she was a good fit for our family...but I have found that Jenny is much more attentive, relational, social, and sweet than I expected. I had read that Pyrs are like big cats--independent, stubborn, and somewhat aloof--those are not the first words that come to mind when I think of Jenny.

I completely adore her, she is  my "velcro" dog, always in the same room I'm in, usually by my feet, loves to be pet, greets everyone she meets, knows when to be protective, etc.

I do realize that some of those traits I just listed are a part of the standard Pyr temperament, but I'm curious to hear others' experience with their Pyrs. I know that I will want another Pyr one day and wanted to get a sense of the variations in temperament. Thanks!

[People Whisperer]

I think that females are usually more cuddling than males in this breed.
Lily is very stubborn and quite independent. She goes to bed when she decides. She likes to be outside by herself when it's dark and cold. She sleeps on her bed in the living room and not by our feet.
She gives me that feeling of love and comfort without being in my face and overwhelming. She is very gentle and sweet and is the best dog I have ever had. 

[pyr4me]

Jenny sleeps in the living room as well--better place to guard everything, I think. She is always near me when I'm awake though. 

[maxsmom]

I think, to some extent, breed characteristic s can be altered by a dog's life and circumstances.  Jake is not a velcro dog.  He likes to be where he can see or hear you, but not even that all the time.  He will go out into our sunroom and sleep for hours.  He can see outside and see the doors, but not us.  If he hears anything, he comes running to see what is going on.  He will come in from time to time just to look around and then go back.  He goes to bed at night whenever he is ready, in my bed.  He sleeps with me in bed, but he is not cuddly in bed.  He sleeps on the other side at the foot, or on Joe's pillow, but not touching me.  He loves to be petted, but moves away as soon as you stop.  He is protective, but mostly towards dogs, not so much people.  I love Jake to pieces, but don't know that I will ever get another pyr.  He is more social and outgoing than I ever expected him to be and I would not really describe him as aloof at all.
Kathy

[GoldenPyrs]

You know, I've been hearing this independant thing about Pyrs for almost 20 years and I still don't really get it, but maybe it's all in the defination of "independance".    Cara was always within 20' of me whenever she was in the house.  Halley was the same way.  Now Daisy is Golden/Lab and she is my true velco dog since she waits outside the bathroom door for me and that's been an improvement.  She used to lay on the bath mat until I just needed a little more space and put my foot down.  Cassie is happiest when she is stretched out on our laps and Sammy is a big snuggle bug that lays nearby and comes over for frequent snuggles & pets.

I guess if you compare a Pyr to a pup like Daisy, a Pyr probably would seem more independant, but Daisy is pretty cuddly.  I know that there are Pyrs out there that want to be outside, but I really think that they are much less common.  All of the Pyr people that I know personally has had very snuggly pups like mine.  They might not all be in our laps, but they do like to be nearby.

I wonder if Jenny is especially attached to you b/c she's never been so happy & loved before, so she knows how good life is now.  At least, that's how Sam is with us.  It's wonderful that you are making that sweet girl so happy.

[pyr4me]

I wonder if Jenny is especially attached to you b/c she's never been so happy & loved before, so she knows how good life is now.  At least, that's how Sam is with us.  It's wonderful that you are making that sweet girl so happy.

Thanks, that's such a sweet thing to say. I do wonder how her history affects her personality. I recently realized that what I thought was just a missing patch of fur around her neck is actually a scar from an embedded collar.    I'm so happy she's in my life and I think she's a pretty happy dog these days, too. 

[GoldenPyrs]

I wonder if Jenny is especially attached to you b/c she's never been so happy & loved before, so she knows how good life is now.  At least, that's how Sam is with us.  It's wonderful that you are making that sweet girl so happy.

Thanks, that's such a sweet thing to say. I do wonder how her history affects her personality. I recently realized that what I thought was just a missing patch of fur around her neck is actually a scar from an embedded collar.    I'm so happy she's in my life and I think she's a pretty happy dog these days, too. 

Awwww, I'm so glad that you feel that way.  That's how we feel about Sam.  I can't fathom how anyone could possibly beat & starve someone with such a sweet, loving soul as he has.  He also has scars on his neck from an embedded collar.  Now we all know that puppies grow fast, but how could someone miss that?      I hate to think how Jenny & Sammy must of suffered.  I just wish that they'd always been loved like they are now.     Please give Jenny a nice hug from me.

[People Whisperer]

Jenny sleeps in the living room as well--better place to guard everything, I think. She is always near me when I'm awake though. 

Sorry, I meant sleeps in the living room while we are reading or watching TV but at night she sleeps in our bed 

[pyr4me]

I wonder if Jenny is especially attached to you b/c she's never been so happy & loved before, so she knows how good life is now.  At least, that's how Sam is with us.  It's wonderful that you are making that sweet girl so happy.

Thanks, that's such a sweet thing to say. I do wonder how her history affects her personality. I recently realized that what I thought was just a missing patch of fur around her neck is actually a scar from an embedded collar.    I'm so happy she's in my life and I think she's a pretty happy dog these days, too. 

Awwww, I'm so glad that you feel that way.  That's how we feel about Sam.  I can't fathom how anyone could possibly beat & starve someone with such a sweet, loving soul as he has.  He also has scars on his neck from an embedded collar.  Now we all know that puppies grow fast, but how could someone miss that?      I hate to think how Jenny & Sammy must of suffered.  I just wish that they'd always been loved like they are now.     Please give Jenny a nice hug from me.

Ditto on that hug for Sam, too!  

[GoldenPyrs]

I wonder if Jenny is especially attached to you b/c she's never been so happy & loved before, so she knows how good life is now.  At least, that's how Sam is with us.  It's wonderful that you are making that sweet girl so happy.

Thanks, that's such a sweet thing to say. I do wonder how her history affects her personality. I recently realized that what I thought was just a missing patch of fur around her neck is actually a scar from an embedded collar.    I'm so happy she's in my life and I think she's a pretty happy dog these days, too. 

Awwww, I'm so glad that you feel that way.  That's how we feel about Sam.  I can't fathom how anyone could possibly beat & starve someone with such a sweet, loving soul as he has.  He also has scars on his neck from an embedded collar.  Now we all know that puppies grow fast, but how could someone miss that?      I hate to think how Jenny & Sammy must of suffered.  I just wish that they'd always been loved like they are now.     Please give Jenny a nice hug from me.

Ditto on that hug for Sam, too!  

I'm going to go give it to him right now, thanks!   

[maxsmom]

I guess a pyr is just a breed that I should love like grandchildren.  They go home and I don't live with them 24/7.  I thoroughly enjoy my time with them, but am not totally responsible for them.  Maybe Jake is not a typical pyr, whatever that is.  I know they are all different, but he is not what I expected.  I wanted a really, really, heavy coat and his is only heavy around his neck.  I can brush all 3 of my dogs in 30 minutes flat.  Even if I only do it once a week, it only takes 30 minutes.  I enjoy brushing them, but I was hoping for a more time consuming job.  He loves, and I mean loves everyone.  He will pull on his leash to go up to every person he sees, even with a prong collar.  I have had him on a chain collar and he can be gasping for breath and still straining to get to a stranger he sees to get petted.  I was expecting a more aloof dog, from the ones I had known previously.  Granted, the ones I knew were from my childhood in Tennessee.  They were outside dogs, mostly staying with livestock, but they had these super thick, woolly coats, that covered their whole bodies, except for their lower legs.  They would approach you to sniff you, but unless the owner had them sit, you really couldn't pet or love on them.  The owner and their family could, but not strangers.  I don't know, we've only had him for 7 months now, and I have no idea what his life was like before we got him, except that he had been taken out of a shelter and into rescue at 10 months of age.  He had been adopted from rescue at least once and maybe twice and returned both times.  I don't know why except, he ate too much and barked too much.  Don't get me wrong, I love him to pieces and he will always be my baby, I am just not sure this is the breed for me.  I guess I expected a dog more like Cody, just younger and more playful to play with Max.  I definitely got the playful.  He and Max playfight for hours each day.  He has more stamina than Max and will keep it up until Max just lays down to rest.  He's a great dog.  Maybe he is just the way he is trying to make up for his past and will change as he ages.
Kathy

[GreatPyr]

I can add some to this even though my Pyr experience is only raising 3 pyr pups,my pyr is only 15 weeks old so alot of what I say some could be puppy behaviour as well as Pyr behaviour.

Bear thrives to be around people,I let him outside with our Cocker and then he wants right back in,we do ths in and out thing all day long he does like to be out when its cold,rainng and dark,he is hard to drag in when its dark or raining.I think he gets hot in the house is why.

He is leary of srangers,he will run away from them and growl and now bark,he is avery aloof.He is in the house and around lots of people and he is still very leary with someone he doesnt see very much,He barks alot when in his crate,he barks at us when we walk through the room,he wants out.He has a DEEP BOMBING bark even at 15 weeks

I have to say so far Bear as displayed the "Pyr temperment" I have read about.When in the house he does sit with me mostly at or near my feet btu when he hear a noise he likes to stray off to check it out then comes back.

I do have to add that having the 3 pups from 10 days old they where the quitest,calmest most easily managed pups i have been around(i use to raise dobies and labs)
I will surely have another in years to come.

I have to comment on maxsmom,your pyr probably does not have the thick coat because he is inside,Most of the ones I have seen that are more inside then out their coats are not as full,when kept exclusivley outdoors they have the thick coats.

[bigdogs@5501]

I have pyrs that go from one extreme to the other. Zoey, who was my princess baby from the age of 6 weeks, is the more aloof cat like Pyr. I know that I held that baby for the first 5 months of her life and I have often wondered if it she is just so confident and sure in life, that she only needs mom occasionally now.
The others primarily are rescues, most everyone of them from a jacked up situation from being in the pound to being left in a backyard by themselves. Every one of them are clingy needy dogs. They need constant reassurance that they are loved.
Tugs is the exception to this as he is not a rescue-he flip flops from needing mom to being a butt head and selectivley hearing me telling him what to do and him ignoring me.

As far as the coat, I dont think that mine are as thick as what some of thier northern cousins are sporting. So possibly if you are living in a warmer more southern climate, you are just not going to get the thick heavy coat. Tugs is the only one of my Pyrs who has the true snowshoe effect on his hind feet, none of the girls have the furry snowshoes, but then again Tugs does have the heavier thicker coat than the girls, none of my pyrs have thin hair and even Dolly, the mom, has blown her old coat and what is coming in now is thick.

[London_Pyr_Lover]

Well my experience with Naja is that she is more aloof, but still very needy.  She needs to be near me at all times (unles she slips her leash and is running as fast as she can away from me!).  But at other times she is content to sleep in the kitchen where she has full view of the entire house, from the front door and around into the living room.  At night she will cuddle with me until I either fall asleep, or stop cuddling her, then she'll take up her post at the foot of my bed.  When morning comes, or she decides it's time for me to get my butt out of bed, she'll jump onto the bed with her two front paws and bounce until I get up.  She is super friendly with everyone, as long as she in introduced properly.  However she will bark and growl at passersby, or the guy who came to our house the other day to fix the phones (she didn't like him too much).  She's great with kids and other dogs, however is a little timid if a bigger dog rushes her at the dog park.  Her coat is not ery long at all, it sounds more like Jakes coat, just shaggy around the neck, and the pantaloons.  She is still ALWAYS being mistaken for a White GSD, or a White Golden  .  She is my big love bug, I could not imagine my life without her in it, and I can confidantly say, I will have a Great Pyrenees in my life for as long as I can take care of one. 

[faye]

I have 2 sisters (pyrs) that are totally opposite from each other. one is more playful, outgoing and likes to talk. the other is more laid back, quiet and will not go to strangers. we are trying to socialize them more ( I hate winter ) cause they both shy from people.  neither would take off right now cause they are scared of anything new and different.
but they both pretty well stay in whatever room I am in and one now sleeps on the bed. (figured out how to jump up yesterday) both bark at strange noises inside or outside but that is ok. they dont keep barking - just a couple barks and then come to get me. funny thing is one loves my newf and the other loves the sheltie.
but I love this breed. beautiful dogs.