Rocky is a Karakachan also known as a Bulgarian Shepherd. He is currently 6 months old and from what I have read will grow to be a massively large dog, and very muscular. The Karakachan Dog is one of Europe's oldest breeds and there are very few in the United States. I was lucky to find one in Virginia. The Karakachan is an independent working livestock guardian dog, and is not happy when it is not working. These dogs are very devoted to its master, and will usually bond with any children in the family as well. However, it is not a in the house dog - it must be on a farm, where it will guard goats, sheep and other livestock and may attack intruders. Rocky is already showing signs that he is guarding. He is just a puppy though and our hopes are that he will continue to develop guardian traits. So far he is getting along well with our goats, chickens, and barn cats. He still is unsure about the miniature horses. He does have a very deep bark which I am sure would scare off anything that tries to enter our pastures. At the same time he is very sweet and follows me everywhere. He has his own stall in the goat barn and the goats seem to be comfortable with him. I will keep you posted about his progress.
