Get to know the Armenian gampr

Gampr, also called Aralez, has been the pride of the Armenian people for thousands of years. Gampr actually represents several types of Armenian dogs, united under one name. Here they are:

1. Guardian dog or just gampr․ He guarded the area around the house.
2. Wolfhound or herd keeper․ These dogs protected herds from wolves and thieves. The wolfhounds used to wear armor that helped them in the fights.
3. Bear hunter. These dogs were used only by master-hunters during the bear hunt. They were stronger than bears, especially when armed with steel stakes.
4. Hunting dog. It was used to catch foxes, goats, wild cats and cheetahs. It was very fast and lightweight. It didn't bark at people and had a special ability to chase a wounded victim, find its shelter and call the hunter to him by barking.

There were special dog breeding farms in Armenia. These farms hunted wolves and mated them with dogs, producing the above types of Armenian gampr.

Gamprs were loved so much that killing them was equaled to murder.