The Carpathian Shepherd is a dog whose roots lie in the Romanian tradition of the Carpathian and Danube region. Being one of the most frequent herding breeds and one of the most valued and prestigious in the region, the Carpathian Shepherd has been grazing and guarding land and herds for centuries.
However, it is not just a sheepdog, the carpatin, as they call it in its region of origin, is a truly fascinating dog. In him there is the combination of overwhelming strength and courage, along with a kind, affable and very faithful character. His docility stands out, and, although he can be very territorial and overprotective, there is nothing that a good training cannot solve. Keep reading to discover on our site all the Characteristics of the Carpathian Shepherd
Origin of the Carpathian Shepherd
The first existing records of the origin of the Carpathian sheepdog breed date back to the 15th century, although it is believed to be earlier than this date. The Capathian shepherd or Romanian shepherd of the Carpathians is a dog that for centuries has served as a herding dog and as a guardian of land and flocks. In fact, it is still considered one of the best herding dog breeds today. This breed is endemic to the Carpathian-Danube region, being highly valued by the Romanian shepherds of that region.
It was not until 1934 that the first breed standard was drawn up, something that was done by the National Zootechnich Institute in Romania. Despite being the first standard, there were many updates to it, so it was updated in 1982, 1999 and 2001. In 2005 the first official standard was published by the International Cinological Federation, which was modified and, therefore, the definitive version of the standard was published in 2015[1]
Carpathian Shepherd Characteristics
The Romanian Carpathian Shepherd is a large dog that belongs to the mastiff family. Its dimensions are between 59 and 67 centimeters in height at the withers in females and 65 to 73 centimeters in males, the weight varies significantly depending on the size, being in a wide range between 35 and 50 kilograms of body weight. The average life expectancy of a Carpathian Romanian Sheepdog is between 12 and 14 years.
The body of these dogs is robust and has a large wingspan. However, these characteristics do not stop him from being very agile and with a long shoulder, a feature that also allows him to appear larger than he is due to the width that his chest gives him. In this canine breed there is a marked sexual dimorphism, since the males are much taller and larger than the females. They all have a rectangular body, with a tail that looks droopy or straight and is sword-shaped, raising it when alert.
The head is wide and tapers towards the snout, which gives it a rather wolfish appearance It is a mesocephalic breed, In addition, its nose is wide, with a black truffle and its snout is as long as the skull or somewhat shorter. His eyes, brown, have an almond shape. The ears are triangular, medium in size and close to the cheeks.
Continuing with the characteristics of the Carpathian Shepherd, the coat has a bilayer structure, the lower layer being dense and soft and the upper somewhat longer and rougher. This fur is smooth and covers the entire body, although it is somewhat longer on the neck, the back of the limbs and the tail and shorter on the head and the inside of the legs.
Carpathian Shepherd Colors
The colors of the Carpathian shepherd collected by their official standard is dark bay, also called carbonado sand,in different shades Specifically, it is lighter on the sides of the body and darker on the rump. It can also present white markings, which must be slightly expanded on the body.
The Carpathian Shepherd Puppy
A Carpathian Sheepdog puppy is normally a very friendly little dog, but large in size Their instinct makes them dogs They get along well with other animals from a very young age, as they are accustomed as a breed to dealing with different types of herd and living in herds.
They are animals very gregarious, kind to each other and quite obedient, responding well to the most basic training, which is usually recommended to start when they are just a few puppies, because results are obtained more quickly and effectively.
Carpathian Shepherd Character
The Carpathian Shepherd is appreciated not only for his herding skills, but also for his fierceness and fearlessness in defending the flocks he has to guard. However, they are not aggressive dogs at all, on the contrary, they stand out for their affability and the unconditional love they show to everything and everyone, being faithful and obedient as well as affectionate and noble. They only attack to defend themselves and their herd, which they care for with care and dedication.
In the family they are just as loving, although sometimes somewhat protective, but they are not usually distrustful unless they see potential danger. They are very calm dogs, with a balanced and attentive character They adapt well to family life with children or animals, but they usually need some space to be able to move or they can get a little overwhelmed, so it is recommended to keep them in houses with gardens or land, although they can get used to life in flats.
They are quite active, as they are used to guarding herds and also guiding them, sometimes traveling long distances over fairly arduous terrain. This safeguarding task leads them to be quite territorial, something that we will discuss when we talk about their training.
Carpathian Shepherd Care
The Carpathian Shepherd is not a really demanding dog in terms of attention or care. In general, the maintenance of one of these dogs is summarized in good nutrition, hydration and daily exercise Of course, weekly brushings are also recommended to prevent loss of hair throughout the home.
Starting with food, the important thing is to provide a diet adapted to its size, its daily activity and its specific nutritional needs, which vary according to aspects such as the level of activity or the age of the animal. Now, what kind of food is best for this dog? It will depend as much on your preferences as on his, so you can choose to offer him feed or homemade food. In the first case, we recommend opting for natural dog food, much better for the quality of its ingredients. In the second case, you can follow the BARF diet for dogs or lightly cook the food. Of course, the animal should always have fresh, clean water available to stay hydrated.
About the physical activity recommended for the Carpathian Shepherd, it is recommended that they go for long walks, play games or play sports, since the breed is quite active and requires daily physical activity to maintain he althy and emotionally balanced.
Finally, it should be noted that, as in all dogs, attention is a factor to be taken into account. Feeding it correctly and offering it the activity it needs is not enough, this and all animals need to receive attention from their humans. If you offer all the care that the Carpathian Shepherd needs, you will have a faithful and very affectionate companion at your side.
Carpathian Shepherd Education
The Carpathian Shepherd is a very territorial dog, so it is important to dedicate part of the training to this aspect. His protective instincts make him sometimes aggressive if he thinks there is an intruder in his territory. This does not mean that the breed is aggressive, since he does it as a defense, but it can be a problem if he learns to control it. For this reason, it is something that usually requires a lot of attention to get the dog used to receiving unexpected visits, seeing strangers and interacting with people and animals that he did not know. Thus, the socialization of the puppy and the adult dog is fundamental in this breed and must be worked very well to get used to these situations.
It is also interesting to train the Carpathian Shepherd in sports activities, such as agility circuits or intelligence games, which In addition to keeping it physically active, they make it learn to respond to the most basic commands, then being able to move on to increasingly more complex ones. In this article you can see some tips to approach learning about agility circuits: "Getting started in Agility".
Regarding the type of education and training, as in all breeds and mongrel dogs, it is best to opt for positive reinforcement, as it has been shown to be the most effective. To do this, we recommend you consult this other article: "How to train a dog?".
Carpathian Shepherd He alth
The Carpathian sheepdog breed has a long tradition and development, which has meant that the specimens most adapted to the inclement weather and terrain of the area from which they originate have survived. This has caused the specimens that can be found today to stand out for having a solid and very stable he alth, rarely presenting serious alterations.
However, no matter how good genetics they may have, they are not exempt from suffering alterations such as hip dysplasia, very common in large dogs. This disease can become very serious and prevent the correct mobility of the animal, causing pain and discomfort. For this reason, it is recommended to carry out radiological tests in order to detect any possible joint alteration, since they can also suffer patellar luxation
Apart from the above, the only thing of greater concern when it comes to the he alth of the Carpathian Shepherd is the possibility of gastric torsion, which is really dangerous. But with regular veterinary checkups, including routine diagnostic tests, vaccinations, and deworming, your Carpathian Shepherd is likely to be in solid he alth for the rest of his days.
Where to adopt a Carpathian Shepherd?
The Carpathian Shepherd is a dog breed that until recently was only common in the Carpathian region. However, due to globalization, Carpathian Shepherds can be seen in more and more places around the world. Despite this, finding a specimen can be quite complicated, so we recommend patience and resorting to different associations, kennels and shelters, thus increasing the chances of finding one of these dogs for adoption.
Apart from the possibilities of finding the breed, the most important thing is to take into account the characteristics of the Carpathian Shepherd and his particular needs before even considering having one of them in our home. In this case, one of the most notable requirements is that they have enough space to be able to move, as well as constant and respectful education to work on their territoriality and overprotection.
