Armant

Country: Egypt
Weight: 50-66 pounds
Height: 22 inches
Coat: Long, shaggy, and rough
Color: Black, black/tan, gray and grayish yellow
Other Names: Ermenti, Egyptian Sheepdog Registry: None
Group: Herding

Napoleon's armies brough the Armant's ancestors to Egypt, where these Briard types bred with native dogs. Named after a village in northern Egypt, the Armant was used first as a drover and guradian of the herds. The breed excels as watchdogs, and these dogs are sometimes called sabe, Arabic for lion, symbolizing their ferocity and the legend of their leonine descent.

The Armant is a large, square, powerful dog with a strong muzzle. His mask is dark, and the shaggy coat forms a mustache and topknot. The topknot, muzzle and chest are white, and the small ears may be drop or prick and the tail long or docked.

With battles erupting in the Middle East, the current status of the breed is unknown. Recent travelers have found examples of the breed, but type varies greatly and the purity of the breeding program unknown. Others may still exist in isolated areas, but the FCI has decided to drop them from their list of recognized breeds.

All the information here was acquired/adapted from "The Atlas of Dog Breeds of the World" - written by Bonnie Wilcox, DVM and Chris Walkowicz.