South Russian Shepherd Dog: breed standards and content

South Russian Shepherd Dog is a traditional shepherd dog breed, characterized by excellent watchdog qualities. The large size and abundant coat make it an excellent option for street or aviary maintenance, the provision of protective and guard duty. Throughout its existence, the breed has been on the verge of extinction more than once. But in the XXI century, its popularity has increased again, and today many dog ​​breeders are thinking about buying such a pet. Why is the South Russian Shepherd so attractive, and what difficulties can arise with its content?

In Russia there are not many local breeds of exclusively domestic breeding. One of the main achievements of breeders is considered to be the South Russian Shepherd, which received its name from the territory of distribution of these animals. The south of Russia during the reign of Empress Catherine II was the main agricultural region of the country. At the end of the 18th century, attempts were made to introduce sheep breeding on the territory of Tavria, with livestock being imported from abroad.

To protect the most valuable merino sheep from Spain, dogs came to the country that were used in their homeland for this purpose. But the well-established Asturian shepherd was not very large and was not very effective in encountering aggressive steppe wolves. Local breeders faced the task of breeding a hybrid that had good shepherd skills and sufficient physical strength to prevent any attacks.

In the Kherson estate Askania-Nova, a well-known canine enthusiast of his time, Baron Falz-Fein, took up the breeding work. In crossbreeding, Asturian shepherds, Polish Tatra shepherd dogs and Russian canine greyhounds were used as starting material. As a result of a careful selection of blood, it was possible to obtain dogs with a well-developed hunting instinct, tireless in running, high at the withers, aggressive and hardy. From its Tatran ancestor, the South Russian Shepherd Dog inherited a snow-white coat color.

During the First and Second World War, the breed was able to demonstrate its best qualities. Her performance in protective and guard duty is not inferior to the German shepherd. Dogs were successfully used in various branches of the army, but breeding and breeding almost completely fell into decay. By the middle of the 20th century, with the decline in the popularity of sheep farming, the need for its unique qualities almost disappeared. For many years, South Russian Shepherd dogs were very exotic guests at the shows.

Everything has changed in anticipation of the 21st century. The shepherd’s breed was re-evaluated and began to actively breed. Unfortunately, the small amount of available breeding material has led to the fact that the South Russian Shepherd has a significant admixture of blood from a Caucasian counterpart. It was also not possible to restore the original appearance in full: the breed standard was changed taking into account the current phenotype.

It is worth noting that the definition of "South Russian Shepherd" as applied to a specific group was used by the famous dog handler L. P. Sabaneev. The first official standard was adopted in 1931. And FCI recognized the breed only in 1996, it is from this moment that the modern history of South Russian shepherds is counted.

A large and strong service dog - the South Russian Shepherd - looks very impressive. Description of the breed and puppy standards allow them to be rejected at the stage of evaluation by the breeder. Strict selection minimizes the risks of breeding. Modern standards are significantly different from those that were in effect for dogs of the South Russian breed initially.

So, black, red, brown colors are considered unacceptable, are also excluded:

• "Mask" on the face;
• white or blue eyes, heterochromia;
• deafness;
• short (shortened) tail;
• wool that is too short, soft or prone to cord formation;
• square body format;
• body imbalances;
• behavioral defects - cowardice or unmotivated aggressiveness.

Visually, a South Russian shepherd dog on a pasture can be easily confused with representatives of a herd protected by it - in the conditions of cattle grazing this valuable quality gave the desired masking to a guard animal. A large dog with lush, stiff hair looks very impressive. But this does not cancel the requirements for compliance of the animal with the established exterior parameters.

South Russian Shepherd Dog should have the following characteristics.

• Color. For undercoat only light color is allowed, high softness of the hair. Ost can have a pure white color or light fawn, yellowish tint or gray-tan tone.
• Coat. It should be thick, stiff, with a slight undulation along the length. The vegetation is uniform throughout the body. The standard length is at least 10 cm, including on the head and neck.
• Body type. Initially, dogs are distinguished by a strong skeleton without excessive dampness. The body is dry, taut. The modern version of the breed is more massive and muscular.
• Body weight not less than 35 kg. The height of the animal at the withers is 62–66 cm; males are taller and larger than bitches.
• The abdomen is deeply and highly taut, like a greyhound. The chest is wide and deep, well defined.
• The head is wedge-shaped, with lengthening of the muzzle, foot smoothed. Ears have a high landing, a triangular shape, hang over the sides of the head, completely covered with wool.
• Nose with bright black pigmentation of the lobe, well defined.Towards the end of the muzzle, it has a characteristic narrowing.
• Wide-set eyes, compact, oval, all brown colors are allowed.
• Jaws closed in scissor bite, strong, teeth with white enamel, large.
• The neck is medium length, straight, no suspension.
• The tail is straight, lowered to the hock, at the end a slight bend is allowed.
• The limbs are long, strong, with sweeping movements.

The South Russian Shepherd is not a pet, but a serious guard dog that was bred to protect sheep flocks. High intelligence, the ability to make decisions independently, the ability to take the initiative at the right time - these are the distinguishing features of this breed. For the South Russian Shepherd dog is not characterized by excessive phlegmatism or apathy, as well as excessive humility. From their ancestors they received the instinct of a hunter and an excellent sense of smell.

The South Russian Shepherd Dog is suitable for training on guard duty, but is prone to self-applying the acquired skills. Instead of one tight grip and fixation of the victim, the dog makes several attacks that do not give the criminal the opportunity to escape. It is quite difficult to resist such an onslaught, since the behavior of the animal does not fit into the framework of standard schemes.

YURO is a breed with a developed sense of territorial affiliation. The dog, which she considers her own, will guard until the last breath. But it is difficult to adapt to the move and almost always recognizes only one owner. The best solution for her would be a family country house or a large farm, allowing you to frolic properly. The breed is underlined in disbelief to strangers, with persistent attempts to communicate, it can be angry. If the boundaries of the territory are violated, the dog does not burst with a warning bark, but silently attacks.

The dog will not make discounts on age and growth indicators. If it seems to him that the boundaries are violated, he can attack. But with the right approach to business, the South Russian Shepherd dogs are perfectly trained and are ideal partners in the work of law enforcement agencies or security activities.

Despite the excellent watchdog qualities of the dogs and their general unpretentiousness, caring for the South Russian shepherd dog requires some attention. The undercoat of the animal is so thick that without regular combing it quickly falls into a kind of felt. For constant care you need a comb with long teeth. In addition, you need to monitor the characteristics of the coat in order to notice the health problems of the dog in time.

South Russian Shepherd Dog needs grooming. There are various options for haircuts:

• exhibition - to bring the animal in line with breed standards;
• with a "skirt" - an elongated coat on the sides and hind legs, the front of the body is cut short;
• with “pants” - in this case, long hairs remain only on the limbs;
• under the “puppy”, with shortening of hairs throughout the body to a length of 3-5 cm from the root.

Separately, the processing of the animal's face is performed. Here, a continuous shortening of up to 1-2 cm from the root is used, possibly with the design of an elongated fringe reaching the eyes. In addition, there is a haircut "under the spaniel." In this case, the hair on the surface of the ears is also shortened.Especially high are the requirements for professional grooming during molting of the animal - in this case, the dog is recommended intensive combing, which removes most of the undercoat.

Ear cleaning, antiparasitic treatment should be carried out regularly. Claws of dogs that do not grind naturally are cut. You need to teach your pet to the procedure as a puppy, then there will not be a problem with an adult animal.

For the South Russian Shepherd to feel good, she needs a fairly high level of physical activity. The animal is not enough simple running or jumping. In order to properly tire a dog, bike rides will be required, and the place for its free movement in the yard should not be limited to an aviary or chain length.

Good health enables the South Russian Shepherd Dog to live much longer than other large breeds. On average, a dog is able to remain active for 15-17 years. It is worth considering the significant load on the joints of the animal - to prevent their premature wear, special medications, vitamin and mineral supplements are prescribed.

The South Russian Shepherd Dog is characterized by the need for reliable protection of the ears from hypothermia, water ingress. The structure of this part of the body is predisposed to the development of otitis. Another urgent problem is the development of an allergic reaction to insect bites. The saliva of blood-sucking parasites causes severe itching, swelling and other unpleasant symptoms. Protection against flea and tick attacks should be given special attention.

The South Russian Shepherd belongs to large breeds of dogs whose puppies show very rapid growth. The optimal solution in this case may be a specialized food, designed for the giant category.

The drinking regime also has special requirements. An adult dog of the URO breed needs from 1 to 3 liters of clean water, it should be changed in a bowl daily. Feeding is done twice a day. As a treat, you can offer large bones with meat and cartilage residues.

It is recommended to add saltwater fish, boiled vegetables, low-fat cottage cheese to puppies' food, cereals with the addition of chopped meat on a strong broth. Up to six months, the number of feedings reaches 5-6 times, then by the year their number is gradually reduced.

South Russian Shepherd Dogs are smart dogs, and with the right approach, they master the basics of the general training course well. Good memory allows them to learn many commands and act independently. Thanks to her subtle scent, she can be trained in tracking and search activities. But the wayward character of the dog requires an individual approach to the training process. Due to the fact that the URO is distinguished by excellent intelligence, its training begins even in puppyhood. It was during this period that the animal’s desire for dominance, a sense of territoriality, and hunter instincts began to manifest itself.

Since the South Russian Shepherd Dogs have a lively, choleric temperament, they are primarily recommended to master commands that mean bans. Classes should be held in the form of a game, gradually achieving complete obedience. In the teenage period, the breed often demonstrates violent temper - you can not leave the team without execution.The animal should know that the owner’s order will have to be executed in any case.

An independent character was raised in South Russian shepherds for centuries, because in a pasture the dog had to remain without control of the owner for a long time. In keeping with other animals, the pet takes the top position in the hierarchy and insists on its own even in those cases when it encounters resistance.

The training process will take several hours a day. If there is not enough time, it is better to abandon the idea of ​​educating the South Urals.

You will learn even more interesting facts about South Russian Shepherds from the next video.