This is Zeus. He's a Great Pyrenees that we helped transport from a shelter in southern Kentucky to a rescue organization in Ohio. He was supposed to be transported two weeks ago, but with the winter weather we've had it had to be postponed twice. So as not to duplicate, you can see more photos and read more about Zeus' transport on my Pet Research Blog.
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Great Pyrenees are an ancient breed descended from the sheep guards used by the "Aryans," who migrated throughout Europe from what is now Persia or Iran. as a result of this westward migration, we now have a cousin flock of guard breeds in the Tatra, the Kuvasz, the Maremma, and Sloserto. The Pyrenean mastiff is on the Spanish side of the mountains while the Pyrenean Mountain dog is on the French side. None of for mentioned breeds actually descended from each other, but are rather offshoots of the similar ancient ancestor. Louis XIV of France, as dauphin, brought them to Versailles and they became the dog of France. They continued to guard sheep in the mountains at the Chateau de Foix in medieval times. during the two world Wars, they carried messages between outposts and command posts. in their native mountains, they worked with the small Pyrenean shepherd who did the actual herding while the Pyrenean guarded against predators.
ReplyDeleteThe great Pyrenees is a descendant of the Hungarian Kuvasz and the Maremmano-Abruzzese. The breed is considered to be the aristocratic relative of the Newfoundland and the Saint Bernard. remains of a dog similar to the great Pyrenees were discovered in Europe and dated back to the yr 1800 BC. it’s highly likely that the breed actually originated much earlier in Siberia or Asia. throughout its native country of France, the great Pyrenees includes a long history as a guard dog of sheep and chateaux. These dogs were greatly sought after by French nobility throughout the seventeenth century. The AKC officially recognized the breed in 1933.