Mongolian Taigan

This dog is a breed of sighthound from Kyrgyzstan. The Taigan is found in the alpine Tian Shan region of Kyrgyzstan on the border with China, it is closely related to the Tazy and the Saluki. The breed has been around since 12 th century with known pictures from the Yuan dynasty.

As a sighthound, the Taigan predominantly uses its sight and speed to overcome its prey. The breed is known for its extraordinary stamina at altitude, and its versatility whilst hunting. They are capable of following scent trails and also have a reputation for retrieving game. Taigans are often used to hunt in combination with trained bird of prey, especially the golden eagle. The Taigan is used to hunt a wide range game including marmot, hare, fox, badger, wildcat, hoofed game such as the ibex and roe deer as well as the wolf.

The Taigan has medium-length and slightly curly hair, it has a wide range of colours ranging from white and shades of fawn through to greys and black examples. Since the breakup of the Soviet Union the Taigan's numbers have significantly declined, but the Russian Kennel Club has made concerted efforts to ensure the breed's survival, recognising it along with the Tasy, and trying to find good breeding stock of both breeds.

Interesting fact about the Mongolian Taiga:

-The canines are angled to pierce the skin of their prey easily and to hold on, the breed can hunt big to small game depending the location of their owners.

-The can survive in -30 C even with there short coat, the coat has dense short hair to protect them from the cold.

Photos protected by History of Guardian & Working Breeds.