‘Hold your dog!’, is the traditional greeting when approaching a Mongolian ger – it is also a practical request, because the Bankhar, as the dog of the nomads is called, is a fierce defender of the livestock. For centuries, the Bankhar has been an inseparable part of the nomadic herder’s life. Large, athletic, protective, loyal and requiring comparatively little food for its size, the Bankhar is perfectly adapted to the intense ecosystems of Mongolia and the lifestyle of the nomad. In fact, it is almost impossible to imagine nomadic life without this dog. 

However, a threat has arisen endangering the Bankhar’s future: in recent years, interbreeding with the fashionable Tibetan Mastiff has become popular. Mastiffs are genetically distinct from the Bankhar and are not working dogs. Mixed mastiff genes in the Bankhar gene-pool have degraded the quality of the genetic characteristics of the Mongolian dog.

There are more than 500 dog breeds worldwide; however, the Mongolian Bankhar has never been officially included in the list. In order to help maintain the purity of the breed, the Mongolian Bankhar Dog Project has been launched in order for it to be officially registered as a breed of dog officially by the Belgium-based ‘Fédération Cynologique Internationale’ (FCI) – also known as the International Federation of Kennel Blubs. Currently, there are nearly forty Bankhar breeding centres in Mongolia and they organise a competition for advertising this breed every year. This year, a Bankhar dog show entitled the ‘Next Champion’ will take place at the National Park in Ulaanbaatar on 20th of May.