Karakachan- A mountain hound

” The capacity for love that makes dogs such rewarding companions has a flip side : They find it difficult to cope without us. Since we humans programmed this vulnerability, it’s our responsibility to ensure that our dogs do not suffer as a result ” – John Bradshaw. These four legged cuties need our constant love and care in order to live a happy and wholesome life and every breed has needs of their own. Every dog breed is different from each other, be it their favorable conditions, be it their diet, their size, their weight, their standard behavior , their instincts, their nature and so on. Everything varies from one breed to another.

One of the breed that is really popular among potential buyers is Karakachan. These large dogs were originally bred in Bulgaria as a mountain hound to protect livestock, cattle and other domestic animals. Karakachan is a largely built dog with a height of at least sixty centimetres, and the weight can range upto fifty five kilograms. They have long, dense, furry coats to keep themselves warm . They have white ,brown or black spots on their faces, coat or tails. If the dog is not purebred, then the color can be plain white, black or brown. They have little dark and intense eyes with a well shaped and broad nose. This furry playmate is an absolute cutie and owning one can bring lots of joy to a family. Following are the pros and cons of owning a karakachan :

PROS

1. These dogs are very loyal to their owners. They would cross any limits to safeguard their owner.
2. They are friendly, polite and loyal.
3. They are very friendly and gentle with children.
4. They are naturally brilliant and smart.
5. They have great smelling abilities.
6. They adapt well to new environments and they react well to different situations.
7. They don’t bark without any reason on it’s family , but they are completely aware about strangers.
8. They are adventurous and do not tire easily.
9. They have strong smelling abilities as well as an excellent hearing.
10. They are great watch dogs specially for farmers and ranch owners.
11. They can do various activities tirelessly like terk, run, chase, etc.

CONS

1. These dogs are purebred and giant and due to their versatility , they are rather expensive. Their puppies cost around sixty to seventy thousand each.
2. They are not so social with other animals, even dogs. Having another pet in the house might not prove good with a karakachan.
3. They do not like anyone crossing their territory, be it humans or animals.
4. These dogs are likely to attack strangers.
5. Extra care must be taken, especially for their coat as they are long coated and needed to be brushed thoroughly. It should be cleaned regularly and properly so that the coat doesn’t get matted, tangled or dirty.
6. These dogs shed a lot of hair in autumn and spring , so extra care needs to be taken in these two seasons.
7. If they do not exercise well, they might fall ill.
8. These dogs might even attack stray animals or other dogs, so they need to be scolded and reprimanded. The owner should be prompt enough to train them against their behavior.