The Caucasian Mountain Dog – A trustworthy guard dog and a loving family member

How does this beautiful large breed dog original from the Caucasus mountains fit into two very important roles for the human being, the role of being a guard dog and the role of a loving member of the family? Well, that can happen only with our help and attention, with patience and constant training and interaction with the dog. As deep as we can go with our trust and connection with the animal, as beautiful as the bond can become.

The Ovcharka as a guard dog

In Russia the  common name for this dog breed is “Ovcharka” and its ancient history traces it back around 2,500 years ago as a safe-keeper for herds of sheep and human settlements. For many years these dogs were doing only that, guarding the sheep and living in isolation. Breeders have worked on these genetic traits and now the beautiful giant, although keeping its herding instincts is a successful family dog also. 

Strength and stamina

These dogs have an imposing appearance, strong bone structure and powerful muscles, weighing between 60 and 80 kilos. Even from their early puppy age you can observe their stamina in the way the pups play with each other and in the dimension of their paws. The Caucasian Mountain dog looks pretty much like a bear, with its straightforward attitude and thick double coat (which is also water resistant, by the way). 

Instinct and genetics

They were used to fighting wild animals such as wolves, boars, foxes and of course, bears themselves, in order to do their job and protect the flock of animals of their territory. And they can do that now too, of course, they are renowned “wolf killers” . A Caucasian Shepherd will never back down from a fight, if their territory is at stake. 

Due to the care and intense socializing of the breeders in time, these fierce dog breed has become adapted to living in a city and changing the mountain scenery with the plain one. So they have become very adapted to family life and very loyal to guarding the replacement of what used to be a sheep herd, their small pack of humans.

The Caucasian dog as a loving family member

Because of the beautiful evolution of dog breeding and training, humans have managed to adapt various types of dogs who had been raised in wilder conditions, to living a more civilized, urban life. The Caucasian Shepherd is one of them, you will see such strong and beautiful dogs living with families all across the world, both in the middle of the cities and in the country side. 

It all depends on the owner and how much attention and loving care he, she or they are willing to offer to taking care and learning together with this animal. Usually a dog gets more attached to one person in the house, the person who knows best how to deal with power and dominance. A shepherd dog will always respect the member of the family who best knows how to assert themselves in front of them, this way making the bond stronger than with any other member of the family. This is available especially for male dogs, as their hormonal input is much stronger than a female’s.It is essential that any Caucasian Shepherd owner knows exactly what he wants from this dog, assigns clear roles for him and makes space for its guarding instincts with as much training and socializing as possible from an early age. This way, this beautiful and powerful dog can do its best at being both a loving family member and an efficient guard dog, as his nature dictates.