Great Pyrenees
Barreges: Photo taken in Pyrenees Mountains by Pierre and Ariane Sittenger.
Courtesy of Dan and Paula Lane
By the 19th century, the
breed's popularity and usefulness was on the decline due
to the eradication of most of the Pyrenean predators.
Saved by it's stunning beauty, the breed avoided near
extinction and began a long-lived career as the darling
of the show ring.
This great white dog has double-dewclaws on its hind legs. Also, due to the Pyrenees ability to travel mountainous paths impassable to humans, it was used as a smuggling dog. Easily avoiding customs checkpoints, these dogs carried saddle bags of forbidden goods from one side of the Pyrenees Mountains to the other.
Snowball Photo courtesy of Chad Broyles
