Slovenia’s Karst region is a rocky, windswept plateau covered dotted with pine trees and other hardy vegetation. It takes resilience to survive in this environment often affected by meteorological extremes. The Karst shepherd, a breed of dog indigenous to the area, is indeed characterized by its robustness.

For centuries, Karst shepherds have been used to tend sheep in this unforgiving region. The breed’s exact origins are unknown. Some experts speculate that it may have originated in Roman times, while others suspect it was the Illyrians, the area’s indigenous inhabitants, who brought the dog’s predecessors – the famed Molossus dogs -- north via the Croatian islands and interbred them with other Balkan sheepdogs.

What is known is that the Karst shepherd proved to be an excellent flock guard – it would protect its flock at all cost, even driving away much larger wolves -- and became an integral piece of the Karst lifestyle. After the great polymath Johannes Weikhart Valvasor toured the region in the 17th century, he mentioned its sheepdog, which he described as robust and fearless, in this classic work The Glory of the Duchy of Carniola.

However, the Karst shepherd had to wait a few more centuries to be recognized as a distinctive breed. It wasn’t until 1939 that it was officially registered under the name Illyrian shepherd. Even well into the 20th century, the breed was commonly confused with the Macedonian Šarplaninec, a similarly robust breed of sheepdog, but in 1968, after years of efforts by Slovenian dog breeders, the Karst shepherd was finally recognized under its own name, and as a separate breed, by international breeding associations.

Today, the Karst shepherd is prized by admirers of rare breeds around the world. The dog is known for being independent and strong-willed, but it can make a good family pet if socialized at a young age. Because of its origins on the wide-open spaces of the Karst plateau, it needs plenty of space, and is therefore considered unsuitable for people who live in apartments. However, its loyalty makes it a perfect dog for people who spend much of their time in nature.

These distinctive characteristics have helped Karst shepherds to win various international awards, and made it one of Slovenia’s most recognizable animal breeds, along with the famed Lipizzan horse and the blind, cave-dwelling olm.