GPCPS

This article will help guide you through a logical process for obtaining a healthy, quality companion from a reputable breeder

The purchase of a Great Pyrenees represents a large investment in terms of both money and time. Since Great Pyrenees can easily live to be 10 or 12 years old, you are contemplating investing in an animal that will be with you for a long time. The healthier the puppy is and the better its upbringing, the better your chances of being satisfied with your dog.

When you decide to purchase a Pyrenees, take your time and resist impulse buying. Do not purchase a Pyrenees puppy from a pet store. Often these pups come from poorly socialized litters, and from parents who have not been health checked. If you have problems or questions about your pup, neither the breeder nor the pet store will be available to provide it.

Obtain the names of reputable breeders from a Great Pyrenees club and call them to talk about the breed. Visit people who have pups or are anticipating a litter; ask a lot of questions; see the parents of the pups if possible and as many relatives as you can; this will give you some idea of what to expect in terms of appearance and personality. Look for pups that are outgoing, strong, sturdy and healthy and are being raised in a clean and loving environment with lots of human attention. Do not take a puppy under 8 weeks old as it will not have had sufficient time with its littermates. Be sure that you have the right to take your new pup to your own veterinarian for a checkup and have the right to return it for a full refund if it is not healthy. And be sure that you exercise that right. A small expenditure of time and money can mean a large return of satisfaction, as a sick puppy will only mean trauma and expense.

Expect to pay 400-600 dollars for a healthy, well bred, well reared puppy. There are no bargains in Pyrenees pups. People who sell pups for much less than this have often stinted on good care, both for the pups and for the adults. A small saving in purchase price may well mean a great expenditure later on. Of course, it is also possible to pay a great deal more for a pup. Just be aware that more is not necessarily better.

You should have a written contract of sale and guarantees on your puppy and you should be given a copy of that contract to keep. If you purchase a family companion, you are entitled to a sound, healthy dog with a good temperament. If you are purchasing a dog for show and breeding you are entitled to an animal of superior quality and fully guaranteed to be so. Please check out the Code of Ethics of The Great Pyrenees Club of Puget Sound on this site and particularly read the sections on Breeding and Sales. All of our members abide by the provisions of the Code. If you do not purchase a pup from a Club member, use the Code as a guideline for purchase.

A Great Pyrenees is a very large dog with some complex needs. Only with careful breeding and raising can puppies be produced which will grow up to become satisfactory representatives of the breed, and stable, healthy, long lived family companions.

Again, we urge anyone planning to buy a Great Pyrenees to be patient and cautious. The first available puppy or the lowest price may not be the best choice. Well bred Great Pyrenees are not constantly available and purchasing just the right pup for you may mean being willing to wait a while.

If you locate a puppy which you are considering purchasing, and have any questions or concerns, any member of The Great Pyrenees Club of Puget Sound would be glad to help you.

One further word. Do not eliminate the possibility of an older puppy or even a grown dog. Occasionally older dogs are available for placement from a breeder or through Great Pyrenees Rescue, and they have many advantages over an un-housebroken, active puppy. The same caution must be exercised with older dogs as with a puppy to ensure that you are getting a dog that is stable and healthy and aren't inheriting someone else's "problem".