Pyrador : All About This Great Pyrenees x Labrador Retriever Mixed Breed Dog

Designer dog breeds take two purebred dogs and combine them to get a new breed that takes traits and characteristics from each parents’ breed. The Pyrador is one such example.

Genetics are a tricky thing, and as such each Pyrador comes with a unique look and personality. While we can give you an idea of what to expect from a Pyrador, keep in mind that no two are created equal.

What Is the Pyrador?

The Pyrador combines the characteristics of the Great Pyrenees (intelligence, a calm demeanor, and patience) with the Labrador Retriever‘s main traits (friendliness and an active and outgoing personality).

Designer dogs, such as the Pyrador dog breed, are not very old. They also do not have extensive histories like their parent breeds. The Labrador retriever dates back to the 19th century, and the Great Pyrenees first dates in the 1600s.

Designer dogs cannot be a part of the American Kennel Club because they are not purebred, even though their parents are. The Great Pyrenees has been a member since 1933 in the working group. Meanwhile, the Labrador retriever has been a member since 1917 in the sporting group.

Pyrador Pictures

The best way to describe a Pyrador is that it looks very much like a fluffy bear. The most common coat color is white. They have almond-shaped black eyes, medium flat ears, and a black or gray muzzle. As you can see from the images, they often maintain the snout of a Lab while taking on the white coat of a Great Pyrenees.

What Is It Like Owning a Pyrador?

Every breed has its unique qualities, and the Pyrador is no different. Here’s a look at the highlights of what to expect when you adopt one.

•  Large breed: One main thing to know about this breed is it is large. A Pyrador will require a lot of room just because it takes up a lot of space.
• Protective personality: Pyradors are quite protective of their families. They may not always do well with other animals or strangers. You may need to keep an eye on the dog to avoid aggression issues.
• Destructive nature: A downside to owning a Pyrador is that they need consistent mental and physical stimulation. If they get bored, they may destroy things. Loneliness also can trigger them to be destructive.
• Wanderer: The Pyrador tends to escape if you don’t keep it well contained. Due to its size, you will need a strong fence to ensure you don’t have to chase it around the neighborhood.
• Excellent watchdog: Due to the protective nature and thunderous bark, these are an exceptional watchdog. It takes its job incredibly seriously and will alert you to anything it sees or hears, which can be a lot since they also have great hearing.
• Low maintenance: While they have lush coats, the Pyrador doesn’t need a lot of grooming. Regular brushing should do the trick, but you have to keep up with it, especially when it’s shedding, to avoid matting. Shedding occurs twice a year and will produce a tremendous amount of hair, which requires twice-daily brushings.

Pyrador Dog Breed Information

There is a lot you need to know before you adopt a new dog. Getting to know about the breed can be incredibly helpful. It will allow you to make a smart decision on whether this breed is the right one for your family.

When it comes to the Pyrador dog breed, you want to understand a few specific things that stand out about it. These critical points are often dealbreakers or can be the exact thing that makes you decide this breed fits well with your lifestyle.

Pyrador Cost – How Much Are Pyradors?

It isn’t always easy to find designer dog breeds at a shelter. You will often have to find a breeder. Of course, you want to ensure you only buy from a reputable breeder who does proper testing and takes the right steps to produce healthy pups. When purchasing a Pyrador, you can expect to spend between $500 and $1500.

Cost may vary by the breeder. Often the sex of the pup will impact price. The size of the dog also will affect the final price. It usually depends on which parent it takes after more. As the Great Pyrenees, some puppies will be larger and may cost more than those more like a Labrador retriever.

Are Pyradors Good Apartment Dogs?

Pyradors are a large breed, so they are not ideal for apartments unless you have a large space. They also bark a lot and are quite sensitive to noise. Your neighbors may not take too kindly to the loud, incessant barking that will occur, which makes them even less desirable in an apartment setting.

You may think that because they are not usually too high energy, they will be fine in an apartment, but we can say you and the dog will probably be unhappy in this type of living situation. This is especially true if your pup is more like the Great Pyrenees parent: A working dog that needs constant physical stimulation.

For all these reasons, we do not recommend one of these dogs unless you have a nice backyard space and a large living area in your home with plenty of separation from neighbors.

Are Pyradors Good With Kids?

Pyradors are loyal and friendly family members. They are often great with children but will require training to ensure they are obedient and do not get too rough. Because of the large size of the breed, it may not be a good idea to have this dog in the same home as small children.

You’ll find the Pyrador is incredibly loving. They also may have a herding instinct, so you may notice it trying to corral your kids. The bottom line is they are very good with kids but require supervision with smaller children only due to their size and tendencies to protect and herd.

What Are Some Common Pyrador Health Issues?

As mentioned, one of the main reasons for creating designer dog breeds is to help weed out genetic health issues, but this isn’t an exact science. While your Pyrador is likely to be healthier than either parent breed, there are still some health issues that may occur.

•  Elbow and hip dysplasia: Abnormal formation of joint sockets that can lead to issues with walking
• Osteosarcoma: Bone cancer common in large breeds
• Heatstroke: More likely to happen to dogs with thick coats due to the inability to cool down body temperature
• Wobbler syndrome or cervical spondylomyelopathy: Condition of the cervical spine that compresses the spinal cord and causes problems with walking
• Bloat: Common condition in large dogs where the stomach twists and fills with gas
• Degenerative myelopathy: Paralysis of the hind legs due to progressive degeneration of the spinal cord
• Congenital deafness: Occurs more often in white dogs due to lack of ear pigment that allows nerves in the ear to die

Are Pyradors Hard to Train?

According to Dog Time, training is essential for the Pyrador because it will be difficult to control if it lacks training once it is fully grown. The process will take some time and patience. Both parents of the Pyrador are known for stubbornness, so you will have to overcome this.

The good news is that both Labrador retrievers and Great Pyrenees are good learners, and training isn’t too harsh if you can overcome that stubborn streak. You must make the dog understand who is in charge to get anywhere.

Training should begin when your dog is a puppy. It must be consistent. You should cover the basics of behavioral training and housebreaking, but don’t forget to socialize as part of the practice. An unsocialized Pyrador can be aggressive towards strangers, which you want to avoid.

You also need to drill into your dog not to jump or pull the leash. Remember, it won’t stay a small pup for long. Once it is much larger and stronger, you need to have a way to control it.

The Pyrador is a smart breed, so make sure to include some challenging activities in your training. Games are ideal because they not only test your dog’s intelligence, but they will also engage it to prevent boredom.

Finally, keep in mind that every dog has its own personality. Your pup may have more Great Pyrenees than Labrador retriever or vice versa. You should always customize training to meet the needs of your dog and to work with its personality.

What Colors Do Pyradors Come In?

Pyradors have dense, wooly coats with long hair. They have a double coat, which is extremely thick, and the coloring typically is a mix of the parents. It is highly common for them to have white coats, but they can also be black, yellow, grey, brown, or beige. You may sometimes see spotted Pyradors or those with mixed coloring.

How Big Do Pyradors Get?

We’ve mentioned that the Pyrador dog breed is very large. While females are usually a little smaller than males, you can expect a Pyrador to be about 25-28 inches tall. Weight ranges from 75 pounds to 95 pounds. Again, though, you should look at the parents to get a good idea of where your pup may max out. If the parents are on the larger size for their breeds, then expect the dog to be larger.

9 Fun Facts you should know about Pyradors

You may think that you know everything about Pyradors by now, but there are still some things we need to cover. To ensure you know all the essential points, here are some fun facts to think about:

1.  As a designer dog, the Pyrador will take traits from both parents. You can usually get an idea of its behavioral characteristics by getting to know its parents.
2. The Pyrador is what is known as a first-generator mixed breed. First-generation means a 50/50 mix of two purebred dogs.
3. Pyradors have powerful jaws. Chewing will be an issue, so puppy-proof your home.
4. If you don’t like barking, then the Pyrador will not be a good fit for you. These dogs hear everything and will bark at any little sound. They have a thunderous and reverberating bark that is difficult to contain even with training.
5. Even though the Pyrador is a large breed, you still need to feed it carefully because it can lead to health issues, such as bloat and obesity. As an adult, you want to give it about three cups of food per day in smaller meals throughout the day to avoid bloat. Very active dogs may need more, and more sedentary dogs will require less. Watch your dog’s weight to gauge if you are overfeeding. Always feed a kibble made for large breeds.
6. Great Pyrenees are a nocturnal dog breed, which may be a trait your Pyrador has. If you notice that it is more active at night, then it has taken on this characteristic. Great Pyrenees are nocturnal because people once bred them for watching livestock at night to protect them from predators.
7. The Labrador retriever is the most popular dog in the U.S. because of its friendly nature. Most Pyradors will take on this characteristic of their parent. Because of this, many people say that Pyradors are like larger sized Labs.
8. Keep exercising your Pyrador as it gets older. Senior dogs will tend to slow down, but they still need daily periods of playing outside to keep them moving and prevent weight gain.
9. Adult Pyradors need walking twice a day. Puppies may need walks more often to help burn off excess energy. Avoid walking or exercise time after meals because it can lead to bloat.

Conclusion

The Pyrador dog breed is so new that you may not have ever seen one in real life, yet. These cuddly, bear-like dogs can make a great addition to your family. Just keep some critical things in mind to ensure that it is the right fit.

The Pyrador is a large dog that loves to bark. It also requires regular exercise to avoid destructive behavior. While this designer breed is usually healthier than its purebred parents, it may still inherit some health issues. Finally, because it is a large dog, you must take training carefully and always monitor your dog when it is around small children.

In general, the Pyrador would make an excellent choice for someone who lives in a home with a nice backyard. A person who has time to take it on morning and evening walks, doesn’t mind a little energetic behavior, and wants a friendly pup who will become his or her protective best friend is the perfect match.