I’ve noticed that when discussing which dog could hold its own against a wolf or bear in a one-on-one encounter, the top three breeds consistently mentioned are the Kangal, Caucasian Shepherd, and Central Asian Shepherd Dog.
Many believe these dogs have the best odds against a wolf. And that’s okay.
What makes me happy, though, is seeing more people realize that no dog in the world truly stands a chance against a fully grown, prime-condition wolf, like the Northwestern wolf in a natural setting.
This leads me to wonder: What made people rank these three breeds so highly in the first place?
Is it their physical build (constitution)?
Their height?
Or their bite force (measured in PSI)?
What follows is the truth about hierarchy in our Sarplaninac kennel – real events that unfolded over a specific period.
This isn’t something you’ll find on YouTube, skim through on forums, or read in the book …
Meda and Amor FCI 4302
We’re talking about massive dogs – standing over 75 cm (30 inches) tall at the shoulder. Meda, with his deep, thunderous bark, is the calm guardian, while Aron is all lightning-fast reflexes and sharp energy.
These two became famous after a single YouTube video of them hit 30,000 views. But here’s the wild story behind the footage …
Days before filming, we took our Šarplaninacs to Mount Juhor for their usual hike. But for some reason, Meda decided to stay an extra day (he simply refused to come home with us).
Of course, we were a little worried, but thank God, everything turned out fine. In the end, we got the footage we wanted, and the adventure made for an unforgettable story!
If you watched the video above, you can easily tell that these are young but powerful dogs, and they’re clearly in great shape.
The reason we included a pig’s head in the scenario was to observe their reaction – would they work as a team or turn on each other?
We also wanted to create a somewhat ‘natural environment,’ as this is something that could easily happen in the wild.
Bux FCI 4302
Bux is around the same age as Meda and Amor – and just as tall! I can confidently say he’s a powerful Sarplaninac in every sense of the word.
Even as a puppy, he stood out from the rest of the litter, and my father paid extra attention to his diet, exercise routine… every little detail was taken care of!
How Is Bux Different from Meda and Amor? Time and again, Bux has proven that he can take control of both Meda and Amor, whenever he enters their part of the yard, he quickly establishes order.
His attack is intimidating: first one dog whimpers, then the other.
This is something our kennel won’t tolerate, which is why we quickly found new homes for Meda and Amor.
They are good guard dogs or even show dogs – with their build (and height), they might have won prestigious titles.
However, calling them Šarplaninac (a breed known for facing wolves) in a scenario where they’d actually stand up to one?
That’s only possible in the context of “buying time”, just enough for the owner to escape the scene.
@sarplaninac4302 🐾 Who needs an e-bike when you have a Sarplaninac? 🐶 This amazing #pup is putting the breeder's cycling skils to the test! ❤️ Are you looking for a strong, protective dog breed? The #sarplaninac might be your perfect match! #shepherd #dogbreeder #bicycle #doglover💕🦮 ♬ Black Betty - Ram Jam
Rex FCI 4302
Rex had serious years when he arrived at our kennel. Unfortunately, an unsettling incident occurred where Rex reacted in an extremely protective manner at the time.
While I’ve written about this in detail before, I recently received new information after speaking with his owner!
To summarize: Rex was guarding a large, fenced-in yard where three children were playing. A neighbor unexpectedly entered his territory (despite Rex’s clear warnings to keep her distance). Ignoring his signals, she made the worst possible decision: she grabbed a nearby broom and advanced toward him.
That was a fatal mistake!
Rex immediately lunged, knocking her to the ground. The woman suffered severe injuries, including a critical bite that exposed her femur. Soon, 4 police patrols arrived …
And let’s get one thing straight:
- There’s security footage (proof of everything).
- The yard was fully fenced.
- The gate had a clear-ass warning sign: “I GUARD THIS PLACE.”
The Day Rex and Bux Had an Unplanned Face-Off
When you have several dogs, and Rex is around, you must take extra precautions. A single moment of distraction can lead to serious consequences.
One day, my father took Rex for a quick walk. In his rush, he forgot he needed to grab something from another part of the yard, so he tied Rex to a tree (with a leash).
However, when he opened the gate, Bux somehow managed to slip out. He immediately ran after him, but what he saw next was shocking.
In just seconds, Rex had pinned Bux to the ground and began choking him. In the chaos, my father managed to grab Bux by his hind legs and pull him back, preventing a greater tragedy.
According to him, mere seconds stood between Bux and certain death.
To add an interesting detail: Rex stands at 69 cm tall, while Bux is nearly 80 cm. At the time, Rex was 10 years old, and Bux was no older than 3!
Tyson FCI 4302 (73 cm)
We’ve arrived at the “daddy of the game”, an exceptionally intelligent, powerful, and Sarplaninac with an impressively high tolerance threshold. But the moment someone crosses that “red line,” he becomes an absolute beast.
Few dogs could stand their ground against him one-on-one.
Unfortunately, his weakness was his hind legs, a possible hip dysplasia caused by my father’s mistake of being overweight. Yet, that never stopped him from living a long, full life.
Why “High Tolerance Threshold”?
Tyson allowed our dogs to climb on his back and tolerated a lot… until he decided enough was enough. Once he set his rules, there was no negotiation!
He once completely overpowered a dog of a popular breed that is among the top 5 for home protection – on his territory!
Not only did Tyson force the other dog into his own crate, but he also ate his food right out of the bowl while the other dog barked helplessly and backed away in fear.
The owner was ashamed and embarrassed that it was watching, but it wouldn’t have come this far if he hadn’t underestimated Tyson (Sarplaninacs are weak guard dogs).
Dog shows are a whole different story …
But the Key Lesson? – His Confidence!
He never respected any other dog, nor did he ever back down. What’s really interesting about this topic is his first encounter with Rex.
That’s when I noticed a strong tension between the two of them, but what really caught my attention was Tyson’s barking (there are rare situations when he is in a bad mood).
In the end, I’ll say this: There was never an open fight between them (just some intense staring over the fence)!
Hierarchy Within Our Pack?
The victory podium and gold medal belong to Tyson and Rex. Silver is reserved for Bux, while Meda and Amor won bronze.
However, here I would single out Rex as a dog that can cause serious trouble! He grew up in a specific environment and was very attached to his owner and family. The reason for his success in resolving conflicts with other dogs does not lie in height but in anatomy!
Do not forget that the Šarplaninac has a double coat, can endure much stronger attacks from opponents, and such a dog will not whimper in that moment!
On the other hand, we have lovers of this breed who cannot imagine a Šarplaninac under 70 cm tall. Their main argument is that such a dog would be “a snack for a wolf”.
I would take this opportunity to ask them two questions now:
- Have you ever seen a wolf and paid attention to its build (height and weight)?
- Has your 80 cm+ dog ever had a real test outside the show ring that was documented and recorded?
Conclusion
The point of my article isn’t to change the minds of those who believe ‘the biggest dog is the strongest dog’ – but that they don’t underestimate dogs that don’t meet their criteria!
YouTube videos of a certain breed chasing tigers, fighting bears, or facing off against wolves prove nothing except that the dog is brave.
If you watch those clips and walk away thinking they’re the strongest dogs on earth, think again …
