Great Pyrenees vs German Pinscher - Breed Comparison

The Great Pyrenees could be from Spain or France because the dog hails from the Pyrenees Mountains, which spans both France and Spain.

The dog was used to defend flocks from predators but its lineage goes a long way back, thousands of years in fact. It is thought that they only arrived in Europe about 5,000 years ago. The dog was adopted into the court of Louis the XIV as a royal dog.

During the mid 1600s, the dog's numbers dwindled but the French developed kennel clubs where the dog could be bred and its numbers restored. It was in 1933 that the Great Pyrenees received American Kennel Club recognition.

The German Pinscher or Deutscher Pinscher originates in Germany. When you look at the dog you can see the the Doberman, the Rottweiler, Schnauzer, Affenpinscher and Miniature Pinscher have all played a role in the dog’s development.

There have been drawings of the German Pinscher which have been seen in dog books as early as 1884 and some drawings even earlier than this date. The dogs have descended from early European herding breeds.

The German Pinscher came to breeders of the United States in the 1980s, and the German Pinscher Club of America was started by German Pinscher fanciers, with the dog gaining acceptance by the Canadian Kennel Club in 2000.

This is a beautiful dog, noticeable by the essentially white coat and his overall size, standing at 70 to 82cm and weighing between 40 to 54 kg.

The double coat is medium to long, coarse and straight or wavy and and it can be solid white, cream or white with patches of light tan or grey.

The nose is black, the eyes brown, the ears of medium length and floppy and the tail long and plumed.

Temperament:

The Great Pyrenees is an intelligent, strong willed dog with a mind of his own so he will be able to be trained and socialized successfully.

His huge size will require that he be trained because when he is indoors he can knock things over and he must be able to respond to you telling him to lie down.

As a large dog, he isn’t suited for tiny homes, as he requires lots of space even though he doesn’t require a lot of exercise. Not only that, he takes his watchdog duties seriously and he is inclined to bark a lot, and in a small place, you’ll be getting constant complaints from the neighbors.

When trained and socialized, your big dog is social, active and loving. He gets on well with children, the elderly and with pets in the home. He isn’t that overly active and will happily make himself at home on your couch and bed.

The German Pinscher is a medium sized dog with a square build, looking very much like the Doberman Pinscher we know so well, but slightly smaller. Dogs and bitches stand roughly 45 to 50cm at the withers and the dog weighs between 14 to 20kg.

The dog is lean and muscular with a tight fitting skin. He has a short, smooth coat which can be brown, reddish brown or black and tan. He has a black nose, dark eyes and he has either high set drop ears or the ears are specifically erect.

In fact, with German Pinschers, they have always had their ears cropped and their tails docked, but these days the tail is left and unfortunately that distinctive look is gone.

Temperament:

Energetic, spirited, lively, confident, intelligent, fearless and loyal are just some of the characteristics of this amazing dog who is guaranteed to make you an excellent watchdog and companion.

The German Pinscher is a playful, good natured dog and he’ll make a good pet for households where there are other pets as well as children. He is a loving and loyal companion with an even temperament, although he is strong-willed and stubborn and will therefore need training and socialization. He then becomes a super obedient pet.

He can fit into city- or country life but he is an energetic dog and will certainly require being exercised every day. Like any other dog, he can become bored and frustrated when put into the backyard and left there by himself day after day.

The Great Pyrenees is such a calm, independent, serious, well-mannered dog who loves to be around his human family and to please them. He is gentle and knows how to behave well around children, the elderly as well as with any pets in the home.

He makes a wonderful companion and although he loves indoor life as much as outdoor life, he is much happier settling into life in the country or the suburbs as opposed to life in the city and a tiny property.

Give your big white coated pet all the love he thrives on, and you'll enjoy a wonderful relationship with this large, amicable dog.

The German Pinscher is a working dog bounding in energy. He just loves being involved with all the activities of his human family.

He is playful and assertive and will require a firm, balanced owner who is consistent with the rules laid down for the dog. It will be more than worthwhile having him trained and socialized as he becomes obedient, loyal and devoted.

He is intelligent and quick to learn and it simply turns him into a splendid pet. Add him to your family, and you’ll feel as though you’ve added a wonderful dimension to your home.

Your Great Pyrenees is a big dog with an average lifespan of 10 to 12 years. His large size means you will need to look out for typical 'big dog' ailments such as hip dysplasia.

This problem can cause your pet to be in pain and he can also become lame, battling to walk and play and battling to get up after lying down.

Also, look out for bone cancer with your pet and as mentioned previously, bloat, which is a life threatening disease where the stomach of the dog swells up.

When you see your German Pinscher standing lean and strong, you can’t think of him ever getting an illness. And yet, even a strong dog like this, who can reach 10 – 14 years of age with good nutrition, can get sick.

Look out for von Willebrand's blood-clotting disorder as well as heart disease and hip dysplasia with your German Pinscher.

Von Willebrand’s Disease:

This is a blood disease where there is a deficiency of von Willebrand Factor which results in the blood not clotting properly. The condition can lead to excessive bleeding with your pet after he has had an injury for instance.

You may notice bleeding from the gums, bloody urine or feces as well as bruising of the skin. Get him to the vet who will perform an examination of your pet.

Remember that some health problems seen in a dog are inherited, and if you can get certificates from the breeders proving that the parents have been cleared of hereditary eye diseases, hip dysplasia and blood clotting disease for instance, your dog will have less risks of developing any of these serious conditions.

Also many illnesses can be eliminated by providing your pet with excellent food, clean water, a warm dry place to sleep and lots of love and attention.

Exercise:

Your Great Pyrenees isn't going to be a dog leaping around you demanding a game or walk like what you get from some energetic dogs. He certainly doesn't require strenuous exercise but will require a nice, brisk walk every day. Give him some ball or rope games too. He's territorial and likes large grounds to walk around and guard and this constant guarding is a good form of exercise too.

Grooming:

With two layers, the coat of the Great Pyrenees will need to be brushed twice a week to prevent burrs attaching to the fur and to prevent it from matting, It also gets rid of loose hair during shedding.

He tends to drool so it's handy keeping a damp cloth close by just to give his face area a wipe down. Your dog's ears will need to be cleaned with special ear-cleaning lotion and his nails will also need to be trimmed.

Socialization and Training:

Socialize your Great Pyrenees with other dogs and people from a young age. Without proper socialization, this breed can become territorial and possessive of his family, which could lead to aggression. He bonds with his family but tends to be wary of strangers.

Diet:

It is far better to feed your Great Pyrenees smaller meals throughout the day as opposed to 2 large meals a day. A large dog like him can develop bloat from gulping down a large amount of food too quickly.

If you feed your Great Pyrenees commercially manufactured food, make sure it is high in omega 3 and 6 to keep his thick white coat luxurious.

Your dog will need a dog food targeted at a large breed. Remember to include some raw meat as well as cooked chicken, vegetables and brown rice into his kibble and always ensure fresh, cool water is available.

Diet:

The German Pinscher, because he is a muscular, energetic dog, should be fed a high-quality dog food that suits his size and his energy levels. If you feed him one of the commercially manufactured dog foods, make sure of the ingredients, as you don’t want food that is full of fillers, colorants and preservatives.

Choose high quality foods and sometimes mix in your own home cooked brown rice, vegetables and chicken. Adding in some raw meat occasionally will enhance his health too and help him towards staving off common dog illnesses. He should always have access to fresh, cool water.

Exercise:

He is a high energy dog and will require hectic exercise such as ball- and rope-pulling games, hikes, swimming and walks every day.

Grooming:

His short, smooth coat will require brushing twice a week to remove loose hairs and help it to maintain that sleek, glossy look.

Remember to check his ears for wax and dirt build up as well as for ear hematomas. These swellings inside your dogs ear can also be as a result of something stuck inside your dog’s ear or from your dog scratching his ear because of mites.