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Around their people, they will be highly protective, at least with people they are familiar with. Interestingly, they will always choose to communicate with bays, barks, or growls. Their probably most recognizable body trait is their upright ears.Īs very protective dogs they are very vocal.
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They come in a variety of colors, but they will come mostly in brown, white, and black. These dogs are often described by their owners as intelligent, active, and alert dogs who love spending time next to their favorite humans. The Mountain Feist is an all-American breed. Is this breed demanding in terms of playfulness? Can you expect playfulness in their senior years as well? Others are more serious and prefer having a job to do.
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The Kennel Club of Greece is now working with the Amaltheia volunteers to save them from extinction. The results of their research along with the subsequent articles published in the press demand for the conservation of the surviving Alopekis dogs in Greece. Spyros Chleiounakis have been studying a local population of Alopekis in Northern Greece. Since 2005, a group of researchers led by Prof. In modern times, urbanization, crossbreeding with imported dogs, and lack of breed registry have made an impact on their numbers. Aside from its traditional role of exterminating small vermin as well as protecting domestic ducks and chickens from foxes, it is believed to be used for controlling aggressive bulls in training sessions and games of bull-leaping. Moreover, dog bones like those of marshland dogs or turf-dogs found at the sites of Neolithic settlements (such as Sesklo and Sitagroi) indicate that Alopekis is one of the oldest dog breeds to originate in Europe.Īlopekis dogs were very common throughout Greece. Since numerous prehistoric artifacts bearing the representation of Alopekis have been found in Thessaly, Raphina, and Asketario, it is believed that this breed evolved from ancient dogs that lived during the proto-Hellenic period.
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