Caucasian Ovcharka Society of America

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OVERVIEW

The Caucasian Shepherd Dog is an imposing breed of great size, and is certainly not for everyone. Despite what is often called its “teddy bear” looks, they are anything but. They are strong-willed and VERY territorial. Heavy, PROPER socialization and firm, consistent handling is necessary to have a safe, balanced dog.

The Caucasian Shepherd is not a dog that wants to be hugged and cuddled. These dogs will come to you when they want pet. They do not tolerate strangers well, nor do they tolerate houseguests. This is not a dog to get to show off to friends and family. This is not a dog to get to prove how tough you are, and this is not a dog to get to guard your livestock. Though the foundation of the breed comes from landrace livestock guardian dogs most modern dogs get more satisfaction maiming and killing livestock than guarding it.

A Note About Size

So often breeders have buyers come to them, asking for a dog that will be three feet tall and 200 pounds. This is unrealistic. Most CSDs are going to weigh somewhere between 100 and 170 pounds, and most fall between 25 and 31inches.

But you saw a photo of a guy standing with a dog that was more than half his height; he was massive! Unfortunately, the internet is filled with what is called forced perspective photographs. This is where the environment, placement of the dog/handler, and camera angle are arranged in a manner to make the dog look much larger than it actually is.

Another factor contributing to the unrealistic size expectation is breeders not measuring their dogs correctly. This is why CSCA provides resources for the proper measurement of dogs.