{"data":{"slug":"illyrian-shepherd","name":"Illyrian Shepherd","url":"https://techtools.cz/tools/dog-atlas/illyrian-shepherd","api_url":"https://techtools.cz/dog-atlas-api/v1/breeds/illyrian-shepherd","also_known_as":["Illyrian Dog"],"kind":"breed","extinct":true,"group":{"key":"molosser","label":"Mastiff \u0026 Mountain","fci_group":2,"fci_group_name":"Pinscher and Schnauzer, Molossoid and Swiss Mountain and Cattle Dogs"},"size":"Large","origin":"Balkans","countries":[],"height_cm":null,"weight_kg":null,"life_expectancy_years":null,"temperament":["Protective","Courageous","Loyal"],"exercise_level":"Medium","wikipedia_views_60d":93,"summary":"The Illyrian Shepherd is an extinct Balkan livestock guardian dog and the forerunner of the Šarplaninac, Karst Shepherd and Deltari Ilir.","photo":null,"updated_at":"2026-10-15T14:46:14Z","ratings":{"energy":3,"exercise":3,"grooming":3,"shedding":3,"trainability":2,"barking":4,"kids":3,"other_dogs":2},"coat":"Thick, weather-resistant coat","colors":[],"fun_fact":"The name Illyrian dog can mean two different things: this extinct shepherd or the Illyrian Hound, another name for the Barak scenthound.","sections":{"overview":"The Illyrian Shepherd was a mountain flock guardian of the Balkans that no longer exists as a distinct breed. Its name is also used for the Illyrian Hound, which is a different, scenthound-type dog.\n\nIts importance lies in its descendants, which carry on the guardian tradition in several countries today.","history":"The Illyrian Shepherd is regarded as the predecessor of three modern breeds: the Šarplaninac, named after the Sharr Mountains, the Karst Shepherd from Slovenia, and the rare Deltari Ilir, accepted nationally in Kosovo and several other Eastern European countries.","appearance":"No standard description survives. As the ancestor of the Balkan guardian breeds, it is thought to have been a large, sturdy, thick-coated mountain dog.","personality":"Like its descendants, it would have been a watchful, independent guardian devoted to the flock and wary of strangers and predators."},"recognition":{"fci_number":null,"fci_standard_url":null,"akc_url":null},"sources":{"wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illyrian_dog","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q8413492","wikipedia_revision":1245164781},"profile":{"written_by":"AI model (Claude Sonnet) from the sources above","written_at":"2026-10-15T13:59:38Z"}}}