Pyrenean Shepherd Dog

The Pyrenean Shepherd Dog refers to two breeds, the Rough-faced and the Smooth-faced. The most widespread and best-known is the Rough-faced Pyrenean Shepherd Dog. Although his origin is not very clear, this very old little dog is probably the oldest of all French Shepherds. It is assumed that he is descended from Asian dogs like all other European sheepdogs.

Practically non-existent outside the borders of his place of origin, the Pyrenean valleys, it is difficult to say officially where he comes from. It was not until the 19th century that an illustration of the Pyrenean Shepherd was found in a work by a Pauli's painter of the time, "Une famille à Barèges d'Alfred Dartiguenave" (A family in Barèges by Alfred Dartiguenave).

A first mention of the breed was made by Pierre Mégnin at a conference in 1893, while a first standard was established around 1897 by the Count of Bylandt.

The fame of the Pyrenean Shepherd Dog began with the Great War of 14-18. In 1916, he is recruited to be a war dog. He accompanied patrols and ran some liaisons. His great olfactory qualities were very useful during such expeditions.

By avoiding men during liaison expeditions, he was recognized as the most intelligent, skillful, shrewdest and fastest war dog provided to the army during that terrible era. The Pyrenean Shepherd Dog understood very quickly what was expected of him and carried out orders brilliantly.

Unfortunately, if he became officially famous thanks to this war, the race also almost disappeared due to the terrible conflict.

Despite everything, after the war, the breed managed to reconstitute itself little by little. At the beginning of the 20's, the breed interested two groups of amateurs, the first of which was refused a standard in 1921 by the Central Canine Society at the time.

In July 1923, in Tarbes, the group was again brought together by Bernard Sénac-Lagrange. The RACP (Réunion des amateurs de chiens pyrénéens) was then founded by the same group that had been refused the standard two years earlier. The RACP is the current breed club in France.

At the same time as the RACP, the French Pyrenean Shepherd Club was created in 1921, but was unable to survive the death of his creator, Colonel Tolet. The club therefore decided to merge with the RACP in 1946 which, at the time, was still chaired by Bernard Sénac-Lagrange until 1954.