05/30/2026
Being in the world cup dog show is a BIG deal. Here's Why, the Pastore della Sila was considered dangerously close to extinction during the mid-to-late 20th century.The breed's near-disappearance and recovery followed a distinct timeline:
The Decline (1950sโ1970s): Following World War II and the Italian agrarian reforms, traditional nomadic pastoralism (transumance) rapidly declined. As modern farming took over and the threat of large predators temporarily waned, shepherding families stopped breeding these large guardians.
Survival in Isolation:
The breed did not fully vanish, but it survived entirely unmanaged, living in a feral or semi-feral state alongside surviving goat herds in the most remote, inaccessible peaks of the Sila Mountains.
The "Rediscovery" and Recovery (1980sโPresent): By the 1980s, cynologists realized the breed was on the brink of being forgotten forever. Dedicated field preservation efforts by experts like Dr. Ferdinando Sala rescued the final remaining bloodlines.Today, the Italian Kennel Club (ENCI) formally states that it can no longer be referred to as an extinct breed due to successful repopulation and its renewed role in protecting livestock from wolves.
