Coat

Correct Coat - Facial hair is shorter and meets in a line
running from the corner of the eye to the front edge of the ear.

Correct Coat - Longer hair provides a ruff,
feathering on the legs and a plumed tail.

COAT

THE WEATHER RESISTANT DOUBLE COAT CONSISTS OF A LONG, FLAT, THICK, OUTER COAT OF COARSE HAIR, STRAIGHT OR SLIGHTLY UNDULATING, AND LYING OVER A DENSE, FINE, WOOLLY UNDERCOAT. THE COAT IS MORE PROFUSE ABOUT THE NECK AND SHOULDERS WHERE IT FORMS A RUFF OR MANE WHICH IS MORE PRONOUNCED IN MALES. LONGER HAIR ON THE TAIL FORMS A PLUME. THERE IS FEATHERING ALONG THE BACK OF THE FRONT LEGS AND ALONG THE BACK OF THE THIGHS, GIVING A "PANTALOON" EFFECT. THE HAIR ON THE FACE AND EARS IS SHORTER AND OF FINER TEXTURE. CORRECTNESS OF COAT IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN ABUNDANCE OF COAT.

FAULTS:

CURLY COAT
STAND-OFF COAT (SAMOYED TYPE)

The coat of the Great Pyrenees consists of two separate layers. A flat, thick, coarse outer coat protects the dog from rain and snow, as well as brambles and underbrush. It is a coat which tends to resist tangling and matting, enabling the dog to work with a minimum of grooming care. This coat should be straight or slightly undulating.
The second coat is the seasonal undercoat grown in the fall to provide warmth. This undercoat is of a different texture. It is made up of a dense growth of fine, woolly textured hair. Typically, this undercoat is shed in the spring. In warmer seasons and/or climates, a less dense coat is acceptable. Females also tend to shed their undercoat after having been in season and after whelping.
One of the breed's points of sexual differentiation is the coat. Adult males tend to grow longer, more profuse coats, with thicker ruffs around the neck and shoulders. Other characteristics of the Pyrenean coat include:
- long straight hairs on the tail forming a thick plume.
- shorter, finer, textured hair on the face and ears, giving the head a soft, smooth appearance. There is a typical "line" running from the outer corner of the eye toward the front base of the ear caused by the meeting of the hairs of the upper and lower face.
- feathering along the back of the front and rear legs creating pantaloons.
In evaluating coat, the most important concern is ensuring that the overall coat is correct. The outer coat (guard hairs) must be straight or slightly waving at most. A Great Pyrenees' coat should never be curly or stand-off (standing out from the body instead of lying flat against theskin). The amount of coat (long, short, or out of coat) must be a secondary consideration. A single coated dog is to be faulted.
The Great Pyrenees' coat should be presented naturally, with only minor trimming allowed to tidy up the feet and face (removal of whiskers and eyebrows is optional). Exhibitors should not be rewarded for presenting a dog with a scissored or shaped coat.

Incorrect Coat - A stand-off or Samoyed-type coat.