Estrela Mountain Dog vs Great Pyrenees
Side by side
Estrela Mountain Dog
Great Pyrenees
Fully grown
13 months, both sexes4
Shedding
Moults most as the seasons change
Grooming
No sourced figure
Daily brushing
Exercise
A moderate amount
A modest amount
Class
Watchdog
Watchdog
Which suits you
Size
The Great Pyrenees is larger on average: about 65 kg (143 lb) as an adult, against 46 kg (102 lb) for the Estrela Mountain Dog.
Exercise
Plan for a moderate amount of exercise with the Estrela Mountain Dog, and a modest amount with the Great Pyrenees.
Temperament
They differ most on prey drive (Estrela Mountain Dog: chases; needs managing; Great Pyrenees: usually fine with small pets).
Alike
Both are rated the same on independence: decides for itself.
Neither is the better dog in general. Which suits you depends on your home, your days and the care you can give.
What they're like
Estrela Mountain Dog
Pinschers & molossoids · Giant
In temperament it is calm and loyal with its own household but reserved with strangers and quick to give warning, especially at night.
Great Pyrenees
Pinschers & molossoids · Giant
Calm and patient with its own household, it is also independent, watchful and reserved with strangers, and known for barking at night.
Breed traits
Day to day
Estrela Mountain Dog
Great Pyrenees
Activity
Differs
A good daily walk and play
Happy with modest walks
Intelligence
Learns readily, likes games
Learns readily, likes games
Handler demand
Needs an experienced owner
Needs an experienced owner
With people
Estrela Mountain Dog
Great Pyrenees
Affection
Affectionate on its own terms
Affectionate on its own terms
Loyalty
Sticks close to its people
Sticks close to its people
Independence
Decides for itself
Decides for itself
Around the home
Estrela Mountain Dog
Great Pyrenees
Sensitivity
Hardy, takes a busy home in its stride
Hardy, takes a busy home in its stride
Voice
Very vocal
Very vocal
Prey drive
Differs
Chases; needs managing
Usually fine with small pets
Puppy growth
Reference curves · both sexes
Summary
Detail
The Great Pyrenees grows to the heavier adult, about 65 kg against the Estrela Mountain Dog's 48 kg.
Estrela Mountain Dog
Great Pyrenees
More comparisons
Compare the Estrela Mountain Dog with
Sources
- 1
- 2The Kennel Club. Great Pyrenees breed standard. ↑
- 3
- 4Hawthorne et al., 2004. Body-weight changes during growth in puppies of different breeds. Journal of Nutrition 134(8 Suppl): 2027S–2030S (WALTHAM). ↑
- 5
- 6Morrill et al., 2022. Ancestry-inclusive dog genomics challenges popular breed stereotypes. Science 376: eabk0639 (Darwin's Ark). ↑
- 7Dogs Trust. Finding a good, responsible breeder. ↑
- 8American Kennel Club. Screening puppy buyers: how top breeders find the best homes. ↑
Parts of this page were written by AI ·