[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

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

Hey, thanks for your response!

I was considering addressing in my first post the point you brought up, but didn't want to write so much that nobody would read it, haha. I want to preserve the majesty of the breed while working to continue to eliminate health concerns that can keep them from performing their original function as livestock guardian or their modern function as lifelong loyal companion and guardian. My goal, in Pyrs, is to produce dogs of sound body and mind who adhere to the breed standard and could be capable of fulfilling their original purposes as Pyrs. What I think really helps one distinguish the Pyr from the myriad of other predominantly white LGD breeds is the Pyr's expression... thus this discussion of heads.

My goal is to give back to the breed that has given so much to me, and to preserve its wonderful traits and improve its weaknesses, for future generations. Thus, winning is secondary, and one would think that winning would follow the points I just mentioned, but, of course, since everyone interprets the standard somewhat differently, I know that will often not be the case... Still, doesn't it become hard to continue to better the breed if you have a "type" that most others in your country don't seem to view as being so close to the standard? If other breeders do not see some success with your dogs in the show ring, it seems unlikely that you will find the same opportunities. Also, if one is thinking the "pyrfect" dog is something that nobody else here seems to be breeding, might that be an indication that one needs to reevaluate why s/he considers the ideal dog to be whatever it is that s/he considers it to be?


I do hope that nobody sees this as a commentary on others' dogs in a public forum; that was not the intent. I chose five dogs off my "all-time favorite Pyrs" list, because each of them, I think, is incredible, and I think they are all somewhat different. I wasn't sure how else to illustrate the differences I was trying to talk about, as I have heard others refer to some of these dogs as having a "French style" head and others having an "American style" head, but was not sure how extensively these terms were used, or even if they were the right way to capture the differences between the dogs I posted.


Obviously, there's much more to choosing a dog than what we're discussing here, but I do want to start somewhere.





On 3/28/2011 5:06 AM, Tracy Bassett wrote: 
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