Frisky

This stunning white dog is as beautiful as their mountainous homeland. Great Pyrenees are loving, large, and in charge. They’re a gentle, family-oriented dog most of the time, but will step in to protect their “flock” if danger is near. Full-grown, they typically weigh 85-115 pounds and stand 25-32 inches tall.

Great Pyreneess are generally okay with older children who know how to handle dogs. This breed can be a good friend to any dog, animal, child, or visitor. Great Pyrenees may be initially uncomfortable with unknown people and pets, but they become more comfortable over time, especially if they’re socialized early. They're moderate barkers — they'll alert you when something's up but aren't excessive.

Great Pyrenees need a fair amount of daily exercise, including at least a leashed walk or playtime in a large yard. This breed is known for running away when off-leash, so make sure all play areas are fenced and secured. Many Great Pyrenees also like swimming and hiking, particularly in cold weather. Overall, their exercise needs are very high.

Great Pyrenees have a double coat of weather-resistant hair. Their outer coat is long, flat, and thick, with coarse hairs that are straight or slightly wavy. The undercoat is dense, fine, and wooly. Grooming-wise, this breed is low-maintenance.

Great Pyreneess are best suited for a house with a good-sized yard. The heat may irritate their skin, so they’re better suited for cold climates or indoor spaces. Great Pyrenees are big dogs that enjoy moderate amounts of activity, so they prefer homes over apartments or small spaces. They are moderately trainable with consistent effort.

France has been officially recognized as the Poodle’s country of origin, but the Poodle’s earlier ancestors came from central Asia. The German variety has probably influenced the modern breed most (‘Poodle’ is German for ‘splash’ or ‘puddle’). In 18th and 19th century Europe, the Poodle served a wide variety of purposes, including duck hunting, guiding, and later circus performing, from whence the modern grooming style likely arose. The Poodle became a popular pet for the French aristocracy, and in time was officially adopted as the national dog. Poodles were imported to America in the 20th century. They slowly rose in popularity and eventually became the country’s most popular dog. Famous Poodles include author John Steinbeck’s dog Charley, subject of the book ‘Travels with Charley: In Search of America’, and Weird Al’s Poodle Bela, who…uhm… sat on his head for the album cover of ‘Poodle Hat.’ Full-grown, they typically weigh 12-55 pounds and stand 10-15 inches tall.

Standard Poodles are generally excellent with children of all ages. The Standard Poodle gets along well with other animals, other dogs, and children. Standard Poodles are highly adaptable and make good watchdogs. They're moderate barkers — they'll alert you when something's up but aren't excessive.

The Standard Poodle requires substantial amounts of exercise. Standard Poodles require long walks and outdoor activities such as swimming or playing catch. The Standard Poodle is fond of retrieving, as it has origins as a hunting dog. Overall, their exercise needs are high.

The Standard Poodle has a distinctive fine, frizzy, wooly coat similar in texture to sheep’s wool. Solid white is most common, but the coat may also be solid grey, brown, apricot, or black. There are three distinct grooming styles for show Poodles: puppy clip, continental clip, and English saddle clip. Grooming-wise, this breed is high-maintenance. Standard Poodles are considered hypoallergenic, which can be a plus for allergy sufferers.

Standard Poodles are best suited for apartments and smaller homes. They are highly trainable and eager to learn.