Mioritic Sheepdog vs Indian Pariah Dog - Breed Comparison

The Indian pariah, known also as the Indi-dog or In-dog, is an ancient dog breed common throughout India as well as Bangladesh.

A breed standard does exist for the dog with the Indian Kennel Club and the dog has also been recognized by the Primitive and Aboriginal Dog Society.

A great dog enthusiast, Indian environmentalist, M Krishnan, has written about this ancient dog breed, telling about its wonderful temperament and its hardy constitution.

This is a large dog coming from the Carpathian mountain area of Romania.

He has always been an excellent working dog, guarding and protecting sheep. Farmers always kept these dogs as working dogs, with no written records being kept about the development of the breed.

The breed is ancient, possibly dating back to ancient Roman times. It was in the 20th century that interest in the breed was ignited, and in 1981 the first official breed standard was recorded. The breed was also registered with the Federation Cynologique Internationale in 2005.

The Indian Pariah dog is a medium sized, lanky looking dog with the males and females standing at 46cm to 64cm in height and weighing roughly between 15 to 30kg.

These dogs aren't big eaters so they tend to be lean and muscular. This is a double coated dog with the hair being coarse and fawn in colour or reddish brown.

He has fairly large, erect ears and brown eyes. He has a long tail which is held down but when he is excited it is held high and over the back, curling at the tip. There is sometimes white around the face and chest.

Temperament:

The Pariah dog is a social dog but he is somewhat timid, even though they make excellent watch dogs, being territorial around their human family. Being territorial, he can have an aggressive side to him so it is wise to have him trained and socialized as then he is obedient and capable of getting on well with children in the home.

These dogs are also very intelligent and therefore easily trained. He is an active dog and likes to be kept busy, wanting to be participating in the activities of his human family.

The Mioritic Sheepdog looks very much like the Old English Sheepdog with his huge body covered with long hair.

His head is also large with a black nose and smallish to medium length floppy ears. The color of the double coat is usually white, cream or pale gray, and sometimes you will find patches of these colors.

The tail has always been traditionally docked, otherwise the tail is left long with a slight curl at the end. The height of the dog is 65 to 75cm and he weighs roughly 50–60kg. Below the thick coat is a muscular dog with strong, straight legs which can help him become quite agile and speedy when needed. Allowed to breed, they can produce anything from 3 to 9 of the most adorable looking puppies.

Temperament:

The Mioritic Sheepdog is a balanced dog, loving to be with his owners but being wary of strangers. He is a brave dog, willing to guard his human family with his life.

He is also a strong-willed and dominant so it will be to his benefit to be trained and socialized so that he becomes obedient and easy to have around.Training won’t be difficult as he is an intelligent breed and already naturally obedient.

He is an energetic dog too so he will need to have regular exercise and games. He therefore gets on well with children in the home, loving to join in with all their games. He will need to be supervised around small children just because of his cumbersome, large size.

The Indian Pariah dog is just an ordinary dog looking to be a superb companion for you. These are dogs with no airs and graces and in fact they have lots of positive attributes about them.

They are just your ordinary, social dogs who are able to form strong, loyal friendships with their human owners. He is a faithful dog breed and he has had a long association with humans dating back to thousands of years. He is healthy and cheerful and he is just waiting for you to give him a chance so that he can show you what a cheerful, playful, devoted, wonderful friend he can be to you too.

The Mioritic Shepherd has always been used to guard and protect livestock, but even though he has always taken this role seriously, he is calm and loving around his human family, making a splendid family pet.

He also plays the role of guardian and protector of his human family seriously. He is a big strong dog and training and socialization will become necessary as he can become aggressive with certain people who he doesn’t trust.

Inviting one of these dogs into your home will ensure having a constant and loving companion at your side.

This is a dog which can live to between 13 and 15 years of age when he is treated well.

These Indian Pariahs are a natural dog breed, and to this end they are free of genetic health concerns such as hip dysplasia which is a very common ailment with nearly all dogs.

Remember that every dog stands a good chance of picking up some life-threatening illnesses if not vaccinated against them. Some of these diseases to be concerned about are canine distemper and parvo-virus. Rabies, kennel cough and parasites such as fleas and ticks can also pose a real danger to your pet.

The Pariah has been around for a very long time and today he is a robust, low maintenance pet that isn't going to cost you a lot of money .

The Romanian Mioritic Shepherd Dog is a truly hardy dog breed and with good care such as good food and exercise can reach 14 years of age.

There are always some common dog illnesses to look out for and because he is a large dog, hip dysplasia can be a problem.

Hip Dysplasia:

This is a disease where there is abnormal growth of the hip joints. Smooth movement of the joint is hindered and this leads to inflammation and pain.

At first you may find your dog limping and then you may find that after lying down, he battles to get up again. The joint becomes thickened with less mobility and the dog is reluctant to play like he used to. He will certainly need to get to the vet for treatments to make him more comfortable.

This is a low maintenance dog who also happens to shed little. A brush once or twice a week will be sufficient and it will keep the fur shiny and healthy.

General Care:

Your puppy will need to be vaccinated at 6 weeks of age. There are some veterinary clinics in India that offer free vaccine shots. Your puppy will be dewormed too. Make sure he has a nice dry, warm place to sleep, and for during the day, ensure that there is a shady spot for him too.

Diet:

It's always a good idea to try and feed your puppy the best food there is. If you visit a veterinary clinic, find out what the most appropriate food would be for your puppy and how often you should feed him during the day.

If you feed your adult Indian Pariah dog kibble and you're able to, try and add in some home-made food too such as cooked chicken or rice. Some raw meat added in from time to time will also do your dog the world of good. Make sure there is always a bowl of cool, clean water standing by.

The Mioritic Sheepdog’s long hair is coarse and will need to be regularly brushed to keep it free of tangles. It will certainly need to be brushed 2 or 3 times a week, while some owners of this dog will prefer to have the coat professionally clipped. Because of the long hair, while brushing him it is an excellent time to check for ticks and fleas.

Diet:

The food you give your pet plays such a critical role in his health and longevity. Always make sure that you’re giving your pet an uncomplicated diet to avoid stomach upsets.

Give him the best commercially manufactured kibble. To provide him with some variety, add in some boiled chicken, cooked vegetables such as potato, carrots and spinach to his kibble from time to time. He will also benefit greatly from having some raw meat added into the kibble occasionally.

Learn to know which human foods are totally toxic to him and avoid these. Make sure he is never without cool, fresh water.