South Russian Shepherd Dog: breed standards and content

South Russian Shepherd Dog is a traditional shepherd breed of dogs, characterized by excellent guard qualities. Large size and abundant hair coat make it an excellent option for street or captive content, carrying protective and guard duty. Throughout its existence, the breed has repeatedly been on the verge of extinction. But in the XXI century, its popularity has increased again, and today many dog ​​breeders think about buying such a pet. What is so attractive South Russian shepherd, and what difficulties may arise with its content?

In Russia, there are not too many local breeds exclusively domestic breeding. One of the main achievements of breeders is considered to be the South Russian Shepherd Dog, which got its name from the territory of distribution of these animals. The south of Russia during the reign of Empress Catherine II was the main agricultural region of the country. At the end of the 18th century, attempts were made to introduce sheep in the territory of Tavria, and cattle were brought in from abroad.

To protect the most valuable merino sheep from Spain to the country of profit and the dogs used in their homeland for these purposes. But the well-proven Asturian shepherd was not too large in size and was not effective when confronted with aggressive steppe wolves. Local breeders were faced with the task of breeding a hybrid with good herding skills and sufficient physical strength to prevent any attacks.

In the Kherson estate of Askania-Nova, the well-known canine enthusiast of his time, Baron Falz-Fein, took up the selection work. In crossing, Asturian shepherd dogs, Polish Tatra shepherd dogs and Russian canine hounds were used as source material. As a result of careful blood selection, it was possible to get dogs with well-developed hunting instincts, tireless in running, high at the withers, aggressive and hardy. The South Russian Shepherd Dog inherited a snow-white coat color from its Tatra ancestor.

During the period of the First and Second World War, the breed managed to demonstrate its best qualities. Her performance in the guard-guard service is a little inferior to the German shepherds. Dogs were successfully used in various kinds of troops, but breeding work and breeding almost completely declined. By the middle of the 20th century, with the decline in popularity of sheep farming, the need for its unique qualities almost disappeared. For many years, the South Russian Shepherd Dogs were very exotic guests at exhibitions.

Everything has changed on the eve of the XXI century. Shepherd breed again appreciated and began to actively breed. Unfortunately, small volumes of available breeding material have led to the fact that the South Russian Shepherd Dog has a significant admixture of blood of its Caucasian counterpart. It was also not possible to restore the original appearance in full - the breed standard was changed taking into account the current phenotype.

It should be noted that the definition of “South Russian Shepherd Dog” as applied to a particular group was used by the well-known canine specialist L. P. Sabaneev. The first official standard was adopted in 1931. And FCI recognized the breed only in 1996, it is from this point that the modern history of South Russian Shepherd Dogs begins.

A large and strong service dog - the South Russian Shepherd Dog - looks quite impressive. Breed description and puppy standards allow them to be rejected at the evaluation stage by the breeder. Strict selection minimizes the risks of tribal marriage. Modern standards are significantly different from those that operated for dogs of the South Russian breed initially.

So, black, red, brown colors are considered unacceptable, also excluded:

• "Mask" on the face;
• eyes white or blue, heterochromia;
• deafness;
• short (shortened) tail;
• too short, soft, or cords-prone wool;
• square body format;
• body imbalances;
• behavioral vices - cowardice or unmotivated aggressiveness.

Visually, the South Russian shepherd on the pasture is easy to confuse with the representatives of the herds protected by herds - in terms of grazing, this valuable quality gave the desired disguise to the protected animal. A large dog with a fluffy hard coat looks very impressive. But this does not negate the requirements for compliance with the animal set exterior parameters.

South Russian Shepherd Dog should have the following characteristics.

• Color For the undercoat is allowed only light color, high softness of the hair. The pitch can have a pure white color, either a light fawn, a yellowish tint, or a gray-tan tone.
• Coat Must be thick, hard, with a slight waviness in length. Vegetation is uniform throughout the body. Standard length - at least 10 cm, including on the head, neck.
• Body type. Initially, dogs are distinguished by strong bones without excessive moisture. The case is dry, taut. The modern version of the breed is more massive and muscular.
• Body weight not less than 35 kg. The height of the animal at the withers is 62–66 cm, males are taller and larger than females.
• The belly is deep and highly tucked up, like a greyhound. The thorax is wide and deep, well-defined.
• The head is wedge-shaped, with elongation of the muzzle, the foot smooth. Ears have a high fit, triangular shape, hang down on the sides of the head, completely covered with hair.
• Nose with bright black pigmentation of the lobe, well-defined. By the end of the muzzle has a characteristic narrowing.
• Eyes with a wide postavom, compact, oval-shaped, all versions of brown color are allowed.
• Jaws closed in a scissor bite, strong, teeth with white color enamel, large.
• The neck is of medium length, straight, the suspension is absent.
• The tail is straight, lowered to the hock, a slight bend is allowed at the end.
• Limbs long, strong, with sweeping movements.

South Russian Shepherd Dog - not a pet, but a serious guard dog, which was bred for the protection of sheep flocks. High intelligence, the ability to make decisions independently, the ability to take the initiative at the right moment - these are the distinguishing features of this breed. For the South Russian shepherd is not characteristic excessive phlegm or apathy, as well as excessive submission. From their ancestors they received the hunter's instinct and excellent sense of smell.

The South Russian Shepherd is suitable for training in protective and guard duty, but is inclined to independently use the acquired skills. Instead of one tight grip and fixing the victim, the dog makes several attacks that do not give the offender the opportunity to escape. It is rather difficult to resist such an onslaught, since the behavior of the animal does not fit into the framework of standard schemes.

YURO is a breed with a developed sense of territorial identity. The house, which she considers her own, the dog will guard until her last breath. But it is difficult to adapt to the move and almost always recognizes only one owner.The best solution for her would be a family country house or a large farm that allows you to frolic properly. For strangers, the breed is stressed mistrustful, and if you persistently try to communicate, you can be angry. In case of violation of the boundaries of the territory, the dog does not break into warning barking, but silently attacks.

Dog will not make discounts on age and growth rates. If it seems to him that the borders are violated, he can attack. But with the right approach to business, the South Russian Shepherd Dogs are perfectly trainable and turn out to be ideal partners in the work of law enforcement or security agencies.

Despite the excellent guard qualities of dogs and their general simplicity, caring for the South Russian Shepherd Dog requires some attention. The undercoat of an animal is so thick that without regular combing it quickly falls into a kind of felt. For constant care you need a comb with long teeth. In addition, it is necessary to monitor the characteristics of the coat in order to notice the health problems of the dog on time.

The South Russian Shepherd needs grooming. There are various options for haircuts:

• exhibition - to bring the animal in compliance with breed standards;
• with a “skirt” - an elongated coat on the sides and hind legs, the front part of the body is cut short;
• with “pants” - in this case, long lines remain only on the limbs;
• under the "puppy", with shortening hairs all over the body to a length of 3-5 cm from the root.

Separately processing of the animal's muzzle It uses a continuous shortening to 1–2 cm from the root, possibly with the design of an elongated bang, reaching to the eyes. In addition, there is a haircut "under the spaniel." In this case, hair is shortened on the surface of the ears. The need for professional grooming is especially high during the animal shedding - in this case, the dog is recommended intensive combing, which removes most of the undercoat.

Ear brushing and antiparasitic treatment should be carried out regularly. Dogs claws that do not grind off naturally are pruned. It is necessary to accustom to procedure of the pet still a puppy, then with an adult animal also there will be no problems.

In order for the South Russian Shepherd to feel good, it requires a fairly high level of physical activity. The animal has little simple running or jumping. In order to tire a dog properly, bike rides will be required, and the place for its free movement in the courtyard should not be limited to an aviary or chain length.

Good health allows the South Russian Shepherd to live much longer than other large breeds. On average, a dog is able to remain active for 15-17 years. It is necessary to take into account the significant load on the joints of the animal - special preparations, vitamin and mineral supplements are prescribed to prevent their premature wear.

For the South Russian Shepherd is characterized by the need for reliable protection of the ears from hypothermia, water ingress. The structure of this part of the body is predisposed to the development of otitis. Another actual problem is the development of an allergic reaction to insect bites. The saliva of bloodsucking parasites causes severe itching, edema, and other unpleasant symptoms.Protection against flea and tick attacks should be given special attention.

The South Russian Shepherd Dog belongs to large breeds of dogs whose puppies show very rapid growth. The optimal solution in this case may be a specialized feed, designed for the category of giant.

There are also special requirements for the drinking regime. An adult dog breed YURO need from 1 to 3 liters of clean water, it should be changed daily in a bowl. Feeding is done twice during the day. As a delicacy, you can offer large bones with meat and cartilage residues.

It is recommended to add sea fish, boiled vegetables, low-fat cottage cheese to the puppies food, cereals with minced meat in a strong broth. Until six months, the number of feedings reaches 5-6 times, then by the year their number is gradually reduced.

The South Russian Shepherd Dogs are smart dogs, and with the right approach, they master the basics of the general course of training. Good memory allows them to assimilate many teams and act independently. Thanks to her delicate scent, she can be trained in trace and investigative activities. But the wayward nature of the dog requires an individual approach to the process of training. Due to the fact that EURO is distinguished by excellent intelligence, its study begins at puppyhood. It was during this period that the animal began to show its domination, a sense of territoriality, the hunter's instincts.

Since the South Russian Shepherd Dogs have a lively, choleric temperament, first of all they are encouraged to master commands that mean bans. Conduct classes should be in the form of the game, gradually achieving complete obedience. In adolescence, the breed often demonstrates a violent temper - you can not leave the team without execution. The animal must know that the order of the owner will have to execute in any case.

An independent character was brought up by South Russian Shepherd Dogs for centuries, because in the conditions of pasture the dog had to remain for a long time without control of the owner. In keeping with other animals, the pet takes the top position in the hierarchy and insists on its own, even in cases when it encounters resistance.

The process of training will take several hours a day. If there is not enough time, it is better to abandon the idea of ​​bringing up the EURO.

You will learn even more interesting facts about the South Russian Shepherd Dogs in the following video.