70-90 lbs
23-27"
Unknown
The Pyrador is the intentional offspring between the most popular dog in the United States: the Labrador Retriever, and the Great Pyrenees, a loyal and protective guardian of sheep from the mountains that border France and Spain. These are very large dogs that are typically more cooperative and trainable than the Great Pyrenees, but more discriminating and naturally protective than the Labrador Retriever. Although this dog crossbreed will fit well into many different household and environmental situations, it is generally too large and active for most apartment buildings and will be more likely to thrive in a larger home with a yard to run in.
The Pyrador is a
designer dog, the intentional crossbreed between an exceptional guardian of
sheep from the Pyrenees Mountains, and the Labrador Retriever, a good-natured hunting dog and the most popular breed of
dog in the United States 26 years in a row.
The Labrador Retriever has a long
history as a sporting dog, with an ancestry we can only guess at. While we do know
that the Labrador is one of many retrieving dogs that were descended from the St. John’s dog, a tireless
worker that retrieved nets, ropes, and
even fish from the oceans for the fishermen of the area, we don’t know how the
St. John’s dog itself came to be. We do know that in the 1800s two breeders of
St. John's dogs, James Harris and Walter Scott, both began dog breeding programs to
develop the St. John’s into a capable gun dog.
To that end, James Harris gave two of his male retrievers to Walter Scott, which, when bred with the dogs at Mr.
Scott’s kennels, gave rise to the Labrador Retriever.
The Great Pyrenees is a much older breed even than the Labrador Retriever; these dogs have
been guarding sheep for thousands of years from the bears, wolves, and lynx
that used to populate the Pyrenees mountains between France and Spain, and are
speculated to be the descendants of large
white dogs that existed as flock guardians Asia Minor somewhere around ten to
eleven thousand years ago. Although there are still some Great Pyrenees dogs guarding
the sheep of the cold and remote Pyrenees mountains, as the populations of
large predators in the area declined, these dogs diversified and were frequently employed as guard dogs for people
and property and as jailer’s dogs. These dogs became so valued in this capacity
that in the 1600s they were labelled the
Royal Dog of France by Dauphin Louis XIV.
This is a large hybrid dog breed , occasionally venturing into the giant category, with an imposing and athletic build. The body of this crossbreed is typically slightly longer than it is tall and their skulls are generally somewhat broad and slightly wedge-shaped, with a proportionate muzzle that is wide and deep enough to safely carry game birds through water without damaging them. Their medium-sized, almond-shaped eyes can come in any shade of brown as well as hazel, and although some may have the short, triangular ears of the Great Pyrenees, most have the slightly longer ears of the Labrador which hang down generally to or just below the cheekbones to frame the face. They typically sport a double layer coat with a thick, coarse layer of protective fur covering a short, dense undercoat, although those that favor the Great Pyrenees will have a longer, more copious coat, while those that favor the Labrador’s coat will have greater ability to repel water.
The grooming requirements for this canine are relatively uncomplicated and don’t require a large time commitment. Although these dogs will need baths a couple of times a year, and when they get into anything dirty or smelly, they shouldn’t be bathed too often to prevent a loss of natural oils to the coat and irritation to the skin. Brushing sessions should take place at least weekly, although a few times a week is best to ensure that all of the dead hair is removed and the coat stays shiny and healthy. It is also important to be sure that the Pyrador’s ears are kept clean and dry and are checked for infections or irritation on a regular basis.
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The Pyrador is typically a friendly canine, although they may tend to be a little more aloof and suspicious towards strangers than the parent breed of the Labrador, so positive socialization is of particular importance to the outgoing nature for this mix. This hybrid dog breed is usually positively disposed toward children, although they are quite large and can sometimes inherit the enthusiasm of the Labrador Retriever breed, so all interactions with smaller children should be closely supervised, particularly when the canine is in their awkward adolescent stage. They should get along quite well with the members of their family, both human and otherwise, but the Great Pyrenees may influence some dogs to exhibit territorial behaviors towards outsiders. While these dogs are generally quite intelligent, the trainability of this crossbreed can be variable; those that favor the Labrador Retriever are very eager to please and quick to learn, however, some may inherit the more independent nature and strong will of the Great Pyrenees, and will be more challenging to train.
While the Labrador Retriever is an extremely athletic and very active dog, the more moderate pace of the Great Pyrenees helps to lessen the daily exercise requirement somewhat for this hybrid dog breed. The Pyrador is usually quite content with about an hour of vigorous activity a day, although this is most effective when broken down into a few smaller chunks throughout the day. This hybrid dog breed is also likely to enjoy swimming and water sports, which can help to strengthen the canine’s cardiovascular system and muscles without causing the stress to the bones and joints that most activities do and may reduce this dog’s chances of developing hip and elbow dysplasia in the long term.
Written by Darlene Stott
Published: 11/24/2017, edited: 08/25/2021
More articles by Darlene Stott
My Pyrador is 11 weeks and he is on Purina Pro Plan for large breed puppies. i’m not sure on how much he should be eating. we feed him 3 times a day! i would like to know if i should have him on any vitamins and what you’d recommend his food amount should be!
