How to Identify a Romanian Mioritic Shepherd Dog

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Last Updated: May 17, 2021 References

The Romanian Mioritic Shepherd Dog is assigned to the working group,^{[1]
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American Kennel Club
The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show.

Go to source} and they may sometimes be referred to as simply "Mioritics". They originated in the Carpathian Mountains and were initially used in Romania for livestock guarding. ^{[2]
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American Kennel Club
The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show.

Go to source} Even though they share a few characteristics with other dog breeds, they also have several unique ones. This wikiHow will help you with figuring out whether a dog is a Romanian Mioritic Shepherd Dog.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Checking the Body Structure

Romanian Mioritic Shepherds are very large dogs, weighing between 100 and 130 pounds (45 and 59 kg). Males are slightly taller than females, having a height of 27–29 inches (69–74 cm) and females standing at 22.5–28 inches (57–71 cm).^{[3]
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American Kennel Club
The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show.

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A Mioritic's head is rounded only a small amount. Being fairly wide, the brows, zygomatic bones, and stop are not defined too much, but the occipital bone stands out.^{[4]
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The eyes of a Romanian Mioritic Shepherd are a shade of brown, either dark, hardly lighter than dark, or hazel, with colored rims. They are set obliquely in the head and moderately sized to give the dog an expression of intelligence while maintaining a calm atmosphere.^{[5]
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Mioritics have ears that resemble the letter v in shape except that the tips are a bit rounder. Never cropped, they hang downward near the dog's cheeks from their rather high-set position on the head. In length, they are roughly 10–15 centimetres (3.9–5.9 in).^{[6]
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A Romanian Mioritic Shepherd's muzzle is nearly parallel to and just about as long as the skull, though sometimes it is barely shorter. Without forming a point, it tapers to a wide, black-pigmented nose of good development. Though the cheeks do not stand out, the muzzle is developed in a good manner, and the jaws denote both strength and power. The dog's tightly drawn lips that are colored and of great thickness conceal a typically scissors but sometimes level bite.^{[7]
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The paws of a Mioritic are quite large, though compact. Dewclaws may be present, and the nails are the grey color of ash. The toes form arches despite being held tightly together. The front paws resemble ovals, while the back paws are of a greater length.^{[8]
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As it is never docked, a Romanian Mioritic Shepherd's tail is long enough to reach at least the hock, if not lower. From its high-set spot on the back, it either hangs down when the dog is resting or curved a small bit upward, occasionally above the topline, when the dog is at the alert. However, it never touches the back or curls on it.^{[9]
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Mioritics are strong, denoting vigor, large, developed well, and longer than they are tall. They have a broad neck, obliquely set shoulders, a broad chest, ribs of good spring, upright or straight legs, barely any tuckup, and both a horizontal back and straight topline. Their gait is free and without effort yet with power and coordination when at the ideal speed of a trot; however, they may also gallop with good balance.^{[10]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Examining the Coat

In color, a Romanian Mioritic Shepherd may be solid or piebald.

Solid-colored Romanian Mioritic Shepherds are either completely grey or white in color. They also have "earrings" in the form of black or dark grey ear tips.^{[11]
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Mioritics that are piebald in color have a base color of white. They have either grey or black markings of clear definition throughout their coat.^{[12]
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A Romanian Mioritic Shepherd's coat is a double coat that feels harsh to the touch. It is at least 10 centimetres (3.9 in) long and lies straight. While the head and body are plentifully coated, the hair on the legs is not as long, and the tail is coated decently with furnishings. The dog's undercoat tends to be lighter in color than the rest of the coat and is of a higher density.^{[13]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Taking a Look at Temperament

As livestock guardians, Romanian Mioritic Shepherds are naturally protective. This makes them rather suspicious toward strangers.^{[14]
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Mioritics are clever dogs and eager to obey orders. However, they do best with experienced owners who can provide them a great deal of training to maintain their willingness to please.^{[15]
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With combined strength and intelligence, Romanian Mioritic Shepherds need both physical and mental exercise on a daily basis. This exercise can be in the form of long walks, playtime, or agility.^{[16]
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Overall, Mioritics are calm and gentle dogs despite their guarding heritage. If properly socialized from an early age, they can do well with children because of this.^{[17]
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Romanian Mioritic Shepherds are vastly loyal toward their families. They will always use their guardian traits to protect their families from potential threats and act loving toward them.^{[18]
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Did you know? Once a bond has been formed, a Mioritic will remain loyal to whatever they consider their "pack", which could be people, other dogs, or any sort of creature.^{[19]
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American Kennel Club
The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show.

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If you're wondering what breed your dog is, consider dog DNA testing. This can help confirm whether or not your dog is a Romanian Mioritic Shepherd Dog.

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