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he Armenian Shepherd is said to be the eldest of all Molossers and probably of the mountain dog breeds too. Armenia has been one of the early cradles of civilization and the Gampr shall have existed in the Armenian highlands from the beginning. Already 3000 years ago two main strains developed – the long haired and the short haired strain. Most Armenians regard these dogs as the true Caucasian and Middle Asian Shepherds and as direct ancestors of the most Asian and Turkish breeds. This theory isn’t popular, however makes sense, regarding the historical facts. When the Turks have invaded Armenia in the 9^th century and have met the Gampr dogs, they have been impressed in such a way that they have taken many of them to the Turkey. There exist even some reports, in which is stated that some of their Gampr dogs have been exported in a “monastery in the Suisse Alps” around 1665. There they shall have contributed to the development of the St. Bernard. The Soviets claimed for themselves the Gampr as a Russian breed, at which the Georgian strain has been preferred by Stalin, still today the consequences divide the fanciers of the Caucasian Ovcharka. The Turkish Cars Dog is of a special interest too, because Cars has been the capital of Armenia until the 10^th century. Still today he is used and high esteemed by the shepherds in the northeast of the Turkey. Some also regard the Gampr as the ancestor of the legendary Alaunt.

There exists no standard, as these dogs are bred for work and not for their appearance until today. There is made no difference between the short haired and the long haired in Armenia. The Gampr has been bred on natural/accidental kind for centuries; all strains have been crossed so that the appearance, even in one litter, often differs. Ears and tail are traditionally cropped with the short haired strain; however that differs from place to place.

Therefore, the Gampr can be short and long haired, there are all varieties of colors and different sizes which ranges from 24 to 32 inches.

Armenian Gampr