Several regions can claim breeds that work in partnership with other breeds, and the Pyrenees mountains in southern France and northern Spain is one such area. The Berger des Pyrenees, or Pyrenean Shepherd, has been working sheep in the area since at least medieval times, and shepherds often used the “patou” (Great Pyrenees) to work in concert with the Pyrenean Shepherd (also known as the labrit – pronounced la-bree): One sounded the alarm at disturbances and herded the sheep, the other remained with the stock overnight and protected against predators.

A similar partnership existed among the fanciers of both breeds. Janet Vorwald Dohner points out in her wonderful book, “Farm Dogs,” that Great Pyrenees breeders were responsible for reintroducing the Pyrenean Shepherd to the United States when the “labrits” brought to America by Basque shepherds in the 19th century dwindled in numbers and eventually died out. In fact, the Pyrenean Shepherd didn’t exist as a separate here until new dogs were imported in the 70s and 80s.

Image of Pyrenean Shepherd from Wikicommons: Berger des Pyrénées: Adeux de la petite Noire, world champion 2003 Foto selbst erstellt