Comment to 'Sarplaninac Temperment'
  • Al, as you can see above, I haven't limited the Shar's contribution to humanity solely to their hard work in the mountains. I (intentionally) mentioned military, police, border patrol etc. So we agree that they are more than ordinary LGDs. You may see them as a refined extract of a loose population of working LGD mongrels, and I wouldn't even categorically disagree. What I would add however is that historically the foundation of those regional "LGD mongrels" was already above average "LGD mongrels" to begin with. This was not some GP-sitting-pretty-next-to-a-lamb-type of genepool, this was already a kick-ass version proto-Shar genepool that was molded into one breed. Just like one wouldn't take just any farm dogs to form the APBT, you need the right mongrel-ingredients in the first place. The Yugos knew that they were sitting on the right type of ore to hammer out a phenomenon. That is why export was prohibited for the longest time, that is why the Shar to this day is so revered throughout the entire nation(s). So, if I am forced to stay within formal breeds derived from their respective working mongrel-backgrounds, then I guess it would be only fair to compare the Shar to the APBT instead. So before anyone jumps on me, I will acknowledge that the APBT is a phenomenal breed, no doubt whatsoever. But technically speaking and from the perspective of actual contribution to humanity, the designated niche of an APBT IMO won't quite hold up with the historic contribution of the Sarplaninac breed. Fighting and catching rats just doesn't cut it. So my original shot at Lee would still be legitimate, I suppose. But then again I will be the first to admit that such a comparison is wrong and signifies a classic apples-oranges-comparison. Instead I will simply agree with your previous notion that Shars rule and that Pits rule. My original point was anyway that Lee's dogs to my knowledge haven't contributed to humanity that much yet, other than being tough pets maybe. So he is in no position to ridicule a working breed that he has zero clue about.