I found this very interesting. Sure sounds like a pyr to me!
PGDS - PLEASING GENE DEFICIENCY SYNDROME
By Carol Brescher
The American dog behaviour scientist, Dr. Peter D. Wooffer, recently described PGDS in his thesis. It's a condition which primarily affects Great Pyrenees. PGDS is found to a certain degree in some other breeds, but it is most common in Pyrs. On a weighted scale from 1 to 10 (1 being the lowest), three well-known breeds have the following ratings:
Labrador Retrievers 0.5
Poodles       2.1
Great Pyrenees   9.9
SYMPTOMS
PGDS results in a strong disinclination to obey even simple commands like returning to owner during outdoor activities without leash. The condition is aggravated by factors such as:
- Yorkshire terriers at large
- Passing pizza delivery men
- Ongoing excavation work
- Postmen with dog biscuits in their pockets (as required by the Postal Regulation and known by any Pyr)
- Blackbirds in the mood
PGDS can also be seen indoors, particularly right after eating when owner approaches dog with wet cloth to remove food debris from face. A typical evasive action follows which can be attributed directly to PGDS.
IS IT THE REAL THING?
PGDS can easily be mistaken for deafness, but there are significant differences. Use this simple test: Open a bag of salted peanuts at approx. 800 yards from the dog. If the dog appears within approx. 5 seconds, deafness can usually be ruled out.
As opposed to a deaf dog, a PGDS-ridden dog usually eyeballs the owner for a short moment before changing course or resuming previous activity.
PGDS is not related to the IQ of the dog in any way. In 1996, Dr. Wooffer demonstrated in an experiment at Brussels University (Brussels, Arizona), that Great Pyrenees displaying typical symptoms of PGDS were able to solve quadratic equations and understand commands in contemporary Norwegian.
Certain critics of Dr. Wooffer's work have suggested that PGDS is simply another name for disobedience, but this has never been scientifically proven.
WHAT DO I DO IF MY DOG HAS PGDS?
PGDS is not contagious but it is hereditary. You should notify the kennel that your dog is afflicted with PGDS so they can take it into account when planning future breeding. It is doubtful whether you will receive any compensation; most breeders will try to reject
the claim for damages by arguing that it's a characteristic of the breed.
When PGDS has been diagnosed you must try to continue everyday life as best you can. Most Pyr owners are excellent at explaining away the peculiar behaviour of their dog. The following sentences might prove useful:
- It hasn't taken a proper run in 3 weeks
- It is suffering from a rare disease
- It is still only a puppy
- It is deaf…
Your contribution?
We are trying to gather as much information as possible on this serious condition. If you have made some interesting observations about PGDS in your Great Pyrenees, please send us a Fax so that we can add them to this data for the benefit of other worried Pyr owners.
Thank You,
Carol Brescher, Operations Manager
UniFlex Data Systems, Inc.
(732) 562-0790 (Fax)
