Ancient Bulgarian breed of dog saved from extinction

(30 Dec 2016) LEAD IN: An ancient Bulgarian breed of dog has been saved from extinction, thanks in part to the efforts of one family whose love of dogs turned into a vocation to save rare breeds. STORY LINE: It started with one unique dog explains Attila Sedefchev. "We decided that this dog must leave his genes and that started everything." High up in the Pirin Mountains, ot the southern edge of Bulgaria, the Sedefchev family have built a farm to try to save some of the oldest breeds of domestic animals in Europe: the Karakachan sheep, the Karakachan horse and the Karakachan mountain livestock guardian dog. The Karakachani were shepherds who for centuries earned their living high in the mountains, with their strong long-haired dogs which they used as flock guardians. The biggest of the Karakachan dogs can reach almost 60 kg (132 pounds) in weight. Their job is to protect the livestock from wolves and other wild animals, and move the sheep over big distances. In the late 1940s agriculture in Bulgaria was nationalised by the communist government and all livestock was placed in big state-run farms. The role of the mountain guardian dogs was downgraded and today the original breed is almost extinct. "Eventually we established a society for preserving this breed. These dogs have been around since ancient times and their history shows that they are best suited for guarding a herd. This is why we decided to preserve their authentic genes and their natural activity. Most members of our society are sheep or goat owners and like us have been dog owners first before setting up their own sheep or goat flock so that the dogs can stay in a suitable environment," explains Sedefchev. Sedefchev says that for a decade now there has been interest in the Karakachan dog, from canine enthusiasts in the United States. "American farmers were looking for a dog with abilities which their dogs didn't possess. They were looking for an intelligent dog, with stable nerves, good team spirit, and luckily, they discovered all these qualities in the Karakachan dog," he explains. "Ten years later, there are some 200 such dogs in American farms from the East coast to Wyoming and New Mexico, as well as in Mexico and Canada. Our dogs have successfully replaced some traditional breeds as the Pyrenean mountain dog used as flock guardians there," he adds. From the mountains of Bulgaria to the wide open plains of the United States these unique strong loyal working dogs are now growing in popularity and numbers. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...