Feeding Your Puppy to Maximize Health

overweight great pyrenees

overweight great pyrenees

Feeding Your Puppy to Maximize Health and Avoid Health Issues

Feeding your puppy to maximize health and avoid health issues is our most viewed blog article. We will buy just about any product that companies market to combat health issues. We all want the best for our children and our pets. Our pets need to be at peak health to fulfill whatever role they may have in your home. Sadly, many large breed dog owners get this wrong. One study found that 29% of all veterinarian visits were because of degenerative joint disease of the hips.1

Obesity body condition chart

Diet is the focus of today’s blog. Obesity is your puppy or dog’s number one enemy.  This can lead to:

Type 2 diabetes

Osteoarthritis, especially in the hip

High blood pressure

Orthopedic problems, cranial cruciate ligament injuries

Skin disease

Heart and Respiratory Disease

Decreased life expectancy (up to 2.5 years)2

53% of all dogs in the United States are overweight.2 It doesn’t matter whether you feed raw, canned, or kibble. Too much food consumption increases weight in the form of fat which constantly strains their musculoskeletal system and is especially damaging to large and giant breed dogs.

Think of fat as a gas tank. My Chevy Suburban doesn’t need a 75-gallon tank. It has a 31-gallon gas tank and I get on average 20 miles per gallon. That gives me 620 miles of range. That’s 8-10 hours of driving time, which is totally acceptable. When you add more size, you add more weight. This reduces gas mileage and makes the suspension less comfortable.

Obesity in dogs will reduce the lifespan of a healthy joint and make your puppy or dog less comfortable. Click here to see this video of an obese dog. Great Pyrenees will go from 1 pound at birth to approximately 80-140 pounds first 1-2 years of life. That rapid growth combined with obesity will end up over-stressing immature ligaments and joints and lead to early-onset joint degeneration or even hip dysplasia as early as 6-9 months old. It will also set in to play a host of metabolic issues detrimental to growth.

Stop feeding your puppy or dog so much food. Feed them highly nutritious food on a schedule. Please see my previous blog Feeding Your Great Pyrenees Puppy. This will save you money on dog food, reduce your veterinary bills, and improve your puppy’s health for a lifetime. This may be the first time that not selling you something will give you more.

Lust et al3 said this “Excess energy consumption increases the frequency and severity of hip dysplasia in genetically predisposed dogs. Food intake should be regulated to maintain a slender figure with the ribs and dorsal vertebral spines easily palpable, but not visible. Excess dietary calcium and vitamin D contribute to hip dysplasia in genetically predisposed individuals and should be avoided. High dose vitamin C supplementation in growing puppies does not prevent hip dysplasia, and this practice should be discontinued.”  Reduce the food ration if you can’t feel the ribs of your puppy. Stick to high-quality dog food alone and avoid supplements for your puppy.

Dammrich4 states “Overnutrition in dogs from the larger breeds exaggerates this tendency to create osteopenia by increasing the rates of skeletal growth and remodeling of the newly formed cancellous bone.” Overfeeding causes the bone to be less dense and predispose them to injury. Therefore, do all puppy feeding in a controlled manner 2-3 times per day for 15-30 minutes, followed by removal of food until the full size is attained.

Interestingly, restricted feeding was associated with slower growth and delayed growth plate closure in large breed puppies without reducing their adult full size.5 Delayed growth to reduce skeletal injury is what we are trying to do in large breeds. Some people feel that restricting food will create a mini version of what the puppy would have been. This is not the case. Restricted feeding slows their growth in a healthy natural way similar to what a canine would grow like in the wild. I’ve seen many coyotes and a few wolves. All of them were thin.

Pat yourself on the back the next time you see that your puppy isn’t as big as someone bragging on Facebook. A Great Pyrenees puppy that is Goliath at 6 months old is nothing to be excited about. Slow and steady will make your puppy healthier.

Up North Pyrenees raises high-quality puppies one litter at a time. We educate and support our families for a lifetime. Please consider us for your next puppy. We’re worth the wait!

References:

  1. Richardson DC: Review of Orthopedic Case Records. Raleigh, NC, North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, 1985-1990.
  2. Fat Dogs & Dog Obesity: How to Help Your Dog Lose Weight. (2020). Retrieved 4 November 2020, from https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/fat-dogs-and-dog-obesity/
  3. Fries CL, Remedios AM. The pathogenesis and diagnosis of canine hip dysplasia: a review. Can Vet J. 1995 Aug; 36(8): 494–502.
  4. Dämmrich K. Relationship between nutrition and bone growth in large and giant dogs. J Nutr. 1991 Nov;121(11 Suppl):S114–S121.
  5. Richardson DR. The Role of Nutrition in Canine Hip Dysplasia. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice. 1992 May; 3(22): 529-540.

Mix Breed Dog Epidemic

Mix Breed Dog Epidemic

There is mix breed dog epidemic in our country. I am not talking about the best of one breed being bred to the best of another breed for a purposeful reason. There are many poorly bred puppies being sold throughout this country that will end up being more expensive that anticipated. Health problems and unanticipated behaviors due to being an unknown mix breed will lead to owner frustrations.

Puppies sell themselves in our current environment amid lockdowns as loneliness creeps in from social distancing. Good breeding takes time, planning and resources. People are lonely and want relationships. Pets are one of the American ways we get a relationship fix. My recommendation is to go to church, talk to a friend, invite family over for a hot dish or hamburgers before buying a poorly bred puppy.

The sale of mix breed dogs is soaring amid the pandemic lockdowns. These puppies are typically accidental or intentional breeding of dogs of unknown origin and questionable genetics. They are also bred by people wanting to make a few extra dollars and don’t have the investment or responsibility of established breeders.

Nature has a way of weeding out poor genetics. These poor genetics will contribute to lifelong health issues. That is when the real bill hits when you go to the veterinarian. I will not delve into the many genetic issues with the breeds, but I assure you there are many. Mix breed puppies from a large number of these breeders are actually mix breeds being bred to mix breeds. Ask the breeder for a genetic test of your mix breed puppy or their parents. Ask to see their parents or pictures of them. Keep looking if they don’t do this as they typically have something to hide or they just don’t care. This reduces the chances that the behaviors these puppies display will resemble the behaviors consistent within breeds.

Up North Pyrenees makes a commitment to our families to breed only high quality known genetics, provide excellent pre and post-natal nutrition, begin behavior training activities, delivery of our puppies, and give a lifetime of support to make them work with your family. We also assist you to re-home instead of bringing your puppy or dog to a shelter. This all part of our 2-year guarantee. We encourage you to buy your next puppy through a reputable breeder and recommend that your friends and family do the same. Up North Pyrenees… Farm Raised, Family Loved and Delivered to You!

 

Washing and Combing Your Great Pyrenees

Washing Great Pyrenees

Washing and Combing Your Great Pyrenees

Great Pyrenees at groomer

High-quality tools and a few tips will give you the opportunity to have fun washing and combing your Great Pyrenees. Using poor tools is just about the most frustrating thing you can attempt, if you are mowing your lawn or fixing your car. So, why would you use a cheap $6.99 brush that breaks almost immediately?

Great Pyrenees getting bathMost of my dogs love a good bath, and I’d like to teach you the secret in just one sentence. Here it is. Regularly bathe them during the first year of their life. Yep. That’s it. Bring them to the groomer, do it yourself or both at least four times during their first year. Our local Tractor Supply Company has a pet wash station that I’m going to check out soon. This is an opportunity to train as the Great Pyrenees isn’t a natural water lover. Bring them to the lake, river, or a friend’s pool and gently introduce them so they don’t fear the water. Don’t worry about them jumping in 50 times like a Labrador Retriever. They’ll jump in, do some swimming, get out and return to duty guarding their flock of people.

Below are some products and tools that I’ve used and endorse. I will post a video of this process in the future, which I’m sure you’d love to see.

Warm water – Start with a warm water application for your dog or puppy. Baby pools are a grand thing to stand in if you don’t mind getting a little wet too. This allows you to bucket over some warm water all over their coat from head to tail. You need to rub the water in and the air out of their deep coat.

ShampooRevitalizing Shampoohttps://lifesabundance.com/Category/Products/Dogs/PetCare/RevitalizingShampoo.aspx?realname=20768995&cat=0&hdr=&Ath=False&crt=0&Category=DogShampoo_v11(Pet_Base)&Sku=101022 Rub in a high-quality shampoo all over their body, excluding immediately around the eyes unless that’s something you like to get into yours. Getting a shampoo with a whitening agent will make your Pyr glow. Slowly and gently rinse it out. You may need to do this a couple times if they are really dirty.

 

Detanglerhttps://chrischristensen.com/chris-christensen-ice-on-ice-detangling-conditioner/ Great Pyrenees detanglerThis comes as a conditioner that gets applied and washed out and leaves a slippery lubricant. You can also spray the detangler solution all over their body. Make sure to saturate the areas that are matted heavily especially behind their ears.

 

Hair dryerhttps://chrischristensen.com/chris-christensen-2xtreme-dryers/ Great Pyrenees blow dryerYou know you’ve really arrived when you have your own hair dryer for a Pyr. This a luxury product that will change your life. It will not only blow out the moisture through both layers, but will send stubborn hair flying away hundreds of feet around you.  Hair cleanup will be required!

 

Slicker BrushingGreat Pyrenees brush https://chrischristensen.com/chris-christensen-big-g-and-big-k-long-pin-slicker-brushes/ A good slicker brush is like gold. Ask any groomer and they will tell you the same as great brushes reduced your work, last a long time and pull out that stubborn hair quickly. Apply more de-tangler to mats and stubborn areas. Gently cut out mats with a scissors. Some hair mats defy all your efforts during brushing so do this as sparingly as possible.

 

Hair Rake – Great Pyrenees rake and combThis is my favorite low-cost hair Rake that seems to last and last. Use the rake to break up all the remaining knotted hair that is usually worst behind the ears. This is partially due to oils transferred from our hands onto this area when we pet them.

When you’re done with this process, you can enjoy showing off the magnificence of your snow bear. Take a walk in a public place, take pictures, and snuggle close before they get dirty again. Honesty, once they are combed out and looking good it seems like the dirt just rolls off their coat or is easily brushed out after a few minutes.

Waterless Shampoo as a touch upGreat Pyrenees cologneThis Wahl waterless shampoo comes in several different scents and they all smell better than wet dog. A quick application around the body dries quickly and also acts as a nice dog cologne.

Follow this link to the Great Pyrenees Club of America on how to groom a Great Pyrenees in exhaustive detail.

 

 

Bath Fresh Mist

Life’s Abundance Bath Fresh Mist – contains an intoxicating mix of certified organic herbal extracts, aromatic botanicals and natural fruit extracts to help foster strong, healthy and vibrant coats. Plus, this formula is enhanced with a moisture-activated odor fighter that safely absorbs and neutralizes unpleasant odors. There’s no better way to nourish the coat’s natural condition, leaving it soft, luxurious and delicately fragrant.

The perfect finish to a bath or a great between-bath freshener, you’ll love the way your pet kid smells after a spritz of Bath Fresh Mist! Gentle enough for puppies and kittens over 12 weeks of age.

mvimg 20201026 180347Recently, I went to Tractor supply and used the self-serve pet wash station. It was a good experience overall but the grooming table was too small for a Pyr, the shampoo was mediocre at best, and the tools were inadequate. However, it cost me $5.33. My daughter and I had a nice date time and we didn’t have to clean up after ourselves. It was a bargain! Next time I’ll just bring my own shampoo and tools.

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Clean Great PyreneesI’d appreciate your comments. Do you like these products? Do you have recommendations to post on this block post? Please leave a few words or wisdom or warning to help those new to this exciting sport of washing and combing your Great Pyrenees. Up North Pyrenees thanks you and so will our puppies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Purebred or Mix-breed Dog?

Poodle, Red Standard PoodleMix breed dog, Pyredoodle, Great Pyrenees, PoodleGreat Pyrenees, Purebred,

“Is a purebred or mix-breed dog better?” What I say may offend some of you. But this may be due to a tendency to humanize our dogs. Please read this article thinking of a dog as your companion, friend and protector. That was and continues to be the primary role of the Great Pyrenees.

Some people believe the breeding of one purebred to another purebred is wrong. Some people think you can breed any two dogs together. What do you think? Is it better to buy a purebred or mix-breed dog?

Purebreds are dogs with minimal variability. They were purposely bred that way at one point because their owners wanted certain physical and behavior characteristics that were already present to be more consistent with their off-spring. Is the dog black, white, brown, spotted, long hair, short hair, no hair, etc. Does the dog point, bark, retrieve, attack, dig, dive, run or sit on your lap?

Often a father dog (sire) was bred to one of his daughters (dam) to concentrate the genetics of that sire specifically. This happens in nature all the time, and especially in deer. This would be repeated to grand-daughters, great grand-daughters, and so forth. Each breeding would further concentrate good and bad genetics within the off-spring. High percentages of these dogs would die because of the matching up of fatal mutations. Others would be sickly and malformed because of non-fatal mutated genes matching in such a way that we would call in-breeding. A few of these would become something to be proud of and would more and more consistently exhibit the excellent attributes that were desired. This is due to normally functioning genes being present in the genes. We would call that line-breeding.

Did you catch the difference between line-breeding and in-breeding? This is how all purebreds were produced. It was when it worked versus when it didn’t work. This was originally done in the age when we didn’t have AKC, OFA, Penn Hip, or genetic tests. Purebreds must be closely monitored for quality because the gene pool available for that breed are quite limited. Also, there can be a new mutation at any time, and breeders need to be aware of this and ready to cull the genes from their breeding dogs.

Mix-breeding is taking different breeds and breeding them together. The hope is that you are achieving the goal of healthier puppies partially through a process known as hybrid vigor. I was first introduced to this process in cows by a local farmer breeding French Tarentaise to Angus. This resulted in an average increase in size of 200# which really paid off when that calf went to market. I later applied this principal to goats. I liked how the meat genetics of the male Boer crossed with any female dairy goats produced increased profits. The reason for this is the increase in the diversity of genes that can frequently make off-spring more resilient to disease. The more diverse the genes are between the breeds, the more hybrid vigor you will often have. The issue is that you can’t breed a poor quality animal to another poor quality animal and expect something significantly better to be produced. We must breed quality to quality.

One additional note about mix-breeds. Virtually all dogs that are mix-breed accidents are dogs to steer clear from. I once knew a family that didn’t neuter their lab because it had a heart condition and the veterinarian didn’t think he could make it through it. Many dog owners have a reason not to neuter/spay their dogs. Nearly every dog should be spayed/neutered unless they are purposed to be in a breeding program. Don’t let someone sell you a “cheap” dog. The health problems and uncertain parentage are not worth the risk. Yes, I know I’m a snobby breeder. But, I’ve see some very sad stories of people trying to get rid of dogs.

Breeding quality to quality is an immutable rule that cannot be broken if you want quality. This is a difficult thing to assess. This is why the American Kennel Club exists. They help to identify dogs worthy of Champion titles based on structure and movement of that structure. However, we can now add in genetic testing and radiologic testing that can predict disease processes that will be present during the lifetime of any Champion. What happens if a Champion develops severe hip arthritis at 6 years old? I believe he is not worthy of the Champion title earned previously and that with our current testing capabilities the breeder should have done testing to identify those variables in addition to what the AKC has done well for such a long time to make a good thing even better.

The second reason for mix breeding is to have some of the traits of each parent dog. This is a gamble and is less predictable than in purebreds but does have a measure of predictability. The advent of genetic tests for color, beards, hair curl, etc makes this even more predictable.

Making a good thing better is the point of this article. If you can make a good thing better then do it. Make a better mattress, car, cell phone, rhubarb crisp recipe, or pair of socks. If making a better puppy involves hybridizing, then do it. But don’t expect that puppy to be better if you aren’t breeding quality dogs. Otherwise, you will continue to perpetuate the question “Is a purebred or mix-breed dog better?” Let your outcomes be the answer to that question and withhold judgment on people that are striving for excellence with a fresh approach.

Up North Pyrenees strives for excellence for the glory of God, for ourselves, for our customers and especially for our puppies. We hope that we will be your choice whether you buy your next puppy. Make it a great day and please recommend Up North Pyrenees to a friend.

 

Bringing Home a Pyr?

Great Pyrenees

Bringing Home a Pyr?

Great Pyrenees

 

The Great Pyrenees is a versatile breed with many attributes. Every dog breed has positive and negative characteristics depending on which family they will fit into. These characteristics are primarily physical genetically driven structures and behaviors. They are the outcome of purposeful breeding for hundreds if not thousands of years. So, are you bringing home a Pyr?

Why would you want a six bedroom house for one person? Would you need a Ford F350 truck if you never pull trailers or if you have long daily highway commutes? Similarly, finding out which dog breeds (characteristics) are best for you is of utmost importance to make a good decision. Ultimately, finding the right breed and the right personality within that breed will be what makes you love your puppy for life as they perform their family role. Up North Pyrenees is here to assist you getting an appropriate puppy for you and we’ve listed a few details from out personal experience with this wonderful breed.

The Good:

Protection – The Great Pyrenees is known best as a protector. They will selflessly place themselves between danger and their family, livestock, or other small animals under their care. They are gentle as they become adults and move out of the puppy stage. A quick look at you tube will show numerous videos of children and goats jumping or playing on their Pyr.

Loyalty – If loving their family is a fault then this big white dog is definitely guilty. The large breed dogs love their people and look after them. This breed will lay down their life for you. Please read the story of my daughter on this linked blog post.

The Bad:

Hair – Can you think of a snow storm of white hair? 1-2 times per years the beautifully thick white undercoat is shed. This can be removed with several heavy combings which will fill a garbage bag. All dogs grow hair. It needs to be removed at some time whether it is cut, combed, or simply falling out. I appreciate that the long white hair requires heavy combing 1-2 times per year as opposed to constant shedding like a Labrador Retriever.

Barking – The low bark of the Great Pyrenees intimidates predators and just about everyone for miles around. This will continue for long periods outside if they feel there is a threat. This is essential if they are guarding livestock outside from predators. The bark is their primary defense tool. Putting them in a kennel indoors or outdoors with a blanket over top of it will virtually eliminate barking and give them a place to call their den. The will enjoy retreating to their sanctuary when they need a rest.

Stubbornness – The confidence that allows this breed to stay outside all year at the coldest temperatures during their role as a protector means that they also like to think on their own. They will obey you “eventually” and require training just like any other breed. I believe that most obedience issues are due to a lack of training as this breed wants to please you but also wants to protect everyone under their charge.

Personality will differ significantly throughout a litter of puppies. Please see my last blog post to read more about how we not only help you to decide if this breed is the right one for you but also picking the right personality for you.

Up North Pyrenees hopes that you find the right puppy for you and that you will pick us as your breeder of choice for Great Pyrenees puppies. We strive for excellence for the glory of Jesus Christ and for the benefit of your family! We also hope that your puppy will remind you of the majesty of their Creator and the unconditional love demonstrated on the cross. Please check Up North Pyrenees out on Facebook or share us with a friend.

Personality Matching and Your Puppy

puppy matching, personality matching, puppy aptitude testing

Personality Matching and Your Puppy

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Finding the right puppy is more than just picking out size and color and should primarily include personality matching to you and your family. Re-homing a dog for behavior reasons is not uncommon. Inevitably, you are bound for problems if you solely pick out a puppy by how cute they are.

Disney’s 101 Dalmatians was originally produced back in 1961 and almost 60 years later my kids love to watch it. Who wouldn’t love those well behaved puppies that thwart Cruella Deville at every turn? This movie was such a hit that it was re-released several times over the subsequent decades. Dalmatians became very popular after each movie and shortly afterwards flooded humane societies throughout the country. Who’s to blame? Caveat emptor is the Latin term for buyer beware. The buyer is to blame and is a failure of personality matching. Evidently, the problem of impulse buying by the ignorant has been a problem for millennia.

Up North Pyrenees is here to help solve this problem. First, we ask all prospective owners if they have read about Great Pyrenees. Do they know Pyrs shed a lot at times? Do they know Pyrs can be stubborn? Do they know Pyrs can bark all night when they are left outside? There are reasons for these qualities.  If they can’t live with it or learn to love it then they need to move on to the another breed. Second, do they know some of the best qualities of the Great Pyrenees? Loyalty, companionship, gentleness, protection of the weak and vulnerable to name a few.

Up North Pyrenees gets a little nosy into your life and family and will inquire more of you. Would you tell me about you and your family? We love to get more than a paragraph of information. Frequently, I listen to customers talk for 15 minutes about themselves. We get a very good idea of who you are and what personality type will fit best into your family.

Our family cares for these puppies as a team. My two youngest sons are superstars when it comes to personality recognition but neither of them are as good as my wife. Being a perfectionist might be seen as a negative. But, not if it is a carpenter building your house, a dental hygienist cleaning your teeth, or a surgeon fixing your daughter’s fractured ankle. Amber is a perfectionist and this is one of the most wonderful personality traits a breeder can possess when picking out the right puppy personality for your family. Lazy, hyperactive, calm, confident, dominant, submissive, observant, shy or needy. Their personalities really start to come through at the 6-7 week mark and we observe them for many hours. We take this part of the job seriously and it is the most difficult and stressful part of our job.

You can learn how to identify these personalities by familiarizing yourself with the Volhard Puppy Aptitude Test. Take some time to look this over or print it out when you visit a litter that is unknown to you. This test isn’t fool proof but is better than just going by a feeling. You will be getting a “snapshot” of their behaviors. We believe our long interactions with them is far superior even to this method.

There are rare times when a puppy in a litter just doesn’t match you. We won’t place a puppy with you. That should make you feel good and inspire you to continue with us. But, you may not feel that way when you find out that you won’t be receiving a puppy on 1-2 weeks’ notice. We will typically give you the choice of several puppies that fit you. This is how we really do love our puppies and honor our families. You can choose to wait for the next litter or we’ll return your deposit. But, you need to know that this is likely the best gift we could give you and keep you from a not so good personality match.

We desire to work on your behalf to provide excellent puppies to the glory of God. I hope what you’ve read will help you wherever you go to get your next puppy. Hopefully, you’ll choose Up North Pyrenees for your next high quality personality matched Great Pyrenees puppy!

Fun Family Movie With A Big White Dog

Would you like to sit back and watch an enjoyable movie to fill you with propaganda to reinforce your confirmation bias about your favorite big white dog? If so, here’s a good movie we recommend starting with.

Belle and Sebastian.

This was a charming movie for the entire family, if you don’t mind a foreign film with voice overs. The scenery was spectacular and well filmed, showing the beauty of the French Alps. The best qualities of the Great Pyrenees are slightly exaggerated but nonetheless show why this breed has been such a beloved dog through the ages. Be prepared to believe that your Pyr will be nothing less than pyrfect!

belle and sebastian ss1Belle and Sebastian (film) - Wikipedia   dirty belle

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and Great Pyrenees

boy with dogs

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and Great Pyrenees

boy with dogsThe Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is now a global pandemic according to the World Health Organization. Clorox bleach wipes are gone from the shelves and toilet paper is in demand for some strange reason. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is currently 22,132 on March 12th, 2020 as I write this and it declined from 29,551 exactly one month ago which is a 25% drop. We are officially in a bear market. Travel between many countries is banned. Nursing home visitors are not allowed in most facilities. My alma mater the University of North Dakota has moved to remote instruction instead of classrooms. China and the United States are not exactly on friendly terms. COVID-19 is a formidable force against the weak whether young or old.

Some of this is definitely warranted and only time will tell if our actions were appropriate one hundred years after the 20-50 million deaths attributed to the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic. Sorry, if I just propagated xenophobia towards the Spanish but there is one historian that believes the Spanish flu actually came out of the Shanxi province in China.1 Whoops, xenophobia again. Why is China a flu incubator? Hysteria has seemed to grip every age group with an irrational fear which itself will lead to unintended consequences.

Could a Great Pyrenees make your children healthier or sick from COVID-19? “There is limited evidence to suggest that your dog is at risk for COVID-19. And there’s no evidence that coronavirus in dogs can spread to humans, according to both the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”2 There are many people that love having pets. That is why so many people have therapy animals that improve their mental health. However, I want to talk about two big research studies that demonstrate kids with dogs and cats are actually healthier.

The first study was based on 3.4 million dog owners in Sweden that demonstrated a reduction of cardiovascular death rate by 36%.3 This massive study points to mechanisms that reduce stress and improve heart health. Stress itself can inhibit the immune system. Many animals could perform the same function of stress reduction. My son has a hermit crab that delights his soul. He has had so many pets that it’s hard to remember them all.

The second study implicated the immune system specifically. The crux of it is that exposure to dogs and cats at an early age reduces lung-related illnesses.4 This follows a line of reasoning that exposure to allergens, bacteria, and viruses will allow the stimulation of our bodies to respond and this strengthens the immune system. We live in a world that is hostile to life in many ways. But, God has designed life to fight back. Probiotics(good bacteria) in yogurt introduce beneficial bacteria into our gut. Living in a sterile environment doesn’t exercise our immune system. The coddled immune system will not be ready when times of stress come.

So, pet your dog or cat the next time you feel stressed. Don’t try to be so ultra-clean that you miss out on living in real relationships with people and animals around you. Keep going to church and getting together with friends. But, don’t feel obligated to have physical contact through shaking hands or hugs. Also, make sure to wash your hands and take some precautions to stop the spread of this and many other diseases.  Jesus said that we should love our neighbors as ourselves. If you stay home to recuperate from an illness, then love your neighbor not just by helping them when they are in need but avoiding getting them sick so that they are not placed in need. Your neighbor is just as valuable in God’s eyes as you are. Relationships are a gift from God and so are Great Pyrenees.

Please check out Up North Pyrenees for your next puppy and please share us with a friend. Leave a comment about this article as well.

1. Garden H, HowStuffWorks, Culture, History, Myth. Did the Spanish Flu pandemic really start in Spain?. HowStuffWorks. https://history.howstuffworks.com/history-vs-myth/did-spanish-flu-pandemic-start-in-spain.htm. Published 2020. Accessed March 13, 2020.

2. Health W. Coronavirus in Dogs: What You Need to Know. Wit & Wisdom. https://blog.wisdompanel.com/coronavirus-in-dogs/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Read%20About%20COVID-19%20in%20Dogs&utm_campaign=covid. Published 2020. Accessed March 14, 2020.

3. Mubanga M, Byberg L, Nowak C et al. Dog ownership and the risk of cardiovascular disease and death – a nationwide cohort study. Sci Rep. 2017;7(1). doi:10.1038/s41598-017-16118-6

4. Stokholm J, Chawes B, Vissing N, Bønnelykke K, Bisgaard H. Cat exposure in early life decreases asthma risk from the 17q21 high-risk variant. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 2018;141(5):1598-1606. doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2017.07.044

An Amazing Guardian An Amazing Girl

Girl kills coyote, Great Pyrenees, guardian, coyote attack, brave girl, self defense

An Amazing Guardian An Amazing Girl

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Coyotes, wolves, and birds are a major predator for livestock in our area. Great Pyrenees are renowned for their guarding abilities and yet are gentle enough to allow children and small animals to harass them while they are on duty. Every Great Pyrenees owner has at least one story of why they would never go without one of these magnificent companions. Here’s one of ours.

Years ago my oldest daughter was checking on our goats in a newly fenced 40 acre pasture. Our lone Great Pyrenees Dolly placed herself between the goat herd and the thick brush that the goats were usually munching on. Dolly sounded unusually angry at something beyond view. So, the two of them set out to see what was out there. They quickly encountered a coyote that managed to slip under the high tensile fencing but was prevented from getting out due to the electric fence. Easy in but not easy out.

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Our daughter, Madi, was especially feisty that day and started to run after the coyote with a large stick in hand. She had just purchased a beautiful Alpine doe from a commercial dairy in Scandia, Minnesota with her own money at no small price. Madi closed the distance but Dolly would always keep between her girl and the coyote. Dolly never did attack the coyote no matter how close they were able to approach. But, put on a show of force that gave her girl the confidence of a Marvel super hero. I consider that a sign of intelligence and appreciate a dog that knows when not to pick a fight.

Well, Madi engaged the coyote with a single throw of her large stick. Did you ever see the battle axe that Thor had made for him using the handle from Groot’s arm in Avengers Endgame? It wasn’t anything special. That was the point. It was Thor’s and that’s all that mattered. Back to our story. Madi has never been especially coordinated. But that day she hit and fatally injured a coyote with an unlikely weapon at close range with the protection of her Great Pyrenees Dolly.

We still like to talk about this story and embellish it now and again to make it more impressive. That’s the fun thing about stories. At the root there is truth and a Great Pyrenees standing guard to make sure we’re not eaten alive by our enemies.

We like to say that we make fun at Up North Pyrenees but we also make memories. Thanks for listening to one of mine.

Click here if you would like to see our available puppies or to be placed on a waiting list. Please share us with a friend and consider us when you bring home your next hero!

The Ultimate Training Tool

Great Pyrenees Puppy Training, affirmation, attention

Attention is the ultimate training tool.

Great Pyrenees Puppy Training

Here’s your practical training pearl. The ultimate training tool personal attention to your puppy when they do something you want them to do. But, withhold personal attention when they don’t do what you want them to. Chew on that a bit and think about what you’re doing currently.

Purposefully withholding attention is one of the best ways to break negative behaviors in large breeds. This bypasses confrontation which calms both the trainer and the puppy. They will quickly figure out what it takes to earn your attention and they will eagerly seek it.

This is why I love training collars. Tones and shocks aren’t associated with you. They are associated with improper behaviors.

So, withhold any attention the next time your puppy jumps on you. Conversely, give him lots of attention when he comes politely and looks up at you with those big eyes. Soon, he will repeat this behavior and you’ll have the best dog in the neighborhood.

Up North Pyrenees strives to give you the best genetics and best trained puppies which starts when they first open their eyes. Our family likes to say that we make fun one puppy at a time. Share us with a friend!