The Central Asian Shepherd Dog

Appearance

The Central Asian Ovtcharka is a very large, muscular, Mastiff type dog. Docking of the tail and ears is optional depending on the country in which you live. This is due to countries like France, Netherlands Australia etc, and many more that are banning cropping and docking. There is no real stop from forehead to muzzle. The body is a bit longer then tall. The dense coat comes in two varieties, long and short. The coat comes in a wide variety of colors. CAS should be rugged in type with big bones, large chests and wide backs. The well-boned forelimbs have powerful shoulders muscles. The skin on the face is thick and may form wrinkles. The thighs are powerful. The back is strong, and moderately long.

History

The CAS is a 4000 year old breed. Not much is known on the true origin, but many believe the Tibetan Mastiff is a fore father, due to the nomadic life style of the people who have CASs. They are found in the areas of Russia, Iran and Afghanistan to Siberia. Six more countries that share this area are- Kazakstan, Kirghizastan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Russia. This independent and aloof breed has protected nomadic herdsmen and their flocks for centuries. Similar dogs may have accompanied the Mongols when they invaded eastern and central Europe, and were probably the source of Europe's herd-protecting sheepdogs. This breed is seldom seen outside the Central Asian Republic; in Russia it is in decline, losing favor to the larger Caucasian Sheepdog. The CAS is beginning to be bred in the USA.

Temperament

The Central Asian Ovtcharka is a calm, fearless flock guardian. Independent, they stand their ground and not back down. They are good with all members of their own family, however, they should be supervised with children. Outside the home they may try to dominate other dogs and are wary of strangers; they are guardians and will act as such. They like to bark at night and this may present a problem if you have close neighbors. Socialization is a must for the Central Asians, unless they are being used as flock guards. They get along with cats and other non-canine animals and other dogs, as long as the dog is not a threat to their charge. The CAS lived its life with the Family of Turkmen thus they are family dogs that want and seek interaction with daily life. This flock guardian is not for everyone. They need an owner who understands the flock guard type and the temperament that comes along with it. This is not a breed for the timid owner.

Care / Grooming

The CAS do 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.

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 breed, though so far, this hasn't been seen in the CAS.

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