Great Pyrenees vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison

Great Pyrenees vs English Pointer - Breed ComparisonGreat Pyrenees is originated from France but English Pointer is originated from United Kingdom. Great Pyrenees may grow 12 cm / 5 inches higher than English Pointer. Great Pyrenees may weigh 20 kg / 45 pounds more than English Pointer. Both Great Pyrenees and English Pointer has almost same life span. Both Great Pyrenees and English Pointer has almost same litter size. Great Pyrenees requires Moderate maintenance. But English Pointer requires Low maintenance

History

great pyrenees - historyThe Great Pyrenees could be from Spain or France because the dog hails from the Pyrenees Mountains, which spans both France and Spain.

The dog was used to defend flocks from predators but its lineage goes a long way back, thousands of years in fact. It is thought that they only arrived in Europe about 5,000 years ago. The dog was adopted into the court of Louis the XIV as a royal dog.

During the mid 1600s, the dog's numbers dwindled but the French developed kennel clubs where the dog could be bred and its numbers restored. It was in 1933 that the Great Pyrenees received American Kennel Club recognition.

english pointer - historyWe can find records for pointers from 17th century. Breeds such as Old Spanish and Portuguese Pointer were set in to England from European Mainland. In 1800s they were brought to America and then they slowly developed their hunting skills and in 1910 they became an excellent bird hunter. In 1936 Modern American Kennel was established and they bred pointers in large quantities. They are very popular in southern United States and are called as "bird dog". Pointers are good in hunting birds like pheasant and grouse. They got their name because of their special skills in hunting.

Basic Information

Group:
Working dog
Sporting dog
Origin:
France
United Kingdom
Height Male:
70 - 82 cm
27 - 33 inches
56 - 70 cm
22 - 28 inches
Height Female:
65 - 78 cm
25 - 31 inches
53 - 66 cm
20 - 26 inches
Weight Male:
48 - 54 kg
105 - 120 pounds
18 - 34 kg
39 - 75 pounds
Weight Female:
44 - 54 kg
97 - 120 pounds
16 - 30 kg
35 - 67 pounds
Life Span:
10 - 12 Years
12 - 14 Years
Litter Size:
7 - 12
1 - 10
Size:
Large dog
Medium dog
Other Names:
Pyrenean Mountain Dog
English Pointer, Pointer
Colors Available:
cream, White, white with patches of light tan or grey
Black, Black & White, Lemon & White, Liver, Orange & White, Liver & White
Coat:
Medium to long, coarse, straight or wavy
short, smooth and shiny
Shedding:
Moderate
Minimal
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Quiet, Responsive, Social, Territorial
Alert, Courageous, Energetic, Gentle, Independent, Loyal, Protective, Sweet
Grooming:
Moderate maintenance
Low maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Moderate
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
No

Description

great pyrenees puppy - descriptionThis is a beautiful dog, noticeable by the essentially white coat and his overall size, standing at 70 to 82cm and weighing between 40 to 54 kg.

The double coat is medium to long, coarse and straight or wavy and and it can be solid white, cream or white with patches of light tan or grey.

The nose is black, the eyes brown, the ears of medium length and floppy and the tail long and plumed.

Temperament:

The Great Pyrenees is an intelligent, strong willed dog with a mind of his own so he will be able to be trained and socialized successfully.

His huge size will require that he be trained because when he is indoors he can knock things over and he must be able to respond to you telling him to lie down.

As a large dog, he isn’t suited for tiny homes, as he requires lots of space even though he doesn’t require a lot of exercise. Not only that, he takes his watchdog duties seriously and he is inclined to bark a lot, and in a small place, you’ll be getting constant complaints from the neighbors.

When trained and socialized, your big dog is social, active and loving. He gets on well with children, the elderly and with pets in the home. He isn’t that overly active and will happily make himself at home on your couch and bed.

english pointer puppy - descriptionPointer has a long head and its body is perfectly suitable for hunting. In hunting the pointers shows hunter the direction of the bird and also they will go and get them after they were shot. They are well known for their speed, energy and continuous working. Pointers are also a good companion dog and love the family members so much. It is very easy to groom them as they have short coat. They are very alert and excellent watch dog.

If pointer is not set in huntng then they should be given lots of exercise daily. Pointers love to play and run with children. They will give a good company for cyclists. Pointers show their talents in dog shows especially in obedience and field trials. They will not worry about the crowd surrounding them and performs well. In performing at public, pointer will show perfect attention to its master. Pointer must be trained slowly from its puppyhood to get good results.

Characteristics

great pyrenees dog - characteristicsThe Great Pyrenees is such a calm, independent, serious, well-mannered dog who loves to be around his human family and to please them. He is gentle and knows how to behave well around children, the elderly as well as with any pets in the home.

He makes a wonderful companion and although he loves indoor life as much as outdoor life, he is much happier settling into life in the country or the suburbs as opposed to life in the city and a tiny property.

Give your big white coated pet all the love he thrives on, and you'll enjoy a wonderful relationship with this large, amicable dog.

Special talents

english pointer dog - characteristicsPointer is a wonderful kid friendly dog and a nice companion. Also he is very energetic,fun-loving and an excellent watchdog. Pointers are very courageous as well as obedient. They can work for a very long time. Early socialization will make them with a good behaviour.

Adaptability

They will be happy if they are given a fenced yard to play and spend their natural energy. They will not have a good behaviour in apartment living. Pointers always likes to be with some one in his family. They are suitable for areas having hot weather and they will not do better in cold weather.

Learning ability

Pointers have very high intelligence and thus they are very easy to train. Good behaviours must be taught to them and the main word they must learn is "NO". They should stop what they are doing when they hear the word "NO" from you. "Sit" is another important word they should learn. Training should be given friendly and not compelling them to do it. Giving reward to them will make them happy and give more interest in training.

Health Problems

great pyrenees puppies - health problemsYour Great Pyrenees is a big dog with an average lifespan of 10 to 12 years. His large size means you will need to look out for typical 'big dog' ailments such as hip dysplasia.

This problem can cause your pet to be in pain and he can also become lame, battling to walk and play and battling to get up after lying down.

Also, look out for bone cancer with your pet and as mentioned previously, bloat, which is a life threatening disease where the stomach of the dog swells up.

english pointer puppies - health problemsPointers face health problems such as gastric torsion, hypothyroidism and canine hip dysplasia. Overweight will also lead to many health problems in them. Other problems seen in them are cardiomyopathy, ectropion and progressive retinal atrophy.

Hair fall

They have the chances to get several skin disorders which leads to hairfall. Follicular Dysplasia is a hereditary disorder which causes hairfall. Special shampoos or lotion to combat the dry skin should be used to overcome this problem.

Caring The Pet

Exercise:

great pyrenees dogs - caringYour Great Pyrenees isn't going to be a dog leaping around you demanding a game or walk like what you get from some energetic dogs. He certainly doesn't require strenuous exercise but will require a nice, brisk walk every day. Give him some ball or rope games too. He's territorial and likes large grounds to walk around and guard and this constant guarding is a good form of exercise too.

Grooming:

With two layers, the coat of the Great Pyrenees will need to be brushed twice a week to prevent burrs attaching to the fur and to prevent it from matting, It also gets rid of loose hair during shedding.

He tends to drool so it's handy keeping a damp cloth close by just to give his face area a wipe down. Your dog's ears will need to be cleaned with special ear-cleaning lotion and his nails will also need to be trimmed.

Socialization and Training:

Socialize your Great Pyrenees with other dogs and people from a young age. Without proper socialization, this breed can become territorial and possessive of his family, which could lead to aggression. He bonds with his family but tends to be wary of strangers.

Diet:

It is far better to feed your Great Pyrenees smaller meals throughout the day as opposed to 2 large meals a day. A large dog like him can develop bloat from gulping down a large amount of food too quickly.

If you feed your Great Pyrenees commercially manufactured food, make sure it is high in omega 3 and 6 to keep his thick white coat luxurious.

Your dog will need a dog food targeted at a large breed. Remember to include some raw meat as well as cooked chicken, vegetables and brown rice into his kibble and always ensure fresh, cool water is available.

Feeding the puppy

english pointer dogs - caringNormally puppies require more food when compared with adult to meet their growth needs. The food given to the pointer puppy must contain vitamins, carbohydrates and minerals. Also the food given to his mother should be continued to the puppy as to avoid digestive problems for the puppy. If it is needed to change the food then it should be done in a step by step process.

Feeding the adult

Pointer can be fed one or two times a day. Usally small meal is given in morning and full meal will be given in the evening. But in case if they will be left alone for the whole day then morning food shall be a full meal. They can be fed meat of goat, pork, fish and woodcock. Brown rice is a good food for pointer.

Points for Good Health

Pointers will be happy if they are always with their family. They enjoy when they are taken outside for playing or camping. Puppies don't need much exercise as adults need. Adults should not be fed too much as it will lead to overweight.

Games and Exercises

When pointer is given proper exercises and training they will be a very good mannered dog. They are very active and intelligent dogs and hence require exercise and training regularly. The breed was developed to be a hunting dog and can work continuously in a day. Pointers should be exercised a minimum of an hour per day. They will be happy to run along with your bicycle and playing frisbee with you.

Comparison with other breeds

  1. Samoyed vs Great Pyrenees - Breed Comparison
  2. Great Pyrenees vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  3. Great Pyrenees vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  4. Great Pyrenees vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  5. Great Pyrenees vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  6. Great Pyrenees vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  7. Great Pyrenees vs Alaskan Malamute - Breed Comparison
  8. Great Pyrenees vs Bullmastiff - Breed Comparison
  9. Great Pyrenees vs Boerboel - Breed Comparison
  10. Great Pyrenees vs Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  11. Great Pyrenees vs Argentine Dogo - Breed Comparison
  12. Great Pyrenees vs Giant Schnauzer - Breed Comparison
  13. Great Pyrenees vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  14. Great Pyrenees vs Belgian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  15. Great Pyrenees vs Goldador - Breed Comparison
  16. Great Pyrenees vs Bandog - Breed Comparison
  17. Great Pyrenees vs Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) - Breed Comparison
  18. Great Pyrenees vs Dogo Cubano - Breed Comparison
  19. Great Pyrenees vs Dogo Sardesco - Breed Comparison
  20. Great Pyrenees vs Beauceron - Breed Comparison
  21. Great Pyrenees vs Central Asian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  22. Great Pyrenees vs Black Russian Terrier - Breed Comparison
  23. Great Pyrenees vs German Longhaired Pointer - Breed Comparison
  24. Great Pyrenees vs Alano Espanol - Breed Comparison
  25. Great Pyrenees vs Entlebucher Mountain Dog - Breed Comparison
  26. East Siberian Laika vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  27. French Spaniel vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  28. Flat-Coated Retriever vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  29. Finnish Spitz vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  30. Ariegeois vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  31. Beagador vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  32. Nova Scotia Duck-Tolling Retriever vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  33. English Water Spaniel vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  34. Field Spaniel vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  35. Artois Hound vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  36. Curly Coated Retriever vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  37. Lagotto Romagnolo vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  38. Braque Francais vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  39. Formosan Mountain Dog vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  40. Shikoku vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  41. Slovakian Hound vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  42. Small Munsterlander vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  43. Sussex Spaniel vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  44. Kooikerhondje vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  45. Welsh Springer Spaniel vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  46. West Siberian Laika vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  47. Wetterhoun vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  48. Braque Francais (Pyrenean Type) vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  49. Braque Saint-Germain vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  50. Wirehaired Pointing Griffon vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison

View/Compare Breeds

Popular Dog Breeds