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The 'Šarplaninac' (Serbian: Шарпланинац; Macedonian: Шарпланинец; pronounced "shar-pla-NEE-natz") is a large-sized shepherd dog breed of the Balkan region.

Contents

Appearance

Temperament

History

Working life

Appearance

The showbreed "Sar" stands between 26 and 30 inches (65-75 cm) in height and weighs 77 to 99 pounds (35-45 kg). However, the pure breed out of 'old' Yugoslavia generally weighs approximately 165. The coat is dense and medium in length; it can be rough or smooth. The coat is also about four inches (10 cm) long. The coat will benefit from occasional brushings. All Sarplaninac types are always solid in colour: tan, iron grey, white or black. There are no bicolours and no uniformly black-coated dogs among purebreds, but oddly-coloured specimens do exist.

Temperament

The temperament of the breed is described as independent, aloof with outsiders, and calm until a threat to the flock presents itself, when suddenly the Šar erupts into swift ferocity. The breed has a highly protective nature. In the absence of a flock of sheep, the Šar will often treat its humans as sheep - herding them away from danger or undesirable areas. They are serene and majestic, gentle with children and smaller dogs. They are also highly intelligent and bred to survive without human supervision while guarding the flocks in the high pastures. Young pups can denude a property of small animals until trained not to hunt.

History

Sarplaninac is a breed of Antiquity, believed by many to be one of, if not the oldest true Molosser in the World. There's an old Balkan folk legend that says the breed remembers the time when everything used to be under water except for the highest mountains, implying the connection to the Biblical flood, but more likely referring historically to the period when the entire region was covered by the Pannonian Sea.It is the Balkans where Molossers come from, having spread on all sides of the world thousands of years ago, influencing the establishment of most modern mastiff and shepherd dog breeds, leading some to conclude that the Sarplaninec is the oldest dog of this type.This breed is most commonly associated with the Sharplanina (Shar Mountains) region which is how it got its name. Prior to the Turkish conquest of the area, all of the shepherd dogs of the Balkans were known under the somewhat romantic name of "Illyrian Mountain Dog", distinguishable as regional Molosser types.
Vane's Arkon from Sterling Heights, Michigan USA

While the origins of the breed are obscured by history, it is believed by some that Šars' ancestry dates back to the time of Alexander The Great. It is also believed that the original mountain shepherd dog (based in the Mollos family) was cross bred with wolves during the Middle Ages to create the 'modern' Sar (certainly the modern Sar resembles a wolf in movement). The pure breed (as opposed to the show breed, which has been recognized since the mid-late 1930s) was protected by the Yugoslavian government until the country broke up.
This dog has nothing to do with the Serbian Shepherds its a Ilyrian shepherd, usually known as Shar Mountain Dog.

Working life

Sarplaninac is a reserved and intuitive breed, naturally stubborn and undemonstrative, but once properly trained and handled with authority, it excels at any task. Dog-aggression and wariness of strangers are common traits of the Sarplaninac, which is why early socialization is of utmost importance. But this is also a breed of truly remarkable intelligence and immense loyalty to its owner, as well as genuine love of children, making it an agreeable companion dog.Šarplaninac is one of rare dog breeds which can confront and take down a wolf or a bear. One of the interesting physical characteristics of the Sarplaninac are his unusually large teeth that set it apart from most dogs, further proving its old age of origin. Heavily-boned and muscular, the Sarplaninec has a very rich full top-coat, with an abundant dense undercoat, making it fully weatherproof and suited for an outside life.
The breed can also work cattle and serve as a guard dog; it was bred and used as a military dog under Marshal Josip Broz Tito.
The Šarplaninac is spreading through ranches in North America as a serious sheep herding dog and a livestock guardian. Predator problems are said to be greatly diminished once a Šar takes responsibility for a flock. The first known F.C.I. registered import to arrive in North America came directly from Skopje, Macedonia near the Sar Planina Mountains in the early 1970s. Vasa Cubaleski, a business owner in Glendale California had a white Sar bitch puppy carried off the mountain on the back of a donkey and flown to the U.S. Ownership of that bitch was eventually transferred to Marjorie E. Rucker, a breed enthusiast. Ms. Rucker had that bitch, Bistra, bred to stock later imported by the New England Dog Project at Hampshire College in New England. Offspring from that breeding as well as later litters are now distributed and working throughout the U.S. on sheep ranches.