I am purchasing a Great Pyrenees Puppy; What's next?

Well congratulations on your newest fur-friend! Owning a Great Pyrenees puppy is not like owning any other breed of puppy! The breed is known to be extremely smart, loving, and carrying, but like all breeds they do have some tendencies that can frustrate their new family members.  It's best to be prepared before you take your newest four legged friend home!

Let's start off first with research.  If you've never owned a Great Pyrenees, you should do a lot of research ahead of time to determine if the breed is for you.  A great resource is the American Kennel Club, https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/great-pyrenees/.  The AKC will provide you with a broad understanding of the breed, but keep in mind that each dog will vary some based on its personality, upbringing, training, and experience.  So don't go asking to be put on a waiting list or money down for a puppy without first being educated.

In general, Great Pyrenes are not lap dogs that will want to stay in doors all day.  They have been bred for centuries to protect their flock/herd of animals.  They need space to roam and livestock or people to love and protect.  They like other breeds, need a job and they are more than wiling to do it.  You must understand that the breed is meant to be a nocturnal breed, meaning that they are working mostly at night to verify predators are not around harming their beloved animals/humans.  It is not uncommon for the dogs to bark at any noise their hear during this time.  It generally is to alert or scare away predators.   Live in a neighborhood or apartment?  Their barking might cause your neighbors to get upset.  Be sure to consider your environment and social surroundings when purchasing this breed, or you will set yourself and the dog up for failure.   When it comes to roaming, you better have a well fenced area to keep these white furballs in their property.  The breed is known to climb and roam miles around their home to scope out the safety of their area.  Do understand that this is their natural instinct and while its easy to punish them for doing something "bad," they are only acting in what they have been bred to do.  The best solution is to have a plan in place to ensure that the area is secure and identification is placed on the dog for those times he/she gets away.  Early on obedience training is crucial.

So now you have reached the point in which the dog may or may not be a fit for your family.  If you have any question in your mind at this point the dog may not work for your current situation, then its probably best to reach back out to breeder and discuss your concerns.  If you still believe the breed is best for you, now you will prepare yourself for bringing the puppy home.

Prior to brining the puppy home, you should go through your home and yard area and make sure that its puppy safe and ready.  That means that you have items that the puppy could chew on cleared and/or secured, a designated area in which the puppy will sleep/be crated, the purchase of puppy food, supplies, treats, and toys.  A good collar with an ID badge will be needed, too.  Also, schedule your puppy for its second veterinarian visit. If you have other animals that will be engaging with the new puppy, you will likely want to slowly introduce them to see how they respond to each other and how they will handle the attention each will get.

Now it's time to pick up the puppy!  Picking up the puppy is always one of the most precious times.  The puppy is leaving the home, its litter mates, its parents, and the handlers its known so far in its short 8-12 week life.  The puppy will more than likely be scared and unsure of itself.  It's highly recommended that a crate/carrier be brought to place the puppy inside.  The puppy may puke or even defecate in the vehicle on the ride to its new home.  It's best for the puppy to understand that the crate/carrier is its new safe place from a changing environment until it gets settled.  Expect the puppy to be UTD on its shots and dewormed.  Like most farm raised puppies, the puppy will require a bath and even treated for flees if their new home is indoors.   If being used for livestock protection, be sure to slowly introduce the puppy to its new responsibilities and its new environment.  Leaving a puppy alone with livestock at first is not recommended.  Puppies can develop bad habits of nipping lamb/goat tails and playful chasing if its not properly introduced and corrected when it conducts unfavorable behaviors.  Training in either setting is valuable for both the owner and dog.

We encourage all new owners to continue providing the puppy with a milk based option in their diet until at least a year of age.  The breed is a large breed, so to ensure proper bone growth and development the need for calcium is crucial.  A simple whole milk cup or two a day offering in a bowl will assist in good development.  Also to meet protein needs, a raw egg or two can be offered on top of their dog food.

Lastly, if you are opting to neuter or fix your Great Pyrenees be sure to speak with you Veterinarian on what their recommendations will be for your dog.  Most will advise a year wait for the males and roughly 6-8 months for females.  Most veterinarians charge by the pound of the dog when they conduct these services.

Owning a Great Pyrenees is rewarding and beneficial.  Be educated and prepared for a successful companionship!

If you have any further questions about the breed or any of the puppies we sell, feel free to reach out to us.  We love to hear how are previous litters are doing and with owners permission, we do share on our website and social media outlets.