It falls within the Ovcharka group of livestock guardian dogs, which can be found throughout the Transcaucasus area.

From the 1920s, when Armenia came under the control of the Soviet Union, large numbers of the dogs were taken to Russia, where they played a crucial part in the development of the Caucasian Shepherd Dog, or Caucasian Ovcharka.

[1]: 67 Following the independence of Armenia in 1991, the dog acquired new significance as national heritage.

[1]: 65 The principal traditional use of the Gampr was as a flock guardian dog, protecting flocks of sheep and goats from attack – particularly by wolves – on the upland pastures of mountainous regions of Armenia.

Although sheep-herding has declined in the country since independence, wolves continue to threaten flocks; in 2006 some 2000 dogs were still in use for this purpose.