Caucasian Ovcharka

1 Caucasian Ovcharka Breeding Notes

Linebreeding means that among the four or five generation pedigrees of both sire and dam there is more than one common ancestor, and neither parent nor the three generations within repeat the same ancestor; this method is linebreeding.

It is a milder form of inbreeding. Many Russian Caucasian Ovcharka breeders use this method because linebreeding reduces the dangers brought by inbreeding while achieving inbreeding-like results.

When using linebreeding, one should beforehand understand the pedigrees of five to seven generations of the sire and dam; this is an absolute reference. (Note: therefore the good pedigree record system abroad has played a very good role in the breeding of the Caucasian Ovcharka; domestic Caucasian enthusiasts and breeders should keep good pedigree records of their dogs.)

If the ancestors of the planned breeding pair keep appearing with the same ancestor, even if the generations differ, they can also be taken as a breeding tendency. Generally, using linebreeding, the proportion of excellent Caucasians bred is also quite large, because when breeding we rely on pedigree records to roughly judge the genetic tendency of sire and dam and make use of it; the ancestors’ excellent traits have a good chance of reappearing in the bred Caucasians.

The female dog gives birth roughly once a year or every eight to eleven months.

Females mostly give birth to puppies in autumn in nests in the wild. Herders usually keep only the male dog and one or two females, killing the remaining females in the litter.

Generally only 20% of puppies survive to adulthood because no one feeds or cares for them. Only the healthiest puppies survive. In the Caucasus region, people have no custom of selling dogs, so dogs are often given as gifts to good friends.

Caucasus people often keep puppies themselves because most dogs in the Caucasus region do not live to old age. So replacement breeding is necessary. Some herders try to breed the best males, and some know the males’ pedigrees.

2 Caucasian Ovcharka Feeding Methods

Relatively speaking, the Caucasian Ovcharka is more suited to living in cold regions as a hunting dog, but now, because more people like the breed, the Caucasian can be seen in every corner of the world, so when feeding, it should be handled according to different regions and seasons, addressing specific problems specifically.

1. Companionship.

The Caucasian Ovcharka was first found used as a hunting dog, sheepdog, etc.; it has excellent physical fitness and running ability, so when raising a Caucasian Ovcharka, the owner must have a certain amount of time to accompany it in exercise, which helps maintain its physique and health.

2. Space.

The Caucasian Ovcharka is a large breed, so it needs more space to avoid depression; the owner should estimate before keeping one whether the home’s space can accommodate a Caucasian. Also, the Caucasian is best kept outdoors.

3. Diet.

The Caucasian Ovcharka has a huge appetite matching its body, which also means raising one requires relatively more financial expenditure. In hot summer, the Caucasian is also prone to picky eating or even refusing food. Also, in hot summer food easily spoils, so the keeper must ensure the freshness and quality of the food. In winter, the keeper should also guide the Caucasian to do necessary and appropriate exercise to prevent the dog from becoming obese from unused heat intake.

4. Nature.

The Caucasian Ovcharka has innate deterrence and guarding ability and can be used as a hunting dog, sheepdog, or yard dog; maintaining its nature means giving it a corresponding sense of belonging – keeping it merely as a pet dog is inappropriate. But in any case, educate it from a young age to live in harmony with humans.