Vikhan Sheepdog vs Great Pyrenees - Breed Comparison

Vikhan Sheepdog is originated from Pakistan but Great Pyrenees is originated from France. Vikhan Sheepdog may grow 14 cm / 5 inches shorter than Great Pyrenees. Vikhan Sheepdog may weigh 7 kg / 15 pounds lesser than Great Pyrenees. Vikhan Sheepdog may live 4 years less than Great Pyrenees. Both Vikhan Sheepdog and Great Pyrenees has almost same litter size. Vikhan Sheepdog requires High maintenance. But Great Pyrenees requires Moderate maintenance

History

The Vikhan Dog is a rare breed that very little is known about. It is not sanctioned by any breed club or kennel club. The breed originally came from Pakistan in the North-west Frontier Province near the Indian border, in the Chitral region and the state of Himacchal Pradesh. For the most part Pakistan is credited with the development of the breed. They originally guarded livestock and hunting leopard. He is fast and fierce. The breed is bonded to the livestock when they are very young and instinctually guard them for the rest of their life. They do not herd them, they blend into the flock and watch for outsiders.

They confront strangers and predators with aggressive displays and vocal intimidation. If this does not work, it will attack and drive them off. They are even known for luring coyotes into a trap with food so that they can hunt them.

great pyrenees - historyThe 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.

Basic Information

Group:
Gun dog
Working dog
Origin:
Pakistan
France
Height Male:
66 - 68 cm
25 - 27 inches
70 - 82 cm
27 - 33 inches
Height Female:
64 - 66 cm
25 - 26 inches
65 - 78 cm
25 - 31 inches
Weight Male:
45 - 47 kg
99 - 104 pounds
48 - 54 kg
105 - 120 pounds
Weight Female:
42 - 46 kg
92 - 102 pounds
44 - 54 kg
97 - 120 pounds
Life Span:
6 - 8 Years
10 - 12 Years
Litter Size:
6 - 10
7 - 12
Size:
Large dog
Large dog
Other Names:
Vikhan Dog Vikhan Shepherd Vikhan Chitral Watchdog
Pyrenean Mountain Dog
Colors Available:
fawn, black , brown
cream, White, white with patches of light tan or grey
Coat:
long and shaggy
Medium to long, coarse, straight or wavy
Shedding:
Moderate
Moderate
Temperament:
Aggressive, Courageous, Intelligent, Territorial
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Quiet, Responsive, Social, Territorial
Grooming:
High maintenance
Moderate maintenance
Trainability:
Hard
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
No
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
No
Yes

Description

The Vikhan Sheepdog is a large working breed that is lean, muscular and aggressive. He is immensely intelligent and fearless. He has a thick coat in solid brown, red, fawn or black. There are also multi-colored and spotted versions as well. They are related to the other regional Molossers and are sometimes called the giant Rough Collie. They are faster than they are strong. All Molossers are solid, large and share the same ancestor.

They typically have short, muscular necks and broad but short muzzles. They have heavy bones, wrinkles and pendant ears. With well-muscled legs and wide chests, the Molossers include the mastiffs and bully breeds and all other breeds that come from those groups. Molossers are either flock guardians or home guardians. The Vikhan Sheepdog is a flock guardian

great pyrenees puppy - descriptionThis 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.

Characteristics

Characteristics

1Children friendliness No – a very aggressive protector.

2.Special talents agility and speed

3.Adaptability – needs space – not very adaptable to smaller spaces.

4.Learning ability intelligent, quick learner

great pyrenees dog - characteristicsThe 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.

Health Problems

Because this is a rare breed having lived in isolation for centuries, little is known or documented about their health issues. However being a large Molosser, they face some of the same health challenges as all large dogs. These include

• Bloat – when the internal organs of the intestinal system are knotted or inverted. Without immediate attention it causes death under all circumstances. You need to get the dog to a vet as soon as possible.

• Hip Dysplasia – Can cause lameness in hind legs and/or arthritis. Can be treated.

• Elbow Dysplasia – Can cause lameness in the front legs and/or arthritis. Can be treated.

great pyrenees puppies - health problemsYour 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.

Caring The Pet

1Feeding the puppy – due to the risk of bloat, don’t overfeed and don’t feed large meals before or after exercise. Also don’t feed too high protein since the puppies grow so fast and it can cause bone injuries. Feed 3-4 x day.

2.Feeding the adult - due to the risk of bloat, don’t overfeed and don’t feed large meals before or after exercise. feed 2 X day

3.Points for Good Health seems to have stamina/speed.

4. Games and Exercises Although large dogs they are surprisingly good at agility, they need a lot of exercise and long walks.

Exercise:

great pyrenees dogs - caringYour 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.

Comparison with other breeds

  1. Vikhan Sheepdog vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  2. Vikhan Sheepdog vs German Shorthaired Pointer - Breed Comparison
  3. Vikhan Sheepdog vs Irish Setter - Breed Comparison
  4. Vikhan Sheepdog vs Bracco Italiano - Breed Comparison
  5. Vikhan Sheepdog vs Portuguese Pointer - Breed Comparison
  6. Vikhan Sheepdog vs Perdiguero de Burgos - Breed Comparison
  7. Vikhan Sheepdog vs Irish Red and White Setter - Breed Comparison
  8. Vikhan Sheepdog vs Pachon Navarro - Breed Comparison
  9. Vikhan Sheepdog vs Grand Gascon Saintongeois - Breed Comparison
  10. Vikhan Sheepdog vs Slovakian Rough Haired Pointer - Breed Comparison
  11. Vikhan Sheepdog vs Slovensky Hrubosrsty Stavac - Breed Comparison
  12. Vikhan Sheepdog vs Smooth Haired Weimaraner - Breed Comparison
  13. Vikhan Sheepdog vs Spanish Pointer - Breed Comparison
  14. Vikhan Sheepdog vs Spinone Italiano - Breed Comparison
  15. Vikhan Sheepdog vs Talbot - Breed Comparison
  16. Vikhan Sheepdog vs Longhaired Weimaraner - Breed Comparison
  17. Vikhan Sheepdog vs Braque Francais (Gascogne Type) - Breed Comparison
  18. Weimaraner vs Vikhan Sheepdog - Breed Comparison
  19. Vikhan Sheepdog vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  20. Vikhan Sheepdog vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  21. Vikhan Sheepdog vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  22. Vikhan Sheepdog vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  23. Vikhan Sheepdog vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  24. Vikhan Sheepdog vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  25. Samoyed vs Great Pyrenees - Breed Comparison
  26. Great Pyrenees vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  27. Great Pyrenees vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  28. Great Pyrenees vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  29. Great Pyrenees vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  30. Great Pyrenees vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  31. Great Pyrenees vs Alaskan Malamute - Breed Comparison
  32. Great Pyrenees vs Bullmastiff - Breed Comparison
  33. Great Pyrenees vs Boerboel - Breed Comparison
  34. Great Pyrenees vs Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  35. Great Pyrenees vs Argentine Dogo - Breed Comparison
  36. Great Pyrenees vs Giant Schnauzer - Breed Comparison
  37. Great Pyrenees vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  38. Great Pyrenees vs Belgian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  39. Great Pyrenees vs Goldador - Breed Comparison
  40. Great Pyrenees vs Bandog - Breed Comparison
  41. Great Pyrenees vs Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) - Breed Comparison
  42. Great Pyrenees vs Dogo Cubano - Breed Comparison
  43. Great Pyrenees vs Dogo Sardesco - Breed Comparison
  44. Great Pyrenees vs Beauceron - Breed Comparison
  45. Great Pyrenees vs Central Asian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  46. Great Pyrenees vs Black Russian Terrier - Breed Comparison
  47. Great Pyrenees vs German Longhaired Pointer - Breed Comparison
  48. Great Pyrenees vs Alano Espanol - Breed Comparison
  49. Great Pyrenees vs Entlebucher Mountain Dog - Breed Comparison

View/Compare Breeds

Popular Dog Breeds