Pyrenean Shepherd Did You Know?

• The Pyrenean Shepherd is AKC’s 161st breed.
• The Pyrenean Shepherd has been assigned the Herding Group designation.
• The Pyrenean Shepherd will be eligible for AKC registration and for competition in the Herding Group, effective January 1, 2009. There will be an open registry for the breed until January 1, 2012.
• From the November 2006 Board Meeting – It was voted (unanimously) to approve the Pyrenean Shepherd to participate fully in AKC Herding events, and to compete for Prefix and Suffix titles, effective January 1, 2007.
• From the April 2006 Board Meeting – It was voted (unanimously) to add the Pyrenean Shepherd to the Miscellaneous Class effective for shows held on and after January 1, 2007.
• At the February 2004 Board Meeting the Pyrenean Shepherd became eligible to participate in Herding Tests, and to participate in Herding Trials on an exhibition-only basis.
• In December 2003 the AKC Board approved the eligibility of some Foundation Stock breeds, which meet certain criteria, for competition in AKC Companion Events (Obedience, Tracking, and Agility), effective January 1, 2004. The breeds must have a minimum of 150 dogs with three generation pedigrees recorded in the FSS®, a national breed club with members in at least 20 states, and an AKC approved breed standard. The Pyrenean Shepherd was one of 20 breeds who met the requirements. Requests by breed clubs to have their breeds compete in the various Performance Events would be considered on a case-by-case basis.
• The Pyrenean Shepherd has been recorded in the Foundation Stock Service since 2001.
• The breed originated in the French Pyrenees Mountains as a sheep herding dog, working along side of the Great Pyrenees who were used to guard the flocks.
• That it is estimated that the Pyrenean Shepherd may cover 25 miles a day doing chores with the shepherd or farmer.
• That just two Pyrenean Shepherds are enough to manage a flock of 1000 sheep.
• It is believed among residents of the High Pyrenees that when the Virgin Mary appeared to the young shepherdess Bernadette Soubirous in the grotto at Lourdes in 1858, Bernadette had her little Pyrenean Shepherd by her side. The shepherds of the Pyrenees often refer to the breed as "the dog that saw God."
• That members of the breed first distinguished themselves outside the Pyrenees Mountains by dint of their service during World War I. Hundreds, perhaps thousands of Pyrenean Shepherds gave their lives for the cause. They were used as couriers, as search and rescue dogs finding injured soldiers after battles, and to accompany guards on their rounds. J. Dhers, officer in charge of war dogs, remarked the day after final victory that it was his "duty to proclaim" that the Pyrenean Shepherd was "the most intelligent, the most cunning, the most able, and the fastest" among all the breeds used.
• A Pyrenean Shepherd was the 2003 Midi World Agility Champion! Sylvia Trkman's Smooth-Faced blue merle girl "Simply the Best de Loubajac" aka "La" ran a full 6 seconds faster than any other dog!