*
BRIEF
HISTORICAL
ESSAY
*
The
Kavkazskaya
Ovcharka
is
one
of
the
ancient
breeds,
it
descends
from
the
Mastiff-like
dogs
of
the
Tibet
that
are
related
by
their
origin
to
the
shepherd
and
fighting
dogs
of
Asia.
For
many
years
these
fine
dogs
accompanied
the
cattle-breeders
on
the
vast
territories
that
stretched
from
the
Caucasus
steppes
and
foothills
to
the
Plateau
of
Iran.
Mostly
this
breed
has
been
formed
in
the
severe
mountain
conditions.
GENERAL
APPEARANCE
A
large
dog
of
the
rough
built
type,
with
massive
bone
and
strong,
well-developed
musculature.
The
format
is
slightly
long.
The
sex
type
is
clearly
defined
-
the
males
are
larger,
more
massive,
with
the
heavier,
larger
heads,
with
a
long
mane.
CHARACTER/BEHAVIOUR
Behaviour
is
bold,
balanced,
quiet.
Unconfident
behaviour
and
excessive
excitability
are
not
characteristic
of
the
breed.
MAIN
PROPORTIONS
The
low
height
limit
for
males
is
68
cm,
for
females
-
64
cm.
If
a
dog
is
proportionally
built,
it
should
be
more.
The
ratio
of
the
muzzle
length
to
the
skull
length
is
2:3.
A
dog
mustn't
seem
leggy
or
cobby.
*
HEAD
*
Large,
massive.
SKULL
A
broad
and
well-developed
skull
with
strong
jaws.
A
broad
forehead,
slightly
domed,
with
a
shallow
long
furrow
and
marked,
but
not
prominent
supraorbital
ridges.
STOP
Not
long,
well
marked,
but
not
abrupt.
MUZZLE
Massive,
of
a
great
depth,
blunt,
well-filled
under
the
eyes
and
in
the
set
region,
gradually
pointed
to
the
nose.
MUZZLE
LENGTH
Slightly
shorter
than
the
length
of
the
skull.
Lips
thick,
tight.
NOSE
Big,
black,
the
light-fawn
and
white
dogs
can
have
light
noses.
TEETH
Afull
tooth-formula
(42
teeth).
White,
large,
well-developed,
tightly
set.
The
incisors'
bases
are
set
in
a
line.
A
scissors
bite
or
level
bite
in
spite
of
age.
EYES
Not
big,
oval,
dark,
set
obliquely,
deeply
and
well
apart.
The
eyelids
are
close
fitting.
EARS
Hanging
on
the
ear
cartilages,
not
big,
set
on
high,
short-cropped.
NECK
Strong,
slightly
shorter
than
the
head
length,
crested,
set
at
an
angle
of
30-40?‡
to
a
back
line.
A
slight
dewlap
is
admissible.
*
BODY
*
TOP
LINE
The
well-marked
and
well-developed
withers,
wide,
muscular,
slightly
higher
than
a
back
line.
A
wide,
straight,
strong
muscular
back.
LOIN
Short,
wide,
muscular,
slightly
arched.
CROUP
Wide,
muscular,
average
long,
rounded,
nearly
horizontal
CHEST
Lowered
to
the
elbow
line
or
lower,
long,
broad,
rounded
in
section.
The
ribs
are
definitely
arched;
the
false
ribs
are
well-developed.
The
front
part
of
the
chest
is
slightly
prominent
in
comparison
with
the
glenohumeral
joints.
BELLY
Reasonably
tucked-up.
TAIL
High-set,
dropped
when
a
dog
is
quiet,
reaches
the
hock
joints.
Sickle
curved,
hooked
or
curled.
FOREQUARTERS
At
front
view
straight,
wide
and
parallel
set.
The
blades
and
shoulder
bones
are
long,
make
an
angle
of
the
glenohumeral
joint
of
about
100?‡.
The
length
of
the
forelegs
up
to
the
elbows
is
a
bit
longer
or
just
the
same
as
the
half
of
dog's
height
in
withers.
The
leggy-index
is
50
or
a
bit
higher.
FOREARMS
Straight,
massive,
rounded
in
section,
muscular,
average
long.
The
elbows
are
turned
backwards.
PASTERNS
Short,
massive,
nearly
upright
HINDQUARTERS
At
rear
view
straight
and
parallel,
at
side
view
-
slightly
straight
in
stifle
and
in
hock.
The
hindquarters
are
not
chopped
off
behind.
UPPER
AND
LOWER
THIGHS
Not
long,
strong
and
wide
hock
joints,
little
angulation.
REAR
PASTERNS
Massive,
upright
rear
pasterns.
FEET
Big,
circular,
arched,
cat-like.
MOVEMENT
Free,
usually
unhurried.
The
characteristic
feature
is
a
not
stretching
trot
that
changes
into
slightly
heavy
gallop
when
speeding
up.
The
legs
must
move
straightforward,
the
fore
quarters
should
move
on
the
middle
line.
The
joints
of
the
fore-
and
hindquarters
unbend
freely.
When
trotting,
the
withers
and
a
croup
are
on
the
same
level,
the
top
line
is
level.
SKIN
Thick,
rather
elastic.
COAT
HAIR
Straight,
coarse,
with
dense
undercoat.
On
a
head
and
on
the
front
sides
of
the
legs
the
hair
is
shorter
and
taut.
Depending
on
the
hair
length
they
distinguish
two
coat
types:-
long-haired
-
with
long
outer
hair.
Long
hair
makes
a
"mane"
on
a
neck,
feathers
and
"bridges"
on
the
rear
sides
of
the
legs.
Long
hair
covering
a
tail
makes
it
thick
and
furry;-
short-haired
-
with
dense,
rather
short
hair.
There
are
no
"mane",
feathers
and
falling
hair
on
the
tail.
The
hair
is
stand-off,
about
4
cm
in
length
on
the
loin.
COLOUR
Various:
grey
-
from
dark
grey,
nearly
black,
to
light-fawn-grey,
including
partly
grey;
red
-
from
dark
red-brown
to
light
fawn,
including
partly
red;
white;
brindle
-
from
dark
brown-brindle,
nearly
black,
to
light
fawn-brindle.
When
one
colour,
there
may
be
a
black
mask,
white
patching
on
a
chest,
belly,
on
the
legs
and
on
the
tail
tip.
There
are
piebald
and
spotted
colours
of
the
mentioned
tints,
but
solid
colour
is
more
desirable.
Every
colour
supposes
the
obligatory
dark
lip-
and
eye
rims.
Wide
spread
solid
piebald
colour
and
speckling
on
the
muzzle
and
legs
are
not
desirable.
HEIGHT
Height
at
withers:
for
males
-
not
lower
than
68
cm;
for
females
-
not
lower
than
64
cm.
The
desirable
height
for
males
is
72-75
cm,
for
females
-
66-69
cm.
*
FAULTS
*
GENERAL
APPEARANCE
Dry
or
loose
built,
poor
bone,
square
or
too
long
body.
Well
marked
underchest.
HEAD
Small,
light,
unproportional.
Domed
forehead;
sloped
occipit.
Long,
weak,
pinched,
rather
broken
up
or
down
muzzle,
a
weak
lower
jaw.
Abrupt
stop.
Skin
wrinkles
on
a
head.
Jowls.
Haw
eyes.
EYES
Very
big,
protruding,
round,
very
light
blue
or
gooseberry
colour.
Haw
eyes,
a
well-developed
third
eyelid.
TEETH
Small,
widely
spaced,
rather
broken
teeth.
NECK
High-set
BODY
TOP
LINE
Anarrow,
sway
or
roach
back.
LOIN
Narrow,
long,
arched
or
sagging.
CROUP
Narrow,
short,
sunken.
CHEST
Underdeveloped,
flat,
narrow,
shallow,
short.
LIMBS
Upright
or
protruding
upper
arms;
short,
cabriole
or
delicate
forearms.
Knuckling,
weak
pasterns,
weak
elbows.
Sickle
hocks,
croup
that
is
rather
higher
than
the
withers.
Angulation
that
is
too
marked
or
straight;
hindquarters
that
are
chopped
off
behind;
weak
ligaments.
Narrow
front.
FEET
Flat,
splay
MOVEMENT
Stretching
trot,
too
reachy
action
that
is
not
characteristic
of
the
breed.
Bindy,
heavy
gait.
Too
high
in
croup
when
moving.
Unbalanced
movement.
Uncorrected
pace.
HEIGHT
Height
in
withers
for
males
lower
than
65
cm;
for
females
-
lower
than
62
cm.
*
DISQUALIFYING
FAULTS
*
BEHAVIOUR/TEMPERAMENT
Coward,
choleric,
uncontrolled
aggressiveness.
GENERAL
APPEARANCEA
dog
in
a
feminy
type.
TEETH-BITE
All
deviations
from
the
standard
bite;
lack
of
any
tooth.
TAIL
An
inborn
bobbed
tail
HAIR
Soft,
wavy,
very
short
(moleskin).
COLOUR
All
variants
of
black
colour
(except
a
black
mask),
all
variants
of
liver
colour
or
all
variants
of
blue
colour.
Genetically
weak
pigment
:
ash
combined
with
the
grey
eye
rims
and
light
eyes;
fawn
or
light
red
combined
with
brown
lip-
and
eye
rims,
a
brown
nose
and
the
light
eyes.
Bi-
or
unilateral
cryptorchidism.
