Karaman (dog breed)

Karaman is a Macedonian shepherd dog breed. The Kennel Club "Macedonian Shepherd Dog - Karaman" was registered on 1 November 2004 with a single purpose: "to preserve the Karaman from extinction."

 Significance 
The preservation of the Macedonian Shepherd Dog - Karaman was conceived as a multi-decade project by the brothers Vlatko Kostovski and Marjan Kostovski. In 2004, the Kostovski brothers published the book "Macedonian Shepherd Dog - Karaman", which presented the first breed standard. In 2013, they published "Karaman - The Mythical Dog of the Ancient Macedonians", in which the breed standard of the Macedonian Shepherd Dog - Karaman was further refined.

According to the authors, the Karaman was a mythical dog of the Macedonians and was depicted on the first state coat of arms of Ancient Macedonia.

On a map of Macedonia from 1692, created by the Italian cartographer Vincenzo Coronelli, two coats of arms of Macedonia are shown above the city of Bylazora. One depicts a black dog, while the other shows an upright club between two ox horns. Above the coats of arms, the cartographer explained that the coat of arms with the dog represented Macedonia before Alexander III of Macedon, while the coat of arms with the two ox horns represented Macedonia after him. According to the Kostovski brothers, the first coat of arms depicts the Macedonian shepherd dog breed Karaman.

Macedonians cultivated a particular reverence toward the Karaman, and it has long been regarded as their mythical dog. Its image occupies a prominent place in the writings of ancient poets, in medieval frescoes and iconostases in Macedonian churches and monasteries"Večer: 'Everyone was impressed by the appearance of the Karaman'." Archived from the original on 2 March 2017. Retrieved 2 June 2018.,, as well as in epic folk songs from the 19th century. The breed was preserved in its pure form by Macedonian livestock herders, whose conservative way of life was nomadic - involving constant movement between summer and winter pastures. Owing to its exceptional courage and loyalty, today it is encountered as a protector of sheep flocks, as well as a guardian of persons and private property.

 Description 
The Macedonian Shepherd Dog - Karaman is primarily used for the protection of livestock and property. The body of the Karaman is rectangular in shape. The body length in males is 9–11% greater than the height at the withers, and in females 11–13% greater than the height at the withers. The depth of the chest is 40% of the height at the withers. The ratio between the muzzle and the cranial portion of the head is 37:63% in males and 38:62% in females.

 Temperament 
The Karaman is often distrustful of strangers, calm and patient, and friendly toward children. In terms of temperament, it is a courageous dog and, when necessary, can be sharp in response.

 Head 

 Forehead: Moderately convex and slightly rounded. The lines of the muzzle and the skull are divergent, while the upper part of the skull is flat.
 Skull: The skull is moderately wide and mesocephalic. The superciliary arches are slightly arched and mildly pronounced. A faint frontal groove is present along the midline of the skull, extending to about the middle. An occipital protuberance is also present.
 Muzzle: The average muzzle-to-skull ratio is 37:63% in males and 38:62% in females. The muzzle is broad and deep. The nasal bridge is straight, with a clearly defined nose. The lower jaw is straight, and the skin is tight. The muzzle is broad at the base and tapers slightly toward the tip.
 Lips: Firmly fitted to the jaws. They are of medium thickness, with the upper lip broader and overlapping the lower lip. The lips are exclusively black pigmented.
 Teeth: In profile, the lower jaw is straight and divergent in relation to the line of the nasal bridge. The teeth are large, white, and properly aligned. A scissor bite is preferred, though a pincer bite is permitted. The upper incisors overlap and pass with their inner side over the lower incisors.
 Eyes: Properly set in the eye sockets, neither deeply set nor protruding. They are almond-shaped, with the medial corners slightly lower than the lateral corners. The eye color ranges from light wheat to dark chestnut, giving a calm expression. The eyelids are tight-fitting, and the eye rims are black pigmented.
 Ears: Set moderately high, pendant, and close to the head. They are V-shaped and of medium length.
 Neck: The topline of the neck is straight and slightly inclined at approximately 30 degrees relative to the line of the back. It is moderately long, straight, and broad, and well connected to both the body and the head. It is muscular, with tight, well-fitting skin and no dewlap.

 Body 

 Topline: The topline is level and straight, rising slightly from the withers toward the croup.
 Withers: Slightly pronounced, sufficiently broad, and well connected to the neck.
 Back: Long, broad, and straight, with a muscular loin.
 Croup: Of medium length, broad, slightly sloping, and muscular.
 Trunk: The topline rises slightly from the withers and ends in a gently sloping croup. The underline gradually ascends from the chest toward the abdomen. The body is rectangular in shape, with the lower line slightly inclined. In relation to the height at the withers, the body length exceeds it by 9–11% in males and 11–13% in females. The trunk is moderately broad and muscular.
 Chest: Long, broad, deep, and well developed, with elastic ribs.
 Abdomen: The contours of the underline continue in the same line as the sternum, while the abdomen is moderately tucked up.
 Tail: Set as a continuation of the line of the croup, ring-shaped in form; when extended, it reaches the hock joint. It is of medium thickness. The tip of the tail is often curved in the shape of a hook. It is covered with dense hair. In movement, it is carried curved above the line of the back, while at rest it hangs down.

 Limbs 

 Shoulder: Moderately long, rounded, and well muscled. The angle between the scapula and the humerus is approximately 100–110 degrees.
 Upper arm: Two-thirds of its length lies close to the body. It is well muscled and forms an angle of about 60 degrees to the horizontal.
 Elbow: Correctly positioned and close to the chest. It is located slightly above the midpoint of the height at the withers. The elbow angle is approximately 150 degrees.
 Forearm: Its length is about 40% of the total height at the withers. It is well muscled, with a straight and strong bone structure.
 Carpus (wrist): Broad and moderately thick.
 Metacarpus (pastern): Moderately long, broad, and slightly sloping.
 Forefoot: Spoon-shaped and of medium size. The toes are compact. The claws are black; in dogs with white markings on the feet, white claws may also occur. The pads are elastic and must be black.
 Thigh: Moderately long, correctly positioned, strongly muscled, and moderately broad.
 Stifle (knee): Firm, broad, and strong. The angle of the stifle joint is approximately 120 degrees.
 Lower thigh: Long and obliquely set. It is well muscled, with a steep and strong bone structure.
 Hock joint: Broad, strong, and firm, forming an angle of approximately 140 degrees.
 Rear pastern: Moderately long, broad, and slightly sloping, steeper than the front pastern.
 Hind foot: Spoon-shaped and large, with compact and firm toes. The claws are black; in dogs with white markings on the feet, white claws may also occur. The pads are elastic and exclusively black.

 Movement 

 Skin: Moderately thick and tight, without folds. The visible mucous membranes are exclusively black pigmented.
 Coat: The hair length at the withers is approximately 10 cm. Compared to the hair on the body, the hair on the back of the thighs, the neck, and the tail is longer, while the hair on the head and the front parts of the legs is shorter. The coat has a coarse texture. It is of medium thickness, with a dense undercoat.
 Color: The coat color is black, black with brown shades, or black with tan markings. White markings are permitted on the chest, up to the elbows of the forelegs, on the hind feet, and at the very tip of the tail. On a white background, black patches are also permitted.
 Height and weight: Males measure 65–75 cm in height, while females measure 58–68 cm. The average weight is approximately 45 kg for males and 40 kg for females.

 Faults 

 Minor faults: Round eyes; white markings larger than permitted; hare feet; narrow and shallow chest; disproportion between height at the withers and body length; convex or concave back; congenital absence of a tooth; pincer bite; excessively short or excessively long coat; presence of dewlap.
 Serious faults: X-shaped or O-shaped leg stance; very steep croup; low-set tail; loose, straight tail; underdeveloped canines; light bone structure with insufficient musculature; insufficiently broad skull; long and narrow muzzle; loose skin; depigmentation of visible mucous membranes.
 Disqualifying faults: Atypical coat color for the breed; overshot or undershot bite; timidity; lymphatic constitution; as well as any visible deviations from the breed standard.

 References 

 Kostovski, Marjan; Kostovski, Vlatko. Macedonian Shepherd Dog - Karaman. Skopje, 2004. ISBN 9989-57-235-6.
 Kostovski, Vlatko; Kostovski, Marjan. Karaman - The Mythical Dog of the Ancient Macedonians. Professional monograph. Skopje, 2013. ISBN 978-608-65566-0-0.
 "Macedonian Shepherd Dog - Karaman." Makedonsko Sonce, Year 11, No. 530, 27 August 2004, pp. 52–53.
 "The Macedonian Karaman - A Disappearing Legend." Makedonsko Sonce, Year 11, No. 546, 17 December 2004, pp. 46–47.
 "Pastirski Psi Balkana." Zov, Year 22, No. 539, 18 March 2005, p. 8.

 References 

 External links 

Flocc:Floccas
Flocc:Dog breed
Flocc:Dog
Flocc:Macedonia
Flocc:Dog breeds from Macedonia