Petzlover
(NOT Great Pyrenees, but Karakachans weren’t an option) Karakachans (aka Bulgarian Shepherds) are a beautiful, regal and relatively rare breed of Bulgarian livestock guard dog. Price: $950 Comes with microchip, AKDA registration, and health certificates Both parents are American Karakachan Dog Association (AKDA) registered. Both parents have been through extensive health testing as follows: Sire: Valko 80lbs at 12 months CAER ophthalmology exam 4/2024: eyes are healthy. One eye showed a vein, but it was not indicative of any disease or vision issues. Simply a visible vein. Otherwise, eyes are healthy. Embark health tested: Clear of 256 genetic issues Breed specific testing through UC Davis: Hyperuricosuria - clear/normal. Degenerative Myelopathy (DM) -Cleared/normal at UC Davis and through Embark. Progressive Retinal Atrophy (rcd4-PRA)- cleared/normal. OFA hip and elbow testing: Pending due to age. Visual vet check determined gate was normal and a physical check did not note any obvious issues. Dam: Mascha 74lbs at 12 months CAER ophthalmology exam 4/2024: No issues/both eyes Normal Embark health tested: Clear of 256 genetic issues Breed specific testing through UC Davis: Hyperuricosuria - clear/normal. Degenerative Myelopathy (DM) -Cleared/normal at UC Davis and through Embark. Progressive Retinal Atrophy (rcd4-PRA)- cleared/normal. OFA hip and elbow testing: Pending due to age. Visual vet check determined gate was normal and a physical check did not note any obvious issues. Both parents come from working lines and have been raised as working dogs. Parents have been living and working with ducks, chickens, goats and sheep. These dogs have excellent temperaments. They were able to work unmonitored by 13 months without any issues, or losses from either them or predators. Minimal correction was needed prior to age 13 months. Minimal roaming and barking as compared to other comparable breeds (Great Pyrenees). It’s been our experience that these dogs bond quickly with the animals they are guarding. They’re not known to roam, but do establish a defined territory and won’t leave their fields willingly. When they perceive a threat to their charges, they will chase away the predator but don’t abandon the animals in their care. They will also move the flocks away from whatever is perceived as a threat. And sometimes, we even catch them breaking up chicken and goat fights! More about Karakachans (Bulgarian Shepherd) The Karakachan is well-known for its independence, diligence, and hard-working tendencies. Because of their history as a landrace breed, there is quite a bit of variability in both their personality/temperament and their working characteristics. Some dogs are very headstrong, while others are more eager to please their caretaker. These ancient, powerful livestock guardian dogs excel at doing what they were bred for — protecting their flock and their people. Karakachans are named after the early settlers of the Balkans, who were nomadic Thracian shepherds. They are one of the oldest European breeds. Their popularity is spreading rapidly as they prove themselves on farms around the world. Their working abilities and vitality are unparalleled. They’re very agile, working in very difficult conditions (rough terrain and high predator numbers). Karakachans defend pets, guard the farm, and look after their owner’s family’s safety. These dogs are typically polite with other animals if exposed to them from a young age, and are incredibly loyal to their human families. Are Karakachans aggressive? They may be more likely to display their aggressive tendencies than the average dog, but they’ll only do so when they think you’re in danger. It’s not hugely different in this respect to plenty of other dogs: if it’s to be a domestic pet, it needs to be socialized properly. The dog being raised alongside the kids of the house will mean you don’t need to worry about interactions between the two groups but you shouldn’t leave a small child alone with a Karakachan; there’s always a risk of such a large dog accidentally sitting on a little person.
