Central Asian Shepherd Dog: photo, characteristics of the breed, description, reviews. Feeding puppies of the Central Asian Shepherd Dog

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

The Central Asian Shepherd dog breed is one of the most ancient people serving people. What you need to know when buying an alabai, how to feed puppies and adults, how to care for dogs, what their character is - you will learn about all this from this article. So, what is the Central Asian Shepherd Dog?

Description

Alabai is an ancient breed that has come down to us in its original form. The Central Asian Shepherd Dog has served people for many centuries, but even today it is one of the most popular breeds. Alabai is famous as an excellent companion, incorruptible and devoted watchman, a loving member of the family.

How exactly this breed was formed is not easy to say. Maned dogs, the images of which are similar in type to modern Central Asian Shepherd Dogs, fought in the arenas of the amphitheatres. Alexander the Great himself used these dogs in battles, causing serious damage to the enemy with their help. At the same time, massive dogs were known in Tibet, descendants ofblack Tibetan wolf, extremely strong, with a large head and short muzzle, damp lips and coarse thick hair. The Central Asian Shepherd Dog became a descendant of these dogs. Photos show that she has not lost the power of her ancestors.

History of the breed

Let's talk about the formation of the modern Central Asian Shepherd Dog as a breed. At the all-Union reviews of service dog breeding, Central Asian Shepherd Dogs were described back in 1939 by A. P. Mazover. These same dogs were referred to as Turkmen Shepherd Dogs. Obviously, this is due to the fact that the animals were brought from Turkmenistan. Since 1938, all representatives of the breed have received the official name - Central Asian Shepherd Dogs.

But this solution creates some difficulties. First, it is not recognized by the locals. Secondly, when entering the international arena, such a name is not entirely successful, since the concept of "Central Asia" does not exist abroad. And the word "shepherd" is not applicable to these dogs. This concept comes from the words "sheepfold", "sheep" and refers to dogs that graze sheep. However, these dogs do not belong to the group of shepherds, since their function is to guard the herd. The Turkmens themselves call them Alabai.

And in 1927, Professor Bogolyubsky S. N., when describing the dogs of Turkmenistan, located on the territory from the Caspian Sea to the Amu Darya River, called them wolfhounds.

In 1990, the standard of the Turkmen Alabai, a descendant of the ancient Great Danes, was approved in the Turkmen SSR. The appearance of the Central Asian Shepherd Dog has much in common with the Tibetan Great Dane.

Alabai is not in vain called one of the oldest breeds. During the excavations of the Altyn-Depe settlement in Southern Turkmenistan (2300-1900 BC), bones of large dogs with a powerful jaw and a shortened muzzle and a terracotta figurine depicting a dog very similar to Alabai were found. Interestingly, already in these ancient times, the tails and ears of dogs were docked.

N. M. Yermolova, a paleontologist, specialist in the Altyn-Depe fauna and a breeder of the Central Asian Shepherd Dog, believes that even in those days, the Alabai protected herds belonging to local residents from predators.

Appearance

Alabai is a powerful beautiful dog that attracts attention. The growth of the Central Asian Shepherd Dog should be from 65 to 78 cm for a male and from 60 to 69 cm for a female. Representatives of the breed must be not only tall, but also powerful. The weight of the Central Asian Shepherd Dog is in the following range: male - from 55 to 79 kg, female - from 40 to 65 kg.

Alabai can be white, black, black and tan, gray, brown, red, fawn, brindle, piebald, speckled, tricolor. But chocolate, blue and liver are unacceptable. Wool is hard, rough. The undercoat is thick.

Powerful body, short neck. Wide and deep chest. The head is large, massive, but proportional to the overall build. The forehead is flat, slightly rounded. The muzzle is short and blunt. The nose is black. Light is allowed with white and fawn color. The paws are large, the tail is thick and set high. Usually tails are docked, but are also alloweduncropped. The ears are small, hanging, low-set. Most often they are stopped.

Intelligence

How smart is the Central Asian Shepherd Dog? The level of intellectual development of these dogs is comparable to the level of a two-three-year-old child. But there is a feature in their character that can create the wrong impression of mental abilities - Alabai are slow and think for a long time.

Despite the first impression, Central Asian Shepherd Dogs are not stupid at all. Alabai are superior to many of their closest relatives, in particular Caucasian Shepherd Dogs, in intellectual terms. They are guided, rather, by reason than instincts. But this same feature can cause some problems with obedience and submission - the dog is prone not only to an independent decision, it also thinks about the owner's commands and may refuse to fulfill stupid and empty demands.

Character

What is the Central Asian Shepherd Dog? The characteristic of the breed says that it is distinguished by a calm and balanced character, unforgiving and reluctant to show aggression, preferring to express its dissatisfaction with a menacing look and a warning bark.

Is the Central Asian Shepherd Aggressive? The characteristic of the breed suggests that the "Asian" as a whole can be called a peace-loving dog, normally it does not show aggression just like that, and if the boundaries of the territory are violated, someone claims its place in the hierarchy, family members are in danger. Another reason for aggression can be pain - Alabai do not tolerate it well.

The transformation from a phlegmatic calm animal into an angry bear happens instantly. "Asians" can be assertive and dangerous opponents. Such a drastic change often takes the enemy by surprise.

Alabai has a strong protective instinct, fearless, self-confident.

Does it matter what gender the Central Asian Shepherd Dog is? The characteristic of the breed suggests that sexual dimorphism is expressed in Alabai not only in appearance. Females are usually active and sociable, but males are calm and even phlegmatic.

Socialization

How sociable is the Central Asian Shepherd Dog? Reviews indicate that Alabai are friendly to family members and other pets. They get along well with children, but you should immediately explain to the child that if he hurts the dog, then the friendship will end quickly. Still, alabai is quite playful and can become a good companion and protector for a baby.

As for strangers and animals, the Alabai are indifferent to them, but exactly as long as they do not contact and do not violate territorial boundaries. Alabai is instantly alert and may show aggression towards a stranger. They can't stand drunk people and can be aggressive towards other people's dogs.

The social intra-tribal instinct of the Central Asian Shepherd Dogs is very developed. They quickly form a pack, take their places on the hierarchical ladder and rarely fight for leadership. Training and socialization should begin inearly age.

Care

What are the features of caring for the Central Asian Shepherd Dog? The area where the dog lives must be kept clean. The floor must be wiped daily, the sunbed vacuumed and laundered weekly. Do not allow the dog to sleep on upholstered furniture and mattresses. Use a mat as a bedding, under which you can put a soft bedding, but not a thick mattress.

The place where the dog sleeps should be located away from windows and radiators to avoid drafts, hypothermia, overheating. It is best to choose a quiet area, not near doors and passages, where the dog can rest quietly.

Keeping a Central Asian Shepherd Dog in an apartment is not recommended. However, the recommendation cannot be considered a direct ban, but in the case of apartment keeping, the dog must be walked twice a day for at least two hours in total. The animal needs to move a lot, and in an apartment with an abundance of furniture and fragile things, it will not be possible to run around.

An important value in caring for a dog is taking care of its coat. You need to clean it daily with a special mitten or a brush with coarse bristles.

In addition, you need to inspect and clean the mouth, ears and eyes of the animal daily with cotton swabs. Cotton swabs are not used for grooming dogs - they can easily cause injury, which will eventually lead to deafness.

But it is often not necessary to wash the animal. The procedure is performed as needed, preferably no more than once a month, using high-quality hair care products. After washing, the wool must be dried well in order toavoid hypothermia, especially in the cold season. You can use a hair dryer.

Food. "Natural"

What are the feeding requirements of the breed? The Central Asian Shepherd Dog is a massive animal that consumes a lot of energy and needs to be replenished. Alabais are good at digesting foods that are poorly suited for other breeds, so feeding the Central Asian Shepherd Dog has its own characteristics.

Feed an adult animal twice a day, morning and evening.

With high physical activity, one more meal is added to lunch. Food should be at room temperature. You need to feed the animal no earlier than 1.5-2 hours before the walk. After eating, the animal should be at rest.

For the proper development of the body, the animal must receive proteins that cannot be replaced. The daily requirement for proteins in a dog of this breed is about 100 grams. The most enriched with this component are meat, fish, dairy products, as well as cereals - millet and barley.

The daily requirement of an adult animal for fats is about 25 grams. Without them, metabolism and normal digestion are impossible. The dog's body is not able to properly process vegetable fats, so it is necessary to give it fats of animal origin.

Carbohydrates are an indispensable source of energy, the average daily requirement for them is 350 grams. Potatoes are a good source. Together with food, various trace elements, potassium and calcium s alts enter the body. But sodiumadded in the form of table s alt. 15-20 mg per day is enough.

For the convenience of the owner and to ensure a balanced diet, it is recommended to make a menu for a week. The main food for Alabai are meat products that have a high calorie content. The meat of both domestic and wild animals is used, but the product must pass a veterinary examination, be of good quality, fresh, without signs of spoilage.

Meat contains a large amount of fats and proteins necessary for the body of a shepherd dog. For feeding use lean meat - beef, lamb, horse meat. Dried meat can be used as a supplement, but it is unacceptable to replace fresh meat with it.

At least once a week, alabai should be given raw meat in small pieces. As a treat, you can sometimes give the dog corned beef, but such a product must be washed and boiled well.

Lack of trace elements and mineral s alts can lead to various diseases, bone fragility, nervous system disorders. Therefore, meat and bone meal is also an important component of the diet. It is digested worse than meat. You need to give it 100-200 grams 2-3 times a week, adding it to porridge or soup.

Most of the plant foods in the diet are cereals, especially millet and oatmeal. Sheepdogs are reluctant to eat barley and barley porridge, so they are mixed with millet and oatmeal. The daily norm of vegetables does not exceed 200-300 grams, you can offer cabbage, carrots, lettuce, beets, potatoes, spinach, young nettles.

Ghee is used as a source of fatbeef or fish oil. Meat in the diet is partially replaced by boneless fish. "Asians" digest milk well. You can give 300 grams of bread daily.

Food. Dry food

Despite the fact that most owners prefer to feed their Central Asian Shepherd Dogs with natural food, it is possible to switch to a special dry food. Such a decision should be deliberate and balanced, since frequent transitions from “drying” to “natural” will negatively affect the he alth of the animal. The breed of the Central Asian Shepherd Dog was formed a long time ago and has certain nutritional requirements.

Brands "Akana", "Orijen", "Proplan", "Hills", "Bozita", "Ekanuba" have lines for giant size dogs. It is this kind of food that is suitable for Alabai. Compared to natural food, the amount of dry food sufficient to meet the daily needs of the animal is very small. Therefore, it is necessary to transfer the dog to "drying" at a young age, at 2-3 months, until the stomach is stretched.

When eating dry food, it is imperative to provide an additional load on the jaw - give bones, sticks, special treats. Food can be soaked in water. The transition from "drying" to natural food can also be difficult - it will be difficult for the stomach to cope with large pieces of food, vomiting, indigestion may occur.

The amount of food largely depends on the activity of the dog. With physical exertion, portions should be increased. Anim althere should always be access to clean water.

How to choose a puppy

Alabai, like all large dogs, mature late, mating of the Central Asian Shepherd Dog is carried out no earlier than reaching 18 months.

Have you decided to buy a Central Asian Shepherd puppy? Weigh the pros and cons in advance, because the maintenance of such a serious dog will require large material and time costs. The owner of such a dog must be physically strong and have a strong-willed character. Don't act impulsively, choose wisely. If you like the Central Asian Shepherd Dog, pictures of babies might just melt your heart. Don't forget that these cute cubs will grow into a ferocious beast.

The females of the Central Asian Shepherd are mobile and persistent, they are constantly fighting for leadership, pugnacious and more cruel. Males are balanced, calmly accept their place in the pack.

Many cynologists say that you first need to choose a breeder, and then a dog. Puppies of the Central Asian Shepherd Dog from some couples may have owners already at birth, since people can wait years for a litter from a certain pair. One more thing: there is no need to try to save money, because keeping an alabai is not a cheap pleasure, especially at first.

So, a few rules to follow when buying alabai:

1. No bird markets. If you want a mentally and physically he althy dog, choose your breeder carefully.
2. Before buying, carefully study the photos of puppies of this breed, you should have a good idea of how the puppies of the Central Asian Shepherd Dog look like in a youngage, how long six, large muzzle, general fatness, etc. If the puppies seem too thin to you, have a different face shape and something else is worrying you, then refuse to buy.
3. Be sure to look at your parents, they must be he althy, balanced, adequate.
4. The ideal age to buy a puppy is 2 months.
5. Choose a curious, not shy baby.
6. If the puppies have long hair, they are most likely a Caucasian Shepherd mix.
7. Puppy should be active, he althy looking, with straight legs, clean coat, eyes, ears, wet nose.

Feeding

Puppies should not be overfed, even though they appear to be very large. This not only threatens with excess weight and stress on fragile bones, but also leads to stretching of the stomach.

Puppies up to three months of age are fed 5 times a day, up to five months - 4, and 3 times a day until the age of 8 months. If the dog leads a passive lifestyle, then two meals a day are enough for her, for dogs with a lot of physical activity - three meals a day.

Feeding is done at the same time in strict portions. Do not leave food in the bowl all the time. The diet consists of meat products, cereals, fresh vegetables and herbs. Dry food is not recommended for puppies. The abundance of too liquid foods can lead to volvulus.

New products are introduced gradually, in small portions. If an allergic reaction is detected, the product is excluded. It is recommended to give the puppy 2 times a day.a week raw chicken egg. It is also useful to give shells, previously ground in a coffee grinder.

Several times a week meat products are replaced with boneless fish. Pig ears, cheeks, hooves, beef bones are offered as a treat 2 times a week.