Central Asian Shepherd
Appearance
The breed presents a robust dog of greater than average size with great strength and power. They are independent, curious and alert, yet imperturbable. The dog is as long as it is tall at the withers, or slightly longer than its height. The hair is short or moderately long with a heavy undercoat. Its ears are, in practice, cropped very short, and the tail is docked moderately long (except for dogs from countries where cosmetic surgeries for dogs are illegal). Most common colors are black/white; fawn of different shades, from almost white to deep red; brindle. Some have a black mask. The head is very solid, without pronounced stop or sculls. The neck is low set, short, with dewlap. The body is fairly broad, proportionate, muscles rather flat. The ribcage appears very long because of developed false ribs. The legs are straight, with heavy boning and moderate yet defined angulation. Leg bones must be in proportion, and shall never give the impression that any bone is short. The rump is broad. The typical gait is a gallop; however CAO can trot for hours without wearing themselves out.
Temperament
The Central Asian Shepherd Dog is a protective dog who bonds first to its human caretaker and next with its perceived possessions. Bred to solve problems, it is independent minded, strong, brave and responsible. It is a large but agile
dog, sometimes described as a cat in dog's clothing. With its strong guarding and territorial instincts, it is not a breed for the novice owner.
Sensitive and smart, the Central Asian Shepherd responds best to someone who can inspire loyalty while also providing strong leadership. Heavy-handed training will backfire with this breed; but respectful, thoughtful training will yield an undyingly devoted companion.
Exercise
The large Central Asian Shepherd Dog may spend a considerable amount of time moving around in its native lands, and this kind of slow but steady exercise is what it likes best. With a job to do and a piece of property to protect, it will find the highest spot and keep an eye on all that happens.
The breed presents a robust dog of greater than average size with great strength and power. They are independent, curious and alert, yet imperturbable. The dog is as long as it is tall at the withers, or slightly longer than its height. The hair is short or moderately long with a heavy undercoat. Its ears are, in practice, cropped very short, and the tail is docked moderately long (except for dogs from countries where cosmetic surgeries for dogs are illegal). Most common colors are black/white; fawn of different shades, from almost white to deep red; brindle. Some have a black mask. The head is very solid, without pronounced stop or sculls. The neck is low set, short, with dewlap. The body is fairly broad, proportionate, muscles rather flat. The ribcage appears very long because of developed false ribs. The legs are straight, with heavy boning and moderate yet defined angulation. Leg bones must be in proportion, and shall never give the impression that any bone is short. The rump is broad. The typical gait is a gallop; however CAO can trot for hours without wearing themselves out.
Temperament
The Central Asian Shepherd Dog is a protective dog who bonds first to its human caretaker and next with its perceived possessions. Bred to solve problems, it is independent minded, strong, brave and responsible. It is a large but agile
dog, sometimes described as a cat in dog's clothing. With its strong guarding and territorial instincts, it is not a breed for the novice owner.
Sensitive and smart, the Central Asian Shepherd responds best to someone who can inspire loyalty while also providing strong leadership. Heavy-handed training will backfire with this breed; but respectful, thoughtful training will yield an undyingly devoted companion.
Exercise
The large Central Asian Shepherd Dog may spend a considerable amount of time moving around in its native lands, and this kind of slow but steady exercise is what it likes best. With a job to do and a piece of property to protect, it will find the highest spot and keep an eye on all that happens.
Grooming
The CAS does not require a lot of grooming. Weeds and brush tend to not stick in the heavy, double coat, and mud, once dried, brushes right out. These dogs shed their coats heavily in the spring. The coat should be brushed extra at this time to remove the dead hairs. The rest of the year they are light shedders with easy coat care. Living Conditions The Central Asian Shepherd requires a large yard, the larger the better, with a fence. They have a job to do (guarding). Small living conditions can lead to boredom and thus digging and chewing will be a problem. Even with lots of exercise these dogs like to be outdoors watching over their territory. They must have a securely fenced yard or they will expand their territory as far as they can. Health The CAS has hip and elbow problems that require screening for all genetic related disorders commonly found in large breeds. Also bloat is a problem with many Mastiff breeds, though so far this hasn't been seen in the CAS History The Central Asian Shepherd Dogs are said to be the oldest known group of dogs in existence today. Dating back over 5,000 years according to Artifacts found in native lands. Unlike most breeds today they are not man made or created by any specific person or country. They were created by the climate and culture of uncivilized time long forgot. You will find different breed types depending on terrain from the mountains of Mongolia to the deserts of the Kara Kum. Their history is merged with the civilization of man and their timeline can be found by tracing the history of the ancient silk route. To understand their past history you must understand a time when surviving one day against extreme climates, predators now extinct and invading tribes was a goal not easily achieved. Today you will find Nomadic tribes using this pedigree group of dogs to guard what they hold sacred, their family and their ancient form of transportation, be it Camels or Horses. Recent History has these dogs improperly classified as Traditional Livestock guardian dogs. They are territorial guardians bred to guard people and their possessions. They seek out human attention, thus bonding with their humans first and the flock second. They guard what ever is placed in their perceived territory. Present history has a division between breed types and creations of new ones. The Former USSR is credited with standardizing the breed in the 1920's. However, the recent creation of a new Russian standard years after USSR Rule ended in their native lands has resulted in a modern version of the breed in Russia (called the Central Asian Ovcharka). This new versions has separated them from other aboriginal types found in the native countries of Central Asia. We are just now seeing the difference of size, color and temperament between native species and modern Russian cultivated dogs. |
Height - Males 27 - 32 inches (65 - 78 cm) Females 24 - 27 inches (60 - 69 cm)
Weight - Males 121 - 176 pounds (55 - 79 kg) Females 88 - 143 pounds (40 - 65 kg)
Country of origin - Russia
Life expectancy - 11-15 years
Litter size - 5-12
Weight - Males 121 - 176 pounds (55 - 79 kg) Females 88 - 143 pounds (40 - 65 kg)
Country of origin - Russia
Life expectancy - 11-15 years
Litter size - 5-12