Dog breed · Spain
The Pyrenean Mountain Dog (Chien de Montagne des Pyrénées) is a French breed of livestock guardian dog. In France, it is commonly called the Patou. It is known as the Great Pyrenees in the US. The breed originates from the eastern or French side of the Pyrenees Mountains (which separate France and Spain). It is recognised as a separate breed from the Mastín del Pirineo or Pyrenean Mastiff from the Spanish side of the mountains, but they are closely related.
The Patou is widely used throughout France as a livestock guardian, particularly in the French Alps and the Pyrenees, protecting flocks from predation by wolves and bears. In the US, it is also used to protect flocks from various predators.
Description: The Pyrenean Mountain Dog is a large, powerfully built livestock guardian. According to the breed standard of the Société Centrale Canine, dogs stand 70 to 80 cm (28 to 31 in) at the shoulder and bitches 65 to 75 cm (26 to 30 in). Healthy adults typically weigh between 55 and [dose — ask your vet] (120 and 165 lb). The head is proportionate to the body, with a long, broad, slightly pointed muzzle; the lips are tight rather than pendulous, and the small triangular ears lie flat against the head. The neck is short and strong, the chest broad and moderately deep, and the tail long, carried low at rest but curling over the back when the dog is alert. A distinctive feature of the breed is the presence of double dewclaws on the hind legs; their absence is considered a disqualifying fault in showing.
The breed's double coat is long and thick, providing insulation and protection in harsh mountain weather. The outer coat is flat and particularly long around the neck, tail, and backs of the legs, while the undercoat is fine and dense. Pyrenean Mountain Dogs are predominantly white, sometimes with patches of black, badger, grey, or various shades of tan, most commonly on the head. Badger refers to a mixture of brown, black, grey and white hairs; it is frequently seen in puppies but often fades as they mature. Purebred dogs with black patches do occur, but this colouration is considered a disqualifying fault in the show ring.
A 2024 UK study reported a median lifespan of 10.9 years for the breed, below the overall canine average of 12.5 years. A 2005 Swedish insurance study found that 58% of Pyrenean Mountain Dogs died by age 10, compared with 35% across all breeds.
History: The French name Patou derives from pâtre, meaning shepherd. It is sometimes claimed that the breed’s ancestors — along with those of the closely related Pyrenean Mastiff — were white livestock guardian dogs brought from Asia during Roman times, linking them to the Maremmano-Abruzzese Sheepdog of Italy and the Kuvasz of Hungary. Genomic analyses place the Pyrenean Mountain Dog within the same genetic clade as the Pharaoh Hound, Cirneco dell'Etna, and the Ibizan Hound.
In the 17th century, Madame de Maintenon and Louis, Dauphin of France brought a dog of this type to the court of King Louis XIV, where it quickly became fashionable; Louis XIV even designated it the Royal Dog of France. The breed was also used by the French nobility to guard their châteaux, particularly in the south. It is sometimes suggested that French settlers brought these dogs to Canada, where they may have contributed to the ancestry of the Newfoundland breed. In the 1830s, Pyrenean Mountain Dogs were among the foundation breeds used in developing the Leonberger.
After wolves were extirpated from the Pyrenees in the 19th century, the breed’s numbers declined sharply, and by the early 20th century it was close to extinction. Some shepherds sold pups to tourists, and a few dogs were taken to Britain, where several were registered with The Kennel Club, although interest in such a large breed waned during the First World War. A French aristocrat and canine authority, Bernard Senac-Lagrange, is credited with rescuing the breed at this time. He travelled through the mountains to locate high-quality specimens and used them to establish a new breeding base. In 1923, he founded the breed club Réunion des Amateurs de Chiens Pyrénées and drafted the first breed standard. That same year, he registered the breed as the Chien de Montagne des Pyrénées with the Société Centrale Canine. In 1946, the Real Sociedad Canina de España recognised the Mastín del Pirineo (Pyrenean Mastiff) as the large white livestock guardian dog of the western, Spanish side of the Pyrenees, establishing a separate standard. The Chien de Montagne des Pyrénées received definitive acceptance from the Fédération Cynologique Internationale in 1955.
