MyDogBreedsBoth Bisben and Bakharwal Dog are originated from India. Both Bisben and Bakharwal Dog are of same height. Bisben may weigh 19 kg / 42 pounds more than Bakharwal Dog. Bisben may live 3 years more than Bakharwal Dog. Bisben may have more litter size than Bakharwal Dog. Bisben requires Low maintenance. But Bakharwal Dog requires Moderate maintenance
There is a lot of mystery surrounding this large herding dog said to come out of the Himalaya Mountains of Asia. The belief is that sheepdogs were crossed with wolves toward the end of the 18th century, but his origin is basically unknown. They are both herding dogs and guard dogs. Others theorize that rather than a wolf, the breed arose from the Mastif family. Still others claim that the Bisben is not a breed at all but rather a “landrace”. A landrace is an animal group that is only found to exist in the local area or is bred locally for a specific reason, while a breed is developed intentionally and from a select purebred with pedigree. The Bisben may be a landrace since it is very popular in India but hardly known anywhere else. What is known is that the Brisben was in existence at the end of the 1700’s and its job was to protect and herd livestock. There are three main theories about the origin of the Bisben. They are, in no particular order:
1. The Bisben was developed by mixing several different Himalayan and Indian Sheepdogs with wolves. The wolf population in the Himalayas and in India live in very close proximity to dogs and people and this population is quite large. These Tibetan and Indian wolves are known to be smaller, more comfortable with people and less aggressive than wolves from other parts of the world.
2. The Bisben was developed by mixing local sheep herding dogs with the Tibetan Mastiff. This gave the breed its protective nature and its large size according to this theory.
3. The Bisben was developed by mixing local dogs with the ones the British, Portuguese and French imported to the India subcontinent.
There is a fourth theory as well and it combines all three of these, supposing that the Bisben is a product of crossing local dogs with wolves, Tibetan Mastiffs and European dogs.
Regardless of their origins, the Bisben grew into one of the most respected animals in the Southern Himalayas. Their assistance to the shepherds of the area was unquestioned and irreplaceable. They were touch enough to herd flocks of goats or sheep across several treacherous and unstable mountain passes. The environment in which these dogs worked when herding is one of the harshest environments on the face of the earth. Temperatures were dangerously cold, altitudes dangerously high and the terrain just plain dangerous. Many deadly large predators live there as well. This included tigers, Asiatic black bears, golden eagles, Himalayan brown bears, snow leopards, fox, dholes, wolves, and small cats. The Bisben had to be able to fight off all of these predators. In addition to these herding and protecting duties, the Bisben was also known throughout the region as an excellent hunting dog. They are capable to this day of hunting large prey such as antelope or deer. They are equally comfortable hunting alone or in a pack. He has grown into one of the most popular hunting dogs in all of India.
The Himalayas, being so rugged and treacherous, were inaccessible to most of India for many centuries and the Brisben was unknown as well. Through the British imperialist expansion across all of the Indian subcontinent, the lowlands people were connected to the highlands and mountain people for the first time. This also meant that the Brisben was no longer unknown. The entire country began to appreciate the dog for its protection and herding of livestock, as well as a companion animal who would protect its owner and family as well. As India continues to grow the popularity of the Brisben grows as well and its numbers increase regularly. The breed, if it is a breed, remains an Indian secret. They have migrated to the countries around India, but their number are small. It is only in India that they are revered and prosper. They are not present in any great numbers in Europe, North America, Japan, or most of Asia.
Whether or not the Bisben becomes a recognized breed depends upon those who own and fancy them. Most Bisbens are bred to only other Bisbens in an effort to purify the breed. However, few dogs have pedigrees and the practice of breeding the Brisben to other breeds and mixed breed to acquire specific characteristics continues to this day. It is unlikely that the Bisben will ever be a purebred dog. It is quite variable in how it looks depending upon what the breeding line of the individual dog actually is. Does it look like a wolf? Does it look like a larger version of a local or European dog? There will always be these questions around the Bisben. Is it a breed or a landrace?
The precise origin of the large Bakharwal Dog is undocumented. It is believed the breed originated from the Tibetan Mastiff, the Molosser, the Tuvan Sheepdog and others. It is an ancient working breed where it has been bred for many centuries by the Bakarwal and Guijar tribes. The dog is thought to be the rarest of all the ancient herding breeds.
The Bakharwal is an indigenous breed of Himalayan origin, being bred exclusively by those wanting a strong, brave dog to protect their livestock. Today Jammu and Kashmir in North India is predominantly the stronghold of this breed.
The Bakharwal dog today as we know it is a muscular dog, tall and powerful and with a thick, fluffy coat. He has remained a livestock guardian or herding dog for the people occupying the Pir Panjal mountain ranges for centuries.
Unfortunately the breed’s rarity as well as his lack of recognition has put this attractive dog in danger of becoming extinct, and in fact steps have been taken to have the dog listed as an endangered species. The females only produce small litters of between 1 to 3 puppies. There are currently no breeding clubs for the Bakharwal Dog and the other sad aspect is that the breed isn’t recognized by any of the major kennel clubs.
As mentioned in the previous section the appearance of the Brisban can vary greatly from one dog to another based on the individual dogs’ ancestry. Breed or landrace, the Brisban breeding line is not very pure. Therefore, appearance can vary greatly from what is described here and there is no standard by which to measure the Brisban. Most are distinctly large animals, being as tall as the European mountain dogs – the Newfoundland or the Bernese Mountain Dog, Swiss Mountain Dog. St. Bernard and Great Pyrenees. Reports are that it is perhaps the largest dog in India. At least it is one of the largest dogs in India. The Bisben is said by some to be a large, bulky, husky dog while others claim it to be tall and athletic, leaner than the Mastiff bred. Again, there is disagreement on the size and shape of the Bisben’s head with some claiming it is massively square like a Mastiff while others say the head is long and like that of a wolf not a Mastiff. The long hair of the Bisben and its confusing heritage may be the cause. They are most often black but might also be found to be tricolor, tan and “wolf-color” or brown, grey, shades of sable and black. No matter how it looks, this is a dog that was designed to work in the harshest conditions known and their physical appearance should make that abundantly clear.
This dog is large, heavily boned, muscular and with a deep chest. They’ve got large heads and a thick, muscular neck. The nose is black, the almond-shaped brown or amber eyes gentle while the ears are medium sized and drooping. The tail is long and bushy and mostly curls over the back of the dog. Their thick coats are available in a number of colours such as cream, tan, white, black and piebald.
The Kashmiri Sheepdog has long legs and although a number of sizes exist, the regular height of the dog is roughly 61 to 76 cm.
Known also by several other names such as the Kashmir Mastiff, Kashmir Sheepdog or Bakarwal Mastiff, this dog is well known for his ferociousness, and guarding his human family is taken seriously. His courage knows know limits and he is both protector and friend, a loyal and devoted companion.
He forms a strong bond with his human family and is good natured with well behaved children who have been taught to treat animals with kindness. Caution should always be practised with small children as this is a large dog. He is playful, social and adaptable with his human family but won’t take kindly to other pets. Socialization and training are important for this strong-willed dog.
The Bisben was so important to the people of the Indian subcontinent because of her temperament. He is a loyal, productive and courageous worker who took care of her flocks, her family and her pack. They are devoted to their family and if raised with children will care for them as well. He is suspicious of strangers. They are territorial and great watchdogs. They can take on any large challenger if need be to protect what they consider to be theirs. They can be highly dog aggressive and must be socialized as a puppy. Do not mix them with strange, unknown animals as the Bisben might attempt to kill them. If he sees them as his “pack” he will love and protect them, but not if he does not know them. Take as much time as you need to introduce him to a new animal and do not leave them unsupervised. They are not easy to train as they are stubborn, intelligent, want to be dominant and is a problem solver. If he doesn’t want to learn something forget it – he won’t. You can still train them. It just takes time and patience.
Bred exclusively as a livestock guardian dog, the large Bakharwal is a steadfast, loving, brave guardian. He is good with people of all ages and will protect his human family with his life.
To this day the breed has a strong herding and guarding instinct, and because he is a large breed with herding instincts, he won’t be suited to apartment living. He needs a good sized garden to run in and will require exercising to stave off frustration and boredom.
Look after your Bakharwal well, especially as there aren’t many of them left. Loved, nourished and cared for, he’s just waiting to make you part of his ‘flock’ and in exchange he’ll be your loyal and devoted friend who will protect you with his life.
Because he is not a purebred and is probably a land range, there have not been a lot of health studies done and written up on the Brisban. It is believed that the Bisben is for all practical purposes a healthy working dog. As long as the breeding practices are not compromised it should remain a healthy line. It is bred for temperament and work not for appearance and showmanship. Some problems that plague large dogs have been noted in the Bisben. These conditions include hip and elbow dysplasia; optical issues such as Entropion, Ectropion and cataracts; ear infections; and Demadex and Demodectic mange. Most of these conditions can be tested for either in DNA or early in a pup’s life and should be tested for by the breeder before a puppy is sold
Your Bakharwal puppy will need to see the vet for a complete check up and to receive his puppy vaccinations. These innoculations immunize your puppy from hepatitis, distemper, leptospirosis, parvovirus and parainfluenza.
As he grows older, you’ll need to keep his teeth free from dental plaque by using a special dog toothbrush and toothpaste.
Ticks and fleas – speak to your vet about the most effective way to treat these parasites. heartworm – this is important if your dog is exposed to lots of mosquitoes. Heartworm infestations are potentially deadly. spaying and neutering is important at 6 months of age to protect your pet from unwanted puppies and disease.
The Bisben is a large working dog that needs a lot of calories if you are keeping him busy. Do not let him get overweight. The Bisben should not be free fed but rather given two controlled portion meals per day.
As previously mentioned, the Bison was developed with the harshest of conditions in mind and long hours of hard work. It is a healthy breed that is however prone to any of the issues that any large dog is prone to including dysplasia and mange and well as optical issues.
The Bisben needs a lot of exercise as the breed is developed for hard work. Walks are essential but if you have more than one dog, pack walks are even better and pack time at the dog park or in a fenced yard is great. The Bison was bred to hunt in packs as well as alone and they love to play in packs. In any respect they need at least an hour of strong exercise daily. If they don’t get enough exercise, they can become aggressive, destructive and fearful. This could result in destructive activity, barking and excess excitability. They are not very happy in the city and thrive in the countryside.
The coat of the Bakharwal Dog is thick, flat and of medium length and he is a relatively low maintenance dog. Brushing the dog’s coat twice a week will be adequate to remove loose hairs, although professional grooming can be a good thing as the density of the coat makes trimming the coat a necessity. The eyes, ears, teeth, and nails of the Bakharwal Dog should also be examined regularly just to ensure no health problems develop.
Bakharwal puppies from 8 to 12 weeks will require meals 4x a day. From 6 months on he can start having 2 meals a day. Top-quality dry- or wet dogfoods will guarantees balanced nutrition, and speaking to your veterinarian will give you an idea of what is best for your canine friend. To ensure your dog doesn’t suffer with a dry, scratchy skin, remember to include raw- and cook meat into his food. Protein is an essential ingredient for the health of your dog. Always ensure clean, cool water is available and wash food- and water bowls regularly.
Make sure your Bakharwal Dog gets plenty of exercise every day to maintain good health. Take him for walks to give him new sounds, smells and sights.