Course of self-training of the Caucasian Shepherd Dog. Breed Caucasian Shepherd: the nature of the dog, training and education of the Caucasian. Detention, guarding and escort of the defendant

The Caucasian Shepherd Dog is a very ancient breed that was formed mainly in the mountainous and foothill regions of the Caucasus. Due to the harsh climatic conditions and the work that these dogs had to do, both the appearance and the character of this breed were formed. To protect from the cold, they needed a long coat with a thick and powerful undercoat, which allows Caucasians to sleep just on the snow in the most severe frost. The work of a Caucasian was primarily to protect the herd from large predators - wolves, and in order to engage in martial arts with a wolf, one must have not only great physical strength, but also have an iron character, which is fully present in the Caucasian Shepherd Dog.

I would like to say right away that the name “shepherd dog” is not quite suitable for a Caucasian, since the classic shepherd dogs (Scottish, German) have the task of grazing a herd in the truest sense of the word, knocking it into a heap, driving stragglers and lost animals. The Caucasian has a completely different task, due to his size and weight, he cannot run long and fast, and this is not required of him, his task is to protect the herd, so instead of the word "shepherd" the word "watchdog" would be much more suitable.

The breeding of the Caucasian Shepherd Dog was started in the Soviet Union in the middle of the last century. And in principle, rather uniform dogs with a good exterior and behavior were quite successfully obtained. But at the end of the existence of the USSR, there was a fashion for the so-called "natives", that is, for dogs brought from Central Asia, these were often ordinary mongrels, who often had certificates issued by village councils of distant auls instead of pedigrees. The hobby in the early 90s for dog fights, where Caucasians were constant participants, did not play a good role either.

The result of all this was the appearance of a large number of so-called "plank" dogs, that is, dogs in which, after reaching a certain age, the bar literally fell and they began to behave inappropriately, aggressively, and this aggression was not controlled and very often directed and to dog owners. A large number of such dogs, people simply sought to give at least somewhere, many dogs were euthanized or simply shot dead. All this contributed to the fact that this breed has developed a not very good image.

Although in fact they are excellent dogs for certain tasks. Recently, when the fashion for this breed has passed and normal dogs began to get into breeding, everything has improved with the behavior of Caucasians.

Features of the training of the Caucasian Shepherd Dog.

I would never advise getting a Caucasian to a person who has not had a dog before or to people who have a soft character or do not have time to work with a dog. It must be remembered that a Caucasian is primarily a warrior, and a real warrior obeys the orders of only that person who has unquestioned authority over him. Therefore, your task is precisely to win this authority from your dog, and this requires a lot of time, desire and, of course, some knowledge. Without this, all attempts to train a Caucasian are doomed to failure. I also want to note that many breeders, when selling puppies of this breed, say that these are dogs of late formation. From this, people who bought a Caucasian puppy conclude that since the dog is of late formation, then it is necessary to start training with it later. And when a dog turns, for example, 8 months old and weighs, for example, 50-60 kg, then the owner simply cannot physically do anything with it. Therefore, my advice is to start training with a Caucasian as early as possible, preferably at the age of 4-5 months, so that by the time he grows up, he already obeys you well.

BRIEF HISTORY OF THE BREED: It is generally accepted that the Caucasian Shepherd Dog originates from the ancient dogs of the Caucasus. The breed is common in the territories of the Caucasus, in the steppe regions of southern Russia. The development of the breed was due not only to folk selection, but also to the influence of the peoples inhabiting the Caucasian region. Historically, Caucasian Shepherd Dogs were used to protect herds and flocks, as well as housing from robbers and predators. The first mention of a large dog in the Molossian type was made by the army of the Armenian king Tigran II and dated back to the 1st century BC. Factory work with the breed began in the USSR in the 1920s. Necessary qualities, such as physical strength, self-confidence, fearlessness, keen hearing, excellent eyesight, thick waterproof coat, were cultivated through the selection process. All these qualities, along with endurance, allow people to use Caucasian Shepherd Dogs in any climatic conditions, including the most severe ones.

GENERAL FORM: The Caucasian Shepherd Dog is a dog of a harmonious structure, large, strong, very bony, with powerful muscles; slightly stretched. Sexual dimorphism is well expressed. Males are courageous, with well-defined withers and with a larger head than females. They are more massive, larger and often shorter than bitches. Dogs with longer hair have a well-defined mane.

IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS: The length of the body exceeds the height at the withers by 3-8%. The length of the forelegs is approximately 50-52% of the height at the withers. The length of the skull has a ratio to the muzzle of 3:2.

BEHAVIOR / TEMPERAMENT: Behavior balanced, active, self-confident, fearless and independent. Caucasian Shepherds are devoted to their owner; they are excellent protectors.

HEAD

CRANIAL REGION: The head is large, massive, wide at the cheekbones; when viewed from above, it looks like a wedge with a wide base.

Scull: Massive and wide, the forehead is almost flat, with a noticeable but not deep furrow. Superciliary ridges developed but not protruding. The occipital protuberance is inconspicuous.

Transition from forehead to muzzle: Noticeable, but not clearly defined.

FACE PART:

Nose: The nose is black and large. With correctly open nostrils, not extending beyond the line of the muzzle. A black nose in solid, spotted or piebald specimens is desirable but not required (genetic blue or brown noses are not allowed).

Muzzle: Broad and deep, gradually tapering towards the nose; with strong jaws and chin; very deep and well filled under the eyes. The bridge of the nose is wide. The upper lines of the muzzle and forehead are parallel.

Lips: Thick, close fitting, well pigmented.

Jaws / Teeth: Teeth should be healthy, white, strong; incisors are close to each other and in one line. Complete scissor or pincer bite (42 teeth). Damaged, broken, or missing incisors or canines that do not interfere with bite determination are not penalized, as are missing PM1 premolars.

CHAINS: Well developed and emphasized by very expressive masticatory muscles.

Eyes: Medium in size, oval in shape, not too deep, set wide and oblique. Color of various shades from dark brown to hazel. Eyelids black, dry and close fitting. The expression is serious, attentive and inquisitive.

Ears: Medium in size, thick, triangular, hanging naturally, set high and wide. The inner edge of the ear fits snugly against the cheekbones. Ears in the country of origin are traditionally cropped. Uncropped ears are equal.

NECK: Medium length, powerful, low output; rounded in cross section. The scruff is pronounced, especially in males.

FRAME: Very well developed in all dimensions; broad, muscular and balanced. Withers : Well pronounced, moderately long. The height at the withers is slightly greater than the height of the croup.

Back: Straight, wide, strong.

Small of the back: Short, wide, somewhat convex.

CRUP: Moderately long, broad, rounded, slightly sloping towards the base of the tail.

Breast: Long, broad, with well sprung ribs, deep overall and also in front; in cross section it has the shape of a wide oval. Ribs well sprung, false ribs long. Forbrust is noticeable.

Underline and Belly: The abdomen is moderately tucked up towards the back.

TAIL: Set high, sickle-shaped or curled. At rest, it hangs down and reaches the hocks; when the dog is alert, the tail may be carried over the line of the back.

LIMB

FOREQUARTERS: With good muscles. Seen from the front, the forelegs are straight, parallel, and fairly wide apart.

Shoulder blades: With strong muscles. Moderately long, wide, sloping, forming an angle with the humerus of about 100°. The shoulder blade fits snugly against the chest.

Shoulders: Strong and muscular, close fitting.

Elbows; Directed strictly backwards in parallel planes, turning neither in nor out. Forearm: Straight, massive, moderately long, well muscled; rounded in cross section.

Metacarpus: Short, massive; almost straight when viewed from the front and side.

Front legs: Large, round in shape, with well arched fingers, collected.

HIND LIMB: Seen from behind, straight, set parallel and moderately wide. Stifles and hocks with fairly good angulations when viewed from the side. The hindquarters should not be set far back.

Hips:

Knee joints: Pretty good articulation angle.

Lower legs: Broad, well muscled, moderately long.

Hock joint: Wide and dry, with sufficient angle; firm, turned neither in nor out.

Metatarsus: Not long, massive; almost straight when viewed from the front and side.

Hind legs: Large, rounded in shape, with well arched, tight toes.

GAIT / MOVEMENT: Free, flexible, unhurried movements with a good push - rear limbs. With good stability in all joints and well coordinated. The trot is the most typical gait. The withers are level with the sacrum, the topline is relatively stable in movement.

LEATHER: Thick, elastic enough, without folds and wrinkles.

COAT

HAIR COVER: Straight, coarse, protruding coat with developed undercoat. The length of the outer coat, as well as the undercoat, should not be less than 5 cm. The hair on the head and forelegs is shorter and denser. The tail is completely covered with thick hair and looks thick and fluffy. The longer guard hair forms "tassels" on the ears, a "mane" around the neck, and "trousers" on the back of the thighs.

COLOR: Any solid color, piebald or spotted. Except for solid black; blurry black or black in any combination; or genetic blue or liver brown.

SIZE AND WEIGHT:

Height at withers: Males: Desirable height 72-75 cm, minimum 68 cm.

Bitches: Desirable height 67-70 cm, minimum 64 cm. Larger individuals are allowed if the structure is harmonious.

Weight: Males: minimum 50 kg.

Bitches: at least 45 kg.

DEFECTS: Any deviation from the listed points is considered a defect, the severity of which must be considered in exact accordance with the degree of its development and the impact on the health and well-being of the dog.

SERIOUS FAULTS:

Too light or too rough structure.

Lack of self-confidence.

Deviation from sexual dimorphism.

Small head in proportion to the body; light, narrow, long; long, rough; head in the form of a brick or an apple.

Sharp transition from forehead to muzzle.

Muzzle: Downturned, concave or pointed.

Too small teeth; at large intervals; incisors not in line; any deviations from the full dental formula (except for the absence of PM1 premolars).

Insufficiently expressed cheekbones.

Eyes: large, protruding, very light, with a visible third eyelid; droopy eyelids.

Ears: Large, thin or set too low.

Topline: Hunchback or sagging back; long, weak or arched loin, croup above the withers.

Body: square, too squat; too long; narrow front and back; too tall on the feet. The chest is very short, flat or shallow; croup short or sharply sloping.

bobtail.

Weak bones, muscles and ligaments of joints.

Insufficient articulation angles.

Curved forearms.

Unbalanced movements.

Insufficient rear drive.

The wool is very soft; curly, with very short outer coat or no undercoat.

DISQUALIFYING FAULTS:

Aggression or excessive shyness.

Any dog ​​that shows obvious signs of physical or behavioral abnormalities must be disqualified.

Any deviation from the required bite.

Incomplete dental formula (absence of any tooth other than the third molar (M3) or first premolars (PM1).

Entropy.

Cloudy cornea of ​​the eye; dark blue, green shades of eyes or eyes of different colors.

Docked tail.

Constant ambling or inability to assess movement.

Black color in any variations: solid, blurry, piebald, spotted or raincoat (except for the mask).

Genetically blue color in any variations or nuances.

Bluish-gray pigmentation of the nose, lips and eyelids.

Genetically brown in any variation or nuance.

Genetically brown nose, lips and eyelids.

Got tan on black, blue, brown dogs.

Growth is below the minimum.

Serious deviations from sexual dimorphism for males.

Puppy education

A dog is a pack animal, and therefore, when it comes to a human family, it transfers its stereotypes of the laws of pack life into it. In principle, this made such a symbiosis possible - the mutually beneficial coexistence of a person and a dog, literally under one roof. A dog has a pack, a man has a family. But, accepting a dog as a new member of the family to his house, a person must correct the main misconception that is common to many dogs, and especially to males of the Caucasian Shepherd Dog: "Probably, I am the owner of the house!" That is why it is very problematic to bring an adult dog or even a teenager into the house. The conflict for supremacy, disobedience, lack of understanding with a dog of such a large and serious breed - all this is far from trifling. Naturally, professional cynologists often buy already formed, adult dogs and usually (but not always) find an approach to them. But we do not recommend doing this to a person who has a very distant relation to cynology and training - you may not be able to cope.

Of course, every healthy and in a sober mind adult is quite capable of raising and raising a puppy for himself - later a friend and a guard. And for this, first of all, it is necessary to arm yourself with the principles that the authors of monographs and manuals on the cultivation of various breeds of service dogs do not get tired of repeating.

First, don't humanize your dog, treat him with dog behavior, not people.

Secondly, the upbringing of a dog (as well as of other species being educated) is based on an ancient policy of carrots and sticks. For obedience and performance - to encourage, for disobedience, hooliganism, and even more rebellion - to punish. At the same time, the impact in terms of force is adequate to the act (or misconduct).

Third - patience and work will grind everything. Be sure to follow your command. Be punctual and consistent. No wringing hands and tantrums. The road will be mastered by the walking one.

And fourth - with any kind of education or training, follow the correct methodology. Don't listen to your neighbor's dog owners and other "experienced" people. In order to advise you, there are professional licensed trainers, official clubs and training grounds. As a last resort, do not be too lazy to draw knowledge from thematic literary sources.

A puppy that has appeared in your house begins to study you, and you begin to study him. He easily comes to the call when you call him to feed, and also to go for a walk. That is, the puppy responds willingly to any pleasant thing. But he doesn’t “hear” you at all when you call him, for example, to cut his claws or take him on a leash after a walk. "Caucasians" are very easy to navigate in life situations and therefore quickly figure out what will follow your invitation.

Therefore, you need to become an authority and leader for your dog as soon as possible, try, they say, to disobey! And also, the first friend to whom you want to run as fast as you can. Therefore, if you have already decided to become the owner of a Caucasian Shepherd Dog, you must persistently, train a puppy every day, find a common language with him, becoming his partner in games and walks. Even if the dog subsequently becomes a guard and sits in an aviary or on a chain, you must first of all raise and educate your guard yourself.

A small puppy is taught to come up to me on command, encouraging him with treats and affection. Also, at an early age, the commands “Sit!”, “Place!” are practiced.

Growing up, Caucasian Shepherd puppies begin to make attempts not to obey the command and see what it will be. For this, first of all, there should be a punishment, and then the owner achieves the execution of the command and encourages the execution. Never give commands if you know your dog will not obey them. For example, if a dog rushed through the bushes after a cat, do not shout to him "Come!". It will not stop or turn 180°. Wait until the cat flies up a tree or nuzzles under a fence, and the dog's ability to hear you returns, come closer and call the dog. If she fits, immediately reward her with a treat. If not, come and pick up the dog, repeating "Come to me!". Then also give a treat. That is, with the command “Come to me!” at first, every approach to the owner is encouraged, only an attempt to escape is punished. In no case should you call a puppy on command and then punish him for something. Team "Come to me!" should be the most desirable and promising (in terms of delicacy and affection), the embodiment of the most pleasant forebodings. Then the dog will always (or almost always) come to the call.

Usually, Caucasian Shepherd Dogs do not need knowledge and unquestioning execution of many "abstruse" commands. It is enough if she understands and, most importantly, fulfills the most vital ones. Naturally, these are the commands “Come to me!”, “Place!” and "Fu!".

Team "Place!" is also among the vital ones, without which you will not be able to remove a huge dog from the area on which it currently interferes. If he sprawled across the entire corridor or settled down at the gate, and guests came to you and they need to be let into the house, for example. The team is also practiced from a young age and very persistently. If it does not go well, drive, carry or drag the collar, but put it back in place after the command has been given. On the spot they give encouragement, they make sure that the dog does not immediately leave his trestle bed or aviary. Endurance is encouraged. But when the dog grows up, when visiting guests at the “place”, it should be closed, since the “Caucasians” do not differ in special restraint.

Team "fu!" is given and must be performed in all cases when it is necessary to stop the action initiated by the dog, or, more feasible, to prevent this undesirable action. For example, if a dog wants to grab some piece in the garbage (if it has already grabbed it, then most likely it will swallow it) or wants to “take” Uncle Vasya, a drunken neighbor making threatening movements.

It is necessary to devote a lot of time, invention and mental strength to working out the team. Begin, again, with a young puppy. Suggestion methods are very different, from jerking the leash to banal beating and using an electric shock collar. It is important that the command “Fu!” sounded first. in a threatening tone, and then, in case of disobedience, a punishment adequate to the occasion was applied. Training may require many repetitions and provocations. Nevertheless, when the dog grows up and matures, one should not rely entirely on the power of the word, and in critical moments (the appearance of a garbage dump, a flock of stray dogs or alcoholics, etc. on the way), one must play it safe - take the dog on a leash.

I must say, the wonderful breed of the Caucasian Shepherd Dog is distinguished by intelligence and quick wits.

This also means that the dog is very stubborn and tries not to walk without much need for a lead from a person. She perfectly implements the instinct of a territorial guard embedded in her, but she is very skeptical about the drill. So even a well-bred "Caucasian", on the orders of the owner, although he will show what he can (the boom will pass and the barrier will jump), but if you ask to repeat this for an "encore!", He will look at you in bewilderment, asking - I have already shown everything, why this circus?

Among other things, when it comes to the Caucasian Shepherd Dog, it is important to remember one rule firmly - never anger or "poison" your puppy ahead of time, do not try to cause aggression in him that has been sleeping for the time being. The day will come when a club instructor will come to you and teach your "Caucasian" to bite hooligans and thieves according to all the rules of cynological science.

Never encourage your puppy's aggression towards other people and animals, do not bait him and do not provoke an attack on "future enemies". For it will end, most likely, with a drive to the police or injuries inflicted by your own dog on you or your household.

Chapter 2. Cultivation, upbringing and training of a puppy of a hunting dog Conditions for keeping a puppy, requirements for the owner and puppy. A puppy, like a child, has the strongest