Differences and Similarities between the Golden Retriever and the Great Pyrenees.

Quick Links: Table of Contents

Golden Retriever Versus Great Pyrenees: Introduction

Are you thinking of getting a new pet dog, and you have narrowed down your choices to the Golden Retriever and the Great Pyrenees? Well, you have come to the right place. Because in this article, we will provide you with a detailed comparison of these two dog breeds to help you decide which of the Golden Retriever and the Great Pyrenees better suits you.

We will provide you a detailed discussion and comparison of dog attributes such as intelligence, price, general health, friendliness, etc, for both the Golden Retriever and the Great Pyrenees.

Furthermore, we will let you know which one of the Golden Retriever and the Great Pyrenees is better suited for new dog owners, for owners with kids, for owners that live in apartments, for owners with dog allergies, etc.

Importantly, we did some analysis and calculation and we obtained a number that we call the Better-Pet Score™ for both the Golden Retriever and for the Great Pyrenees. The dog breed with the higher Better-Pet score is the `better` pet. We hope that these Better-Pet Scores will provide you with more insight into deciding which pet to get between the Golden Retriever and the Great Pyrenees.

Our only goal here is to help you make a well-thought-out decision on your next long-term companion, be it the Golden Retriever or the Great Pyrenees.

Golden Retriever versus Great Pyrenees

Golden Retriever versus Great Pyrenees: Overview

A very important difference between the Golden Retriever and the Great Pyrenees is the size difference between the two dog breeds. The Golden Retriever is a medium-sized dog while the Great Pyrenees is a giant-sized dog.

Furthermore, the Golden Retriever belongs to the Sporting Dogs group. Sporting Dogs were bred to help hunters catch and retrieve feathered game. Some sporting dog breeds such as Retrievers, which were built for swimming, were bred to hunt waterfowl in water. Whereas sporting dog breeds like setters, spaniels, and pointing breeds were bred to hunt quail, pheasant, and other game birds nest on grasslands. Many Sporting Group breeds have thick, water-repellent coats that protect them from harsh hunting conditions.

On the other hand, the Great Pyrenees belongs to the Working Dogs group. Working Dogs were developed to assist humans in some capacity – including pulling sleds and carts, guarding flocks, guarding homes, and protecting their families. Breeds in the Working Group are known for their imposing stature, strength, intelligence, and fearless. Because of their size and strength, working dogs require a structured home life and firm, fair, consistent training by someone who can provide leadership without resorting to anger or physical force.

Golden Retriever versus Great Pyrenees: Comparison Table

The table below compares the Golden Retriever to the Great Pyrenees based on different important factors such as Price, Health, Kid-friendliness, etc.

When a dog breed scores higher for a factor than the other dog breed, the box of the breed that scores higher is shaded green and the box of the breed that scores lower is shaded red. When there is no difference between the breeds for a particular factor then the box is shaded gray for both pets. Also, when the factor is not important in picking a pet, or when the factor cannot be compared between two pets, the box for the factor is shaded gray for both pets

Most of the factors in the table for each dog breed are ranked on a scale of 1 to 5. “1” means “worst”, and “5” means “best”.

However, some factors such as “Price”, “Average Lifespan”, etc. cannot be on a scale of 1 to 5, so they are not on a scale of 1 to 5 in the comparison table.

Later in this article, we will further explain each factor as it applies to the Golden Retriever and the Great Pyrenees

Factor Golden Retriever Great Pyrenees
Tolerates Being Alone 1/5 3/5
Life Span 10 to 12 years 10 to 12 years
Adapts Well To Apartment Living 2/5 1/5
Easy To Groom 2/5 4/5
General Health 2/5 2/5
Tendency NOT to Wander 4/5 1/5
Calmness/ Low Vigor 4/5 1/5
Height 21 to 24 inches tall at the shoulder 25 to 32 inches tall at the shoulder
Good For Novice Owners 3/5 1/5
Tolerates Cold Weather 3/5 5/5
Tolerates Hot Weather 3/5 3/5
Low Prey Drive 3/5 1/5
Does NOT Bark or Howl 3/5 1/5
Does NOT Drool 2/5 4/5
Easygoing 1/5 2/5
Affectionate With Family 5/5 5/5
Kid-Friendly 5/5 4/5
Dog Friendly 5/5 4/5
Friendly Toward Strangers 5/5 3/5
Does NOT Shed 1/5 1/5
Potential NOT to Gain Weight 1/5 2/5
Easy To Train 5/5 1/5
Intelligence 5/5 4/5
Does NOT chew on things 1/5 4/5
NOT Rambunctious 1/5 1/5
Minimal Exercise Needs 1/5 1/5
Potential For Playfulness 5/5 4/5
Weight 55 to 75 pounds 85 to 160 pounds
Average Lifespan 11.0 years 11.0 years
Average Price $1870 $830
Price Range $1500 – $2200 $500 – $1000
Temperament Score 85.6 percent 84.9 percent
Common Health Problems and Recommended Health Tests
  • Cardiac Evaluation
  • Elbow Dysplasia
  • Eye Examination (evaluations annually for the dog`s lifetime)
  • Hip Dysplasia
  • Auburn
  • Clear By Parentage
  • Hip Dysplasia
  • Optigen
  • Patellar Luxation
  • Popularity out of 200 Dog Breeds 3 68
    Intelligence Rank (out of 130 Dog Breeds) 4 64

    Next, we added the scores of the factors that can be added together for the Golden Retriever in the table (that is, `Ease of Grooming` score + `General Health` score + `Calmness` score + …etc) and we compared it to the corresponding total score for the Great Pyrenees. We call these total scores the Better-Pet Scores, as we mentioned earlier. We called this score the Better-Pet score because the better dog breed will have a higher score. This is because the pet will the higher score will have minimal needs and be easier to have as a pet.

    The Better-Pet score for the Golden Retriever is 73 out of 125 while the Better-Pet score for the Great Pyrenees is 63 out of 125.

    Based on their Better-Pet scores, the Golden Retriever is a better pet than the Great Pyrenees. So, you should get the Golden Retriever!

    Although we have done our best to analyze these two dog breeds in a very unbiased way, however, we will like to let you know that there are some dog attributes that cannot be assigned a number for comparison. We cannot put a number on how cute a dog breed is, for example. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

    Also, the dog breed that best suits you will depend on your peculiar lifestyle, your taste, and your priorities, which we do not know. So, for you to decide on which breed is right for you, read through the rest of the article to further understand both the Golden Retriever and the Great Pyrenees so that you can make your own well-informed decision on which pet to get.

    Golden Retriever versus Great Pyrenees

    The Most Remarkable Differences Between the Golden Retriever and the Great Pyrenees

    Below is a list of where the Golden Retriever and the Great Pyrenees are most different:

  • Golden Retrievers do not have the potential to wander after things that capture their attention. They tend to stay around where you leave them. However, Great Pyreneess have a high tendency to wander. They are easily distracted by other animals or objects.
  • Golden Retrievers do the things they do with very low vigor. They are not forceful. However, Great Pyreneess do things with high intensity. They can be very forceful.
  • Golden Retrievers are very easy to train. However, Great Pyreneess are not easy to train.
  • Golden Retrievers are prone to nip and chew at things. However, Great Pyreneess are not prone to nip and chew at things.
  • The Similarities Between the Golden Retriever and the Great Pyrenees

    The Golden Retriever and the Great Pyrenees are very similar in certain aspects. Below is the list of where the Golden Retriever and the Great Pyrenees are most similar:

  • Both the Golden Retriever and the Great Pyrenees do not adapt well to apartment living.
  • Both the Golden Retriever and the Great Pyrenees have the tendency to develop certain health problems.
  • Both the Golden Retriever and the Great Pyrenees are easily disturbed by noise in their environments. They are sensitive to human tone. They will understand the tone of your voice when you try to correct their behaviors with a firm tone.
  • Both the Golden Retriever and the Great Pyrenees are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.
  • Both the Golden Retriever and the Great Pyrenees get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.
  • Both the Golden Retriever and the Great Pyrenees get along well with other dogs.
  • Both the Golden Retriever and the Great Pyrenees shed. They are not recommended for people with dog allergies.
  • Both the Golden Retriever and the Great Pyrenees gain weight easily. You need to pay careful attention to what you feed them.
  • Both the Golden Retriever and the Great Pyrenees are highly intelligent.
  • Both the Golden Retriever and the Great Pyrenees have very high energy levels. They need a lot of exercise time to release their high energy.
  • Both the Golden Retriever and the Great Pyrenees require a lot of exercise. They are good for owners who like to exercise.
  • Both the Golden Retriever and the Great Pyrenees are very playful.
  • Size (Weight and Height) of Golden Retriever versus Great Pyrenees

    Now, let us discuss the difference in size between the Golden Retriever and the Great Pyrenees.

    Golden Retrievers weigh 55 to 75 pounds when fully grown. Golden Retrievers are 21 to 24 inches tall at the shoulder when fully grown.

    On the other hand, Great Pyreneess weigh 85 to 160 pounds when fully grown. Great Pyreneess are 25 to 32 inches tall at the shoulder when fully grown.

    Lifespan of Golden Retriever versus Great Pyrenees

    The lifespan of Golden Retrievers is between 10 to 12 years. The average lifespan of Golden Retrievers is 11.0 years.

    The lifespan of Great Pyreneess is between 10 to 12 years. The average lifespan of Great Pyreneess is 11.0 years.

    Golden Retriever versus Great Pyrenees

    Temperament of the Great Pyrenees Versus the Golden Retriever

    The Golden Retriever has a better temperament than the Great Pyrenees.

    This is because the temperament score for the Golden Retriever is 85.6 percent while the temperament score for the Great Pyrenees is 84.9 percent, according to the American Temperament Test Society (ATTS).

    The American Temperament Test Society (ATTS) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide fair and objective evaluations of the temperaments of dog breeds.

    Dog breeds with low temperament scores tend to show unprovoked aggression, they easily panic without quickly recovering from the panic, and they tend to avoid people. However, dog breeds with high temperament scores are not aggressive and are not shy. Also, these dogs are generally friendly and are protective of their owners.

    The average temperament score across all dog breeds (over 250 breeds) is 83.7 percent.

    With its temperament score of 85.6 percent, the Golden Retriever has an above-average temperament compared to other dog breeds.

    With its temperament score of 84.9 percent, the Great Pyrenees has an above-average temperament compared to other dog breeds.

    The ATTS obtained the temperament scores of the Golden Retriever and the Great Pyrenees by measuring the temperaments of 813 Golden Retrievers and 152 Great Pyreneess.

    Price of Golden Retriever versus Price of Great Pyrenees

    The average price of the Golden Retriever puppy is $1870. The price of the Golden Retriever typically ranges from $1500 – $2200. However, the price of a Golden Retriever can be as low as $100 and as high as $6500. We obtained this price information by reviewing the prices of 2668 Golden Retriever puppies listed for sale from various sources.

    The average price of the Great Pyrenees puppy is $830. The price of the Great Pyrenees typically ranges from $500 – $1000. However, the price of the Great Pyrenees can be as low as $195 and as high as $2825. We obtained this price information by collecting and reviewing the prices of 352 Great Pyrenees puppies listed for sale from various sources.

    The Golden Retriever is more expensive than the Great Pyrenees.

    Golden Retriever Great Pyrenees
    Average Price $1870 $830
    Price Range $1500 to $2200 $500 to $1000

    The charts below show the price distribution for the Golden Retriever and Great Pyrenees. For different price points, the charts show how many Golden Retriever puppies or how many Great Pyrenees puppies are listed for sale at those price points.

    A breakdown of the prices of Golden Retrievers. The typical price range is shaded Green.

    A breakdown of the prices of Golden Retrievers. The typical price range is shaded Green.

    A breakdown of the prices of Great Pyreneess?

    A breakdown of the prices of Great Pyreneess?

    Note that a lot of factors determine how much you can expect to pay for the Golden Retriever puppy or the Great Pyrenees puppy. This includes if health screening tests have been performed on the puppy, if the puppy is from a famous pedigree, the US State where the puppy is bred, etc.

    Nevertheless, when looking to buy a puppy, look at buying a puppy only from well-established breeders that breed puppies primarily for the love of dogs, and secondarily for profit. Do not buy a puppy from a puppy mill. Puppy mills mass-produce puppies in bad living conditions for maximum profit.

    You may also consider adopting a dog instead of buying a dog.

    Golden Retriever versus Great Pyrenees

    Adopting the Golden Retriever versus Adopting the Great Pyrenees

    You may consider adopting a dog instead of buying a puppy. Many Golden Retrievers and many Great Pyreneess are currently available for adoption.

    These adorable and cute dogs are waiting in dog shelters hoping that someday someone will rescue them. Furthermore, adoption costs are lesser than the cost of a new puppy. Dog adoption costs are usually around $300. In addition to your local dog shelter, a good place online to see dogs that are available for adoption is petfinder.com.

    Below is an adorable Male Golden Retriever named Archie that is currently available for adoption on Petfinder.com. You can find other lovely adoptable Golden Retrievers like Archie on pefinder.com.

    Also, like Golden Retrievers, Great Pyreneess are also available for adoption. For example, Killoa Oti is a Male Great Pyrenees that is currently available for adoption on petfinder.com. You can find more Great Pyreneess like Killoa Oti that are up for adoption on petfinder.com.

    The Golden Retriever and the Great Pyrenees can both be adopted. Images from petfinder.com

    D837 is the name of another Golden Retriever (Male) on petfinder.com that is looking for a new home.

    Also, Bear is an adorable Male Great Pyrenees on petfinder.com that you can adopt.

    Golden Retrievers and Great Pyreneess are always available for adoption. Images from petfinder.com

    You can find more Golden Retrievers and Great Pyreneess that are available for adoption on petfinder.

    The Intelligence of the Golden Retriever versus the Intelligence of the Great Pyrenees

    Golden Retriever Great Pyrenees
    Intelligence Rank 4 out of 130 dog breeds 64 out of 130 dog breeds
    Trainability Tend To Learn New Commands After Fewer Than 5 Repetitions Tend To Learn New Commands After 40 To 80 Repetitions!

    Professor Stanley Coren, the famous psychology/neuropsychological professor and, dog lover/trainer measured and ranked the intelligence of about 130 different dog breeds.

    According to Prof. Stanley Coren, the total intelligence that a dog demonstrates is the addition of three types of intelligence. These intelligence types are:

  • Instinctive Intelligence: This is the natural intelligence a dog has because of what the dog was bred for. This type of intelligence comes from instinct. For example, dog breeds that were bred for guarding will have high `guarding` instinctive intelligence, while dog breeds that were bred for hunting will what high `hunting` instinctive intelligence. However, you cannot compare the intelligence of dog breeds based on instinctive intelligence because such a comparison will not make sense.
  • Adaptive Intelligence (learning and problem-solving ability): This indicates what a dog can learn to do for himself or herself. It includes learning and benefiting from experience with his environment, solving new problems, and so forth. Adaptive intelligence is specific to each dog, and not breed specific. Thus, two dogs can have remarkably different levels of adaptive intelligence even if they are of the same breed.
  • Working/Obedience Intelligence: This intelligence is the closest to what we might call school-learning ability and it is based upon what the dog can learn to do when instructed by humans. Importantly, different dog breeds have different learning abilities. Also, science has shown that some dog breeds can learn faster than some other breeds. This means certain dog breeds tend to have higher working/obedience intelligence than some other breeds. Dogs with high Working/Obedience Intelligence are smart and easy to train.
  • Prof. Coren showed that the Working/Obedience Intelligence of different dog breeds can be measured reliably. Thus, he was able to rank different dog breeds based on their Working/Obedience Intelligence.

    This is important because according to Prof. Coren, 51 percent of a dog`s intelligence comes from its genes while 49 percent of a dog`s intelligence comes from the dog`s environmental circumstances.

    To rank the intelligence of dog breeds, Prof. Coren employed the help of 208 dog obedience judges in North America to fill out a detailed survey on dog obedience. This number represented more than half of all of these judges in North America at the time. He also employed 63 veterinarians and 14 guard dog experts to collect data on the personality of different dog breeds.

    Prof. Coren found that the Golden Retriever has an obedience intelligence rank of 4 out of 130 dog breeds. The Golden Retriever belongs to the `Brightest Dogs` category. This means that Golden Retrievers tend to learn new commands after fewer than 5 repetitions.

    The Great Pyrenees has an obedience intelligence rank of 64 out of 130 dog breeds. The Great Pyrenees belongs to the `Fair Working/Obedience Intelligence Dogs` category. This means that Great Pyreneess tend to learn new commands after 40 to 80 repetitions!.

    The Golden Retriever is more intelligent than the Great Pyrenees.

    However, Prof. Coren noted that a dog should not be judged based on its intelligence alone, that other factors such as sociability, adorability, and compatibility with the owner are other very important factors that new dog owners need to consider when deciding on a new dog.

    The Popularity of Golden Retriever versus Popularity of Great Pyrenees

    Every year, the American Kennel Club (AKC) publishes information on how popular a dog breed is in that particular year. The AKC gets the popularity information of a breed from how many dogs of that breed the owners register with the AKC every year. The AKC collects this data for about 200 dog breeds. The AKC collects this data for purebred dogs only(no mixed or hybrid dogs).

    The graphs and the table below show the popularity of the Golden Retriever and the Great Pyrenees over the years.

    Based on the AKC popularity data over the years, the Golden Retriever is more popular with dog owners than the Great Pyrenees. This is because, over the years, the average popularity of the Golden Retriever is 3 out of about 200 dog breeds while the average popularity of the Great Pyrenees is 68 out of about 200 dog breeds.

    Popularity of Golden Retriever

    Popularity of Golden Retriever

    Popularity of Great Pyrenees

    Popularity of Great Pyrenees

    Year Golden Retriever Popularity Rank Great Pyrenees Popularity Rank
    2013 3 69
    2014 3 75
    2015 3 67
    2016 3 67
    2017 3 66
    2018 3 66
    2019 3 69
    2020 4 70

    Health Problems of Golden Retriever versus Health Problems of Great Pyrenees

    Every dog breed has its own set of health problems that it has a tendency to develop. There is nothing like a perfect dog breed.

    Both the Golden Retriever and the Great Pyrenees are prone to certain genetic health conditions. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) is the organization that keeps track of health problems in dogs. Based on the extensive records that the OFA keeps, the OFA knows what health problems each dog breed is naturally prone to develop. Hence, the OFA recommends which health screening that breeders should perform on a dog breed to make sure that the breeders won`t breed `defective` dog parents that can pass down defective genes to their puppy offspring.

    The more health problems a dog breed is prone to develop, the more health tests the OFA will recommend for that dog breed.

    Based on our review of OFA records, we found that the Great Pyrenees is prone to more genetic health problems than the Golden Retriever.

    This is because the OFA recommends more screening health tests for the Great Pyrenees than for the Golden Retriever.

    4 health tests are recommended for Golden Retriever while 5 tests are recommended for the Great Pyrenees.

    Below is a detailed discussion of health problems in Golden Retrievers and in Great Pyreneess.

    Golden Retriever Health Problems

    Golden Retrievers are genetically prone to certain health problems. However, breeders can reduce the chances of producing Golden Retriever puppies with genetic defects by making sure that a puppy`s parents are free from genetic health problems before allowing the parent to make puppies.

    The OFA provides breeders recommendations on which genetic diseases that breeders should screen their dog parents and puppies for.

    If you want a Golden Retriever puppy that will grow up to be healthy, make sure that your Golden Retriever breeder screens your puppy or your puppy`s parents for the health problems that the OFA recommends for your puppy`s breed. This will increase the chances that your puppy is free from genetic defects.

    The following are the health tests that Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) recommends that breeders should screen Golden Retrievers for:

  • Cardiac Evaluation
  • Elbow Dysplasia
  • Eye Examination (evaluations annually for the dog`s lifetime)
  • Hip Dysplasia
  • You can find out more about OFA`s recommended tests for Golden Retrievers here.

    Great Pyrenees Health Problems

    Great Pyreneess are genetically prone to certain health problems. However, breeders can reduce the chances of producing Great Pyrenees puppies with genetic defects by making sure that a puppy`s parents are free from genetic health problems before allowing the parent to make puppies.

    The OFA provides breeders recommendations on which genetic diseases that breeders should screen their dog parents and puppies for.

    If you want a Great Pyrenees puppy that will grow up to be healthy, make sure that your Great Pyrenees breeder screens your puppy or your puppy`s parents for the health problems that the OFA recommends for your puppy`s breed. This will increase the chances that your puppy is free from genetic defects.

    The following are the health tests that Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) recommends that breeders should screen Great Pyreneess for:

  • Auburn
  • Clear By Parentage
  • Hip Dysplasia
  • Optigen
  • Patellar Luxation
  • You can find out more about OFA`s recommended tests for Great Pyreneess here.

    More Discussions on Health Problems in Golden Retrievers and Great Pyreneess

    Based on our analysis of data from the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, of all known genetic health problems in dogs, the health problem that is most commonly seen in the Golden Retriever Breed is Ichthyosis problems.

    This is because the Golden Retriever ranks 1 out of 1 dog breeds for Ichthyosis problems. In fact, in a health test conducted on 1770 Golden Retrievers, 33 of them had Ichthyosis problems.

    The genetic diseases that were found to commonly occur in Golden Retrievers, and how common these diseases are in Golden Retrievers relative to other dog breeds, are given below:

  • Ichthyosis problems: Rank 1 out of 1 Dog Breeds
  • Shoulder problems: Rank 11 out of 22 Dog Breeds
  • Progressive Retinal Atrophy problems: Rank 17 out of 32 Dog Breeds
  • Thyroid problems: Rank 33 out of 115 Dog Breeds
  • Elbow problems: Rank 36 out of 144 Dog Breeds
  • Dentition Database problems: Rank 39 out of 49 Dog Breeds
  • Advanced Cardiac problems: Rank 40 out of 71 Dog Breeds
  • Hips problems: Rank 45 out of 198 Dog Breeds
  • Congenital Cardiac problems: Rank 56 out of 159 Dog Breeds
  • Degenerative Myelopathy problems: Rank 56 out of 70 Dog Breeds
  • Eyes problems: Rank 58 out of 182 Dog Breeds
  • Patella problems: Rank 112 out of 145 Dog Breeds
  • Based on our analysis of data from the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, of all known genetic health problems in dogs, the health problem that is most commonly seen in the Great Pyrenees Breed is Canine Multifocal Retinopathy problems.

    This is because the Great Pyrenees ranks 1 out of 6 dog breeds for Canine Multifocal Retinopathy problems. In fact, in a health test conducted on 109 Great Pyreneess, 9 of them had Canine Multifocal Retinopathy problems.

    The genetic diseases that were found to commonly occur in Great Pyreneess, and how common these diseases are in Great Pyreneess relative to other dog breeds, are given below:

  • Canine Multifocal Retinopathy problems: Rank 1 out of 6 Dog Breeds
  • Neuronal Degeneration problems: Rank 1 out of 1 Dog Breeds
  • Shoulder problems: Rank 16 out of 22 Dog Breeds
  • Eyes problems: Rank 25 out of 182 Dog Breeds
  • Degenerative Myelopathy problems: Rank 27 out of 70 Dog Breeds
  • Congenital Cardiac problems: Rank 55 out of 159 Dog Breeds
  • Thyroid problems: Rank 63 out of 115 Dog Breeds
  • Patella problems: Rank 101 out of 145 Dog Breeds
  • Elbow problems: Rank 112 out of 144 Dog Breeds
  • Hips problems: Rank 124 out of 198 Dog Breeds
  • The table below lists the common health problems in Golden Retriever and in Great Pyrenees and the rank (prevalence), compared to other dogs, of these health problems in the Golden Retriever and the Great Pyrenees:

    Disease Golden Retriever Rank Great Pyrenees Rank
    Ichthyosis problems 1 out of 1 dog breeds Not Common
    Shoulder problems 11 out of 22 dog breeds 16 out of 22 dog breeds
    Progressive Retinal Atrophy problems 17 out of 32 dog breeds Not Common
    Thyroid problems 33 out of 115 dog breeds 63 out of 115 dog breeds
    Elbow problems 36 out of 144 dog breeds 112 out of 144 dog breeds
    Dentition Database problems 39 out of 49 dog breeds Not Common
    Advanced Cardiac problems 40 out of 71 dog breeds Not Common
    Hips problems 45 out of 198 dog breeds 124 out of 198 dog breeds
    Congenital Cardiac problems 56 out of 159 dog breeds 55 out of 159 dog breeds
    Degenerative Myelopathy problems 56 out of 70 dog breeds 27 out of 70 dog breeds
    Eyes problems 58 out of 182 dog breeds 25 out of 182 dog breeds
    Patella problems 112 out of 145 dog breeds 101 out of 145 dog breeds
    Canine Multifocal Retinopathy problems Not Common 1 out of 6 dog breeds
    Neuronal Degeneration problems Not Common 1 out of 1 dog breeds

    *To learn more about each of these diseases, go to OFA.org and search for the disease.

    Again, most of these health problems can be prevented through health screening. Responsible breeders screen male and female dog parents for genetic problems. These breeders will only breed dogs that are free of genetic defects. That way, there is little or no chance that their puppies will grow up to have genetic health problems. Always ask a breeder for the list of health tests the breeder screens their dogs for before buying a puppy from such a breeder.

    Tolerates Being Alone: Golden Retriever versus Great Pyrenees

    Golden Retrievers do not like to be left alone.

    Great Pyreneess can be left alone only for a short time.

    Do Golden Retrievers shed more than Great Pyreneess?

    Golden Retrievers shed. They are not recommended for people with dog allergies.

    Great Pyreneess shed. They are not recommended for people with dog allergies.

    Which one drools more, the Golden Retriever or the Great Pyrenees

    Golden Retrievers have a very high tendency to drool.

    Great Pyreneess do have a very low tendency to drool.

    Which is Easier to Groom, the Golden Retriever or the Great Pyrenees?

    Golden Retrievers require a lot of grooming and they are not very easy to groom.

    Great Pyreneess are very easy to groom.

    Does the Golden Retriever Have a Higher Prey Drive than the Great Pyrenees?

    Golden Retrievers have a moderate prey drive. They can sometimes chase after smaller animals and pets.

    Great Pyreneess have a high prey drive. They have the tendency to chase after smaller animals and pets. They do not get along well with other pets.

    Do Golden Retrievers Bark and Howl? What about Great Pyreneess?

    Golden Retrievers bark and howl, but not very much.

    Great Pyreneess are highly vocal. They have the tendency to bark and howl.

    Can Golden Retrievers Tolerate Cold Weather? And can Great Pyreneess Tolerate Cold Weather?

    Golden Retrievers can moderately tolerate cold weather.

    Great Pyreneess can very well tolerate cold weather.

    Wanderlust Potential: Golden Retriever vs. Great Pyrenees

    Golden Retrievers do not have the potential to wander after things that capture their attention. They tend to stay around where you leave them.

    Great Pyreneess have a high tendency to wander. They are easily distracted by other animals or objects.

    Can Golden Retrievers Tolerate Hot Weather? Can Great Pyreneess Tolerate Hot Weather?

    Golden Retrievers can tolerate hot weather as long as the weather is not too hot.

    Great Pyreneess can tolerate hot weather as long as the weather is not too hot.

    Which Dog Breed is more Dog-Friendly, the Golden Retriever or the Great Pyrenees?

    Golden Retrievers get along very well with other dogs.

    Great Pyreneess get along very well with other dogs.

    Are Golden Retrievers good family dogs? What about Great Pyreneess?

    Golden Retrievers are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.

    Great Pyreneess are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.

    How Kid-friendly are Golden Retrievers and Great Pyreneess?

    Golden Retrievers get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.

    Great Pyreneess get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.

    Is the Golden Retriever Easier to Train than the Great Pyrenees?

    Golden Retrievers are very easy to train.

    Great Pyreneess are not easy to train.

    Is the Golden Retriever Better for Apartment Owners than the Great Pyrenees?

    Golden Retrievers do not adapt well to apartment living.

    Great Pyreneess do not adapt well to apartment living.

    Which is Better for New Dog Owners, the Golden Retriever or the Great Pyrenees?

    Golden Retrievers are OK for new dog owners.

    Great Pyreneess are not the best dogs for new dog owners.

    Other Dog Breeds That are Similar to the Golden Retriever

    Furthermore, there are other dog breeds that are very similar to the Golden Retriever that you can consider on your quest to get the best pet.

    We crunched the numbers and found that the following dog breeds have similar personality and temperament as the Golden Retriever:

  • Aussiedoodle (74 percent match with Golden Retriever). Here is our comparison of the Great Pyrenees vs Aussiedoodle.
  • Irish Setter (72 percent match with Golden Retriever). Here is our comparison of the Great Pyrenees vs Irish Setter.
  • Labrador Retriever (75 percent match with Golden Retriever). Here is our comparison of the Great Pyrenees vs Labrador Retriever.
  • Other Dog Breeds That are Similar to the Great Pyrenees

    Furthermore, there are other dog breeds that are very similar to the Great Pyrenees that you can consider on your quest to get the best pet.

    We crunched the numbers and found that the following dog breeds have similar personality and temperament as the Great Pyrenees:

  • Black and Tan Coonhound (73 percent match with Great Pyrenees). Here is our comparison of the Golden Retriever vs Black and Tan Coonhound.
  • Greater Swiss Mountain Dog (72 percent match with Great Pyrenees). Here is our comparison of the Golden Retriever vs Greater Swiss Mountain Dog.
  • Treeing Walker Coonhound (75 percent match with Great Pyrenees). Here is our comparison of the Golden Retriever vs Treeing Walker Coonhound.
  • Other Breed Comparisons that Might Interest You

    You may also be interested in how the Golden Retriever and how the Great Pyrenees compares to other breeds. So, see below the comparison of the Golden Retriever and of the Great Pyrenees to other breeds:

    Golden Retriever Versus Other Dog Breeds

    Golden Retriever versus Clumber Spaniel     Golden Retriever versus Akbash     Golden Retriever versus American Staffordshire Terrier     Golden Retriever versus Pomsky     Golden Retriever versus American Bulldog     Golden Retriever versus German Shorthaired Pointer     Golden Retriever versus Australian Cattle Dog     Golden Retriever versus Mudi     Golden Retriever versus Goldendoodle     Golden Retriever versus Pomsky     Golden Retriever versus Caucasian Shepherd Dog     Golden Retriever versus Finnish Spitz     Golden Retriever versus Siberian Husky     Golden Retriever versus Dandie Dinmont Terrier     Golden Retriever versus Shiba Inu     Golden Retriever versus Shihpoo     Golden Retriever versus German Pinscher     Golden Retriever versus Sussex Spaniel     Golden Retriever versus Boston Terrier     Golden Retriever versus Shiranian     Golden Retriever versus Basenji     Golden Retriever versus Bluetick Coonhound     Golden Retriever versus Braque du Bourbonnais     Golden Retriever versus Sealyham Terrier     Golden Retriever versus Toy Poodle     

    Great Pyrenees Versus Other Dog Breeds

    Great Pyrenees versus Doberman Pinscher     Great Pyrenees versus Appenzeller Sennenhunde     Great Pyrenees versus Boykin Spaniel     Great Pyrenees versus French Bulldog     Great Pyrenees versus Bordoodle     Great Pyrenees versus Lagotto Romagnolo     Great Pyrenees versus Airedale Terrier     Great Pyrenees versus Basset Hound     Great Pyrenees versus Pointer     Great Pyrenees versus Miniature Schnauzer     Great Pyrenees versus Boerboel     Great Pyrenees versus Dogue de Bordeaux     Great Pyrenees versus Australian Cattle Dog     Great Pyrenees versus Greater Swiss Mountain Dog     Great Pyrenees versus Mountain Cur     Great Pyrenees versus Azawakh     Great Pyrenees versus Greyhound     Great Pyrenees versus Australian Kelpie     Great Pyrenees versus Keeshond     Great Pyrenees versus Norfolk Terrier     Great Pyrenees versus Spinone Italiano     Great Pyrenees versus English Toy Spaniel     Great Pyrenees versus Central Asian Shepherd Dog     Great Pyrenees versus Sloughi     Great Pyrenees versus Labrador Retriever     

    Conclusion: Golden Retriever versus Great Pyrenees. Which One is a Better Pet?

    In summary, there is nothing like a better dog breed or a worse dog breed. The important question to ask is which dog breed better matches your interests and lifestyle. We hope our discussion above will help you in deciding which dog breed between the Golden Retriever and the Great Pyrenees better suits you and your family.