East European Shepherd Dog: history, standard, features. East European Shepherd. To me, Mukhtar! Veo at the withers

In the first photo, a dog named Taif White Feng. Owner Natalia Polishchuk, Kyiv, Ukraine

Brief description of the breed East European Shepherd Dog

• Other possible dog names: VEO, East European Shepherd.
• Adult dog height: 63-75 cm.
• The weight: 32-58 kg.
• Characteristic color: black-and-white, gray, red, darkened "mask" on the muzzle.
• Wool length: medium length, straight and stiff.
• Lifespan: 12 years.
• Breed advantages: bold, strong dog, a good protector. Easily gets along with other animals.
• Breed Difficulties: once a dog has become aggressive, it is almost impossible to correct it.
• What is the price: the price for an East European Shepherd is about $250.

The history of the origin of the East European Shepherd Dog

This breed appeared not so long ago - only in the thirties of the 20th century, on Russian territory. Initially, the breed was bred as a versatile working dog that would be able to serve in a variety of weather and climatic conditions.

The progenitors of this breed are. As a result of long-term selection and competent mixing with other breeds, the East European Shepherd Dog arose. The breed standard was formed by the seventies. To date, these dogs have already gained well-deserved popularity due to their many advantages.

East European Shepherds are doing great as service dogs. They were specially bred for police and military service. Many years of selection work have led to the appearance of a brave, loyal dog, which is still used to this day for guard and guard duty.

In addition, representatives of this breed can be wonderful companions and even rescuers. They are full of inner confidence and dignity, thanks to which they become not only excellent bodyguards, but also full members of the family.

The main feature of this dog is owner orientation. At any moment she is ready to give her life for him. She does not trust those around her, but, thanks to her strong nerves and balanced psyche, she treats them calmly and does not show aggression if this is not necessary. When a dangerous situation arises, the dog instantly takes an active defensive position.

The breed lends itself well to training, demonstrates obedience and willingness to obey the owner. She rarely shows independence. The dog is friendly to other pets, especially if they grew up together.

East European Shepherds have good character- they are devoted friends of man, they love children and are ready to play with them at any time. These dogs will never offend a child, even someone else's. The only condition for the formation of all these positive qualities is the correct upbringing from puppyhood.

Video review of the East European Shepherd breed

This video tells about the history of the origin of the East European Shepherd Dogs, about their temper, advantages and disadvantages. The plot reveals the basics of raising a dog of this breed, proper care and maintenance. Any dog ​​breeder will benefit from the information presented in this video review.

According to breeders and veterinarians, you can take a puppy of this breed not earlier than 1.5 months of age. By this time, puppies are no longer so dependent on their mother and can easily become attached to a new owner.

According to the rules, up to 45 days the dogs are tested - an examination for the presence of various defects and disqualifying signs. It is allowed to purchase an older puppy, but if he is already 5 months old, it will be quite difficult to accustom him to new habits.

When choosing an East European Shepherd puppy before you buy, you should pay attention not only to the availability of all necessary documents, but also to breed standards:

• Head. It should be in proportion to the body, massive, wedge-shaped, with slightly rounded cheekbones. The skull is flat, with a small longitudinal groove. The forehead is somewhat rounded when viewed from above and from the front.
• Muzzle. It has a wedge-shaped shape, gradually tapering towards the nose. The length of the muzzle should be equal to or slightly less than ½ the length of the head.
• Lips. Tightly close to each other, dry, dark shade.
• Teeth. Large size and scissor bite. The incisors are located on the same level.
• Eyes. Dark in color, oval in shape, dry, tightly touching eyelids.
• Ears. Erect, of medium length, set high. The shape of the ears is pointed, the tips are pushed up and forward.
• Back. Broad, strong, slightly convex. The withers are well defined, the croup is rounded, wide, with a slight inclination towards the beginning of the tail.
• Breast. Oval, medium width.
• Front paws parallel, straight. The hind legs are set slightly back. The shape of the paws is oval.
• dog movements well balanced, free. When a shepherd dog trots, the croup and withers are in line.

Nicknames for the East European Shepherd

It is customary to name puppies of the same litter of this breed with the same letter. The nickname is chosen so that it emphasizes the features of the dog. This is a very serious dog and her nickname should be appropriate. Well suited nicknames such as: Arwen, Agate, Palmyra, Tokay, Buran, Versailles, Blizzard.

For males you should choose a nickname that will not be very long, but sonorous, for example: Kim, Asgard, Ruslan, Zeus, Boy, Pirate, Prime.

females East European Shepherds are much smarter and smarter than males. They are suitable for such nicknames as: Grace, Agatha, Jasper, Walda, Cora, Montana, Aurelia, Marcy, Tara.

Nicknames can be of a geographical or fantasy nature: Tasmania, Narnia, Astana, Tauriel. It is very important that the nickname was liked by all family members, and the dog itself.

East European Shepherds not picky about living conditions. They are able to live in open-air cages, and in a private house, and in an apartment. The only condition is that the dog must have its own place. It is recommended to lay down a bedding that will be soft and easy to clean. If you plan to keep a dog on the street, you must definitely build a booth with insulation for it.

food and water should be given in different bowls, and it is advisable to install the bowls on special tripods - this will save the dog from disturbing the exterior.

Shepherd hygiene needs to be given a lot of time: brush your teeth, give special rubber bones to gnaw, if necessary. It is recommended to wash the dog no more than once every six months. In the warm months, it is advisable to go with the dog to rivers or lakes, where she can swim and frolic to her heart's content.

What to feed an East European Shepherd

To keep your dog strong and healthy her diet should be balanced corresponding to the activity and . The basis of nutrition should be animal feed: chicken, duck, beef meat and cartilage, low-fat sea fish, eggs, milk. Food should be given only fresh and always raw.

In the diet of puppies must attend fermented milk products and calcined cottage cheese, as well as cereals, vegetables, herbs and vitamin supplements.

Feeding frequency depends on the age of the dog: up to 2 months - 6 times a day; 2-4 months - 5 times; 4-6 months - 4 times; 6-9 months - 3 times; 10 months and older - 2 times.

It is recommended to feed the dog strictly at the same time. The food should be served warm and thick in consistency. Immediately after eating, you can not take the dog for walks, she needs to rest for about 2 hours. Access to water the pet must be permanent.

Dogs of this breed require, and to deal with it recommended to a professional. East European Shepherd Dogs are a very serious breed and it is necessary to properly educate it from a very early age.

In doing so, certain regulations:

• the puppy should not be allowed to do what was not allowed before;
• scolding a dog is not recommended, you need to talk to it strictly, but without unnecessary emotions;
• if the dog becomes stubborn, you need to repeat your demands to her again and again - over time, she will understand what the owner wants and that he must be obeyed;
• we must not forget about the encouragement of the dog after the correct execution of the commands.

If the dog trained to protect the owner, before going for a walk, you must definitely put on a muzzle for her and walk with her on a leash. Any careless movement of the surrounding people can be perceived as a threat and provoke an aggressive reaction.

Pros and Cons of the East European Shepherd Dog Breed

Advantages. Dogs of this breed are loyal defenders and best friends. They lend themselves well to training, know how to get along with other animals and adore children. For decades, the qualities cultivated in them make excellent bodyguards and devoted "servants" from East European Shepherd Dogs.

To disadvantages These dogs can only be attributed to the fact that with improper upbringing, they will often show their character, obey poorly, and sometimes show aggression. In addition, the standards of this breed are extremely strict and improper care can spoil the appearance of the dog.

Back in the Soviet Union, the first representatives of this fearless and devoted breed were bred. The East European Shepherd Dog is still in high demand today, because such dogs have an extraordinary mind, exceptional devotion and rare reliability.

Origin story

Parents and grandparents of the representatives of the breed were brought to our country in 1904 from Germany. These were the best German Shepherds. At the very beginning, dogs were not used for breeding, exploiting their working qualities - excellent security and shepherd capabilities. In the First World War, animals were used as sanitary dogs. After that, it was decided to involve representatives of the breed in the work of the police. During the years of the revolution, almost all livestock was destroyed, but after the civil war in Germany, the required number of animals was purchased. In the first years, the new government simply used dogs, not trying to breed the breed on the spot.

However, already in 24-36 years the situation changed: the task was to breed a new breed that would be more adapted to climatic conditions. To this end, German Shepherd males were bred with females of other breeds or even mongrels, taking into account the phenotype. The result of this selection was a dog, which was called the "East European Shepherd".

The first breed standards were developed and approved in 1955. The RKF adopted the standard for this type of shepherd dog only in 2002.

Breed characteristics

Representatives of this breed have powerful muscles, developed backbone. The hind legs are set almost at right angles to the level back. The average height at the withers is 70 cm. Males are noticeably larger than females and taller, in addition, their chest is more developed, and their head is larger. Weight - about 50 kg. The coat is coarse, the undercoat is thick. The East European Shepherd Dog, whose color does not have a strict framework, can be black, red-spotted, black-backed, gray-spotted or black and tan.

Dogs of this breed are distinguished by endurance, activity and tirelessness. The standard states that at any time this animal must be ready to follow the commands of the owner. Protecting the property entrusted to them or their own owner, these dogs can act independently, showing incredible courage. At the same time, aggression, which has no basis, is the reason to consider the animal defective.

By nature, the East European Shepherd Dog, it will be black or any other color, is incredulous. But this only applies to strangers. Moreover, she is merciless to her enemies and the enemies of her master. At the same time, she is very gentle with children, being an excellent nanny for them. The dog will be happy to play any games with children, but especially loves moving ones like catching up. She loves to bring objects thrown to her. A dog full of dignity and calm will become a full member of the family. Well-bred does not experience negative emotions towards other pets.

These shepherd dogs are very balanced, have strong nerves, sharp hearing and instinct, do not have the habit of raising their voices during work. These qualities are highly valued in guard duty, for which the breed is used today.

Differences from German

Despite the fact that the breed originated from the "Germans", today the difference between the German and East European Shepherd is very significant. Of course, fans exist in both breeds, however, in order to determine your preferences, you need to know exactly what the differences are.

So, first of all, the East European Shepherd Dog is noticeably larger. Even VEO females, according to the standards, are larger than the male representatives of the "Germans". And this despite the fact that females are always smaller than males of the same breed. In addition, the "Easterners" are wider in the chest, it is deeper, with a more pronounced turn.

The girth of the pastern is also important - the "Eastern European" paw is much thicker than that of the "German" of the same age and gender. It is very important to pay attention to the back of the dog - in VEO the difference between the withers and croup is about 3 cm, while the back of the German Shepherd resembles an arc, forming a large difference in the height of the withers and croup. "Germans" have longer legs, making their movements somewhat squatting.

These dogs are also very different in temperament. "Germans" - athletes: noisy and rather cheerful, while VEOs are active, but serious.

Standards

Like any other breed, the East European Shepherd Dog has characteristics that all representatives of the breed must meet. These standards were adopted by the RKF on November 1, 2002.

The dog is moderately elongated, large in stature, with strong bones and well-developed muscles. The gender type is pronounced. Males are more massive and larger.

Temperament and Behavior: This breed cannot be expected to be patient with strangers. According to the standard, the dog must be self-confident, balanced, have a bright active-defensive reaction. Outsiders should be treated with distrust.

Males reach 66-76 cm at the withers, females - 62-72 cm.

The dog's head is in proportion to the whole body, its length is about 40 percent of the height at the withers. Massive, slightly pointed, wide and deep. The cheekbones are rounded, the muscles are developed. The forehead is rounded.

The limbs are straight, set almost parallel. Pasterns are long, springy. The hind limbs are drawn back, parallel to each other. The thighs are muscular, set at an angle.

vices

Until now, German Shepherd males are used in breeding, capable of adding "fresh blood" to the VEO branch. But despite all the efforts of breeders, East European Shepherd puppies may appear with defects for which they may be culled or simply not allowed for further breeding.

Disadvantages that can affect the health of the dog:

Strong deviations from the sexual type;
- insecure behavior;
- stretched or flattened shape of the body;
- uncharacteristic facial expression;
- light, convex or round gases;
- absence of premolars;
- ill-fitting ears;
- tail ring;
- curvature of the limbs or loose gait;
- depigmentation of the nose.

Flaws that lead to the disqualification of a dog:

Cowardice or unmotivated aggression;
- non-compliance with standards;
- deviation (except for the cases specified in the defects);
- not a scissor bite;
- hanging ears;
- eyes of different colors;
- albinism;
- short or curly tail;
- deviations in color;
- full or partial cryptorchidism;
- curly, too long or too short coat;
- unsteady or non-standard gait.

An East European Shepherd Dog that has at least one of the indicated defects cannot be admitted to exhibitions, breed competitions or allowed for breeding.

Breeding

Today, there are two types of breeding: with the participation of fresh blood of German Shepherd males or crossing only within the breed. The Eastern European type includes puppies bred in both ways. In the ring, both options can be equally successful, as judges prefer well-trained, well-displayed dogs. After the end of the exhibition, by analyzing the descriptions of experts, breeders and clubs match pairs and draw up breeding plans.

Prices

Like any other breed, the price of a good dog with great ancestors cannot be cheap. Of course, you can buy a puppy from a "sheepdog" without documents for a thousand or two. But if you need a good, promising puppy from working parents, you need to go to a service dog breeding club. And here you should not expect low prices. The correct East European Shepherd Dog, the price of which is quite adequate, with an excellent pedigree and good data, will cost from 30 thousand rubles.

Puppy education

Most often, there are no problems with raising cubs of this breed. Puppies of the East European Shepherd Dog receive their first "education" from the age of four months. However, one should not rush much, because the upbringing of any living being is a long process that requires maximum patience.

In addition, the correct and balanced feeding of an East European Shepherd puppy is very important. The diet must include meat, cottage cheese, eggs, vegetables.

Training

This dog - East European Shepherd Dog - is distinguished by intelligence, so its training and education are quite simple. The animal is able to absorb new elements very quickly. Jumping and overcoming obstacles is a favorite part of the activities of any dog ​​of this breed. Training with a variety of tasks is the best way to spend your pet's energy.

This breed needs firm management, so it is important to interest the dog - it will not perform empty tasks. It is necessary to ensure that the animal itself wants to obey, and not just because it was trained that way - then it will enjoy the lessons. It is impossible to achieve obedience and devotion from the VEO by punishment.

It is very important to establish a connection with a dog from childhood - this is the only way to get a truly understanding friend. Apart from their owners, puppies need to socialize with other animals, especially dogs, to avoid further hostility towards them. It is important that the puppy be in crowded places, so as not to raise a vicious, withdrawn dog.

Having raised the East European Shepherd correctly, you can get an excellent bodyguard, an excellent guard who loves and cares about the owner and his family.

If you ask the owner what are the difficulties of keeping this breed, he will most often think. And this is not a pretense at all, the East European Shepherd Dog has an extremely good health. The owners' reviews indicate that she does not need special conditions of detention: she can easily get used to living both in an apartment and in the courtyard of the house. Wool is very easy to care for - just wash it as it gets dirty, comb it during the molting period. Apart from a predisposition to gastric volvulus, the breed does not have any serious transmissible diseases. To avoid this trouble, it is enough to follow the rules of feeding: never feed immediately before or after a walk - at least an hour should pass. It is best to give small portions of high-calorie meals, because the larger the amount of food, the higher the chance of getting a bloat.

Like other large dogs, BEOs are prone to arthritis and other joint problems. Therefore, it is necessary in 5-6 years, without waiting for the first signs, to carry out the prevention of such problems.

Character

The nature of this shepherd dog is plastic, which makes it easy for the animal to adapt to different types of lifestyle. Depending on the situation, it can be both a sofa pet and a devoted guard. But still, do not forget that these dogs were bred for service, so they need education, training, long walks. It is very important for the mental health of the animal to participate in various rings and competitions. It can be not just OKD or ZKS, but also sled dog competitions, towing, agility.

Among other things, this dog is extremely owner-oriented - it does not tolerate not only long business trips, but even short-term separation. Even in a small space, the Oriental will follow the owner, strive to lie down next to him, constantly see him. Such strong devotion can annoy some people - this must be taken into account when choosing a pet.

Breed today

Today, the East European Shepherd Dog is not the most popular breed. However, every year more and more people choose her as a pet. Despite the fact that quite recently VEO almost disappeared forever from the lists of breeds, amateurs and connoisseurs did not allow this to happen. That is why we have the opportunity to see the best representatives of this breed in the region at almost any exhibition.

For most dog lovers, the East European Shepherd is closely related to the German Shepherd, many even consider it to be the same breed. In fact, there is some truth in this, the fact is that the German Shepherd is the direct ancestor of the VEO, which took shape as an independent breed on the territory of the Soviet Union. Such a transformation was associated with the purposeful activities of Soviet dog handlers. A certain role was played by the influence of a climate other than in Germany on the formation of the breed, but the purposeful work of people still had the main significance.

Working qualities were appreciated in many states, but because of the negative attitude after the First World War to everything that had German roots, this breed was renamed and modified. It was the Soviet cynologists who achieved particular success in working with the breed, since the young state needed working strong dogs. Therefore, breeding a new breed was not just an amateur hobby, but a task that was set by the Soviet authorities for professional cynologists.

In 1924, the Krasnaya Zvezda kennel was established in Moscow, where work began on creating a new breed based on the blood of the German Shepherd. Due to the insufficient funding of this industry and the inability to buy imported manufacturers for foreign currency, a massive infusion of new blood occurred only in 1945. After the end of World War II, many trophy German Shepherds appeared in Soviet kennels, which were actively used in breeding work.

Cynologists set themselves the goal of creating a breed that would differ in behavioral reactions from the German Shepherd and would be more massive and hardy, and they succeeded. Despite the external similarity, which also shows a number of differences, the "Easterners" are very different from the "Germans" in behavior and character. Also, the VEO was supposed to become a more versatile dog, suitable for use throughout the Soviet Union, from the southern Asian territories to Kamchatka.

After the end of the Great Patriotic War, General G.P. Medvedev proposed to officially recognize the new domestic breed and give it the name East European Shepherd Dog. For heroism and merits during the war, she was named the most patriotic dog. The first WEO standard was adopted in 1964, the next standard with some additions was recognized in 1976. It is characteristic that this breed was a domestic subspecies of the German Shepherd, that is, there was no division of these two breeds into two independent ones. Breeding work to improve the breed was actively carried out until 1990, then a turning point in the history of the East European Shepherd Dog came.

With the collapse of the Soviet Union, many of his achievements were questioned and criticized. This fate did not bypass the "Easterners", who, with someone's suggestion, began to be associated with Stalin's repressions. Although the track record of this breed was much wider: during the Second World War they were messengers, mine detectors, later they were used to serve at the borders, in rescue work, in search of explosives, to protect people and their property.

However, in 1991, the German Shepherd was recognized at the world level, having received the international standard according to the FCI. This fact immediately put the VEO in an illegal position, and even attempts were made to completely eliminate the breed. Representatives of this breed were simply excluded from kennel clubs and associations, were not allowed to show as outbred dogs. Only thanks to the efforts of true connoisseurs of the "east" who sincerely loved these dogs, it was possible to save an interesting breed. They continued to breed VEO in private kennels, in clubs, held their monobreed shows. It can even be said that this “black” period in the history of the breed also made a positive contribution to its development, since all random people whose interest was associated with self-interest left the breeding.

The answer to the beginning of the persecution of the breed was the formation in 1991 of the Association of Pedigree Nurseries VEO. In 1999, the Unified Pedigree Book of mating VEO appeared. The breed continued to develop actively, while not only in terms of exterior characteristics, but first of all, training and the development of unique service qualities continued.

The activity of connoisseurs of the breed led to the fact that it was preserved, the number of livestock of "Easterners" slowly but surely grew, and gradually they began to be recognized by cynological associations of Russia. The result of this activity was the recognition of the East European Shepherd Dog as an independent breed by the cynological organization of the RKF in 2002. The official standard was approved, and the former respect and honor were returned to the breed.

Representatives of the VEO breed created the image of a true friend of man, beloved in our country, in such films as "Border Dog Scarlet", "", "Come to me, Mukhtar!". The last film starred two brothers Vargun Luthar and Duncan Luthar.

The East European Shepherd Dog is a large dog above average height: males at the withers - 66-76 cm, females - 62-72 cm. . The muscles are lean and dry. Males are larger and more massive, so it is easy to determine the gender by appearance.

The head looks proportional. It is moderately long and massive, shaped like a not very pointed wedge. The transition from the forehead to the muzzle is not very pronounced, but noticeable. Dark lips close to the jaw. The nose is black. The ears are in the shape of an isosceles triangle. The eyes are almond-shaped, obliquely set, dark or lightish in color. The look is smart, confident.

Scissor bite. Complete set of 42 teeth. The jaws are well developed.

The neck is strong and muscular.

The chest is oval, the abdomen is tucked up. The withers are well expressed.

The back is straight, strong. The croup is rounded, smoothly passing to the line of the tail.

The tail is saber-shaped, in a calm state it is lowered below the hock.

The forelegs are muscular and angled for free movement.

The hind limbs are straight and parallel, the hocks are well defined, dry.

Paws are rounded, collected in a lump, profitable fingers are removed.

The typical gait is a creeping trot with strong hindquarter drive.

The coat is hard, close to the skin. The coat is longer on the outer side of the forearms and thighs, in other places the coat is of medium length. Well developed thick undercoat.

The color desired is of the following type: black or black with a dark mask on a light background that varies from light gray to fawn. A deep black-black color is also allowed, zoning gray and zoning red are possible, but less desirable.

East European Shepherds participated in the Victory Parade on Red Square in May 1945, and were recognized as the most patriotic dog breed.

What is the difference between an East European Shepherd and a German Shepherd?

Despite the fact that the International Cynological Federation does not recognize the individuality of the VEO, considering it a variety of German Shepherd, it has many distinctive features. The main differences between these two breeds of shepherd dogs:

• Easterners are larger and taller than Germans,
• the back is not so sloping, the withers are slightly higher than the sacrum;
• the chest is wider;
• movements are more sweeping, with a strong supporting push;
• differences in colors: VEO often has a light background;
• Easterners are more calm, Germans are more active and playful;
• Easterners are a universal working dog, they are more suitable for carrying out various services, while Germans are more often acquired as a human companion.

The nature of the breed

The most striking feature of the VEO character is its focus on its owner. For him, she is ready to give her life, showing miracles of courage and obeying his will. He is distrustful of strangers, but has a balanced psyche and strong nerves, so he does not show his strength unnecessarily and does not show obvious aggression. At the same time, it has a lightning-fast active-defensive reaction to a dangerous situation.

The breed is ideal for training and readily demonstrates obedience without trying to dominate the owner and show its independence. The dog will never offend other smaller animals. If a puppy from childhood grew up surrounded by other pets, then later, having already become big and strong, he will not only be friends with them, but even take care of them. "Easterners" are friendly by nature, but they show this quality only when surrounded by their family, and when they do not sense danger. The innate instinct of a guard and protector is so strongly developed that the slightest suspicion of a threat to the owner or his property puts the previously peaceful dog on alert.

Dogs of this breed have a very good character in all its manifestations. This is a devoted friend of a person who is always cheerful, active and ready to protect his master and his family. East European Shepherds love children, can play with them and never offend. But do not forget that all this excellent genetic heritage must be accompanied by proper upbringing, otherwise a dog will grow up that does not correspond to ideas about the character and behavior of the VEO.

In Moscow, on Poklonnaya Hill, there is a bronze monument to the front-line dog, which became the East European Shepherd Dog. During the Great Patriotic War, more than 60 thousand dogs of this breed participated in hostilities.

Education and training

The natural inclinations of the East European Shepherd Dog for training must be developed from the first months of a puppy's life. It is necessary to start this process by establishing contact with the puppy, the owner and the dog must learn to understand each other. In order to develop the initial obedience skills, it is necessary to spend at least 15 minutes a day with your puppy. Anyway, at this age, the dog will not be able to practice for hours, some puppies cannot concentrate on executing commands for more than 5 minutes at all. In this case, you need to divide the total time, for example, train for 5 minutes in the morning, afternoon and evening.

First, the main stimulus for the development of reflexes is food. After executing the command, give the puppy a piece of treat, and soon the reflex of executing the command will be developed, and he will execute it automatically.

From the age of 3 months, a shepherd dog needs to be taught to obedience during walks. There is always extraneous noise on the street, and there can always be some kind of distraction: a running cat, someone screaming, a car signal. Against the background of all this, the dog must learn to follow the commands of the owner, without being distracted by extraneous impressions.

From the age of 4 months, teach your "Eastern" to overcome barriers, carry out the fetching command, then you can do tests for flair, forcing you to search for hidden things by smell. From the age of 5 months, a shepherd needs to develop service qualities, if you, of course, are interested in this. These are exercises involving strangers, when the dog is given the task of guarding things, chasing and detaining the offender. It should be said that many "Easterners" have this knowledge at the genetic level, so the training process is very easy, provided an experienced owner or instructor. In such dramatizations, it is important to create preferential conditions for the puppy so that he always achieves victory. Otherwise, he may become insecure in his abilities.

The East European Shepherd Dog, which has passed, must carry out the following commands: “Come!”, “Next!”, “Sit!”, “Stand!”, “Lie down!”, “Walk!”, “Aport!”, “Crawl !”, “Place!”, “Barrier!”. She must also be able to overcome the boom and stairs, not be afraid of shots and not take food from strangers and not pick it up from the ground.

Usually such a list of commands already makes a well-mannered and disciplined friend out of a dog, but you can go even further and undergo special training. As a rule, this is required if the dog will be involved in the service. Depending on the plans for the use of the East European Shepherd Dog, she is taught the skills of protective guard, search, guard and other types of services.

At the Moscow metro station Ploshchad Revolyutsii there is a bronze sculpture of a Border Guard with a dog of the VEO breed. People believe that if you rub the bronze shepherd's nose or touch its paw, it will bring good luck.

This breed is quite unpretentious, and all she needs is to provide minimal hygiene procedures, give regular exercise and feed properly. You can keep an East European Shepherd Dog both in an aviary and in an apartment, although due to the size of the dog, the first option is, of course, preferable.

The ideal place to keep would be a spacious aviary with a booth, but it should be remembered that if the dog first lived in the house, then it will be difficult to accustom it to life in the aviary: it will howl and ask to go home. Therefore, you must immediately decide on a place for the dog, and from the first days of its appearance in your house, accustom it to this place.

Sheepdogs do not need to be bathed completely more than twice a year, and this should only be done when necessary. It is usually enough to comb the dog regularly, and it will look clean and well-groomed. Regular combing is also a kind of useful massage that improves blood circulation, so do not be lazy to perform this procedure.

Also, do not forget about caring for your pet's teeth, ears and eyes. If the dog is healthy, then there is no need to do these procedures daily. But still, once every 2 weeks, you need to clean the dog's ears with a dry cotton swab from excess sulfur. Occasionally, you need to brush your dog's teeth, removing plaque, leading to the formation of tartar, which only a veterinarian can handle. This is especially important for show dogs, because the condition of the teeth also affects the final assessment. If the eyes do not bother, then it is better not to touch them, but when discharge from the eyes appears, then you need to remove them with a cotton swab.

Periodically treat your dog against fleas, it is especially recommended to do this at the beginning and end of the "flea" season: in May-June and then in October. Do not forget to give your pet anthelmintics.

East European Shepherds served heroically in the Chechen war. In the city of Primorsk-Akhtarsk there is a monument to the dog Elga, who saved dozens of human lives by detecting mines and ammunition depots of militants.

Feeding

How to choose and buy a good VEO puppy?

Due to the fact that not so long ago they tried to eliminate the East European Shepherd Dog as a breed, there are some difficulties with the acquisition of puppies. Often people who want to buy a shepherd do not understand how the “Germans” differ from the “Easterners”, and they buy the “German”, thinking that this is a VEO, or they get a half-breed. In a word, if you really want to buy an "Eastern", then you need to contact specialized kennels in which the pedigree of dogs can be traced and a strict record of all matings and litters is kept. When buying a shepherd dog from an ad or on the market, it is difficult to obtain reliable information about its origin.

It will not be a problem for interested people to visit a monobreed show or find videos from this show. So you can find exemplary representatives of the breed, contact their owners, learn about the planned matings. If you take this issue seriously, then you can always get a purebred East European Shepherd, even if you have to wait several months in anticipation of the birth of puppies. An easier way is to follow the announcements on kennel websites and negotiate with breeders about booking and buying puppies.

Prices for puppies

East European Shepherd puppies with RKF documents are standing from 15 thousand rubles and more. Much depends on the presence of eminent ancestors in the pedigrees, awards at exhibitions, and the service merit of parents also influences. More affordable prices: from 3000 rubles and above say that the puppy's parents do not have a pedigree. In this case, there is also a chance to get a good dog with all the typical characteristics of the breed, but this is already a risk, since you can buy a mestizo or not a VEO, but a German Shepherd. Therefore, if the choice of an "oriental" is fundamental for you, then it is better to spend more money, but get guarantees of your friend's thoroughbredness.

Photo breed East European Shepherd

Did you like it? Share with friends!

Put Like! Write comments!

The East European Shepherd is a working dog specially bred as an improved version of the German Shepherd.

East European Shepherd Dog: full face photo.

East European Shepherd: photo with a ball in its mouth.

Story

The country in which the breed was bred is the Soviet Union. Purposeful selection work, which began in the second half of the twenties of the last century, started with the creation of a special nursery. The breed that served as the basis for the selection of the East European Shepherd Dog is German Shepherd. It should be noted that in the Union only purebred German Shepherds were used for this work.

The breeders needed to bring out such a breed, the individuals of which would be more versatile and hardy dogs than the "Germans", would differ from them in their behavioral reactions. They could also be used for the needs of the army and the national economy in various climatic zones throughout the country. And such work was successfully carried out by cynologists.

In one thousand nine hundred and sixty-four, a standard was approved that established the requirements for individuals of the breed, and twelve years later its second edition was adopted. In the newly created Russian state, the breed is recognized by various cynological organizations. The breed also gained fame at the international level: it was recognized by such organizations as the UCI, as well as the IKU. But until now, the breed has not received recognition from the FCI - the International Cynologists Federation.

East European Shepherd in the snow.

Photo of an East European Shepherd Dog.

The nature of the breed

Devotion to the owner and focus on him - this is the fundamental characteristic of the behavior of the breed. Unquestioning obedience to the will of the owner, willingness to sacrifice oneself and boundless courage for his sake. The East European Shepherd Dog is a self-confident, balanced dog. She has strong nerves, therefore she does not show excessive aggression even towards strangers and does not show her power and strength unnecessarily. However, the instinct of a protector and guard makes her instantly react to any threatening situation.

Individuals of the breed do not strive for independence and do not even try to dominate in relationships with the owner, they never show unforced aggression towards other pets. These shepherd dogs are friendly, disposed towards children, play with them with pleasure and are not able to offend them. All these wonderful character traits of the dogs of the breed, determined by the genetic heritage, need to be reinforced by proper education and training. Otherwise, the dog acquires character traits that are not characteristic of the East European Shepherd Dog.

East European Shepherd and girl.

East European Shepherd dog with a puppy.

Appearance description

Dogs of the breed are represented by individuals of large sizes: the height measured at the withers varies for males from sixty-five to seventy-five centimeters, for females from sixty-one to seventy-one centimeters. Weight varies from thirty-six to sixty-one kilograms for males and from thirty-one to fifty-one kilograms for females. Although the skeleton is large, the dogs do not have a rough build. Its length exceeds the height at the withers by an average of fifteen centimeters. The muscles are well developed, have a relief appearance. Gender is easily determined by appearance, as males are much more massive and larger than females.

The head is proportional to the body, quite massive and moderately long, looks like a not very pointed wedge, located on a muscular powerful neck. The eyes are almond-shaped, dark, of medium size, set obliquely. Nose with black lobe. The ears are set high, erect, triangular in shape and of medium size.

Photo of an East European Shepherd Dog.

East European Shepherd dog with a wheel.

Cool photo of the muzzle of the East European Shepherd Dog.

In dogs of the breed, the coat is quite hard, tight-fitting. Guard hair of medium length, straight. The thighs and forearms are covered with relatively long hair, and everything else is covered with medium length hair. The thick undercoat is well developed, but does not extend beyond the outer coat. In individuals of the breed, the following color is defined: black or black with a dark mask on a light background, the color of which can be from pale gray to fawn. Grey-spotted and red-spotted colors are possible, but not desirable.