Gamper: how do dogs look and how to keep them?

Gamper (Armenian Wolfhound) is a very interesting breed, not particularly known in Russia. These dogs are quite large and their main task for many decades has been to protect the owners, their property and housing. The dog is characterized by excellent physical characteristics, mind, calm disposition and quick wit.

Gamper, aka Armenian Wolfhound, hails from Armenia. There are documents containing information on military campaigns dating from the 1st century BC, in which similar looking dogs took part. In addition, at one time the dog accompanied the nomads, guarded the livestock, houses and property of the owners. Times of military upheaval have led to a significant reduction in breed numbers.

At present, about 2,000 purebred dogs are registered in Armenia, and the club of Armenian gampra operates in America.whose job is to preserve the breed. The breed is recognized as a national treasure of Armenia.

Even by the name of the breed, translated from Armenian meaning “strong, large”, you can guess how its representatives look. These large and brave dogs do an excellent job with their main task - protecting people, herds and housing. In many ways, the current dogs retain in appearance the features of their ancient ancestors. Their size at the withers ranges from 63 to 70 centimeters. The weight of the dog is in the range of 45 to 90 kilograms.

The dog is quite large and heavy, but moves very easily and harmoniously, without creating the effect of gravity and clumsiness. According to the standard, there are several characteristics inherent in the Armenian wolfhound.The skull of the dog is massive, and its length varies from 170 to 173 millimeters. A fairly voluminous skull, occupying more than half of the entire skull, has a wide flat forehead with a width in the range from 63 to 65 millimeters. The nasal lobe is black.

Strong jaws consist of a dense row of teeth. A scissor bite ensures a firm grip. Small and deep-set eyes are browned. The border of the eyelids is covered with black pigment. Even puppies look smart and strong. Free-hanging ears have a rounded tip. Often the owners stop them. The neck resembles a cone in shape and has fairly strong muscles.

The legs of the gampra are strong, the hind legs are also slightly straightened in the joints. A thick tail is lowered when the dog is calm, but rises when moving or in a changed mood. In the standard, dogs with only short hair are indicated, but there are also long-haired varieties. In addition to ordinary hair, they also have a thick undercoat that additionally protects in the cold. It is not exposed to water, and therefore does not reach the body and does not contribute to its freezing. The Armenian wolfhound lives from 10 to 12 years.

Representatives of this breed are quite expensive. For a purebred puppy purchased in a kennel, you will have to pay from 200 to 1000 dollars. Currently, there are proven breeders of breeders in both Russia and Ukraine, although earlier it was possible to buy such a dog only in Armenia and in the USA.

When purchasing a puppy, the buyer should carefully examine the baby. If the animal is active, friendly, easily makes contact and enjoys life, then everything is in order with it. In appearance, it is worth evaluating the condition of the eyes, which should be shiny and clean, as well as the softness of the coat. In addition, you can not do without checking the pedigree, or at least the parents of gampra. Ideally, of course, it’s worth looking at them live, but if it’s impossible, it will be enough to study the available information. Among the characteristics of the dog’s parents should be a balanced psyche, as well as consent to submission to its owner.

The character of the gamper is calm and independent. He is devoted to the owner and is ready to protect him to the last. The Armenian wolfhound is very smart, he is even to some extent aware of his strength. The dog will not bark without any reason, especially if there are children nearby. In addition, the animal independently decides how to protect the territory and how to protect its owners.

Between humans and animals, smooth, friendly relationships are formed. In this case, in a critical situation, the dog in any case decides independently whether the owner needs protection and whether to attack the stranger. It is important to gain the trust of the gampra, and then he will become a true friend. In the case when people show indifference and indifference to him, the animal answers the same. The dog belongs to other pets without much interest. He initially considers them weak and defenseless, and therefore protects and protects.

The Armenian wolfhound is very smart. He will never bark, pounce or show aggression for no particular reason. Nevertheless, the owner of such a dog can only be a person with strength and character. Gamper is not suitable for nervous and insecure individuals who are unable to communicate with him on equal terms. It is important that the owner establishes his position from the very beginning, because improper upbringing of a puppy leads to the fact that an adult dog is uncontrollable.

The animal feels the emotions of others well, both negative and positive. Therefore, the dog will not scare those who are afraid of him, but he will boldly enter the battle if he feels anger directed at him or his masters.Naturally, if a person treats gampra with sympathy, respect or, at least, neutral, then the dog will answer him with the same coin.

The characteristics of a wolfhound include such an interesting feature as emotional stability. An animal cannot be intimidated, because it understands and correctly evaluates its capabilities. In a calm situation, the dog looks relaxed and even disinterested, but the slightest danger should arise, and the mood of the dog will immediately change.

The advantages of the Armenian wolfhound primarily include his mind and quick wits. If you start training in time, you will be able to achieve very successful results. Gamper is an ideal defender, clearly understanding who is in front of him: a good person or a bad one. They quickly get into the situation and immediately take action. The calm and even nature of the dog makes it absolutely safe for children and other animals.

Other positive qualities of the breed include the devotion of the animal. In addition, the need for complex care or the creation of unusual conditions for her is absent. The shortcomings of the Armenian wolfhound are largely characteristic of all large dogs, whose main function is to guard. Their character is rather independent, and therefore in most cases they prefer to make their own decisions, rather than listen to the owner.

The Central Asian Shepherd Dog (Alabai) is very similar to the Armenian Wolfhound. The main differences are in shades of wool, the shape of the mask. Gamper reaches a weight of 70 kilograms, and its height at the withers is 90 centimeters. Alabai, being the same large dog, still does not catch up with him a little according to physical data. Its weight corresponds to the figure of 50 kilograms, and the height at the withers does not exceed 70 centimeters. The health problems in both breeds coincide.

Best of all, if the Armenian wolfhound will receive fresh and natural food. Quite simple products such as raw meat, eggs, dairy products and vegetables give the dog all the necessary vitamins and useful elements and allow the little puppy to grow up a strong dog. In addition, marine fish, offal, for example, hearts and liver, as well as a variety of cereals are added to the diet. Fish, by the way, is allowed to eat only once every 7 days. It must first be cleaned of bones and boiled. It is better to take meat with low-fat varieties. When preparing cereals, which are a source of carbohydrates, it is recommended to add a small amount of vegetable oil, broth, and also vegetables - raw, boiled or even stewed in them.

Until the puppy is 5 months old, he should be fed four times a day, and the volume of a single serving ranges from 700 grams to a kilogram. From the age of six months to a year, the frequency of feeding is reduced to 3 times a day. The serving volume in this case increases to 1.5 liters. When the little gampra turns one year old, it will be enough to feed it twice a day. The amount of food consumed by an adult dog is again reduced to 700-800 grams.

To prevent the development of diseases, it is recommended to enrich the dog’s menu with tendons and cartilage. To do this, it is enough to periodically give the puppy mosly. The course of vitamins is recommended to the Armenian wolfhound to drink twice a year.

In principle, it is not forbidden to feed a dog only with dry food. Be sure to purchase premium mixes, as well as those designed specifically for large breeds. Drinking vitamin complexes in this case makes no sense, since the combinations developed by veterinarians already contain all the necessary components. In general, gamper is ready to eat anything, even from the master's table. But, of course, it is better to formulate his diet thoughtfully, making it balanced and containing a large amount of protein with carbohydrates. Proteins should make up 40% of each meal.

The nutrition of an Armenian wolfhound may differ depending on the purpose for which the puppy is raised. The dog that will have to work actively, that is, graze the herd or guard, it is important to get a balanced, but nutritious diet. Its main part is meat, eggs and cereals, prepared on meat broths. In that case, when gampra is grown for performance at exhibitions, it is better to bet on premium feed. Such mixtures are characterized by the presence of all the necessary components for health, high protein content and vitamins.

Do not forget that the lack of protein leads to health problems, and a small amount of minerals in addition contributes to thinning of the teeth and bone problems in the animal.

Gamprov is not recommended to settle in city apartments. Most of all, this enclosure is suitable for an aviary, the walls and floor of which are additionally insulated, or an open canopy, under which you can relax. It is not cold for an Armenian wolfhound on the street even at subzero temperatures, since the presence of an undercoat creates the necessary protection against frost. But it is important for him to have access to a free and vast open-air space, and therefore he will feel best of all on the street.

An ideal habitat for gampra is a country house with a large territory, fenced and accessible for dog guard. A shelter equipped for a dog should not interfere with the view, otherwise the dog will become nervous.

Water procedures are not required for dogs often, usually once or twice a year. The frequency is determined depending on the situation - of course, a dog falling out of fuel oil will have to be washed unscheduled. The weight of the dog reaches 80 kilograms, and therefore you can’t place a gampra in an ordinary bath. It is much more convenient to spend swimming outdoors using a regular hose. It is believed that plain water will perfectly cope with the task, and some shampoos to use make sense only with severe pollution.

Eyes, ears and teeth are recommended to be examined once a week. The ears of the Armenian wolfhound are not particularly polluted, but insects crawl into it, especially ticks. This part of the body needs to be cleaned every 3-4 months. There is no point in checking the teeth until the dog reaches the age of 3-4 years, with the exception of the period from birth to 7 months. Further routine inspection is mandatory.

Full toothbrushing is carried out once a month or more often if the main diet is dry food. If the dog eats natural products, often nibbles on bones and mosquitoes, then most of the plaque can be cleaned by itself. Eyes are checked every week, in the presence of discharge of the dog is taken to the veterinarian. There is no need to take special care of the claws, as they grind off when there is adequate physical activity. If this effect does not occur, then it is worth trimming the claws when the need arises.

In addition, the paws should also be inspected regularly for cracks, delamination and injury to the pads. The undercoat of the gampra needs to be combed periodically, and the frequency of the procedure should increase during molting.It is important that the pet gets used to it from the very first days of life, so at first they should be carried out in the format of the game.

An important component of animal care is ensuring its health. In most cases, innate immunity provides protection against allergies, as well as the ability to defend against parasites. However, quite often the pet suffers from problems with the musculoskeletal system. Hip dysplasia and numerous dislocations are very common in dogs. In addition, cases of plague and rabies are quite common. It is possible to prevent a problem if vaccinated in a timely manner.

In many ways, the health of the gampra is ensured by sufficient physical exertion, and it, in turn, is perfectly performed by the animal itself. Up to old age, the dog prefers to be in constant motion, and therefore its owner should only provide the walking mode prescribed by the breeder. Until the dog is one year old, it is extremely important to provide him with the necessary amount of movement and proper nutrition. Mistakes made during this period will lead to future health problems.

Common mistakes in the upbringing and upkeep of an animal include excess or lack of nutrition, its imbalance and improper intake of vitamins. In addition, vaccines not delivered on time and either a short walk or improperly organized physical activity are considered decisive.

At the age of 2 or 3 months, the puppies are given the first combination vaccination. It prevents the development of plague, hepatitis and other common diseases. Sometimes, however, the first vaccination is carried out at the 3- or 4-week age. Such an action must be approved by the veterinarian. Most often, early vaccination is recommended if the Armenian wolfhound lives next to other animals or adult gampra.

The next vaccination occurs at 11 or 13 weeks of a dog's life. From rabies, the animal is vaccinated at the age of 6 to 9 months. The exact period is determined depending on the teeth - while they are changing, vaccinations are prohibited. Further vaccination occurs once a year.

In general, gampra can be trained, but most of the teams for them are simply meaningless, since the task of protection and protection is carried out by them at the genetic level. Therefore, the main goal of upbringing is to create good relations between animals and humans, in which the wayward wolfhound listens to his master and does not try to dominate him. The dog must understand its owner not just from a half-word, but from a half-view, only in this way can a person establish a harmonious relationship with his pet. Educational activities should begin as early as possible, since a missed moment at an early age will lead to uncontrolled behavior of the dog in adulthood.

For more information on breed features, see the next video.