Shepherd Dogs: Origin, Description, and Tips for Choosing

Over the course of many millennia, dogs have helped people drive cattle, feed herds, and protect domestic animals. They can be excellent watchmen, able to carry heavy loads and rescue a person in trouble. Obviously, shepherd dogs are very important; nowadays, they often perform the functions of a guard and companion, who serve their master with faith and truth.

Shepherd dogs are active animals that need daily physical exertion. Representatives of these breeds are characterized by strength, responsibility, friendliness and the ability to make quick, independent decisions without human participation. These dogs have a sociable character, and besides, they are very hardy and well developed physically.

Historians believe that the very first representatives of cattle dogs appeared among the nomadic tribes of Asia several thousand years ago.

Over time, these dogs spread throughout the world, as a result they ended up in Europe, where breeders took up their further improvement. It was there that the decision was made to make this dog not only strong and strong, but also beautiful - so that the animal would stand out from the livestock.

A special contribution to the formation of guard dogs was made by the ancient Romans - they taught animals not only to guard, but also to engage in battle with wild predators, and in order to make the breed stronger, Asians were crossed with the largest European dogs. In the twentieth century, dog breeding continued, this was the way German shepherds were bred, and in the Soviet Union East European shepherd dogs adapted to the cold climate appeared.

The main advantages of herding dogs include:

• medium-sized body combined with a proportional and beautiful physique;
• developed muscles, thanks to which the dogs can withstand even the highest loads and a long period of activity;
• thick and glossy wool with undercoat, which warms the animal in the northern and high mountain regions;
• low-developed hunting instincts - this feature allows dogs to more effectively perform their duties;
• complete lack of any confidence in strangers, the ability to long pursue a stranger;
• sociability;
• dedication to its owner.

Shepherd dogs have an exceptional set of positive characteristics, but they also have disadvantages. In particular, they require special conditions of detention - space and the possibility of constant walking are important for dogs. In urban apartments they are cramped, and from a lack of activity, the animals begin to ache and languish.

Considering that these are rather large animals, they should not be left alone with small children - in relation to children, they do not show conscious aggression, but, playing around, they can cause accidental harm.

Let us dwell on the description of the most popular herding dogs.

This dog is better known under the name of Scottish Sheepdog, it has a very beautiful, truly luxurious thick hair and at the same time has a rather high intelligence. Initially, the collie was bred to graze flocks of sheep and protect the master's children, but over time her beauty attracted the attention of royal persons, after which she turned from a working dog into a luxury pet. Nowadays, an animal of this breed easily performs any of these roles, and, moreover, is often in the service of the police.

This cowgirl is considered one of the best in the world. We can safely say that the border is the dream of every dog ​​breeder, because she literally on the fly can remember up to 25-30 teams. It has been used as a shepherd since ancient times, and can perform all the necessary work independently, without human participation.

Outwardly, boarders are not particularly beautiful, they are more like ordinary black-and-white mongrels who run in flocks in every village, nevertheless, these are expensive dogs, the cost of which in kennels is 20-50 thousand rubles.

This four-legged shepherd is better known as the Australian herding dog. The breed was bred after a long cross-breed of dogs of various breeds, including the wild dingo dog. As a result, a fairly intelligent but at the same time stubborn dog was born that copes with even the most difficult tasks without problems. In critical situations, this animal can take quick independent decisions, but the dog is not very pronounced herd instinct.

The Central Asian Shepherd Dog, which is a strong, powerful and very large animal. These are very serious dogs with a steep, hard-tempered character. For many centuries they grazed flocks of sheep in the mountains and guarded the homes of local residents from uninvited guests and wild animals. Alabai often became participants in dog fights, therefore military qualities and the desire to win in these animals in the blood. Nowadays, Alabai are most often purchased for the protection of country cottages and villas.

This breed is also called "Bryansk Shepherd". The animal is from Switzerland, it is distinguished by its unusual appearance - it is not by chance that the dog of this breed received the title of the most beautiful in the world.

Farmers actively bred the breed to protect ungulates and grazing. Bernzi are distinguished by physical strength, endurance, and excellent obedience. Puppies of show class in our country can be bought for 50-70 thousand rubles.

By the appearance of this dog, you can soon assume that it is a companion house animal, and not a serious shepherd and shepherd. The dog has a very cute playful look, and the sizes are the smallest in this category of dogs. At the same time, pets are silent, smart, hardy and extremely efficient. Due to their small stature, they easily pass under the sheep, bite their limbs, thereby driving them into a circle.

A dog of Hungarian descent, which can be recognized by its incredible "hairstyle."The fact is that this animal has a very long and thick hair, which, as it grows, twists into tight cords. Dogs are even jokingly called “mop” for its funny and disheveled appearance.

These dogs do an excellent job with the shepherd's tasks, and in addition, they can guard at home and even play with the little ones. The Hungarian cowgirl is very intelligent, but at the same time very stubborn, she has almost perfect sharp eyesight, although the eyes themselves are not visible from behind the bangs.

This is a real giant among dogs with a good-natured character. The white dogs became the perfect shepherds, wise and determined guards, and in addition, they can carry guard duty. From the side it may seem that this is a real shaggy goof, but in fact the animal is very bright, intelligent and affectionate. Due to the color and appearance of the wool during grazing, the dog merges with the sheep flock, so it is rather difficult to isolate them. The cost of one puppy of this breed ranges from 15 to 30 thousand rubles.

Caucasian Shepherds are descendants of wild wolves, these animals do an excellent job with the work of a shepherd. Nowadays, shepherd dogs are widely used for the protection of departmental objects, as well as at customs. These animals are often in the service of the police, they are intelligent, decisive and extremely hardy.

In previous years, the Caucasian Shepherd Dogs often participated in dog fights, so many consider these dogs to be dangerous and aggressive, but with proper education and good training, quite friendly and submissive pets grow up who will faithfully protect their home and owners.

The English Bobtail is a beautiful shaggy dog ​​that is a true friend for sheep and a real thunderstorm for wolves, and these animals often come out victorious from fights with predators. Animals do not show aggression, they love children and are ready to act as a nanny all day.

Nowadays, the shepherd's service of these animals is long gone but the instincts in dogs remain unchanged, because the pet will take care of its owners and his family members for days on end.

In fact, there are far more herding dogs in the world. They are found in almost every corner of the globe where there is a need to graze livestock. Each country bred its own breed: known Turkish, Azores, Scottish, Swiss, French, English, Italian, Czech, German, Irish, as well as Mongolian, Alpine, Old German, Languedoc, Portuguese and Swedish cattle dogs.

In Australia and Scotland alone, over 5 species of these animals are bred. They may have a very different appearance, but each breed is united by one common quality - they are completely devoted to their masters.

Before choosing the best breed of shepherd’s dog, should first consider some of the nuances.

• The purpose of the institution. If you need a dog only to protect the herd, then it is quite possible to get along with pet-class animals. But if you intend to take part in exhibitions and competitions with your pet, then preference should be given to show category animals.
• Free space. A shepherd breed dog is extremely important physical activity and constant activity. The best thing for her would be keeping her in a big house with a spacious garden plot, where the pet will be able to run freely all day long.In a city apartment the animal will be crowded, in the conditions of a lack of physical exertion, the muscles will lose their tone, which will lead to a weakening of the body.
• Free time. If you are a homebody or a workaholic who spends all day at work, give up the idea of ​​buying a shepherd dog. If you live in a city apartment, then you will have to walk your dog at least 2 times a day and for at least 2 hours. It is optimal if the walk will take place in a forest belt or on a dog platform, so that the animal can warm up.

Before choosing such shepherds, Be sure to answer yourself the question whether you are ready to change your daily routine, devote a lot of time to your dog, get up early in the morning and give up your usual activities in the evening. It is far from every breeder.

Experts recommend to adhere to the following rules.

• When choosing puppies, shepherds preference should be given to reliable nurseries with a proven reputation. Preliminary inquire about the seller and, if possible, communicate personally with the buyers of past litters.
• Make sure that the animal offered to you has a veterinary passport confirming his health and the absence of hereditary diseases.
• Do a little puppy mental test. In order to approach the animal and slap it over his head in the palm of your hand or throw a noisy object next to it. If the animal has not shown interest, but has also not begun to bark, to run away and accept the posture of submission, then most likely you have a dog with a strong psyche.

A few years ago in Moscow there was such a case: a resident of the capital bought himself alabay to protect his summer cottage in summer. All the warm months the puppy ran around the site and felt great. However, with the onset of cold weather, the owner moved the dog to a city apartment, but soon realized that it was not possible to keep such a large animal there. Then he built a small cage near the garages and put his dog there. In this prison, the animal existed for several months, until representatives of animal protection organizations paid attention to it - they took the dog and forced the breeder to sell it to more responsible people.

Shepherd dogs need space, and also necessarily in the house should be the so-called observation point. It is extremely important for this pet to keep everything going on under control, they are able to lie low and just watch for several hours. It is for this ability that animals are often called phlegmatic. However, in case of danger, shepherd dogs can show wonders of reaction, intelligence and agility.

As we have said, shepherd dogs should often walk, but the genetic memory makes animals especially vigilant at night. Therefore, if you walk in the evening or in the city a strong smog or fog, take a leash with you - in such conditions the animal can react to any situation that seems potentially dangerous to it, even if it does not actually exist. At other times, shepherds calmly walk without muzzles and leashes.

It is very important to stroke your pet, it will be useful to take him with you to crowded places and to encourage good behavior by delicacy. - this way you will bring up a reliable faithful companion in him. However, please note that he won't stop barking anyway - The features of dog-cattle are such that it is the nature of nature to inform the district that there is a guard near the herd, and it is extremely undesirable to approach it.

This loud and boisterous barking makes keeping animals in an apartment building quite problematic and serves as further proof that these dogs need to be kept in private homes. Please note that it is in the houses, and not in the enclosures built in the backyard courtyard - for such a dog any exception from the circle of the family will be a big stress. By the way, such an educational measure as ignoring is also not welcome with these dogs.

Dogs of these breeds need a complete and balanced diet enriched with vitamins, microelements, amino acids and probiotics.

If you are a supporter of naturalka, then keep in mind that meat and offal should be at least 70% of the diet of the animal. The share of the remaining 30% is cereals, vegetables, lactic acid products and chopped greens. Additionally, in the diet should include mineral and vitamin supplements.

These dogs do not require special care, however, they need to be periodically combed and, if necessary, bathed with special shampoos. Once a week, the ears should be treated with a cotton pad dipped in boric acid, and the pet’s eyes should be cleaned with chamomile extract.

It is desirable to accustom the animal to daily teeth cleaning, and it is also necessary from time to time to include in the diet cartilage and mosly, which help strengthen the jaw muscles and remove tartar.

On the features of care for shepherd dogs, see below.