Caucasian wolfhound: description, pros and cons, photos, content, attitude towards children

a brief description of

Aggressiveness

Upbringing

Training

Intelligence

Shedding

Behavior with children

Watchman

Security guard

Difficult to care for

Endurance in the cold

Endurance in the heat

Country of origin

Russia (Caucasus)
Lifespan	10−11 years
Height male	67–70 cm
Rising bitch	67–70 cm
Weight male	50-90 kg
Weight bitch	50–90 kg

The Caucasian wolfhound, or Caucasian shepherd dog, is a breed that began to develop in ancient times on the territory of the modern Caucasus.
What is the most characteristic trait of a dog? This is hostility towards strangers, anger and aggression towards us. The division of everyone into “friends” and “strangers,” that is, into “good” and “bad” is a certain internal attitude of Caucasian Shepherd dogs, which was formed over thousands of years under the influence of their functions. Now the shepherd dog from the Caucasus is the best guard in the world. This fact is recognized by many dog handlers in the world. Also, Caucasian wolfhounds are “dogs of one owner.” At the genetic level, they retain information about how for a long time the dog and its owner were left alone while grazing livestock. The dog experiences even a short separation from its owner very hard.

The breed belongs to group 2 in the ICF classification, section 2 “Molossians”.

History of the origin of the breed

Chronicles compiled a thousand years BC mention fearless wolfhounds, which are probably the ancestors of the Caucasian Shepherd Dogs. It is known that the breed originated in East Asia, from where it came to the west of the continent, and then spread to Ancient Rome. During migration, a large population of animals remained in the mountainous areas of the North Caucasus, where they lived in isolation in a harsh climate, and underwent changes.

Large and strong dogs were bred to protect pastures from wolves and to hunt wild animals. In Urartu, shepherd dogs guarded fortresses and defended cities from enemy raids. On the coats of arms of the princes who ruled Georgia there is an image of a fearless Caucasian. In ancient China, a wolfhound puppy was given as a gift to the emperor. Russian breeders are proud of the watchdog. Local residents did not breed wolfhounds through selection; they were responsible for mating; shepherds selected the puppies, who developed endurance, agility and strength in the dogs.

Based on the breed, 4 populations independently formed:

Dagestan;
Georgian;
Azerbaijani;
Armenian

The steppe variety of wolfhound differs in appearance from animals that are bred in mountainous areas. Shepherd dogs belong to the same breed, although they are divided on territorial grounds. Guard dogs were brought to Russia during the Caucasian War, but breeders became interested in wolfhounds only after an exhibition held in Germany in the 30s of the 20th century. The selection of dogs and the restoration of the gene pool in the USSR began even later.

Photo

You have become acquainted with the Caucasian Shepherd dog breed, photos of which are presented in the gallery above. This furry animal, reminiscent of a bear cub, evokes ambiguous emotions, including fear, rejection, admiration, and never indifference. HE is the main assistant to the ancient shepherds, who herded huge herds in harsh mountain conditions. The Caucasian wolfhound defended the herd, the owner's property and himself from wolves for life and not death.

Interesting facts about the breed

The Caucasian Shepherd has always been valued for its watchdog qualities. So, in the 18th century, she served as a guard dog in the Turkish army.
Caucasian Shepherds only give birth to puppies once a year.
The breed is one of the most popular in Russia.
The Caucasian wolfhound is in the TOP 10 most evil dogs in the world. He acquired this status because of his unique guard qualities and aggression towards strangers who wanted to get into his territory. In the TOP he “neighbors” with the German boxer, bull terrier, Doberman, pit bull and Rottweiler.
According to world dog experts, the Caucasian Shepherd is the best guard dog.
"Caucasians" are faithful shepherds. In the 70s of the 20th century, an incident occurred that characterizes the dogs of the breed. Four shepherd dogs, herding 400 sheep without a shepherd, got lost in the Black Lands, a territory located in the south of European Russia. Being hungry, the dogs ate small game and mice, but did not touch sheep or even lambs.

Description of the Caucasian Wolfhound breed with photo

The climatic conditions in which the population of aboriginal shepherds settled helped the animals adapt to low temperatures. Wolfhounds were forced to travel long distances, and became hardy and brave. Although the description of the breed appeared at the beginning of the 20th century, when the standard was approved by the canine association, it was possible to preserve Caucasian Shepherd Dogs with great difficulty, due to the death of most wolfhounds during the war. In order to restore the population in the USSR, nurseries were created and animals were presented at exhibitions. North Caucasian wolfhounds were identified as a separate breed only in 1990. The accepted standard applies not only to the character, size, type of coat, but also to the appearance of the dog:

Structural features	Description
Body type	rough with strong bones
Head	large with a voluminous skull
Neck	with dewlap, muscular
Breast	elongated, lowered to the elbows
Back	straight
Small of the back	shortened, convex
Withers	developed
Paws	strong and large, located parallel
Tail	thick and fluffy

The animal's voluminous muzzle tapers towards the nose, thick lips fit tightly to the skin. The oval eyes are dark brown. The small ears of the Caucasian wolfhound are set high.

Interesting! Wrinkles that stand out on the forehead give the dog an exotic appearance, emphasizing its fearless and independent appearance.

Description of the appearance of dogs of the Caucasian Shepherd breed

Despite the fact that the first breed standard was adopted back in 1931, until the end of the 20th century, not all dog breeders knew what a purebred Caucasian should actually look like. The current standard made it possible to preserve purebred representatives of this breed and distinguish them from mestizos, which were common in the 70-90s.

The Caucasian Shepherd is quite large, its height is above average and reaches 75 cm. Therefore, they look impressive, especially long-haired ones. With their powerful muscular build and large head, they resemble a bear. But they seem large not only because of their thick fur. The weight of Caucasian Shepherds often reaches 70 kg. Many individuals weigh 100 kg or more. But females are smaller, sleeker, weigh about 50 kg, and even their heads are less massive.

Photos help you understand what these dogs look like:

Features of the structure of the head

Caucasians have a large, massive head, an almost square skull. The forehead is flat, the cheekbones are prominent. The brow ridges are weakly expressed, the stop is not sharp. The muzzle is wedge-shaped, tapering smoothly towards the nose. The jaws are strong, the teeth are large. The bite is very tight, can be scissor-shaped or straight, the grip is strong. The bridge of the nose is straight and wide, the lobe is large, and should be black.

The eyes are round, small, set widely apart. The color can be any shade of brown - from dark brown to nut. The look is intelligent, attentive, appraising. The ears are medium-sized, triangular, set high. They are hanging, the inner part is pressed to the head. Previously, ears were cropped, which was due to the need to protect them in battles with wolves. Nowadays they are also sometimes docked, then the dog’s head looks even more like a bear’s.

Body build and tail

The neck is powerful, the scruff is well developed. The physique is muscular, large bones. The bitches have an elongated body - the length is slightly greater than the height at the withers. In males it is more square and powerful. The back is wide, straight, the loin is short. The chest is deep, wide, the stomach is tucked.

The tail is set high, sickle-shaped, wide at the base, tapering towards the tip. When at rest it hangs down to the hock joints. An excited dog lifts it higher than its back, sometimes curling it into a ring.

Limbs

The limbs are smooth, muscular, strong, set parallel. The bones are wide, all joints are well defined. The elbows are located at a distance approximately equal to half the height at the withers. The paws are collected in a ball, large.

Photos of Caucasian Shepherds complement the description of their appearance:

Wool

Caucasians have fairly thick skin. The coat is thick and has a dense undercoat. This allows them to tolerate even severe frosts well. The guard hair is hard and straight. The Caucasian Shepherd can be long-haired or short-haired. In dogs with short hair, the length of the guard hair reaches 6-7 cm, there are no fringes, pants or mane on the neck. The coat is thick, lying close to the body. This variety of Caucasian is similar to the Alabai.

Long-haired Caucasian Shepherds are more common. The length of the coat is 10-12 cm. The hair on the head and the front surface of the paws is short and lies tightly to the body. There are feathers on the tail and back surface of the paws, and a thick collar on the neck.

Color

Caucasian Shepherds come in different colors. Now there are several options:

zonal gray or wolf - a combination of shades of gray and black;
white, cream;
red from light to brown;
brindle, piebald or spotted with a combination of different colors.

A dark mask on the face is desirable. There may be white spots on the chest and paws. Colors should be bright, often combining several shades. Especially common are red and cream, brown and black, and fawn. Pure black, brown, liver and blue colors are not acceptable.

Photos of representatives of the breed of different colors:

Varieties

The Caucasian Shepherd has long lived in the mountainous and steppe regions of southern Russia and the Caucasus. Over the years of its existence, several varieties of the breed have formed, associated with different terrain conditions:

Georgian type or mountain dogs are large representatives of the breed, with a slightly elongated body, gray color and long, heavy hair;
Armenian type - smaller dogs, the hair is also long, but red or brindle in color;
Azerbaijani or steppe dogs have a light, often white color, shorter hair, long strong limbs;
Dagestan or aboriginal dogs are the largest in size, powerful, square in shape, strong and independent.

Disqualifying faults

In the middle of the 20th century, the breed went into decline; there were few purebred representatives left. Many large dogs were called Caucasian Shepherds. They were often crossed with other breeds. Since the 90s, the population of the breed has been restored. But there are still shortcomings and deviations from the standard. There are several defects due to which a Caucasian may not be allowed to show and breed:

deviations from growth to a lesser extent;
malocclusion;
pure brown or black color;
presence of blue color;
docked tail;
violation of pigmentation of the nose, lips, eye rims.

Color and coat type

The breed standard does not impose any color requirements on Caucasian wolfhounds. Red and white, black and fawn dogs take part in the exhibitions; spotted and striped pets are also found. Long-haired shepherd dogs with coarse hair about 10 cm long, lagging behind the body, and black lining on the lips and eyelids, are popular among dog handlers. Wolfhounds have tassels of fur on their ears, and cute “pants” cover their hips.

Smooth-haired representatives of the breed have a awn length of less than 50 mm and a short undercoat. The physique of these Caucasians resembles the Alabai.

Prices

The price for Caucasian Shepherd puppies depends on the class of the animal. Average prices vary from 10 to 30 thousand rubles. The minimum threshold of 6,000 rubles is offered by private breeders who sell puppies through private advertisements or at bird markets. Such pets do not have any breeding prospects, but they will become loyal and devoted friends and excellent watchdogs.

Pet-class puppies, not suitable for breeding and participation in exhibitions, cost from 10-15 thousand rubles.
Breed-class puppies, which meet the standard, are used for breeding and can become prize-winners at exhibitions and competitions, cost up to 20 thousand rubles.
Show-class puppies - a litter from titled parents and future champions - will cost from 25 to 30 thousand rubles.

The cost may depend on the rating of the nursery and its geographical location.

Health and diseases of the Caucasian wolfhound

A breed that lived in harsh conditions has not only strength, but also good immunity, which protects the animal from many problems and prolongs life. However, due to their large size, dogs often gain excess weight and suffer from:

clubfoot;
hip dysplasia;
subsidence of limbs.

Wolfhounds are affected by a viral infection. Vaccination is carried out to prevent leptospirosis, plague, hepatitis, tuberculosis, and rabies. The shepherd dog is inherited by diseases in which metabolism is disrupted and a tendency to allergies. Both 3 puppies and adult Caucasians are diagnosed with diabetes and epilepsy. It is not clear, but it is a fact that babies are sometimes born with severe albinism.

Character

Owners of Pikines, Chihuahuas, and Yorkshire terriers consider wolfhounds to be vicious and aggressive dogs. If a Caucasian is raised correctly, the pet behaves calmly and becomes obedient, although the dog’s character is different:

persistence;
love of freedom;
stubbornness;
determination;
dedication.

Reference! The Caucasian does not bark without reason, but is wary of strangers. The wolfhound is very attached to its owner, although it rarely shows emotions; staying at home, it finds something to do, but it is difficult for the dog to survive a long separation from the owner.

Characteristics, description, character

The Caucasian wolfhound is a real mountain giant that can weigh up to 110 kg. It can have different colors: brindle, white, piebald, gray, red-brown. Thanks to their fluffy and thick coat, even adult dogs resemble large teddy bears. “Caucasians” have their ears cropped. This is a necessary procedure, since dogs are still used today as herding and guard dogs. In a fight with wolves, the ears are the most vulnerable place and can become a source of great blood loss.

The character of the Caucasian Shepherd Dog breed is distinguished by courage, wary attitude towards strangers and endurance - everything that is necessary for an excellent watchman. Many people are wary of the dog, having heard about its aggressiveness. But only pets that were raised incorrectly are evil.

Like other herding dogs, for example, the border collie or the French shepherd, the “Caucasian” is distinguished by its developed intelligence and quick wits; it can make its own decisions when it comes to protecting and guarding its own territory.

The shepherd is loyal to its owner, flexible, balanced and never shows causeless aggression. Loves praise and encouragement, is friendly and jumps around very much without close contact with the owner.

Intelligence and training

Caucasians are not pleased with their ability to learn. You have to work with a wolfhound and instill rules of behavior from the first days the puppy appears in the house. It is recommended to start training during long walks, since the baby must get used to people and animals. Despite the high intelligence of the pet, you should raise a wolfhound puppy as soon as he gets used to the new place and begins to respond to his name. The Caucasian Shepherd is easier to train:

security,
accompaniment;
protection;
transportation of goods;
rescue service.

Wolfhound training, which is best entrusted to a dog handler, begins at 3 months. At the first stage of training, a relationship is established between the owner and the puppy. After the dog has mastered simple techniques, they move on to complex ones. It is recommended to conduct classes not immediately after feeding, but after a couple of hours.

Breed traits

Breed traits (on a 5-point scale)


		Caucasian Shepherd Dog
Activity	in the house		3
Activity	on the street	4
Obedience	training	1.9
Obedience	strangers	1
Domination	in family	2.9
Domination	over dogs	3.4
Defending your territory	from people	3.8
Defending your territory	from dogs	3.9
Sociability	in family	3.5
	with strangers	1.2
	with dogs	1.5
Concentration	in family	3
	in front of strangers	2
	with dogs	2
Aggressiveness	in family	2
	to strangers	5
	to the dogs	4.5
	to cats	2.8
Family behavior	calmness	2
	demand for affection	2
	excitability	3.1
	playfulness	1.9
	excessive barking	2
	behavioral breakdowns	2.6
Tolerance for children	up to 4 years	1.5
Tolerance for children	over 4 years old	1.6
Institutional use	watchman	4.8
Institutional use	bodyguard	4.9

This breed is often compared to the following dog breeds: German Shepherd, Saint Bernard, Leonberger, Rottweiler, Newfoundland.

The Caucasian Shepherd is considered aggressive and angry, but with proper training it is a loyal, affectionate and obedient pet. Although it is difficult to cope with this independent and stubborn animal. Therefore, before getting a dog of this breed, you need to study its characteristics, the pros and cons of keeping it, and reviews from the owners.

The photographs show what a Caucasian Shepherd looks like:

Pros and cons of the breed

A wolfhound, which is raised by its owner from an early age, becomes an excellent watchman and protector. The presence of guard qualities distinguishes the Caucasian from other breeds. A dog with a decisive character and high intelligence is able to independently sense when the owner is in danger and choose a strategy, even when there is no command from a person.

The disadvantages of the breed are:

suspicion and distrust of others;
training difficulties:
demanding care and maintenance.

Attention! The dog listens only to a strong owner and needs early socialization. If raised incorrectly, the pet turns into an angry and aggressive dog.

Characteristics of the Caucasian Shepherd breed

Caucasian Shepherds are the ideal watchdog. They were specially bred to protect the herd and territory from predators and bandits. They are adapted to harsh conditions, hardy and courageous. Due to their well-preserved protective instincts and menacing appearance, Caucasians are often called evil. But this dog also has many advantages that manifest themselves with proper upbringing.

Caucasian Shepherds are loyal dogs, vigilant guards and watchmen. They are smart and independent. In a dangerous situation, they are able to make their own decisions and fearlessly defend their territory and owner. But these are quite aggressive dogs, they have a lightning-fast reaction, an innate distrust of strangers and an active temperament. If you make a Caucasian angry, it will be very difficult to stop him. Only an experienced dog breeder can cope with raising this stubborn, independent dog.

The Caucasian Shepherd is a large dog. In the ranking of large breeds, only mastiffs and Great Danes are ahead of them in terms of height at the withers, and Alabai and St. Bernards are ahead of them in terms of weight. Caucasians weigh 70-80 kg, and the weight of a large representative of the breed is more than 100 kg.

Interesting pictures will help you better understand the characteristics of representatives of this breed:

The photo shows the size of the Caucasian Shepherd

Caucasian Shepherd next to a man

Caucasian Shepherd size

Large head of a Caucasian Shepherd dog

Options	Characteristic
breed name	Caucasian Shepherd Dog
country of origin	Russia
height	males 68-75 cm, females 64-71 cm
weight	males 50-75 kg, females 45-70 kg
life expectancy	10-12 years
usage	guard, watchman, shepherd
character traits	determination, independence, fearlessness, responsibility, perseverance, independence
aggressiveness	may be aggressive
attitude towards a person	friendly only to members of her own family, loves children, distrustful of strangers
activity	average, physical activity is necessary for health
training	complex, intelligent, intelligent dog, but prone to dominance
difficulty of care	unpretentious, but sheds a lot

pros

Caucasian Shepherds are ideal for protecting your home and territory. These formidable and impressive-looking giants have many advantages:

attached to the owner, loyal, affectionate with him and family members;
brave, decisive, will protect the owner and territory from any dangers and ill-wishers;
have innate protective qualities;
independent, responsible, always on guard;
independent, capable of making independent decisions in an emergency situation;
smart, easy to train;
hardy, have great strength;
unpretentious, adapted to any weather conditions;
very sensitive, have lightning-fast reactions and developed intuition;
tolerate loneliness calmly;
do not need long walks;
care is simple.

Minuses

But the advantages of Caucasians appear only with proper upbringing. This dog is not suitable for everyone, it tends to be dominant and requires special training. Caucasian Shepherd Dogs are the most popular breed for guard duty. But this is not a pet; before getting this dog, you need to know about its disadvantages:

due to their enormous size, Caucasian Shepherds are not suitable for keeping in an apartment;
early socialization and competent training are necessary;
aggressive, distrustful of strangers, can rush if they notice the slightest threat;
independent, stubborn, do not always show obedience, these shepherd dogs are not characterized by the desire to please a person;
very strong, difficult to stop;
They grow slowly; Caucasian Shepherd Dogs reach full maturity only at the age of 2 years.

The main disadvantages of Caucasian Shepherd Dogs are that they are strong, independent, prone to aggression and dominance. If such a dog is raised incorrectly, not trained, but put on a chain and not given attention, it will grow up to be a ferocious animal that cannot be controlled. Due to the fact that Caucasians are bred mainly to protect territory, they have acquired a reputation as angry and bloodthirsty dogs. The breed is not suitable for everyone, but an experienced dog breeder will be able to raise not only a vigilant guard, but also a devoted friend.

An interesting video complements the characteristics of Caucasian Shepherds:

Video: Caucasian Shepherd Dog. Pros and cons of the breed

Video: Caucasian Shepherd dog pros and cons of the breed

Maintenance and care

You need to constantly care for your wolfhound. To ensure that the coat looks neat and does not roll into tangles, the dog is combed every three days with a brush or metal comb, and during shedding - daily. After bathing with a moisturizing shampoo, the wolfhound’s hair is rinsed with a solution made from vinegar or citric acid.

The dog's ears are cropped no later than 2 days after birth. At the end of the walk, the sinks are wiped with a swab, which is moistened in boric alcohol. Chamomile decoction is used to wash sore eyes. Once a week, your pet's teeth are examined and cleaned.

After a walk, it is recommended to wipe the dog’s paws with a wet rag; if cracks form on the pads, lubricate them with any vegetable oil. To prevent fleas from appearing on the wolfhound, an anti-parasite preparation is applied to the dog’s withers every 20 or 25 days.

Reference! The Caucasian Shepherd feels comfortable in a spacious enclosure in the courtyard of a private house.

Puppies

A Caucasian Shepherd puppy goes to a new home at the age of 1.5-2 months. At first, the owner must replace the mother of the little “Caucasian” and become the leader of the pack for the rest of his life. Dog handlers provide a number of recommendations for keeping a puppy:

The best place to keep a puppy is a private home, in which a special place is reserved for it: an enclosure, a kennel, the size of which should be calculated taking into account the dimensions of an adult dog.
If the dog does not have enough space for activity and movement, then rickets, underdevelopment, and weakening of the limbs may develop.
Tethering a small pet is strictly prohibited.
If children want to pick it up, they should not allow it to avoid falling.
If a puppy takes a toy or a friend’s item into its mouth, then you should not pull it out by force, so as not to injure the bite and jaw.

The Caucasian Shepherd puppy really needs walks, which guarantee the dog a good mood and excellent physical condition. Walking is the best time to establish unbreakable contact between the puppy and the owner. What are the rules for organizing walks?

If the puppy is not vaccinated, then it should only be walked in your arms. And when kept in the yard, do not go beyond it.
A leash is required during walks. They are accustomed to it from about 2 months of age.
Make sure your dog doesn't eat anything from the ground.
The owner must teach the puppy to be indifferent to strangers and not to show aggression or cowardice.
The pet should have the opportunity to run and frolic without a leash, but the leash should only be removed in a quiet place where there is no traffic or people.

It is necessary to bathe the puppy rarely, in case of heavy soiling or in the presence of skin parasites (lice, fleas, lice). For washing, special shampoos are used so as not to cause allergies and not disturb the structure of the coat. Bathing water should be warm.

Brushing your puppy is necessary not only to maintain its thick coat in normal condition, but also to massage the skin. Regular combing also helps cleanse the hair of dirt and dust.

The Caucasian Shepherd puppy breed has a trait that is not characteristic of an adult dog. The little “Caucasian” tries to avoid situations that pose a threat to him. This is not a manifestation of cowardice, but a productive sense of self-preservation. And the pet owner should know that they should not allow the puppy to get into a hopeless situation that cannot be avoided. When cornered, he will begin to exhibit angry and violent behavior. What result? Deplorable: a violation of the animal’s still fragile psyche.

Unlike other dogs, for example, the Irish Wolfhound or the Doberman Pinscher, who retain childish, playful behavior until the end of their lives, the Caucasian Shepherd is characterized by full maturation. This change is always obvious to dog owners when yesterday's puppy becomes a young dog looking for its place in the pack. She begins to zealously defend her territory, her tendency to play decreases, and the dog stops trusting strangers.

How to choose a wolfhound puppy

Before buying a baby, it is advised to pay attention to the appearance, look at the condition of the eyes, nose, and check the bite.

You can tell whether a wolfhound puppy has a stable psyche by its behavior. A healthy dog is active and lively:

Playing with his brothers.
Pushes his sisters.
Shows teeth.
Tries to bite a stranger.

The seller is obliged to present the Caucasian buyer with a veterinary passport, vaccination paper, and pedigree information. Although the cost of a purebred puppy in a nursery reaches 50 thousand rubles, it is not recommended to save money by purchasing a baby from a private person.

Having fallen in love with the owner, the brave dog is devoted to him limitlessly; in case of a threat, he is capable of sacrificing his life to protect both the owner and his family.