untitled2

Jan .1 . 2004

This first writing is not really a question , but is something we heard many times over. Unfortunately every time it came from my countryman living in the USA ., and here I will try to put this question to rest, or at least give my opinion.

Question is :

" I keep my Sharplaninatz out side and it is quiet most of the day, but it barks most of the night ,so

CAN SHARPLANINATZ BE KEPT IN THE URBAN ENVIROMENT, OR IS IT ONLY SUITABLE FOR the FARMS ?"

My Answer :

Sharplaninatz dogs are guardian breed, for centuries they were breed to protect, and to make sure, that nothing and nobody comes near their domain. If housed in urban environment it is realistic to expect them to do what they were breed to do, that is to guard, so left outside at night, that is what they will do. Unfortunately ( or in my opinion fortunately ), in the country I live in ( USA ), deer, racoon, possum and other wild animals are part of the everyday life, and you can find people walking on the streets at any hour of the night, therefore Sharplaninatz work is ( as far as his genetics go ), to let you know of a possible danger or the intruder. That is when their alarm barking becomes a problem, for you, and especially for your neighbors. So to make whole matter easy on you, and most importantly on the Sharplaninatz dog,

If you live in the city, Do not get the Sharplaninatz puppy unless you are willing to have your dog as a full member of your household ,and most importantly , sleeping inside of the house at night, so it makes his duties to protect YOU and not one mile radius around your house, and you will be surprised with the results . You and your neighbors will get good night sleep and everybody ( including the dog ) Will be happy.

One thing that was always very disturbing to me personally ,was the fact that most of my countryman ( Serbs and Macedonians ) would keep German Shepard , Doberman or even the Great Dane as a house dog and would keep the Sharplaninatz dog only as an outside dog. That was always something that made me sad, simply because of the fact that they did not allow themselves to have a real experience with their dog.

Sharplaninatz dogs simply adore to be around their people, and the photos and stories testified to that. Properly socialized Sharplaninatz is great dog to be around and is a irreplaceable part of the family. Dr. Copingar noticed, when visiting old Yugoslavia and taking puppies for his research, that the dogs on the chains were slobbering beasts and the ones he meet free with the shepherds were the dogs with the great and respectful temperaments.

So my point is , the problem is not environment , but situations that you put your dog in , and at the end , let me say one more thing . Please Do not take the dog so it can remind you of your old country ( there are other things for that ). Take it because for you Sharplaninatz Dog is just like " the Porsche ", it has no substitute.!

Sincerely

Zoran Milovukovic

Hi !

I have question about Sharplaninatz Breed. There is one of these dogs in Rahway, NJ. This dog is outside CONSTANTLY- in blizzard, horrendous cold temperatures ( -10 F wind chill factor ), etc. with no dog house for protection. I work at a local animal shelter and went to the home to ask that they take the dog inside during very bad weather ( naturally it had no water during the cold spell because it was all frozen ) The people complained to me that this dog likes could weather and snow like that. They kept insisting that is OK for their dog to be out there with no protection at all from the elements. They also insisted on telling me that this was SPECIAL dog that likes to be outside ALL the time.

I know it is recommended that all pets be brought inside during bouts of extreme weather conditions but these people don't- is this OK for this breed?

This dog is adorable and looks so lonely sitting outside covered with snow in blizzard conditions. I can't imagine that this is good for any animal. What are your thoughts?

Donna Beach

Friends of Linden Animal Shelter

First of all I want to thank Donna for sending me this letter and bringing this neglect to the surface. Photos I posted here are courtesy of my friend Hristian and are taken at the most difficult time that people from the breeds country of origin have endured. Time of extreme economic hardship and poverty. Despite that every dog had some sort of a shelter and as you can see some people made dog houses using old carpets, but most importantly they showed to their dogs that they care.

So Shame on who ever is trying to use the fact that this breed is unknown in this country to cover and justify their neglect. For God sake even a Wolf has it's den so why Sharplaninatz would not have wright to ,at least, have a dog house if not ,what it really deserves, company of people that love him and really care ?