Dog – Man Best Friends

Great Pyrenees

History and origin: The Great Pyrenees is an old breed that is said to have developed in Central Asia or Siberia and was brought to Europe by migrating Germanic tribes. Herders in the Pyrenees Mountains between France and Spain came to rely on this breed as a master group guarder that could look after sheep, goats, and cattle from wolves and bears. The all-weather coat and enormous size made him completely adaptable to the task and the cold weather. The Great Pyrenees is still used nowadays to guard herds in Europe and North America.

Description: The Great Pyrenees stands 25 to 32 inches at the shoulder and weighs between 90 and 125 pounds. He is heavy-bodied and powerfully muscled. The coat is long and thick with a soft, thick undercoat. This breed sheds and is very absorbent of odors. He mats easily and wants daily brushing to keep his coat in excellent form. Some owners trim the coat to make grooming easier. The color is either pure white or white with gray or tan markings.

About the breed: The Great Pyrenees is an independent, aloof breed that is faithful and friendly to his instant family. He tends to be suspicious and doubtful of strangers and has a strong guarding intuition typical to the breed. He has been bred to work, to defend, and to protect. He is very defensive and not extremely friendly. Few breeds would be better at guarding your assets and livestock than this one. Dog aggression is a real trouble with Great Pyrenees, nevertheless. For a thousand years this type was asked to defend his herds from wolves and it is hard to transform that inborn doubt toward canines. Training can be a challenge since he tends to be stubborn and opposing and has been known to break when annoyed. The ” Come” command can be a hard one to train this breed. In addition to initial training, socialization with people in a variety of different environments is essential. Take him out of his dwelling while he is still young and allow him relate with people and dogs. A Great Pyrenees may live for ten to twelve years. He can undergo hip dysplasia, bloat, and eye infections. He may snore and drool and will eat huge quantities of food.

Feeding: Suggested feeding for this breed is at least 2

Irish Wolfhound

History and origin: The national dog of Ireland, the Irish Wolfhound was used as a hunter of wolf and elk and may have existed as far back as the Roman era. Although considered a sight hound, the Irish Wolfhound was bred to have outstanding scenting skill as well.

Description: The Irish Wolfhound stands 30 to 34 inches at the shoulder and weighs between 100 and 125 pounds. He has a statuesque, strong body and a rough, weather-resistant shedding hair that requires just periodic brushing. The color may be gray, fawn, brindle, red, white, or black.

About the breed: This gentle giant is faithful, friendly, great with kids, an amazing house dog, and a wonderful show dog. The Irish Wolfhound is quiet, kind, and frequently on the timid side, but violent when provoked. He wants at least two years to mature physically and emotionally. Comparable to the other sight hounds, this breed is calm and quiet in the home, but because of his size he requires a home with a big fenced yard. Keep in mind that this breed can easily jump a six-foot fence. The Irish Wolfhound is a bit stubborn, learns bit by bit, and has a mind of his own. Use patience, and anticipate the training to take a bit longer than it would with other breeds. A constructive attitude and lots of confidence-building are required. Bossy training methods will fright this sensitive giant. Be tolerant and accurate. Although usually friendly, this breed, given his great size, could without problems hurt a kid while playing. Firstly suspicious of strangers, the Irish Wolfhound can also be hostile toward dogs and little animals. Socialization, training, and treatment must start early. Irish Wolfhounds can be vulnerable to bloat and hip dysplasia, and on average live simply eight to ten years. To help avoid bloat, a life-threatening gaseous torsion of the stomach, break up feedings into smaller portions, and soak the food in warm water for ten minutes before feeding.

Feeding: Suggested feeding for the Irish Wolfhound is at least 2