caucasian shepherd dog

History of origin

The Caucasian Shepherd Dog is undoubtedly one of the oldest breeds. It originates from Urartu, an ancient kingdom that occupied the territory of Armenia several thousand years ago. It is there that images of dogs are found on stone bas-reliefs, strongly reminiscent of modern Caucasian shepherd dogs. According to another version, they trace their ancestry from the Tibetan Great Danes, common in the mountainous regions of China, having got to the west along with the hordes of Genghis Khan.

As a matter of fact, in ancient times, special selection was not carried out, dogs were selected on the basis of strength, endurance and working qualities. The task of the Caucasians was to protect the herds from the attacks of wolves, so even though they are called shepherds, in fact they are watchmen and wolfhounds.

Due to the fact that these dogs lived in hard-to-reach and sparsely populated areas, the breed remained practically pure, and only in the XNUMXth century did Soviet cynologists begin to improve it. At the same time, the Caucasus is very diverse in terms of relief and climate, so several varieties arose within the breed that are most adapted to different climatic zones – from plains to highlands.

To this day, Caucasian Shepherd Dogs remain a popular breed in our country, they are used as guards, but more and more often just as friends.

Breed description

The Caucasian Shepherd is one of the largest breeds. No, many people surpass her in height at the withers, but the total volume of the body and the weight of these dogs inspire respect. With a height of 68 cm (minimum for males), they reach a weight of 70 or more kilograms. And all this, coupled with powerful shaggy hair, creates the image of a giant dog, comparable in size to a bear.

Caucasians are proportionally built, their muzzle is of medium length, the back of the nose has a barely noticeable hump, and the lips are tightly pressed. The eyes are small, the look is intelligent, a little sad and intent. Ears are naturally small, hanging, but most often they are completely cropped to puppies immediately after birth – this practice was adopted in those days when the main task of these dogs was to protect herds from wolves, and ears in battles were always a weak spot. However, ear cropping has now become optional. Tail with a rich dewlap, often carried over the back. The paws are thick, the chest is very wide.

There are two main types in the rock: mountain and plain. The first ones are the longest-haired, quite squat and massive – such dogs are maximally adapted to the harsh climate of the Caucasian highlands, while the flat ones are less shaggy, while they are rather long-legged and lighter, they are able to travel long distances without food and water.

The coat is rather coarse, very thick, with a powerful undercoat. The colors are very diverse: wolf, fawn, red, spotted.

Photos

Character

It is generally accepted that Caucasian Shepherd Dogs must certainly be vicious and rush at everything that moves. But this is absolutely not true. Although, of course, these dogs have millennia-old personality traits that must be taken into account by everyone who decides to connect their lives with this breed. For example, their complete self-sufficiency. The fact is that for centuries the Caucasians guarded the herds, acting almost independently, moreover, leaving with the flocks to the mountains, the dogs often looked for their own food, that is, they did not actually depend on the person. That is why it should be understood that the Caucasian Shepherd Dog is a friend, ally, partner, but not a servant. There is a version that these dogs in the past interbred with wolves and it was from them that they inherited such character traits as independence, intelligence, distrust of strangers and nobility. And yet – very pronounced flock instincts. It is vital for Caucasians to understand their place in the pack. Even a small puppy will try to prove to you that he will do as he sees fit, that his will is stronger, and you do not decide anything. However, if you can become a leader for him, you will get such a faithful and devoted friend that you could only dream of. Moreover, a dog who knows that he has a strong and confident leader will always be self-confident, calm and balanced.

Of course, the Caucasian Shepherd Dog is not the kind of dog that will greet guests by wagging its tail (although there are some), her guard instincts are very developed, so she will most likely be distrustful of strangers, but with proper upbringing, unmotivated aggression will never arise. .

Care and maintenance

Of course, a Caucasian is not suitable for apartment maintenance (however, there are also homebodies among them). This dog perfectly tolerates both cold and heat, so it can live in the yard if there is an equipped booth and a spacious aviary.

In general, this is an extremely unpretentious breed, which, however, does not mean that it does not need care at all. Firstly, it is necessary to comb out their luxurious wool more often (and then knit exceptionally warm clothes from it), and secondly, even if the dog runs freely around the yard, you need to walk with it. This is necessary to ensure that this huge dog gets enough physical activity, and for its socialization.

And try to communicate more with your dog – she should feel like a member of the family, and not a wild animal in a cage.

Education and training

And this is perhaps the most important point of this article for those who are planning to get a Caucasian Shepherd Dog. If you do not deal with a puppy from a very early age, he will grow up uncontrollable and aggressive, and far from everyone can cope with a colossus weighing under 100 kg.

Caucasians have an exceptional mind, but, as mentioned above, first you need to prove your leadership in your small flock. But in no case do not use violence, otherwise you will achieve only one thing: you will get a monster embittered throughout the world. After all, violence is a manifestation of weakness, which means that you will never become a leader for your dog. And if leadership implies respect, then violence will only achieve fear and anger. Confidence and complete calm are two things that you should rely on when working with a Caucasian Shepherd. Stubbornly stand your ground, no matter how the puppy tries to impose its will on you, and sooner or later the moment will come when he recognizes you as the leader. After that, the learning process will go like clockwork. Clever Caucasians learn commands easily, they are especially well trained for gestures.

Be sure to socialize your dog – she must certainly communicate with people and other animals, then her behavior will always be adequate and non-aggressive.

Health and disease

Caucasian Shepherd Dogs are very strong dogs that can adapt to a variety of conditions, climates and loads. But, of course, they get sick too. It can be infectious diseases, most of which, fortunately, can be prevented with the help of timely vaccinations, and allergies, and obesity, and even nervous diseases. In addition, it is necessary to monitor the nutrition of your dog so that it receives the vitamins and minerals necessary for health. And since Caucasians most often live outdoors and walk a lot in nature, you must not forget to treat them from parasites, especially ticks and fleas.

Also, these handsome men have a tendency to obesity, which, given their size, is especially detrimental to health. Therefore, you should carefully monitor their diet, and do not be misled by their eternally sad look.

Word to the breeder

Breeder and owner of the Dombay-Ulgen kennel Elena Afanasyeva, Cherkessk tells about this breed: “The Caucasian Shepherd Dog is a unique dog. In terms of intelligence, working qualities and strength, it is difficult to find equals for her. And the ability to be tolerant and friendly to their own kind and various animals is characteristic only of the Caucasian and Asian Shepherd Dogs, since they can be said to be cousins.

A Caucasian is that unique lezginka melody, when in a minute you want to soar to heaven with a dagger in your teeth and spin in the rhythmic dance of the Caucasian peoples.

The Caucasian is a majestic and noble heart, not for a second doubting his master.

This breed of dog is as ancient as the great gray-haired Caucasus itself. Probably not every person can become its owner. At a minimum, the future owner must understand that between him and the dog there must be a union “and”. “Both you and I” – this is the great law of nature. Caucasian is not a slave! Caucasian friend. This dog will not carry a wand for you, but will be able to protect you from the enemy and a fierce beast with his chest, help protect you in the cold and cold and warm your soul in a difficult moment.

With this big, shaggy and smart dog, you can talk silently.

I was born in the Caucasus, I live here and for a long time my heart has been given to this unique breed.

I have been with them for more than 25 years, at first I was just an owner, but I became a breeder and I want to show and tell that under a harsh appearance there is a mind, honor and conscience, nobility, endless honesty and love for people.

Dogs of this breed cannot be raised in a cage, they are freedom-loving dogs, they cannot be deceived and humiliated.

Popular questions and answers

We talked about the content of Caucasian shepherd dogs with zoo engineer, veterinarian Anastasia Kalinina.