Is This The Oldest Great Pyr?

Here is a story about what could be the oldest Great Pyr.

Great Pyr owners are often asked about the lifespan of their dogs. It is generally believed that large dogs, the size of a Great Pyr, do not have long lifespans.

That is not the case. The normal lifespan of a Great Pyr is 10 to 12 years.  But of course, there are exceptions.  The story below provides a perfect example of that fact.

It also raises the question... "What is the oldest Great Pyr?"

MiniFée du Val Perché
Born 27 February, 2008!

I am MiniFée du Val Perché. I turned 16 on February 27, this year, 2024. My human companion, Émanuella is very happy about that.

My breeder, Marianne says that she does not know any other Pyrenees who has reached this age. She tells me I'm a phenomenon. I don't know what a phenomenon is, and I really don’t care, but if she says so, I'm okay with that.

I was 8 or 9 weeks old when Émanuella and Stéphan came to see us, my siblings, at the end of April, 2008. I chose her and didn't let others take her! Émanuella was mine. My brother, Athos, a handsome boy whom Stéphan called Apollon, wanted to go with him but it was a lot of money for us both. So Marianne said that Athos could live with us but that he would remain registered with her. Yes, Athos was beautiful.

Émanuella and Stéphan and the children left to prepare our new home and returned a month later to pick us up.  

The four of us left together. I liked everyone and a lot of people who came to our house. Athos looked after me and loved me very much. I loved everyone, and also the treats. We played together a lot and also ran with the children, but as we got older we became calmer and I looked after Émanuella's kitchen instead of just begging. .... but .... If something fell to the floor, well, you can't blame me, can you? It fell!

Sometimes I accompanied Émanuella to the market where she sold her pastries and bread.   While watching the world, I accepted a lot of attention. Hugs and pets are great.

On October 28, 2016, Émanuella came back from som errands and I wasn't there!   Consternation! Athos yes, but me, MiniFée, nowhere to be found. Émanuela and Stéphan looked for me everywhere. In fact, a man had offered me treats and I followed him to his car. I like treats but I didn't realize what would come next. 

He left me in his backyard and in his shed where I wasn’t visible from the street. There was also another dog, male, who came from time to time. He came to smell me and then left me alone. It seems he wanted me to have babies but it wasn't possible. I was spayed, according to Émanuella’s contract with Marianne. After almost two years, he realized that nothing would happen so he was going to turn me out. A young fellow who lived near Stéphan and Émanuella’s house was rather friendly so he gave me to this young man. This fellow thought that I looked like myself, that is to say, like me, the dog that Émanuella and Stéphan were still looking for. He showed me to them. What joy! A happy homecoming!!!!

Although there was a bit of sadness in the reunion; someone was missing.

Sadness in the reunion

My beloved brother, Athos (or Apollon to his friends), and I had lived together our entire lives when I was taken from our home. We had a very close bond. It seems he watched and waited for me for months and finally he gave up and let himself die. One morning, a few months later, Stéphan found him lifeless.

Athos (Apollon)

So, I'm back and we're all very happy, happy and we're celebrating, but with a point of sadness.   I have treats and I’m happy!   Except that Émanuella thought that I was not myself and so I found myself at the groomer’s. Ugh!   

How humiliating!

Voilà! I ‘m back to my old, beautiful self!

She told me that you have to suffer to be beautiful. She's not the one with an old cut-off stocking on her head. How humiliating!

While I was gone, Émanuella had started a new business with a local market. She has taken charge of the market bakery where she offers her delicacies to lucky customers. With her brother, she also acquired a maple grove and installed an orchard. Obviously, as you can imagine, she cooks apple and maple products under her brand L’Érapom. 

Before, I looked after her kitchen when she concocted her sweets. Now I keep safe her apple trees and her sugar shack.   Hummph! Émanuella says I'm just the mascot but what does she know?

I'm still doing my job.

No, my eyes are not closed!   I watch and I see you. I can smell and I can vocalize, growl and bark. I'm still doing my job, you unappreciative human!

Note: Maybe you don’t believe that Athos might die of loneliness. Of course you may doubt. However, I have experienced at least five other such occurrences and there was no previous illness in play.  

(Marianne Glofcheski - Author)

The Oldest Great Pyr

At 16 years of age, is MiniFée du Val Perché the oldest Great Pyr?  You be the judge.

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