The Persian Dogs
Under a bill in Iran certain animals will be forbidden for the reason of protection: “Protection of public rights against dangerous and harmful animals,” prepared by hard-line conservative lawmakers on November 17, Iranians would be barred from owning, breeding, and transporting dogs, cats, rabbits, and other common pets.
The keeping of “wild animals” such as snakes, lizards, crocodiles, mice, monkeys, donkeys, and turtles would also be barred if the legislation is approved, and violators would be subject to heavy penalties.
Dogs however will take the brunt of this new legislation as they are allegedly feared and hated by devout Muslims, and have been for 1400 years, since the beginning of Islam. “The Prophet said, ‘Angels do not enter a house in which there are dogs or pictures.’” (Sahih-Al-Bukhari, 7.833, Narrated by Abu Talha)
Recently, Tehran banned its citizens from walking their dogs in public spaces. Those in defiance can receive a fine and confiscation of the animal. Even with these laws many Iranians continue to make dogs an additional part of their family, not any different from the remainder of the world who love their pets.
Did you know that there are five oppressed Iranian dog breeds from Iran (Persia) according to an article Five Oppressed Iranian Dog Breeds, by Pablo Pascua who created dogbreedsfaq.com because of his interest in all the different breeds, and his desire to learn more. His inspiration comes from the many dogs he has owned throughout his life. Below is a brief description of his findings.
The Persian Saluki
The Saluki also known as the Persian Greyhound, Arabic hound, Arabian dog, and Gazelle hound is very tall with long slender legs. Their ears are long and floppy with long silky fur and the remainder of their body has short fur. It is considered a clean breed that doesn’t give off body odors. It is a breed that is devoted to its family but usually has a close bond to one particular member. The Saluki needs daily exercise, yet they love to lounge.
The exact origin of this breed is not known. It is considered to be an ancient hunting dog of Persia with images that date back to the Egyptian tombs.
The Persian Sarabi Dog (Persian Mastiff),
Iranian Shepard dog
The Sarabi is a large breed of dog with a large head and stands between 28 and 35 inches in height. They weigh between 110 and 220 pounds and are considered to be one of the most powerful breeds. The Sarabi Dog has been used as a guardian of livestock and property, and their size makes them excellent guard dogs, though they are not ones to partake in confrontation.
There is not much historical documentation for the Sarabi other than being indigenous to the city of Sarab in the North-Western area of Iran and is thought to have evolved from Assyrian dogs and war dogs of Ancient Persia. It is the national dog of Iran.
Alabai
(Sage Mazandarani)
The Sage Mazandarani dog is separated into two different size categories. Those that are traditionally used for hunting bears are the larger of the two. The average height for this breed is 28 inches.
Both types of Alabai are strong and have powerful bodies, muzzles, and jaws, with strong and sturdy legs. The Sage Mazandarani is considered to be a very aggressive breed of dog and is still used today to hunt large prey like bears and leopards. They are both courageous and fearless, but also highly territorial and protective.
Though the Sage Mazandarani is friendly, affectionate, and loving with its owners, it doesn’t do well with strangers or other dogs/animals. It is usually found throughout Northern Iran and are believed descendants of old Hyrcanian Mastiffs. It is primarily seen as a working dog and was originally imported to Russia as a bear hunter.
Pshdar Dog
(Kurdish Mastiff )
The Pshdar dog, is now referred to as the Assyrian Shepherd dog. It is large breed in body and stands between 75-90 tall, and very heavy. It is well known for the fold of loose skin that hangs from their neck, more commonly referred to as a dewlap.
It is an intelligent breed of dog and is extremely devoted to its family. The breed has long been used as a livestock guardian and takes its job of guarding very seriously. While protective they are not aggressive.
The Pshdar does well with children but is not the “playful” type, yet are easily trained. The Pshdar dog has been recorded in history for over 6000 years. They were originally bred by the Assyrians and Babylonians for protection against wild animals like lions and tigers but went on to become common cattle guardians.
The Alaunt
The Alaunt dog breed is an extinct breed of molosser dogs with its original breed said to have existed in Central Asia, the region of North Caucasus and Europe around the 17th century. It is above average in intelligence. The original breed of this dog is said to resemble the Ovcharka, from Central Asia. These breeds have above average intelligence. Historically the Alaunt breed is said to have been bred by the Alani tribe, the Sarmatian Kavkaz nomads of Indian and Iranian ancestry.
The first ancestors of the Alaunt were native breeds like the Alabai and Gampr of Central Asia and the Caucasus region and the hounds of Persia and India. Some think that the Albanian and Greek breeds were a direct descendant of the white-colored Alaunt breed. They had really fierce dogs which influenced so many other breeds in Spain, England, Portugal, France, and some other countries, where the use of the name “Alaunt” was spread, making the breed synonymous with the title of a working dog rather than just a specific breed.
Eventually, through breeding they became hunting dogs. The breed was separated in France according to their appearance and duties performed by them.
Other countries like Spain and England, repeated the same process, with bulldogs and mastiffs produced as the Alaunts were cross bred, which influenced almost all European baiting, fighting and guarding dog breeds.
Fanatics of the Alaunt breed are still developing new breeds based on the Alaunt bloodline. They include the new Alaunt, the Abraxas bulldog, the American Alaunt, and the Dogo Belgrado. Although its origin is still rooted in the ancient dog breeds of the east, the Alaunt breed is regarded as an original breed of the bulldog species.
There are European dogs bred from the Alaunts species such as the Spanish Bulldog also known as the Alano Español. Its name is derived from the nomadic pastoralists of the Alani tribe of Iran who arrived in Spain during the migration period of the 5th Century. The Bullen Beisser, has its development from Germany. They were believed to have developed as a result of crossbreeding with the Canis Alani species after Rome had fallen.