Athena - Courtesy Posting for the Kitchener-Waterloo Humane Society

*ADOPTED*

This is very sweet 6-year old Athena, Pyr cross, who has come from a bad situation. She recently had a hernia removed and is recovering well.

She is a lovely girl although afraid of her own shadow at the moment. Once she realizes what a strange noise or sound is, she settles back down. With a patient family to give her the confidence she needs, she will thrive.

She is an active girl and, will do well with walks but will need someone who is willing to work with her to walk on leash.

She is looking for an active family without young children where she can learn life can be good. She, like the Pyr, will need a securely fenced yard.

She will do well on a raw diet.

If you are interested in giving this girl a loving home, please contact the Kitchener-Waterloo Humane Society at (519) 745 – 5615 and/or info@kwhumane.com to meet this sweetie.

Always do your research on any breed before bringing a dog into your home. Here is a brief summary on the Pyr:

This is very sweet 6-year old Athena who has come from a bad situation. She recently had a hernia removed and is recovering well.

She is a lovely girl although afraid of her own shadow. Once she realizes what a strange noise or sound is, she settles back down. She is an active girl and, will do well with walks and will need someone who is willing to work with her to walk on leash.

She is looking for an active family without young children where she can learn life can be good. She, like the Pyr, will need a securely fenced yard.

She will do well on a raw diet to give her a good life going forward.

If you are interested in giving this girl a loving home, please contact the Kitchener-Waterloo Humane Society at (519) 745 – 5615 and/or info@kwhumane.com to meet this sweetie.

Always do your research on any breed before considering bringing them into your home. Here is a brief summary on the Pyr:

In short, here are some of the things to be expected from a Pyr:

They are beautiful dogs with great temperaments given the right breeding, socialization, care including diet and training.

If you want a pup, always talk to a reputable breeder. That is, a breeder whose dogs are registered with a recognized kennel club, who will interview you thoroughly, allow you to see where the dogs live and the pups with their mother. A breeder will only breed their bitches two maybe three times in their lifetime. They will followup with you to ensure you have neutered and spayed.

They require a good weekly grooming with a slicker brush and comb to keep them mat free and their skin healthy (hence, pain free from the pulling of mats as they move), and cutting their nails including their dew claws every couple of weeks to a month. They molt twice a year and all year round so your vacuum stays full.

NEVER shave a Pyr. Their double coats keep them cool in summer and warm in winter.

Their instinct it to wander. Therefore, they require at least a 6-foot secure fence in a large yard in which they can play, run and watch over. No tie-outs these guys. It can lead to aggression since they cannot fully watch over their territory. No e-collars.

If they are out all day, as they usually prefer, they need shelter from the elements.

They bark more than most dogs and neighbours do complain. That is a common reason for people surrendering their Pyrs (they didn't do their research). Their bark is what deters predators and it is instinct to them. That and marking their territory. To take away their bark is to take away who they are. The barking can be managed but it takes time, patience and consistency with positive-reinforcement training.

They dig holes in your garden to stay cool in summer.

They require a lot of socialization as pups onward with people and other dogs. They also require positive-reinforcement training (a trainer who shows you how to work with a clicker). Pyrs, nor any dogs, take kindly to any kind of punishment. It will lead to aggression.

It's important to work with the dogs as if in a dance and you are leading. Rewards for good behaviour and redirect for unwanted behaviour. It's up to you to make them a good canine citizen. When engaging a trainer, ensure they use positive-reinforcement training and show you how to manage your dog. Never send a dog away for training. You are the one working with the dog, not a trainer.

To train a Pyr is not like training some other dogs. They are not eager-to-please and just as soon walk away from you than do as you say. They have been used for years as guardian livestock dogs because they do not require human intervention to tell them how to do their job. Lots of patience, consistency and time is required to work with them. If you want an obedient dog, this is not the dog for you.

They require regular walks, of course, so they get out and see the world. They must be leashed because they will wander.

There are those in need of a home because someone didn't realize they would get so big, bark so much, leave so much hair in the house, wander, and require work amongst other reasons.

A Pyr is not for most people.

It is very important to do your research on any breed before deciding if they are a good match for your family. Please start here:

The Great Pyrenees

Regarding dogs and children. We never want to see these dogs fail so it's important that children learn how to behave with dogs and that parents never leave their children alone with a dog. Here is a link on that subject:

Dogs and Children