Now THAT is a good boy.
I’ll never understand the type of people that don’t like having pets. Sure, your house probably stays clean more easily, and you can leave your home for long periods of time and not worry about boarding or finding a dog-sitter, and you probably save money not having to pay for vet bills and pet food…I’m gonna go ahead and stop there.
Forget that I said all of that and focus in on this dog that saved its owner life in Curtea De Arge, Romania. All of those things I listed earlier are great perks of not owning a pet, but wouldn’t you rather have a built-in bodyguard following you around?
This man was certainly thankful that he had his 7-month-old Alabai (more commonly known as a Central Asian Shepherd Dog) with him while he was on a walk and crossed paths with a big ole bear. Just in case you didn’t know, brown bears are some of the most lethal apex predators in the world, and arguably the most intimidating type of bear you can come across.
With their incomparable strength, their underrated speed, and the sheer force of their jaw (can bite at 1,000 psi, which is A LOT), you really do not want to come toe-to-toe with a bear. And even though the dog and its owner were in a dangerous situation, the pupper was willing to put its life on the line in order to protect its human.
But as it turns out, that’s exactly what these dogs are bred for.
Central Asian Shepherd Dog
The Alabai, officially known as the Central Asian Shepherd Dog (CASD), is an ancient livestock guardian breed originating from the vast regions of Central Asia, including Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan. Bred for thousands of years by nomadic tribes, they are not herding dogs but rather formidable protectors designed to defend flocks and property from large predators like wolves and bears.
We’re talking about a massive, incredibly powerful dog. Males typically weigh between 110 and 175 pounds (often more) and stand over 27 inches tall at the shoulder. They have a robust, muscular build with a thick neck and a broad, bear-like head.
They have a dense, weather-resistant double coat that can be either short or moderately long. They come in a wide variety of colors, including white, black, fawn, brindle, and piebald. Historically and in their native regions, their ears are cropped extremely short and their tails are docked close to the base shortly after birth to prevent predators from grabbing them during a fight.
Because they were bred to guard flocks over vast distances without human direction, these dogs are highly independent. They assess threats and make their own decisions, which can make them stubborn during traditional obedience training. They are intensely territorial and fiercely protective of their “flock” (which includes their human family, other household pets, and property). While deeply affectionate and gentle with their own family, they are naturally suspicious of and aloof toward strangers.
The one in the video actually seems to belong to a breeder/trainer in Romania, which is understandable since the Alabai generally requires a confident, experienced owner who understands livestock guardian breeds. Without firm, consistent leadership, their independent nature can lead to dangerous behavioral issues.
In the video here, the man is out for a walk with what appears to be more than one dog, however this particular one wasn’t letting this bear get anywhere near the others. But even that didn’t stop the bear from challenging the dog.
In various scary moments of the footage, the bear charges at the young pup, but the dog stays put and isn’t shaken one bit. Every time the grizzly comes forward, the dog barks even louder and pushed it right back. The dog eventually backs it up a good five yards off the road, and that’s when the owner steps in to retrieve his dog, and reward him with some loving and appreciative pats on the head. It’s unclear if that was a part of training or just a casual encounter, but this particular dog definitely lived up to the reputation of the breed.
The caption says, “We don’t raise dogs, we build legends,” and it appears as though he would be correct.
