/ Dogs / Dog breeds / Standard of the Bulgarian (or Karakachan) Shepherd breed, its features
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Of all the types of shepherd dogs, the Bulgarian is the least common. She is an excellent watchdog, has an easy-going disposition and is devoted to her owners. But when choosing a four-legged friend for a child, you should not stop at this breed. The Bulgarian Shepherd, or Karakachan Shepherd (both names refer to the same breed), will not play with children. The maximum you can count on is a loyal attitude towards children.
Bulgarian Shepherd
Photos and brief description
There are quite a lot of photographs of the Bulgarian Shepherd on the Internet, despite its insignificant popularity.
We have made a selection of the most beautiful dogs of this breed. This dog is considered the pride of Bulgaria. There are a couple of nurseries in the Balkans that breed this breed. When you see a Bulgarian dog, you feel a lot of energy, confidence and strength.
This dog has a stable psyche and is easy to train. Her attention is always focused, she is rarely distracted, and she is very resilient.
The Bulgarian Shepherd gets along well with the family and will never show aggression towards members of the household.
Character and behavior
The Bulgarian Shepherd is a proud, domineering dog, brave and decisive, with a strong, balanced character; it must be self-confident, without a hint of timidity or doubt. Very vigilant and wary of strangers; some dogs are markedly aggressive towards strangers on their territory. Tolerant of those who came with the owner. The dog is smart, independent and a fairly independent dog of one owner. Incredibly loyal to the one she has chosen as her owner and lenient towards other family members. Bulgarian Shepherds have a special relationship with children. A child is a taboo for a Bulgarian Shepherd. Historically, the children of shepherds grew up with harsh dogs, and even if the best one growled at the baby one day, it was destroyed. The Bulgarian Shepherd has a clear dominant defensive reaction and a strong type of nervous system. She can be described as a calm companion dog, distrustful of strangers, and endlessly devoted to her family.
Stefan Popov once said that spectacular appearance, courage, agility, speed and endurance in difficult conditions of hunger and insomnia are the calling card of the seemingly calm and bulky Bulgarian Shepherd.
Purpose
Bulgarian Shepherds are born guard dogs; without special training, they are able to monitor the safety of the borders of their territory and, if necessary, switch to active defensive actions. Without hesitation, they enter into battle with predators: wolves and bears and will not allow strangers to approach the property entrusted to them. Their ancestors were also used as border dogs in the military.
History of the breed
This breed is one of the oldest breeds in the Balkan countries.
Its closest relatives are the Tibetan mastiff, Greek shepherd and others. Bulgarian Shepherds don’t have a special history, but we still found an interesting fact for you. In 2010, a dog of this breed was given to Putin. The puppy was presented by the Minister of Bulgaria, after George W. Bush and the King of Spain got dogs of the same breed. It can be assumed that the Bulgarian Shepherd is a dog for people from high society.
The Bulgarian Shepherd is famous for its health. She is almost immune to disease. On average, her life is up to 15 years, it is customary to classify her as a long-livers.
How to care for her?
There is no evidence that the Bulgarian Shepherd is prone to any diseases other than the standard ones that occur in all dogs.
Long hair makes it difficult to find and remove ticks, but otherwise there is no need to worry about the health of your pet over trifles if you follow certain care rules:
- The location of the night is not so important. The Bulgarian tolerates both cold and heat well; it is enough to have a booth or enclosure.
- Walking and constant physical activity are included in the compulsory rank. Without this, there is a risk of muscle degradation. This is especially true for puppies.
- The coat needs to be brushed regularly and thoroughly, otherwise it will get tangled into clumps. In advanced cases, the only thing left to do is shave the dog. But this process should not turn into mutual torment.
- Washing is much easier. Coarse hair uses natural water to cleanse. With frequent use of shampoo and other chemicals, the protective fat layer is washed off from the shepherd's skin, which makes it vulnerable to changing and unfavorable weather conditions.
In general, the breed is not whimsical and demanding of conditions, but the above rules must be strictly observed for harmonious existence and coexistence.
Unfortunately, from all of the above it follows that the Bulgarian Shepherd is not suitable as a nanny, a house dog and has no value as a decorative species. On the other hand, there is hardly a better guard in the dog world. It is best to use the Karakachan to protect territory, people, property or livestock (as a shepherd's assistant), and also as a service dog in difficult climatic conditions.
In the end, some interesting facts about the Karakachan dog:
- In its native Bulgaria, the breed has been officially recognized since 2005, but the International Cynological Federation (FIC) is in no hurry to do so. The reason is the lack of independent lines and the number of breeding dogs.
- The most famous owner of such an individual in Russia is Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, who was given a puppy by the Prime Minister of Bulgaria Boyko Borisov.
- Besides him, the owners of such a wonderful breed are George W. Bush and the King of Spain Juan Carlos.
- In Russia there is only one nursery breeding this breed. There are dozens of them in Bulgaria, but customs regulations will not allow you to easily transfer your pet across the border.
Maintenance and care
The Karakachan dog is not fussy about care and accommodation. Dogs of this breed feel best in private homes; of course, they can live in an apartment, but this can bring slight discomfort to the owner. This breed needs daily exercise.
The main thing in caring for a dog is its coat. You need to comb it daily, otherwise it will all form into large clumps. Also, do not forget about vaccinating your pet.
With proper care, your dog will delight and protect you for many years.
Bulgarian Shepherd: photos, puppies
If you want to get such an adorable puppy, then you need to know that he needs to be allocated quite a lot of free space for playing. These fidgets love to play pranks, frolic and splash out their irrepressible energy. It is important for owners to know that these adorable babies should be accustomed to people from a very early age, otherwise they will consider all people the enemies. They will have a desire to constantly bark at strangers and will try to bite at the first opportunity. This behavior is alien to a well-mannered dog - it can become aggressive only when the owner’s family or himself is in danger.
At the age of 1.5 months, puppies of this breed are cute black and white “bear cubs”, but already during this period they show a strong and independent character. From the first days a puppy appears in the house, it is necessary to pay more attention to raising the animal, which will be the key to successful training in the future.
Since the Bulgarian Shepherd is a leader by nature, it only recognizes a strict and strong-willed owner. Therefore, when training with your pet, do not allow concessions; at the same time, you should not stoop to harshness or rudeness. This dog is smart, it is easy to train, because it remembers commands very quickly and understands well how to behave in a given situation.
Character and temperament
If you have children, then you need to think twice before getting a Bulgarian Shepherd. Because, in relation to children, a shepherd can behave aggressively, but if they grow up at the same time, this will not threaten you. But even under such conditions, the dog will not allow the child to offend itself.
So you should not trust this dog with children, and you also should not leave them alone with your child.
Also, your other pets may have problems living with a Bulgarian Shepherd. Because dogs of this breed already at a young age show who is boss in the house, mocking the animals with which they live together.
The Karakachan dog has a very interesting temperament. She chooses one owner for herself for the rest of her life, and she only allows his family to come close to her and allow him to be nearby. When the owner is next to the dog, it is calm, but if tomorrow the same person comes to your home, he will no longer be able to explain anything to the dog.
Character
The Bulgarian Shepherd is an ancient breed. It has existed since the time of the Thracians, and perhaps existed before. Figurines of dogs that look like shepherds were found during excavations of ancient treasuries.
The second name of the breed - Karakachan dog - comes from the name of the Karakachan tribe. They still live in the territory of modern Bulgaria, Greece and Macedonia. The traditional occupation of the Karakachans is cattle breeding, and large black and white shepherd dogs help them in this. They herd sheep and protect them from wild animals and thieves. In Bulgaria, the gender of a dog is marked in a special way: for females, only the left ear is cropped, and for males, only the right.
The Bulgarian Shepherd is a serious dog that does not tolerate familiarity and excessive tenderness. She is not inclined to show emotions, especially towards unfamiliar people. And in general, this is a dog of one owner. She remains faithful and devoted to one family member.
It is interesting that representatives of this breed are naturally intelligent and aristocratic. But, despite this, the dog still needs to be raised, and the pet must be socialized as early as possible. In the homeland of the breed, in Bulgaria, these dogs live in a pack and are socialized at a very early age, adopting the behavior patterns and habits of their older comrades. In city conditions, it is advisable to work with a pet together with a dog handler. The breed is independent and even proud.
The Bulgarian Shepherd has excellent working qualities: it is wary of strangers, but does not show aggression. In general, this is a very calm dog that is able to assess the situation and make decisions on its own.
As you might expect, Bulgarian Shepherds do not need people very much. In the absence of the owner, they will find something to do to their liking. If a pet knows the rules of the house, it will never chew wallpaper or furniture legs.
Bulgarian Shepherds, like many large dogs, are very loyal to children. They can endure children's games and fun for a long time without raising a voice. The Bulgarian Shepherd has a neutral attitude towards animals and does not show aggression during early socialization.
Dog nicknames and price
If you live in Bulgaria, then buying a dog of this breed will be easy. There are a lot of kennels where Bulgarian Shepherds are bred; the choice of kennels is great. If you are not lucky enough to live in Bulgaria, then you can search for advertisements on the Internet about the sale of this breed in your country.
The cost of a Bulgarian Shepherd puppy is from 200 to 1500 dollars, depending on the pedigree and place of purchase.
If you have a male dog, then it is better to choose the following nicknames for him: Bad, Irus, Leid, Damir, Bicho, Aks. And for the bitch you can choose a nickname from the following: Janaya, Mercy, Laisy, Diva, Jerry, Valayla, Drop.
Let's summarize, the Bulgarian Karakachan Shepherd is not for everyone, but only for more experienced dog breeders. Because it requires at least some effort to care for and maintain it, and inexperienced dog breeders may have problems.
The most important thing to remember is that the Bulgarian Shepherd is a guard dog, loyal to its owner and not inclined to communicate with children.
Where to buy a Bulgarian Shepherd puppy
Potential owners first of all need to decide which Bulgarian shepherd dog they are interested in: the Karakachan shepherd's assistant, a devoted and fearless guardian of the flock and property, or the Bulgarian shepherd dog, an equally devoted guardian of family and property, but less aggressive and more affectionate. Both types of Bulgarian Shepherds are quite popular in their homeland. More than 20 nurseries breed each breed in the Balkans. A special place among them is occupied by Ticho Elit, owned by Stefan Popov. Outside of Bulgaria, there are single nurseries in Poland, Russia, Moldova, Ukraine, many European countries, as well as in the USA.
There are many dogs sold on the Internet under the name “Bulgarian Shepherd,” but not all of them have pedigrees or at least outstanding working qualities, so it is better to take a baby from an experienced breeder.
Price
In Bulgaria, a Kuche Shepherd puppy costs from 100 to 1500 dollars, depending on the value of the breeding stock, the professionalism of the breeder, the name of the kennel and other factors.
Maintenance, care and nutrition
This breed of dog is not suitable for living in an apartment. The dogs are large and need good physical exercise, so they need to be kept in a large enclosure with a spacious booth. Every day the dog needs to be walked in an open area for 2 hours.
Periodically it is necessary to clean the dog's ears and eyes with a swab dipped in clean water or chamomile decoction. To clean your pet's teeth, you should offer your pet sugar bones and fresh carrots.
Bulgarian Shepherd puppies need to be fed 4-6 times a day. From 9 months the dog is switched to 2 meals a day. After a year, your pet needs to be fed once a day. The principles of nutrition for dogs of this breed are described in the table:
