Bosnian Guard Dogs Make Good Family Pets, Too

Bosnian Guard Dogs Make Good Family Pets Too LIVESTOCK DOGS Unlike many livestock guardian breeds Sharplaninas Shars make good human companions as well as livestock protectors Allison Chapman a Shar breeder from northeast Pennsylvania suspects it is because the dogs are brought into their native villages in Bosnia and Kosovo at night “They roam around the villages as perimeter guards and get food from the villagers ” says Chapman “While the old line of thought with livestock guardian breeds is for owners to not bond with them Shars need the human bond ” The retired police operations manager and major worked in the Balkans and later in Iraq Afghanistan and the Ukraine as a security consultant It was in 1995 in the Balkans that she was introduced to Shars Shars are large longhairs reaching weights of 140 lbs or more They have an expected working life of 8 to 10 years with an average age of 13 Chapman has seen no hip dysplasia problems common to purebred large breeds She expects that is due to natural selection in their rugged native terrain “They are defensive animals However if they decide a threat exists you won’t be able to call them off ” says Chapman “They will go after the threat and dispatch it if it doesn’t retreat or submit ” After seeing them in action with predators as well as with people she decided to open a kennel in Pennsylvania for the rare breed She is one of a handful of Shar breeders in the U S and Canada She estimates there may be 200 or fewer working Shars in North America She would like to see more given their attributes “They are very intelligent animals with very strong guardian instincts ” says Chapman “They still require supervision correction leadership and patience to develop their innate instincts ” For Chapman’s dogs that begins at birth She is with the puppies 24/7 their first 4 weeks This is to get them used to people She also puts sheep wool in the whelping area so they become familiar with the smell and texture If they want to chase a cat or other animal she discourages it and uses positive reinforcement to counter the natural desire “Over time they recognize that the animals on our farm are their animals and protect them ” she says “We have chickens on the farm and we haven’t lost one to a predator in 7 years To train them for sheep I advise putting them in an enclosure with the flock where they can bond They have to be supervised so they don’t play with the sheep chasing or licking them ” Puppies are available no earlier than 10 weeks of age However not just anyone can buy a Shar from Chapman She suggests prospective buyers come to her kennel to experience the 140-lb animals “I want to meet the people and vet them very carefully to know they have the means and facility to care for the animals as well as the patience and leadership traits to work with them ” she says “I don’t sell to first time big breed owners ” Buyers are required to sign a contract They agree to stay in touch with Chapman for the life of the animal sharing health diet and longevity data with her Buyers may or may not be allowed to breed the puppies they buy as a neutering or spaying requirement may be part of the contract This can be determined by the fitness of the animal or Chapman’s view of the buyer “If a buyer has had large dogs before and worked with livestock guardian dogs I will encourage them to breed theirs ” she says “If they aren’t experienced or knowledgeable I won’t sell breeding rights ” If Chapman believes you would make a good owner prices range from $900 for a single to $2 500 for a working pair A working group can sell for $5 000 to $7 000 Chapman says the large dogs are adaptable She knows of dogs that were 4 to 5 years old before any exposure to livestock yet they still developed into good guardians She says they are equally good as family companions In fact she says she has sold an equal number of dogs for companions as for livestock guardians However being a companion doesn’t mean they forget their protective role “If you are with me around my dogs you’re fine ” she says “However I wouldn’t want a stranger coming on the property when I’m not here ” For this reason she posts her property against trespassing warning there is a guardian dog on the premises She also does not give out her address reducing the chance of people stopping by without contacting her first Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Allison Chapman Shar Mountain Kennels ph 570 335-3873; ajc271@aol com; www sharmountainkennels com

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