Mongolian Shepherd: breed description, nature and content

Everyone knows about the Mongolian shepherd in its native lands, and few people have heard about this breed outside the country. Nevertheless, it is one of the oldest dog breeds, endowed with many advantages. This is a wonderful shepherd, guard and friend for humans. The breed has not yet been recognized by international associations, but thanks to the enthusiasm of the breeders, this will not last long.

Sheepdog from Mongolia is known by various names:

• banhar - “stuffed (rich) with wool,” “plump in the cheeks”;
• hotosho - “yard wolf”, “yard guard”;
• Tibet;
• wolfhound;
• Mongol;
• Durban nyudetey hara nokhoy - four-eyed dog with black eyes;
• bavgar - like a bear;
• Huns dog.

Breed there are more than 14 000 years. It is believed that the ancient breeds of dogs are much healthier and physically endowed with high intelligence, better adaptability and a wide range of working properties. Mongolian sand dune is considered to be one of the oldest dog breeds for nothing. All listed names well reflect the appearance of this sheep dog.

Mongolian khotosho centuries used in all spheres of life. They were grown, carried out the selection, rejection and training. The four-legged friends were very much appreciated, and with the prosperity of Buddhism in Mongolia, shepherd dogs were altogether honored as sacred animals. Mongolian cynologists were engaged in the education of the Banhars - Kayuchi, unsurpassed masters of training. During raids on the hunt, they could simultaneously control a hundred dogs.

In Mongolia, there are four national breeds, in addition to Banhar: Uzemchi, Borz, Teiga-Nokhoi and Sharaid. Any representative of these breeds can be a shepherd, but the Banhars are the most independent and reliable. The Mongols continue to develop pasture livestock as a valuable branch of agriculture, which is of great importance to the local population. Therefore, the original standard of dogs has been preserved.

In ancient times, the Mongol wolfhounds were used for hunting, tracking cattle and guarding their homes. This breed has always been considered a cult and even sacred in Mongolia. The Mongols believe that the blood of five wolves flows in the veins of the dune, and it is related to Tibetan dogmas.

The local population of Mongolia believes that the Banhars know how to pray for the blessings of their masters. The dog is even called prayer.

Unfortunately, in the 80s. the last century, purebred representatives of the Mongolian khotosho are virtually gone. Breed passed in the status of rare, and it is likely that it will completely disappear. And if in 1932, the Banhars with honor served in the Siberian NKVD, and in 1937 won medals and honorary places at the exhibition of dogs of official breeds, then in 1940 the breed was ordered to exterminate.

The decision to shoot them was made on the basis of the erroneous conclusions of scientists. Scientific figures spoke of the danger of the Banhars, as carriers of serious diseases for people. When it was possible to prove that this was not true, the Banhars had already been destroyed.

In Buryatia, two breeders became interested in a rare breed - Marika Teregulova and Nikolay Batov. They initiated the breeding of the breed and gave it the name hotosho. This happened at the sunset of the 80s and began with the fact that N. Batov went on an expedition to Mongolia.The breeder collected absolutely all information about the breed, drawing it from legends, excavations and Buddhist documents. Based on the information received, the necessary breed standard was developed. The dog became the national treasure of Russia to the joy of the breeders.

In March 2000, the Buryat-Mongolian wolfhound was on the page of honor in the tribal book of the Russian Federation. Six years later, the dog was registered in RKF. The Mongolian Shepherd as a pet has gained great popularity in China, South Korea and Japan. They say that its presence in the house promises well-being.

The size of the banhara is rather large - the growth is average or above average; in addition, the dog is very dense and strong, with well-developed muscular system. The animal reaches a weight of 30 kg or more. The lower parameter in the growth of males according to the standard is 60 cm, in bitches - 5 cm lower.

This breed males larger and more massive bitches. The head of the sheep-dogs is oblong, proportional, wide in the cranial zone. The cheekbones are well developed, and the mound on the nape smoothly smoothed.

There is a wide, deep groove on the forehead. The muzzle is actually blunt at the end, symmetrically wide towards the base. From above, its shape resembles a trapezoidal wedge.

The peculiarity of the muzzle is its swelling. Nose at Banhar neat, small size, triangular. The lower jaw of the Banhara is massive and wide. It is hidden behind dense, dryish lips, has a fold in the corner.

The standard assumes the presence of hanging triangular ears, set on the eye line or slightly below their level. Oval eyes set askew and wide. They are expressive, dark, located under dry eyelids. The pupils are so small that they shrink to the point of light in the light.

The teeth of the Banhars are white, large. The jaw has a straight and very tight bite. The neck is low set, powerful, strong. Thorax deployed, wide. Finally formed by the age of three years.

The belly of the banhara is tucked up, the back is flat and straight, the loin is slightly arched. The croup is slightly tilted. The front legs are wide apart, their height is 60% of the total height of the dog.

The back legs of the banhara are straight and set a little wider than the front ones. Thick tail has a high landing. An excited dog throws him on his back, turning the ring, and in a state of calm, the tail is freely lowered.

Standard color description: black and tan, red and pure black. In any variant of color on the chest at Banhar there must be a distinct white spot. For the fur of black dogs is characterized by red-brown ebb.

This Mongolian breed has a special down. These are hairs of a very delicate and fine structure, light with an ash tint or grayish-beige. During the molting, up to 1 kg of fluff can be combed from the bahar.

Things from this down are distinguished by good wear and low tendency to rolling. Things after washing become even more magnificent and do not lose strength. In addition, they have healing properties and can contribute to the treatment of diseases of the musculoskeletal system.

The hair of such dogs is smooth, with a pleasant shine, almost does not smell and fits tightly to the body. The structure of the outer hair is dense, tough, thin and even. Down hair is thicker and lighter in color. Wool has the ability to absorb the smell of the place of residence. Such a disguise helps Banhara during a hunt - other animals never take it into account.

In puppies, as they grow, the wool structure does not actually change. On the neck and shoulders of the cover is longer and similar to the mane. Fleeces are also on the back of the legs. The overgrown shoots are also noticeable on the ears, between the fingers, on the lateral lobes of the paws and on the tail.

The coat length of Mongolian wolfhounds varies by region. The more it is located to the north, the greater the length of hair in dogs. It is believed that no other breed is endowed with such a cover structure.

By temperament, the banhar is a rather phlegmatic and balanced dog. Shepherd shows vigilance and not deprived of the mind. She is friendly to relatives and expresses suspicion and aggression towards people who are unfriendly.

Banhar always holds on confidently. Representatives of the breed are self-sufficient, but do not dominate. They have pronounced communication skills. These pack dogs perfectly subordinate to the hierarchy and feel comfortable among their fellow tribesmen.

For children, the Banhar is always very patient and careful with them. He calmly perceives livestock and domestic animals, protects them, like other members of the host family. Understanding problems occur only when living next to other same-sex dogs.

Dogs of this breed can often be found near the temples in their homeland. Dogs living at the Mongolian Buddhist monasteries, different contact and good disposition, and the satellites of the arats often show ferocity and unsociable character. Especially aggressive individuals were marked before with red neck armbands. They signaled to strangers that it was dangerous to approach the dogs.

The Mongolian Shepherd Dog has a lot of roles: a shepherd defender of the herd, a guard at home and property, a ranger and a hunter for various prey sizes, a bodyguard. It is also a harness dog, endowed with intelligence. She does not need the help and support of a person to establish order in the flock.

Banhars accompany herd pets for grazing and watering, avoiding mixing with other herds. They can independently determine the territory of protection and point of observation of livestock. During the work the dogs are confident and calm, extremely rarely arrange “negotiations” with their colleagues.

At night, the "Mongols" are mostly awake, and during the daytime they are dozing, but sensitively, vigilantly guarding their pensions. Even inexperienced youngsters demonstrate this behavior. Having noticed a stranger, young dogs instantly rush to meet him, and the mission of more experienced dogs is to stay close to the object of protection. Only if necessary, they connect to the attackers. Banharam is characterized by such a combat technique: the capture of the enemy's muzzle into the mouth for strangulation.

Wolfhounds - a completely inappropriate breed for living in an apartment. Dogs are able to adapt to living in a private house with their own farmstead. The best option for this breed is living on the farm. Most of the day the dogs move around the area. In Mongolia, it is not customary to imprison sheepdogs in isolated enclosures.

Banhara booth should be located at a height of about 25 cm from the ground. The optimal dimensions of dog housing are 100x100x100 cm. The roof should be made flat with a slight slope, for the convenience of observing the surrounding environment of the dog from your home. The booth has an entrance to the south, the back part - to the north, where an additional thickening of fiberboard is created.

Inside the booth, it is not customary to spread any rags such as old coats of wool or sheepskin coats. They do not need to be heated, rather, they will contribute to the accumulation of dirt and wool, which means parasites. Banhar needs very good physical exertion. It is important for them not only to work, but also to regularly go for walks, having the opportunity to frolic with their fellow tribesmen, swim and hunt.

In many photographs, the banhars are densely covered with multiple tangles: on the ears, in the neck and on the tail. This suggests the idea that the owners are lazy to comb pets.But here the matter is not at all in the laziness of the owners, it's just that these same mats serve as protection against the bites of a predator, a kind of dense woolen shield. Mongolians never wash their sheep dogs with special shampoos, it is not customary to care for dogs.

The digestion of the Mongolian shepherds is more adapted to the digestion of natural food, but it is permissible to feed the dog and high-quality ready-made dry food. The menu is selected depending on the age, size of the animal, its physiological state. The main diet of puppies aged up to 4 months of life is sour milk, cereal cereals, meat products, vegetables and vegetable oils.

In the phase of active growth for dogs necessarily need a vitamin and mineral complex, selected by a veterinarian individually. 11-15 months old bahar are fed twice a day. At night put the meat in the amount of 500 g, twice a week, give 200 g of cottage cheese. After a year, there is only one feeding - in the evening. Periodically, shepherd dogs of this breed it is useful to carry out a fasting day, making sure that clean water in sufficient quantity was in a dog bowl. In addition to water, this day dogs are not entitled to anything.

The freedom-loving, proud Banhar must be educated from the first days of being in the house. It is very important that from the very beginning the dog understands who is the master of the house and grows obedient to him.

In principle, the owners can start training and later, when the puppy grows up and gets a little comfortable. Banhars can be trained and even recommended using game methods. For this breed it will not be possible to use the standard OKD scheme for testing conditioned reflexes or IPO 1-2-3 of the American standard. This is because wolfhounds think well and are smart by nature, they are able to make a decision and take the right position in a difficult situation.

For four-legged "Mongols" is characterized by a special behavior that owners must be able to understand and accept. Understanding breeders do not give Banhars into the hands of those people who previously kept Caucasians for fear of coaching and psychological pressure on an independent dog. For the benefit of the dog will participate in different areas of the lives of the owners. This trip to the sea, and shopping, and daily runs. He needs constant communication with people and other animals.

After reviewing the basics of upbringing and details of caring for a Mongolian shepherd, it remains to acquire a puppy and name it. If you bought a girl, you can choose one of the following popular options: Alan, Shoola, Erteki, Salashi, Zhandi, Oila, Pat, Fatiha, Hoin, Zhaldyz, Mapa, Geza, or invent a name yourself. In any case, only the owners decide.

A small dog will one day become a big, strong, beautiful and proud bähar. therefore even if you really want, you should not give him cute and funny nicknames. He must respond to some special name. For example, a dog can be called Davlat, Ilkhan, Hal, Ulug, Chikish, Elem, Shamol, Tes, Yakin, Talap, Sevmoc, Batyr, Adyl, Nuker, Ajarh. Or invent something similar, but certainly sonorous and majestic.

You can learn more about the Mongol shepherd dogs from the following video.