Kurdish Mastiff
Breed at a glance
- Origin
- Kurdistan Region of Iraq
intro
The Kurdish Mastiff , [ 1 ] [ 2 ] [ 3 ] [ 4 ] Assyrian Shepherd , [ 3 ] or Pişder dog [ 5 ] ( Kurdish : سەگی پشدەری , romanized : Segî Pişderî ) is a dog landrace native to the mountainous Kurdistan Region in Iraq , especially the Pişder region in Sulaymaniyah Governorate . [ 3 ] [ 5 ] This dog is often used as a livestock guardian against predators and number around a few thousand heads. [ 5 ] They have been compared to the Kangal Dog and the Akbash . [ 5 ]
History
In 1892, John Paul Dudley published a medical treatise on dogs and mentioned the Kurdish Mastiff: In Kurdistan in northern Asia Minor, and that region of Asia, there is a dog much resembling the English Mastiff, which is the constant companion and friend of the Kurd — a shepherd and watch dog partaking much of the character of his half - barbarous master, and will not well bear a change of country and associations. Nothing owned by the Kurd is valued more highly than this fierce and powerful animal, which is to a great extent treated as sacred, at least so far as the hand of a stranger is concerned. In color the Kurdish Mastiff is mainly tawny; has tail long, and head large, and his body is tall, ponderous, and well proportioned". [ 1 ]
Description
The weight of the adult dogs increases with age and can reach 80 kg. [ 5 ] The average is at 73.50 kg reaching from 67 kg in Sangasar to 80 kg in Qira Diza. [ 5 ] The average body length is about 75 cm with the back length of aged dogs reaching over 88 cm. [ 5 ]