MyDogBreeds
Valley Bulldog is originated from Canada but Ciobanesc de Bucovina is originated from Romania. Valley Bulldog may grow 33 cm / 12 inches shorter than Ciobanesc de Bucovina. Valley Bulldog may weigh 54 kg / 119 pounds lesser than Ciobanesc de Bucovina. Both Valley Bulldog and Ciobanesc de Bucovina has same life span. Both Valley Bulldog and Ciobanesc de Bucovina has almost same litter size. Valley Bulldog requires Low maintenance. But Ciobanesc de Bucovina requires High maintenance
The Valley Bulldog originates from Nova Scotia, Canada. It is thought that the Boxer, English Bulldog and the Olde English Bulldogge have been used to bring about the Valley Bulldog.
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 Valley Bulldog stands at between 36 and 46cm in height and he weighs in the region of 18 – 36kg. He is actually a taller version of an English Bulldog.
He is muscular and sturdy and has the true broad head of which the Bulldog is so familiar. He has small to medium floppy ears and a stump of a tail. He also has the flat muzzle.
The dog’s coat is short and smooth, making him fairly low maintenance, although he is a moderate shedder. It comes in typical Bulldog shades – tan, white, red, black and brindle.
The Valley Bulldog has an excellent nature, being completely non-aggressive, and when he has been trained and socialized you get a superb pet.
He’s intelligent so you won’t have any trouble learning any basic commands. He is able to get along with other pets in the home. He can be quite entertaining too as he becomes clownish, loving to be around his human family. He is also capable of being calm and gentle.
He makes a splendid playmate for children, loving the games as he is quite an energetic dog. He isn’t suited to life in a tiny home in the city because he loves to just run sometimes, and then he can be like a bull in a china shop.
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.
The Valley Bulldog is guaranteed to make you a splendid pet because he has such a sweet temperament.
He is such a social, playful dog too. Because of his intelligence, you won't have any trouble teaching him some basic commands. You’ll be amused and entertained by this wonderful dog in your life as his warm personality will ensure you have a true friend in him.
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.
It can be sad watching a dog becoming less mobile as joint problems set in. The vet can recommend a diet which can help to manage joint disease. Also, the pain associated with joint problems can be debilitating for your pet and you will want to get your pet to the vet so the pain can be managed.
These dogs have quite a few folds around the face and these areas need to be kept clean and dry. An overweight Valley Bulldog should be avoided at all costs as this can put additional weight on the joints.
This is a Brachycephalic breed so they tend to battle with breathing, particularly when they are stressed, agitated or hot. Sometimes these dogs will even gag so as to clear their airway.
Watch for coughing and choking. Such difficulties can be life-threatening for your Valley Bulldog so it is important to recognize respiratory problems with your dog.
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.
You need to be careful with a bulldog as they have sensitive stomachs and are prone towards indigestion and flatulence. They will certainly need to avoid some foods and you also want to avoid obesity at all costs. The wrong foods can also cause allergic reactions as well as dermatitis which can be very painful and frustrating.
If you have a Valley Bulldog, for your own peace of mind, speak to your veterinarian or a dog expert about the best foods for a bulldog and also the amount to feed. There are some foods that are totally toxic to bulldogs. Make sure your Valley Bulldog always has a bowl of fresh, cool water available that is easy to reach.
Have grooming sessions with your bulldog where you check inside his ears, inside his mouth for bad teeth and check his eyes and face. His nails will also need to be trimmed.
These dogs are more active than you think but you need to be careful that the exercise isn’t too strenuous. He isn’t the kind of dog that will do well with running next to you as you cycle.
Rather take him on a walk every day and give him some ball games in the garden where you can throw him a ball or allow him to pull on a rope.
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.