The official French Breed Standaard from the FCI, translated from Frech to English (GB)

FCI-Standard Nr 137 / 05. 03. 1998 / GB

Pyrenean Mauntain Dog

(Chien de Montagne des Pyreénées)

Translation : Mrs. Peggy Davis. Brought up to date by Dr. J.- M. Paschoud.

Origin: France

Date of publication of the original valid standard: 25.06.1986

Utilization: Shepherd dog, guard dog.

Cklassification FCI:  Group 2         
Pinscher and Schnauzer, Molossian and Swiss Mountain - and Cattledogs

Section 2.2     Mastiff type, Mountain dogs.
                       Without working trial

General appearance: That of a dog of great size, imposing and strongly, but not lacking a certain elegance.

Head: not too heavy in comparison with the size. The sides of the head are rather flat.

Cranial region:

Skull:The width of the skull in its maximum part is noticable equal to its length. The skull is slightly rounded; the occipital protuberance being apparent, the skull in its rear part has an ogival shape.

Stop: Not pronounced.

Facial region:

Nose: Entirely black

Muzzle: Wide, of good length, narrower at its extremity.

Lips:  The very slightly drooping lips cover just the lower jaw; they are black or strongly marked with black as well as the palate.

Jaws / Teeth: Dentition must be complete, the teeth sound and white. The incisors of the upper jaw cover those of the lower jaw withoout ever losing contact. Pincer bite allowed.

Eyes: Rather small, with an intelligent and contemplative expression, of amber brown colour. They are set in tight eyelids, bordered with black and set slightly oblique. The expression is soft and dreamy..

Ears:  Placed at eye level; rather small; of triangular shape and rounded at their tips; they fall flat against the head; carried a little higher when the dog is alert.

Neck:  Strong, quite short, with only slightly developed dewlaps.

Body:

Withers:  Broad and muscled.

Back:  Of good length, broad and firm.

Croup:  Slightly slanting with hip bones rather prominent.

Flanks: Hardly let down.

Chest:  Not too let down, bur broad and deep. The ribs are slightly rounded.

Tail:  Rather long, bushy and forming a plume; carried low when at rest, with its tip forming preferably a hook; it curls above the back in a tight circle (making the wheel, << arroundera>> followwing the expression of the Pyrenean mountain people) when the dog is alert.

Limbs:

Forequarters:  The forelegs are straight, strong well boned and well feathered.

Shoulders: Modeerately oblique.

Hindquarters: The feathering (fringes) on the hinquarters is longer and thicker than on the forequarters. Both hindlegs have double and well constituted dewclaws.

Thights: Fleshy, but not very let down.

Hocks: Broad, lean and moderated angled.

Feet: Not very long, compact, with slightly arched toes.

Gait: In spite of its size, the Pyrenean Mountain Dog has a very free movement, never appearing stiff or heavy, quite on the contrary very elegant; his angulations allow him sustained gaits.

Coat:

Hair:  Really dense, flat; ratherr long and supple, longer on the tail and around the neck where it can be slightly wavy. The hair of the <<culotte>>, finer and more wooly, is very dense.

Colour:  White, or white with grey (or badger hair colouring) or pale yellow or wolf colour or orange patches on the head, the ears and the root of the tail. The badgeer colouring patches are the most appreciated. Some dogs have a few patches on the body.

Size and Weight:

Size:  Males      70 to 80 cm (28 in to 32 in)

           Females  65 to 72 cm (26 in to 29 in)

A tolerance of 2 cm over size is admitted in subjects of perfect type.

Weight:  Males       about 60 kg ( +/- 125 pound)

                Females   about 45 kg ( +/- 95 pound)

Faults:  Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion ti its degree.

·         General appearance giving an impression of heaviness, without distinction (refinement) or indicating a likeness of the St Bernard, the Newfoundland or the Leonberger

·          Fat dog, soft, lethargic, or on the contrary of dangerous appearance.

·         Head too heavy, of rectangular shape.                

·         Skull too developed; bulging forehead.   

·         Stop pronounced.

·         Lips too droopy.

·         Insufficient pigmentation of the mucous membranes.

·         Round eyes, too light or prominent; drooping eyelids; vicious or wild looking exoression. Lack of pigmentation around the eyes.

·         Ears too long, too broad, twisted, folded, set too high.

·         Neck thin, a little long, dewlap too pronounced.

·         Saddle back or arched back, dipping forward in front.

·         Belly tucked up whippety.

·         Tail sparsely furnished or carried badly; tail too short or too long, without feathering; not forming the wheel when in action, or doing it continually even when at rest.

·         Straight hock.

·         Legs turning in or out.

·         Feet too long and flat.

·         Hair short and curly. Absence of undercoat.

·         Colours other then those indicated above and which would denote cross breeding.

Eliminating faults:

·         Nose of any other colour than absolutely black.

·         Over- or undershot mouth.

·         Pink on the eyelids.

·         Absent of dewclaws; single or atrohied double dewclaws on hindlegs.

·         Patches of hair black down to the root.