Albanian Cattle Dog

An ancient Molosser descended from the original Alaunt, the Albanian Cattledog is a close cousin of the dogs of Greece, Bulgaria, Macedonia and Yugoslavia, but nowhere near as standardized. This is an excellent working breed, used for more than just driving cattle. Like the Albanian Sheepdog, it is a capable sheep herder, flock guardian and even a fighting dog. Some believe that this is just a sub-type of the Qen Stani and not a separate breed. The Albanian Cattledog is often employed as a property protector, a role it takes very seriously. Extremelly aggressive towards strange people and dogs, this breed is not suited for the life of an urban companion. Although the Qen Gjedhe is an attractive and impressive Moloss, its ferocious personality makes it a poor choice for a pet. These dogs are reportedly very sweet and playful as puppies, but very temperamental and vicious as adults.

A true mastiff, this Albanian dog is very massive and strong, coming in a variety of sizes and coat types, based on use and area of origin. The head is large and round, with a strong muzzle and powerful jaws. The chest is wide and the body is well-boned and muscular. Some dogs have either one or both ears cropped, but unaltered examples are more common. The tail can be docked, although this practice is usually associated with specific rural regions of Albania. In general, the mountain type is larger and longhaired, whereas the lowland variants tend to be smaller and have shorter coats. Crosses between these types are very common, because this is first and foremost a working breed and the stud selection is based on working abilities of the dogs and not their type or appearance.

The colouring is always either uniform white or predominantly white, with grey, red, brown, brindle or black patches. The height ranges from 22 inches to 30 inches at the withers.