The Bucovina Shepherd is a very uncommon dog breed that is seldom recognised outside of Romania. This breed, which is said to have originated during the ancient Roman Empire, was primarily utilised as a guard dog and a violent defender of animals. The Bucovina Shepherd readily drove away the hungry wolves and bears that roamed the Romanian mountains thanks to its remarkable size and strong, loud bark.

The Bucovina Shepherd is distinguished from other Mastiff breeds by its thick coat and large muzzle, and it is also lighter than its closest relatives. This dog was bred to remain always on guard and has incredible stamina, making it unsuitable for apartment living. The devoted Bucovina Shepherd has deep relationships with its family members and may be compassionate and caring with the youngsters it was raised with, but it must not be trusted with outsiders owing to its distrust of strangers.

Bucovina Shepherd Dog Highlights
Breed Size	Medium
Nature	Playful, Friendly
Energy Level	Active
Intelligence	Medium
Barking Level	Frequent
Coat Length	Long, Medium
Breed Group	Hound
Droll Amount	Low
Good with	Familes, Children, Dog
Feed Level	Medium, High
Colour Type	Black and white, grey and white, brindle and white.
Other Facts	East to groom, easy to walk, easy to handle, easy to train.

Dog History

Bucovina refers to a hilly area in north-eastern Romania, which is very definitely where this breed of dog originated. While many people assume it is a Mastiff-like breed produced by the ancient Romans, research suggests it may be a 'Lupo Molossoid' rather than a Molosser breed, due to its wolf-like traits and absence of a brachycephalic face.

Although the exact era of its birth is unknown, it is conceivable that this breed of dog predates the Roman Empire by more than 2,000 years. They are assumed to have altered little over time due to their isolation in the remote alpine terrain. They have meticulously kept cattle on the Carpathian Mountains of Bucovina for ages.The farmers greatly profited from having a bold, powerful guard dog like the Bucovina Shepherd on their side since their many flocks of goats and sheep were at significant risk from local predators including as wolves, bears, and lynx.

While this enormous and strong breed flourished in the countryside, it has recently made a surprise easy adjustment to modern-day Romanian urban life. Many Romanians retain the Bucovina Shepherd dog as a pet because of its innate guard dog characteristics and, probably most significantly, its ability to be tranquil with its family. The fact that this breed is frequently used as a watchdog in the home is viewed as a significant benefit.

The Bucovina Shepherd is now exclusively recognised by the Romanian Kennel Club, and the first breed standard was created in 1982. It is an extremely rare breed outside of its native area.

Health and Care

The Bucovina Shepherd has not been subjected to any health investigations, which is unsurprising considering its paucity. However, considering the breed's history of labouring in difficult situations in the outdoors, it's safe to presume it's a sturdy breed. Given their great height, it is reasonable to infer that they suffer from the health issues that are common in big to gigantic breeds, such as:

• Gastric Dilatation Volvulus (GDV)
• Hip Dysplasia
• Elbow Dysplasia

Care

It is critical to take appropriate care of the animals when rearing Bucovina Shepherd dogs. Providing them with a vast, open garden to patrol would be beneficial, since it would allow them to demonstrate their natural, territorial guarding behaviour.

It has been bred for its stamina and capacity to be continually on the go over the years. To suit this dog's activity needs, a daily long walk of roughly an hour is required.

The Bucovina Shepherd dog is a tough breed that is not recommended for inexperienced handlers. Because they are not very eager to please, their brilliance may frequently work against you. They are highly autonomous and want to be their own boss after surviving for so long in Romania's hilly mountains with minimal assistance. A trainer must be extremely consistent in order to bring a Bucovina Shepherd under control.

Given their physical power and proclivity for violence against strangers, it's evident that this breed requires an experienced owner who won't allow them to become a social liability. These dogs are far from hopeless, and in the proper hands, they may become well-trained over time.

Dog Breed Care Tips and Important Instructions

The annual cost of raising a bucovina shepherd dog, including food, vet bills, toys, and licencing, may be anywhere from $420 to $780. This does not include capital costs like as sterilisation, a collar and leash, a carrier, and a doggy cage. Before bringing your bucovina shepherd dog home, make sure you have all of the necessary necessities.

Shepherd from Bucovina Dogs require regular physical activity to be active, refresh their minds, and stay healthy. Physical activity also aids bucovina shepherd dogs in overcoming boredom, which can contribute to undesirable behaviour. Many of your bucovina shepherd dog's innate needs to dig, retrieve, chase, chew, and herd would be satisfied by physical exercise. Exercise requirements vary depending on the age and condition of your bucovina shepherd dog, but 10 minutes in the back yard and a daily walk down the street are unlikely to suffice. If your bucovina shepherd dog is an adolescent between the ages of six and eighteen months, her requirements will be slightly greater.

Brushing your bucovina shepherd dog on a regular basis can help minimise shedding and keep him clean. During the summer, check for fleas and ticks every day. Bucovina shepherd dogs only need to be washed a few times a year in some cases. Cut off or comb any mats from the Bucovina shepherd dog's coat before giving him or her a wash. If you don't rinse all of the soap out of the coat, dirt will attach to the soap residue.

Puppies are much simpler to manage. Place one hand beneath your bucovina shepherd dog puppy's chest when carrying him, with the forearm or other hand supporting his back legs and rear. Never grab your puppy's forelegs, back of the neck, or tail to lift him. Lift a bigger, full-grown bucovina shepherd dog from the underbelly, holding his or her chest with one arm and his or her rear end with the other.

Feeding

• Shepherd from Bucovina Between the ages of eight and twelve weeks, pups require four meals every day.
• Feed three meals a day to bucovina shepherd dog pups aged three to six months.
• Puppies aged 6 months to 1 year should be fed two bowls of chow every 24 hours.
• When your bucovina shepherd dog reaches the age of one, one meal in a 24-hour period is usually plenty.
• Adult bucovina shepherd dogs, on the other hand, may benefit from two smaller portions. It is your responsibility to become acquainted with the food habits of your Bucovina shepherd dog.

Adult bucovina shepherd dogs have a balanced diet from high-quality dry food that can be blended with water, canned food, or broth. Cottage cheese, fruits and vegetables, and cooked eggs may be enjoyed by your bucovina shepherd dog, but they should make up less than 10% of his daily diet. Bucovina Shepherd Dog puppies should be fed high-quality puppy chow from a reputable brand. However, you should strive to limit "table food" because it can lead to mineral and vitamin deficiencies, dental and bone problems, as well as finicky eating habits and obesity. Clean, fresh water should always be provided, and food and water bowls should be washed often.

Fun Facts

• Bucovina Shepherd dogs are huge and intimidating, yet they have a more slender physique than most other dog breeds. Their muzzle should not be shorter than their skull, and their head should be broad and intimidating.
• In comparison to the size of their heads, their eyes are tiny. The eyes are often almond-shaped and dark in hue, with dark eyelids surrounding them.
• The breed monitors the farm or herds during the night. With a spacious back yard, an adult dog will have plenty of room to run around.
• The Bucovina Shepherd dog is a fantastic watchdog, with a deep, strong bark and a high level of alertness when outsiders enter its domain.
• Bukovina Sheepdogs have a fair amount of wanderlust. They enjoy to travel over the world and may escape once or twice, but they prefer to stay secure at home most of the time. It's safer to educate kids how to contact you at any time.
• Compared to other dog breeds, Bukovina Sheepdogs have a stronger desire to chase and catch anything. Cats and other tiny animals may be at risk. Although this is a natural tendency, it does not imply that Bukovina Sheepdogs are hostile. This breed should be kept on a leash at all times.
• When left alone by their owner, they are prone to panic, scream, bark, and whimper, just like any other puppy. This problem may be solved with good socialisation and quality time spent with the dog.

Home Training Tips and General Information

You must always keep an eye on your puppy until he is trained. You must cage her if you are unable to do so. Make a calendar for the puppy to help him settle in quickly. Hourly potty trips, feeding times, sleep times, strolls, play time, training, and so on should all be included in the schedule. A dog with a full day has no time to get bored or mischievous.

Teach the dog to respect you. Bucovina Shepherd Dogs live in groups and follow a leader intuitively. If you establish your dominance in no clear terms, training will be simple since the puppy will always obey your commands and will not challenge your authority.

Make use of only positive training methods. Your Bucovina Shepherd Dog should never be yelled at, smacked, or punished. It is not only harsh, but it may also lead to behavioural issues. Electrical shocks, prong collars, sprays, and other methods may cause injury to the animal.

"Nothing in life is free," teach the puppy. This is a theory that is widely acknowledged as an effective coaching technique. As you reinforce this, your dog will learn that in order to receive anything, such as attention, a walk, or a treat, he must behave nicely.

From the first day, demonstrate the meaning of the word "no." Jumping, yelping, tug-of-war, howling, or fleeing open gates and doors should not be reinforced. When there is good behaviour, applaud it; when there is terrible behaviour, ignore it or leave. The puppy will learn that he will lose his companion/playmate if he is naughty.

To address a problem, you must catch the Bucovina Shepherd Dog in the act and scare him with a bottle of stones. As soon as you've done that, have him take responsibility for his actions and reward him with a snack and praise. Bucovina Shepherd Dogs have no recollection of earlier events, thus chastising him after an occurrence is pointless.

Make a point of calling/using his name in a pleasant manner. Don't say "Terrible TOM" or "No Tom," since this will confuse the Bucovina Shepherd Dog into thinking you're calling his name for anything bad. Hugs, stroking, walks, treats, and other pleasurable experiences must be associated with the dog's name. If this occurs, he will come to you readily when you call his name.

Create a short and simple workout regimen that you can do three times a day for around 10 minutes each time. Long, repetitive lessons might bore the Bucovina Shepherd Dog, and the learning session will be abandoned. Make teaching fun by using trick training sessions to teach commands like as sit, down, and come.

Learn everything there is to know about house training, leash walking, and house breaking, as well as food training. These are the fundamentals that every Bucovina Shepherd Dog puppy should be aware of. Understand all of the breed's quirks and characteristics. This will provide you with valuable information on how to properly teach your dog.

FAQS

Bucovina Shepherd Dog Unique Name

Male Name	Female Name
Brady	Bianca
Carter	Birdie
Clifford	Biscuit
Diego	Callie
Diesel	Dolly
Harvey	Gidget
Koda	Isabella
Milo	Koko
Odin	Matilda
Petey	Mitzi
Quincy	Polly
Shadow	Sadie
Stanley	Samantha
TJ	Sugar
Vinnie	Brandi
Zeus	Brie
Tex	Butter
Truffles	Chi Chi
Turbo	Kelly
Willow	Lexie