Great Pyrenees grooming
Great Pyrenees grooming in Gloucester, MA
The AKC says a Pyr's coat resists dirt and tangles, so this is not a breed that needs a groomer every month. It needs the right visit at the right time: a bath and de-shed when the undercoat comes out, and nails, including two dewclaws on each back leg that many owners forget. Here is what that costs and why.
The coat
A coarse, flat outer coat over fine wool, built to turn away weather and dirt
The AKC breed standard describes a weather-resistant double coat: a long, flat, thick outer coat of coarse hair, straight or slightly wavy, lying over a dense, fine, woolly undercoat. It is fullest at the neck and shoulders, where it forms a mane, and on the back of the thighs, where feathering gives the breed its pantaloons. The face and ears carry shorter, finer hair. The standard even lists a curly coat and a stand-off, Samoyed-type coat as faults.
The AKC's grooming notes say that for all that fur, Pyrs do not need a lot of grooming, because the coat resists dirt and tangles. The catch is the undercoat, which a Pyr sheds with great enthusiasm; one owner quoted by the AKC calls it a snowstorm. Wool that is never brushed out packs into the mane, behind the ears and in the pantaloons, and that is where a Pyr mats when it mats at all.
- Outer coat: long, flat, coarse and weather resistant
- Undercoat: dense, fine and woolly, shed heavily
- Mane, plume and pantaloons hold the most coat
- Short, fine hair on the face and ears
The dewclaws
Two dewclaws on each back leg rarely touch the ground, so they grow long unless someone trims them
The Great Pyrenees standard calls for a single dewclaw on each foreleg and double dewclaws on each rear leg, and it lists their absence as a fault. The AKC's guide to dewclaws explains that rear dewclaws are attached by skin rather than bone, and suggests that on a Pyr the rear doubles may function as a brake of sorts. On a pet they sit on the inside of each hind leg, hidden in the feathering, which is exactly why they get missed.
Because they rarely touch the ground, the AKC says, dewclaws do not wear down and can grow faster than the other nails. Regular trimming helps prevent snagging, breaking and growth into the skin, and an injured dewclaw can be painful enough to need a vet. Nail clipping is $16 on any bath or full service, and it covers every nail on the dog, dewclaws included. Whether the groomer clips, grinds or does both is something we confirm with you at check-in.
- 01
Part the feathering on the inside of each back leg, just above the foot
- 02
Find both dewclaws on each side, four in all
- 03
Run a finger over each one: if it hooks your finger, it is too long
- 04
Look for a nail curling back toward the skin
- 05
Book nail clipping at $16 with the next bath, or sooner if one is long
- 06
Call your vet if a dewclaw is torn, bleeding or swollen
Summer and drying
The weather coat protects a Pyr in July too, and drying 100 pounds of it sets the pace of the visit
The standard calls it a weather-resistant coat, and weather includes summer. The AKC's article on shaving quotes its chief veterinary officer: a dog's coat acts as an insulator, shaving removes that layer and can make a dog susceptible to heat stroke, and fur protects against sunburn and lowers the risk of skin cancer. A white dog shaved to the skin on a bright August day at the shore has lost that cover. Clearing the dead wool with a bath and Shed Release is what helps.
Drying is the long part of any Pyr groom. The AKC's drying guide says double-coated and long coats take longer to dry, that towel drying should press water out rather than rub it, and that dog dryers do the work with airflow, not heat. A male standing 27 inches at the shoulder weighs about 100 pounds by the standard, and every inch of that coat has to be dry before the brush-out works. Ask us at booking how long to allow for your dog.
How often
Brush weekly, book the bath when the wool lets go, and never let the dewclaws run long
The AKC's routine is a thorough brushing with a pin brush or slicker at least once a week, which cuts down the shed hair that ends up all over the house. With that done, many Pyrs need a professional bath only when the undercoat starts to come out, when the coat is genuinely dirty, or before a family event. Book Shed Release, $10, with the bath at the start of each heavy shed, so the wool leaves in the studio.
Skip the brushing through a shed and the wool packs into the mane and pantaloons. Working that out is dematting at $15 per 20 minutes on top of the bath, and on a dog this size it adds up quickly. Nails are the other cost of waiting: long dewclaws snag on blankets and brush, and the AKC notes that overly long nails cause a Pyr discomfort. Rebook at pick-up and the next visit is $5 less.
- Pin brush or slicker at least once a week
- Bath with Shed Release at the start of each heavy shed
- Dewclaws checked every couple of weeks
- Dematting only if the wool has packed: $15 per 20 minutes
Price by size
$85 or $95 for a bath and $120 for full service over 90 pounds; smaller females pay $75 and $110
By the standard, a 27-inch male weighs about 100 pounds and a 25-inch female about 85, so most males are in our over-90 band and many females in the 51-to-90 band. Over 90 pounds the bath is $85, or $95 in the extra-large long-hair tier, and full service is $120. From 51 to 90 pounds it is $75 and $110. The groomer confirms the tier and the total at check-in, after a look at the coat.
Shed Release adds $10, nail clipping $16 and teeth brushing $10; the AKC recommends brushing a Pyr's teeth often. A sanitary trim is $10. A dog this big that needs slower handling or a second pair of hands carries the $20 behavior or handling surcharge, and you hear about it before the groom starts. Members on the $700 unlimited daycare plan take 15 percent off grooming.
| Great Pyrenees visit | 51 to 90 lb | Over 90 lb |
|---|---|---|
| Bath: wash, blow-dry, brush-out | $75 | $85, or $95 in the long-hair tier |
| Bath with Shed Release | $85 | $95, or $95 plus $10 |
| Full service with a tidy | $110 | $120 |
| Nail clipping, dewclaws included | $16 | $16 |
| Dematting | $15 per 20 minutes | $15 per 20 minutes |
At home
Between baths, brush the mane and pantaloons, rinse the feet in winter and check the back legs
Use a pin brush or slicker as the AKC suggests, working from the skin outward through the mane and pantaloons, and finish with a comb behind the ears. Our how-to on de-shedding a double-coated dog at home covers the heavy weeks. Because the AKC calls the coat dirt-resistant, a muddy Pyr after a spring walk on Dogtown Common may brush clean once it has dried, without a bath.
Winter is a Pyr's season, but Gloucester's salted sidewalks leave salt in the foot hair and between the pads, so rinse the feet in warm water after walks. In summer, walk early and late on grass. On a daycare day a groom can be added to the visit, and the Pup Van brings dogs from Rockport, Gloucester, Essex and Manchester-by-the-Sea for $10 each way. Weekday drop-off runs from 6:30 to 9:30 AM.
At Dogtown
Where a Pyr's groom fits
Book the bath and nails on their own, or add them to a daycare day so a big dog makes one trip instead of two.
Asked and answered
Questions people ask about this
Short, complete answers you can act on today. More in the full FAQ.
Do Great Pyrenees dewclaws need trimming?
Should my Pyr's double dewclaws be removed?
Is the extra-large long-hair bath tier for my Pyr?
Does a Great Pyrenees need regular grooming?
My Pyr dislikes strangers handling its feet. What helps?
More questions? Read the full FAQ
Sources
- AKC: Great Pyrenees
- AKC: official standard of the Great Pyrenees
- AKC: what are dewclaws?
- AKC: is it OK to shave your dog's coat in summer?
- AKC: how to dry your dog
Rules and dates change. We re-check every beach, licensing and ordinance page each spring and fall; the source above is the current word.
Keep reading
Next step
Book the big white bath.
Choose the bath for your Pyr's weight online or in the Dogtown app, add nail clipping for the dewclaws, and add Shed Release in a heavy shed.
- 01Free evaluationWeekdays 6:30 – 9:30 AM
- 02Book a dayOnline, in the app or by phone
- 03Play, rest, repeatReport card at pick-up
