Its FCI standard is an appendix. Almost everything refers back to the long-haired Pyrenean Sheepdog, with only a few points defined separately, starting with the name: short, fine hair covers the face, the muzzle is slightly longer and the body almost square.
| FCI | Group 1 (Sheepdogs and Cattledogs), Section 1 Sheepdogs, Standard No. 138 Chien de Berger des Pyrénées à face rase, with working trial |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | France |
| Height at the withers | Males 40 to 54 cm, females 40 to 52 cm |
| Weight | Not specified in the FCI standard |
| Life expectancy | No reliable study figure found (N/A) |
| Coat | Short, fine facial hair; semi-long or shorter on the body, longest on neck and withers (6 to 7 cm) and middle of back (4 to 5 cm); light feathering on forelegs, breeches on hind legs |
| Colours according to the standard | Not separately defined; the standard refers to the long-haired variety: fawn with or without black hairs, grey, blue with black mottling (harlequin), brindle, black, also with limited white patches |
The cattle dealers’ dog
This variety was found mainly in the Pyrenean foothills. According to Bernard Sénac-Lagrange, quoted in the standard, cattle dealers and drovers particularly valued it in 1927. Its marked difference from other types earned it a separate appendix in the breed standard as early as the 1920s. The FCI lists it under its own number and granted definitive recognition on 26.01.1955. For the basic type, read about the Long-haired Pyrenean Sheepdog (Chien de Berger des Pyrénées à Poil Long).
How it differs from the long-haired type
The body is slightly shorter, feet tighter and more arched, and angulation more open. Its movement covers less ground than that of its long-haired relative. With males permitted up to 54 cm, it can be slightly taller than the long-haired type.
Lively, biddable and a little sceptical
The standard needs only one sentence for its temperament: lively, biddable, sometimes suspicious of strangers. In everyday life, it picks up signals quickly and reacts just as fast to movement. Encounters with strangers should remain relaxed and voluntary from the start.
A brush rather than a grooming marathon
The semi-long body coat makes it considerably easier to groom than the long-haired variety. Weekly brushing, paying closer attention to breeches and feathering, more often during shedding: that keeps it well cared for. It does, however, need daily activity, ideally herding, agility or obedience. The FCI nomenclature lists a required working trial.
What studies show
We found no lifespan figure from a reliable study. A Finnish investigation of idiopathic epilepsy included 17 affected and 23 healthy Pyrenean Sheepdogs; particular ADAM23 gene variants were associated with seizures, which generally began between two and four and a half years of age in the breeds studied (Koskinen et al. 2017). The paper does not separate varieties. The Pyrenean Sheepdog is also among breeds carrying merle, visible in the harlequin coat. Dogs with two copies can be deaf and often have eye defects (Strain 2015). Two harlequins should therefore never be mated together.
A dog for
People seeking a handy-sized, agile working dog with a short coat, who want to train daily. Families with older children and experience in dog sports can manage well.
Less suited to
Households with young children and little structure, and anyone expecting a quiet companion for short walks.
Our breed quiz can help you decide whether this little Pyrenean herder suits you; the book provides more background: “Welcher Hund passt WIRKLICH zu dir?” (book in German). If a puppy is joining the household, there is the free Puppy Starter Pack. Your own dog as a picture? Among our dog portraits from your photo, find styles and formats such as the poster in a wooden frame.
Further reading
- Australian Shepherd: what MDR1 and merle mean for you
- Puppy training: the 5 rules that really work
- Dog pulling on the lead: 5 mistakes almost everyone makes
Sources, accessed on 20.10.2026: FCI-Standard Nr. 138 Chien de Berger des Pyrénées à face rase (fci.be, German version dated 06.02.2002, English version dated 15.04.2005); FCI-Standard Nr. 141 Chien de Berger des Pyrénées à poil long (fci.be, German version dated 07.09.2011); FCI breed page No. 138 (fci.be); Koskinen LL et al., ADAM23 is a common risk gene for canine idiopathic epilepsy, BMC Genetics 2017; Strain GM, The Genetics of Deafness in Domestic Animals, Frontiers in Veterinary Science 2015; McMillan KM et al., Scientific Reports 2024 (breed not analysed there).
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