Are you familiar with the hybrid of a Great Pyrenees and a black Lab? This guide delves into the various aspects of this breeding, including appearance, personality, wellness, and fitness needs.
The Pyrador, a mix of a Great Pyrenees (a breed affectionately called the polar bear dog) and a beloved retriever, brings together two breeds with some similarities but also notable differences. As a result, the Pyrador puppies can exhibit a wide range of traits, making it unwise to predict a specific outcome. Let’s examine this further.
Great Pyrenees Black Lab Mix: Breed At A Glance
- Popularity: Little-known
- Purpose: Companionship, therapy roles
- Weight: 65 to 100 pounds
- Temperament: Smart, affectionate, devoted
Great Pyrenees Black Lab Mix Breed Review: Contents
This article will discuss:
It’s time to start!
Origin of the Great Pyrenees Black Lab Mix
The practice of producing ‘designer puppies’ by crossbreeding dogs from distinct pedigrees has gained significant traction since the 1980s, including the creation of the Great Pyrenees black Lab mix. However, comprehending the distinct backgrounds of the Labrador and the Great Pyrenees can also offer insight into the experience of owning a Pyrador canine.
Labrador history
Originally, Labradors were bred for use as hunting dogs. Specifically, they were taught how to aid their owners during the hunting process, retrieving dead birds from both land and water. They were quickly adored for their intelligence, work ethic, and easygoing nature, making them excellent companions both in the field and at home. These same traits made them a top choice for service dog training. When pet ownership became more common, Labradors were an obvious and popular choice for families looking for a versatile and reliable pet. It’s no surprise that they’ve been the most popular breed in America for nearly 30 years!
Great Pyrenees history
The Great Pyrenees were created centuries ago to oversee and defend sheep in the Pyrenees Mountains. In addition to managing the sheep, they also deterred intruders such as poachers, wolves, and even bears. They were such excellent guardians that King Louis XIV of France selected them to watch over his royal chateaux.
Great Pyrenees have been utilized by sheep farmers in the United States for safeguarding their herds since the 1970s, and they remain a highly favored breed for this function to this day.
What To Expect From A Great Pyrenees Black Lab Mix
When breeding a Great Pyrenees black Lab mix, it is uncertain which characteristics each pup will inherit from their parents. Their physical appearance may resemble either breed or fall somewhere in the middle. Some pups may have excellent retrieving abilities like a Lab, while others may possess strong protective instincts but lack the same retrieving prowess. In a litter of Pyrador crosses, there can be noticeable differences in size, coat, and temperament among the puppies. It is vital to weigh all options before deciding to adopt a Pyrador mix.
Great Pyrenees Black Lab Mix Appearance
Commencing with the bodily capabilities:
Size
Labrador retrievers range in size from 55 to 80 pounds, while Great Pyrenees are even larger and can weigh 85 pounds or more. The size of a Pyrador depends on a few factors, including the size of their parents, their gender (as males typically grow larger than females), and their individual genetic makeup. Both breeds share a similar physique, featuring a sturdy, muscular build, friendly eyes, and ears that hang down the sides of their heads.
Coat
Both Labradors and Great Pyrenees possess dense and water-resistant dual-layer coats, which make them suitable for working outside throughout the year and in harsh weather conditions. They both undergo constant shedding, and they have two periods a year where they shed excessively to adjust to the seasons. A Great Pyrenees’ fur is lengthier and fluffier compared to a Labrador’s fur and has a noticeable ruff and pantaloons – elongated hair on the chest and legs. The fur length of a Great Pyrenees and Black Labrador crossbreed can match with either of their parents or fall in between.
Color
When it comes to a Great Pyrenees black Labrador mix, the color that they will ultimately be is a matter of curiosity. Since black Labs are known for having black coats while Great Pyrenees are recognized for their white fur, it remains unclear what the resulting color will be.
Great Pyrenees dogs have a genetic makeup that makes them exceedingly pale red, while black Labrador retrievers can possess the genes necessary for producing either brown or red fur coats. If a black Lab has solely inherited the genes responsible for black coloring, then their Pyrador offspring will be black due to the overwhelming genetic dominance of black pigment. However, if the Lab carries the genetic markers for other colors, then the resulting Pyrador puppies may be white, a gentle brown, or even a red shade.
Training and Exercising Your Great Pyrenees Black Lab Mix
There are certain training fundamentals that should not be overlooked, regardless of whether your Pyrador is easily trainable like a Lab or requires more patience like a Pyrenees.
It is essential to provide potty training for all dogs. To protect your furniture from the notorious chewing tendencies of Labrador puppies, crate training is recommended when you are not at home. Additionally, it is crucial to teach Pyradors good manners around people due to their substantial size. Otherwise, an unprepared person might be knocked over by a jumping Pyrador. Similarly, teaching your Pyrador to walk calmly on a loose leash is vital. Otherwise, a pulling Pyrador can cause discomfort during walks and even damage your shoulder muscles.
There are training guides available elsewhere on the site that can assist you in initiating each of these skills.
Our training courses on Dogsnet aim to help you establish training techniques step-by-step, with the added benefit of real-life support from our training team in the student forum.
A Pyrador exhibiting a temperament more reminiscent of a Lab is highly likely to find mental stimulation through training throughout their lifetime. Engaging in activities such as field work or advanced obedience is an effective way for them to channel their innate work ethic.
Exercise
Historically, Working Labradors and Great Pyrenees have been used to varying levels of physical activity. Labradors are known for their energetic and active nature – they chase and retrieve objects repeatedly. Conversely, Great Pyrenees had to remain stationary and monitor sheep, leading a considerably more leisurely life.
This mix of a Great Pyrenees and black Lab could either be content with less than an hour of daily exercise or could display frustration and unruliness if given less than two hours. Therefore, if your exercise routine for your dog is non-negotiable, this combination may not be suitable for you.
BONUS: Dog training 101 — How to set realistic goals and where to get started
Essentially, there exist two tiers of training for dogs. If your aim is to teach your dog basic manners, like sitting, staying, and lying down, or to acquire skills training, you would enlist the services of a dog trainer. However, if your dog displays problematic behavior such as anxiety, fearfulness, or aggressiveness, a more suitable option would be a dog behavioral consultant such as Pack Leader Help’s Brianna Dick.
“The way that I approach dog training is behavioral psychology based,” says Dick, who is a member of the International Association of Canine Professionals. “We’re not looking at just the physical behaviors of dogs. We’re looking at their emotions and the relationship they have with their humans.”
If you require training in both skills and behavior, it’s recommended to commence with the more challenging one – behavior training. While a dog trainer may be able to teach your dog how to sit, a dog behavior consultant would be more proficient in addressing separation anxiety issues.
Be realistic.
Fratt suggests that, much like how some people don’t enjoy raves, some dogs may not enjoy visiting the dog park.
The Dog Door Behavior Center owner, Kim Brophey, is an expert in dog behavior mediation known as an applied ethologist. Brophey authored “Meet Your Dog: The Game Changing Guide To Understanding Your Dog’s Behavior” and employs a behavioral framework named L.E.G.S (learning, environment, genetics, self) to interpret canine actions. To illustrate, if your hound barks at visitors, Brophey can help identify the root cause.
According to Brophey, it is possible that the dog breed was chosen over several centuries for guarding against intruders at the front door. As a German shepherd’s natural instinct to protect its surroundings cannot be trained away, it may be necessary for your expectations to be altered.
Decide how you’d like to train your dog.
There are several alternatives available for training approaches including group sessions, individualized instruction, board and train, day training, and self-directed training, with group classes being the most prevalent and least customized. Meanwhile, Fratt reveals that while board and train facilities can provide greater personal attention, they are also more costly and potentially hazardous.
“If the trainer spends all this time training the dog in this really specific context and then basically just hands you the leash, takes your check and walks away, there’s a very good chance you’re not actually going to be able to implement those new strategies and skills … successfully in your home.”
Depending on your budget and training objectives, your selection may vary. To illustrate, if your canine acts aggressively towards another dog inside your house, outdoor training is likely not the most effective solution.
Keep in mind that you will need to participate in your dog’s training, although it doesn’t necessarily have to consume a significant portion of your schedule. Fratt revealed that she devotes approximately five minutes per day to training. Additionally, many of the assignments that trainers assign are enjoyable and can be conveniently incorporated into your daily routine.
Our experts recommend utilizing these online resources that are free or have a low cost, if you would prefer to avoid spending a large sum of money on dog training.
- Kikopup on Youtube and Instagram
- Fenzi Dog Sports Academy
- K9 of Mine
On her website, Dick has gathered a selection of free resources, and Fratt presents a set of free lessons called Training Tuesday.
Understand the methodologies.
The field of dog training operates without regulation, allowing individuals with a website, Instagram page, or physical store to declare themselves a dog trainer. Consequently, there is no established guidebook regarding the techniques to employ for dog training, leading to disagreement among professionals. Broadly, trainers tend to fall into one of two categories.
One type of trainer, such as Fratt, uses positive reinforcement. This method involves rewarding dogs with something desirable, such as a treat, when they exhibit good behavior to encourage repetition. Alternatively, dogs can be given something desirable to create a positive association with something they perceive as frightening.
Balanced trainers such as Brianna Dick utilize a combination of positive reinforcement techniques alongside corrective measures, including e-collars in their training.
Dick explains that E-collar training uses a collar that the dog wears, which can be controlled remotely and produces a stimulus to the dog’s neck, such as a shock, sound, or citronella spray, to provide correction. The use of E-collars is controversial in the dog training realm, particularly those that release a shock.
According to Dick, one should be cautious of a trainer who relies on e-collars for every dog, as this is a generic approach that typically yields poor outcomes. Instead, it is preferable to hire an individual who takes the time to understand the unique dynamics between you, your dog, and your lifestyle.
Find a good trainer.
Professional associations have compiled numerous lists of positive reinforcement trainers or balanced trainers in your locality, making it a great starting point if you’re searching for one. There are plenty of these associations to choose from.
- International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC)
- Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT)
- The Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT)
- Karen Pryor Academy (KPA)
- Pet Professional Guild
- The Academy for Dog Trainers
- Pat Miller Certified Trainers
Afterward, proceed to conduct interviews by getting in touch with previous clients. Take note of which trainer enables you to feel at ease the most and ensure that their training techniques are explicable.
