Russian bear dog (Caucasian Shepherd) appearances and HD pictures

Russian bear dog is also known as Caucasian Shepherd, originated in the Caucasus mountain region. It was primarily used for protecting sheep herds against predators, which included packs of wolves and bears.

The Caucasian is bold, fearless, self-confident, and fierce when a threat is present, but he is soft, devoted, kind, and endearing to his family, including other family pets.

In this post we will see All the related information about Russian Bear Dog.

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History of Caucasian Shepherd

The Russian Bear Dogs were used as companions for humans who worked or as working dogs. Commonly, these canines safeguarded herds of sheep in the district from enormous hunters, e.g., bears, wolves, and jackals. Additionally, they have been utilised to safeguard homes and other livestock. All of this is due to the fact that Russian Bear Dogs are known for possessing strong protective instincts.

The Caucasian shepherd is a large dog breed popular in Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. It is extremely popular in Georgia. It’s also known as Caucasian Mountain Dog and Caucasian Ovcharka. The Caucasian Shepherd Dog has existed since ancient times.

Importantly, these dogs did not herd sheep. Instead, they just kept them safe because they were bred with sheep to form an attachment to them. In addition, these enormous dogs were initially known as ovcharka dogs. Because they had been shepherds’ working companions, they were later given the new name Caucasian Shepherd Dogs.

Due to their protective instincts, canine ferocity, and loyalty, the Soviet Union began breeding this dog in 1920 to protect factories and government facilities. This is how this dog breed travels from the Caucasus Mountains to other parts of Europe, including Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Germany, and other places.

In Germany, in 1930, they made their first appearance as guard dogs outside of the Soviet Union. Since then, bear-hunting dogs, prison guard dogs, and even pet dogs have become increasingly popular and in demand. This breed was recognized by the Federation Cynologique Internationale in 1984.

The show dogs, also known as Caucasian Ovcharka, were created by the USSR during the 20th century. The Caucasian Shepherd Dog is a fully standardized breed, recognized by major kennel organizations, including the AKC, FCI, and UKC.

In 1990, an Ohio-based couple, Stacey and Russell Kubyn, imported the first Ovcharkas into the United States and formed the Caucasian Ovcharka Club of America a year later. The United Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1995. In 1996, the Ovcharka became an American Kennel Club Foundation Stock Service breed. The dogs have been eligible to compete in events, such as obedience and rally, since 2008.

The breed is now well known all over the world and is used as a watchdog, companion dog, and property guardian. In addition, they are still used by shepherds to safeguard their flock of sheep.

Use of Russian bear dog?

The Russian dogs were used for centuries to protect trespassers’ properties, guard livestock against large and small predators such as wolves and coyotes, and for many other duties.

Different Names or Types

Other names

CO
Caucasian Sheepdog
Armenian Khobun Dog
Azerbaijani Shepherd Dog
Kavkaskaia Ovtcharka
Karachay-Balkar Pariy
Kavkazskaïa Ovtcharka
Sage Ghafghazi
Georgian Nagazi
Russian Caucasian Ovtcharka
Caucasian Ovcharka
Caucasian Shepherd
Russian Caucasian
Caucasian Mountain Shepherd
Caucasian Mountain Dog
Russian Mountain Dog

Recognized Names

Recognition

American Canine Association Inc – ACA
American Canine Registry – ACR
Continental Kennel Club – CKC
American Kennel Club Foundation Stock Service® Program – AKC/FSS
American Pet Registry, Inc. – APRI
Dog Registry of America, Inc. – DRA
Fédération Cynologique Internationale – FCI
North American Purebred Registry, Inc. – NAPR
National Kennel Club – NKC

Appearance & Characteristics

Caucasian shepherd dogs are strongly bonded, muscular, and even-tempered molasses. The Caucasian Shepherd Dog is a giant-sized breed weighing 99 to 170 pounds and standing 23 to 30 inches tall.

These dogs can be identified by their strong, rugged, and muscular molosser type body, covered in their thick heavy coat that helps them withstand the mountains’ harsh weather conditions.

Breed basic characteristics

Origin	Caucasus mountain
Group	Foundation Stock Service
Size:	Large
Lifespan:	10-12 years
Trainability:	Difficult to train
Exercise Needs:	Slightly active – needs regular exercise
Grooming:	Average
Barking:	Rare – but when it does it is loud
Shedding:	Heavy shedding
Protective Ability:	Good
Brushing:	Needs a bit less brushing
Hypoallergenic Breed:	No
Space Requirements:	Needs space and a yard
Compatibility With Other Pets:	Good
Average Puppy Price:	$500 to $2000
Height	23-30 inches
Weight	99-170 pounds

Behavior: Type of great alert activity, strong – balanced – calm. The reactions of defense, which manifest themselves as an inactive form, are well developed.

Appearance

Size: Height at the withers: For the males, not less than 65 sm.; for the females, not less than 62 sm.

Head

Skull: Massive with a board skull and strongly developed zygomatic arches. Broad forehead, flat, divided into two halves by a slight furrow.
Muzzle: Caucasians have powerful muzzles that taper gently to the nose.
Eyes: Their eyes are medium in size, oval-shaped, and brown, set a little obliquely and quite deeply under a dog’s brow.
Eyelids: Dry, black, and close-fitting, the eyelids are dry. Expression is thoughtful, attentive, and serious.
Ears: Their ears are set high and triangular-shaped, which hang neatly on a dog’s head.
Teeth: White, strong, well developed, close together, not showing gaps. Incisors aligned at the base – Scissor bite.
Lips: Well pigmented, close-fitting, and thick.
Cheeks: well-developed and highlighted by prominent chewing muscles.
Stop: observable, but not marked clearly.
Nose: Large, black, with perfectly open nostrils that do not extend beyond the outline of the mouth. A solid, spotted, or piebald black nose is desirable but not required (although a genetic blue or liverbrown nose is prohibited).

Neck, Topline, Body

Neck: Caucasians have powerful albeit short necks that dogs hold slightly arched.
Topline: Slightly tucked in toward the back.
Body: Withers: broad, muscular, well detached above the top line.
Back: Broad, straight, and firm.
Loin: Broad, short, with a slight arch.
Withers: Clearly pronounced, but not too long. The height above the rump is slightly higher than the height at the withers.
The belly and underline: The belly is slightly tucked in toward the back.
Croup: Broad, moderately long, rounded, and slightly sloping toward the tail’s root.
Chest: Long, wide, well-ribbed, deep throughout, including its frontal portion; possesses a broad oval shape in cross-section. Well-sprung ribs and long false ribs The forechest has been labeled.

Severe Faults:

Too light or too coarse inbuilt.
Lack of self-confidence.
Ears large; thin or set too low.
Lacking correct angulations.
Bowed forearms.
Unbalanced movement.

Forequarters

Appearance in general: well built. Straight, parallel, and spaced fairly widely apart forelegs when viewed from the front.
Shoulder: A lot of muscle. Reasonably lengthy, wide, and inclining to shape a point of around 100 degrees with the upper arm. The shoulder blade touches the chest, close to the body.
Upper Arm: Close-fitting, muscular strength
Elbow: Strict return to the parallel axis; putting no one in or out.
Forearm: Straight, massive, medium-length, and muscular; the cross-section is rounded.
The Pancreas’s metacarpus: The Pancreas’s metacarpus is large and short; from the front and sides, it appears almost straight.
Feet: Their feet are large, oval-shaped with dogs having dewclaws on both their front and back legs.

Hindquarters:

Appearance in general: Viewed straight from the rear, standing parallel, and having a moderately wide width. From the side, the hocks and stifles have sufficient angulation. The back of the body shouldn’t be too far out.
Thigh: Broad, moderately long, and well-muscled.Knee stiffener: adequate amount of angulated
Thigh below: Broad, moderately long, and well-muscled.
Joint hock: Lean and wide with a good enough bend; firm, not turning in or out.
Back foot metatarsus: Not long but huge; from the front and sides, it appears almost straight.
Forefeet: Large, rounded, with a strong arch and a tight-knit.
Back feet: Large, rounded, with a strong arch and a tight-knit.
Tail: Curled, sickle-shaped, or set high. In repose, descending to the hocks, The dog’s tail can be carried above the backline when it is alert.
Gait/Movement: Movement that is fluid, unhurried, and has a lot of driving force in the hindquarters. good coordination and stability in all joints. The typical movement is usually the trot. The backline is relatively stable when moving, and the withers and rump are on the same level.
Their forequarters are strong, with dogs having moderately laid-back shoulders and well-muscled, strong and straight front legs.

Coat

Straight, coarse, stand-off coat with well-developed undercoat. The length of the guard coat and 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 the dense coat and looks thick and furry.

Coat Color and Markings

Caucasian Mountain Dogs come in almost every color of the rainbow, except for black and silver. Some are multi-colored animals, while others are clad in a single, solid color.

Personality and Temperament

Personality

The Russian bear dog is a guardian dog breed with a serious and protective temperament. The Caucasian Shepherd Dog is a strong-willed, loyal, fearless dog. This dog will fiercely protect whoever he believes is his family but will attack everyone else, including friends of your children who may come to visit and play. He is not a breed for first-time owners.

Temperament

The Caucasian Shepherd’s original purpose was to protect livestock. The typical Caucasian Ovcharka is assertive, strong-willed, and courageous. This intelligent dog has an independent nature, so you need to train him with patience, firmness, and consistency. He is not a dog for everyone. It requires an owner who knows how to display strong leadership and is willing to spend a lot of time socializing and training.

This dog should not be left alone with children because if play becomes too rough, the Caucasian Ovtcharka may feel the need to protect your child and may do it extensively.

Activity Requirements

The Caucasian Shepherd has incredible stamina, and if used as a working dog, will responsibly patrol its territory for long hours without a break. Caucasian Shepherd Dogs require loads of physical activity, especially to help ward off physical illnesses such as diabetes. These dogs love to run and jump and can become very playful, so be sure to engage them in lots of exercises and physical activity to increase their health and their lifespan.

Behavioral Traits

Caucasian Shepherd Dogs are an investment, but if you choose to get one, make sure that they are very active and have them socialized early as a young pup. If you live on a farm or ranch, allow your pup to help you when it comes to tending to your animals so they do not get bored. The Caucasian Shepherd should not be trusted with small animals or young children, as they are incredibly powerful and often do not know their strength.

Trainability

The Russian bear dog is intelligent, but they can be strong-willed, which is why their socialization and training must start as early as possible for them to understand. The Caucasian Mountain Dog may not be the best fit for an inexperienced dog owner. Starting all of the Caucasian Shepherd’s training, especially its socialization, is critical to its success from a very early age. They will not always follow orders or perform commands, and extensive patience is required.

Health & problems

Health

Like all breeds, there may be some health issues. Some dogs may be faced with these issues in their lives, but the most of Caucasian Ovcharkas are healthy dogs. The Caucasian Shepherd Dog is generally healthy and long-lived, averaging a lifespan of 10–12 years.

Feeding Plan

Caucasian Shepherd Dog is a very ancient and Unpretentious breed. As a rule, these dogs have an excellent appetite, and they eat everything. To keep your Caucasian Mountain dog healthy and active correct feeding is necessary.

Healthy nutrition must include satisfactory proportions of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, microelements.

The correct diet of an adult Caucasian sheepdog Must include meat: raw beef, boiled chicken, raw sea fish, and vegetables in raw or boiled form, very useful grated raw carrots with sunflower oil. Caucasian does not need to give milk (even a puppy). It is better to replace it with yogurt, yogurt or ryazhenka

Living conditions

The Caucasian Shepherd is not recommended for apartment life. They need space and will do best with at least a large yard. Russian bear dogs are heavy-set dogs, and they boast extremely weather-resistant coats.

How to take care?

Exercise

The Caucasian Shepherd has relatively high exercise requirements and, if given anything less than a good hour of activity a day, is likely to exhibit nuisance or destructive behaviors.

Grooming & Bruising

Grooming can be a wonderful bonding experience for you and your pet. The Caucasian Shepherd has a variety of coat types, from very long to short. Longer-coated dogs need to be groomed daily. The Caucasian Shepherd Dog has a thick double coat that protects him from the cold and moisture.

You can use following Equipment for best Grooming

Grooming dogs require a lot of expertise as well as a wide range of equipment. Here is a list of the best grooming equipment for Russian bear dogs.

Caucasian Ovcharka grooming kit

Here is the best and perfect Grooming kit for your Caucasian Ovcharka.

These dog grooming clippers also come with 11 tools: 1 × Pet clipper 1 × AC Power Adapter, 1 × Cleaning Brush, 4 × Comb Attachments, 1 × Stainless Steel Scissor, 1 ×Stainless teeth scissor, 1 × Stainless Steel Comb, 1 × Nail Clipper Kit, 1 × Nail File, 1 × Oil.

Caucasian Ovcharka Grooming table

One of the most critical items for groomers is their table. On this day, there are many tables available in the market like Electric Grooming Tables, Hydraulic Grooming Tables, Portable Grooming Tables so that you can choose any for your lovely dog.

Glove

For many pet owners, grooming is a necessary chore. So dogs and cats shy away from the rough bristles of a regular brush. If you have a sensitive, try him or her with one of these pet grooming gloves. Gloves is the most important equipment for Caucasian Ovcharka grooming, so if you love your dog, use them.

Dental Health Check-up

Proper dental health care is important for every dog; similarly, it is very important for the Caucasian shepherd dog. Brush your pet’s teeth at least 2 or 3 times a week. You get special toothpaste and toothbrush for dogs, and your vet can guide you on how to use them. If you don’t attend to your pet’s teeth, he can experience tartar build-up. It can lead to gum disease and tooth loss. Not only that, bad teeth can affect other parts of the body too.

Love & affection

Love and affection are useful for every dog. Suppose you give love and affection to your Caucasian Shepherd, then the dog will love you back. Your Caucasian Shepherd puppy will be a member of your family, So Give lots of love and affection to your cute puppy. Most importantly, spend time with your dog because that your dog needs love and affection.

Feed Healthy food

Feeding a healthy meal in the dog’s life is the most important. On this day, many healthy foods are available on the market so that you can choose any healthy food for your dog. Healthy food is the most important for dog health care. The young Russian bear dog is not a hearty eater as most breeds his size. He must often encourage meat juices or bacon grease mix in the food to entice him to eat.

This dog will eat between 6 to 14 cups of a good to excellent quality dry dog food a day, split into at least two meals, or even 3 to avoid problems with bloat.

The following items should never be feed to Russian bear dog

Alcohol, beer, wine or liquor
Chocolate, coffee, or tea
Grapes or raisins
Moldy or spoiled food of any kind
Onions, chives, and garlic
Poultry bones
Salt & salty foods
Tomato leaves stem or unripe fruit
Yeast dough

Puppy information

Puppy Training

Caucasian Shepherd Dogs require very specific and detailed training. From the ages of 0–9 months, the obedience of the dog has already been formed. Puppy school has been described as a bad option for the Caucasian Shepherd Dog. They do not tolerate other dogs very well and get out of control easily. Caucasian Shepherd is extremely dangerous. He may be stubborn and unwilling to learn, but you must be in control at all times.

Crate training

The crate is an important training tool for almost every dog, especially for families with young children. Crate training is important for any owner for trips to the vet, traveling, boarding, etc. Crate training your dog can be a painless process if you follow the steps in this guide and provide lifelong benefits to your dog.

Most owners wonder how long should a puppy be in a crate. See the table below to determine how long you can Crate your dog based on their age.

Dog’s age	Maximum time in a crate
8-10 weeks	30-60 minutes
11-14 weeks	1-3 hours
15-16 weeks	3-4 hours
17+ weeks	4-5 hours
Adult healthy dogs	8 hours

Behavioral training

Before teaching the basic commands, it is important to establish a close emotional relationship between the dog and the owner. Behavioral training is very important for any dog. All of us, dog owners, need to administer some dog behavior training at some point in time. Behavioral training is very helpful for taking care of the dog. If you want to train your puppy to Behavioral training, find out some common behavioral issues like breaking, aggression, food guarding, howling, mouthing and chewing, separation anxiety, etc., and stop these behavioral issues and train your dog easily.

Obedience training

Obedience training usually refers to a dog’s training, and the term is most commonly used in that context. It ranges from very basic training, such as teaching the dog to reliably respond to basic commands such as “sit,” “down,” “come,” and “stay,” to high-level competition. Training a dog in obedience can be an ongoing and lengthy process depending on the dog, methods used, and the skill and understanding of both the trainer and the handler.

Socialization

The Caucasian Shepherd is a dog you can get along with very well easily. Still, basic training, growth in a harmonious environment from an early age, and constant socialization are essential. The first step in puppy socialization is learning simple but important habits. It is important to feel comfortable when held on a leash, when its master makes it a bath or when the master touches its food.

Puppy price

The cost to buy a Russian bear Dog varies greatly. It depends on many factors such as the breeders’ location, reputation, litter size, the lineage of the puppy, breed popularity, training, socialization efforts, breed lines, and much more. Review how many Russian bear Dog puppies for sale sell below.

Russian Bear Dog price will depend largely on the breeder. I’ve seen them advertised for anywhere from $500 to $2000.

Find a breeder

Selecting a respected breeder is the key to finding the right puppy. Finding a breeder in the US requires careful research and consideration. A trustworthy breeder should be able to supply you with detailed answers to all of your questions regarding temperament and health.

Things to consider adopting a Caucasian Shepherd

If you’re seriously considering adopting a Caucasian Shepherd, you should know.

Before you adopt a Caucasian Shepherd, consider how much time your new family member will spend alone. Remember, a puppy requires constant attention.
Before you adopt a puppy, ask yourself if you are available to walk your dog several times throughout the day.
You also have the advantage of knowing that your dog is physically able to “hold it” for several hours at a stretch.
Ask anybody who has adopted an adult dog, then adopt an adult dog.
If you’re unsure whether the new dog you’ve chosen is right for your family and lifestyle, consider fostering before committing.

Advantages of Russian bear dog

Caucasians are good around children
Russian bear dog is extremely loyal and devoted by nature
They are good around pets
Great watchdog ability

Disadvantages of Russian bear dog

Shed a lot of hair all year round
They are huge and therefore expensive to feed
Aggressive towards other dogs
They are not suited to apartment living

Questions Related to Russian Bear Dogs

1. Are Russian Bear Dogs Good As Pets?

Unless you want a dog for protection, this breed is not a good choice for a pet. Particularly with young children, they should not be trusted due to their unpredictable nature. If properly trained, the Caucasian Shepherd is a great guard dog, so it might be a good choice for an experienced dog owner who lives alone and wants a unique security system.

2. Are Russian bear dogs aggressive?

Due to their protective nature, Russian Bear Dogs are frequently portrayed as aggressive. However, this is not the case, and when raised in a loving environment, they make wonderful pets.

3. What is the cost of Russian Bear Dogs?

They can be very expensive due to their size, rarity, and unique abilities as protectors. Those that are mostly kept as pets or for protection tend to be cheaper than those that can be bred. A Russian Bear Dog, which is a good guard dog, may be available for as little as $500. You can anticipate spending around $4,000 on a high-quality dog for breeding or showing. By and large, however, a very well-raised Caucasian Mountain Dog will sell for around $2,000

4. Is the Russian bear dog beneficial for new owners?

It is known that training a dog is difficult. A Russian bear dog should not be owned by a person who has never owned a dog before or who is unfamiliar with how dogs act.

5. Is a Russian bear dog great with kids?

Russian Bear Dogs should not be kept in households with young children. They could accidentally injure a young child due to their size.

Russian bear dog photo gallery

Summary

The Russian Bear Dog is a large, loyal, and protective dog that is a good choice for a family pet. These puppies can be a little wary of strangers and unfamiliar animals due to their strong defensive natures, which were passed down from their days as sheepdogs.

However, socialization can help. The Russian Bear Dog is known for being an excellent companion dog and exercise buddy, even though these are definitely not for first-time dog owners! Why not get the Russian Bear Dog if you’re thinking about getting another dog?

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Also read: Top 10 benefits of having a Beagle#

Russian bear dog (Caucasian Shepherd)