Armenian Dog Names

A stray dog in Armenia has become well-known in the country’s protests over who should be the next Prime Minister. Chalo, the dog, joined demonstrators and the leader of the opposition, Nikol Pashinyan, on the first day of the 124-mile protest march held in the beginning of April 2018. The pup wound up staying for the entire 14 days of the march, which began in the city of Gyumri and continued to Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. Though the victim of a hit-and-run car accident upon arriving in Yerevan, Chalo was then cared for by some of his fellow protesters. Fortunately, Chalo’s recovery proceeded well and he was able to attend a rally.

Mr. Pashiniyan is known to be an animal lover. Singer-songwriter Andre Simonian commented on his Facebook page that Mr. Pashinyan refused to accept the slaughtering of lambs in his honor. The inclusion of Chalo in the march helped to bring Mr. Pashinyan’s appreciation of animals to light.

Armenia has a breed of dog that developed within the country. A rare breed of dog that is indigenous to the Armenian Highlands, the Gampr can be found throughout the country and was recognized as the national dog of Armenia by the International Kennel Union (IKU). Dogs of the breed share only minor genetic similarities with a few breeds from Spain and Scandinavia. While the Gampr tends to be quite large (they can grow to over 130 pounds) with a powerful build, dogs are typically very athletic.  They are found to be intelligent and have excellent natural protective instincts. The Gampr does not seem to require much training; the breed seems to just naturally know how to perform their necessary functions. They can be very friendly toward people and when raised as a puppy with a family, a Gampr will be very loyal to them. The Gampr is often used as guard dogs that provide protection for cattle and livestock. Their thick double coat of fur helps them do well in the Armenian Highlands’ harsh winters. Gamprs are also used to hunt wolves.

Dikran, known as "Deke" was the runt of a Gampr litter born in Armenia. His legs appeared deformed, leading to a vet in Armenia wanting to put him to sleep. Dingo Team, a rescue in Armenia, contacted a woman named Laura, who lives in Los Angeles and works closely with Dingo Team and another rescue in Armenia. Dingo Team was not sure what was wrong with Deke, though upon his arrival in the United States, he had x-rays taken and it was determined that his condition was not orthopedic in nature, but the result of malnutrition and lack of vitamins and nutrients. Since Laura did not have the skills or time to train Deke, and he was a bit out of control, Laura took him to a trainer. It turns out that the trainer fell in love with Deke and offered to keep him forever. Deke now spends his days visiting schools and meeting with children, helping them learn how to become responsible pet owners.