Fuzzycuddles Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 A friend is looking into this breed so I was wondering if anyone had any breeders they'd recommend? also any tips and info I can pass onto them? They are most definitely wanting to be well informed to have at it with good bad and all the little things you've learnt along the way it's a family home environment decent size yard and fairly active family . Happy to give details as needed on them if it helps an informed opinion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clyde Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 (edited) Contact Espinay on this forum. I don't know if I'd have a Pyr in town as they do bark a lot but breeders will know more about that. I have a Maremma here who I think is half Pyr and he seems to have the Pyr nature. Very soft and cuddly with mountains of coat and legs that would make Elle Macpherson jealous. I researched the breed before adopting my boy from Andrea, they aren't easy to come by and are in the higher price bracket, $3-4K. They are a Livestock Guardian breed and also not active in the sense of needing an active family and copious amounts of exercise. My boy won't budge from my yard Chances are the dog will find 'their spot' and not need a super large yard yard anyway, it's just the barking they need to be mindful of. Tell them to research LGD's as a whole too, to get more of an understanding of the way the breed lives/works. Next to my Maremma, Forbee is the bigger dog Edited December 29, 2011 by Clyde Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clyde Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 Sorry, going nuts with photos, can't help myself Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lugeanjaam Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 Wow Clyde what a stunning boy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katdogs Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 Just stunning I got to meet a Pyr at the Dogs NSW spring day. An awesome creature, but a working dog at heart, and lots of it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fordogs Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 (edited) Have a look at Despreaux they have some lovely dogs and I know that they are all health tested. Edited December 30, 2011 by Fordogs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rottshowgirl Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 A friend is looking into this breed so I was wondering if anyone had any breeders they'd recommend? also any tips and info I can pass onto them? They are most definitely wanting to be well informed to have at it with good bad and all the little things you've learnt along the way it's a family home environment decent size yard and fairly active family . Happy to give details as needed on them if it helps an informed opinion Euzkadi Kennels are in SA, their website is very thorough re good & bad points of breed etc www.euzkadi.com.au The barking thing would put me off to be honest, plus they can be quite independant thinkers. After Rotts who will go to the ends of the earth to please their people, I would find that quite 'challenging' They are absolutely lovely with their families though, so devoted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brintey Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 I have had Pyrs as pets for nearly 20 years - their challenges are the coat (a fair bit of grooming)and the barking. If these are not a problem I would recommend either Espinay on this forum or Faye at Despreaux (Fordogs link), both very helpful and knowledgeable. Both my Pyrs have been quite people-focused and trainable, but probably not your ideal obedience dog! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clyde Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Brintey, how do you manage the barking in the suburbs? Do they just spend a lot of time indoors? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 When i was a child friends had the most wonderful Pyree show & pet. They took it to work every day & was everyone.s best friend . Great breed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brintey Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 Brintey, how do you manage the barking in the suburbs? Do they just spend a lot of time indoors? Hi Clyde Sorry I only just saw this! I keep my current one inside before sunrise and after sunset - these are her prime barking times. Otherwise I just yell "No!" a lot LOL. Actually it helps a lot if I go and look at what she is barking at, once it has been acknowledged that it is not a threat she calms down a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isabel964 Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 Wow Clyde - awesome dog! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
espinay2 Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 (edited) A friend is looking into this breed so I was wondering if anyone had any breeders they'd recommend? also any tips and info I can pass onto them? They are most definitely wanting to be well informed to have at it with good bad and all the little things you've learnt along the way it's a family home environment decent size yard and fairly active family . Happy to give details as needed on them if it helps an informed opinion Hi there Good on them for wanting to make sure they understand the downside as well as the good. Pyrs are wonderful creatures, but there are definitely things they should be aware of! The barking as mentioned is one. There are ways to manage it depending on the situation and the dog, but when all is said and done, Pyrs do bark more than many other breeds as that is what they are bred to do - to warn predators they are on duty. Having lived in suburbia with Pyrs before I can tell you it can be done, but it can be something that requires constant mangement. Other issues to be aware of is that they are escape artists and need good fences (they will go through or under as much as over so they need to be strong) and can not be trusted offlead outside of a fully fenced area. There is a saying - 'an offlead Pyr is a disapyr' So owners should not expect to take their dogs on walks offlead. They are an independent thinking breed - yes they can be trained, but they are bred to think for themselves so don't expect them to follow you around at your heels like a border collie or golden retriever etc asking you what you are going to do next! They are more like a giant cat in some ways (exaggeration, but you get the drift). The joke in our family is that my sisters cats (who will play fetch) are more like dogs than my dogs ;) They also love to dig holes to keep cool (we are talking major earthworks here) so for someone who loves their perfect garden they may not be the best option unless they have a separate area for the dog when it is not supervised. They also shed LOTs of hair. Doesnt matter how much you groom, you will have hair on everything at some point. There is more info on my website about the breed and also health issues the breed is subject to. Also links on my links page which will provide more info on the breed. They are welcome to contact me to discuss the breed and its suitability to their situation in more detail if they want. Edited January 2, 2012 by espinay2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
espinay2 Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 (edited) On managing barking and Pyrs. As Brintey mentioned, having them inside at night and during the peak bark fest times of dawn and dusk can help a lot. I find too that the best way to manage a Pyrs barking is not to tell them to be quiet, but to praise them! Sounds backwards I know but they are hard wired to do their job. If you go and check what they are barking at, tell them they are good for alerting you, but you are now in control and have determined it is nothing and they need to be quiet now (ok not in those words, but that is the gist of it - I usually do - 'whats up' - 'good boy/girl' - 'ok enough, leave it', and move them away from where they were - of course if there IS a threat I let them keep barking ;)), it generally works a lot better than negatives to get them to be quiet (where they often get more stressed that they can't do their job). It is about leadership really and Pyrs do need an owner who will be a good leader. Edited January 2, 2012 by espinay2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dame Aussie Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 (edited) Brintey, how do you manage the barking in the suburbs? Do they just spend a lot of time indoors? Hi Clyde Sorry I only just saw this! I keep my current one inside before sunrise and after sunset - these are her prime barking times. Otherwise I just yell "No!" a lot LOL. Actually it helps a lot if I go and look at what she is barking at, once it has been acknowledged that it is not a threat she calms down a bit. I don't know as much about Pyrs but I have an Anatolian Maremma x who we rescued from the pound as a baby so I can give some info on LGD's in general, or my limited experience anyway! Mosley is dealt with the same as above, is inside overnight, I agree with espinay that when he barks, "No" wont stop him, but if I say "good boy" and praise him, the tail starts wagging and he stops. He is a bit of a barker but luckily there are a lot of dogs in our neighbourhood so no-one seems to mind....at least not that we know of ;) When he is shedding his coat it is like living in a snow storm, so much hair He can NEVER be let off lead, he just bolts and won't come back :rolleyes: and obedience training is slow and frustrating. He does not aim to please But that's the bad....the good is that he is extremely loyal and affectionate, not just with us but with everyone he meets. he leans on you, lies on you, anything to get petted. He is great with other dogs also. Very protective, if I am home alone he will sit across the doorway into whichever room I am in and not budge. He has the most beautiful eyes, that I swear stare right into your soul, he's beautiful. Oh and pretty lazy, he does copious amounts of zoomies but afterwards needs a good rest So if you can deal with the former not so good qualities go for it! LGD's are beautiful dogs. Edited January 2, 2012 by Aussie3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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