Anything preceded by the word, “amazing,” warrants further investigation, and the Caucasian Ovcharka does not disappoint. Primarily known as the Caucasian Sheepdog, the breed’s name reflects Caucasus, the birthplace of the breed, and Orchavka, the Russian term for “shepherd dog.” Colloquially, however, the breed is sometimes nicknamed the Russian Bear Dog for its bearlike appearance.
In some regards, it might as well have been a bear, and a Kodiak bear at that. This is a huge, powerful, deceptively quick dog that during the Soviet communist era, guarded prisoners of the Soviet Gulag camps and served as a border patrol dog along the Berlin wall. The breed was also used by the Russian army’s kennels (Red Star) to develop other Soviet breeds such as the Black Russian Terrier, Moscow Watchdog and Moscow Waterdog.
In more recent times, the bold and fearless Caucasian guards livestock from large and small predators such as wolves and coyotes. Lest we give the impression that this is a canine spectre, it should be noted that the breed is said to be devoted, kind and endearing to his family, even to other family pets, but we would add that responsible breeding and attentive socialization in the breed are a must.
The Ovcharka’s development was influenced by nations that inhabited the Caucasian Region. The first mention of a large molossoid dog in the area refers to one used by the army of Armenian Tsar Tigran the II dating back to the 1st century BC. Selective breeding with the breed started in the USSR in the 1920s which refined the great variety of types found among Caucasian dogs depending upon their home area.
Its first official appearance in show rings outside the Caucasus was in the 1930s in Germany, and a single breed type came to be favored in that venue, though there are differing opinions on that type. Some say it is a hybrid of other established Caucasian types, others write that the show type was based on dogs taken mainly from Georgia, an opinion backed up by another source we found that opined that the official standard is fundamentally based on the Georgian Shepherd dogs (Nagazi). In any event, the breed is now recognized by the major kennel organizations, including the FCI, AKC and UKC.
Image: Young Caucasian Ovcharka by ©Jagodka/Dreamstime.com