All my life, I lived in a house full of small dogs called Blue Heelers. I never thought I'd have any other breed until I came across a big, fluffy Great Pyrenees, and he was the sweetest dog I ever met.
On that day, I decided I would have my own white, fluffy dog, and now... I have two. (I couldn't just bring one home.) They are my white, fluffy pups at almost 10 months old. They're brother and sister. Cinder is the girl, and Frosty is the boy. (Fire and ice!)
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It wasn't as easy as I thought getting two puppies of my own, though. It is hard work and a lot of patience, but I have a few tips and insights on raising two giant pups.
1) THEY NEED A LOT OF ATTENTION.
They constantly want to be loved. Every time I stop petting Cinder, she barks until I pet her again. Frosty is a big cry baby, and he always needs attention. They demand all the love.
2) WALKS ARE CRUCIAL.
The bigger the dog, the more exercise they need. Even if I can't take them for walks every day, I at least go out in the back and run around with them. They're working dogs, so they need to burn off a lot of energy. However, after they burn off all that energy, they take a long nap, so you can rest, too, and watch them sleep angelically.
3) THEY ARE EXTREMELY FRIENDLY.
They aren't aggressive towards any dogs or any humans (unless my two Heelers try to take Cinder's bone), but they know not to go around her when she's eating. Other than that, they wouldn't know how to be mean unless someone tried to hurt their pack. If you want a sweet, fluffy, warm cuddle bug, Great Pyrenees dogs are definitely for you.
4) THEY EAT A TON.
Get those wallets packed because these pups eat 5-8 cups of food a day, and then they still want slices of apples or carrots to snack on...
5) THEY ARE BIG, LAP PUPPIES.
They sit, step, and lay on you without noticing how big and heavy they really are. Frosty is a little over 100 lbs, and Cinder is in the 90-100 lb range. These pups are expected to gain another 50-80 lbs while they continue to grow. They really are gentle giants.
6) BRUSH THEM WEEKLY.
They have a lot of fur, and they need to be brushed every week. Their hair gets matted, and you have to get those out. However, they really don't shed all that often.
7) THEY LOVE DIGGING.
Every time I go outside, they're usually digging a hole they started earlier that week. They need places where they can dig and have fun.
8) THEY LOVE THE COLD.
It will be 20 degrees outside, and they'll just lay there happy and smiling. They're built for the cold, so they'd sleep outside all night in it, if they could. On the other hand, they're not good in 95+ degree heat. If they are outside when it's hot, make sure they have lots of water and some fans on the porch. My boy loves playing in his puppy pool, and he swims in my big pool in the summer.
9) THEY DRINK A TON OF WATER.
I'm constantly filling up their water bowls. Frosty will sit there and drink the entire bowl of water in one sitting. Cinder can do the same, but Frosty seems to just be a water boy. (Plus he's bigger than Cinder.)
10) THEY CAN GET THINGS IN HIGH PLACES.
Frosty is super nosy and wants to get into things. He is always jumping on his hind legs to get things on the table or kitchen cabinets. He is always pulling things down from the fridge and messing with whatever else he can get his paws on. IHe even can stick his head in the sink! (It cracks me up!) So if you have anything important, put it away where they can't reach it.
All and all, these pups are amazing, and I wouldn't trade them for the world. They're my big bundles of fur, and I love them to pieces! If you're looking for a fantastic dog breed, I recommend Pyrenees!
