History of the origin of the Bankhar breed
The history of the origin of the Bankhar breed goes back more than 15,000 years. Researchers say that this is the oldest breed. The image of the Mongolian Shepherd can be seen in cave paintings and paintings by ancient Chinese artists.
Historical facts indicate that these shepherd dogs participated in the wars of Genghis Khan. But their main advantage lies in their guardian instinct. Bankhars have always protected herds of animals.
The best guards since Genghis Khan
Breed description, standards and appearance
The Mongolian Shepherd in its appearance resembles a huge bear. She has a strong build and shaggy fur. Males at the withers can reach 70 centimeters, and females up to 55. The average weight of a dog is about 60 kg.
Front and hind limbs
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The dog's limbs are very strong and strong, they are straight with strong bones, set wide apart. The surprising fact is that the paws themselves are small and compact. The fingers are pressed tightly against each other.
Interesting! Despite the fact that the paws are small in size, due to the large volume of hair they look very massive.
Head
The head of representatives of this breed is wide and dome-shaped in appearance. The Mongolian Shepherd has a distinctive feature - it has a swollen muzzle due to a fatty layer. It was for this feature that the shepherd received the second name bankhar, which is translated from Mongolian as “chubby in the cheeks.”
The dog's jaws are very powerful and wide. The lips are compressed tightly and cover the lower jaw.
Wool
The Banhar dog breed is similar to a bear due to its thick, smooth and velvety coat. It can reach up to 15 centimeters in length. The coat of this breed does not smell. The undercoat is very thick and dense, containing 75% fluff. In just one shedding, up to two kg of fluff is collected from a dog.
Large breed with thick coat
Movements
Despite its massive body, the Banhar is a very fast dog. He attacks quickly, knocking you to the ground. He will hold a person, pinning him to the ground with his paws, until the owner removes him.
Color
The Mongolian Bankhar dog comes in a variety of colors:
- black with white socks and chest;
- plain black;
- red is a rare species.
Red and white representatives of this breed are very rare. In ancient times, it was believed that having such a dog meant wealth and great success.
Eyes
The animal's eyes are almond-shaped or oval. A distinctive feature of the breed is its light yellow glasses. The pupils are small and can glow red in the dark. This allows them to be distinguished from wolves at night.
Description of the breed
Since the Mongolian Shepherd has not received recognition from cynological organizations, it does not have an official breed standard. But there are still signs of what a real bankhar should look like, how to behave towards the owner and other people, what qualities it should have.
Table: features of the appearance of the Mongolian Shepherd
| Criterion | Description |
| Head | The skull is massive with a wide forehead. The muzzle is large, wide, and does not taper towards the nose. The transition from forehead to muzzle is smooth. The frontal groove is deep. The nose is triangular and large. |
| Eyes | Wide set, deep set. |
| Ears | Triangular in shape, hanging, covered with soft wool. Pressed tightly to the head. |
| Torso | Powerful with pronounced withers. The stomach is tucked. |
| Tail | Set on high. Covered with long hair. In a calm state it hangs like a log, in an excited state it is thrown over its back. |
| Limbs | Muscular and massive. The paws are very large and powerful. Long hair between toes. |
| Wool | Medium length - up to 10 cm. In the area of the withers, hips it is longer, forms a fluffy collar and pants. The down is thick and soft. |
| Color |
|
| Height |
|
| Weight | from 70 kg |
Bankhar can grow very large and weigh almost a hundredweight
Features and character
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At first glance, it seems that the bankhar is very calm and balanced. But that's not true. This dog is a real predator, always ready to get involved in a fight. The Mongolian Shepherd is a guard from birth, always on the alert. But owners should not be afraid of their dog. He clearly knows where his friends are and where they are strangers.
Security qualities
The Mongols can easily leave a whole large herd for a few dogs. The Banhars will cope with it without a person very easily. They build a circle around the pasture and walk around it around the clock. Dogs communicate with each other, warning of danger. As soon as one of the dogs smells a stranger, he immediately informs the whole pack.
Red is the rarest color among bankhars.
The Mongolian Shepherd has a unique quality - it can not sleep at all at night. If you put several dogs on guard, they will take turns on duty.
Interesting! Even puppies begin to be on duty from a young age.
Herd guards
Attitude towards people, children and other pets
Despite the nature of a predatory watchman, the Mongolian watchdog turns into a sweet and affectionate pet in the family circle. She loves to play, but she doesn’t particularly bother her owners, since she is independent by nature.
The dog treats children well, is affectionate with them, and supports them in games. Never hurt a child. But you need to be careful, as a large dog can cause injury by accident.
The Mongolian Guard gets along with both cats and other breeds of dogs. But he always takes a leading position. The rest of the animals must obey him, otherwise conflict situations will arise.
Important! If a Mongolian Shepherd puppy is brought into a family that already has pets, he will treat them with respect throughout his life.
Training and education
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Banhar is a dog for experienced breeders. A beginner can't handle it. This is a serious breed that requires certain knowledge when training. Classes should be carried out as soon as the dog appears in the house. It is important that the parenting process is based on firmness and consistency. You can't change your mind. If something was once prohibited, then it should remain unchanged.
Banhar is a breed of dog that does not cause any inconvenience to its owner. They will not just bark if there is no danger nearby.
Bankhar health
Many thousands of years of natural selection have awarded the bankhar with very good health. The dogs do not get sick with anything, and even hip dysplasia - the scourge of large breeds - has bypassed them. But breeders are required to vaccinate their dogs. It is advisable that the owner continue vaccination on schedule - some infections not only affect dogs, but are also dangerous to people (for example, rabies).
If your dog was not vaccinated as a child, you can start vaccination at any time. The veterinarian will develop an individual schedule that will need to be followed.
There is evidence that bankhars live up to 23 years. This only confirms the good health of these dogs.
The right diet
In nurseries, bankhars are fed mainly meat. It can be either raw or boiled. Veterinarians recommend giving dogs balanced dry food that belongs to the premium class. These pellets will contain up to 60% meat.
Food for Mongolian Shepherd
If the pet is fed natural food, then the menu should be as follows:
- 50% of the diet should be lean beef and chicken;
- 30% cereal;
- 20% fresh vegetables and fruits.
Important! If the dog is on a natural diet, it is necessary to add vitamin complexes.
Keeping a Mongolian Shepherd
The Mongolian Shepherd is a freedom-loving dog. Working individuals spend the entire day in the wild, herding the herd or helping the owner in other ways. Nomads do not set up booths for them; bankhars themselves find a place to rest. These are ideal conditions for keeping this dog. An alternative can only be a private house with a spacious enclosure, but at the same time, the shepherd dog should still be out for a walk or at work most of the day.
The thick undercoat allows the bankhar not to be afraid of frost
Keeping a bankhar in an apartment will not have the best effect on his condition - physical and mental. Despite its rather large size, it is an energetic dog that needs a lot of space. It is also unclear why someone would decide to keep this pet in rooms. After all, he is not the best companion, and this dog’s character cannot be a piece of furniture.
How to choose a puppy
Mongolians choose a puppy based on their spirit. And this is correct, since the bankhar is considered a member of the family. They look into the eyes of a small puppy, trying to determine whether his personality is suitable for his owner. Color doesn't matter to them.
Bankhar puppies
In the description of the Bankhar dog breed, both body build and color are important for choosing puppies in other countries. To find out if the baby is healthy, you need to look at his pedigree. It is recommended to check the strength of the puppy as follows: take the puppy by the scruff of the neck, if he tries to break free, he will be strong.
How to choose a puppy
In the homeland of the Mongolian Shepherd, many traditions are associated with the choice of puppies. To this day they do this, guided by the knowledge received from the older generation, and even turn to shamans for help.
Puppies with a white spot on their chin are believed to bring good luck and wealth to their owner.
One way to test a dog's performance is to grab the puppy by the tail and lift it up. He must bend, but at the same time remain silent. They leave the whining and squirming baby - he will not make a reliable assistant. There is another ancient sign - they look into the puppy’s mouth, paying attention to the upper ribbed palate; there should be at least 9 stripes on it.
To a real dog handler, all these signs may seem funny, but the nomads themselves only use them.
It is customary to adopt a puppy at a very young age, approximately one month old. In order for him to grow into a good shepherd and guard, he is passed through a stirrup. If the puppy is older, he simply will not fit into it.
Price
Nomads do not sell their dogs - this is considered unacceptable, a bad omen. They can only be exchanged for some kind of gift, for example, a silk scarf.
Due to the growing popularity of the breed, private individuals are beginning to breed it. You can buy a puppy from them at a price of 6 thousand rubles, but this does not guarantee that the dog belongs to the Banhars. In nurseries, the cost of small shepherd dogs starts from 65 thousand, and the upper limit reaches 150 thousand rubles.
Since there is no strict breed standard, it is quite difficult to recognize a Bankhar puppy, so it is preferable to purchase from those breeders who can show the parents of the young.
