Tuvan shepherd dogs: description of the breed and features of keeping dogs

The Tuva Shepherd Dog is not as widespread in our country as other types of shepherd dogs, which is associated with the history of the origin of the breed and its specialization.

Tuva Shepherd is a shepherd native dog, which is the result of centuries of selection. You can often hear the popular name of the breed, such as the Tuvan watchdog, which also fully reflects the main functions of this strong and reliable dog. The origin of the breed is associated with the active development of breeders, characteristic in those days for the peoples of Tibet, Mongolia, Tuva and Altai.

The Tuvan shepherd turned out to be an extremely disciplined dog and absorbed all the best security and watchdog qualities of its ancestors. She did an excellent job with livestock, guarded private houses from attacks by wild animals, and acted as a reliable escort for long trips and hunting.

However, with the introduction of Tuva into the Soviet state, the demand for this breed decreased, and consequently, the development of the breed was sharply inhibited. This is due to the ban on the nomadism of indigenous peoples and the promotion of a settled lifestyle. As a result, by 1959 critically few pure-bred individuals remained, and those that survived were castrated.

The revival of the Tuva Shepherd Dog as an independent breed began to occur only in the early 2000s with the support of the regional authorities of Tuva and with the involvement of state grants. Seven of the best individuals that were involved in the restoration of the breed were selected as breeding material. At present, there are two pedigree kennels in the republic, whose employees make every effort to preserve this beautiful and quick-witted shepherd, which has served people for centuries.

However, despite the enthusiasm of the dog breeders, the total number of Tuvan shepherd dogs is at a critical level and barely exceeds 100 individuals. This is due to the non-recognition of the breed. An international cynological organization, which with its authority could well contribute to its popularization.

Due to the fact that the dogs were bred in a sharply continental climate, They are perfectly adapted to harsh mountain conditions and sudden changes in temperature. The unique structure of the coat repels water and allows animals to feel great both in forty-degree frosts and in fifty-degree heat

Due to the non-recognition of the Tuva Shepherd Dog, the MKF does not have an official description of the breed, therefore the standard is conditional and taken into account by specialists in breeding. So, the Tuva shepherd is a rather large animal: the growth of a male at the withers reaches 60-70 cm, the female - up to 58 cm. The weight varies from 38 to 50 kg for males and from 30 to 40 kg for females.

The breed is characterized by a head proportional to the body, a wide lowered chest and a tight stomach. Brown eyes are not too large and have an oval shape, the nose is quite wide with a large lobe, the lips are dark in color and tightly pressed to the jaw. The ears are triangular in shape and set high, the teeth are rather large, with the correct bite and a full set of fangs.

Dogs have a wide strong neck, sagging lower back and a straight back. Paws are straight and strong, forming a dense lump, claws are strong, painted black. The tail is elongated, has a low landing and is densely covered with wool.

The coat of animals is very elastic and dense, forming a well-marked mane in the area of ​​the withers and neck. The undercoat is quite dense, but at the same time soft and light. Over the ears and on the tail, the wool often falls off, forms “earrings” and looks untidy.

The color of the Tuvan shepherd is mainly black, but sometimes the breasts and paws can be covered with white spots. White representatives of the breed are even less common, the body of which is covered with large black spots, and the lips of such individuals are often spotted. In addition to white and black colors, brown, sable, and even gray with large white spots are sometimes found.

The main character trait of the Tuva Shepherd Dog is its ability to make independent decisions without looking back at the person. The dog herself decides when she should intervene in a particular situation, whether it is guarding the herd or accompanying the owner. In a normal environment, the representatives of the breed are apparently very calm, but this is only an appearance - The Tuvinian is always wary and at any moment ready to protect the property entrusted to him.

Young individuals often show obstinacy and do not immediately respond to commands, however, with proper and timely education, they can grow not only a reliable guard, but also a great companion.

Animals well recognize the mood of the owner by his facial expressions and emotions and are highly loyal. There is no causeless aggression among representatives of this breed, however, in case of real danger, the attacker will have a very hard time. Tuvan shepherd dogs get along well with other dogs living in the same house and do not pay attention to cats, but when violating the territorial border, strangers immediately attack. Outside of their territory, they are absolutely indifferent to outsiders if they do not take any action directed against the owner.

It is better to carry out the socialization of a dog from 2-3 months, while accustoming it to loud noises, vehicles and city noise. As for training, the animals give in to it quite easily and by four months they are able to master the simplest commands: “sit”, “to me”, “not allowed” and “place”. From 4-5 months with a dog, it is necessary to take an OKD course, and then proceed to the development of security and guard qualities.

Given the origin and main purpose of the breed, the best place to keep a Tuvan shepherd dog will be a private house with a large yard and a spacious aviary. In this case, the animal should be able to freely move around its territory and regularly receive sufficient physical activity.

It is strictly forbidden to put a shepherd on a chain, and if you want to limit its access to the garden or the garden, you should build a protective net or build an aviary. In addition, on the site it is necessary to establish a booth that will serve the animal as an observation post and protect it from the weather in case of strong wind and rain.

Dog care procedures are the most common.

• The hair of the dog must be combed weekly, and during the molting period, it will be necessary to comb it every day. Particular attention should be paid to the neck, abdomen, tail and groin.
• Treatment from parasites should be carried out regularly, due to the thick and long hair of the animal, which is an ideal place for breeding fleas.
• It is only necessary to bathe a shepherd as it becomes dirty using special shampoos for long-haired dogs.
• Processing of the nose, eyes and ears should be performed once a week, and clipping of the claws - as they grow.
• Also, every 3-4 months, the pet must be given an anthelmintic and vaccinated according to the calendar.

They feed “Tuvans” either with balanced feed for large breeds, or with natural products. With natural nutrition in the daily diet of the animal should be present 30 g of protein per kilogram of weight, and the rest should be in vegetables, cereals and fresh herbs. It is possible to feed the shepherd dogs with not too fatty meat, grain curd, rice, buckwheat, oatmeal and sea fish. Moreover, the latter must remove all the insides, choose large bones and cut off the head.

You can give eggs, but this should be done no more than twice a week. What a puppy, what an adult you can’t feed with tubular bones, sweet and pepper dishes, potatoes, pasta, river fish, grapes, fat sour cream, plums, citrus fruits, chocolate, muffins and leftovers from the host table.

You can look at the puppies of the Tuvan shepherd a little lower.