MyDogBreeds
Himalayan Mastiff is originated from India but Ciobanesc de Bucovina is originated from Romania. Himalayan Mastiff may grow 7 cm / 2 inches shorter than Ciobanesc de Bucovina. Himalayan Mastiff may weigh 12 kg / 26 pounds lesser than Ciobanesc de Bucovina. Himalayan Mastiff may live 3 years more than Ciobanesc de Bucovina. Himalayan Mastiff may have more litter size than Ciobanesc de Bucovina. Himalayan Mastiff requires Moderate maintenance. But Ciobanesc de Bucovina requires High maintenance
The Himalayan Mastiff or Tibetan Mastiff is an ancient breed. Bred to be guardians of the flock, they could take care of leopards and wolves or anything else that tied to hurt the flock. The Himalaya Mastiff is found in the Himalayan area of Tibet. They are descendants of the Tibetan dogs that developed almost any Mastiff or Molosser on earth. They may have been in the mountains since the early 1100 BC. and have been fairly isolated. It was in this isolation that the Himalayan Mastiff developed.
Their function at that time was mostly to guard property. In some circumstances an entire village is guarded by one dog. It was also during this period that the breed was taught to be aggressive by tying them up as puppies. They guarded families while the men moved the village flock higher up in the mountains. They stayed in isolation until the mid-1800’s when the Queen of England was given a Himalayan Mastiff. For thousands of years, this dog was a nomad.
Soon the breed was being exported to England. A standard was developed, and the British began to breed them. Next, they were exported to Nepal, Afghanistan, India and the United States. They are rare in Tibet these days but more popular than ever in England and the United States. The first American Himalaya Tibetan Mastiff Association came into being in 1974 and in 2006 it was recognized by the AKC.
Today in the West, the Himalayan is a domesticated, family dog. It hardly fits in an apartment of course. These new western Himalayan Mastiffs are more easy- going than the Tibetan ones, but they are still wary of strangers and somewhat aloof. They are also still very protective and nocturnal. They are smart, independent and stubborn. They are not easy to train but socialization and obedience training is essential.
A study done in 2011 showed that it is very likely that many large breed dogs were descended from this Mastiff. This includes the St. Bernard, the Rottweiler, Bernese Mountain Dog and the Great Pyrenees. Later studies showed that the Mastiff’s ability to survive in the rare air of the Himalayans was due to interbreeding with Tibetan wolves in ancient, prehistoric times. Now they are competing in the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.
The Ciobanesc de Bucovina is a breed that developed naturally in the Carpathian Mountains (Romania and Serbia) and some regions of Bulgaria. The breed was especially useful in the Romanian northeast regions, the county Bucovina and in the northeastern region of Serbia. These dogs are bred for guarding and herding of flocks as well as guard dogs for the family home.
When the area was split between Russian and Romania, the dog continued to thrive in the mountains because of the need that the shepherds had for this type of dog with the build, working ability and temperament of the Bucovina.
Finally, in the 20th century, Romania began to urbanize and industrialize. People moved to the cities from the hills and many brought their dogs with them. This allowed many non-mountain Romanians to come into contact with the Bucovina Shepherd for the first time. He became a great family dog and offered guard dog protection as well.
The Romanian Kennel Club accepted the Ciobanesc du Bucovina in 1982 and wrote the first standard then. It has since been updated in 2001 and 2002 with today’s standard. They are not accepted by the international clubs nor the big clubs in the US and Europe. This is one factor in keeping the breed rare because it is little known outside of Romania.
The Himalayan Mastiff is a giant, massive dog longer than it is tall. The breed has a heavy, broad head and square muzzle. They have black noses, a level bite and almond shaped, slanted, deep set eyes. They are brown, and the ears hang close to the head. They are heavy, muscular and sturdy. They have a feathered tail curving over their back. With a heavy, thick double coat and mane they resemble a lion at times. The coat can be brown, black, and gray-blue with gold or tan markings. These are impressive and noble dogs, athletic, with cat like feet. They are agile and light on their feet.
According to some breeders there are two different kinds or types of Himalayan Mastiff. These are the Tsang-khyi or the monastery mastiff type and the Do-khyi or the nomad mastiff type. The monastery is a heavier, taller dog who face is very wrinkled while the nomad is a leaner dog with less facial wrinkles. In any litter there can be both kinds. The kind of work that was given to each dog was dependent on their type. The Monastery kind is given stationary jobs and the nomad kind got the active jobs.
Most large mountain dogs resemble the Bucovina Shepherd, but this breed is more slightly built and has a lighter coat than most of the mountain dogs. They are still a very large dog weighing in between 70 and 120 pounds. They are powerfully built even if more slender than other mountain dogs. They have a long thick coat that makes it difficult to see how their bodies are formed, but they are a very muscular dog.
Their large head does indicate how powerful a dog he is, and he has a wide muzzle that tapers off at the end. The breed has small eyes that are either hazel or brown and his v-shaped ears hang downward on the side of his head. He has a wide, black nose and thick, dark lips. His tail is bushy and long.
yes, they are if properly socialized.
Their athletic ability
They cannot live in an apartment. They need a large yard.
They are intelligent, but difficult to train. They are stubborn and independent.
Bred to herd and guard cattle against the wolves and bears, it is a very dominant, self-assured, breed. They are intelligent yet laid back when no threat is suspected. They love children but can be hard to train. A dominant adult is needed to train and control the Ciobanesc de Bucovina. They are quite protective of their families and will patrol the property if left outside at night.
The breed has a strong mistrust of strangers but loves his adopted family. Unless threatened the Ciobanesc de Bucovina is calm and chilled. He is loyal, affectionate and dedicated. They attempt to frighten strangers with barks and growls but will attack if necessary. They are also very driven to chase prey so make sure they are in a locked fence. They can be difficult to train and seem to need a strong, alpha adult presence.
Being a large breed of canine, the Himalayan Mastiff has some of the typical health issues of large dogs. However, they also face a serious genetic disorder as well.
Canine Inherited Demyelinative Neuropathy (CIDN) – a fatal disorder seen in puppies by seven weeks of age. Puppies die before they are 5 months old.
Not much has been done to study the health of this breed so not much is known for certain. It is known that they have good health as they have survived the harsh winters in the mountains while tending to the flocks.
Given their size and the history of mountain dogs, they could be susceptible to visual and skeletal amount of food and at the right times can prevent this. They could be susceptible to arthritis, knee and elbow dysplasia, and cataracts.
This breed will eat less than you think they should but don’t overfeed. Puppies need a solid dry food for large dogs. You can free feed 1 cup three times per day.
For dogs over a year old you can free feed anywhere from two to four cups of dry food per day. Unlike many other breeds, the Himalaya Mastiff will only eat when hungry and they may not eat more than once a day. They will not overeat. The males might not eat at all when females are in season if they are around them.
They have good strength and athletic ability.
The Himalayan Mastiff needs regular, routine walks. It is important during these walks that the human leads the way, or the dog heals. Do not overwork a young Himalayan Mastiff. They need work related jobs like structured play time, walking the boundary of their territory, playing frisbee or catch. They work and play in short bursts then rest.
It is important not to over feed or to feed to much at one time. Even though they are large and powerful dogs, massive meals can cause bloat, so you are better off with 2-4 smaller meals per day. Also, don’t feed right before or right after strenuous exercise.
As previously mentioned this breed does not appear to have many health issues. As they developed naturally in the mountains they have not been exposed to many things there.
This was already mentioned but it is a very serious condition and requires veterinary assistance immediately under threat of death.
They can have either hip or elbow dysplasia. Can lead to arthritis of lameness.
This is a calm, even tempered dog not needing a lot of exercise. However, he is a big dog and can get obese without daily exercise. A large fenced in yard would be appreciated and a nice brisk walk every day. They would probably enjoy flyball and leurcatch. Any herding or hunting would be enjoyed.