MyDogBreeds
Wetterhoun is originated from Netherlands but Great Pyrenees is originated from France. Wetterhoun may grow 23 cm / 9 inches shorter than Great Pyrenees. Wetterhoun may weigh 19 kg / 41 pounds lesser than Great Pyrenees. Both Wetterhoun and Great Pyrenees has almost same life span. Wetterhoun may have less litter size than Great Pyrenees. Both Wetterhoun and Great Pyrenees requires Moderate maintenance.
The Wetterhoun is a water dog developed in the 1500 or 1600s to hunt otters. The breed was developed by the Frisians in the Netherlands near the Northwest corner. In addition to catching otters in the lakes near by, they were also used as gundogs to hunt game. They are a fearless, tough and loyal working dog. They love the water and they are build for it with a waterproof coat and tight tail that is spiraled. They will swim happily in freezing cold weather as well.
The Wetterhoun is rare and not seen outside of the Netherlands. Descendent of the Water Dog, that is now extinct, he is probably a relative of many spaniel types that also call the Water Dog their ancestor. Yet the Wetterhoun is not a spaniel or spaniel type.
The breed almost disappeared during World War II, like many others, they brought back and are now becoming more and more popular. The breed is only recognized by the Federation Cynologique Internationale and the United Kennel Club. AKC does not recognize them, but there are many hunting clubs and other registries that do. They are often promoted as one of the rare breeds.
The 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.
The Wetterhoun is a compact, medium sized breed weighing about 55 to 77 pounds. Great water dogs they are athletically built with low set ears hanging next to their heads, a waterproof coat, distinctive eyes with a very serious expression and a tightly curled tail held aloft over the back. Their coat is waterproof, somewhat oily, curly and thick. The fur is of a smoother texture on the ears, head, and legs. They can be solid black, solid brown, brown with white, or black with white.
This 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.
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.
3.Adaptability – not a great apartment dog even though he is not that big. They need space. They need a job and they will finish their job at their own pace no matter what you say. It is impossible to train this trait out of them.
4.Learning ability Very high learning ability, very eager to learn and very smart. He is stubborn about finishing whatever job he is working on
The 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.
A hardy and healthy breed they do not have severe health issues. But like every his
• Ear Infections – like any breed with hanging ears they can be prone to infection. This is particularly true because the dogs are in the water a lot. Be sure to clean and dry them after every water episode and inspect them on a regular basis even if the dog has not been in the water.
• Patellar Luxation – Knee cap issue with movement and inflammation. Can cause lameness and arthritis.
Your 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.
1Feeding the puppy -This is an active, hunting and swimming breed. They need good nutrition and high quality puppy food. A food formulated for active breeds or hunting dogs would be best. Feed your puppy in smaller amounts 3-4 times per day.
2.Feeding the adult - This is an active, hunting and swimming breed. They need good nutrition and high quality adult food. A food formulated for active breeds or hunting dogs would be best. Feed your adult twice per day.
4. Games and Exercises – This is an active working dog that needs a lot of exercise every day. A 30 minute walk is only the beginning. They need outdoor time to play and run. They need to swim if at all possible.
Your 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.
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.
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.
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.