Sharr's dogs, the fearsome heroes of the herd

Deltari Ilir or as it is known the dog of Sharri is an indisputable guardian of the flock, which without hesitation fights with wolves and bears to protect sheep and other livestock. This is how some of the interlocutors describe their dogs.

At the same time, they say, this dog breed is very loyal and very loving.

These characteristics of Sharri dogs can also apply to their owners, who declare that they would not sell their dogs even if they were offered several thousand euros.

The very name of the dog - Sharri Dog - indicates that its home is in the Sharri Mountains, which lie along the border of Kosovo, Albania and North Macedonia.

It is believed that Sharri dogs are among the most famous dogs in the Balkans.

The "fearless heroes" of the herd

Shepherds who spend the summer in Sharr taking care of their cattle, say that they have witnessed many encounters between Sharr dogs and wolves, or bears. They claim that our "fearless dogs" have saved lambs, sheep and other domestic animals.

"A few days ago, a wolf attacked one of my lambs, which remained a little behind the flock. Some of my dogs, out of the 15 I have, quickly went and chased the wolf, saving the lamb. There have been many such cases", says Gafur Doda, a livestock farmer from the village of Restelicë, near Dragash, a municipality in the south of Kosovo.

His neighbors, the Bale family, have hundreds of sheep guarded by 12 Sharri dogs.

Without Sharri's dogs, they say, they would not be able to survive the attacks of wild animals that sneak up on their livestock.

“We never leash our dogs. This is why our sheep are safe both day and night. It happens that wolves try to enter the flock and harm us. There have been such cases, but Sharr's dogs are always close to the flock. I remember a case when our dogs drowned a wolf and the others were forced to run away", says Sakip Bale proudly.

The pride of Sharri dog owners

Agron Bajrami from the village of Gornjeselle in Prizren, said that Sharri's dogs fight with bears without thinking.

"Finally, a bear attacked my herd less than a kilometer from the village. One of my Sharri dogs got into a fight with him and managed to get away unharmed. Only one sheep was slightly injured, the others were not injured", says Agron Bajrami.

Even Agron's father, 80-year-old Ramiz Bajrami, boasts of the Sharri dogs that his family has.

He tells how he grew up with Sharri's dogs because he took care of the cattle.

"They [Sharri's dogs] are like our house. They know what to do just by looking at me. My grandson also loves them very much and spends every free time he has with Sharri's dogs," he says.

Mujdin Bajra from Skorobishta in Prizren, says that Sharri's dogs protect the sheep with their lives, which he has kept for 49 years.

"From 1966 to 2015, I had a flock of sheep. Thanks to Sharr's dogs, the wolf has never entered my flock to harm me. They have always protected the sheep", says Bajra.

Characteristics of Sharr's dogs

Bujar Zeqiri, a veterinarian from Prishtina and a fan of this breed of dogs, says that Sharri dogs are beautiful, intelligent and devoted dogs - who do not like to sit around.

Although they are larger dogs, he says they are calm but need daily exercise.

He says that females are somewhat "smaller" and weigh between 30 and 40 kilograms, while males can reach up to 45 kilograms.

As for the length, in females the length can be from 54 to 60 centimeters and males can have a length from 56 to 62 centimeters. Meanwhile, the lifespan of these dogs is from 11 to 13 years.

"Sharri's dogs are very healthy dogs. Hip dysplasia is almost their only disease. This is basically a developmental anomaly when the bony part of the hips is not sufficiently strengthened by supporting structures such as ligaments, joints or muscles", explains Zeqiri.

Life cannot be imagined without them

Bajra has lived and worked in Switzerland for about 40 years, but in his native village, he always had several hundred sheep, and of course, Sharri dogs.

He no longer keeps sheep, but he has not given up Sharri's dogs, as he says, he loves them very much.

He has built for them modern shelters in his yard, which are illuminated at night. Bajra feeds his Sharr dogs only meat and pays a young man to prepare food for his dogs.

"All this costs a lot, but I keep them because of love and nothing is expensive or difficult for me", says this 83-year-old.

He says he can't imagine life without Sharri's dogs.

"My day starts and ends with the dogs. I make sure to visit them in the morning, walk and play with them. Then, I can deal with other things", says Bajra.

He adds that keeping Sharri dogs is a tradition in his family.

Sharr's dogs are mostly "not for sale"

Sharri dog owners say that these dogs are expensive. They show that some people are willing to pay several thousand euros for this dog breed.

"We don't sell dogs. But an Albanian from Tirana came and didn't want to leave without giving him at least one puppy. We didn't want to, but he forcefully gave us 2.000 euros for a three-month-old puppy. Another offered us 10.000 euros or a jeep for a dog. We did not accept and that person left our house disappointed", says Agron Bajrami.

Meanwhile, Mujdi Bajra proudly shows that his dogs have been sold in Mitrovica, Pejë, Pristina, and even in Tirana. He emphasizes that he does not sell them at the real price, which can reach several thousand euros, but at a symbolic price of around 300 euros.

"I only sell them when I am sure that the person who buys them will take good care of them and feed them well. I sell dogs only to friends and true fans of this breed", says Bajra.

It is believed that Sharri dogs arrived in this part of Europe during the migration of shepherds from Asia and the Caucasus.

Sharr's dogs are only aggressive towards wild animals that attack livestock. They are freedom-loving dogs and love to enjoy the fascinating nature of the Sharr Mountains. People who know this breed of dog say that they are very gentle with children and love to play with them, REL reports.