A Conversation With Romanian Sheepdogs Guard Dogs - Wolf Killers

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Outside Brasov Romania, stopped to film a sheepherder sheepfolds and his flock; guided by a sheepdog (working dog). Then got surrounded by about 7 of them in my car. Decided to face them to get some photos and film.
Their collars were interesting; metal spiked with dangling handle bars; designed to protect against wolf and bear attack. They all had a single vertically cropped ear meant for better hearing. All males (females too placid or not strong enough?); free to roam and totally unsupervised on this hillside. These dogs were trained to protect sheep from anything; even me.
There were about 12 or more sheepdogs there; some out of site, and when I walked into the field to photograph the corralled sheep, was charged by one I had not won over and the rest came barking. I nearly got bitten and surrounded by 10 of them snarling and nipping at my heels. Stood my ground and tossed food until the Sheppard came and rescued me. Food worked on all but three of them. Was too scared to think of filming it.
The Shepard didn't speak English but I know what he was thinking, "Stupid Tourists"
"Feeding The World--- One Animal At A Time" Dolph C. Volker
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[@Charlotte-ti6oq]

I rescued a Carpathian Shepherd dog from a shelter in Romania and he now lives with me in the UK... utterly amazing dog.. very calm, placid and gentle. He loves lazing around and very welcoming and friendly to strangers, he's intelligent but also stubborn as he has his own mind. The best dog I have ever had.

[@thedigitalismserver9560]

nice

[@danishmohammad4777]

Same here... lovley dogs.. mine looked just like the one showing 1.19 in the video

[@RedBaron26]

I did the same, rescued a Carpatian Shepherd from the shelter. A female, beautiful dog, very friendly but incredbly stubborn.

[@Charlotte-ti6oq]

@@RedBaron26 sadly mine passed away at Christmas. I miss him.

[@RedBaron26]

Always terrible to loose your friends. I feel for you and understand you miss him. I had a Jack Russel before and travelled all around Europe for work and always took him with me. When he passed away i was shattered and promised myself i would not go trough this again, so i decided not to take another dog. I missed him so much. But after a while i also missed the companionship of a dog and when i heard what the fate was of a shelterdog in Rumenia i decided to rescue a puppy. So a puppy was offered to me, I was told it was a dog of mixed breed wich would remain of small/medium size (approx, 15 kg). But she grew up to be a beautiful dog of 38 kg and undeniable a pure breed Carpatian Shepherd (according to a Rumenian breeder of Carpatian Shepherd dogs). Altough i still miss my Jack Russel (Wodan) i am very happy with Zelda, my lovely Carpatian girl.

[@Jefferdaughter]

If you ever see livestock guard dogs at work, please leave them alone! Let them do their job, which is protecting the sheep or other livestock from predators. This might mean humans, too. Do NOT try to 'make friends' with them, or feed them. Just mind your own business and go on with your day. If you want to observe them, do so from a distance, or from inside your car. Thank you - from livestock guardian dog owners everywhere!

[@dkoriss1]

Jefferdaughter Excactly Jeffer, I like people using common sense, in the country side of my country there are areas that shepherds are greatly damaged not because of the four legs predators (they are limited or do not even exists to most of these areas) but they loose the bred of their kids because of two legs predators, cunning thieves, their strategy is to making friends with the dogs, no reason to wonder why if you see the size of the dogs and their fight drive, the only way for the shepherds to protect their income is to keep uncorrupted dogs extremely wary and suspicious against strangers. Of course these dogs they do not have a daily walk into the city's dog park so a little kid is in danger, but if you met them on the mountain where their flock is grazing and a public road cross the area IS BETTER TO ADMIRE THEM FROM REASONABLE DISTANCE, WHERE THEY KEEP CALM LETTING YOU ADMIRE THE MOTHER NATURE INCLUDING THEIR FLOCK AND THEMSELVES, THAN TO STEP DOWN THE CAR AND TRY TO BRIBE THEM WITH FOOD.Some of them they been taught by the shepherd to be worried specifically of the friendly strangers trying to feed bribe them (because this is excactly what the thieves may try to do if they detect the dogs are corrupted) most of them they will ignore food by instinct focusing on to threat coming close to their flock THEIR INSTINCT KICKS TO PROTECT AND FROM THIS POINT THERE NO WAY BACK!!!!

[@tumbleweedking5668]

yeah they are currently working with the romanian govt to put a man on mars smart dogs!!!!

[@zgirboc]

Scott how did you know that, that,s a secret

[@wangdulu]

+Dumnezeu Isus consider American invented computers, internet and youtube so you can talk shit about them

[@zgirboc]

Internet was invented by a french. google a lot of indians romanians and others.

[@pitbull65taz]

Dude.......did you notice they had you totally surrounded at all times? Damn, smart dogs.

[@velvetbiscuit7621]

My family has these type of dogs for generations. The country side was more dangerous and having them guarding meant the world for us. They were so gentle with me when I was a child as well, plus the bond was amazing

[@CheetahWhisperer]

Veer cool.

[@Snoborder95]

Spikes are to keep animals like wolves who aim for necks from hurting the dogs

[@Snoborder95]

lol almost a year later and im still geting occasional likes on this commentXD

[@CheetahWhisperer]

I have an idea for a fictional book about sheep dogs and strays and collected many comments about these dogs. I have about 6 different answers about what these collars are for. Old school thought and modern. I plan on using all the answers in a conversation between the dogs when the subject comes up. I gave you a like.

[@bigfootingermany]

+Dolph C. Volker The collar is a training collar called a "Pinch collar". However in normal training use, it is worn with the "spikes" against the skin of the dog. My German Shepherd, "Moose" must wear one while on a leash. When the dog pulls too hard, the spikes do not imbed in the skin, instead they lay at an angle on the neck and when pulled tight, it grabs a little skin and pinches it. They are very inexpensive and the links can be taken apart to make it smaller, or added to to make it bigger. However, worn the way they are on these dogs, spikes out, I guarantee it's to prevent a wolf from getting a good bite on the neck. My Moose, as wonderful and intelligent as he is, he has a mind of his own, and if he finds a scent on the ground he likes, he completely forgets that we're out there together. He will take off on a dead run hunting whatever it was that left the scent trail. That dangle stick looks like a good idea to keep him from running off. I use a retractable leash, and I've left it hanging under like this a couple of times when we play soccer (his favorite game). But the leash is too big. This stick looks like a great alternative. Thanks for posting this. I'll try a dangle stick. It looked like a piece of pipe. Is that what it was? Bob in Germany

[@johanbtheman]

Yeah... Its för protecting their necks.

[@avlieox]

@@CheetahWhisperer being sheperd dogs, the spikes are meant to help them when fighting against wolves and bears. They won't need those against stray dogs😆.

[@seventiesgirl6449]

They're not afraid of you. They're probably the smarter ones that instinctively distrust strangers and refuse to accept food as a bribe. You should have left these dogs alone because they were waiting for you to leave. Livestock guard dogs instinctively are protective and don't leave the flock.

[@radudruncea1534]

The wood piece at the collar is called " jujau" and is put there to limit the dog's mobility in order to prevent it for hunting wild animals ( deers, etc) . The right lenght of the chain is to let the wood stick to hit the joints if the dog is running.

[@sydable4]

I have a Romanian sheep dog. She's so stubborn and strong. But she is also very sweet. She sleeps like a rug all day and when I take her for a walk she's usually pulling me into a flower bed so that she can sniff the flowers lol. VERY sweet. I call her a gentle giant she just doesn't know her own strength hahaha!

[@kieransidhu]

sydable4 how long do you walk then for?

[@sydable4]

She usually doesn't actually walk that much, but she loves to be outside. I'll only need to walk her for like 15 minutes at most. Every time we walk I end up stopping at a bush for 5 minutes so she can smell the flowers. She hardly ever runs but she could easily spring into action if she needs to.

[@kieransidhu]

Good to know, thanks. A one year old is carptherian cross is avaliable at the rescue centre but I only have a small yard :'(

[@gabicraioveanu2590]

You do not need a big yard, only pay attention to some facts. At one year old it is a bit to late to train it and socialise it to other dogs and pets. Aggression towards another dogs is a mark of all Carpathian and Mioritic dogs. I am Romanian I am honest to You. If You have friends that own dogs, do not aspect to pay You visits with their dogs, due to extremely teritorial aspects of the race. The training starts before six month, but may be You are lucky and the pup is more sociable.

[@XVRMEDIA]

She will protect you from pitbull :)

[@Angorawoolwitch]

The collars, as you guessed, are to prevent predators from tearing their throats open. The sticks attached to them are commonly called "dangle sticks". These serve as reminders to stay within their territory, as they tend to catch when a dog starts to go through a fence or hedge. Judging from the size of that flock, those dogs are ALL guarding that flock. When they reach their grazing pasture, the dogs will guard the flock even as it spreads out over several acres. The dogs became less aggressive not because of the food you brought, but because you weren't moving toward their herds. Had they judged you to be a threat to the flock, no amount of kibble would have deterred them. Livestock guardian dogs think and judge much more than other dogs. They might not be pedigreed, but they are certainly livestock guardian breeds such as Ovcharka, Central Asian Shepherd, Pyrenees or Anatolian. My own Anatolian, btw, stands just over three feet tall at the shoulder and weighs in at 126 lbs.

[@ms.shalidor2169]

My sis told me that a friend had given her a puppy called romanian raven shephered dog. So I came here to check some vids about the breed. I must say their guard instict is high and eversince he was brought to us, he's always watching and guarding our blind mother . Anyone who passes by our gate, he would not stop barking them until they leave.

[@dddddangel]

Amazing. My dog is descended from these great dogs. You can tell by her guarding and herding instinct and appearance, yet she is great with other dogs. I got her from Romania as a pup, she is so beautiful and intelligent and she means the world to me.

[@E.R.U.42]

Hey, I am from Romania :D You have some balls to do that man :)) You got lucky

[@E.R.U.42]

john boy Man, I'm not mad at you, but first, you need to do some research, for real! Yes we have a big problem with the gypsies, but the Romanian people are no gypsies! We have a lot of good things that influenced the history of the world. Great poetry and other art forms. Don't judge by seeing the worst, search for the best. :)

[@mikes3827]

illHeartzcrew Why is Romania so synonymous with gypsies? Is that where they originated? And how many of them are there in your country now?

[@E.R.U.42]

Mike S Their number are growing... I don't know how many they are right now. But we have a big problem with them. They are from India, I guess, but migrated everywhere in the world.

[@mikes3827]

Oprean Gabriel Does "gypsy" basically mean wanderer? I never understood how they got their name.

[@E.R.U.42]

The1Raven1 You cannot compare 1 state to 50

[@anna7119]

Very nice video.. so thank you so much for it. Its very interesting to see how Romanian Sheepdogs Guard Dogs have in Romania. Thank you. xoxo from Sweden

[@benjaminteutschlander3973]

Hey . I am from Romania. The dogs were collers with spikes , for neck protection against predatours and aeach other. The neck is the dogs weakest point , and that is the first part a predatour would bite . The stick beneath their necks is to stop them from reaching the necessary speed to catch deers. They each had an ear up and one down because one ear was cut off by the shepperd , when they were cubs , to make them meaner against strangers and predatours .

[@bulllea]

ok ... too much guessing here . those are special spiked collars . the only purpose is protection of the neck against wolf bites . Romania is at second place in the world in regard of both wolf and bear populations . second in the world ! Russia come first . a dog like that is aware of the presence or absence of his special collar . is more willing to engage the predators when the collar is on . the stick hanging on the dog's neck is for limiting the running speed of the dog . prevent the dog for chasing game . a shepherd dog that do not wear that in a hunting area or in a close range of one is shot on the spot by game rangers . "one up one down" is purely cosmetics . each shepherd have his own style of cropping and docking . it help him recognize his dogs easier and give his dogs a menacing look . some shepherds have one or two true dangerous dogs, usually chained by day time . one can be a wolf fighter or a bear biter or even a attack on sight dog no matter man or beast . they release this dog by night or when situation demand it . this dog will engage the enemy first and will lead the pack into the battle . legends are told about these brave dogs . they are the shepherd's most cherish possession .

[@CheetahWhisperer]

In my ABOUT section, I mention one dog that was excessively aggressive and charged me. He came close to biting me as well as others, but I stood my ground while waiting for the Shepard rescue me. It would have been great video to entertain the masochists out there.

[@bighands69]

Dolph C. Volker I am sorry but you never should have left that vehicle and the second you seen them you should of at the very least got into the vehicle. It is not because these dogs are some killer animals but in a pack all it requires is for on dog to be aggressive and the rest could just follow its lead.

[@ddbdbubbles]

Bull Lea thanks for that extremely interesting story.

[@valentinalexandru8890]

Hello, The stick is mandatory for all sheepdogs that are near by forests, otherwise the rangers can shoot them down. The purpose is to slow them down if they try to run after wild life. Romania still has a large population of bears and wolfs. In some areas of the country we have to guard the corn, orchards and vineyards,sometimes using these dogs, or the wild boars and bears will make havoc.

[@Henry-jp3mc]

I adopted one and she's the most quiet gentle animal I've ever seen.

[@CheetahWhisperer]

I had one stray stay at my cabin in the Mts near Brosov that had ran away from their sheep keepers, probably because she was abused and not respected. She was skittish and didn't trust anyone but stayed around and kept the bears out of my property. I fed her and three other strays. She had the cropped ears and looked like a sheep dog.

[@Henry-jp3mc]

Yes, mine has one cropped ear. Very nervous and shy but getting used to living indoors and loves nicking the settee.

[@CheetahWhisperer]

@@Henry-jp3mc cOOL! Thx for taking care of a dog that had a tough life and gets to see benefit of retirement. I was never able to touch this stray sheep dog that protected my place.

[@AwayToMeBus]

The spikes prevent wolves/other dogs from biting the neck. The sticks on the collars are called dangle sticks. Why they're all wearing them I don't know, they're usually used in training to prevent the dogs from playfully chasing the sheep (stick hits their knees when they run). Feeding and interacting with these dogs was not wise. It is their job to protect their flock and you are distracting them and teaching them that strangers carry food. Just not cool.

[@bluecollarcanuck]

I wouldn't say that they learn that "all" strangers carry food- just that that particular one proved to be friendly. Like their wild ancestors, the dogs would take any opportunity to fill their bellies, as long as whatever's near them doesn't prove to be a threat.

[@genin002]

The "dangle sticks" are to prevent the dogs hunting wild animals (rabbits,deers), by limiting the speed of the dog.

[@cocardase]

the sticks is for not run too fast and catch deer or something else,,,is a law in romania the shepperd dogs who heave no sticks can be shot by the legal hunter,so that s why the shepperd dogs must have that stiks....PS..sorry for language

[@sanesanchezs]

Jen imagine you're working as a border guard somewhere and during another of the many boring work days, some stranger passes by to socialize with you, maybe even gives you a bottle of soda or whatever. It's the little things, that bring you happiness. These dogs are the very same.

[@dkoriss1]

Jen Fitzwater Very correctly noticed Jen

[@lastwolflord]

Those dogs had you exactly where they wanted you. Completely surrounded. Also I would bet that one dog eating out of your hand was the alpha.

[@CheetahWhisperer]

+lastwolflord There was no escape, but I read dogs real well and knew they would not attack as long as I didn't make any sudden movements or try running. Once I had them wanting food.... puddy. All animals are corruptible and probably we humans animals too.

[@byby2291]

The dangle sticks is to prevent the shepard dogs to catch and kill the wildlife of the area ,a pack of shepard dogs can easy knoked down a wild boar or a deer so the shepard is obligated by the law to put the dangle on his dogs.

[@ursie1986]

The cropped right ear is due to the fact that most dogs are "Right handed" IE in defensive situations they will side-on right to the aggressor, and when patrolling as these do they will usually remain with their strongest (right) side out, so cropping enables better perception on the outside of the flock (the direction threat would approach). It also serves as a kind of "brand" for identification. Spiked collars are to prevent fatal bites from predators - which instinctively lock their jaws onto this most vulnerable part of their prey/challenger. The bars prevent the running-down of prey (they can't reach full speed). And yep, kind of self indulgent and detrimental to their own good to treat them like poor little puppies.

[@holdyourhorses1736]

+cx1735 So glad you knew! Thanks for answering all of my questions.

[@JoeShotYouDown]

+cx1735 how does the bar prevent them from reaching full speed?

[@chloexxxx8737]

+Joseph Pina lol yeah

[@ursie1986]

Joseph Pina It interrupts their "gallop" rhythm.

[@Epicuriia]

Thank you the crop looks really weird due to the hair all i could think was "dang someone has been hard scrapping to loose a ear."

[@Ed-wt3jn]

These dogs will take a fucking wolf pack down. They are not to be messed with. I'm from Romania, and when I went in a trip with my parents in the mountains I saw a bear trying to attack the sheep and only two of them literally took down the bear, until the bear ran off. They are fucking amazing.

[@wallsofmystery3537]

kaneis de se pistepse re kakomoirh

[@riceballanimations8962]

+Cookie Muncher haha no they are no match for a wolf 1 on 1 it is because that there are so many of them and because of the spikes that they can win. also european wolf don`t form packs they are only with their mate and young. or alone most of the time

[@hollycow123445]

+RiceBallAnimations These dogs are quite a bit bigger than your average wolf, and far better fed. A wolf is in it for survival and isn't bred to be big and powerful. These dogs know their job is to destroy wolves and have the muscle to do it even one on one.

[@Ryuushun]

SchmeddyBallz the average male Romanian wolf is probably 45 kgs, these male dogs are probably around the same weight. At parity the large subspecies of gray wolf will nearly always beat a dog one on one.

[@bellaxx4246]

riceballanimations. you are completely wrong, all wolves are in packs.. they howl for a reason. These dogs are known to kill wolves in romania 1 on 1. they aren't domestic they are purely wild but have been taught who the leader of their pack is which is the shepherd.

[@thebluehotel426]

This is one of my favorite videos.🧡

[@CheetahWhisperer]

So cool. I love all dogs and was really happy to see and encounyer these working dogs just out there with their sheep and masters. About 12 of em.

[@neuroleptika]

the ones that didnt want to eat from your hand was not afraid of you, it was probably because they where lower in rang and the friendly dog had claimed you as his, and the food

[@chuckyt9083]

Great video, man; and excellent still pics at end. Thanks for sharing.

[@Daniel-ww8yp]

You dont want to get nailed by a carpathian Shepard trust me, we have one, they are VERY territorial, VERY protective of whats theirs and they WILL die protecting what is THEIRS, they are there to protect the herds and shepards from wolves and they do a bloody good job of it too

[@Dumitech]

The handle bars are for prevent deer hunting....dogs can't run fast enough to catch deers because they will hit the handle bars with front legs

[@horiatomescu]

And haze or bunnies too...they do tend to run after them

[@alexandergunda8916]

what you have shown here in this video (THX for sharing BTW) is exactly the way shepherd dogs should behave. Inteligent and not overly agressive towards people. Towards predators, that's another story. The stick (called "Jujau") is also used as a signal towards hunters that this one is not a stray dog but one in an active "employment" - A Dog with a Job

[@CheetahWhisperer]

Very cool and traditional.

[@douglasalan7786]

100 years ago when I was a pup a guy moved to the neighborhood from Poland and brought one with him. Black and white. He couldn't speak a lick of English so I called the dog Shamrock. Followed me all over the neighborhood.Great dog.

[@Matt-cw1mv]

this guy has balls of steel

[@YankeeWoodcraft]

LOL When you pan the camera around and land on each dog, it reminds me of a scene from The Omen! Nice to see them like this though, in a natural state. Thanks for posting.

[@CheetahWhisperer]

+Yankee Woodcraft Glad you liked this. A small bit of ancient culture that is still alive in Romania.

[@irish-medi-weed-grower5240]

+Yankee Woodcraft lol...their natural state would be in a wolf pack..there is nothing natural about domesticated dogs ...

[@CheetahWhisperer]

For those who see man as an outsider to nature, yes it's un-natural for man to naturally select for traits. But not me... I see man as part of nature, not external to it. So if we manipulated an animal due to our intelligence, then it is natural. Though I don't approve of much of it, like gene manipulation that China is doing and will do to man itself. Cloning. Same thing happens in nature when two closely related species mate, like a polar and brown bear, wolf and coyote, big cats. Something new is created and viable. A hybrid. There is massive debate that could be argued about Darwin, the philosophers, creationism, naturalists but not to be debated here. There are scholars who could teach you about such philosophies, theologies and facts. One day, wolves and man began interacting with each other 1000s years ago; probably sharing or observing hunting techniques and the friendly wolves approached and became a part of mans primitive lives. Those wolves were tamed or their pups were and used to hunt. Eventually, only friendly wolves were bred and the dog appeared. That is quite natural to me.

[@irish-medi-weed-grower5240]

Dolph C. Volker I enjoyed your answer ,but for me it was more of a deliberate act by we the human to remove our competitors and then, manipulate the pups we decide to keep, to turn provider for man...as for hybrids being viable...hardly ,as most of them will be infertile as with a jackass or a liger or a tigon... as for the scholars who could teach me so much , I would rather not .... as for manipulating animals because of our intelligence . of course you are right. whether now we don't need said animals to do our bidding any more , I feel that keeping animals in cages and treating them like accessories rather than the animal they are is a trait we need to evolve away from...

[@Scolopandre91]

+uk-medi-weed-grower does it seem to you that they are being kept in cages? treated like accessories? I could understand your point of view about industrial production of meat, or cats and dogs kept in apartments, but these dogs? Really?

[@JohnWhite-zt5gb]

Nice pictures at the end! Cant wait to visit! My co-worker had a couple of these imported, now has a dozen!

[@CheetahWhisperer]

Have fun and enjoy the culture...

[@BlajDodo]

the bar that you see hanging at the collar is there to let the hunters know that they are shepherd dogs so they don't shoot them

[@qpae123]

I don't even want to imagine how this guys will react to a bicycle :))

[@qpae123]

On a second thought, very beautifull dogs . Will make great pet !

[@a0flj0]

qpae123 Had the "pleasure" - luckily I knew what they are capable of, so I just lost the sole of a shoe - my kick went straight into the dog's open snout, which promptly closed, so when I pulled my leg back, at maybe 30 km/h on a slight slope downwards, I pulled it without the sole of the shoe. A friend of mine, touring a different region, bent a bicycle pump on such a dog's head - the dog not even slightly backing off after being hit. And yes, they are great pets. No, that's wrong - they're the best dog in the world, and they aren't pets, they are family. They grow close to your heart like no other breed I have owned. But you typically can't afford to keep them - they require a great open space for patrolling as their territory, during their first year of life you need to spend most of the day with them, and at least a few hours a day after that for life. (Told you, they're family, not pets.) They leave lots of long hair everywhere, throughout the year, and their size makes most homes unfit for keeping them indoors. And they can't stand heat - I knew one that spent most of its summer days in a cellar, coming out only at night (you walk around with an almost 4" fur coat during the summer, then you'll understand).

[@dustinfisher29]

qpae123 If you don´t like visitors in your house.... than: yes a nice pet

[@a0flj0]

dustinfisher29 Not really. They're very social, as long as their master, or anyone they consider part of the household, is around - as you can see in the video. They're not the typical guard dog for sure.

[@dustinfisher29]

Erm..... but these are "working" dogs. They roam all day, guard the flock.... imagine one of them locked up in an appartement or suburb... If you got a farm yard where they can live out their instincts maybe. But for sure you would end up with an overprotective, contantly barking dog...

[@butterflyeffects1387]

“Modern Day Herder with a cell phone” lmao 😂

[@DCBKSL]

You can tell the two who wouldn't take the food took their job serious & were still cautious, & also were the first to address the new car passing by Lol. Think one Og the same ones who were barking at him originally too

[@CheetahWhisperer]

Those two were the badasses.... if I had RUN instead of remained calm, those two were ready to chase me for sure.

[@DCBKSL]

+Dolph C. Volker No question. shocked the hell out of me when the brown & white one ended up behind you/the car so quick as you were watching the black & white one bark, like he was waitin for you to make a move.

[@CheetahWhisperer]

HAhaha Surprised me as well. I just acted like everything was OK. :) Then the mood calmed quickly and when food showed up.... putty.

[@Zinferbuddy]

this was fun to watch :) your commentary is enjoyable. Cool dogs XD

[@CheetahWhisperer]

Glad you liked it. I wish I had provided more of the video since so many enjoyed watching it.

[@CCXAlex]

I heard they are one of the only dogs who can fight a bear and live to "bark" the story :)

[@dkoriss1]

CCXAlex In groups yes, but other breeds may do even better, again speaking in groups, breeds like Caucasian Ovcharka, Central Asian Ovcharka, Boerboels, Presa canarios, Fila brazileiros are some of them.

[@dracowar6]

@@dkoriss1 but only in romania do dogs actually have to chase or fight bears regularly, since other countries with similar bear populations, such as russia or canada, do not have a large and very much active shepherd culture.

[@Jlynn1998]

They are so cute! I love pictures!

[@stylebender007]

Well done, I enjoyed watching :)

[@nicusormurdeala8649]

beautiful dogs

[@silviu56nomi]

In Romania are a lot of bears so they really are helpful

[@Rocadog]

Wonderful dogs!

[@CheetahWhisperer]

They were very cool but I'm a dog person so like them all.

[@Connor13December]

Love your videos man!

[@flake452]

Cool video, the reason they don't look like pedigree dogs is because they have been bred to work not fit to some sort of show standard.

[@mustang587]

Where I live there is a pack of about 30 stray dogs some of them are really friendly others are territorial, they never attack just growl and bark, we saw a new one there about a year ago, she was so cute we adopted her, now they best dog I've ever owned.

[@CheetahWhisperer]

+Mustang People get brainwashed thinking everything is bad; that is wild. Not the case. And most animals don't want to fight because they could get injured and then die. It is what happens in the wild. A simple injury could lead to death. And especially a wild but domesticated dog will respond to food and you will win it over every time.

[@MegaSasukeAmaterasu]

Great vid and pics! Thanks for sharing! Must have been fun :)!

[@CheetahWhisperer]

Glad you liked it. Spending time with dogs and animals is my greatest joy. Spent a week up there at the bear sanctuary but only visited the sheepdogs twice. Would love to do a 'dog'umentary on sheepherders; would be very educational. Seeing the populatity of this subject, wish I had not cut some much to the editing room floor.

[@Free2hateme]

:)) ... it's not that funny ...when you pass by and they attack you, because the sheppard is not close enough, that land is not private property ...and the dogs are walking loose around ... :P ... belive me ... similar dogs ... i was out fishing ...we were 5 ppl ...and around the same number of dogs circled us ... note: i have a 15 yo dog and i also like them a lot ... but you must be responsible for the dogs you own!

[@Gabriel98064]

Free2hateme m8, i was in the same position like u with the diference i was alone on the river fishing and 8 roumanian sheperd come in hury, barking verry furiously but i own 3 caucasian sheperds so i'm used to big dogs, i escaped from them when i throw them food, always worked, especialy that 99% of these sheepherders are retards and they dont care for the dogs as it should be!

[@Gabriel98064]

Oprean Gabriel oh, and in my profile picture i hold a one month baby caucasian sheperd wich is now 2 years old and 78 kilogram :P

[@MegaSasukeAmaterasu]

78kg LOOOL! I have a Pitbull/staff mix with 37 and i think his big lol!

[@gooberbeans7972]

Love the pictures at the end of the video.

[@crabtrap]

you know the dog is tough, when he carries his own lead pipe!

[@LuvBorderCollies]

Food. The international language. LOL

[@HuFilms]

wow, really cool vid. enjoyed this

[@Snoborder95]

Haha one of the things you'll learn very soon after finding a flock if sheep is that those guard dogs are very good at their job

[@razorsharpful]

The one eating from your hand was the leader.

[@cristianfotbalistu]

that last picuture ! awesome !

[@danleca2120]

The stick around the neck is called JUJEU. Shepherds are forced by law to put it on dogs neck, it prevents them from sprinting, so they cannot chase and kill wild animals like foxes, rabbits etc while out with the sheeps

[@bluewinter6660]

I WOULD NEVER LET MY BEAUTIFUL DOG FIGHT AGAINST BEAUTIFUL WOLVES.

[@jlvanwatoughest]

Great video and pictures

[@CheetahWhisperer]

+jlvanwatoughest Thanks! It was a cultural encounter that was unexpected and rewarding. Thanks for watching!

[@ljkyekennels]

Very Interesting information!

[@Nehps0]

The spiked collars are commonly used on Kangal dogs to help protect against Wolves as they go for the neck/throat area.

[@pallomalopes114]

aiiiii td lindo . sonho !!!

[@tiseliteionut.6487]

The handle bars prevents the dog from running after rabbits,deer,etc

[@pirvustefanedward]

Wow man !!! You got lucky as hell I'm from romanian and trust me they are not nice at all

[@CheetahWhisperer]

I LOVED your country and all the dogs; specially the strays. I fed the strays while I was there and a group of them guarded my cabin as a reward. There was one mean one at this sheepfold but he was too scared to bite me when I stopped and faced him. The others were easily won over by my confidence and food.

[@pirvustefanedward]

Yeah man they are not bad....just very loyal, and plus the stray ones are good aswell just the fact that the country is to stupid to care about them I like people like you who care about animal and actually have a heart so thank you :)

[@wolf3104]

Actually they are nice with good people. They can smell you . Ofc, they are bad if you are a cun..t.

[@fatpotg5348]

Ingenious for the Romanians to put spiked collars on these brave noble dogs. When a wolf goes for the throat, he'll get spiked in his mouth.

[@CheetahWhisperer]

+FatPot G Yeah, this is medieval stuff. Man has put spiked collars on dogs for centuries. I've seen them. Really cool old hand made hammered out metal collars. I tried finding one for sale but only saw them in museums in Europe.

[@fatpotg5348]

Dolph C. Volker lol I thought this was recent development. Didn't know it's been used since medieval times.

[@moldovanhoratiumihai4235]

+Dolph C. Volker , Hey, want one? Maybe I can help ya...

[@CheetahWhisperer]

Moldovan Horatiu Mihai I would love to have an authentic dog used Romanian spike collar if you are serious. One with the wooden base stick and metal spikes.

[@rapy4rapy]

What have you done is like the bear that throwing meat to the dogs :( not all the sheep dogs have to be big dogs . one type is for drive the sheeps usualy little dogs in romania . second type " alarm" dogs , medium size and more active . and the 3-rd is the the big power tools to fight with the wolf and bears ( carpathian , corb , mioritic or bucovina shepherd dogs )

[@fredflintstone1547]

this simple video meets two incredibly seperate worlds

[@judofan8788]

I understand the spike collar, but that stick hanging from the collar, does it strike the dog 🐶 in the face when they run after a predator ?

[@65water]

That is a great vid. So many dogs. I would stay in the car. Brave from you.

[@CheetahWhisperer]

A fellow dog lover. Welcome. After living with dogs since I was born, you get to know how to read them. I knew most of these would not attack, unless I did something to provoke them.

[@kevinp9407]

The photos at the end! I want more!

[@CheetahWhisperer]

Cool! I used to be an armature photographer and dropped those photos in the video. I love dogs and wilderness/landscapes.

[@GholaTleilaxu]

These were mixed races shepherd dogs from the plains. The Carpathian shepherd dogs from the mountains are bigger, meaner and have a thicker coat.

[@CheetahWhisperer]

Cool...

[@CheetahWhisperer]

I gathered these Shepherds bred these dogs, cropped their ears, trained, crafted the spiked collars, and sold them. There were too many sheepdogs for a single herd of sheep. And included puppies in the little barn; all living in the open hills surrounded by the Carpathian Mountains.

[@mimisor66]

The dogs guard the flock against predators (wolves, bears), so they are not too many. Romania has many wolves and bears.

[@Beoshamon]

In my (not so) humble opinion... you did two things wrong. 1. You got OUT of your car in the middle of a pack of WORKING guard dogs. In this you got really lucky... they acted appropriately and weren't overly aggressive. 2. You gave them treats and interfered with their job. Had I been the shepherd on duty, I would have run you off for messing with my dogs' ability to do their job. These are NOT pets, as you pointed out. By the way, how did you get back to your car? Did they peacefully part and let you go, or did they hold you for ransom for more treats?

[@CheetahWhisperer]

Upon some hindsight perhaps you're right. I know not to interfere with police, security, guide, and special needs dogs without asking 1st. I would not want these sheepdogs to be fired from their job and be abandoned. I had the dog food for the hundreds of strays I saw wondering the countryside. These sheepdogs looked way better than them. By the time I was done photographing, I was like any other sheepherder to the ones around the car. But I was attacked by one in the field out of sight later. He got close to biting me. That's when I met the sheepherder in the beginning of the clip and he allowed me to take some photos.

[@nicoene9196]

Dolph C. Volker Sheepdogs are not stray dogs. They are fed and taken care of. They have an owner. They will not be abandoned or killed, I don't know why you were suggesting that. Also, these are not pure breed. We have an interesting breed, called Ciobanesc Mioritic that has a very special diet and can die if he eats beef, corn etc. Don't feed other people's dogs.

[@dukeman7595]

Their not your dogs so can't and won't

[@danleca2120]

Nico Ene you talk nonsense!!!!! Half of them are bucovina shepherd and carpathian shepherd dogs. Ansdno, mioritic breed doesn t die from corn, or beef, that s absurd!!!! mamaliga(corn flour) / polenta is their main source of food.

[@spacebatstuckonearth8888]

I can't contain.....itz tu cutuutt......tuu cutuuut

[@aecrim851]

THE STICK is called "Jujeu" and limits a little bit the dogs capacity to chase wild animals, also stops him to jump off a big fence (if he tries to jump, the front legs touch the stick and the dogs reflexes makes him stop) and even if he fits throu the bars of a standard fence the sticks stops him. So, a simple remote controle with no buttons of the sheepman.

[@marianmanzatu566]

It's not handel bar for leading...it's for avoid hunting small animals like rabits, squirl. foxes...

[@EEEEMMMMKKKK]

I plan a motorcycle trip to Romania, what is your advice to do when these dogs surround me and barking?

[@CheetahWhisperer]

You can't stop them but if they are in front of you, best stop and wait for the Shepard, otherwise speed on by if they can't reach your bike. Standing ground makes nearly 99% of them afraid and just bark and surround you.

[@personalchallenge8205]

your funny, love this

[@GusturiNaturale]

I have a passion for Romanian guard dogs, so I will try to answer some of your quetions/coments in the video. - The the diferent ear size/shape is not breed feature, as you have guessed. One ear was severed as a pup, but not for better hearing. In many cases, shepherds are severing both ears and tail of guard dogs, to prevent fatal injuries in combat with wild beasts. Pulling on the ear might result in ripping off the skull and a serious tail blow/bite, in spine injury. But it is not the case with the dogs in your video, as they have only half of one ear severed and the tail intact. The tip or half of the ear was cut, and then burned with red hot metal, also, they burn their muzzle(nose) with a hot metal. As barbaric as it sounds (and it is), it's a practice that if done as a pup, Through the healing process alows the development of a very strong imunitary system. It is an ancient practice, but eve today most shepherds don't haveacces to (or don't trust) modern medicine. - The spiked collars look like war weapons beacause that's what they are. Indeed, against wolf attacks, which, alike dogs attack at the neck/throat. A stray has no chance against these guys even with three paws tied behind their backs... no need for extra protection and the bear usualy atacks with strong blows to the body. There is litle to do against that, that's why a good guard dog never charges a bear, but only harasses it. Pack harassment is the best way, as the bear can't focus on one target to charge. The bear usualy bites when the oponent puts little/less resistance or finds a vulnerable spot (like biting on the tail if they make the stupid mistake to turn their back, or... have an unsevered tail). - The handle bar hanging by their collars are are called "jujeu" and are ment to prevent them from running. This prevents them from chasing femeles in heat from outside the pack and away from the herd (even wolf females), hunting wild animals, which could carry all kind of diseases, fatal for them, or getting to warmed up in harassing and chasing herd attackers into their terf, long after the danger to the herd is eliminated. Some of the ones in the video are not properly hanged/worn. It must hang approximatly at the half of the front legs, so it would hit on the tibia, if they run. This is made of wood, not metal, because it should be a disconfort when runing, but not cause injuries. - Indeed, most of them are much too friendly for guard dogs. Still, the ones that are being reluctant of eating out of your hand are not afraid. I am not saying never, but until now, I haven't seen or heard of Romanian shepherd dogs (refering to breeds, like the ones in the video) to be afraid of a stranger, on their teritory or near the herd. Causion or distrust maybe. I hope you enjoyed your stay in Romania and thank you for presenting our shepherd dogs in their own element - herding. All the best! Mihai

[@CheetahWhisperer]

mihai soare Thanks for the info. Been collecting answers over the past year or so from commenters. Love it. I'm using all of them all in a fictional book I plan on writing about sheepdogs, inspired by both my experience in Romania, the bear sanctuary I volunteered at, these sheepdogs, the strays there, and the commenters here. In the story, a conversation comes up between the sheepdogs among themselves about why they wear the dangling jujeus. Each one comes up with a different reason. The answers are as diverse as the conversations in these posts. I thought it would be funny how each sheepdog has a different answer, but only the wisest one reveals how it really began and how it has morphed over the years. I may call upon you in a year or so for more details about what really goes on in a sheepfold; the travels, the training, the nights, and days, the encounters, the life. If you do, I'll mention your name as a contributor in my book. My book is a semi-children's fictional story about an ongoing battle between a sheepdog clan and a pack of strays living close by. I won't start writing until end of this year or next. Many other projects to consider before them.

[@laure5333]

@@CheetahWhisperer It would be an interesting book but there is not such things like a "battle" between shepherd dogs and stray dogs doesn't matter how heavily fictionalized that book might be... In the unlikely eventuality ,what would be will end in the carnage of the so unlucky stray dogs...!!!

[@CheetahWhisperer]

@@laure5333 CUrious... for sure. But I've seen stray dogs out in the farm roads between cities and that is what triggered one of the scenarios. These shepherd dogs are in the farm fields and they have to come across some of them... they are probably all dead and why we don't see many street and shepherd dogs close to each other.

[@WILD__THINGS]

right on bro

[@dseednorwayn47]

not the smartest thing to do, but nice to see it all went well.

[@anna7119]

Oh.. now i see.. have been in here and left a comment about 2 years ago. Well.. will leave a comment again. Only want to say that the dogs sure do look little bit sad. And they have a hard life over there.. and maybe never feel humans love. Beautiful dogs!

[@diane9247]

To me, they just look like working dogs. They aren't pets in the sense that they live in a house and get baths and so on. Like border collies, they could probably be turned into pets, but they would always need a job. If they don't have one, they get bored and can even get neurotic. If anything, they look a little hungry, but working dogs in much of the world are hungry. Personally, I feel that if a dog or any working animal is given good food it will work better! That's just not the attitude in some areas of the world.

[@laurae4844]

Actually, they are loved. Shepherds love and care for their dogs.

[@CuriousOne31]

Lmao...you're lucky they didn't chew you up, some of these guys are extremely aggressive, they don't socialize much, and they eat wolves and bears for breakfast...very lucky indeed!

[@ochiulformatt]

he knew how to handle them somehow.

[@pira707]

you know this dude deals with fucking cheetahs and shit? and panthers.

[@user-zy9yg2eu5t]

They don't eat bears for Breakfast, if a bear attacked the only thing a dog could do is deter it by a show of force. Jesus man, they are dogs

[@ovidiulitiu7448]

The bars hanging are for stoping the dogs from chasing wild game.

[@CheetahWhisperer]

Thank you. I've read many explanations for the dangling bars and this is the majority of them.

[@KeillaSellay]

Dolph C. Volker The spikes and the bars serve 2 purposes: - to protect the dog from wolf neck bites that would be probably fatal for the dog - to impede the dog to chase at full speed wild game like deers, since wild game is protected by law, and can be hunted only during hunting season

[@swingro2011]

When they startet to bark the car got scared.

[@lurchutube]

I have an aussie shephard that has one ear up and one floppy just like those pups. Interesting.

[@boby0192]

That look @ 1:10 is priceless: "Uhm, sir... sorry to interrupt... but you're kinda on our territory..."

[@ldy.darkhorse9800]

I have two Bulgarian Karakachan Dogs.. Love them! Absolutely amazing guardians. Watching your baby animals (in my case Pygmy Goats) snuggle up and climb on them.. Yet knowing if anything comes after them these dogs will kill it. (It takes my male about two seconds to snap the neck of some pretty large predators.)

[@Mrius86]

The sad look on that dog's face breaks my heart.

[@Lea_Kaderova]

Well they are working dogs not pets.

[@rickyw.2631]

Mrius86 working dogs is fine, I just wish I could give them all treats now and then, u know?

[@xgensean]

good dogs

[@annam.addison2129]

Hello, Dolph... what were you doing in Romania? It is beautiful country and you showed us a different setting with your film. Thank you for that... Take Care, Anna

[@CheetahWhisperer]

Hello. I sent 2 weeks at a Romanian bear sanctuary and this high plains field had these sheep and dogs so I spent some time with them. This was my 1st time volunteering since I was a boy in the service of animals. It started my volunteer addiction and now do nothing else for vacations. I really liked the stray dogs there as well, did not touch them so much because they were too dirty and possibly diseased, but kept several around my rental house to keep me company in the Mts and keep the bad bears away. I fed the strays and some Gypsy kids.

[@annam.addison2129]

You're a giver... So, this was before Cheetah Experience? I'm sorry I was not looking at the dates of release... Thank you taking the time to respond to my comments... You are home and working, so you must be busy... Thank you. TC, Anna

[@waqqodonkey]

nice!

[@jamesdebearn4362]

In the Pyrenees even there are some of the ski resort places and up the col d'aubisque which is famous for the tour de France they have signs up official signs put there by the government or whatever saying to leave the shepherd dogs alone and not to bother them because the Pyrenees sheepdogs actually live with the sheep

[@snugbug5067]

I don't know what your arrangements you had with the Sheppard, but while you were distracting the canine security team from their job, their flock was not really being protected fully. and I believe you were very LUCKY they sort of took a liking to you.

[@Crazy1991Rocker]

Nice! But usually it's dangerous to get so close to them. Sheperds ar part of romanian tradition in Transylvania for making chese and other milk stuffs particularly on contry life. There is a place full of traditions named "Marginimea Sibiului" (Sibiu Surroundings) :D

[@andrewbrindescu6666]

those spike collars are to protect the dog when fight with wolfs or bears from beaten or grab by the neck

[@andrewbrindescu6666]

those wood bars are to be recognize as shepherd dog and not to be pick as stray dog and euthanize. the other reason as the saying goes is to hit the knees for not runing too fast

[@miamor5929]

+andrew brindescu wait so the bar is for the dog sheep dog, to not run fast?

[@andrewbrindescu6666]

+R.R Garcia I am not positiv but what I been told.also for not be pick as stray dog and eutanise

[@andrewbrindescu6666]

+R.R Garcia yes is true for not runing too fast and chase wild animals deer and such. Only bears wolfs aloud

[@miamor5929]

andrew brindescu ahh i see but in a way it forces the dogs to stand and fight with little leg movements ? I was watching this guard dog i think its a Pyrase (how ever you spelt it) those dog are good watch dogs,

[@TheBlackDeck]

2:00 the spikes are to protect them from wolf attacks on their neck, im not sure what the stick is for, perhaps to distract the wolf, and make the wolf leave its own neck open for attack as the wolf pulls on the stick? -e 2:10 your assumption was pretty spot on.

[@andre27042]

FYI spikes in the collar have the purpose of preventing wolves/other dogs from biting the neck zone (which most likely would mean get killed in few seconds)

[@DAYANA666]

Never fed a pack of dog if you don't raise them yourself ! You could have create a fight between them ! Especially if these are male pack ! I understand your feeling and desire to share them food but ... you could have seen live a drama ! Lucky you... most of them wasn't interested about those dry food so they have not seen a rivalry for these nuggets!

[@snugbug5067]

Adespota Francesca I was thinking the exact same thing !!

[@thetwilightspirit69]

Keep in mind that these dogs live together, sleep together and eat together. If a squabble about food would occur I'm sure the dogs could have sorted it out rather quickly like wovles do. Dogs are usually pretty good at settling arguments within their own pack, especially if they are used to living like this on their own.

[@susanda9469]

Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.

[@CheetahWhisperer]

(: You have to live to die.

[@dkoriss1]

Dolph C. Volker This is very true Dolph, as it is very true the ..vise versa, if you die you cannot live again, unfortunately

[@ravange94]

what are the bars on the callors for?

[@CheetahWhisperer]

Most say it is to prevent them from running too fast and getting too far ahead of sheep, but some say it is for identification so hunters won't shoot them and mistake them for strays and required by law. Others think the real reason was lost centuries ago and just for looks.

[@ioand88]

and the real answer for the bars is so they won't chase wild animals or people, the bars slow them down when they are running. Also these bars are meant just for the aggressive dogs who go after people and wild animals. I' am originally from Romania, and i spent a lot of time in the mountains doing this kind of work. From what i see, these dogs are very soft, and don't even need the bars, but in my village a stranger would never get that close to the herd dogs, they would eat him alive.

[@MrGathernomoss]

It's called "jujau". Required by the law so the dogs don't chase down wild life. It's not to prevent them from biting humans, they can still easily do that. It's meant to prevent them from killing deers, wild boars, etc, as they used to.

[@Golobtin]

these dogs look too tame to me. In Western villages of Iran, as I recall from my childhood, visiting the area, dogs are so aggressive they don't allow even any cars pass by; they jump on a moving car, biting tires etc. . They have the same spiked collars , and their ears are cut off when they were just borne, so that wolfs or other dogs cannot take them down by their ears. Dogs attach each other as well. In general, such Sheppard dogs are fed with bread, some times soaked in milk. The idea is to keep them always hungry and wanting meat. If a sheep is slaughtered for any reason, the innards are fed to the dogs; this does not happen often though.

[@razvan81]

They don't attack people. And a dog couldn't be lame. A human maybe

[@Golobtin]

The must attach people they don't know, because they are supposed to guard the sheep. Sheep can be stolen by thieves too. Wolves are not the only problem.

[@Kogaion100]

There are plenty of dogs like that here too ,they jump on the car to attack you I will film them in action if I can :) the ones in this video are too tame because they are socialized with humans but if you want real guard dogs go in the mountains

[@bellaxx4246]

they only attack if you get too close. Locals know when they are working and stay away from the area they will be walking through during the time.

[@XVRMEDIA]

These are small dogs protecting herds that live close to human settlements. Dogs that protect isolated herds are much bigger. Nobody steals sheep anymore over here, dogs are only to protect against wild animals.

[@daisybelcher5571]

don’t distract livestock guardian dogs they are working just like any other working dog