Caucasian Shepherd Dog

Brief Historical Summary: The Caucasian Shepherd Dog (CSD) is considered to be the breed taking its origin from ancient Caucasian dogs.

Caucasian Shepherd Dog

A breed standard is the guideline which describes the ideal characteristics, temperament, and appearance of a breed and ensures that the breed is fit for function with soundness essential. Breeders and judges should at all times be careful to avoid obvious conditions and exaggerations, as well as being mindful of features which could be detrimental in any way to the health, welfare or soundness of this breed.

Breed Standard - Caucasian Shepherd Dog

Brief Historical Summary: The Caucasian Shepherd Dog (CSD) is considered to be the breed taking its origin from ancient Caucasian dogs.
The breed’s expansion covers territories from the Caucasian Range and the steppe regions of Southern Russia.
The evolution of the breed was not only a result of natural selection but also influenced by nations that inhabited the Caucasian Region. Historically Caucasian Shepherd dogs were used for guarding and safe-keeping of herds, flocks and dwellings from beasts of prey and predators. The first mention of a large molossoid dogs used by the army of Armenian Tsar Tigran the II dates from the 1st century BC. Selection work with the breed started in the USSR in the 1920s. Obligatory qualities such as physical power, self-confidence, fearlessness, sharply developed hearing, good sight, and a dense and waterproof coat have been cultivated in the process of selection.
General Appearance: The Caucasian Shepherd Dog is a harmonious built, large, strong dog with plenty of bone and powerful muscular system; of a slight rectangular format.
Sexual dimorphism is well pronounced. Males are masculine, with well-developed withers and a bigger head in comparison with females. They are also more massive, bigger and often shorter in body than females.
Behaviour and Temperament: Behaviour is steady, active, self-confident, fearless and independent. The Caucasian Shepherd Dog shows a devoted attachment to its master; it is an excellent guard dog.
Cranial Region: The head is large, massive, and broad in cheekbones; when viewed from above the head looks like a wedge with broad base.
Facial Region
Limbs
Coat
Hair: Straight, coarse, stand-off coat with well developed undercoat. The length of guard coat as well as the undercoat should not be less than 5 cm. The coat on the head and forelegs is shorter and thicker. The tail is completely covered with dense coat and looks thick and furry. The longer outer coat forms “brushes” on the ears, a “mane” around the neck and “trousers” on the back sides of the thighs.
Size and Weight:
Females: Desirable height 67-70 cms; Minimum 64 cms.
Larger stature is accepted, as long as conformation is harmonic.
Faults
Severe Faults:
•    Too light or too coarse in built.
•    Lack of self-confidence.
•    Deviations in the sexual dimorphism.
•    Head small in proportions to the body; light; narrow; long; coarse; blocky or apple head.
•    Abrupt stop.
•    Muzzle: downfaced; dishfaced or snipy.
•    Teeth too small; widely spaced; incisors not set in one line; any deviation from the dental formula (except for absence of the PM1s).
•    Insufficiently marked cheekbones.
•    Eyes large; bulging; very light; showing haw; slack eyelids.
•    Ears large; thin or set too low.
•    Top line roach or sway back; long, sagging or arched loin; rump higher than the withers.
•    Body square; too cobby; too long; narrow in both front and rear; too leggy; chest very short, flat or shallow; croup short or steep.
•    Stumped tail.
•    Weak bone; muscles and ligaments in joints.
•    Lacking correct angulations.
•    Bowed forearms.
•    Unbalanced movement.
•    Lack of driving power in the hindquarters.
•    Coat that is very soft; curly; has very short guard coat or no undercoat.

Very Serious Faults:
•    Aggressive or overly shy dogs.
•    Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified.
•    Any deviation from the required bite.
•    Incompleted dental formula (absence of any tooth except the third molars (M3) or the first premolars (PM1s).
•    Entropion.
•    Wall eyes; deep blue; green shaded or eyes of different colour.
•    Docked tail.
•    Constant pacing or impossibility to assess the gate.
•    Black colour in any variation; solid; diluted; piebald, spotted or as saddle (except for mask).
•    Genetic blue colour in any variation or nuance.
•    Bluish-grey pigmented nose, lips and eye rims.
•    Genetic brown colour in any variation or nuance.
•    Genetic brown nose, lips and eye rims.
•    Tan-marking in black, blue or brown dogs.
•    Height below minimum.
•    Severe deviations in the sexual dimorphism in males.

NB
•    Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
•    Only functionally and clinically healthy dogs, with breed typical conformation should be used for breeding.
 


Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog and on the dog’s ability to perform its traditional work.