The Alabai, or Central Asian Shepherd Dog, is a dog breed that originated in Central Asia. It is closely related to the Tibetan Mastiff. The main purpose of the breed is guarding and protection.
A fairly large breed with a weight of 40–50 kg and a height at the withers of 65–70 cm. Alabaev mixed breeds are of particular interest. Mixed breeds are puppies born from parents of different breeds.
Comparison with other large breeds
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Important! Alabai should not be kept in an apartment; he needs a fairly spacious outdoor enclosure. Also, people who are not confident in their abilities or have never owned a dog should not get such a pet, since the dog needs a strong owner in whom he will feel like a leader.
In the spring, Alabai shed heavily, so they need to be brushed every day, which distinguishes them from some other large breeds, such as Labradors. Just like other dogs, the Alabai should be fed regularly and follow the correct diet . They are prone to joint diseases, so they should pay more attention to foods high in calcium.
The nature
In character, Alabai are very reminiscent of their close relatives, Tibetan mastiffs - a calm, discreet dog that combines the ability to live in a family and flawlessly guard the house . Although Alabai are known for their calmness and serenity, we should not forget that this is a guard breed, but they are not as aggressive as Caucasian Shepherd Dogs. Like many breeds, such as the German Shepherd and Akita Inu, they get along well with other pets . Just like boxers, they are wary of strangers and most often greet them with loud barking .
By strength
Caucasian Shepherd Dog
Quite a strong dog with a powerful build. Strong thighs allow you to knock your enemy down. It is distinguished by a strong grip when the force is applied to a quick bite followed by a sharp jerk. For the Alabai, the so-called death grip is more typical, in which the dog constantly moves behind the opponent’s back, as if twisting him.
German Shepherd
The bite force of a German Shepherd is from 180 to 315 kg/cm2. For comparison: the bite force of a person is about 40 kg. This dog has good physical strength and endurance in extreme situations.
Husky
One of the most resilient dogs. Thanks to their genetic code, which has been formed over many centuries, huskies have incredible speed and endurance, which allows them to cover distances of about 250 km. Although Alabais are distinguished by their endurance, they are inferior in this to dogs such as huskies.
Wolfhound
Important! The wolfhound is not a separate breed.
This subspecies includes large four-legged animals such as:
- Caucasian Shepherd Dog;
- Irish Wolfhound;
- Central asian shepherd dog;
- Russian greyhound;
- Buryat-Mongolian wolfhound.
It is difficult to compare these breeds, since they were united in the group “wolfhounds”, precisely due to their strength, large and powerful physique and dangerous grip. For example, the Irish wolfhound, which was also bred to guard livestock, has, like the Alabai, a death grip and very strong jaws.
Pitbull
It is considered the most aggressive and dangerous breed. The compression force of its jaws is about 125 kg/cm2. Pit bulls have the strongest grip, and their bite very often leads to death. Incredibly strong dogs with a very aggressive disposition differ from the calm Alabais. However, like pit bulls, Alabais are often used in traditional dog fighting.
Gampr
The Gampr, or Armenian Wolfhound, is very similar to the Central Asian Shepherd Dog, but it is distinguished from the latter by its larger size (weight about 70 kg and height at the withers more than 70 cm). The word “gampr” itself means large, big, strong. One of the few dog breeds that can fearlessly attack a wolf and emerge victorious. These four-legged animals gained their strength due to the fact that they appeared precisely due to crossing with wolves.
Rottweiler
Another breed that has incredible strength, and its endurance makes this dog even more dangerous. According to some dog handlers, the bite force of a Rottweiler is about 145 kg/cm2. When biting, the main force goes towards squeezing, not tearing.
Cane Corso
A strong and strong breed. The jaws are very massive and curved, driven by strong muscles with the strongest and most regular teeth. Its bite could very well be fatal.
Labrador
These are not the dogs that are particularly aggressive, however, they have a fairly strong physique, strong jaws with a scissor-shaped arrangement of teeth, that is, the upper teeth fit tightly to the lower ones, and are located symmetrically on the jaw, just like the Alabais.
Tibetan mastiff
It is considered one of the largest dog breeds in the modern world. However, despite its impressive size, it is not particularly aggressive. But thanks to its size it has impressive strength. It is a distant relative of the Central Asian Shepherd Dog.
Other dogs
- German boxer: strong teeth, bite shape - undershot. The body rests on powerful legs. Has very muscular legs.
- Bull Terrier: scissor bite. Very muscular, long neck. This dog is strongly built, muscular and well balanced.
- East European Shepherd: scissor bite, large teeth, which makes its bite quite strong. Strongly built, has muscular limbs. It has a lightning-fast reaction; at any hint of a threat, the dog is on alert.
Basic Rules
To understand who is better, stronger, more agile, smarter among large breed dogs, we had to pit them against each other. Specialists who have long been involved in the selection of dogs through dog test fights have come up with certain rules. In the overall picture of the fight, it is thanks to the rules that it becomes clear what qualities a particular dog has.
Here are the main points of the summary of rules so that you can understand what exactly they pay attention to during an organized dog fight:
- fights are carried out with the aim of forming a breed;
- fights are conducted in strict accordance with sports rules and Article 245 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (cruelty to animals);
- all fights are voluntary - owners should not force their dogs to fight;
- the fight can be stopped if the animal is injured, and the injured dog is considered the loser;
- if the opponent whines, he is considered a loser due to increased sensitivity to pain;
- if one of the opponents leaves the ring during an active fight, he is considered a loser due to cowardice;
- if the dog does not want to meet the opponent halfway, then they change places; if the same thing happens again, the dog is disqualified.
Thanks to the rules, you can identify the shortcomings and advantages of any dog. However, the assessment is not mechanical; each case is considered individually.
Similar breeds
There are several dog breeds that are similar in appearance and in their basic qualities to the Alabai. All of them act as assistants to the shepherds, helping to protect the flock from predatory animals.
Caucasian Shepherd Dog
A breed of dog that originated many centuries ago in the Caucasus to protect livestock from attacks by predators. Because they were intended to fight wolves and other animals, dogs were deprived of the cartilaginous part of their ears from early childhood so that this part would not be injured during a fight. Caucasians have an innate distrust and even aggressiveness towards strangers; they are real guards, but at the same time they are very affectionate with their owners. Externally, this is a very large breed with long, sometimes medium-length, hair. Short-haired Shepherds are quite rare. Such a friend should be combed at least twice a week. Not suitable for keeping in an apartment; a spacious outdoor enclosure is more suitable for her. Also, inexperienced owners should not get such a dog, as it needs an owner with a strong character.
Wolfhound
As mentioned earlier, the wolfhound is not a separate breed of dog. There is only one breed that officially has the word “wolfhound” in its name, namely the Irish Wolfhound. The Irish Wolfhound is one of the tallest breeds. Height: from 71 cm (females) and 79 cm (males); Desirable height at the withers for males is 81–86 cm; weight: depending on height, but not heavy. Irish Wolfhounds are quite easy to train, but you should not often resort to rudeness towards them - these dogs take anger, indifference and rudeness from their owner very hard. Despite their kindness and affection, they turn into dangerous opponents if they are attacked, and their huge size makes them even more terrifying.
Breeds smaller than Alabai
- The Shar Pei is a medium-sized breed with an original appearance. Its distinctive feature is a large number of skin folds, as well as a blue-black tongue. Despite its cute appearance, it is considered a guard dog with a peculiar disposition, and in ancient times it was used as a fighting dog.
- The American Staffordshire Terrier is a strong, well-built, calm dog, very physically strong and resilient. He has a dominant temperament, so you should not get him if you already have a pet in the house, such as a cat or other four-legged friend.
- The Basset Hound is a very unusual animal, with a large body on very short legs. Another feature of these dogs is their long ears that hang down to the floor. Initially, the breed was bred as a hunting dog, so it has an excellent sense of smell and endurance.
Physical capabilities
Alabais are considered one of the oldest breeds, which for 4000 years was bred almost under conditions of natural selection and a rather harsh climate..
Even in ancient times, they were used not only to protect homes, accompany owners and, sometimes, hunt, but also to protect livestock from wild predators.
The height of these dogs, even today, exceeds 70 cm at the withers, and there are also very tall Alabais, whose dimensions can be even 1 meter at the withers, and their weight can reach 80-90 kg. By the way, today the champion in height and weight among Alabais is a dog named Bulldozer.
They have a thick, but at the same time elastic, resistant to mechanical damage skin, which can serve as good protection from the fangs of other dogs or even from wild predators.
Despite the fact that currently Alabai are more often used for guard duty than for herding and protecting livestock, these dogs still retain the qualities of real wolfhounds, such as anger towards the animal, courage and cold prudence during a duel with a predator .
At the same time, even though Alabai may outwardly look overly massive, clumsy and calm to the point of indifference, these dogs are actually distinguished by their mobility and dexterity.
They know how to evade the enemy’s teeth in battle, and then, after waiting for the right moment, pounce on him with lightning speed . And the strength and massive physique easily allows the Alabai to knock down another animal from a running start, simply by pushing it with its chest or side.
Metis of Alabai
Crossbreed with Caucasian
When crossing an Alabai with a Caucasian Shepherd, large, furry puppies are obtained. It is impossible to guess who the puppies will be more like, since with the same frequency both dogs that look more like Alabais and Caucasians appear. However, you should not expect any special surprises from this mating, since these breeds are very similar both in appearance and in purpose.
With a German Shepherd
In this case, you should be careful, since dogs are very different both in appearance and in character. Of course, most often these puppies take the best from their parents:
- from alabai - courage, courage, ability to protect oneself, territory and owners;
- from the German Shepherd - intelligence, activity, obedience and people-oriented.
Important! But at the same time, puppies can turn out to be very unpredictable, difficult to train and very aggressive or, on the contrary, very cowardly. Such features often appear when very bright psychotypes of both breeds are mixed, and then problems may arise when raising such a dog.
Appearance also varies greatly, but puppies are often very large and darker in color.
With husky
The puppies turn out very cute and fluffy. In body type they are more similar to the Alabai, but the color is often taken from the Husky. Due to the nature of the husky, the animals turn out to be kinder, more playful, and less aggressive towards strangers, but do not forget that everything is individual, and the puppy can, on the contrary, turn out to be unpredictable.
With Labrador
Alabai and Labrador mixes turn out to be very large, but still smaller than Alabai. have a wider chest and a more Labrador-like behavior. That is, playful, very active dogs that easily get used to new people. The color is often fawn.
With a husky
It is almost impossible to predict what will happen from a mixture of these two completely different breeds. It is safe to say that these will be very large and hardy animals. Outwardly, such mestizos are still more similar to mongrels than to purebred dogs. By character they can grow up to be both brave and strong guards and affectionate and kind family members, in this case it all depends on the puppy’s upbringing.
Father - Cane Corso, mother - Alabai
Both breeds are working, strong, balanced. This crossbreed often produces very large puppies with smooth hair. The color of the dog is unpredictable, but most often dark. The muzzle is massive, square, the bridge of the nose is straight. Both breeds do a good job of guarding, so puppies often turn out balanced and easy to train.
With a mongrel
This mix can be very unpredictable. If the character of the Alabai is at least a little predictable, then with the mongrel it’s the opposite, the dogs are completely different. We can say with confidence that such mestizos will still look more like mongrels than stocky purebred dogs. Unforeseen character.
Still, mestizos are a matter of taste. Such dogs are definitely not suitable for breeding and exhibitions. Of course, they often get the best qualities from their parents, but do not forget that any mixed breed is an unpredictable pet, and it is unknown what qualities it may display. Also, when different breeds are mixed, their unique qualities are lost. If you want to be confident in your choice, then you should still pay more attention to purebred dogs.
