Caucasian Shepherd Dog

Caucasian Shepherd Dog, also known as the Caucasian Mountain Dog and the Caucasian Ovcharka, is one of the domestic dog breeds.

The term "Caucasus" refers to the region including Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Dagestan, Iran, and Turkey. Ovtcharka is a Russian word, which means "shepherd dog" in English. Unlike ordinary herding dogs, the Caucasian Shepherd Dog is actually a guard dog for livestock. This breed was bred to protect herds and effectively resist predators (including wolf packs, bears, and thieves).

Although this dog is extremely fierce, it is very loyal to its owner, friendly towards its owner, and gets along well with children. Nowadays, it is mainly used as a livestock guardian dog and a guard dog.

Caucasian Shepherd Dog, originally from Russia, is commonly seen in Russia and other regions of the former Soviet Union. In Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia, the loose breeding program ensures that this breed becomes a popular dog.

Modern research shows that the ancestors of all shepherd dogs originated from ancient dogs living in forested mountainous areas in Iraq and Mesopotamia. The ancient tribes who primarily lived a nomadic lifestyle mainly stayed in remote areas of the Caucasus, and it was they who brought this breed. With some external gene interference, this breed gradually evolved into the present-day Caucasian Shepherd Dog, which is still a very rare and valuable breed today.

For centuries, large flocks of sheep have lived in the Caucasus, which is located in uplands between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, adjacent to Turkey and Iran. The Caucasian Shepherd Dog serves as an excellent guardian dog, protecting the sheep that live here from human and other animal threats for at least 600 years.

The Caucasian Shepherd Dog arrived in West Germany in the 1960s. At that time, they were used as border patrol dogs, especially for patrolling along the Berlin Wall. In 1989, when the Berlin Wall was dismantled, 7,000 strong patrol dogs were disbanded. Many dogs were given to ordinary German households. The careful and independent nature of this breed was ensured through fine breeding in Germany. With their increasing popularity, breeders pay more attention to selecting their temperament.

The Caucasian Shepherd Dog is strong and has strong adaptability and resistance. Combined with its loyalty to its owner and its alertness to strangers, it is very suitable for guarding homes, courtyards, warehouses, farms, or ranches.

However, due to its large size, it requires a larger space and amount of exercise, so it is not suitable for living in crowded cities and not suitable for general family breeding.

1. Heart disease

Dog heart disease is often related to obesity and old age. When dogs have heart disease, they mainly show symptoms such as fatigue and shortness of breath. Dog heart disease is difficult to detect, and when the owner notices it, the dog is already seriously ill.

2. Infectious diseases

Canine distemper and canine parvovirus are common malignant infectious diseases in dogs with high mortality rates. Dogs that have not been vaccinated in a timely manner are prone to these two infectious diseases. Once they are sick, they will experience symptoms such as listlessness, loss of appetite, fever, vomiting, and diarrhea.

3. Kidney disease

When it comes to common diseases and symptoms in dogs, kidney disease must be mentioned. The terrifying thing about dog kidney disease is the unconscious course of the disease. By the time the owner discovers it, more than 75% of the dog's kidney cells may already be damaged. When dogs have problems, the symptoms usually include hematuria, abnormal urine color, and changes in urination habits.

4. Parasites

Intestinal parasites such as roundworms, hookworms, and heartworms are common parasites in dogs. When dogs are infected with gastrointestinal parasites, the main symptoms are emaciation, listlessness, diarrhea, presence of worms in the feces, and pale gums. Heartworm is a parasite that parasites in the dog's heart. Dogs infected with heartworm will show symptoms such as poor vitality, coughing, anemia, asthma, and ascites.

5. Canine pneumonia

Pneumonia is also a common disease in dogs, but canine pneumonia is a complication of other diseases and often occurs in dogs with abnormal upper respiratory tract, bacterial infections, canine distemper infections, viral influenza, impaired lung function, and heartworm infections. Coughing, nasal congestion, and fever are the main symptoms of canine pneumonia.

Although Caucasian Shepherd Dogs are not very suitable for general family keeping due to their size, they can still be great companions for children if trained properly. As long as the concept of hierarchy is established from a young age, the Caucasians will understand that they cannot push children away from them and will get along well with them. Of course, it's best to have adults supervise when children play with Caucasian Shepherd Dogs.

When feeding, it's best to make full use of the characteristics of the feed types to meet the nutritional needs of the dogs. In general, a mixture of animal and plant feed is suitable. Common animal feeds include: meat, fish, eggs, milk, etc.; plant feeds include: rice, sorghum, millet, corn, beans, potatoes, vegetables, etc.

1. Do not bathe frequently

When bathing a dog, of course, it should not be too frequent. The frequency of bathing a dog depends on the dog's hygiene condition. In hot weather, you can bathe the dog one or two more times, and in winter, you can reduce it by one or two times. But overall, it should not exceed 5 times. Otherwise, it will damage its fur and skin!

2. Brush regularly

Dogs shed almost every day, especially in spring and autumn, when seasonal shedding is more severe. To promote good fur growth, regular brushing is an important step. Pet owners can use pet-specific brushes to help the dog remove naturally shed fur and avoid matting. Brushing in the morning and evening for about five minutes each time is sufficient.

3. Sunbathe

Sunbathing is beneficial for the growth of a dog's fur. In addition to making the fur more shiny, letting the dog sunbathe can also help kill bacteria. While sunbathing, owners can let the dogs exercise a bit, which can improve their physical fitness, promote blood circulation, and help grow healthier fur.

4. Deworming

Poor fur condition is closely related to parasites. Parasites absorb a large amount of nutrients from the dog's body, robbing them of nutrition. Therefore, deworming is necessary. It is recommended to do internal and external deworming at the same time. Deworming medicine can cause significant damage to a dog's gastrointestinal tract, so it is advisable to feed probiotics to relieve gastrointestinal discomfort.

5. Pay attention to diet

In order for a dog to have a shiny coat, it must have a good nutritional foundation and pay attention to daily diet. On one hand, feed the dog with nutritious and healthy dog food, choose a brand that is suitable for the dog and has sufficient nutrition to meet its needs. On the other hand, the dog can be fed with lean meat, cooked egg yolks, and vegetable oil in appropriate amounts.