White Alabais are strong, powerful and hardy dogs of large stature.
Outwardly, they look like polar bears.
These dogs are full of calm majesty and in ordinary life they look quite peaceful.
But at the same time they are brave, courageous and are not afraid to engage in battle with any enemy.
Origin story and what it looks like in the photo
White Alabais are an ancient breed of molossoid dogs . Their ancestors were the dogs of Ancient Mesopotamia, which, in turn, descended from the Tibetan Great Danes, which came to the territory of modern Central Asia more than four thousand years ago.
Central Asian nomads took a liking to large and powerful dogs, distinguished by their outstanding guarding and fighting qualities, and they began to be widely used to protect livestock and homes.
As a result of crossing with local breeds and due to exposure to climatic conditions, Alabai became shorter-haired than their ancestors.
White and motley Alabai appeared with direct human intervention, since shepherds needed light-colored dogs that could be distinguished from a distance from both sheep and wolves.
Even the name “alabay” itself comes from two Turkic words “ala”, which means “motley” and “bai”, which translates as “rich”.
Harsh weather conditions and frequent fights with wolves contributed to the development of endurance, strength and fearlessness of these dogs. At the same time, Central Asian Shepherds have learned to wisely save energy. These dogs will not fuss in vain or bark over trifles.
For a long time, this breed was the result of folk selection and natural selection. Professional dog handlers paid attention to the Alabaev only in the 1930s of the 20th century.
At that time, they tried to use these dogs to guard classified objects, but due to their mental characteristics, it turned out to be impossible to train them in sufficient numbers for this work.
White Alabais received official world recognition in May 1993, when the International Film Festival recognized them as a separate breed called the “Central Asian Shepherd Dog.”.
Marriage or breed?
White color and coat colors derived from it are considered standard and are not considered a defect in the breed..
Expert opinion
Kozhevin Semyon Kirillovich
Expert dog handler.
“The White Alabai, which looks like a polar bear, is rightfully considered one of the strongest dogs in the world. There is no need to anger these huge and powerful dogs, since their protective instinct is already innate. Alabais are brave, but at the same time they are quite reasonable, calm and devoted to their owners. However, not every owner can cope with them, but only a strong and confident person.”
Character traits
White Alabais are majestic and calm, they have a balanced temperament and a strong character . They are smart and easy to train.
But due to their freedom-loving nature, these dogs can become stubborn and disobedient. The main difficulty in raising them is that the Alabai are not characterized by impeccable obedience and the fact that they do not tolerate coercion or the influence of forceful methods.
They are devoted to their owners and behave calmly and confidently in the family . They treat other pets well, but serious conflicts are possible with other people's dogs.
Alabai treat children quite kindly and even patronizingly. Perfectly aware of their strength and power, these dogs take care of the kids and look after them in their own way.
Alabais by nature have strong protective and watchdog instincts, therefore, they guard their territory with special zeal..
Veterinarians' opinion
Many veterinarians are against docking Alabais. The only exceptions may be medical indications. Often specialists refuse to perform such operations, especially if the animal is already a month old. In such a situation, general anesthesia is necessary, and this negatively affects the puppy’s health.
Docking Alabais is not a mandatory procedure. Veterinarians say that it should only be done in cases of extreme necessity. Alabai without cropped ears can also claim victory in the exhibition, like his cropped brother.
*Prices are as of November 2022.
Advantages and disadvantages
pros:
- Smart and easy to train
- Loyal to the owner.
- Friendly towards the owner and his family members.
- Possesses innate security and watchdog qualities.
- Self-confident and courageous.
- Calm and balanced temperament.
- They look well-groomed despite the fact that their coat requires minimal care.
- Unpretentious in terms of feeding.
- They do not suffer from increased appetite.
Minuses:
- They need a strong and confident owner and fair but strict treatment.
- They can be overly aggressive when defending their territory.
- Too distrustful of strangers.
- They are often aggressive towards other people's dogs.
- During socialization there may be difficulties associated with their character traits.
- They need a lot of physical activity.
- In conditions that are unusual for a dog, its behavior becomes difficult to predict.
The White Alabai needs to be raised from an early age, carefully suppressing all attempts at disobedience.
Dimensions, weight and other distinctive features
Minimum height and weight: male - from 70 cm at the withers with a weight of 50 kg, and a female - 65 cm with a weight of 40 kg.
The head is large, wide, with a flat forehead and a slightly pronounced transition to a rather voluminous muzzle, almost not tapering towards the nose. The lips are well developed, but not drooping. The nose is quite large, black or brown.
Eyes dark, round, rather widely spaced.
Ears in their natural state are medium-sized, triangular, hanging. In Russia and the CIS countries, the ears of representatives of this breed are usually cropped short at an early age.
The neck is short and strong, merging into well-developed withers . The chest is deep and powerful. The back is wide and straight. The croup is slightly sloping. The belly is slightly tucked in.
NOTE!
The white Alabai looks a little high-backed, but its back should not be sagging.
Limbs of moderate length, strong, muscular, with moderately pronounced joint angles.
The tail is set low and usually docked quite short.
The coat is straight, rough and harsh . It can be short, from 3 to 4 cm, or longer - 7-8 cm. The undercoat is thick, well developed.
Shades of colors
- White . The white color of the Alabai is not always snow-white. There are a lot of white dogs, whose coat color has a pale cream or barely noticeable grayish tint. With this color, dogs, as a rule, have a black or dark brown pigmentation on the nose, rims of the eyelids and lips.
- Black and white . On the main black background there are quite large white markings, which, as a rule, are located on the head, muzzle, neck, chest, paws and tip of the tail. The belly and the inside of the hind legs may also be white.
- Red and white . The main background is reddish or fawn, on which the white markings are located.
- Gray-white . With this color, on a zone-gray background there are white markings, which, depending on the main shade of the coat, can either contrast or almost merge with it.
- Tiger white . On a dark or light brindle background there are white spots of a fairly large size.
- Tricolor . The main black color is complemented by reddish or fawn markings, as well as white markings.
- Motley . The main background is white, with small spots of black, brindle or reddish color scattered across it.
- Speckled . With this color, small colored markings in the form of specks are scattered on a white background.
With black, red, gray or brindle-white color, white markings should cover no more than 50% of the animal’s body.
Contraindications
Docking the tail and ears of the Alabai is a surgical operation, which means it has a number of contraindications.
This is interesting: What to call alabai
The procedure is not carried out if:
- the puppy is not healthy;
- there are pronounced deviations in the development of Alabai;
- there is purulent discharge from the ears;
- the animal has a fever.
You should also not trust cupping to a non-professional or carry out the procedure yourself in a non-sterile environment.
Life expectancy and what diseases are they susceptible to?
On average, the life expectancy of white Alabais is 12-15 years.
At the same time, they may be susceptible to the following diseases:
- Arthritis and arthrosis
- Hypothyroidism
- Eye diseases such as cataracts and glaucoma.
- Dysplasia
- Volvulus of the stomach or intestines
- Myositis
- Various deviations in physique: too big or, conversely, small in stature, male dogs of the bitch type, etc.
- Cryptorchidism
- Diseases of the reproductive system in bitches.
Alabai cats leading a sedentary lifestyle often develop arrhythmia or obesity when kept in chains or indoors.
Health
Central Asian Shepherds are distinguished by good health. But errors in maintenance and feeding harm the dog.
Lack of exercise leads to obesity, and improper feeding leads to diabetes.
In addition, Alabai are prone to diseases of the musculoskeletal system and cardiovascular system.
If raised incorrectly, they suffer from neurosis.
Basic rules of care
The White Alabai is not suitable for living in an apartment, but it should not be kept on a chain either . These dogs feel best when moving freely around a fenced area.
At the same time, the pet will still need to be provided with at least two daily walks lasting at least an hour and jogging.
The coat of these dogs does not require careful care: it is enough to just comb the Alabai with a brush 2-3 times a week, and during shedding, remove dead undercoat using a furminator or a special mitten.
Teeth should be periodically examined and, if necessary, cleaned with a dog brush and toothpaste..
The ears are cleaned approximately once a week with a damp cloth. The external auditory canal, if wax has accumulated there, is cleaned with cotton swabs without pushing them deep into the ear.
If necessary, wipe the eyes with a cotton pad soaked in the composition for cleaning them.
If the dog walks on the asphalt a lot, the claws wear down on their own . If the white alabai runs more on the grass, then as they grow, they need to be shortened with a nail clipper.
Bath the dog 2-3 times a year, and preferably after the end of the seasonal shedding.
Rehabilitation period
After the operation, a special collar is put on the dog so that the animal does not damage the stitches.
If your pet is acting restless immediately after surgery, you can give him pain medication (as prescribed by your veterinarian).
The seams are treated with streptocide, hydrogen peroxide or brilliant green. The edge should be periodically soaked with peroxide, carefully removing the scab.
It is important to keep the apartment clean to avoid infection
The stitches are removed after a couple of weeks. If there are complications, healing is not going well or is too slow, you should consult a veterinarian.
After the stitches are removed, the ears begin to be attached. To do this, they are glued or a frame is applied. This process varies for different breeds, so you need to strictly follow the recommendations of your veterinarian or dog handler.
What do the puppies look like?
White Alabai puppies look quite powerful and bony.
They have strong and strong paws, a not too large head, a short body and a serious, but not evil look, characteristic of representatives of this breed .
Also, kids already have the makings of voluminous muscles. Their fur is not as coarse as that of adult dogs: it looks and feels like plush.
Upbringing
You should start raising a puppy from day one. The owner must immediately gain authority from the dog, otherwise it will be difficult to achieve obedience. Willful and freedom-loving, they demand respect and patience.
Alabai are offended by injustice; they perceive undeserved punishment as violence and become angry. Education should be based on trust, respect and authority of a person.
They love to test their owner for weakness and try to dominate. Therefore, it is important to maintain discipline by being persistent and consistent in education. The dog must unquestioningly follow all commands of the owner. A soft person should not have a dog of this breed.
From the age of three months, the puppy is taught the first commands. Dog training should be entrusted to an experienced professional.
How to choose?
You should not buy a puppy at the market or through an advertisement in the local newspaper . Firstly, this way you can buy not an Alabai at all, but simply a large mongrel with cropped ears and tail.
And, secondly, even if the puppy is purebred, you can never be sure that its parents were not excluded from breeding due to mental or health problems.
IMPORTANT!
It is best to buy a puppy from a specialized nursery, the owner of which takes care that the offspring of his dogs are beautiful, healthy and have a stable psyche.
When choosing a puppy from a litter, you need to first of all pay attention to medium-sized babies . They are more likely to grow up standard than too large or, conversely, small.
You also need to pay attention to the appearance of the puppy and how active and mobile he is. A healthy little Alabai is quite playful and curious, he shows interest in strangers and is not afraid to approach them to get to know them.
Alabai menu
Despite the fact that the breed is large, the shepherd dog does not eat that much. You should not overfeed your dog - this will lead to obesity, which provokes dangerous diseases of the joints and heart.
It is better, if possible, to avoid dry food and tubular bones; offer your dog natural food - meat, vegetables and even fruits. It is necessary to include special vitamins in the diet.
If you still have to feed your dog dry food, it is wise to choose an extra-premium product for large breeds, and until the puppy is three years old, you need to take food with a strengthened composition.
