Story about three dogs

 

Chapter 03

Russian Dog

Yes the dog who looked like an Russian dog was in previous birth was an Russian  of high repute.         He was no different to the American and involved in espionage involving language skills.

It is believed that humans can be reincarnated as dogs and dogs as humans. Upon death, a dog's tail is cut off so that if its spirit is reborn human, the human does not have an embarrassing tail. The dogs were and are huge source of pride to nomadic families.

Siberian Dog

The earliest remains generally accepted to be those of a domesticated dog were discovered in Bonn-Oberkassel, Germany. Contextual, isotopic, genetic, and morphological evidence shows that this dog was not a local wolf. The dog was dated to 14,223 years ago and was found buried along with a man and a woman,        all three having been sprayed with red haematite powder and buried under large, thick basalt blocks.    The dog had died of canine distemper. Earlier remains dating back to 30,000 years ago have been described as Paleolithic dogs but their status as dogs or wolves remains debated because considerable morphological diversity existed among wolves during the Late Pleistocene.

This timing indicates that the dog was the first species to be domesticated in the time of hunter gatherers which predates agriculture.

DNA sequences show that all ancient and modern dogs share a common ancestry and descended from an ancient, extinct wolf population which was distinct from the modern wolf lineage.

The dog is a classic example of a domestic animal that likely travelled a commensal pathway into domestication. The questions of when and where dogs were first domesticated have taxed geneticists and archaeologists for decades.

Genetic studies suggest a domestication process commencing over 25,000 years ago, in one or several wolf populations in either Europe, the high Arctic or Eastern Asia. In 2021, a literature review of the current evidence infers that the dog was domesticated in Siberia 23,000 years ago by ancient North Siberians, then later dispersed eastward into the Americas and westward across Eurasia with dogs likely accompanying the first humans to inhabit the Americas.

Russian Dog

In traditional Russian culture, the dog is considered a symbol of loyalty, devotion and impurity. A large number of proverbs, sayings and ethnographic descriptions prove this attitude. This ambivalent attitude towards the dog can be explained by the relationship between the dog and the wolf.

My impression is an average Russian does not like dogs. There are lot of stray dogs in Russia and one of themLaikawas sent to space and died there.

The city ofMoscow,Russia hosts a large population of free ranging or stray dogs. Many operate in packs and have become accustomed to seeking food from passersby. Some of them who frequent or inhabit the subway have attracted international attention for learning how to use the trains to commute between various locations. The most famous Muscovite street dog isLaika who ended up being the first one of the first animals in space and the first toOrbit the Earth.

The issue of Moscow's stray dogs was first mentioned by Russian writers such as journalistVladimir Gilyarovsky in the late 19thcentury. The sad lot was dramatised byAnton Chekhov in the famous short storyKashtanka byMikhail Bulgakov in the novellaHeart of a Dog and byGavriil Troyepolsky in the novelWhite Bim Black Ear.

As of March 2010, there were an estimated 35,000 free ranging dogs living within Moscow's city limits or approximately one dog for every 300 people, and about 32 per square km (84 per square mile).

Below is a comment of a dog lover in Russia who does not know what to feed the dog, just like me who used to give our dog chocolates which poisons its liver.

My dog eats wet dog food and homemade food.

Yes, because it is cheaper and allows a better variety.

Mostly neutral.

When I walk my dog 3/10 people smile because he is a cutie and maybe 1/10 acts annoyed or scared. Most people I know do not own dogs because it is not that easy to keep a dog in a tiny flat in a big city and the very thought of it seems bonkers to them.

AFAIK there is no law to vaccinate your dog so it is up to the owner. I feel like visiting doctors just for a checkup is not a thing, not only for dogs but for Russian people, too. My dog visits vet when it is time to renew his vaccinations, to get flea treatment and so on. Not all vet clinics are good but all vets I met (with my cats also) were kind gentle souls.

I do not rent nor have friends who own dogs and rent flats, so I am not sure but it is usually not pet friendly.

Yes, even stray dogs ride trams sometimes.

Breeds like corgis, beagles, pugs and all kinds of small fluffy dogs that look like toys (sorry, I’m not very good in remembering breeds). Huskies, Shiba inus, German shepherds and golden retrievers are popular too but their popularity seems to fade. What surprised me in a good way when I got my dog is that lots of dogs we meet are rescued stray mongrel dogs or mixes unwanted by the breeders. Like half dogs we meet on playgrounds are undefined breeds. Mine is probably a mix of shepherd and a vacuum cleaner.

Breeds like pit bulls used to be considered evil and they are not popular. I only know one pit bull and she is a good girl.

Honestly no idea of how to feed a dog.

The Bankhar Dog

Historically, the Bankhar was an inseparable part of the nomadic herder’s life. The traditional greeting when approaching aMongolian person is to say “Hold your dog!”

InMongolia,Bankhardogs are thought to be “of the same spirit” as humans, and dogs are the only animals that are given names. When aBankhardies,   its remains are typically placed on top of a mountain so it is closer to the gods and spirit world and so that people do not walk over its bones. It is believed that humans can be reincarnated as dogs and dogs as humans. Upon death, a dog’s tail is cut off so that if its spirit is reborn human, the human does not have an embarrassing tail.

The dogs were and are a huge source of pride to nomadic families. Unfortunately over the last 80 years, modern breeds have been brought into Mongolia.      The Bankhar, which were historically the only dogs in Mongolia, are now very rare.

Bankhar dogs are an ancient land race, not a breed but a type of dog shaped through thousands of years of coevolution with humans driven by the need for an effective guardian of livestock on the Mongolian steppe. Bankhar are large, athletic, protective and need comparatively little food for their size. They are perfectly adapted to the intense ecosystems of Mongolia.

Bankhar may also be the progenitor of all livestock guardian dogs. Recent studies point to the origin of the domestic dog as central Asia around 15,000 years ago. The DNA samples were used to support this hypothesis and in the paper available here, Doug Lally was coauthor along with Cornell University professor Adam Boyko PHD, among others.

What happened to the Bankhar?

bankhar comp

Kilgore – one of our younger males at our breeding facility. Showing great promise with sheep. Tall and athletic (over 31 inches) at 1.5 years old.

During the Communist era of Mongolia, which lasted from the 1920s to the 1990s, during which Mongolia was a satellite state of the Soviet Union, Bankhar dogs were let loose or exterminated when nomads were forcibly relocated in socialist-style settlements. Additionally, Bankhar dogs were targeted because of the mistaken idea that the dogs spread illness to people and livestock. Bankhar pelts became fashionable for stylish Russian coats, and the largest dogs were killed to feed the growing dog coat industry.

In general, the Soviet-based Communist education system lead to a loss of knowledge of how to breed, train and employ livestock protection dogs.

A current danger to the population of Bankhar is interbreeding with the fashionable Tibetan Mastiff. Mastiffs are genetically distinct from Bankhar and are not working dogs. Mixed Mastiff genes in the Bankhar gene-pool have degraded the quality of the working dog genes of Bankhar. There are few pockets of true Bankhar dogs left. Mongolian Bankhar Dog Project has identified them using DNA testing and has isolated these dogs for breeding the next generation of genuine working Bankhar guardian dogs.

About Livestock Protection Dogs

Livestock Protection Dogs (LPDs) have been used by humans for millennia to protect herds of domesticated livestock and goats from predators. The effectiveness of LPDs in reducing livestock predation is well documented on every continent.

Currently, over 50% of the sheep ranchers in the western United States use livestock protection dogs as part of their management programs.

What is a Landrace?

LGD-steppes

The Bankhar, like many other livestock guardian dogs across Asia and Europe, is not a breed, but a ‘landrace’. A landrace is a domesticated species of animal that has evolved over time, in a natural and cultural environment, and in this case has adapted to the local agricultural and pastoral conditions under the guidance of nomadic herders. This is a critical distinction from the word,‘breed’. Bankhar dogs have evolved and co-evolved with humans to fit to a very particular niche. The reason why a Bankhar dog looks and behaves as it does is to maximize its efficiency and effectiveness as a working livestock protection animal.

This means that Bankhar near Kazakhstan will have more influences of the dogs in Kazakhstan (these are just the natural regional variations of the Central Asian Ovcharka, not to be confused with modern show breed of the same name). The same goes for Tibetan livestock guardian dogs. It is this continuum of traits and a continued gene flow that keeps genetic diversity high. High genetic diversity ensures that the dogs are able to adapt to changes or roles effectively, as well as help to avoid deleterious recessive genes from being expressed in the population or an individual.

It is our policy to avoid referring to the Bankhar as a breed and not to distinguish it substantially from other forms of the great landrace of dogs from Spain to Mongolia. We do feel it is important that our dogs represent the naturally evolved variations of the Bankhar found within Mongolia. We use DNA analysis to ensure that our dogs do not have modern dog breed genes in their make up. However, we do not distinguish genes from “neighboring” natural dog types, as these genes have always moved into and out of the genetic makeup of the Bankhar.

Description:

Height: Females 26-29 inches at shoulder and males 28-33 inches at shoulder

Weight: Females 80-90 pounds, Males 85-125 pounds

Colors: All coat colors are possible, but white is rare. Most common is black and mahogany with mahogany “eye spots” over eyes and white patch on chest (this coloring is know ans the Mongolian Four Eye Dog), but tan, brown, and black and white are also common. Mongolians traditionally like the darker “four eye” dogs since it helps them distinguish their dogs from wolves. The “extra” eyes are also thought to see into the spirit world.

Coat: The coat of the Bankhar tends to be very full and long (3-4 inches, or about 9 centimeters) in the winter with a very heavy undercoat. However, due to the vastness of Mongolia and the variation in climate, the Bankhar seems to have a plastic response to climate conditions and does not grow such a heavy coat in warmer regions. This is relative of course since Mongolia is one of the coldest places on earth with temperatures ranging from 110°F to -55°F (43°C to -48°C) with a yearly average of 31°F (-1°C).

General:

Typical meal - boiled rice, sheep innards and cheese whey. These dogs are lighter in build and more athletic than their nearby relatives the Tibetan Mastiff or Central Asian Ovcharka. DNA analysis by Cornell University indicates that the Bankhar has very high genetic diversity (this is related to a more primitive genome and high gene flow between regional “races” of a landrace versus the decreased genetic diversity of a standardized breed).

Bankhar are comparatively long-lived. Examples of 15-18 year old dogs working with nomads in the field is not uncommon – this is of interest since most Bankhar never receive veterinary care and eat solely boiled livestock innards, rice or noodles, and bones.

Bone diseases such as hip dysplasia seem to be very rare. This might be an artifact of survival; if a dog had these types of issues it would not make it in Mongolia. However we have not collected any reports from nomads ever having seen issues that could be explained as a bone disorder.

Our experience and data show that the Bankhar breeds once a year in Mongolia (one of the coldest countries in the world). In a less hostile climate it is possible that they might breed more often – we simply don’t know.

Temperament:

Bankhar, like most livestock guardian dogs, have an independent nature and tend to think for themselves. They are very loyal to their charges and protect them with their lives. They do not tend to be dogs that chase predators for vast distances, but they will attack predators without hesitation if the predator does not back down or leave the area immediately.

Bankhar are not very aggressive toward people unless raised to be so. Once introduced, a working Bankhar will typically ignore a human and return to its protection job. Bankhar will not let people approach their charges if they are unaccompanied by a human the dog trusts. Raised well and socialized with people, Bankhar are like any other pet dog, trustworthy and part of the community.