The Pyrenean Shepherd is the oldest and smallest of the French shepherds, and a very interesting breed with regards to coat. The breed has two coat types, the rough faced and the smooth faced, and in both, the quality of coat is more important than its abundance. The AKC, and several other purebred dog registries recognize them as separate varieties of the same breed, but the Federation Cynologique Internationale (FCI) classifies them as two different breeds.

In the rough faced version, the coat can be long, or “demi-long.”  Demi-long Pyr Sheps have culottes on their rumps (longer puffs of hair), while long coated Pyrs often have a harsh, woolier textured hair, a blend of which can produce strands, or cords, called “cadenettes” and sometimes matted or felted hair called “matelotes” which overlap like tiles on the croup. “Cadenettes” can be found on the chest and the forelegs at elbow level.

A smooth-faced dog has a muzzle covered with fine short hair which is why its also known as smooth muzzled, or face-race. Fine and soft hair extends to the dog’s body, and the breed standard is quite specific that this hair not exceed 3 inches on the dog’s ruff or culottes, or 2″ on its back.  In fact, excessively long coat, furnishings, and too much hair on the head is a fault. In a conformation ring, ribbons are to be withheld from a dog whose coat has been scissored except for tidying up the feet.

Whether the dog be long, demi-long or smooth faced, they are a sight to behold as they gait, their stride so effortless that it’s described as “shaving the earth.”

Pyrenean Shepherd from Wikicommons Own work assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=302432. Caption on the original reads: “The Berger des Pyrenees is still a lot in the region of Pau. Here he is also called “Labrie.” As a working dog he has been displaced by the border collie.