Buryat-Mongolian wolfhounds are huge guard dogs of ancient origin

Buryat-Mongolian wolfhounds are amazing canines with a centuries-long history. Originally, nomadic tribes in Mongolia and Siberia bred these massive, strong animals for their hunting and guarding prowess. They exhibit a strong bond with their human companions and are excellent guardians of livestock and property due to their impressive size and strength.

These canines have been refined over many generations, and they are renowned for their loyalty and intelligence. Their gentle nature contrasts with their formidable appearance, and their ancient lineage gives them a unique presence. Buryat-Mongolian wolfhounds are great companions for people who value a close bond with their pets because they flourish in settings where they can roam and provide protection.

Recognizing the historical significance of Buryat-Mongolian wolfhounds and their roles in the lives of their raised owners is essential to understanding them. With their majestic stature and unwavering loyalty, these dogs still enthrall dog lovers worldwide today.

Impressive guard dogs, Buryat-Mongolian wolfhounds are distinguished by their enormous stature and ancient pedigree. These dogs, whose ancestors were nomadic tribes in Siberia, have a long history of defending families and livestock against wolves. They make devoted companions as well as formidable protectors due to their loyalty, strength, and adaptability. Potential owners will be better able to appreciate the special traits of these extraordinary dogs if they are aware of their history and traits.

Brief historical background

The Khotosho is a very old breed of indigenous dog. They might even be considerably older than those who are thought to be the progenitors of the majority of the Tibetan Mastiff breeds that are in existence today. At least three thousand-year-old artifacts (such as dog remains) discovered during excavations in the Ivolginsk Hunnic settlement (Republic of Buryatia) attest to this. Bankhars accompanied Mongols and Buryats on lengthy treks and hunting expeditions. Dogs accompanied local shamans everywhere and guarded human dwellings and herds. Some people believed that the Tibetan wolfhound possessed magical abilities. The enormous dog was regarded as sacred and guarded temples in Buddhism.

According to an old legend, a woman by the name of Sarama aided the god Indra, who was the king of the gods and the ruler of the heavenly kingdom, and is the ancestor of the Buryat shepherd dogs. The dog was a great guard and security guard because it had two pairs of eyes. According to modern Buryat belief, animals with symmetrically contrasting spots above their eyes, forming a "four eyes," bring good fortune and shield their home from various misfortunes.

Even now, banhars obediently watch over the Mongols’ residences.

But the Buryat-Mongolian wolfhounds virtually vanished at the end of the 20th century. In an effort to reconstruct the appearance of these dogs as closely as possible, Nikolai Batov organized multiple expeditions to locate surviving specimens and look for Buddhist documents in monasteries. He also collected legends, beliefs, and other information. By 2000, a breed standard had been created based on the data gathered, and on April 18 of that year, the Russian Cynological Federation’s (RKF) breeding commission officially recognized the Hotosho as a distinct breed group.

These wolfhounds are not yet recognized by the global cynological community.

Description of the Hotosho

The Bankhar is positioned in standard as a security dog, guard dog, and watchdog. These animals are used as bodyguards and simply companions, and are also taken along on hunts. They are employed by law enforcement agencies, in a variety of emergency scenarios, and even in the search for individuals who have vanished from sight.

Appearance

The Hotosho is an enormous, powerful, athletic animal with a rugged build, a massive, heavy skeleton, and well-developed relief muscles. The body has a slightly elongated, rectangular shape, with a somewhat convex, not too long loin, a moderately tucked-up belly, a rounded, deep, widened chest, a straight, strong back, and clearly visible withers. There is no denying sexual dimorphism; females are noticeably lighter and smaller than males.

The Bankhar is enormous, strong, and built like a monster.

• Height at the withers:

• females – from 66 cm;
• males — from 74 cm.

The wolfhound travels in a deliberate, leisurely, sweeping manner. A showy trot, which accelerates into a gallop, is regarded as a distinguishing and preferred gait. Every motion is elastically bouncy, and the topline stays straight.

With a soft undercoat that is tightly packed, the coat is thick, straight, hard, and rough to the touch. On the head and front of the legs, the hair is shorter and closer to the body.

Three types are distinguished by the standard based on coat length:

• Short-haired. The dog"s body is evenly covered with short and very thick hair with a densely packed, developed undercoat. In the cold season, the undercoat grows longer than the main hair.
• Long-haired. The guard hair is of considerable length. Long hair forms trousers (fringes) on the limbs and a characteristic mane on the neck. The tail is covered with elongated hair on all sides.
• Intermediate. The top coat is of medium length. The tail has a suspension of elongated hair (on the lower part), insignificant and not very pronounced, beautiful dressing coat (mane and trousers).

The primary defense against outside factors is the hotosho coat, which does a fantastic job of shielding the dog from all types of precipitation, including rain and snow. Furthermore, the right coat tends to self-clean; foreign objects, such as clay or thorns, simply slip off it. Another trait is the tendency toward intense seasonal shedding, which, if the tail’s suspension is disregarded, can give the impression that even a long-haired dog has short hair. A sentence extracted from the standard

The following hues are permitted:

• black and tan (main) with markings from very light, almost white to copper;
• zonal tan;
• red (from rich and bright fiery red to diluted fawn);
• black.

It is acceptable to have white patches on the lower legs, tassel on the tail, and chest.

The bankhar’s wool sheds in layers during the warm season, which is also when it sheds.

Faults and disqualifying faults

Small flaws or defects are regarded as:

• deviations in height:

• bitches – up to 64 cm;
• males – up to 72 cm.

Errors or significant errors are identified as:

• small height:

• bitches – less than 64 cm;
• males – less than 72 cm.

The subsequent offenses will result in disqualification:

• spotted or piebald color;
• cryptorchidism;
• overbite, underbite, absence of incisors, premolars (except the first), canines, molars (first and second);
• blue eyes;
• ambling movements (one-sided rearrangement of limbs).

Character and psyche of the breed

The Hotosho has a pronounced sanguine temperament and is cheerful and happy despite its impressive size. It is nimble, laid back, vibrant, and perpetually self-assured. The dog is inquisitive and constantly keeps a close eye on everyone and everything. Because of this trait, he is a dependable guard for the area and belongings entrusted to him. He views strangers warily and with mistrust, but he waits to act aggressively until he believes they pose a genuine threat. He is capable of acting decisively and independently in this situation.

Khotosho is constantly alert and watches over the area that has been given to him with vigilance.

The Tibetan wolfhound is a calm, well-balanced dog that rarely engages in combat, preferring to use his last-ditch efforts to frighten his adversaries. But he’s more than capable of standing up for his honor if needed. Since he views domestic animals as a ward flock in need of care and protection, he gets along well with them all. Banhar exhibits unwavering devotion and grows very attached to every member of the family. He is very careful with kids of all ages, letting them get away with playing many practical jokes.

Buryat-Mongolian wolfhounds were used for a long time as nannies for the owners’ kids, who were left in the capable hands of the dogs. The kids were prevented from traveling far from home by a large animal that obstructed their path and gently nudged them in the proper direction. Numerous incidents have occurred on the water where hotosho prevented human offspring from swimming past a predetermined safe boundary.

Choosing a puppy

It is difficult to purchase a puppy of the Buryat Shepherd Dog breed because of their small population. This breed is bred in several nurseries; the biggest ones are in Ulan-Ude ("Humanness of the Republic of Buryatia," "Khotoshu"). Buying a pet should only be done from a reputable breeder who can provide the required documentation to support the pet’s pedigree, such as puppy metrics, breeding patents, parent pedigrees, etc.

A Buryat-Mongolian wolfhound puppy can occasionally be confused for a small Caucasian or a mixed breed because the breed is still in its infancy and its members can vary greatly from one another. One rule of thumb could be to make sure there are two different colored light spots above the eyes.

The easiest place to locate Buryat-Mongolian wolfhound puppies is in Buryatia.

Price of a puppy of this breed

A hotosho can cost anywhere between 25 and 45 thousand rubles, depending on the parent pair’s titles and the puppy’s prospects. For ten to fifteen thousand dollars, you can purchase an animal without any paperwork, but there is no guarantee of pedigree in this scenario.

Caring for a Buryat-Mongolian wolfhound

Living in a country house with a large courtyard or an aviary equipped with an insulated booth will be most comfortable for the bankhar. The dog’s warm, thick fur shields it from inclement weather, allowing it to live outside all year round. Some people even adamantly object to living in individual housing that is meant for them.

If you take your pet for long walks (1–1.5 hours) that provide it the right amount of physical activity, it will be able to adjust to a small apartment.

A Hotosho needs to be groomed in the following ways:

• Once a week, comb the fur with a slicker brush or furminator to remove dead hair and prevent tangles (during active shedding in spring and autumn, this is done daily);
• bathe no more than 1-2 times a year, using pet shampoos;
• brush the teeth once every 5-7 days using a brush (finger attachment) and special toothpaste for animals;
• examine the eyes and ears every week, clean them with cotton pads or swabs with veterinary lotions;
• trim the claws about once a month, if they do not wear down on their own.

A bankhar should ideally be kept outside in a large, gated enclosure.

The majority of owners feed their freshly made homemade food to their Tibetan wolfhounds. The organic diet consists of:

• fresh raw lean meat (horse meat, beef, goat meat, etc.);
• offal, entrails, cartilage, sinews, tripe, etc.;
• eggs;
• boiled fish;
• porridge (rice, buckwheat);
• bran;
• vegetables, fruits, greens;
• fermented milk products (yogurt, kefir, cottage cheese, etc.) with minimal fat content;
• unrefined vegetable oil;
• Vitamin-mineral additives.

Hotosho food from the dry store is still acceptable; the key is to select products meant for large and giant dog breeds (Monge Superpremium Dog Maxi Adult, Pro Plan Adult Large Robust, Fitmin Maxi Maintenance, etc.) that are at least of premium class. Adults are fed simultaneously twice a day, in the morning and the evening. Puppies require three to six feedings per day.

Sweets, pastries, smoked meats, sausages, pasta, and fatty, fried, extremely salty foods, as well as tubular bones (chicken, duck, etc.), are not allowed to be fed to wolfhounds.

Training

Buryat-Mongolian wolfhounds are swift learners of all commands and are highly trained. However, because of their propensity for independence, there might be some challenges during the training process. A dog like this requires a strong-willed and experienced owner who can work with it without giving it any leeway. Puppies begin training at two to three months of age, and after six months, an obedience course is recommended.

The wolfhound breed is known for its late maturation; mature wolves are only 3–4 years old.

Since they naturally possess all the skills needed for guard duty, kotosho typically do not require any special training. Since dogs with these skills are legally considered dangerous weapons, it is imperative to assess the animal’s psychological stability and controllability prior to enrolling in the ZKS (protective and guard service) course.

The security functions of Banhar are intrinsic.

A big dog has to follow instructions blindly and obey them all. One of our neighbors’ dogs is a fairly large Caucasian Shepherd, whose upbringing was essentially self-initiated. She leaps out of the gate by mistake and doesn’t even bother to listen to her owners before charging ahead. Although the dog hasn’t bitten anyone yet, it is causing great fear in the eyes of onlookers, particularly young children, who could be in danger.

Diseases of the Buryat-Mongolian wolfhound

Khotosho are known for their exceptional health; their robust immunity means that they rarely get sick. There are no inherited illnesses affecting these dogs. All large and giant canines occasionally develop diseases (joint dysplasia, arthritis, etc.), which are typically caused by poor upkeep, caregiving mistakes, and imbalanced exercise. Buryats have a lifespan of 13–15 years, occasionally 19 years.

Video: Buryat-Mongolian – all about the breed

Breed Name	Buryat-Mongolian Wolfhound
Origin	Ancient Buryatia, Mongolia
Size	Large and powerful
Temperament	Loyal and protective
Use	Guard and companion

Strong and devoted, the Buryat-Mongolian wolfhound is a remarkable breed that’s great for both companionship and guarding. These magnificent canines, with their long history reflecting the cultures from which they originated, are not only magnificent in stature but also in their individual histories.

To bring out the best in these dogs, socialization and training are essential. Their innate tendencies may lead them to think independently, so it’s critical to adopt a consistent and upbeat attitude. Buryat-Mongolian wolfhounds can adapt well to their families and live happily in both rural and urban settings when given the right care and attention.

In the end, this breed is a loving companion that builds close relationships with its humans, not just a protector. Be ready for a devoted friend who will protect and enhance your life for years to come if you’re thinking about bringing one of these noble dogs into your house.

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