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Used for centuries to protect livestock in Romania’s own homeland, the Mioritic Sheepdog is a typical livestock Guard Dog (LGD). Loyal, trustworthy, independent and extremely protective, he is friendly and devoted to his family but very distrustful of strangers. It is a large dog with a long coat that needs to be groomed regularly, and requires daily exercise and basic obedience training with any dog of this size and temperament.
The Mioritics are lively and stubborn but in spite of all their freedom they are very sensitive creatures in their beloved armor. As puppies they cling to the pack that has accepted them. It can be any type of creature – dog, cat, horse, sheep, Mioritic requires very close family ties; A house without a door thinks it would be ideal. It certainly depends to a large extent on the weather. Its favorite place is always very close to its favorite person. It determines its resting place itself. It can also be a couch or carpet that is not suitable for dogs, but as a rule, shepherds, even as puppies, prefer to sleep on hard ground. They need neither a dog basket, nor a special mattress, nor any allocated space. No “”work creation”” program is necessary, but daily walks and hiking provide exciting changes.
Mioritic has distinctive livestock Guard Dog qualities. Its personality is characterized by strong independence and high confidence. The main function of the shepherd dog is effective resistance to all possible firefighters. It does not need to be trained for it, it simply knows it. From puberty, one must teach the dog not to use its own set of dangerous behaviors (self-display, barking, charging). It clearly distinguishes between the unknown and the familiar. It is friendly and trustworthy to all acquaintances but shows denial and mistrust towards strangers. It is only after close examination that he is accepted into the elite class of friends.
The Mioritic is very loyal, affectionate, reliable, sensible and willing to compromise their pack, their family or the boss. It is a tolerant, gentle friend to children and is ready to act as a blanket but is not really fond of playing.
The Mioritic is an impressive dog in both size and character. Adult dogs tip over impressive scales of 45 to 60 kilograms – roughly the same size as an adult female – and stand about two-thirds of a meter high at the shoulder.
Hiding under that shaggy coat these dogs are a working shape with a long rectangular body and straight but true legs. Although no light weight, with a moderately heavy bone structure, they are able to call upon bursts of speed when needed. Primarily, they are built for strength and have strong broad skulls and broad shoulders to make up for it. Those jaws are able to pick up a lynx, wolf, or bear and come on for the better. Mioritic are born with a long tail that is twisted at the end, however, where the practice is not illegal, some owners opt to dock the tail.
Their coat is adapted to outdoor life, and consists of a double coat. The undercoat is thick and soft, while the outer coat is fixed and can be up to six inches long. The most common coat colors are cream, white, or light grey, or a mixture of all three.
The gestation period in lasts for 60-64 days The primary period of the reproductive cycle of the female is called Proestrus and goes on for around 9 days. During this time the females begin to draw in males. The subsequent part is the Estrus when the bitch is receptive to the male. It goes on for around 3 to 11 days. The third part is the Diestrus. Usually, it happens around day 14. In this period the bitch’s discharge changes for distinctive red and reaching its end. The vulva gets back to average, and she will no longer allow mating. The fourth part called the Anestrus. The time span between heat periods ordinarily keeps going around a half year. The litter size ranges between 6 to 8 puppies at a time’
Despite the coarse fur of the breed, our dogs are very low-maintenance. They do not need to bathe nor brush daily. In the event that they become wet or completely soiled, dogs are confined for a time only, unless dirt, mud, or what-so can be easily brushed. A dry Mioretic is a clean Mioretic.
In addition to daily monitoring of the eyes, ears, and teeth, dogs also have to be fully groomed once a week. Puppies are accustomed to grooming procedures as early as daily training, as grooming establishes a hierarchy: allowing the dog to groom, accepting the groomer’s dominance.
The Romanian Mioritic Shepherd Dog is extremely field conscious and is an indestructible parent. But their territory does not end at the entrance to the property! This can happen anywhere the pack is or resides. Everything is guarded, which can usually be seen from a checkpoint chosen at a high place.
They are habitual creatures who react quickly to anything unusual … first by attention, then by loud barking and, if necessary, with attack or defense.
“”Little sheep”” are serious guardians who love their territory, their herds and their routines … and that’s not all they want to see disturbed.
Growing puppies will have a lot of energy and will require daily walks and attention. Adults will be very silent and daily walks will suffice for them. Livestock Guard Dogs are not normally high-energy because their priority is to live with the herd (or people).
Like every other livestock dog, the Mioritic uses its food well and needs much, much less than one might believe; Various food manufacturers in particular recommend it on their packages. When using Kibble please choose one with a low protein content because LGDs do not metabolize high protein well.
There is no patent recipe. A combination of dried kibble, ground raw, vegetables, fruits, eggs, and even low-fat table scraps (noodles, rice, oats) can be used with an adult dog, which can be eaten to avoid over-eating and bloating. Should be fed twice a day. Puppies are fed 4 times a day while they are growing. Be careful not to feed too much. No food should be eaten within 15 minutes and the dog should rest for 1-2 hours after eating to ensure good digestion.
Fresh water must be available at any time.
Since Mioritic has recently been rescued from the rural areas of Romania, little medical information is available. We know that bloat is always a threat, as with any large breed dog. Hip dysplasia has also been seen. Dogs that live a normal healthy life are known to live up to 14 years.
Examination of the hips, elbows, caries and teeth is recommended.