Caucasian Ovtcharka

Breed Description

 

Other Names :

Caucasian Mountain Dog;
Caucasian Sheperd; Caucasian Sheepdog;
Kaukasische Schaferhund;
Kawkasky Owtscharka

*** Marked sentences are not a part of the breed Standard but our comments. ***

ORIGIN AND PURPOSE
The Caucasian is a Flock Guard originally from the former Soviet Union. Authentic dogs found mostly in the republics of Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaidjan, Kabardino-Balkaria, Dagestan, Kalmyk; in the steppes of North Caucasus and in the area of Astrekan.

GENERAL APPEARANCE Powerful appearance with solid bone structure and strong musculature. The skin is thick but elastic. Caucasian Ovtcharka is a flock guard of greater that average size, robust to coarse built type.

TEMPERAMENT Strong and balanced with a calm nature. Naturally protective, with a strong distrust of strangers. Revealing a good defense reaction which will be used if necessary. Territorial.

***on legendary FEROCITY

Ovtcharka /ovtsa -sheep in Russian/ is a flock guard; more an universal protector than a herder. The dog is very territorial and learns at very early age that all live creatures surrounding him treat him at a certain way, i.e. the more love he receive, the more love he gives back. He analyses strangers' behavior and he may attack if he believe they will harm his family. He does protect his family as well out of his territory, but never without a reason /unless he is trained in improper way and expects an enemy in everyone/. The Caucasian is made to be protective, not ferocious. He does not protect himself, he protects family values. Former USSR was extremely militarized, and all dogs supposed to be ready to mobilize and die for the country in case it needed. All working dogs had to be rated at a Show Excellent or Very Good in order to be bred, and to pass Obedience and Protection tests in order to be rated at Show. All Native Breeds had to pass "KS"- a temperament test-type training with a minimal obedience requirements, but calling for high defense reaction, and aggressiveness towards strangers looking to pass by the dog's tie-out; the dog's owner leaves the dog tied on command "Watch". A great quantity of Caucasians were used at Soviet military factories, prisons, and other closed territories, and this dogs' natural instincts were brought up to the maximum level. So, a KS-passed Caucasian at the Show is ferocious.

Well, this is a history now. At that time dogs supposed to have a muzzle on at a show in Russia, and Caucasian males often had the muzzle off only to check the bite. The same males were used for high security levels and kept on a cable hoist puller. Dogs were born protective and were trained from early age to expect that everybody interrupting the territory is an enemy.

As with other similar breeds, the dog must be socialized from early age; the dog is very sensitive, and not recommended for inexperienced owner. ***

Very powerful, self-esteemed, tolerant for all climate conditions. Massive boning, well developed muscles. Thick, elastic skin.

***To express proportions, USSR Kennel Club used measurements and used Indexes. This is very useful especially for dogs with no height limit, because a dog must be in a breed type regardless of size. Deviations from indexes were the most common reason for dog's disqualification /breeding restriction. Boning Index expresses % of dog's metacarpal to dog's height at withers.

Circumference of metacarpus should be 21% - 22 % for Dogs, 20%-22% for Bitches from heights at withers.

Body measurements divided by each other multiplied by 100, called INDEX. The average Index is used as a basic rule

Format Index 102 - 108 express that total length of dog's body exceed dog's heights at withers by 2% to 8%.

Legs length Index 50-54 mean that dog's chest bottom line is at the elbow level or below by 4 %. ***

SIZE Minimum height at withers 65 sm. for Dogs, 62 cm for bitches.

COAT AND COLOR The fur is straight and coarse with a well developed light colored undercoat. Coat on the muzzle, front of front- and hindlegs is shorter, smooth. There are 3 coat types with no preference : A) Longhaired -longer top hair, forming a "mane", well developed "pants", and covering the tail giving it a thick and bushy appearance. B) Shorthaired - thick, relatively short without "mane", "pants", tail feathering.

*** /Relatively rare/. ***

C) Intermediate.

COLOR All shades of Grey, usually light, tannish; tan, fawn, rust, straw, cream, fulvous, bridle, with white up to piebald or without white.

HEAD: Skull: solid, wide, with well developed pronounced cheek bones. Wide, flat forehead is bisected by slight furrow. The stop is not sharply pronounced. Muzzle is shorted than forehead, tapered into the lips. Nose is large, black, or brown on light colored dogs. Thick dry overhanging lips. Ears hihgset, cropped very short at early age.

***Historically, dogs used against predators have ears cropped as the weakest body part that is easiest to harm; next comes the tail/. ***

Teeth are large, well developed, set tightly to one another. Incisors are in line. Scissors bite. Eyes dark, medium, oval, deep set. NECK very powerful, short. Deep set at 30-40 degrees.

FOREQUARTERS : Standing and seen from the front, straight and parallel to each other. The shoulder and upper arm angle comes to 100 degrees. Upper arms are straight, heavy, vertical or slightly inclined. The length of the forelimbs to the elbow is slightly over half the height of the dog at withers. Legs length index is 50-54. Paws are large, oval, firm, domed and well closed. BODY The chest is broad and deep, slightly rounded. Bottom line is at or below the elbow level. The abdomen is moderately tucked-up. Withers are wide, muscular and clearly pronounced. Back is wide, straight, well-muscled. Croup is wide, well muscled, almost horizontal. HINDQUARTERS Set wide. Seen from behind, straight and parallel to each other. Seen from side, moderate angulation, short thighs. Powerful ankle joints, wide, moderately angulated. Pasterns are heavy, vertical.

*** While standing, hind legs should not brace backwards.***

A vertical line should run from the rearmost body point through the middle of the hock and pastern. PAWS Large, oval, domed, well closed (cat feet). GAIT Free, usually even, unhurried gait. A typical gait is a short trot, which breaks into a heavy gallop with an acceleration.

*** The Caucasian is not trotter, like German Sheperd, but galloper. The dog's body is built the best way to allow a heavy gallop as an initial movement. ***

The limbs must move in a parallel manor in a straight line, whereby the front legs tend to move towards the body center line. The joints of the front and back limbs stretch freely, not tied up. The back springs smoothly. The withers and the croup should stay at the level when trotting.

SUMMARY any deviation from the specifications above to be considered a fault and should be penalized in the proportion to the extend of the deviation.

MAJOR FAULTS

***In Russia, a dog with a Major fault was not used for breeding or used on very limited basis. ***

Substantional deviations from specified proportions. Dogs under 65 cm; bitches under 62 cm. Cowardice, excessively phlegmatic dogs, inadequate protectiveness. Dogs at a bitch type. Soft, wavy hair without undercoat. Black, black/tan, brown color. Lightweight, narrow head with a poorly- fitted muzzle, inproportional head. Turned-up muzzle. Odd eyes. Excessively loose eyelids not covering the sclera. Small, underdeveloped teeth. Extremely damaged enamel. Incisors not at level row, with a visible distance. Missing teeth except 1,2 premolars. Deviations from scissors bite. Flat, undeveloped chest. Swayback, camelback dogs. Long, swinging, or excessively arched loin. Narrow, short or falling rump. Deformed or disproportionate leg bones. Overangulation. Rump much higher than withers, while moving. Very flat paws. Tied up, unbalanced gait. Amble.

DISQUALIFICATIONS Chryptorchid dogs, unilateral or bilateral. Underdeveloped testicle. Missing incisor, canine tooth, or more that four teeth. Pronounced deviations from scissors bite.

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