Mid Asian Ovtcharka

Breed Description

GENERAL APPEARANCE The MAO is a flock guard of greater than average size , robust constitution, with a strong distrust of strangers. Very powerful, athletic, very sturdy . Self- esteemed, imperturbable, alert, with a great memory.

SIZE AND PROPORTIONS Minimum height at the highest point of withers should be 65 cm /25.6 in/ Dogs; 60 cm /23.6 in / Bitches. The total body length from the front point of shoulder to the rearmost projection of the rump should be equal to the height or exceed by not more than 5 % for Dogs; should exceed the height by 2% to 8% for Bitches. No maximum height specified; the dog should be well balanced without no feature being either excess or lacking regardless of dog's size. Sexual dimorphism is clearly obvious.

COAT AND SKIN Coat should be straight, medium coarse, formed by the guard hair and a well developed undercoat. Coat on the muzzle, front of the forelegs and hindlegs is short and smooth. There are two coat varieties 1) Longer /7-8 cm/ coat around ears, neck, back sides of front and hindlegs and tail; 2) Shorter /3-5 cm/ , of smooth appearance. Skin is thick and loose, especially around the neck; a massive dewlap is typical.

COLOR

White, black, grey, tan, fawn, fulvous, brindle, parti- colored.
All colors are permissible except dark saddle shading into light bottom line/legs what is an evidence of impurity.

HEAD Massive, with broad, flat skull; cheeks are well developed but not pronounced. The brow is not pronounced. The head is solid. The stop is moderately defined. The muzzle is wide and heavy , from skull to nose; viewed from front and from top, looks rectangular. Viewed from the side looks fool, dull; with thick overhanging lips.

"Horse" type head	"Brick" type head
"Bear" type head

NOSE is large, black or brown at light colored dogs. EARS small, hanging, triangle shaped, lowset. Cropped very short at early age. EYES dark, set wide apart straight, moderately rounded. MAJOR FAULTS Odd eyes, blue eyes.

TEETH white, large, incisors set dense in an even row. Canines meet into a lock. Scissors bite preferred. FAULTS Missing or broken teeth not exceeding 10% of total quantity; deviations from scissors bite as long as upper and lower incisors meet into a strong moloss bite. Incisors not in level row as long as set tight enough without a visible distance between incisors.

NECK, TOPLINE, BODY NECK is short, strong, well muscled, deep set at 30-40 degrees. CHEST is very broad, deep and full, with the bottom line is at or below the elbow. BELLY is moderately tucked up. BACK is strong, wide and well muscled. WITHERS strongly pronounced. LOIN is short, wide, slightly arched. RUMP wide, well muscled, falling slightly. Back : Loin : Rump equals 2 : 1 : 1 TAIL is high set, sickle, cropped. Uncropped tail is a fault.

FORELEGS are straight and parallel. The angle formed by the shoulder blade and upper arm bone is 100 degrees or over. The pasterns are strong, almost vertical. The elbow should be at about 1/2 of dogs' height and the dog's lower chest line should at or below the elbow level. Paws are large, oval, domed, tight. Nails could of be any color.

HINDLEGS are parallel, strong, well muscled. The angulation is moderate, matching forequarters. The lower thighs are moderately short. Pasterns are heavy and vertical.

GAIT Balansed, self-esteemed, free, sure movements, trot or gallop. When the dog is trotting straight, forelegs are converge under body toward a center line. The topline is firm and level.

SUMMARY Any deviation from the specifications above is to be considered a fault and should be penalized in proportion to the extent of the deviation.

MAJOR FAULTS Insufficient boning, weakness of muscles. Dogs under 60 cm; bitches under 58 cm. Obesity. Uncontrollable viciousness; cowardice Dogs at a bitch type. Very short coat without undercoat, curly hair. Narrow, lightweight head; turned-up, poorly - fitted muzzle. Small underdeveloped teeth. Missing or broken teeth exceeding 10% of total quantity. Overshot, undershot. Incisors not in a level row, with a visible distance between teeth. Extremely damaged enamel. Swayback or camel backed dogs. Severe slackness and/or disproportionate built. Deformed bones. Overangulation. Unbalanced, choppy, "tied up" gait.

DISQUALIFICATIONS Chryptorchid dogs, unilateral or bilateral. Pronounced overshot and undershot.

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