Border Collie Pyrenees
10-13 yrs
30-120 lbs
20-32"
Unknown

Border Collie Pyrenees

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30-120 lbs

20-32"

Unknown

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Collie Pyrenees

The history on the hybrid Border Collie Pyrenees is scant at best. However, there is history available for the parent breeds, the Border Collie and the Great Pyrenees. The Border Collie is a breed originating in England which likely goes back to the first century when the invading Romans introduced larger shepherding breeds which were later modified when bred to the spitz-type dogs brought in when the Vikings invaded the British Empire. They were bred to be strong and sturdy for the purpose of herding sheep and helping the English farmers in the highlands of Scotland, England and Wales, a purpose for which they are ideally suited. Today, they may still be herders in some venues but are mostly kept for companionship and security. This parent breed was recognized by the AKC in 1995. The Great Pyrenees history goes back into the 1400’s where it was bred for herding tasks in the Pyrenees Mountains of Northern Spain and Southern France. This giant breed was utilized to guard sheep on the steep mountainous slopes and, eventually even became a favorite of the Grand Dauphin and the French aristocracy in the 1600’s. It is related to several large European white livestock guardian dogs from Italy, Hungary, Turkey and Poland as well as to the St. Bernard and Newfoundland. This parent breed was recognized by the AKC in 1933. Both parent breeds have dense, thick coats which required moderate maintenance.

                
                Purpose
              
Companion, Guarding

                Date of Origin
              
Unknown

                Ancestry
              
Border Collie, Great Pyrenees

Border Collie Pyrenees Health

Average Size

Height: 20-32 inches Weight: 30-120 lbs

Major Concerns

Deafness
Hip Dysplasia
Collie Eye Anomaly

Minor Concerns

Elbow Dysplasia
Cataracts
Cervical Vertebral Instability

Occasional Tests

Eye
Hip
Spine
X-Rays
Eye Examination

Border Collie Pyrenees Breed History

The Border Collie parent breed has a history that goes back to the first century when the invading Romans brought larger shepherd dog breeds to England to utilize them to herd livestock. Later, when the Vikings invaded England, they brought smaller, spitz-like breeds which they bred with the existing shepherding dogs to create a breed more like the Border Collie we know today. The Border Collie has become smaller and more agile than the larger breeds, making them perfect for the herding tasks in the climate and topography of the highlands of Scotland and Wales. The Great Pyrenees parent breed is believed to have made an appearance in Europe somewhere between the 1800 and 1000 B.C. It is believed that the breed probably originated in Central Asia or Siberia and then migrated to Europe with the Aryans. Pyrenees fanciers and breeds seem to agree that the Great Pyrenees are descendants of mastiff-type dogs whose fossilized remains have been unearthed along the North Sea and Baltic Sea coasts. These remains were found in the oldest strata that is believed to contain domesticated dog evidence. The Pyrenees is closely related to the Italian Maremma Sheepdog and the Hungarian Kuvasz. The Pyrenees has traditionally tasked to guard the flocks from wolves, bears and other predators that roamed the slopes of the isolated and frigid Pyrenees Mountains on the border between France and Spain. Having an amazing sense of smell, hearing and vision coupled with their dense armor of fur and spiked collars, they were prized for their prowess as working dogs and companions.

Border Collie Pyrenees Breed Appearance

The Border Collie Pyrenees hybrid is a cross between the Border Collie and the Great Pyrenees and is a large dog whose weight is greater than 65 pounds and can have attributes from either or both of the parent breeds. The hybrid will have a strong, sturdy and well-proportioned body with a coat that can be long and coarse or shorter and smooth, with dense undercoat which protects them from colder temperatures, making them weather resistant. The color of the coat can range from white/grey/cream to black and red tricolor. The eyes could be oval or almond shaped and either rich brown or blue, the ears of medium size and carried erect or semi-erect or carried close to the head. The facial expression could be elegant, intelligent and contemplative or intelligent, alert, eager and full of interest. The tail could be full and carried low or up over the back. The width and length of the skull are about equal and the muzzle is strong, with tight-fitting lips and a scissor bite. The feet are rounded, close-cupped, well-padded with toes well arched.

Border Collie Pyrenees Breed Maintenance

The Border Collie Pyrenees hybrid, just like its breed parents, requires moderate amounts of grooming maintenance with higher levels of maintenance required during normal seasonal shedding periods. Brushing at least twice weekly will help keep the shedding under better control with one or two extra times weekly recommended during those seasonal shedding periods. Thorough brushings, with attention given to the dense undercoat as well as the softer outer coat, is the recommended brushing technique to keep the longish and dense coat free of matting and debris. Frequent brushings will not only reduce the amount of hair that needs to be vacuumed but will also keep the coat cleaner feeling. Bathe and shampoo your pet only when necessary to preserve the oil in the coat which helps it to be weather and water resistant. This hybrid is no different than most other canine breeds in that routine and regular eye and ear attention is recommended for ear cleanliness and reduced potential for infections and for the eyes to prevent or reduce periodontal disease which can lead to tooth loss.

Border Collie Pyrenees Temperament

The Border Collie Pyrenees can take on the temperament of either or both of the parent breeds, the Border Collie and the Great Pyrenees. He can be alert, energetic, intelligent, loyal, protective, responsive, affectionate, gentle, independent and quiet. Both parent breeds are great with kids and other animals and get along with strangers fairly well. Both parent breeds are intelligent but the Great Pyrenees parent contributes independence into the mix, making training a challenge. Both breeds are fairly energetic with the Border Collie breed parent contributing higher levels of energy to the biological mix. The Great Pyrenees parent contributes higher degrees of wanderlust, barking and howling and prey drive to the bio mix. Neither parent breed tolerates hot weather well, but both are well-suited to colder weather tolerance. Neither parent breed does well when left alone for long periods of time, with boredom giving rise to destructive behaviors.

Border Collie Pyrenees Activity Requirements

Your Border Collie Pyrenees can be quite active and energetic. The Border Collie breed parent contributes high energy to the gene pool while the Great Pyrenees breed parent is a little more calm. That being said, the energy levels of your hybrid will be dependent upon which breed parent has the greater influence in the bio gene pool. The higher the energy level, the more active your pet will be and the greater the pressure on the human family to keep him exercised and challenged, both mentally as well as physically. Daily walks and runs, coupled with lots of fetch and frisbee type games, will help to discharge some of that natural physical energy. Both breed parents bring high levels of intelligence into the hybrid mix, so it is incumbent upon the human owner to keep him challenged mentally to avoid some destructive behaviors which accompany boredom. Because the energy levels are pretty high in this hybrid, it is not recommended that this large canine be submitted to apartment living. He will do much better in a family home which has a fenced yard in which he can run, romp and play. He can live in both urban as well as rural areas as long as appropriate exercise options are provided or readily available. Both breed parents were developed for the colder elevations and, as such, have some difficulty tolerating hotter climates. He will do fine, however, in more moderate temperatures as opposed to subtropical or tropical areas.