Pyrenean Sheepdog (Smooth Faced) puppies

About the Pyrenean Sheepdog (Smooth Faced)

The smooth faced Pyrenean Sheepdog is one of two varieties of a small French herding breed, this one worked in the lower foothills with horses and cattle while the rough coated type stayed high on the mountains. The name describes the head, which carries short fine hair instead of the beard their relative wears. Body coat is semi long, longest over the neck, withers and back. Height runs from 40 to 54 centimetres, and the Kennel Club lists the breed in the Pastoral group.

For their size, this is an extraordinary amount of dog. The Kennel Club puts exercise at more than two hours a day, grooming at more than once a week, and states plainly that this breed is not for a novice owner. They are quick, sensitive, independent and reserved with strangers, so early socialisation and varied training are essential rather than optional extras. The people who struggle are the ones who wanted a small easy companion and got a working sheepdog instead.

What to expect at eight weeks

At eight weeks a Pyrenean Sheepdog (Smooth Faced) puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A medium breed puppy at eight weeks is a manageable armful that will not stay that way. Most of the growth happens between now and six months, so buy for the adult dog where you can. This is a very high energy breed. The mistake owners make is trying to tire them out physically. Training, scentwork and puzzles will do more than distance ever will. Grooming needs are moderate, so build the brushing habit now while the coat is still short and easy. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything they meet calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of their life.

Health worth knowing about

Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.

• Impaired vision and hearing from merle to merle matings, which the Kennel Club prohibits registration of for this reason
• Hip dysplasia, which breeding stock can be x-rayed and scored for before mating
• Inherited eye disease, checked by an annual eye examination with a veterinary ophthalmologist on breeding animals
• Matting behind the ears and in the longer neck and back coat, found by combing right down to the skin more than once a week
• A small United Kingdom population, which the Kennel Club asks breeders to manage by prioritising genetic diversity

Your Pyrenean Sheepdog (Smooth Faced) puppy's first six months

• Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
• Worming and parasite schedule.
• Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Medium for a Pyrenean Sheepdog (Smooth Faced).
• Adult size predictor, to check growth against the Not published adult range.
• Puppy names and the first week checklist.

Kit sizes: chew toys made for medium breeds. Worked out the same way as the crate size calculator. PetMD bases a crate on the dog's own measurements, not weight or breed alone, so measure once the puppy is home.

Buying guides for this

• Best crate for a puppy: wire, plastic or soft, and how to size one with a divider

Other medium breeds

More on the Pyrenean Sheepdog (Smooth Faced)

Previous: Pyrenean Mastiff · Next: Pyrenean Shepherd

Sources

• fci.be for adult weight and height, coat type and country of origin
• fci.be for life expectancy
• royalkennelclub.com for energy, grooming and the temperament ratings
• royalkennelclub.com for health notes
• Health notes from Pyrenean Sheepdog (Smooth Faced) breed information at https://www.royalkennelclub.com/search/breeds-a-to-z/breeds/pastoral/pyrenean-sheepdog-smooth-faced-imp/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.

No published figure for adult weight and life expectancy, so nothing is shown rather than a guess.

Photo: Canarian, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped. All photographers are listed on the photo credits page.