Other names/Nicknames:
- Kavkazskaja Ovtjarka
- Caucasian Mountain Dog
Country/Date of origin:
- Russia
- 1700′s
Height:
- 24 to 33 inches
- Many are bigger
Weight:
- 110 to 160 pounds
Personality:
- Fierce, strong, guard dog.
- Loyal and gentle to its family.
- Suspicious and aggressive toward strangers.
- Intelligent and easily trained.
- Very quarrelsome with other dogs.
History:
This is a large, aggressive, livestock-guarding dog that originated in the Armenian and Azerbaijani republics, and the steppe areas of the Caucasus Mountains. These dogs were used for herding, guarding, and sometimes fighting. They could be relied upon to protect the flocks from wolves and robbers and were left on their own to perform this function. In more recent times, they have been used to keep prisoners from leaving gulags and have proven to be excellent military guard dogs.
Body Type:
- Typical of the large, livestock-guarding breeds.
- The long, unaltered tail is carried low and is heavily plumed.
- The ears are cropped short, and they look as if they were torn rather than cut.
Coat:
- A thick, double coat that is water resistant.
- Coat can be long or semi long depending on the region the dog comes from.
