Caucasian Shepherd: Your Complete Guide

The Caucasian shepherd, known as the Caucasian ovcharka in its native region of Caucasus, is a livestock guardian dog breed. Although not a popular dog breed in the United States, a fair number of these dogs are scattered across the country, mainly serving as protection and livestock guardian dogs.

As with other livestock guardians, the Caucasian shepherd is a robustly built dog breed with a protective nature. The best job for these dogs is what they were bred for – guarding livestock – but Caucasian shepherds can make ideal family pets for those looking for a large, muscular dog breed to guard their property.

This article will go through the characteristics of the Caucasian shepherd, covering the breed’s physical features, temperament, care needs, and more. Read on to find out if the Caucasian shepherd is the right breed for you and your family.

Quick Look at the Caucasian Shepherd

Below is a quick look at the Caucasian shepherd dogs in terms of their physical characteristics, lifespan, temperament, and grooming needs. You’ll find a much more detailed overview of each point in the later parts of the article.

What Is the History of Caucasian Shepherds?

The Caucasian shepherd descends from regional livestock guardians from the Caucasus, the transcontinental region comprising Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia, and parts of Russia.

The exact origins of this breed are unknown, but much of the effort for the modern-day breed was made in the Soviet Union in the 1920s. Despite the efforts to standardize the breed during this time, Caucasian shepherds have adapted to their homelands and have varying qualities.

For example, Caucasian shepherds in Georgia are very large dogs with longer fur and thick bone structure, whereas those in Azerbaijan are tall but lightly built. Others in Dagestan are smaller in size and have a more square frame.

Regardless of individual varieties within the breed, Caucasian shepherds have always been utilized as livestock guardians to protect flocks of animals from predators and thieves throughout the Caucasus.

There’s not much history of Caucasian shepherds in the United States. The American Kennel Club first recognized the breed in 1996 as part of the Foundation Stock Service program, but the first specimens of the Caucasian shepherd arrived in the US a bit earlier, in the late 70s and early 80s.

What Do Caucasian Shepherds Look Like?

Because Caucasian shepherds are spread throughout the Caucasus region, which is a fairly large area, they have various coat color potentials. Fawn, cream, sable, and gray are the most common coat colors, while red, grizzle, and white are more rare. Caucasian shepherds may also have brindle or white markings throughout the body.

What Size Is a Caucasian Shepherd?

Caucasian shepherds are large dogs with a robust build. They can stand 26 to 28 inches tall and weigh anywhere between 100 and 170 pounds. As mentioned, Caucasian shepherds from Georgia tend to be larger, while others from Azerbaijan and Dagestan are smaller.

What Is a Caucasian Shepherd’s Coat Type and Length?

The coat type and length of the Caucasian shepherd vary slightly. Still, the Caucasian shepherd typically has a short, straight coat that’s quite coarse to the touch. While some have longer fur, it isn’t like a poodle’s or Bernese mountain dog’s. The undercoat supports the longer fur in the outer part of the coat, making it stick out from the body.

This coat type makes the Caucasian shepherd shed quite a lot. However, the thick undercoat is what allows the breed to endure freezing Caucasus winters, where subzero temperatures, especially at night, are ordinary.

What Is a Caucasian Shepherd’s Temperament?

Caucasian shepherds are independent dogs with strong protective instincts. They are confident dogs with alert eyes that always look for potential threats to their flock or people. While this makes the breed prone to aggression, the Caucasian shepherd is generally loving and devoted to their family.

With these personality traits, the Caucasian shepherd isn’t an ideal dog breed for first-time dog owners. They require plenty of early socialization as pets to manage their protective instincts.

Below, we’ll cover the temperament of the Caucasian shepherd in detail, looking at the breed’s family life, aggression, barking tendencies, and more.

Are Caucasian Shepherds Good With Kids?

Since Caucasian shepherds are very devoted to their families, they have a soft spot for kids and will do anything to protect them when necessary. These dogs get along well with children in the family as long as kids respectfully approach them.

However, supervision is essential as the breed is very large and powerful. Although Caucasian shepherds are generally low-energy dogs, they may get excited around children during playtime. This may make a Caucasian shepherd run into a child, which would be the equivalent of something like a car hitting an adult.

For these reasons, supervision by an adult is a must when kids and Caucasian shepherds coexist.

Are Caucasian Shepherds Good With Other Animals?

Caucasian shepherds get along well with other animals, including livestock and pets. As long as they are raised together with your existing animals, bringing a Caucasian shepherd home won’t pose any difficulties. They hold everyone in the family dear to their hearts and are very devoted dogs.

Caucasian shepherds also don’t have a high prey drive. They aren’t likely to chase after small animals like Guinea pigs and rabbits. However, just like with kids, the breed’s size may make these dogs dangerous to be around small animals. It’s best to keep small animals in a separate part of the home or yard, inaccessible to a Caucasian shepherd.

Are Caucasian Shepherds Aggressive?

Caucasian shepherds have a predisposition to aggression. As livestock guardians or watchdogs, this is a favorable thing. It gives them more drive to protect their territory.  As companion dogs, however, their aggression must be kept in check by giving them lots of socialization opportunities to understand that not everyone and everything is a threat.

When socialized properly, Caucasian shepherds turn into large dogs you can cuddle all day. Socialization is also important to manage their other instincts, such as food aggression and being territorial. If they’re not socialized enough, these can become major problems that require an experienced dog trainer to address.

Do Caucasian Shepherds Bark?

Caucasian shepherds aren’t known to be barkers. Caucasian shepherds are incredibly confident dogs that don’t see a reason to bark at everything they see.

While this can be a good trait for people looking for a dog that doesn’t bark often, you and your neighbors will definitely hear it when a Caucasian shepherd barks. They have a very loud and deep bark that intimidates anyone who hears it.

Although not barking makes most breeds good for apartment living, these dogs aren’t an ideal one. They require a large open space to roam around and protect. Otherwise, they won’t be satisfied with their life and may develop behavioral issues. If you live in an apartment, it would be wiser to consider other large dogs suitable for apartment living.

Are Caucasian Shepherds Affectionate?

Caucasian shepherds are one of the most affectionate livestock guardians. They are devoted to their family and become such lovebugs when they don’t have much to do. They enjoy playtime, cuddles, pets, and any other form of affection they can get from their owners.

However, Caucasian shepherds don’t accept new people as their own quickly. Even if you have people coming by regularly, it may take time for a Caucasian shepherd to let go of their suspicion. Only the people and animals they know tend to see the Caucasian shepherd’s affectionate side.

Are Caucasian Shepherds Intelligent?

The Caucasian shepherd is an intelligent dog breed. However, their intelligence is only good for what they were bred for over the years in the Caucasus. They are livestock guardian dogs that know how to protect livestock and their territory.

Due to the independent personality of this breed, it would be logical for Caucasian shepherd owners not to expect their dogs to perform advanced tricks. They are simply intelligent at what they were bred for in the mountains of Caucasus. We’ll touch more on the Caucasian shepherd’s trainability below.

Are Caucasian Shepherds Energetic?

Caucasian shepherds are low-to-medium energy dogs. They don’t move around much unless they have a reason and can sleep for long hours throughout the day. As livestock guardians, they don’t need to be walked. Their daily duties will keep them active and engaged enough.

As pets, walking a Caucasian shepherd for about half an hour should be sufficient to benefit their health. However, the intelligence of these dogs requires variation.

Involving them in mentally enriching activities, like scent work, giving them stuffed chew toys, and taking new routes for walks are great ways to keep Caucasian shepherds stimulated and well-exercised.

Are Caucasian Shepherds Easy to Train?

Caucasian shepherds are naturally independent dogs. As you can expect, they don’t desire to please their owners by doing what they’re told.

However, Caucasian shepherds tend to be highly motivated by food. Using this to your advantage, finishing basic obedience training shouldn’t be a big challenge. Advanced training, on the other hand, such as tracking and behavioral shaping for adult Caucasian shepherds, may be challenging and require an expert dog trainer to get right.

Overall, teaching Caucasian shepherds basic commands and making them well-rounded dogs isn’t difficult, but advanced training isn’t the easiest due to their independent temperament.

Are Caucasian Shepherds Good Watchdogs?

Caucasian shepherds are naturally good watchdogs with a big drive to protect and alert their owners of anything suspicious. These dogs take their watchdog capabilities a step further and uphold protection work instinctively. They are brave and confident dogs that won’t hold back if they view something as a threat to their family or territory.

In fact, Caucasian shepherds are commonly utilized as watchdogs and guard dogs throughout the US. With minimal training, they can become excellent protection dogs for individuals and families with large amounts of land to protect.

Are Caucasian Shepherds Good Service Dogs?

Service dogs require an immense amount of socialization to ensure they are well-behaved and stay on task during various social situations. The independent personality and the natural suspicion towards strangers don’t make the Caucasian shepherd an ideal dog breed for this purpose.

Nonetheless, Caucasian shepherds can make great emotional support animals for people with a psychiatric disability who find consolidation in their dog’s presence.

How to Care for a Caucasian Shepherd?

Caucasian shepherds are fairly low-maintenance dogs that don’t demand much care from their owners. However, these dogs are prone to aggression around strangers and unfamiliar dogs. Caucasian shepherd dog owners should take their dogs outside to get socialized frequently during puppyhood.

Once adults, Caucasian shepherds don’t need a lot. As long as they are sufficiently exercised, mentally engaged, and fed a well-balanced diet, they will thrive. Here’s more on how to take care of a Caucasian shepherd, specifically their grooming, feeding, and health needs.

Do You Need to Groom a Caucasian Shepherd?

Caucasian shepherds with short coats should be brushed a few times a week and more frequently when they enter the heavy-shedding period. Long-coated Caucasian shepherds benefit from daily brushing throughout the year to keep shedding manageable and maintain their appearance.

Caucasian shepherds with longer coats may also require using grooming scissors to tidy up certain body parts. However, the coat should never be trimmed with clippers.

Besides coat care, the Caucasian shepherd’s ears should be cleaned once a month, nails trimmed when necessary, and teeth brushed at least three times a week. Since they may develop dental problems, Caucasian shepherd owners should start brushing their dog’s teeth early to pick up the habit.

Do Caucasian Shepherds Shed?

Caucasian shepherds shed quite a lot. For most of the year, they are average shedders, with the exception of seasonal changes where they enter a shedding spree.

As the coat prepares for the next season, Caucasian shepherd owners should brush their dog’s coat daily to remove dead hair, regardless of length. With all these coat properties, Caucasian shepherds don’t make ideal pets for individuals with pet allergies.

What Health Problems Do Caucasian Shepherds Have?

Caucasian shepherds are generally healthy dogs. They only suffer from big dog health problems, like elbow and hip dysplasia, bloat, and heart disease. When adopting a Caucasian shepherd, working with a breeder who screens their breeding stock’s health is essential to ensure your dog isn’t predisposed to develop these conditions.

How Long Do Caucasian Shepherds Live?

The owner’s care, environmental factors, exercise, diet, and many other factors can affect a dog’s lifespan. There’s also the nature of the work Caucasian shepherds do. As livestock guardians, their day-to-day lives may bring uncertainties that may result in injuries that can affect their life quality, as well as lifespan.

Nonetheless, you can expect a Caucasian shepherd to live between 10 and 12 years.

What Should a Caucasian Shepherd Eat?

Caucasian shepherds should eat high-quality dog food appropriate for their size, energy levels, and age.

Since they are livestock guardians, Caucasian shepherds may also be put on a raw diet. However, any raw or homemade diet should be carefully balanced and formulated by a licensed vet to ensure they get all the essential nutrients.

As for how much to feed a Caucasian shepherd, it depends on their adult weight. On average, they should eat between four and seven cups of dog food per day. If on a raw diet, food equal to 2 to 5 percent of their body weight is ideal. For all these, you can consult your vet to know the best diet for your Caucasian shepherd and how much to feed.

Is a Caucasian Shepherd the Right Dog for Me?

The Caucasian shepherd is a livestock guardian dog breed originating from the Caucasus. As working dogs with a long lineage of livestock guardians, they aren’t for everyone.

Caucasian shepherds are more suitable for people living in rural areas, where their dog will uphold the duties of a livestock guardian. When these dogs do what they were bred for, they flourish and become the happiest.

Those considering the Caucasian shepherd as a companion or watchdog should consider their socialization and training needs.

These dogs require immense socialization and training to become well-behaved dogs that listen to their owners. When these are overlooked, behavioral issues are inevitable and the owner may lose control of their Caucasian shepherd due to their massive size.

That said, Caucasian shepherds can be ideal pets that are naturally good guard dogs provided enough space, socialization, and training. If you’re an experienced dog owner and up for these challenges, the Caucasian shepherd can be a great family pet for your family.