Serbian Beardog - Mečkar
There are a few theories concerning the origins of this breed, from those that are tracing its roots to the Assyrian Mastiff to the ones claiming that this is in fact the only direct and true descendant of the Alaunt. Most authorities believe that the old
Serbian Beardog was developed from ancient Molossian hounds of Greece, mountain dogs of the Balkans and various war mastiffs brought by the Romans. By the Middle Ages it was established as a guardian of castles and military camps, but was also a popular hunter, fighter and bear-baiting dog. Said to had been colossal in stature and ferocious in personality, the
Rashka Mastiff was a valued watchdog and large game hunting dog of the Serbian nobility. While the largest dogs were the most appreciated ones, it is thought that there was a variety of types within the breed, the larger Rashka Mastiffs being primarily property guardians, while the smaller variants were used as hunters and fighters. It has even been suggested that it was the medium-sized dogs that were the true Metchkar breed, since their agility and tenacity made them ideal for the duties they were expected to perform. This is based on the assumption that the tallest and heaviest dogs were nowhere near as athletic and were therefore kept only as watchdogs and Royal companions. However, due to the lack of reliable information on either of these types, the Metchkar and the Rashka Mastiff are viewed as the representatives of a single breed, known as the Old Serbian Mastiff.
These aggressive dogs weren't popular among the peasants who were partial to their old and reliable shepherd dogs, such as the Sylvan, Sarplaninac, Tornjak and others, but it is also believed that the common men weren't allowed to own and breed the Metchkar. Almost exclusively kept by the Rashka aristocracy, the Serbian Metchkar Mastiff was prized for its noble heritage and spirit. Some historians suppose that the Serbs might have used these dogs in their battles against the Turks, although there is no substantial proof of that. Some referrences in folk tales and war songs from the Middle Ages have been linked to the Serbian Mastiff, but this theory, even though quite sensible, still requires more research. Most authorities agree that the breed probably didn't survive the Otoman occupation and by the end of the 19th century, there were very little pure specimens left. The breed vanished in the early 1900's, although some fanciers believe that a number of unpure examples might have survived the First World War, with some representatives reportedly still being encountered during WW2 in some regions, before dying out altogether. However, stories about this majestic Moloss remained and in the 1980's the Serbian Mastiff breed has been re-created under the Serbian Defense Dog name. There are reportedly additional revival programmes underway as well, including some that are focused on re-constructing specific types of the breed, such as the Sandzak Mastiff experiment. As of yet, none of these other efforts have given satisfactory results, but it is only a matter of time before potential developers succeed in re-establishing this legendary Serbian Molosser.
The head of the Metchkar is large and broad, with a well-defined stop and a powerful muzzle and jaws. The neck is fairly long and muscular, with moderate dewlaps. Straight-backed, wide-chested, long-legged and strongly boned, this mastiff resembles ancient Suliot Hounds and early Deutsche Dogges, as well as the Danish Broholmer and similar breeds. The tail is docked and the ears are left unaltered. There were a few types of the Old Serbian Mastiff, mostly separated by size and their specific duties, coming in a few colourings, like the brindle Sharatz, fawn Zhuyan, black Gavran and the least common and fairly unpopular white Alban. The coat is short, hard and dense. Average height for the smaller variety is around 27 inches, while the larger type measures up to 35 inches at the shoulder.
Sandzak Mastiff
This is a recently developed dog, being yet another re-creation of the ancient Rashka Mastiff. The region of Sandzak is located in the territory of old Rashka in Serbia and this is where the original dogs survived the longest, some examples reportedly still being encountered after the 2nd World War before disappearing. Inspired by the stories of their parents and grandparents, the breed developers decided to re-create the great dogs of the region in the late 1990's, but have chosen to exclude any Serbian references in the breed's name, hoping to achieve greater acceptance among the mostly muslim inhabitants of Sandzak. Rather than trying to reconstruct the Metchkar breed as a whole, the Sandzak Mastiff is a re-creation of the largest type used for protection duties. When searching for representatives of indigenous breeds of the Balkans which would serve as a foundation for an authentic reconstruction, such as the Sylvan, Zhuyan and the Serbian Greyhound, the breed creators concluded that no satisfactory examples of these near-extinct dogs could be found and opted for the use other breeds. Initially, the breeding programme was rushed and largely ignored, but after a few failed attempts, it was decided to cross the Deutsche Dogge with the Sarplaninac, with the addition of Dobermann and English Greyhound blood in the subsequent matings, but other undisclosed breeds were reportedly used as well, with the Dogo Argentino, Bosnian Tornjak and Serbian Defense Dog being a few of the suspected ones. The Sandzaklija is still very rare and unknown, even in the region it was named after, but being an impressive looking dog and a very good property guardian, it will likely gain acceptance in the future. Its creators are hoping to avoid the breed's introduction to the world of dog-fighting, but are also aware that this would be the fastest way for the Sandzak Mastiff to become known, especially in the Balkans, where old values are still celebrated. This may result in the introduction of some other dogs into its bloodline, intended to improve the breed's fighting abilities and drive. The original developers of the Sandzak Mastiff had many disagreements over the Standard and opposing views considering the breed's form and function, leading to the team splitting up in 2002, with each party pursuing their own programmes separately, possibly resulting in the establishment of two distinct varieties or even breeds. Still not standardized and numbering under 15 breed representatives altogether, the Sandzak Mastiff has a long way to go before being taken seriously and receiving any type of recognition.
The Sandzaklija is primarily a protection breed, but is intented to be a livestock guardian and hunting dog as well. Territorial, aloof with strangers and fairly dog-aggressive, it requires responsible ownership. It is good with children and noticeably less protective outside of its territory, making a reliable companion, but also an effective yard watchdog. Said to be intelligent and trainable, this is a well-mannered and obedient dog, although some specimens have been described as stubborn and undemonstrative, needing firm handling and early socialization. The Sandzak Mastiff is a tall and muscular dog, with a long neck, broad head and well-developed jaws. The chest is deep and fairly wide. The body is well-boned, with long legs and a straight back. The ears are cropped close to the head and the tail is docked. The coat is short, flat and dense, slightly fuller on the neck, usually black, fawn, red, grey, black-n-tan and brindle in colour, with or without white markings on the paws and chest, but white-based examples with darker patches are also accepted. Average height is around 30 inches, with taller dogs being preferred.
Alaunt
The legendary Alaunt is one of the most important Molosser breeds in history, but also one of the most misunderstood and misrepresented ones in literature. While there are numerous theories concerning its origin, we need to keep in mind that these ideas were imagined in the West and are simply writings of authors that have been perpetuating myths based on assumptions and unreliable accounts for centuries, the effects of which can be felt to this day. In reality, the original Alaunt looked much more like a Central Asian Ovcharka than the Alano Espanol. A number of modern breeds are considered to be either the same thing or the direct descendants of the Alan Dogge, but in order to understand the true origin of this great dog, we need to trace it back to the its Caucasian roots and the people responsible for its creation and introduction to the western world.
The Alaunt was bred and formed by the Alani tribes, the Kavkaz nomads of Sarmatian Indo-Iranian ancestry, which were known as superb warriors, herdsmen and breeders of horses and dogs. The Alans bred their dogs for work and had developed different strains within the breed for specific duties. The Alaunt's primary ancestors are the dogs of the Caucasus and Central Asia, namely the Sarmatian Mastiff, the Armenian Gampr and the mighty Alabai of Turkmenistan, but also the shorthaired hounds of India and Persia. The large, massive guard dogs weren't that much different than the typical Eastern mountain dogs, while the hunting variety was leaner and had a smoother and shorter coat.
When the Huns conquered the Alani tribes, the nation was separated in the 370's into the Eastern and Western Alans. The Eastern Alani tribes merged with the Albanians, Ossetians, Serbs and other nations, introducing their dogs into the bloodlines of many Balkan breeds, such as the progenitors of the Illyrian Mountain Dog, Metchkar, Qen Ghedje, Hellenikos Poimenikos and other Molossers of the region. Some believe that the white-coloured
Alaunts were the direct ancestors of Greek and Albanian breeds, which in turn influenced all other white dogs in the Balkans. The Western Alans joined the Vandals on their raids through Europe and by the 410's, their fierce dogs were influencing many breeds in France, Spain, Portugal, England and other countries, spreading the use of the Alaunt name, which became synonimous with the type of a working dog, rather than a specific breed. Through crossings with various scenthounds and sighthounds, the Alan Dogge became a valued large game hunting dog, existing in a variety of types, dictated by regional preferences. In France, their Alaunts were separated into three main categories, based on physical appearance and the duties they performed. The lightest type was the Alaunt Gentil, a greyhound-like dog, which eventually, alongside the bloodhound-esque Alaunt Veantre, became assimilated into the local hunting breeds. The heavier mastiff variety, known as the Alaunt de Boucherie, was crucial is the development of the fighting and baiting dogs of France. The same thing happened in other countries, such as England and Spain, where the Alaunts gave birth to their mastiffs and bulldogges, which in return influenced nearly every European guarding, baiting and fighting breed, from Bullenbeissers, Boxers and Deutsche Dogges to the Irish and, eventually American bulldogs and bull-n-terriers.
Even though extinct, the Alaunt lives on in some of the breeds it helped create and the legends of its own greatness, which served as an inspiration to the developers of such breeds as the New Alaunt, Great Lakes Bulldogge, Dogo Belgrado, Abraxas Bulldogge and the American Alaunt, as well as the breeders of the Alano Espanol, Dogo Argentino, American Bandog, Presa Canario, American Bulldog, Ca de Bou, American Pit Bull Terrier and many others. While its origins are strongly rooted in the ancient working mountain dogs of the East, the Alaunt is mostly remembered as a legendary bullenbeisser and will forever be regarded as the progenitor of, if not THE original bulldogge breed.
