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Caucasian Shepherd Dog

fearless / bold / kind
Foundation Stock Service >>

Average sizes and life
expectancy of the breed.

Height

23-30 inches

Weight

99-170 pounds

Life Expectancy

Breed Traits & Characteristics

Affectionate With Family
  • Independent Lovey-Dovey
    60% 60%
How affectionate a breed is likely to be with family members, or other people he knows well. Some breeds can be aloof with everyone but their owner, while other breeds treat everyone they know like their best friend.
Good With Young Children
  • Not Recommended Good With Children
    60% 60%
A breed's level of tolerance and patience with childrens' behavior, and overall family-friendly nature. Dogs should always be supervised around young children, or children of any age who have little exposure to dogs.
GOOD WITH OTHER DOGS
  • Not Recommended Good With Other Dogs
    40% 40%
How generally friendly a breed is towards other dogs. Dogs should always be supervised for interactions and introductions with other dogs, but some breeds are innately more likely to get along with other dogs, both at home and in public.

Shedding Level

  • No Shedding Hair Everywhere
    80% 80%
How much fur and hair you can expect the breed to leave behind. Breeds with high shedding will need to be brushed more frequently, are more likely to trigger certain types of allergies, and are more likely to require more consistent vacuuming and lint-rolling.

Coat Grooming Frequency

  • Monthly Daily
    60% 60%
How frequently a breed requires bathing, brushing, trimming, or other kinds of coat maintenance. Consider how much time, patience, and budget you have for this type of care when looking at the grooming effort needed. All breeds require regular nail trimming.

Drooling Level

  • Less Likely to Drool Always Have a Towel
    80% 80%
How drool-prone a breed tends to be. If you're a neat freak, dogs that can leave ropes of slobber on your arm or big wet spots on your clothes may not be the right choice for you.

Coat Type

Corded
Curly
Double
Hairless
Rough
Silky
Smooth
Wavy
Wiry
Canine coats come in many different types, depending on the breed's purpose. Each coat type comes with different grooming needs, allergen potential, and shedding level. You may also just prefer the look or feel of certain coat types over others when choosing a family pet.

Coat Length

Long
Medium
Short
How long the breed's coat is expected to be. Some long-haired breeds can be trimmed short, but this will require additional upkeep to maintain.

Openness To Strangers

  • Reserved Everyone Is My Best Friend
    40% 40%
How welcoming a breed is likely to be towards strangers. Some breeds will be reserved or cautious around all strangers, regardless of the location, while other breeds will be happy to meet a new human whenever one is around!

Playfulness Level

  • Only When You Want To Play Non-Stop
    40% 40%
How enthusiastic about play a breed is likely to be, even past the age of puppyhood. Some breeds will continue wanting to play tug-of-war or fetch well into their adult years, while others will be happy to just relax on the couch with you most of the time.

Watchdog/Protective Nature

  • What's Mine Is Yours Vigilant
    100% 100%
A breed's tendency to alert you that strangers are around. These breeds are more likely to react to any potential threat, whether it's the mailman or a squirrel outside the window. These breeds are likely to warm to strangers who enter the house and are accepted by their family.

Adaptability Level

  • Lives For Routine Highly Adaptable
    60% 60%
How easily a breed handles change. This can include changes in living conditions, noise, weather, daily schedule, and other variations in day-to-day life.

Trainability Level

  • Self-Willed Eager to Please
    60% 60%
How easy it will be to train your dog, and how willing your dog will be to learn new things. Some breeds just want to make their owner proud, while others prefer to do what they want, when they want to, wherever they want!

Energy Level

  • Couch Potato High Energy
    60% 60%
The amount of exercise and mental stimulation a breed needs. High energy breeds are ready to go and eager for their next adventure. They'll spend their time running, jumping, and playing throughout the day. Low energy breeds are like couch potatoes - they're happy to simply lay around and snooze.

Barking Level

  • Only To Alert Very Vocal
    40% 40%
How often this breed vocalizes, whether it's with barks or howls. While some breeds will bark at every passer-by or bird in the window, others will only bark in particular situations. Some barkless breeds can still be vocal, using other sounds to express themselves.

Mental Stimulation Needs

  • Happy to Lounge Needs a Job or Activity
    60% 60%
How much mental stimulation a breed needs to stay happy and healthy. Purpose-bred dogs can have jobs that require decision-making, problem-solving, concentration, or other qualities, and without the brain exercise they need, they'll create their own projects to keep their minds busy -- and they probably won't be the kind of projects you'd like.

Affectionate With Family

  • Independent Lovey-Dovey
    60% 60%

How affectionate a breed is likely to be with family members, or other people he knows well. Some breeds can be aloof with everyone but their owner, while other breeds treat everyone they know like their best friend.

Good With Young Children

  • Not Recommended Good With Children
    60% 60%
A breed's level of tolerance and patience with childrens' behavior, and overall family-friendly nature. Dogs should always be supervised around young children, or children of any age who have little exposure to dogs.

GOOD WITH OTHER DOGS

  • Not Recommended Good With Other Dogs
    40% 40%
How generally friendly a breed is towards other dogs. Dogs should always be supervised for interactions and introductions with other dogs, but some breeds are innately more likely to get along with other dogs, both at home and in public.

Shedding Level

  • No Shedding Hair Everywhere
    80% 80%
How much fur and hair you can expect the breed to leave behind. Breeds with high shedding will need to be brushed more frequently, are more likely to trigger certain types of allergies, and are more likely to require more consistent vacuuming and lint-rolling.

Coat Grooming Frequency

  • Monthly Daily
    60% 60%
How frequently a breed requires bathing, brushing, trimming, or other kinds of coat maintenance. Consider how much time, patience, and budget you have for this type of care when looking at the grooming effort needed. All breeds require regular nail trimming.

Drooling Level

  • Less Likely to Drool Always Have a Towel
    80% 80%
How drool-prone a breed tends to be. If you're a neat freak, dogs that can leave ropes of slobber on your arm or big wet spots on your clothes may not be the right choice for you.

Coat Type

Corded
Curly
Double
Hairless
Rough
Silky
Smooth
Wavy
Wiry
Canine coats come in many different types, depending on the breed's purpose. Each coat type comes with different grooming needs, allergen potential, and shedding level. You may also just prefer the look or feel of certain coat types over others when choosing a family pet.

Coat Length

Long
Medium
Short
How long the breed's coat is expected to be. Some long-haired breeds can be trimmed short, but this will require additional upkeep to maintain.

Openness To Strangers

  • Reserved Everyone Is My Best Friend
    40% 40%
How welcoming a breed is likely to be towards strangers. Some breeds will be reserved or cautious around all strangers, regardless of the location, while other breeds will be happy to meet a new human whenever one is around!

Playfulness Level

  • Only When You Want To Play Non-Stop
    40% 40%
How enthusiastic about play a breed is likely to be, even past the age of puppyhood. Some breeds will continue wanting to play tug-of-war or fetch well into their adult years, while others will be happy to just relax on the couch with you most of the time.

Watchdog/Protective Nature

  • What's Mine Is Yours Vigilant
    100% 100%
A breed's tendency to alert you that strangers are around. These breeds are more likely to react to any potential threat, whether it's the mailman or a squirrel outside the window. These breeds are likely to warm to strangers who enter the house and are accepted by their family.

Adaptability Level

  • Lives For Routine Highly Adaptable
    60% 60%
How easily a breed handles change. This can include changes in living conditions, noise, weather, daily schedule, and other variations in day-to-day life.

Trainability Level

  • Self-Willed Eager to Please
    60% 60%
How easy it will be to train your dog, and how willing your dog will be to learn new things. Some breeds just want to make their owner proud, while others prefer to do what they want, when they want to, wherever they want!

Energy Level

  • Couch Potato High Energy
    60% 60%
The amount of exercise and mental stimulation a breed needs. High energy breeds are ready to go and eager for their next adventure. They'll spend their time running, jumping, and playing throughout the day. Low energy breeds are like couch potatoes - they're happy to simply lay around and snooze.

Barking Level

  • Only To Alert Very Vocal
    40% 40%
How often this breed vocalizes, whether it's with barks or howls. While some breeds will bark at every passer-by or bird in the window, others will only bark in particular situations. Some barkless breeds can still be vocal, using other sounds to express themselves.

Mental Stimulation Needs

  • Happy to Lounge Needs a Job or Activity
    60% 60%
How much mental stimulation a breed needs to stay happy and healthy. Purpose-bred dogs can have jobs that require decision-making, problem-solving, concentration, or other qualities, and without the brain exercise they need, they'll create their own projects to keep their minds busy -- and they probably won't be the kind of projects you'd like.

About the Breed

Being a serious guardian breed, Caucasian Shepherd dogs should never be taken lightly. While the Caucasian is sensitive, faithful, kind, and lovable to his family, including other family pets, he is bold, fearless, self-assured, and fierce when a threat is present. Since ancient times, Caucasian Shepherd dogs have served a variety of purposes, including guarding cattle against both large and small predators like wolves and coyotes as well as protecting properties from trespassers. They are primarily used as companions and watchdogs in modern times, particularly in the West. Depending on where they are from, Caucasian dogs come in a wide variety of breeds. There have been two breed kinds and standards for almost a century:

The Steppe type, a shorter-coated dog with a lighter body mass, as opposed to the Mountain type, which has a longer coat and a higher body mass. Other names for the breed include Kaukasische Schaferhund, Kawkasky Owtscharka, Caucasian Ovcharka, and Caucasian Sheepdog.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What To Expect When Caring For a Caucasian Shepherd Dog

Owning a dog is not just a privilege; it’s a responsibility. They depend on us for, at minimum, food and shelter, and deserve much more. When you take a dog into your life, you need to understand the commitment that dog ownership entails.

Health

Like all breeds, there may be some health issues. Some dogs may be faced with these issues in their lives, but the majority of Caucasian Ovcharkas are healthy dogs. Working with a responsible breeder, those wishing to own a Caucasian Ovcharka can gain the education they need to know about specific health concerns within the breed. Good breeders utilize genetic testing of their breeding stock to reduce the likelihood of disease in their puppies.

Grooming

The Caucasian Shepherd has a variety of coat types, from very long to short. Longer-coated dogs need to be groomed daily. Grooming can be a wonderful bonding experience for you and your pet. Their strong fast-growing nails should be trimmed regularly with a nail clipper or grinder to avoid overgrowth, splitting, and cracking. Their ears should be checked regularly to avoid a buildup of wax and debris which can result in an infection. Teeth should be brushed regularly.

Exercise

Caucasian Shepherds do best with a large yard and are suitable for families that like daily walks. For safety, because they are an intelligent and independent breed, they should be kept contained when exercised, such as in a fenced yard and on a leash when being walked. Even though it is a low-energy dog, he should have good endurance for walking and hiking. Some breeders encourage endurance tests.

Training

Extremely independent and intelligent, the Caucasian Shepherd Dog can prove difficult to train for obedience but not impossible. Although active while outdoors, they are usually fairly quiet in the house. Prospective owners should take note: the breed is highly protective of their family and property, so it may be difficult to bring people into your home.

Nutrition

You are going to want to feed your Caucasian Shepherd Dog a formula that will cater to his unique digestive needs throughout the various phases of his life. You should continue the food your breeder recommends until your puppy is at least 6 months old (unless there is a compelling reason to change). Reputable breeders will help you ensure that your puppy receives proper nutrition with quality foods that help him/her grow in a healthy way. When it's time to change, many dog food companies have breed-specific formulas for small, medium, large, and extra-large breeds. Caucasian Shepherds are a large-extra-large breed. A good general rule is to avoid kibbles with low-quality ingredients, as these are not digestible. What you feed your dog is an individual choice, but working with your veterinarian and/or breeder will be the best way to determine the frequency of meals as a puppy and the best adult diet to increase his longevity. Clean, fresh water should be available at all times.

History

Numerous countries with diverse cultures have called the Eastern European Kavkaz (Caucasus) mountain range home over the years. The Caucasian Ovcharka, or Caucasian Shepherd Dog, is found in the countries of Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kabardino-Balkaria, Daghestan, Osettia, Turkey, Chechnia, Ingushetia, and Iran. Although it had its Western Show-Ring debut in Germany in the 1930s, the Caucasian Shepherd has been around for a very long time and has contributed to the genetic makeup of many breeds that are still in use today. Numerous studies indicate that the Caucasian dog is closely related to the mastiffs of Asia and the Balkan sheepdogs.

In the past, Caucasian Shepherd Dogs were employed for the protection of herds, flocks, and homes from predators. A big molossoid dog that was employed by the troops of Armenian Tsar Tigran the II is first mentioned in the first century BC. In the 1920s, breed selection activities began in the USSR. During the selection process, required traits including physical strength, self-assurance, fearlessness, acute hearing, good sight, and a thick, waterproof coat have been produced. These traits, along with endurance, enable people to use Caucasian Shepherd Dogs in even the most extreme climatic situations.