When we take breaks at work, I give her time to go potty outside and run around and sniff a bit since it's a lot to expect of a dog to be focused the entire work day. It snowed over the last couple days and Arwen is *ecstatic*
The Armenian Gampr (Armenian: Գամփռ, romanized: Gamp’ṙ) is an Armenian breed of flock guardian dog native to the Armenian Highlands. It falls within the Ovcharka group of livestock guardian dogs, which can be found throughout the Transcaucasus area.
The Gampr is the traditional flock guardian dog of Armenia. From the 1920s, when Armenia came under the control of the Soviet Union, large numbers of the dogs were taken to Russia, where they played a crucial part in the development of the Caucasian Shepherd Dog, or Caucasian Ovcharka.
The principal traditional use of the Gampr was as a flock guardian dog, protecting flocks of sheep and goats from attack – particularly by wolves – on the upland pastures of mountainous regions of Armenia. Although sheep-herding has declined in the country since independence, wolves continue to threaten flocks; in 2006 some 2000 dogs were still in use for this purpose. They may also be used to guard people and property, another traditional use.
An Armenian Gampr among sheep at the Armash Important Bird Area
An Armenian Gampr playing with another dog of unknown breed in 2012
Shepherds of Coyote Rocks: Public Lands, Private Herds, and the Natural World, by Cat Urbigkit, 2012
Nonfiction book of the author's experience on rangeland with her sheep and livestock guardians. I'm only a third of the way through it currently, but enjoy it. Bought it used online.