The Caucasian Shepherd

The Caucasian Ovcharka is undoubtedly one of the internet's most fantasized dog breeds. The breed is known for being a ferocious and fierce guardian dog breed.

The Father's Watch Oath

The Caucasian Shepherd

Breed information

•  Weight male: minimum 50 kg (110 lb) 

   Weight female: minimum 45 kg (100 lb) 

  Height male: preferred 72-75 cm (28-30 in); minimum 68 cm (27 in) 

  Height Female:  preferred 67-70 cm (26-28 in)minimum 64 cm (25 in) 

  Coat: Straight, coarse, stand-off coat with well developed undercoat

  Colour: Any solid colour, piebald or spotted colour, except liver, blue, and solid black

  Life span: 10-12 years

  
  

  
  

  The Caucasian Shepherd Dog is a loyal guardian to the core. These dogs were bred to help shepherds in the Caucasus Mountain region keep their flocks safe from predators like wolves and bears. They often use these instincts in modern times to act as watchdogs and protectors, though they are sometimes overly apprehensive around strangers and don't take well to other animals entering their territory, including other dogs. Smart but headstrong, the massive Caucasian Shepherd Dog needs an experienced trainer that can handle an independent attitude with firm boundaries and patience. They are not high energy dogs, but their size demands space, making them ill-suited for apartment life.

   A yard with a solid, high fence is ideal. Although they aren't known for barking more than most dogs, they will alert owners to any dangers, even in the middle of the night, and their bark is quite loud. Caucasian Shepherd Dogs can make excellent family companions and should be indoors with their humans as much as possible. They should not be chained up outside, as this is a recipe for creating an aggressive, dangerous dog. With proper training, they can make loving family pets and guardians, and some have even been trained as therapy dogs.
  

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  Highlights

  • The Caucasus Mountain region is vast, and shepherds in the area had different needs, resulting in several variants of the breed that were created to provide whatever shepherds required. However, the Caucasian Shepherd Dogs from Georgia are generally considered to be the breed standard by most kennel clubs.
  • Caucasian Shepherd Dogs are fierce guardians of their territory, but they are also fairly low-energy dogs. 
  • The communist USSR used this breed to guard prisoners and kept dogs in army kennels to create new breeds for military use.
  • East Germany used Caucasian Shepherd Dogs to patrol the border created by the Berlin Wall. When the wall came down, dogs were given to German families to live out the rest of their days.
  • The Caucasian Shepherd Dog is one of the most ancient Molosser breeds. Some archaeological findings trace them back to Mesopotamia.
  • While they are naturally standoffish to strangers and don't take well to other animals, Caucasian Shepherd Dogs can be very gentle and loving, and some have even become therapy dogs with proper training.

• History
  

  The Caucasian Shepherd Dog is one of the oldest, most ancient Molasser breeds, and the origin of these gigantic, protective dogs is a bit of a mystery. They hail from the Caucasus Mountain region and have been around for more than 2,000 years. Some believe they came from wolves that were domesticated, while others believe their ancestry includes Mastiffs and other breeds. Many experts claim that the Caucasian Shepherd Dog is descended from sheepdogs that migrated from Tibet, but some modern archaeological evidence suggests the breed dates back to Mesopotamia. Wherever they originally came from, Caucasian Shepherd Dogs made invaluable companions to the shepherds of the Caucasus region for centuries. They fiercely guarded flocks of sheep and their owners from dangerous wildlife such as wolves, jackals, and bears. They needed to be fearless, strong, and intimidating while being resilient to cold weather and harsh conditions. Shepherds bred the qualities they needed into their dogs, and because the Caucasus Mountain region is so vast, many different variants of the breed emerged, though the Caucasian Shepherd Dogs that developed in Georgia came to be the breed standard that is recognized by most kennel clubs today. Sometime in the 1900s, the communist USSR started using Caucasian Shepherds as prisoner guard dogs and used them to develop other breeds in army kennels. In the 1960s, East Germany put the breed to work as border patrol dogs along the Berlin Wall. When the wall came down in 1989, some 7,000 patrol dogs were dispersed, and many were given to families in Germany to live out the rest of their days. 

  Today, Caucasian Shepherd Dogs are mostly family companions, watchdogs, and property guardians, though they are still used by shepherds to tend to flocks. They have retained many of their cautious, standoffish, and sometimes aggressive traits, so they need early socialization and firm training to avoid incidents. It is likely that breeders will try to weed out some of the less desirable tendencies from the breed as it becomes more popular.

• Size

  Caucasian Shepherd Dogs are massive. Males tend to be a bit larger than females and weigh in at 110 to 220 pounds, while females average around 100 to 180 pounds. Some dogs may weigh more or less, and this can depend on where they come from or what type they are. Mountain dogs are more muscular, while plain dogs are a bit leaner. Males are about 27 to 30 inches in height at the shoulder, and females are between 25 and 28 inches. Caucasian Shepherd Dogs are considered to be a giant breed.

• Personality

  The Caucasian Shepherd Dog is not for novice dog owners. While they are capable of being loving, loyal family dogs and fierce protectors, they are also naturally distrustful of strangers and do not take well to dogs or other animals that they aren't familiar with. 

  In general, they are low energy and laid back, but they are also highly territorial and never back down from a fight, even if that means taking on a bear or a wolf. Although Caucasian Shepherd Dogs are intelligent, they can also be quite stubborn, which may make training difficult. They need firm boundaries, patience, and consistency. This training should begin as early in life as possible, and socialization is practically a must. Proper socialization training has to be done to overcome the breed's apprehension around new people and animals, which can result in aggression. However, with humans they are familiar with, the Caucasian Shepherd is quite loving and loyal and will make for a lifelong guardian and protector.




• Children And Other Pets

  Caucasian Shepherd Dogs can be loving family pets that are very loyal, even toward children, but it is very important to begin their socialization training early. It is in their nature to be cautious around strangers, even to the point of aggression at times, and they do not take well to other dogs unless they have been properly socialized. Visiting children will need a calm, proper introduction with known humans present, and Caucasian Shepherds tend to be territorial and aggressive to other dogs unless they have been raised with them. 

  Their natural herding instincts can take over, causing them to be pushy toward children, and they may see rough play from new kids as an attack on their human family member and respond accordingly. 

  Remember, the Caucasian Shepherd Dog was bred to be intimidating and will not hesitate to spring into action to defend their home and family from perceived threats. 

  As with any dog, children should be supervised during play and trained on how to handle animals to avoid incident. Even with a well-trained Caucasian Shepherd, their sheer size may be an issue, and it is important to watch them so play doesn't get out of hand and result in injury. Caucasian Shepherd Dogs may be best suited to homes with older children and no other pets.