Bakharwal

85-130 lbs
24-30"
Himalayan Mountains
Kashmir Mastiff, Kashmir Sheepdog, Bakarwal Mastiff, Kashmiri Bakarwal Dog, Gujjar Wacthdog

The Bakharwal breed of dog is a rare and unusual breed of livestock guardian dog that originated with nomadic tribes in the Himalayan mountains, hundreds of years ago. These serious guardians are both courageous and determined enough to protect their flock from a predatory threat that outweighs them by quite a bit. While this breed is very amicable with most humans, it is less so with other dogs and can become quite aggressive. Unlike most canines, the Bakharwal breed does not eat meat but instead dines on bread, milk, and other dairy products. As this dog breed is extremely rare and difficult to breed, you may have some difficulty locating one to adopt into your family if you are not in the Himalayas.

purpose Purpose
Livestock Guardian
history Date of Origin
Ancient Times
ancestry Ancestry
Ancient Molosser Breed

Bakharwal Health

Average Size
Male Bakharwal size stats
Height: 24-30 inches Weight: 85-130 lbs
Female Bakharwal size stats
Height: 24-30 inches Weight: 85-130 lbs
Major Concerns
  • Canine Hip Dysplasia (Chd)
  • Bloat
Minor Concerns
  • Patellar Luxation
  • Obesity
Occasional Diagnoses
  • Cryptorchidism
Occasional Tests
  • Hip X-Rays
  • Chest X-rays
  • Echocardiography (ultrasound)
  • Knee X-Rays

Bakharwal Breed History

The Bakharwal is an ancient breed that was developed in the area of the Himalayan mountains. The full history of the breed is lost to time, but most experts believe that the Bakharwal originated somewhere around three hundred years ago, with the Gujjar people, a nomadic tribe. The Bakharwal dogs were livestock guardian dogs, most often utilized to protect the sheep or cows as the tribe traveled from place to place and they still play that role today, although there is less travel these days. This breed has remained largely unchanged for hundreds of years and is one of the rarest herding dogs in existence, and becoming rarer. While they are believed to be related to the Tibetan Mastiff dog breed as well as a descendant of some of the older molosser breeds, such as the Hyrcanian Mastiff, the Saih Sag, and the Tuvan Sheepdog. The Bakharwal dog breed is almost unknown outside of India and is not yet recognized by any official breed registries like the American Kennel Club or the Federation Cynologique Internationale so there is little to no demand for this canine outside of its native mountains in India. This, coupled with a less nomadic lifestyle requiring fewer dogs has reduced the overall demand for these large canines. During the 1857 uprising in India, many Bakharwal dogs were pressed into service, often on the front lines, and this meant heavy casualties for the breed. Unfortunately, this breed of dog is particularly slow to breed and produces smaller litters so that a female Bakharwal is only likely to produce one to three offspring each year.

Bakharwal Breed Appearance

This canine, like most molosser breeds, is a large, heavily boned dog with a deep chest and a great deal of muscle, although is a little bit leaner than most Asian molossers. These dogs typically stand over two feet tall at the shoulder, weigh between 85 and 130 pounds when full grown, and have a large head and a thick muscular neck. Their muzzles are slightly short but well-built with a black nose and they have almond-shaped brown or amber eyes as well as medium-sized pendant ears. Bakharwal breed dogs have an exceptionally thick coat of hair that comes in several colors including tan, beige, black, white, and even piebald, to both protect them from the cold in the northern mountains and to protect them from other predators. Dogs that have piebald coats, or coats that have large areas of both white and another color, often have skin that is naturally colored to match underneath.

Eye Color Possibilities
brown Bakharwal eyes
Brown
amber Bakharwal eyes
Amber
Nose Color Possibilities
black Bakharwal nose
Black
Coat Color Possibilities
black Bakharwal coat
Black
white Bakharwal coat
White
pied Bakharwal coat
Pied
fawn Bakharwal coat
Fawn
sable Bakharwal coat
Sable
Coat Length
coat
Short Medium Long
Coat Density
coat density
pin
Sparse Normal Dense
Coat Texture
coat texture
Bakharwal straight coat texture
Straight Wiry Wavy Curly Corded

Bakharwal Breed Maintenance

The Bakharwal has an extremely dense double layer coat which typically only requires bathing a few times each year, but is somewhat prone to picking up burrs and foxtails. These dogs can generally make do with just one or two solid brushing sessions per week, but it is important to ensure you are brushing and detangling the entire coat, not just the top layers. The density of the coat occasionally makes trimming the coat a necessity. You should also keep in mind that this dog will not thrive on a typical dog’s diet. Bakharwal dogs are typically fed a combination of bread, milk, and other milk products and generally do not digest meat well. A busy, working lifestyle should keep the nails in check but take a look now and then to ensure that the length and condition of the nails are healthy.
Brushes for Bakharwal
Pin Brush
Pin Brush
Dematter
Dematter
Comb
Comb
Scissors
Scissors
Brushing Frequency
fur daily fur weekly fur monthly
Bakharwal requires weekly brushing
Daily Weekly Monthly

Bakharwal Temperament

These dogs have been bred exclusively as a livestock guardian dog for hundreds of years and they take their duties seriously. The Bakharwal is a steadfast and courageous guardian, effectively protecting its flock against threats as intimidating and dangerous as bears, lions, and wolves. This breed is generally tolerant of people of all ages, particularly those within its family, which the Bakharwal views as part of its flock, but they are known for being aggressively territorial towards other animals, particularly other dogs. While they are typically quite affectionate and benevolent towards children, they are also large, playful dogs and may be a little bit too boisterous for the smaller set. This dog has also developed to make decisions independently which creates a highly intelligent animal that tends to get bored with repetitive commands and is not particularly interested in following orders. This can make training the Bakharwal a very difficult proposition so strong leadership and confidence on the part of the trainer are needed with this canine. 

Bakharwal Activity Requirements

Bakharwal breed dogs are known to be particularly agile and fleet-footed for a molosser breed dog, and they do require a fairly high commitment to exercise or a large backyard to roam in. They tend to prefer to get their exercise while out of doors and as they were developed to follow the nomadic Gujjar tribe, they have a great deal of stamina, so you will get your exercise too. If given enough activity and attention, these dogs are generally well behaved at home. If they do not receive enough attention and exercise at home, however, Bakharwal dogs have been known to become rather vocal and destructive. 

Activity Level
low activity medium activity high activity
Low Medium High
Rec. Walk Mileage Per Week
16 miles
walk mileage
Minutes of Activity Per Day
60 minutes
activity minutes

Bakharwal Food Consumption

Cups Per Day
3 cups
cup per day cost cup per day cost cup per day cost
Daily Cost
$1.50 - $1.90
food bowls daily cost
Monthly Cost
$39.00 - $52.00
food bag monthly cost

Bakharwal Height & Weight

6 Months
Male Bakharwal size stats at six months
Height: 23.0 inches Weight: 64.5 lbs
Female Bakharwal size stats at six months
Height: 23.0 inches Weight: 64.5 lbs
12 Months
Male Bakharwal size stats at 12 months
Height: 25.0 inches Weight: 91.0 lbs
Female Bakharwal size stats at 12 months
Height: 25.0 inches Weight: 91.0 lbs
18 Months
Male Bakharwal size stats at 18 months
Height: 26.0 inches Weight: 97.0 lbs
Female Bakharwal size stats at 18 months
Height: 26.0 inches Weight: 97.0 lbs

Bakharwal Owner Experiences

Tiger
2 Years
5 People
House
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Nice Dog. Not aggressive. But More Powerful. Bite Also Very Strong. Fully manner ful dog
5 months, 3 weeks ago
Tiger
2 Years
5 People
House
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Nice Dog. Not aggressive. But More Powerful. Bite Also Very Strong. Fully manner ful dog
5 months, 3 weeks ago
Tiger
2 Years
5 People
House
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Nice Dog. Not aggressive. But More Powerful. Bite Also Very Strong. Fully manner ful dog
5 months, 3 weeks ago
Tiger
2 Years
5 People
House
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Nice Dog. Not aggressive. But More Powerful. Bite Also Very Strong. Fully manner ful dog
5 months, 3 weeks ago
Tiger
2 Years
5 People
House
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Nice Dog. Not aggressive. But More Powerful. Bite Also Very Strong. Fully manner ful dog
5 months, 3 weeks ago
Tiger
2 Years
5 People
House
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Nice dog. Not aggressive. But more powerful. Bite also very strong. Fully mannerful dog
3 years, 4 months ago
Ruby Rose
4 Months
4 People
Apartment
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Hike
Tug-of-war
Very energetic.. Expressive.. Strong... Sometimes stubborn.. N very affectionate
6 years, 6 months ago
bella
7 Months
5 People
House
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
difficult for a first time dog parent, need lots of exercise.
4 years, 2 months ago
chiklu
1 Month
2 People
Apartment
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
its good but sometimes tough for controlling her she is very energetic stubborn and aggressive sometimes
3 years, 11 months ago
Animal Expert Question Icon
Question - New pet
Question

I am looking forward to bring bhakarwal dog and I don't know anything about the dog . I am not aware of the diet and the price

Answer
Book me a walkiee?
Pweeeze!
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