Meet the Bakharwal Dog!

This native of the Kashmir Himalayas was bred exclusively by the “Jutt,”and the “Gujjars,” a Muslim nomadic group that used to dogs to protect their livestock from predators.  Its name is taken from the word “Bakri” which means goat, because that’s mostly what dog was bred to protect. Because the dog was also used to herd sheep in Kashmir, India, it’s known in that region as the “Kashmiri Sheep Dog.” Legend has it that the breed was developed in antiquity by crossing a wolf to some kind of sheepdog dam; there’s also quite a bit of variation in the gene pool because the dogs are said to get diluted by the time the dogs reach the plains of India, so while our image here is of a white Bakharwal, there are also tan versions.

This is a big doggie, but agile for its size. His body is strongly boned, his neck and head powerful and large. What makes this dog unique from other breeds is that he reportedly doesn’t like non-vegetarian food, preferring instead milk and bread made of maize (we’ve heard this before about one or two other breeds such as the Azawakh). The breed has a very low birth ratio, so not surprisingly, it’s identified as “endangered by” by IUCN (the International Union for Conservation of Nature).

It’s a pity. Bakhrawals are described as very caring, and very friendly with other pets, but extremely courageous for their daring to stand up to wolves, tigers and other predators to protect its flock.

Image found on Pinterest and happily credited upon receipt of information