An ancient Molossus descended from the original Alaunt, the Albanian Cattledog is a close cousin to the dogs of Greece, Bulgaria, Macedonia and Yugoslavia, but nowhere near as standardized. It's an excellent working breed, used for more than just herding cattle. Like the Albanian sheepdog, it is a capable shepherd, herdsman and even fighting dog. Some believe it's just a subtype of the Qen Stani, not a separate breed. The Albanian Cattledog is often employed as a protector of property, a role it takes very seriously. Extremely aggressive towards people and foreign dogs, this breed is not suited to life as an urban companion. Although the Qen Gjedhe is an attractive and impressive Moloss, its fierce personality makes it a poor choice for a pet. These dogs are supposed to be very gentle and playful like puppies, but very temperamental and mean like adults.
A true mastiff, Albanians are very massive and strong, coming in a variety of sizes and coat types, depending on their use and area of origin. The head is broad and round, with a strong muzzle and powerful jaws. The chest is broad and the body is bony and muscular. Some dogs have one or both ears cropped, but unmodified examples are more common. The tail may be docked, although this practice is generally associated with specific rural areas of Albania. In general, the mountain type is larger and long-haired, while lowland variants tend to be smaller and have shorter coats. Crosses between these types are very common, as this is first and foremost a working breed, and stud selection is based on the dogs' working abilities, not their type or appearance.
Coloration is always either uniformly white or predominantly white, with gray, red, brown, brindle or black patches. Height varies from 56 to 76 centimeters at the withers. |
English (United Kingdom)