Gamper is a national dog breed of Armenia. Dog handlers of the representatives of this breed are called so: Armenian gamper, or Armenian wolfhound (wolfhounds are generally called large-sized dogs).
Dog of the Armenian Highlands
Gamper is a breed of dogs that are the indigenous inhabitants of the Armenian Highlands. In ancient times, they were domesticated by humans and used by them for various purposes.
In prehistoric times, these dogs were found throughout the Armenian Highlands. This is evidenced by the images found on the rocks. At the same time, about 20% of the petroglyphs contain explicit representatives of the modern breed of gamper (Armenian wolfhound). The rest depict dogs of various types that do not exist today.
On the found petroglyphs, hunting scenes can be considered. They consist of figures of hunters and dogs of various types. This indicates that in those days there was already a dog hunt, in which not only the ancestors of this breed took part. You can also find petroglyphs, the decoding of which means that the dogs of the Armenian Highlands protected flocks of predators from attack.
The historic day for the breed was February 10, 2011. On this day, she was recognized at the International level. Now the primordial dog of the Armenian Highlands is called nothing more than gamper - the Armenian wolfhound.
General description of the breed
Quite often you can hear that dogs of the gampera breed are called Caucasian Shepherd dogs of the Armenian type. In a sense, this name is correct, the breed of gamper is a type of Caucasian shepherd. It is this name that is assigned to the indigenous representatives of the Armenian Highlands during their registration in dog breeders' clubs. But by origin, Armenian wolfhounds are typical molossians (strong individuals of large size (up to 90 cm at the withers) have strong jaws and massive heads). This suggests that the relationship with the Caucasian shepherd in the breed of gamper is insignificant.
In the 1920s, the factory breed of the Caucasian Shepherd began to be bred in the USSR. Both dogs of the Armenian Highlands and four-legged representatives of all regions of the Caucasus participated in the breeding. Today, not every Armenian gamper is involved in breeding, although the main breeding material consists of representatives of Armenian blood. The fact is that the indigenous inhabitants of the Armenian Highlands have their own specific phenotype. It may fall into the standards for factory breeding of Caucasian Shepherds, or it may not correspond to them.
Breed characteristics
For all the time of its existence, the breed of dogs Armenian gamper has not changed. She was not subjected to strict selection in relation to her phenotype. The breed has some signs characteristic of wolves. They were inherited during breeding, as constant mating of individuals with wild wolves was carried out.
According to dog breeders, the following distinctive features are inherent in the Armenian wolfhound:
- viability;
- strong instinct of self-preservation;
- independence;
- adequacy;
- smart look, full of seriousness and authority;
- balanced psyche;
- friendliness to man.
Without exception, all dog breeders distinguish the following breed abilities:
- independent decision making;
- implementation of reliable human protection;
- fast movement, in which there is no difficulty;
- good tolerance and understanding of training;
- high-quality protection of small and large livestock.
The dog is an Armenian wolfhound today is used for a variety of works. She can be a shepherd, lifeguard, watchman. The breed has excellent mental and physical data. This makes it one of the most dangerous dogs when it comes to fighting. Representatives of this breed are the best wolfhounds in the world.
Appearance
The breed of dogs Armenian Wolfhound has:
- large sizes of the head and body;
- strong jaws;
- well developed muscles;
- wide skeleton;
- folded in proportion to the body.
If we consider the appearance of these animals in more detail, then based on the feedback of dog breeders, we can give the following description of the breed.
The head of the animal is well outlined and highly developed. Cheekbones do not fall out. The wide cranial part smoothly passes from the forehead to the muzzle. The forehead in dogs of the gamper breed is flat and wide, the cheeks are thick, the ears are slightly lower than the eye level . Gamper's eyes are darker than wool. They are small, slightly slanted, set deep. The teeth are located close to each other. They are strong, white, well developed. Dental centers are placed in one line. Armenian gamper has a powerful neck of medium length.
Dogs have a wide chest and an elongated body, in the formation of which the chest takes part. In her area, the chest is slightly rounded. The continuation of the chest line is the stomach, which is slightly tightened. A withers are visible above the line of the muscular back.
The tail of the animal is set high. It is omitted when the gamper is in a calm state, and rises above the back, taking a sickle-shaped shape if the animal is in an irritated state.
Paws are strong, have soft pads. Pronounced heels. The front and hind limbs are straight, parallel to each other.
Short hair is present on the muzzle, forelimbs and ears. On the rest of the body, it is double with undercoat, which helps protect the dog from adverse weather conditions.
Gamper is an Armenian wolfhound, which can be of any color.
Character
Due to the large size of the dog, many people are afraid of it. If you pay attention to the feedback of dog breeders, you can understand that not always the large size of the animal speaks of its anger and aggression.
Dog breeders are unanimous in the fact that all gampra are smart, have a balanced character. These are brave animals that will always be devoted to their master. They easily become a friend of man. But respect for gampra must be earned. If the animal came to the person as a puppy, this does not mean that over time it will become attached to its owner. From birth, they require a good attitude. This animal should become a member of the family, which will constantly be supported. Dog breeders are sure that they need to communicate in a friendly manner with gamper. Aggression and anger towards an animal is unacceptable. Otherwise, an aggressive response from your pet can not be avoided. Only a friendly attitude to the animal will help to achieve its location and respect.
By virtue of his keen mind, gamper (Armenian wolfhound) can make decisions independently. Dog breeders warn: not all commands given by the owner to the animals will be implicitly executed. If the teams relate to the correct training, then there will be no problems. If the pet understands that he needs to do something harmful and dangerous for the person, he will not obey.
Having earned the respect of the dog, all family members find themselves under its care. She pays special attention to children. If new people appear in the owner’s house, the gamper meets them with caution, although this does not show. It is enough for such people to start doing something bad, the animal immediately takes a defensive position. Few such people will not seem!
Content
Often you can find dissatisfaction on the part of dog breeders about the fact that the Armenian wolfhound lives in a city apartment. This, in their opinion, is a mockery of an animal. And they are right, because the breed is unsuitable for such content. And the matter is not in the large size of the animal. Gamper, whose photo already makes you fall in love with this breed, requires free movement. It will not work to organize it in the apartment. An ideal place for maintenance can be the courtyard of a private house. Some people prefer to build an aviary for their pet. And do not worry that the animal will feel uncomfortable on the street. Gampra can tolerate not only the heat, but also the coldest weather. This is inherent in nature.
When constructing a booth for an animal, dog breeders recommend taking note that it should be located in the shade and be comfortable. Without fail, cleanliness must be maintained at the place where the animal is kept. In no case and under any circumstances gambres should not be put on a chain. If it is impossible to organize the necessary conditions for keeping a pet, pay attention to a different breed of dog.
Care
The Armenian wolfhound gamper, the price of which varies between 50-60 thousand rubles (according to December 2014), requires mandatory daily care. Dog breeders ask special attention to be paid to the coat of the animal, which must be carefully combed. For this, a special brush is purchased. If it is not possible to engage in daily combing, then at least once every 2-3 days it will have to be done. During molting, the animal needs to be given more attention.
Given the cleanliness of the breed, it is not necessary to bathe gampres often. It is advisable to resort to water procedures only in the case when you can not do without them. When bathing a dog, special means are used for these purposes. Breeders recommend buying those that gently affect the coat and skin of the animal.
It is impossible to cut the wool coat of gamper. Otherwise, the condition of the animal’s hair will be disturbed. Particular attention is required to the hygiene of the ears and mouth of the pet. Claws need to be cut as they grow.
How to walk a dog?
The breed of dogs Armenian Wolfhound is very strong, but its activity is moderate. There is no need to hope that the right content is enough for her. In no case should these animals be restricted in movement and space. Support for the health and good physical condition of the dog is due to prolonged walking and moderate exercise.
According to dog breeders, gampres need to be walked daily at least once. If this is not done, the physical and emotional health of the animal will suffer. Walking should not be limited to a jog in the yard, which lasts only 10 minutes. The dog needs to be trained by including elements of physical activity. The duration of the walk should not be less than 30 minutes for walks on a leash. The dog will need the same amount of time to enjoy a free run.
Disease
Gamppra immunity has been seasoned for centuries. Compared to other breeds that have been spoiled by unreasonable breeding, the Armenian wolfhound remains a healthy animal, able to work physically. At the same time, the dog breed gamper has a unique quality: if the animal has had a certain type of cold, then its immune system ceases to perceive it.
Dog breeders warn that representatives of this breed at a later age may experience bone problems. To eliminate them, funds are used that treat arthritis.
Despite the fact that the Armenian wolfhounds have really good health, they need to be regularly taken to the veterinarian's appointment. Do not forget that the animal's body needs vaccinations. At the first suspicion of a deteriorating pet's health, dog breeders recommend contacting a veterinary clinic rather than self-medicating.
Diet
Big, strong, powerful - that’s how the word "gamper" is translated from Armenian. The photo of these dogs really shows large individuals. But this does not mean that the animal eats excessively. According to dog breeders' reviews, having large sizes and spending a large amount of energy, the Armenian wolfhound may well be satisfied with a small amount of food. The comparison is with the amount of food that a dog of a similar size needs. At the same time, this does not mean that the animal needs to be fed at a minimum. The main thing is to properly compose a pet's diet.
If the diet of a four-legged friend is drawn up correctly, there will be no problems with his state of health. The diet should be competent and harmonious. When there is no way to compose it yourself, consult a specialist.
Especially the diet of gampra should be monitored during its molting period.
Breed conservation
The main attention of Armenian cynologists is aimed at preserving the local native dog - the Armenian wolfhound. A large number of decorative dog breeds are imported into the country annually. But these breeding species are much inferior in many respects to representatives of the local breed. Therefore, every year the issue of preserving the indigenous inhabitants of the Armenian Highlands becomes more acute.
The dog breeders are unanimous in that the gamper shared the character and fate of the Armenian people. Representatives of the breed were removed from the territory of the country and used to breed dogs such as the Caucasian and Central Asian shepherd dogs. This led to the fact that gampra became a rarity. Basically, they can be found only in remote villages.