Looking at the Great Pyrenees dog breed, you might think it is a dangerous canine. People often ask questions are Great Pyrenees dogs considered mean dogs? But the reality is quite different. Bred to be working and livestock guard dogs, they are pure love and affection. Today, we will talk about whether a Great Pyrenees would attack an intruder.
These dogs rely on their size, powerful bark, and intimidating presence to ward off potential threats. They do not need, nor were bred to attack potential intruders. They are not inclined to attack intruders unless they feel threatened. Let’s delve deeper into the question
Origin Of The Dog
To understand the personality of any dog breed, you need to look at its history. The American Kennel Club recognizes this dog, but it originated outside of the United States. The Great Pyrenees dog breed comes from the Pyrenees Mountains in France and Spain.
According to some legends, it aided shepherds in the mountainous region approximately 3,000 BC. Their role was to serve their masters.
Back in the day, they were seen as belonging to peasants. Things changed when King Louis XIV of France named the breed the Royal Dog of France in 1675. Soon, the Pyrenees became a popular guardian of the royal estate.
Members of the elite also took on these giant dogs and brought them to their own estates. Here is a fun fact. The Great Pyrenees dog breed gained popularity throughout Europe in the 19th century to the point it was used to improve St. Bernard stock in Switzerland.
Personality Traits
Now that we know the origin of the canine, let’s talk about some of its common personality traits. These dogs are recognized for their majestic appearance and protective nature. Keep in mind that traits may vary between individual dogs, but here are some common ones.
- They are generally considered to be gentle giants who display a calm and composed demeanor
- They have a strong instinct to protect their family and territory, but that doesn’t make them aggressive
- Their guardian abilities make them wary of strangers
- They are independent thinkers. They are loyal, but they are not as eager to please as some other working dog breeds, for example, the German Shepherd
- Once bonded with their family, they are incredibly loyal dogs who form strong attachments
- They carry themselves with confidence
- Great Pyrenees dogs are not overly energetic, instead, they have a calm and laid-back personality. Once they mature, they are even calmer
- As a gentle giant, this dog is good with children
- Their independent nature can sometimes manifest as stubbornness, but with consistent and early training, you can handle it
- While originally bred to be outdoor dogs on farms, they can adapt to different living environments, be it rural or suburban settings
- This might surprise you, but they are comfortable around animals and people. When socialized early on, they are quite sociable animals
Are They Good Guard Dogs
Great Pyrenees dogs have an instinct to protect. Their protective instinct is ingrained, which is why they are dedicated and loyal guardians. Yet, any prospective dog owner, should socialize and train their puppy. Socialization is crucial for ensuring these protection dogs channel their instincts appropriately.
They do not attack. Instead, these dogs use their size and powerful bark to scare off intruders. Yes, a Great Pyrenees dog might attack when an intruder threatens their flock, owners, or property. Yet, they rarely attack unless they have no other option.
Will A Great Pyrenees Attack An Intruder?
Protection dogs like the Great Pyrenees are known for their natural instinct to protect their flock, family, territory, or anything in between. They use their defensive behavior when they perceive something or someone as a threat.
But when it comes to dealing with intruders, they will rarely attack. Instead, as we said before, these guard dogs use their size and powerful bark as a warning.
If the intruder gets close enough or ignores the warning signs, yes, there might come a point of altercation.
To manage the aggression and territorial instinct of your Great Pyrenees, you have to invest time and effort into proper socialization and training.
How To Introduce Your Pyre To Other Dogs
We need to talk about how to socialize your canine with other animals. Introducing your dog to other animals is a rewarding experience for both you and your pooch. There is a misconception that these protection dogs do not like the company of other animals. On the contrary, they are sociable when trained and socialized properly.
Yet, because we have a large dog in question here, always use a barrier for the first meeting. Implement a see-through physical obstacle, or use the neutrality walk technique. What is that? Well, you simply walk your dog with another animal side by side, but with a bit of distance between them. This approach allows the dogs to see and observe each other without the risk of physical touch.
After a while, it should work as a desensitization, with the dogs getting to know each other and feeling each other’s company.
Another technique you can use is the scent method. Again, you create a barrier between the two, but they cannot see each other. They can only smell each other’s scents. The dogs gradually become acquainted without any tension or risk of altercation.
Do They Need To Be Trained To Guard?
This good guard dog has a natural impulse and instinct for guarding. You do not need to invest any formal training into guarding.
You do, however, need to work on obedience training. A large dog means more challenges in public. You definitely do not want your big dog showing aggression and making people scared, right?
Is A Great Pyrenees A Good Family Dog?
While the Pyrenees is a great guard dog, it can also be an amazing loving family dog. They are gentle with their family and extremely loyal. Great Pyrenees will form an amazing bond with their family and will go to great lengths to protect them.
The dog is emphatic and gentle around children, making him an ideal family companion.
Are They Gentle?
We talked today will a Great Pyrenees attack an intruder. But what we said is these dogs are not dangerous or aggressive. They are simply territorial. This protection dog has an instinct to watch for a potential threat.
But in reality, he is gentle and loving with the family. With proper socialization and training, this puppy can grow into a perfect family companion.
