Hi I am a  Karakachan,  we are a rare breed from Bulgaria. I am a typical livestock guardian dog, created for guarding my owner's flock and property; We are effective at flock protection against predation and theft. We do not hesitate to fight wolves or bears to defend our owners and family in case of danger. Our ancestors started forming as early as the third millennium BC. We are descendants of the dogs of the Thracians. For generations you could find my relatives in Romania to the north, North Macedonia and Serbia to the west, and Greece and Turkey to the south. Our name Karakachan come from Greek nomadic shepherds. Due to their conservative stock-breeding traditions, they have preserved some of the oldest breeds of domestic animals in Europe: the Karakachan sheep, Karakachan horse and the Karakachan dog.

In the past, we were widely used in the Bulgarian army up until WWII as  border army watchdogs. Nowadays we are primarily used as livestock guardian dogs and property guard dogs. We are part of the origin story of the Bulgarian Shepherd, but should not be confused as the same breed. 

We are strictly territorial and accept the flock as our territory, wherever it may be. Being close to the flock, we become visibly aggressive if the flock is threatened. If a stranger tries to remove an animal from the flock, we will become seriously aggressive. However, when a flock is passing through a village we are known to walk calmly without paying attention to people. Our traditions and big aggressive demeanors keep people away so conflicts are less likely to occur. 

We began to become endangered around 1957, as the communist government “nationalized” farms and private livestock, leaving my ancestors to roam free, to fend for themselves. The communists then launched an extermination campaign, killing them for their pelts. A small number were saved by a few farmers. Now, we are protected by conservation programs to survive in Bulgarian mountains guarding flocks against wolves and bears.

Our popularity is spreading as we prove ourselves on farms around the world.

 Our working abilities are vitality unparalleled. We are agile, work in very difficult conditions, harsh environments and against large predator numbers.