Caucasian Shepherd Dog

The Caucasian Shepherd Dog is a breed of large livestock guardian dog native to the countries of the Caucasus region, notably Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Dagestan.[1] Selective breeding of caucasian shepherds started in the Soviet Union from about 1920 from dogs of the Caucasus Mountains and the steppe regions of Southern Russia.[2] The Caucasus Mountains in Georgia has historically been the most principal region of distribution of the Caucasian Shepherd dogs, both in terms of numbers and the quality of the dogs present in the area.[1]

Caucasian Shepherd
Other names
OriginGeorgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Dagestan
Traits
Height Dogs preferred 72–75 cm (28–30 in)
minimum 68 cm (27 in)
Bitches preferred 67–70 cm (26–28 in)
minimum 64 cm (25 in)
Weight Dogs minimum 50 kg (110 lb)
Bitches minimum 45 kg (100 lb)
Coat Straight, coarse, stand-off coat with well developed undercoat
Colour Any solid colour, piebald or spotted colour, except liver, blue, and solid black
Litter size 5-10 puppies
Life span 10–12 years
Kennel club standards
FCI standard
Dog (domestic dog)

History

For centuries dogs similar to the Caucasian mountain dogs have served shepherds in the Caucasus mountains as livestock guardian dogs, defending sheep from predators, mainly wolves, jackals and bears. Caucasian Shepherd Dogs served as guard dogs, bear hunting dogs and today they work as prison guard dogs in Russia.[3]

During the twentieth century Soviet breeders selected some of these varieties among Caucasian dogs and created the Caucasian Shepherd Dog breed. Caucasian shepherds were first described by the famous Russian Cynologist Aleksandr Mazover, noting that the center of distribution of the breed, both in terms of numbers and quality, were Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Dagestan.[1] While the dogs from different areas of the region shared the general features today present in Caucasian shepherds, Caucasian Shepherds from Georgia were considered to be the best examples of the breed due to their size, powerful musculoskeletal structure, and attractive long hair. For this reason, Georgian SSR became a principal region of cultivation of Caucasian Shepherd Dogs in the Soviet Union.[1]

The breed was definitively accepted by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale in 1984, under the patronage of the Soviet Union.[4]

Characteristics

The Caucasian Ovcharka is a large dog. The preferred height at the withers is in the range 67–70 cm for females, and 72–75 cm for males. The minimum heights and weights for registration are 64 cm and 40 kg for females, and 68 cm and 50 kg for males.[2]

References
  1. Aleksandr, Mazover. Племенное дело в служебном собаководстве (Breeding of working dogs). pp. 2, 3. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
  2. FCI-Standard N° 328: Caucasian Shepherd Dog (Kavkazskaïa Ovtcharka). Fédération Cynologique Internationale. Accessed July 2020.
  3. "Caucasian shepherd dogs bred for hunting Russian bears go on sale in Northern Ireland for first time". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  4. FCI breeds nomenclature: Kavkazskaïa Ovtcharka (328). Fédération Cynologique Internationale. Accessed July 2020.

Further reading
  • Fogle, Bruce (2009). The encyclopedia of the dog. New York: DK Publishing. p. 262. ISBN 978-0-7566-6004-8.
  • Hancock, David (2014). Dogs of the shepherds: a review of the pastoral breeds. Ramsbury, Wiltshire: The Crowood Press Ltd. pp. 55–60. ISBN 978-1-84797-808-0.
  • Morris, Desmond (2001). Dogs: the ultimate guide to over 1,000 dog breeds. North Pomfret, VT: Trafalgar Square Publishing. pp. 399–400. ISBN 1-57076-219-8.
  • Wilcox, Bonnie; Walkowicz, Chris (1995). Atlas of dog breeds of the world. Neptune City, N.J.: TFH Publications. pp. 296–270.
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