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Great Pyrenees
Great Pyrenees, breed of working dog, whose ancestors probably came from Central Asia or Siberia; fossil remains date its appearance in Europe between 1800 and 1000 bc. Through the centuries the breed developed in the high mountains of the Pyrenees and was used by shepherds to guard their flocks from bears and wolves. The dog’s keen sense of sight and smell and its extremely heavy outercoat of long white (or mostly white) hair made it almost invulnerable; it was also often equipped with a spiked iron collar. In the 17th century the elegantly majestic Great Pyrenees was adopted by French royalty as their court dog. Today it is still used as a watchdog and companion and for pack and guide work on mountain trails. The head is large and wedge shaped; the neck is short and strongly muscled; the chest is deep. The male stands 69 to 81 cm (27 to 32 in) tall; the female is 64 to 74 cm (25 to 29 in) high. Weight ranges from 45 to 57 kg (100 to 125 lb) for males and from 41 to 52 kg (90 to 115 lb) for females.
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