Mastín del Pirineo Breed description: Character & Co

Pyrenean Mastiff, the Mastín del Pirineo - a breed description

The Pyrenean Mastiff is considered the Spanish equivalent of the French Pyrenean Mountain Dog.

The origin of the Pyrenean Mastiff

Basically, both dogs trace back to the same ancestors and remain very similar to this day. Since the French and Spanish could not agree on a common standard, this dog is called "Mastín del Pirineo" on the Spanish side of the Pyrenees and "Chien de Montagne des Pyrénées" in France.

This very large dog is the original shepherd dog of the border mountains. There it has been watching over free moving herds independently for centuries. Around farms and settlements he was used as a watchdog against intruding humans, bears and wolves.

At the time of the Spanish Civil War, the population of the Mastín del Pirineo was in extreme decline. In the middle of the 20th century cynologists tried to preserve this national symbol. The Club del Mastín del Pirineo, founded in 1977, started the new breeding with only 24 registered animals.

The breed characteristics of the Pyrenean Mastiff

The Pyrenean Mastiff is not really a pet. It has remained a working dog to this day and prefers to spend his time outdoors rather than indoors. If you want to keep this dog, you should be able to offer him a rewarding task.

The Pyrenean Mastiff is a recognized dog breed in its own right with FCI Standard No. 92, Group 2, Section 2 "Molossoids".

• very large primitive shepherd and guard dog
• rare dog
• national symbol of the Pyrenees