Mioritic
- Origin
- Romania
- Type
- Livestock guardian
- Size
- Giant
- Height
- 65–75 cm (26–30 in)
- Coat
- Thick and fluffy
- Colors
- White, pale gray or cream, solid or white with patches
- Life span
- 12–14 years
- Status
- Recognised by the FCI
The Mioritic, in full the Romanian Mioritic Shepherd Dog, is a large livestock guardian dog from the Carpathian Mountains of Romania. Its name comes from the Romanian word mioară, meaning a young sheep.
History
The FCI gave the breed provisional recognition on July 6, 2005, in Buenos Aires, and it has since been recognized definitively.
Appearance
This is a massive dog covered in thick, fluffy hair, and it should look vigorous. Males stand about 70–75 cm (28–30 in) at the withers and females 65–70 cm (26–28 in). The difference between the sexes is easy to see, with males noticeably larger.
The coat may be white, with or without pale gray or cream patches, or pale gray or cream all over.
Temperament
The Mioritic is calm, well-mannered and disciplined. As a dog bred to protect flocks, it becomes very attached to its family and will go to great lengths to defend the people it is bonded with. Because that bond with its handler is so strong, training is best started only after a puppy has grown used to the person who will train it.
Care and health
Life expectancy is about 12 to 14 years.
Facts on this page were checked against Wikipedia and may have changed since.