History

Armants originate from Egypt

Egypt

Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...

 and were originally used as guard dog

Guard dog

A guard dog, an attack dog or watch dog is a dog used to guard against, and watch for, unwanted or unexpected people or animals. The dog is discriminating so that it does not annoy or attack familiar people.-Barking:...

s. It is believed to be a descendant of Europe

Europe

Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

an dogs, that were introduced by Napoleon's troops, crossed with Briard

Briard

The Briard is a large breed of dog, one of many herding breeds. The Briard has been known for some centuries. Charlemagne, Napoleon, Thomas Jefferson, and Lafayette all owned Briards. This ancient sheep guard and herder has also been used by the French Army as a sentry, messenger, and to search for...

s. They are named after the town of Armant in Egypt. The breed's fearlessness when confronted by predators as well as its loyalty see them put to use in Egypt as guard dogs.

Description

A typical dog is 21 and 23 in (53.3 and 58.4 cm) at the withers and weighs between 50 and 65 lb (22.7 and 29.5 kg). It has a large head, small eyes and a deep, broad chest. The ears differ in each dog and there is no standard concerning the ears; they may be erect or drooped. Armants can be of multiple colours, the most common of which are the black, black and tan, gray and gray-yellow variations. Armants are a very agile breed. The breed is very obedient and quite protective of its territory, which it will fearlessly defend.

Temperament

Armants are good working dogs with a fearless and loyal temperament. They generally respond well to training but require a firm owner to accomplish this. They bond well with other animals and are very good with children.

Health

The average lifespan of an Armant is 13 years, which is typical for a medium-sized breed. The breed is susceptible to hip dysplasia and osteochondritis dissecans

Osteochondritis dissecans

Osteochondritis dissecans , often abbreviated to OCD or OD, is a joint disorder in which cracks form in the articular cartilage and the underlying subchondral bone. OCD is caused by blood deprivation in the subchondral bone. This loss of blood flow causes the subchondral bone to die in a process...

.

Influence

It is theorised that due to the similarities between the breeds, the Armant played a part in the breeding of the Bearded Collie

Bearded Collie

The Bearded Collie, or Beardie, is a herding breed of dog once used primarily by Scottish shepherds, but now mostly a popular family companion....

. The breed has remained in use in Egypt and the dogs are still used as guard dogs and for herding.

Present day

The present-day Armant primarily originates from France and Holland. The breed is unrecognised by the major kennel clubs, including the American Kennel Club

American Kennel Club

The American Kennel Club is a registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States. Beyond maintaining its pedigree registry, this kennel club also promotes and sanctions events for purebred dogs, including the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, an annual event which predates the official...

 and The Kennel Club

The Kennel Club

The Kennel Club is a kennel club based in London and Aylesbury, United Kingdom.The Kennel Club registration system divides dogs into seven breed groups. The Kennel Club Groups are: Hound, Working, Terrier, Gundog, Pastoral, Utility and Toy...

, however it is recognised by some smaller associations, such the Continental Kennel Club.