Pyr temperament

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!

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. 

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.

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 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