Temperament of the breed:  Great Pyr's have a very even temperament and make excellent companions for all ages.  The only thing to bear in mind is that they are 'very' strong animals and would be hard to control for children.  If they take off after something they just might take them along for the ride.  They make excellent protection and guard dogs and form very strong bonds with their owners if given the chance.  It has been my experience that the males tend to bond very well with women and are very protective.  The females do the same with men.  The males tend to have a dislike for teenager boys not of their own household.
 

The working dog:  The Great Pyrenees was bred to work and the main stay of that work was to guard the sheep and stead of their owners.  They were meant to drive off wolves and bear and are very capable of doing it well.  I have packs for my dogs and they carry some provisions when we are out in the wild.  They should never be expected to do heavy work until they are at least a year old.  If you're going to go on long hikes in the summertime always remember that dogs can overheat and take this into account.
 

The cost to keep:  Even though they are large dogs Pyr's really don't eat a great deal and are not overly expensive to keep.  The coat of a great Pyr is relatively easy to care for and requires just general grooming although some can develop pretty heavy coats.  The space requirements for a Pyr mandate a yard and it would be intolerable to confine one to an apartment based atmosphere even though it has been done.
 

Colors:  Great Pyr's can be all white or white with light brown or Grey.  Some of the Greys and tan blends are incredibly beautiful.  Generally it is preferred to breed the all white with a marked pyr.

Health concerns:  Hips are the main concern for the Pyr and it is not unheard of for varying degrees of dysplasia to be present.  Sometimes it will show up more with age and is not a horrible problem but the more serious cases in young animals can cause severe difficulties in walking.  Breeders try not to mate an animal with dysplasia but plenty of unscrupulous individuals do.  Have  an x-ray taken if concerned and make sure an equitable solution can be made if the breeder sells you an animal with severe dysplasia.
 

Lifespan:  The Pyr should be with you for 10-12 years on average and of course longer lifespans are possible.

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