A rare 130-pound Pyrenean Mastiff may not be the first breed that springs to mind when you think of therapy dogs. However, for 2-year-old “Samara,” an ancient livestock guardian breed from the Pyrenees Mountains in Spain, comforting animals and people comes naturally to this female companion dog.
“When people see her for the first time, they think she’s a Saint Bernard and comment on how big and fluffy she is before asking how much she eats,” says her owner, Cassidy Orner. “Pyrenean Mastiffs are most closely related to the Great Pyrenees, and Samara is so gentle with people and never jumps around or steps on people.”
Samara (Patrimonio Amable Guardian Samara) is a certified therapy dog who volunteers with Orner. “Samara’s first love is being around kids,” Orner says. Together, they visit children and adolescents in Pittsburgh on Children’s Grief Awareness Day, which takes place annually on the third Thursday in November and is meant to help support those who have experienced the loss of a loved one.
This organized event provides the support grieving children need. The team sees over 100 kids throughout the day. “At all times, there are at least ten kids around Samara,” Orner says. She lets the kids snuggle up to her, and although she may drift off to sleep occasionally, the children love how fluffy she is.”
Along with their canine therapy group, Samara and Orner regularly visit hospital patients, assisted living centers, and high school students during exam time to help relieve stress.
“My dog is especially popular with seniors,” Orner says. “They always want to pet her, and they ask when we’re coming back before I leave.” Orner gives residents photos of the Pyrenean Mastiff as keepsakes, which makes everyone happy. The dog’s height of nearly 30 inches makes it easy for bedridden people to pet her without getting up.
Samara and Orner also volunteer alongside first responders in Pennsylvania. She is working on becoming certified in other states. When a stressful situation involves our firefighters or police, they may call the team to help comfort them. The first responders decide whether a dog is needed, and Orner says they’re always happy to assist them in any way. “I love dogs,” Orner says. “Doing anything with them while helping people is a great way to touch lives.”
Orner remembers a scary situation they were involved in on October 19, 2024. They were at a hotel in Ambridge, Pennsylvania when a man with a gun threatened to shoot several teenagers, and the S.W.A.T. team came in. “Law enforcement asked Samara and me to comfort three teens and some of their relatives present,” Orner recalls. “Except for one teen who received a cut on his hand, thankfully, no one was injured.”
Acquiring a Pyrenean Mastiff didn’t come easy for Orner. A lover of giant breeds, Orner had previously owned Saint Bernards and now has a Doberman Pinscher, a Border Collie, and Newfoundlands. “After seeing photos of this breed, I knew I had to learn more about it,” Orner says. “I went on a quest to learn as much as possible and find the right breeder.”
Orner agreed to meet breeder Mary Sudhop, Treasurer of the Pyrenean Mastiff Association of America, to talk about the breed and her dogs at the New Castle Kennel Club in New Castle, Pennsylvania.
“I had to wait four years to get the right female puppy,” Orner says. “Because Samara’s mother is Russian, the breeder wanted me to give my puppy a Russian name.” After more research, Orner discovered that the name ‘Samara’ means guardian in Russian, so it was a natural fit.
When Samara and Orner aren’t volunteering in therapeutic settings, the dog’s favorite activities are swimming in the summer and accompanying Orner to her job. Orner works for a veterinarian and helps care for horses and sheep. “Samara is a guardian breed, after all, and loves being around the animals,” Orner says. “She has no formal guardian duties with the animals, but I can tell she likes them and enjoys smelling them. Plus, her tail is constantly wagging.”
The Pyrenean Mastiff and Orner perform heelwork to music routines alongside a horse. The pair participated in the Magical World of Dancing Horses performance in Troutville, Pennsylvania, where they synchronized their movements to music with the horse. “It’s a fast-paced song, like dancing with forward, back, and sideways movements,” Orner says. “We became involved when the veterinarian asked us to participate, and we had a good time.”
Together with Samara, Orner has experienced new adventures, from first wanting a rare breed as a pet to getting involved with the Pyrenean Mastiff Club of America, as they work to gain AKC recognition for the breed, which is currently in the miscellaneous class.
The versatile Pyrenean Mastiff from Rockton, Pennsylvania, also competes in conformation. Orner and Samara are working towards one of the requirements before a breed can become AKC-recognized, which is having ten dogs earning Certificate of Merit titles from the Miscellaneous class.
The pair attended group conformation handling classes to prepare for the show ring. For the past year, Orner has been showing Samara at AKC shows in the Miscellaneous Class, with their first entry at the Tallmadge, Ohio Kennel Club Dog Show. “We’re new to the ring, but Samara is easy to show,” Orner says. “Her stand for the judge’s examination is great, but she gets so excited gaiting around the ring that sometimes she takes off running a little too fast.”
The post ‘Samara’ the Pyrenean Mastiff Shines as a Guardian and Therapy Dog appeared first on American Kennel Club.
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“When people see her for the first time, they think she’s a Saint Bernard and comment on how big and fluffy she is before asking how much she eats,” says her owner, Cassidy Orner. “Pyrenean Mastiffs are most closely related to the Great Pyrenees, and Samara is so gentle with people and never jumps around or steps on people.”
Excelling at Consoling
Samara (Patrimonio Amable Guardian Samara) is a certified therapy dog who volunteers with Orner. “Samara’s first love is being around kids,” Orner says. Together, they visit children and adolescents in Pittsburgh on Children’s Grief Awareness Day, which takes place annually on the third Thursday in November and is meant to help support those who have experienced the loss of a loved one.
This organized event provides the support grieving children need. The team sees over 100 kids throughout the day. “At all times, there are at least ten kids around Samara,” Orner says. She lets the kids snuggle up to her, and although she may drift off to sleep occasionally, the children love how fluffy she is.”
Along with their canine therapy group, Samara and Orner regularly visit hospital patients, assisted living centers, and high school students during exam time to help relieve stress.
“My dog is especially popular with seniors,” Orner says. “They always want to pet her, and they ask when we’re coming back before I leave.” Orner gives residents photos of the Pyrenean Mastiff as keepsakes, which makes everyone happy. The dog’s height of nearly 30 inches makes it easy for bedridden people to pet her without getting up.
Samara and Orner also volunteer alongside first responders in Pennsylvania. She is working on becoming certified in other states. When a stressful situation involves our firefighters or police, they may call the team to help comfort them. The first responders decide whether a dog is needed, and Orner says they’re always happy to assist them in any way. “I love dogs,” Orner says. “Doing anything with them while helping people is a great way to touch lives.”
Orner remembers a scary situation they were involved in on October 19, 2024. They were at a hotel in Ambridge, Pennsylvania when a man with a gun threatened to shoot several teenagers, and the S.W.A.T. team came in. “Law enforcement asked Samara and me to comfort three teens and some of their relatives present,” Orner recalls. “Except for one teen who received a cut on his hand, thankfully, no one was injured.”
Searching for a Rare Breed
Acquiring a Pyrenean Mastiff didn’t come easy for Orner. A lover of giant breeds, Orner had previously owned Saint Bernards and now has a Doberman Pinscher, a Border Collie, and Newfoundlands. “After seeing photos of this breed, I knew I had to learn more about it,” Orner says. “I went on a quest to learn as much as possible and find the right breeder.”
Orner agreed to meet breeder Mary Sudhop, Treasurer of the Pyrenean Mastiff Association of America, to talk about the breed and her dogs at the New Castle Kennel Club in New Castle, Pennsylvania.
“I had to wait four years to get the right female puppy,” Orner says. “Because Samara’s mother is Russian, the breeder wanted me to give my puppy a Russian name.” After more research, Orner discovered that the name ‘Samara’ means guardian in Russian, so it was a natural fit.
The Guardian Breed’s Day Job
When Samara and Orner aren’t volunteering in therapeutic settings, the dog’s favorite activities are swimming in the summer and accompanying Orner to her job. Orner works for a veterinarian and helps care for horses and sheep. “Samara is a guardian breed, after all, and loves being around the animals,” Orner says. “She has no formal guardian duties with the animals, but I can tell she likes them and enjoys smelling them. Plus, her tail is constantly wagging.”
The Pyrenean Mastiff and Orner perform heelwork to music routines alongside a horse. The pair participated in the Magical World of Dancing Horses performance in Troutville, Pennsylvania, where they synchronized their movements to music with the horse. “It’s a fast-paced song, like dancing with forward, back, and sideways movements,” Orner says. “We became involved when the veterinarian asked us to participate, and we had a good time.”
Working Toward AKC Breed Recognition
Together with Samara, Orner has experienced new adventures, from first wanting a rare breed as a pet to getting involved with the Pyrenean Mastiff Club of America, as they work to gain AKC recognition for the breed, which is currently in the miscellaneous class.
The versatile Pyrenean Mastiff from Rockton, Pennsylvania, also competes in conformation. Orner and Samara are working towards one of the requirements before a breed can become AKC-recognized, which is having ten dogs earning Certificate of Merit titles from the Miscellaneous class.
The pair attended group conformation handling classes to prepare for the show ring. For the past year, Orner has been showing Samara at AKC shows in the Miscellaneous Class, with their first entry at the Tallmadge, Ohio Kennel Club Dog Show. “We’re new to the ring, but Samara is easy to show,” Orner says. “Her stand for the judge’s examination is great, but she gets so excited gaiting around the ring that sometimes she takes off running a little too fast.”
The post ‘Samara’ the Pyrenean Mastiff Shines as a Guardian and Therapy Dog appeared first on American Kennel Club.
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