Mackenzie River Husky vs Ciobanesc de Bucovina - Breed Comparison

The name Mackenzie River Husky was given to these huskies by those wanting to name the freight huskies of a certain area. The name took hold in the 1960’s, but the dog began to disappear with the introduction of snow machines.

They’re a mixture of native sled dogs - Newfoundlands, St. Bernards, Staghounds and Wolf. As a mixed breed, they have always been regarded as classic sled dogs.

The Ciobanesc de Bucovina is a breed that developed naturally in the Carpathian Mountains (Romania and Serbia) and some regions of Bulgaria. The breed was especially useful in the Romanian northeast regions, the county Bucovina and in the northeastern region of Serbia. These dogs are bred for guarding and herding of flocks as well as guard dogs for the family home.

When the area was split between Russian and Romania, the dog continued to thrive in the mountains because of the need that the shepherds had for this type of dog with the build, working ability and temperament of the Bucovina.

Finally, in the 20th century, Romania began to urbanize and industrialize. People moved to the cities from the hills and many brought their dogs with them. This allowed many non-mountain Romanians to come into contact with the Bucovina Shepherd for the first time. He became a great family dog and offered guard dog protection as well.

The Romanian Kennel Club accepted the Ciobanesc du Bucovina in 1982 and wrote the first standard then. It has since been updated in 2001 and 2002 with today’s standard. They are not accepted by the international clubs nor the big clubs in the US and Europe. This is one factor in keeping the breed rare because it is little known outside of Romania.

The beautiful Mackenzie River Husky stands at 66 to 74cm in height and weighs between 29 and 47kg.

This deep chested dog has a long, straight coat with the colors being typically wolf-like – white, cream, black, tan, blonde and red. He has erect ears, long legs and a long, bushy tail.

Temperament:

This wolf-type dog is strong willed and independent and was always a pack dog. They wouldn’t be described as a good choice for the first time dog owner as they do seem to have some wolf traits and will require a strong, firm, level headed owner.

Most large mountain dogs resemble the Bucovina Shepherd, but this breed is more slightly built and has a lighter coat than most of the mountain dogs. They are still a very large dog weighing in between 70 and 120 pounds. They are powerfully built even if more slender than other mountain dogs. They have a long thick coat that makes it difficult to see how their bodies are formed, but they are a very muscular dog.

Their large head does indicate how powerful a dog he is, and he has a wide muzzle that tapers off at the end. The breed has small eyes that are either hazel or brown and his v-shaped ears hang downward on the side of his head. He has a wide, black nose and thick, dark lips. His tail is bushy and long.

Your MacKenzie River Husky is such a likeable pet to have. True, he does tend to be a bit stubborn and independent but there is nothing that training and socialization won’t do for him. You’ll find him much more obedient and amicable, and he gets on well with children and pets in the home.

He is an intelligent dog too and very energetic so will require an owner who is active, firm and consistent. He thrives on human company and just wants to be around his owner all the time, ready to join in with any activity happening in his life.

He is therefore far more suited to life in the countryside than to the city. Loyal, devoted and loving, a MacKenzie River Husky isn’t only a beautiful dog to own, he promises to offer everything you want in a 4-legged friend.

Bred to herd and guard cattle against the wolves and bears, it is a very dominant, self-assured, breed. They are intelligent yet laid back when no threat is suspected. They love children but can be hard to train. A dominant adult is needed to train and control the Ciobanesc de Bucovina. They are quite protective of their families and will patrol the property if left outside at night.

The breed has a strong mistrust of strangers but loves his adopted family. Unless threatened the Ciobanesc de Bucovina is calm and chilled. He is loyal, affectionate and dedicated. They attempt to frighten strangers with barks and growls but will attack if necessary. They are also very driven to chase prey so make sure they are in a locked fence. They can be difficult to train and seem to need a strong, alpha adult presence.

Your MacKenzie River Husky, regardless of how healthy he is, can suffer with some common health problems that all dogs are prone to.

Perhaps one of the more common health problems that this particular dog breed has to contend with is cataracts, hip dyslasia and hypothyroidism.

Cataracts:

Many people associate cataracts in dogs with age, little realizing that there are many medical reasons as to why our pets develop cataracts. Cataracts can start as early as 6 months of age, although this is unlikely. They come about because of a disease which affects the lens of the eye, causing the lens to lose its transparency.

You’ll notice a whitish/grey shade in your dog’s eye and this can actually impair vision. Cataracts are particularly the lot of diabetic dogs. It can certainly help to have your dog’s eyes checked by a vet regularly.

Hip Dysplasia:

This is another fairly common problem with Huskies. It’s almost like a death sentence if your MacKenzie is a working dog because it can lead to lameness. The disease can lead to problems in the hip joint which cab be debilitating ad give your dog a lot of pain.

It doesn’t strike old dogs only, but can be the lot of young dogs too. Sometimes treatment will require surgery but there are non-invasive options too. You want to make sure that you don’t allow your pet to become overweight as this can contribute to developing hip dysplasia.

Not much has been done to study the health of this breed so not much is known for certain. It is known that they have good health as they have survived the harsh winters in the mountains while tending to the flocks.

Given their size and the history of mountain dogs, they could be susceptible to visual and skeletal amount of food and at the right times can prevent this. They could be susceptible to arthritis, knee and elbow dysplasia, and cataracts.

Exercise:

Huskies like this one will require a good deal of exercise every single day. These are working dogs who have always had a job to do and you can certainly count him in when you do your hiking walks, swimming – you name it. The only thing he will object to is that he doesn’t do well in hot weather. Strong-willed, you’ll want your MacKenzie River Husky trained and socialized if you want him to be a companionable dog.

Diet:

Dogs need to be fed according to the size, their age and their lifestyle. If your MacKenzie River Husky is an active working dog, his food must be the very best and contain enough calories to cover the daily caloric expenses.

Quality and the amount of vitamins and minerals in the food is most important for a dog like this. If you feed him commercially manufactured food, make sure its high quality and not made up of fillers, and other bad stuff. Read the label and understand exactly what’s going into your dog’s stomach.

Simplicity with feeding is best for your pet. Treat him occasionally to cooked chicken, brown rice, pasta and cooked or raw vegetables which can be added into his dry kibble. A dog like this will require some raw meat as well to ensure his coat and eyes are always shiny and bright.

Grooming:

Grooming of the MacKenzie River Husky must be done at least twice a week to get rid of loose hairs.

Caring for Pet

Feeding

It is important not to over feed or to feed to much at one time. Even though they are large and powerful dogs, massive meals can cause bloat, so you are better off with 2-4 smaller meals per day. Also, don’t feed right before or right after strenuous exercise.

Health issues

As previously mentioned this breed does not appear to have many health issues. As they developed naturally in the mountains they have not been exposed to many things there.

Bloat

This was already mentioned but it is a very serious condition and requires veterinary assistance immediately under threat of death.

Dysplasia

They can have either hip or elbow dysplasia. Can lead to arthritis of lameness.

Exercise and games

This is a calm, even tempered dog not needing a lot of exercise. However, he is a big dog and can get obese without daily exercise. A large fenced in yard would be appreciated and a nice brisk walk every day. They would probably enjoy flyball and leurcatch. Any herding or hunting would be enjoyed.