Maya - Courtesy Posting

This gorgeous girl has had her adoption finalized. She went on trial with her new family. It wasn't long before they decided that they could not envision her leaving them. Her new family has Pyr experience, and are ready to work with a positive-reinforcement trainer on Maya's dog reactivity.

This was her story:

Beautiful Maya is looking for a special family who has no other dogs.


From her family: Maya is almost 2 years old. She has double dew claws. Unfortunately, she was shaven when we brought her in but her beautiful coat is starting to come back in.

She is used to staying inside most of the day and playing in a fenced back yard. 

She was not crate-trained as a pup but we have tried her in a crate for short periods of time successfully with positive-reinforcement. 

She is great with people including children. She is house-trained, spayed, and up-to-date with all vaccinations. 

She is playful, affectionate, and knows many commands. She loves to play fetch and favours mini-stuffed animals. 

She likes to sleep beside the bed during the night but in the early morning she will jump on the bed and snuggle in for a snooze. 

She walks very well on a leash and would be a great companion for walking trails.  As a Pyr, she will roam so a fenced backyard or kennel run is required.

Unfortunately, we have to re-home her due to her dog reactivity.  She will try to play with dogs but she has also been dog reactive so she needs to be the only dog in the home. No dog parks for this girl.

She would do well on a big property where she can simply play in a huge fenced in area without walks. If you do want to walk her, it would be advantageous to engage a positive-reinforcement trainer to show you how to manage her when you encounter dogs on walks.

Here is abridged information on the Pyr:

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

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. This includes working dogs.

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 5-foot secure fence in a large yard in which they can play, run and watch over. No tie outs of any type for these guys. It can lead to aggression since they cannot fully watch over their territory.

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. Never use shock collars. This is cruel since their bark is who they are.

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

Diet is very important in having a healthy dog. The best food is raw. This can be obtained from any number of sources including sales at the super market, your butcher or a supplier who specializes in raw dog food. It’s important to do your research on it. You need to aim for 5-10% organ meat, 10% bone and 80% muscle meat and feed 2% of the dogs ideal body weight.

If you need to feed kibble, baked seems to be better than extruded since, manufacturers say it retains its vitamin content and manufacturers can use fresh meats instead of rendered meats.

They require much socialization and handling as pups onward with many different people and other dogs.

They require positive-reinforcement training (a trainer who shows you how to work with a clicker and follow people such as Dr. Sophia Yin, Dr. Ian Dunbar, Karen Pryor and Bev Hurst). Pyrs, nor any dogs, take kindly to any kind of punishment. It may 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. Again, because they are so good at wandering they have been used to wander with sheep as they watch over them. Do not use choker collars or pinch collars (unless you have been trained how to use one). A harness that hooks in front is easiest on the dog should he pull. If you have a puller, with some patient training, that can be remedied.

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:

Great Pyrenees Club of Southern Ontario

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:

Best Dogs for Children

For more information please contact 613-923-1063 or email chloeriver@netscape.ca

If you are interested in meeting Maya, please fill out the Adoption Application .