Persian Mastiff

Sarabi Mastiff

The jaw of the Sarabi Mastiff
Other names	Sarabi Mastiff Sarabi Shepherd Iranian Mastiff
Origin	Iran
Traits Weight Male 60–90 kg (132–198 lb) Female 55–80 kg (121–176 lb) Height Male 75–90 cm (30–35 in) Female 70–85 cm (28–33 in) Coat Long hair and short hair Colour Pale fawn, Grey, tan color or black Life span 12 to 15 years
Classification / standards FCI Group 2, Section 2 #328 AKC FSS The AKC Foundation Stock Service (FSS) is an optional recording service for purebred dogs that are not yet eligible for AKC registration. UKC Guardian Dogs
Domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris)

The Persian Mastiff (Persian: سگ سرابی‎‎) also known as Sarabi Mastiff , Sarabi Shepherd Dog and Iranian Mastiff is a breed of livestock guardian dog indigenous to Sarab, a city in north west of Iran. It has been used for centuries by Iranian shepherds to guard sheep from wolves, bears, jackals and other animals. The Sarabi Dogs are some of the most powerful dogs in the world.^[1]

Name

Sarabi derives from the name of the Sarab County in East Azerbaijan Province in Iran.

Appearance

Statue of a Sarabi Mastiff from Persepolis

The Sarabi dog (Sarabi Mastiff or Sarabi Shepherd) has a solid and muscular build, with thick necks, broad heads, and sturdy bodies. The breed height at the withers is between 75-90 cm (29 - 35 in) for males and 70-85 cm (27-33 in) for females. The weight is between 60-90 kilograms (130 - 200lb.) for males and 55-80 kilograms (120-190 lb.) for females in good condition.^[2]

A Male Sarabi Mastiff

They're bred to tolerate harsh conditions, food shortage, and bad weather. The Sarabi Mastiff is rather long-lived, averaging 12–17 years. The under-layer provides insulation against both severe winters and the fierce summer sun, while the outer-layer repels water and snow. This combination of coat allows it to regulate its core temperature more efficiently, while the coat is dense enough to provide protection from wolf and bear bites. The coat is pale fawn or grey or tan color with varying amounts of sable guard hairs.^[3] This dog has a black facial mask, and black or shaded ears. It is large, with good bones, and has a well-muscled torso with a strong head. The neck is slightly arched, powerful, and muscular, moderate in length with more skin and fur than elsewhere on the body. The body is well proportioned, functional, without exaggeration, never fat or soft.

Black Sarabi Mastiff With Cropped Ears And Tail

The Eyes are medium size, set apart, almond shaped and dark brown to light amber in color. The Sarabi Mastiff has two coat lengths, long hair and short hair. The Sarabi dog's appearance is close to the Kangal's because the origins of these dogs are close but there are some differences between these two breeds of dog.^[4] Rarely, Sarabis can have all black coats.^[5] The Sarabi shepherd has strong jaws and sharp teeth with a terrifying bite. ^[6]

Temperament

The Sarabi Mastiff is loyal, rugged, powerful, protective and impressive, possessing great endurance and agility. A well-trained Sarabi Shepherd is sensitive and alert to changing situations, responding to threats with judicious warnings and courageous action if necessary. They also can be fairly aggressive towards people they do not know. When suspicious, a Sarabi Shepherd will stand with its tail and ears erect and give an alarm call, inciting the sheep to gather around it for protection. When the Sarabi Shepherd faced with a wolf, sometimes is successful in intimidating the enemy, but it will resort to a physical confrontation if the predator stands its ground. The Sarabi Shepherd were used for centuries to protect properties, guard livestock, kill wolves, and hunt bears. They also treat their human families as their flock, thus protecting them with fierce loyalty and devotion. ^{[7] [8]}

References

1. راهنمای تربیت سگ. دکتر علیرضا قمریان.انتشارات قمریان. ص۱۲۳ ISBN 964-92868-3-7
2. "Sarabi Sarabi Dog Information and Pictures, Sarabi Sarabi Dogs". dogbreedinfo.com.
3. "The Dog breeds related to the KANGAL dog breed- Part 7 – Sarabi dog breed". Dogs Arena.
4. "ADDENDUM! – The Dog breeds related to the KANGAL dog breed – THE TAIBADI DOG BREED". Dogs Arena.
5. "WHICH DOG BREED HAS THE GREATEST BITE FORCE/STRONGEST JAWS?". Dogs Arena.
6. "Persian Sarabi Dog". petyourdog.com.
7. fa:سگ سرابی
8. "Facebook". facebook.com.