Burmese Mountain Dogs are a rare dog breed that live in the mountains of Myanmar. They have been bred to hunt skunks and protect livestock. Their abilities as skunk hunters are quite remarkable. Note their skunk-like markings which can fool a skunk into believing the dog is another skunk, until too late. Despite their size, they can climb trees over 50-feet high in pursuit of the arboreal Burmese Skunk. In the event that a skunk sprays them, they can also shed the scent with a mere rinsing. Burmese Mountain Dogs make great pets. Their major drawback is their excessive shedding. However, they should not be confused with Bernese Mountain Dogs, which are Swiss farm dogs. More information can be found at BurmeseMountainDog.org.
Tree Climbing
Despite their stocky build, they are surprisingly quick and agile and this athleticism is very useful in the hunt. Burmers have been known to climb as much as 50 feet into trees in the northern Burmese jungles while giving chase to the arboreal Burmese Skunk, quite a feat for such a large canine.
Burmer As Family Dog
The Burmese Mountain Dog makes a great family dog, though their breeding as hunters can make it very difficult for them to share a house with cats (particularly black or black and white cats). They are intelligent, sensitive and responsive, gentle with children and usually calm once they reach adulthood. They can be easily trained, though the Burmer newbie should be warned that their tree climbing skills can lead to serious kitchen accidents if they start to think that the cabinets are full of treats for dogs rather than humans.
Shedding
If you have to ask whether they shed or not, this is probably the wrong breed for you. The thick coat all comes off 4 times a year, probably as an adaptation to rid lingering skunk smells when they come home from a hunt. It is a vast amount of fur and you can count on finding it in your car, your home, even your toothbrush. Owners report going out to dinner during a shedding period and having to apologize to the restaurateur for the cloud of mostly black fur left on their seat. So again, if you have to ask, you shouldn’t get one of these gorgeous critters.
2 comments:
I have a young Burmese Mountain Dog named Macie. She will be a two years in June and we have had her for 6 months. A friend of a friend gave her to us when they had a baby because they said she was "too big and energetic" to be around little kids. That was a major understatement. She was a year and a half when we got her and her previous owners promised she wouldn't get any bigger. She's gained 20 pounds. We walk her twice a day and we live in the country so she has free-range over 6 acres. But she is still out of control. Macie jumps on everyone, steals food from the table, chews EVERYTHING (shoes, furniture, plastic bowls and her most impressive achievement, the license plate off a car)and refuses to listen. My parents say that unless her behavior improves, we are going to have to find a new home for her! And I love that crazy dog. If anyone has any advice PLEASE EMAIL ME!!!!
large dog lies in wait
skunks pass by;
think they're with kin
rinse the stink away
skunk hunter of Burma
plying your trade in the night,
you need a good bath.
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