Breed database

Karakachan dog

ORIGIN: Bulgaria.
UTILIZATION: Watch dog and livestock guarding dog, a dog for company.
FCI-CLASSIFICATION:
Group 2 Pinscher and Schnauzer - Molossoid and
Swiss Mountain and Cattle dogs.
Section 2.2 Molossoid breeds,
Mountain type..

Without working trial.

BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY: The Karakachan dog is a Bulgarian autochthonous dog breed for guarding herds of farm animals. It arose to meet the needs of pastoralists, nomadic or sedentary, grazing in mountain and plain areas throughout the country. A significant role in the formation and preservation of these dogs has been played by the Karakachans, whose main livelihood has been transhuman sheep herding. It is no coincidence that this dog is known among the Bulgarian people by the name of Karakachan dog and is mentioned in Bulgarian literature and folklore. In 1938 H. B. Peters wrote an article dedicated to the Karakachian dog, published in the German
press. The first breed standard was written by Todor Gaitanjiev in the 1940s. After the closure of the borders between the Balkan countries and the collectivization of agriculture in Socialist Bulgaria, the need for these dogs decreased and their quantity reached a critical minimum.
The breed was saved from total extinction thanks to shepherds raising small herds of animals in remote high mountain areas of Bulgaria.
Active work on the search and preservation of the Karakachan dog began in the late 1980s.

GENERAL APPEARANCE: Relatively large dog, with harmonious build and abundant coat, massive bones and well developed musculature. Sexual dimorphism is well expressed.

IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS:
- Body length is 2-12% greater than height at withers in males and 5-16% in females.
- Muzzle length is 36-45% of head length.

BEHAVIOUR/TEMPERAMENT: Self-confident, courageous and intelligent dog with a balancedcharacter. Strongly attached to his owner and his family, distrustful of strangers.

HEAD
CRANIAL REGION:
Skull: Wide, bulky, with a flat or very slightly rounded forehead. Median furrow inconspicuous, zygomatic arches are poorly developed. The width measured at the cheekbones is approximately equal to the length of the skull. The thought planes of the cranial region and muzzle are parallel.
Stop: Weakly pronounced, smooth transition from muzzle to cranial region.
FACIAL REGION:
Nose: Large, with well-developed nostrils. Fully pigmented, black in color. In brown-rufous dogs the nose is brown.
Muzzle: Voluminous, narrowings lightly in the direction of the nоsе without pointing. Well filled at the base.
Lips: Dry, tight-fitting, with the upper lip overlapping the lower. Well pigmented - brown in colour in brown-rufous dogs and black in all other colours.
Jaws/Teeth: Strong jaws with good depth and width. Strong, large and white teeth. Complete dental formula (42 teeth). The bite is scissor or pincer.

EYES: Rather small, oval or almond-shaped, deeply and broadly set. Their lateral angles are
level with or slightly higher than the medial angles. Brown in colour, preferably darker. In brownrufous dogs, the eyes are amber colored in different shades, corresponding to the color of the coat.
The eyelids are close-fitting, well pigmented, black in colour, and brown in brown-rufous specimens

EARS: Relatively small, V-shaped, thin to the touch, pendulous, well fitted to the head, placed
at eye level or slightly above it. Well-haired.

NECK: Very well muscled and well-connected to body. Its length is shorter than the length of
the head. It is worn at an angle of 30-35 degrees to the dorsal line. The skin on it is elastic without
forming visible folds.

BODY:
Withers: Wide and well-muscled.
Back: Strong, broad with very well developed musculature.
Loin: Short, wide, muscular. In some individuals, a slight rise towards the croup is observed.
Croup: Broad, well muscled, slightly sloping towards base of tail.
Chest: Wide and deep chest, with well developed forechest. It is desirable that its bottom line
reaches slightly below elbow level. The ribs are broad and moderately curved.
Underline and belly: Tight, moderately tucked.

TAIL: Relatively high set, thick at the base. In length it reaches to the hock joint. Profusely
haired, with very long hair on ventral side. At rest it is carried relaxed downwards, on action curled or
sabre over the line of the back.
It is characteristic of the Karakachan dog that they are born with a congenitally short or shortened
tail.

LIMBS:
FOREQUARTERS:
General appearance: Straight, upright and parallel to each other.
Shoulder: Wide. The angle of the shoulder-elbow joint is about 110-125 degrees.
Upper arm: Long and muscular.
Elbow: Tight against the body, facing strictly backwards.
Forearm: Relatively long.
Carpus (Wrist): Strong and massive.
Metacarpus (Pastern): Slightly inclined.
Forefeet: Oval, slightly round, fingers compact, rich hair between them. With hard cushions
and strong nails. Not turned in or out.
HINDQUARTERS:
General appearance: Straight and parallel to each other, well muscled.
Thigh: Wide with massive musculature.
Stifle (Knee): At elbow level, with slightly upright angles.
Lower thigh: Long, wide and well muscled.
Hock joint: Sturdy, wide, with a tibio-tarsal joint angle of about 140-150 degrees.
Metatarsus (Rear pastern): Massive, slightly inclined.
Hind feet: Like the front but slightly more elongated. A common congenital trait is the
presence of one or two dewclaws.

GAIT / MOVEMENT: Powerful movements, with a wide stride, as the front and hind limbs
remain parallel to each other.

SKIN: Tight-fitting, thick and elastic without forming visible folds all over the body.

COAT:
Hair: Long and stiff topcoat with well developed and dense undercoat. Hair length varies
widely, from 6-7 cm to over 20 cm. On the muzzle and front part of the legs the hair is shorter,
and on the neck, back of the thighs and ventral part of the tail it is long, forming a mane (especially in
males) and fringe.
Colour: Bicolor or tricolor.

SIZE AND WEIGHT:
Height at the withers:
Males: 63 - 72 cm.
Females: 56 - 65 cm.
Weight:
Males: 40-55 kg.
Females: 30-45 kg.

In proven purebred specimens of high breeding value, a compromise on size can be made.

FAULTS:
Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness
with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect
upon the health and welfare of the dog and its ability to perform its traditional work.

SEVERE FAULTS:
- Gentle, rough or narrow head.
- Pronounced stop, pronounced zigomatic arches, prominent forehead, pronounced frontal
furrow.
- Too thin muzzle or pointed muzzle.
- Partially depigmented nose.
- Sagging burnies.
- Drooping eyelids, hypertrophy of the third eyelid.
- Ears erect or half erect, ears too large.
- Small or sparse teeth, missing one or two teeth among P1, P2 or M3.
- Misalignment of the incisors.
- Tight undershot (for dogs up to 4 years of age).
- Sagging skin in the neck.
- Soft or rounded back.
- Curved limbs, O-shaped or X-shaped stance of the limbs.
- Soft, wavy or curly coat.

DISQUALIFYING FAULTS:
- Aggressive or overly shy dogs.
- Completely depigmented nose.
- Multicolored, blue eyes or hawk-colored eyes.
- Entropion or ectropion of the eye.
- Overshot, undershot with a distance of more than 2 mm.
- Absence of more than two teeth among P1, P2 and M3 or absence of any other tooth.
- Hair length below 6 cm. Absence of undercoat.
- One-colored.

N.B:
- Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
- Only functionally and clinically healthy dogs, with breed typical conformation, should be used
for breeding.