Sharri lion dog

Considered non-pure and inferred by the Sarplaninac authorities, as well as by traditional Serbian and Macedonian breeders, the Albanian Qen Sharri is commonly found in the northern part of the country near the Yugoslav border, close to and in the Shara mountain range. However, although the name may imply that Albania is the country of origin, the majority of the Albanian Shara Mountain Dog "breed" is found in the southern regions of Serbia (now independent Kosovo), where the original incarnation was established by matings between Albanian Cattledogs and Albanian Sheepdogs with the existing Sarplaninec population, but maintained as a separate breed for several decades from all other local types by the Albanian residents of Kosovo. These large, reddish-brown dogs with white chests, legs and muzzles could still be encountered in Kosovo until the mid-1990s, but not many remain today, due to assimilation into the new creation commonly known as Deltari. Ilir, better known by its Albanian name Sharplaninatz. Pour en savoir plus sur le Albanian Shara Mountain Dog

Virtually non-existent in Albania, the so-called Deltari Ilir is even more numerous in Kosovo, but thanks to the great popularity of organized dog fighting, many specimens can also be seen outside its native region, mainly in other parts of Serbia, as well as in Montenegro and Macedonia. Some Yugoslav Sarplaninac enthusiasts believe that a number of Albanian dogs have been crossed into numerous Sarplaninac varieties due to the size, strength and tenacity of Albanian fighting lines, with detrimental consequences for the pure Sarplaninac breed. unusual colorations and temperaments sometimes observed in the modern Sarplaninac population. On the other side of the issue, most Albanians regard the Yugoslav Sarplaninac as an Albanian breed, ignoring the concerns of Serbian and Macedonian Sarplaninac breeders, perpetuating the old conflicts and historical grudges that have plagued the region for centuries. These issues are strictly political and mainly based on nationalist fantasies and propaganda, being very much linked to the Kosovo question, which preoccupies many Sarplaninac enthusiasts. Pour en savoir plus sur le Albanian Shara Mountain Dog