The mountain regions of Carpathian and Transylvania were made famous by Bram Stoker's novel
"Dracula". What is lesser known is that the Carpathian mountain also is the homeland of the Ciobanesti Carpatini, the Carpathian Shepherd Dog.
This breed were constructed by the farmers when the first vampires came to the region, and the farmers did feed the dogs with
garlic so the dogs could hunt the vampires with their garlic breath. This was very successful, since we now know that the vampires are extinct.
Just kidding! The vampires only live in novels and movies, and the Ciobanesti Carpatini have a totally different past than a garlic
eating vampire hunter, I just could not resist.
The Carpathian Shepherd Dog is close related with the other eastern Europe flock guardians, which all is descendants of dogs coming from the east.
Exact when the Carpatin, or its forefathers, came to the region is uncertain, but it we can problary expect that the breed have existed a very long time. It have visible traits
common with the Sarplaninac and the slim steppe type variant of the Caucasian Ovtcharka and it is believed that it came from the east at
the same time as the Sarplaninac, and developed its breed caractheristics when settled in the Carpathian mountain region.
I have learned that in the modern work with the breed ,and a possible international recognation, they are trying to breed the dogs away from the Molossoide
type, and they instead trying to get more of the lupoid typed head. In my opinion this is a mistake. Based on the origin of the mountain dogs and the Ciobanesti's close relatives
in eastern Europe, this breed should have a Molosser-look of the mountain dog type.
Carpathian in the 1940's
The work of the Carpatin have always been guarding and herding the sheeps, defending them against
wolves and bears, and also from sheep rustlers from over the borders.
The Ciobanesti Carpatini is very suspicious of strangers and in the old days these dogs had to wear staves of wood fastened
to their necks, or some other easily and quickly recognised symbol of proprietorship, if not the dogs could be
killed by law if threatining the passage of a traveller.
The Ciobanesti Carpatini is little known outside of Romania and the little information available
on the breed comes from small sections in various dog breed atlas, which some also giving a picture on the breed. Under the patronage of
King Carol II, the Rumenian Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1937 and did much to further its breeding on modern scientific lines, but the Romanian National Cynologic Association
are still working to get the breed rocognized by the FCI. As of 1999 no Carpathian Shepherd Dogs are known to exists outside of its native Romania.
Because of the high wolf population in Romania, the Carpathian Shepherd Dog is still used to
herd and protect the flocks of sheeps and cattle, a work they are doing very well. They are known to be very loyal to their master,
to have an balanced temperament and they are showing great kindness to children. Because of these traits the breed are becoming more
and more popular by people living in the cities, who wants a watchdog or just a pet.
The Carpatin are also known to have a very high protection instinct, with sharp sences, which makes them the ideal and long
favored breed by the Rumanian sheep farmers.
Because of exprimental crosses with St. Bernard and sheepdogs a lot of "half-breeds" are known and puppy seekers must be careful
when selecting a breeder, so they get a pure speciment.
The body of the Carpatin is built much like the earlier mentioned slim steppe type variant of the Caucasian Ovtcharka.
The head should be massive with a distinct stop and slightly doomed skull. The slightly sunken are medium and should be dark amber in colour.
The rather small ears are set wide apart, folded backwards and are set rather low on the skull. The body of the Carpatin is well knit and muscular,
with a deep roomy chest. The legs are very strong with rather large feets.
The coat is soft and smooth in texture and of generally medium length, but much shorter on the head, and at it longest at the
flanks and buttocks, where it often is wavy.
The colour of the coat vary much and includes sable with darker head points, black and tan, various brindles, grey, wolf-colour,
beige and white with patches.
The size of the Ciobanesti Carpatini are normally about 65-66 cm. (25,5-26 in) at the withers and about 50 kg. (110 lbs),
but common with the other flock guardians much larger speciments are known.
All pictures on this page, exept for the old picture, are kindly
given Molosserworld by Andrea and Dan Dumitrescu from Romania. Follow the link below to visit their site.
Thank you very much Dan and Andrea for your helpfulness.
Links
