Everyone living or working with a Great Pyrenees can use some good training tips. You will find these training tips helpful if you are new to the breed or feeling unsure how to handle your dog.
Start by reading our Training and Behavior page for the the basics of how to train a Great Pyrenees. To manage specific issues, refer to the links below. Do your homework and you will feel more confident about training your Great Pyrenees—something your dog will recognize and respect immediately.
Don’t be shy about enlisting the help of a professional behaviorist who knows the breed well for training—two of the best we work with are listed below.
The selected links in our training PDF were prepared for fosters. These are our expectations for training dogs in foster homes but serve as a good reference for other dogs as well.
| Training Good Behavior | P. 1 | Teaching Basic Commands | P. 5 | |
| Food Guarding | P. 2 | House Training | P. 6 | |
| Counter Surfing | P. 2 | Crate Training | P. 9 | |
| Getting on Furniture | P. 2 | Leash Walking | P. 12 | |
| Door Behavior | P. 4 | Dog Toys/How to Use Them | P. 15 |
The “Dog to English” Translation Chart reproduced below should serve as a helpful reminder for canine body language. Being aware of your dog’s body language is an effective training tool. It can help to encourage certain desirable behaviors and discourage negatives ones. Click the image below to view an enlarged PDF version.
Elizabeth Ingalls is a trainer who has worked with Great Pyrenees for close to two decades. She believes it’s important for adopters to know that dogs are individuals, but also have a long line of genetics that may influence their behaviors. The behaviors that make a guardian successful in a working role can sometimes create friction in a pet dog home. She believes that’s where your real work together begins. You can email Elizabeth info@elizabethingalls.com or visit her on Facebook or Instagram.
The videos and links below, courtesy of trainer Roman Gottfried, can help modify problem behavior and reinforce good behavior. You can also email Roman for behavioral assistance. Here’s a Facebook video that talks about the effectiveness of online training. Roman gets high marks from people who want to understand their Great Pyrenees better. This owner, who contacted us about surrendering the Pyr she got from a local pound, has this to say: “I’ve been watching Roman Gottfried’s videos and have learned so much from him and from working with Odie and building our relationship. I’m growing in my understanding of this particular dog and the breed. ” – Janelle in Michigan
General Behavior
Nothing in Life is Free Training
Excitement Control: https://www.facebook.com/100000189569097/videos/1431283246887980/
Options-Problem Solver: https://www.facebook.com/romansholisticdogtraining/videos/1664601276887196/
My Dog Jumps On People: https://www.facebook.com/romansholisticdogtraining/videos/1535315523149106/
Living Peaceably with Cats and Dogs
Spay And Neuter: https://www.facebook.com/100000189569097/videos/1435769129772725/
Alpha Boot Camp, or Who’s in Charge Here?
Alpha Theory Debugged: https://www.facebook.com/100000189569097/videos/1442340989115539/
Click the image below to view an enlarged PDF version.
New Dog
Increasing the Odds of a Successful Adoption
Adopted a Dog, Now what: https://www.facebook.com/romansholisticdogtraining/videos/1567139196633405/
Time And Space: https://www.facebook.com/100000189569097/videos/1436670139682624/
Adopting A Rescue: https://www.facebook.com/100000189569097/videos/1432105776805727/
Adoption Trauma: https://www.facebook.com/100000189569097/videos/1430560316960273/
Dogs Shelter Trauma: https://www.facebook.com/100000189569097/videos/1614423965240573/
Puppy Training
Hyper Puppy: https://www.facebook.com/100000189569097/videos/1443353385680966/
Is your Puppy Biting: https://www.facebook.com/100000189569097/videos/1560556757293961/
Puppy Crate Training: https://www.facebook.com/100000189569097/videos/1683825428300426/
Puppies And Kids: https://www.facebook.com/100000189569097/videos/1613544281995208/
Rebels with Paws—a Guide to Canine Adolescence
Aggression
Warning Signs: https://www.facebook.com/100000189569097/videos/1442804359069202/
Dogs are NOT aggressive: https://www.facebook.com/100000189569097/videos/1618052841544352/
Aggression VS Reactive: https://www.facebook.com/100000189569097/videos/1480080262008278/
Is Your Dog Growling?: https://www.facebook.com/100000189569097/videos/1740974069252228/
My Dog Bit a Child: https://www.facebook.com/100000189569097/videos/1560533480629622/
