OTHER NAMES

The Tatra Shepherd Dog is still considered a very rare breed with their being 8275 on the Tatra breed register, worldwide. The breed is known also as the Polish Tatra Sheepdog or Shepherd and in Poland and Europe it is Owczarek Podhalanski. Of course Poland still has the majority but the Netherlands has taken to breeding the Tatra and now has a booming business with a fast growing population.

BREED TYPE

FCI - Group1

UKC - Guardian Breeds

ANKC (Australia) - Group 6 Utility Dogs

SIZE

The average height for males is 26-28 inches tall (66-71 cm), while for females it is 24-26 inches (60-66 cm). The average weight for the breed is somewhere in between 80-130 pounds, or 36-59 kilograms. 

THE BREED HISTORY

The History of the Tatra Shepherd follows that of similar dogs from Europe, all which can trace their ancestry back to the white guardian dogs of the Eastern World. The Tatra Shepherd has been guarding sheep and goats in the mountain meadows for centuries but no exact date for the start of this breed was ever recorded. There is a similar mystery around what breeds were mixed to form the Tatra Shepherd and while no one is certain, many dog breeders say that the Tatra came from the Mastiff Breed. Outside interest began to develop in the middle of the 19th century when mountain climbing became popular. World War 2 brought the breed to the brink of extinction, however they refused to die. The Polish Kennel Club worked to re-establish the Tatra dogs following the war. By the 1960's the FCI reinstated the breed and encouraged breeding to increase numbers. In 1980 an American Foreign Service officer enjoyed the breed so much that he had 3 of them shipped to America, though, sadly the breed is still not recognized there. In 1981 the breed spread to Canada and there now is the Polish Tatra Sheepdog Club of Canada.

Thankfully the popularity of the breed continued to grow when the mountain workers realized their skills in herding and guarding and their high intelligence. Their instinct through hundreds of years of breeding is to protect livestock, though they easily adopt a family as a flock. When predators were around the flocks, the Tatra would gather the herd and stand by them instead of trying to attack the predator, which would leave the herd open for other attacks. This shows the immense amount of intelligence they pertained. They are not an attack dog, but rather move threats away through intimidation. Guarding sheep was not the only job the breed could perform. They were often used as personal guards and frequently guarded factories and private property. They were also used by the police force.
The Tatra Shepherd Dog is territorial, loyal and protective of their owners, and for this reason are very good watchdogs. They are also very intelligent, calm and independent - A most beautiful companion and confident family dog.