Μολοσσός της Ηπείρου

My dear friend,
Your effort to save the Molossos of Epirus is wonderful. You are a pioneer. It must cost a lot in terms of money and effort. I hope in the following years we will see results and maybe a well recognized Greek breed with ancient origin.

Please allow me to make some suggestions and comments that come out of genuinely good intentions. In order to get to the point I will have to start with a parallelism:
In ancient Greece wine was cultivated broadly. With the time passing and the Turkish domination Greek wine disappeared for centuries, except the one that the peasants produced for themselves and for the local taverns. But it could not compare to the fine wines abroad. The land that had wine before than anybody else in Europe had lost its tradition and had now to learn from others and use their methods in order to make good wine. Slowly they were discovered again ancient grape varieties and today Greek wine can compete internationally.

This is what is happening today to the Epirus Molossos and the rest of the Greek breeds. There are some remaining dogs that were left in their own fate. If we want to achieve desirable results we have to look to others abroad and learn from their successful methods. That does not mean to do exactly the same but to extract knowledge from the positive and negative aspects.

There are two acceptable ways of bringing and old breed back into existence. I mean serious methods because to create a monstrosity like the various bandogges can be done by anybody.

1. Recreation/Reconstruction, based on old information like pictures and historical descriptions of a lost breed. It is achieved by using elements from several other similar breeds until they reach the desired result. Example: Belgian Mastiff or even more, Presa Canario. The former was made in modern times by Dr. Semencic by crossing many other breeds. However today in the Canary Islands is considered their local dog. This method does not apply in this case because it is for breeds that are completely extinct.

2. Recovery or restoration is in my opinion the procedure that should be used in the case of Molossos. This method has two parts. The first stage is the purification and “sorting” by using an existing mixed stock. Example: Ca de Bou, or Mallorcan Bulldog (other names Dogo or Presa Mallorquin). In Mallorca they recovered this breed from two Dogs Tito and Anastasia and their offspring. First they knew that their shepherd dogs on the island called “ca de Bestiar” had a lot of Ca de Bou genes and they used them having very good results. Today this breed is gaining more and more popularity with a good population and breeders around the world. According to the specialist on the subject Otto Brito they outcrossed the following dogs in order to “renew” the blood and accentuate certain characteristics: Presa Canario, Ca de Bestiar with Boxer cross, and a Staffordshire terrier mix with a Ca de Bou. Of course only once or twice but he states “it was necessary”.

Back to our subject: The dogs of the shepherds in Greece have been influenced from other Balkan and Turkish breeds. The Turks brought with them shepherd dogs from Central Asia that were mixed with the local stock. However I believe that your mission is a little easier than that of Mallorca because you base stock is more defined.
The best way to recover and define the breed is first to determine what exactly you want to achieve. Which one according to historical facts and logical explanation is the perfect prototype? Based on that, you have to narrow your selection on the conformation and hair of the dogs (only one type of length and texture of the hair). The colour can have greater variety but not huge.

Then use the genetic pool of existing dogs and extract with continuous breeding the best puppies that have both the character and looks. The rest should be neutered and spayed in order to avoid later problems of uncontrolled breeding and sold to individuals that just want a companion guard or just a good dog.

After this first stage they can be introduced selectively very few times only to refresh the blood, breeds that were well preserved abroad and originate from ancient molossos. One example is the Spanish Mastiff that has obviously similar head and loose skin around the neck and size with some of your dogs. But this particular breed should only be used in order to stabilize external characteristics because it lacks character. The Epirus Mastiff should be more combative.
But you know well that in order to fight the wolf or other wild animals, or strange dogs, you need determination, gameness, agility and muscle. Not only size and looks. For this it can be used a dog like the Cumaon Mastiff “Cypro Kukur” that the natives in India believe it was brought there by OUR Alexander the Great. You can buy a good example by Gilberto Paucciulo in Italy. Don’t think even for a moment that this refreshment of the genes is something wrong or “heretic”. The contrary it is a common practice. You already have the main element and this is done only to stabilize and not to replace.

The puppies that will have all these characteristics will continue to produce and again the rest will be sold for a fair or symbolic price to individuals or to shepherd families. Without explaining a lot just selling them to people neutered and spayed, to avoid excessive breeding. This will produce income to continue with fewer but better dogs.

Characteristics that should be given emphasis:
Distinctive skull, muzzle and neck of the Epirus Molossos.
Body size Large, or X Large but with the agility and combativeness of the warrior Mastiff breeds. This without taking away his packs instinct and get to the point to kill each other.
Dogos Argentinos that were based in the old fighting dog of Cordova had this characteristic in the beginning. But early breeders eliminated the problem of them killing each other, by breeding only the dogs that would understand the pack hierarchy. In the case of Pit Bull and Tosa for example they did the contrary on purpose.

The picture in your article has an ancient dog next to the statue. This has the look of a 19th century bull and terrier fighting dog. Look at the ears and the body structure. Interesting! However the image of Hercules with Cerberus shows clearly the mouth and legs of the Epirus Mastiff. The Molossos!

The pictures and the videos of the dogs are really rare, unspoiled and therefore attractive. However they do not show the working capacities of the dogs. The dogs look relaxed, sure of themselves which is good, slow in their movements and somewhat rough in their appearances. They do not impress as they should. Show some of the dogs working running, biting something!

I apologize if my commentaries can be hard but I prefer to say the truth. They are ONLY suggestions. I don’t even know the breed. But because I live abroad and I see things from a different perspective my suggestions might be a help to you. The creation of a Club is necessary. You need funds in order to make a good job. Also in order to continue your work properly you need scientific advice from experts that are willing to give real help and not “show offs” that want to impose their opinion.

The Greeks from all over the world should support the Molossos of Epirus. For some people their dogs reveal part of their character and their land. For us the Greeks also show our long history. For the whole world the recovery of the ancestor of the mastiffs would be an accomplishment.
I thank you for giving me the opportunity to express an opinion independently if its right or wrong, and I will be glad to help on whatever I could be useful. Once more I congratulate you for your work and as a Greek I thank you.

Ilias G Verras