Re: [pyrnet] French vs. American Heads in the Great Pyrenees

[Tracy Bassett <espinay@bigpond.com>]

Not much time to write a big reply just now, but really my first 
question to you (for you to ask yourself) would be - what is more 
important to you?  Winning or breeding/owning and presenting Pyreneans 
which represent the breed well?  Note that whichever one is more 
important to you may dictate the path you take as unfortunately one 
isn't always necessarily the same as the other, particularly in the all 
breeds ring.

I would emphasise that the breed is a French breed (no matter what 
anyone says that is where the breed originates from - 'French' is not a 
dirty word!) and knowing its history, purpose, origins and development 
and how these have shaped how the breed looks and how it is structured 
is important.  If you don't already have it Joe Gentzel's book 'From 
France With Love' is well worth getting hold of. (note I hate the term 
'French Head' etc - go to a show like the RACP Nationale Elevage in 
Argeles and you will see dogs ranging from one end of the scale to the 
other ).

From the look of the dogs in the pictures you gave, some are reasonably 
young and some more mature.  Note that this may affect the way they 
look.  A youngster can change a lot in a few years.

When it comes to the dogs in the pictures, I do have a preference (and 
it is not a dog I am familiar with so no bias there - just going off 
photos though which can be deceptive at times).  Email me privately 
though if you want to know which one it is and why, as I don't think it 
necessarily appropriate to go into a commentary on other peoples dogs on 
a public forum.

Tracy Bassett
Espinay Pyrenean Mountain Dogs
"Putting the Breed before breeding"
Gunning NSW Australia
mobile: 0412167278
email: info@espinay.com
web: www.espinay.com


On 28/03/2011 7:06 PM, Andréa deCarlo wrote:
> So, to the question(s) and such!  I am incredibly impressed with P, 
> and would love to have a pup resembling P.  But I can't decide.  I 
> also think H is a beautiful dog, but find myself nervous that getting 
> a dog like her as my first show dog would not go well in the AKC?  I 
> would love to hear your opinions and experiences/thoughts on whether 
> more of a French-type dog would be able to be successful in the US... 
> I think the smartest thing for me to do would be to search for a dog 
> like P, and then if I am still so inclined, to incorporate dogs like 
> H, T, and M into my lines when the perfect opportunity/dog arises.
>
> I'd really really like to hear your opinions.
>
>
> Andréa

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