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Central Asian Ovtcharka
There are actually three breeds of Ovtcharka (Caucasian Ovcharka,
Central Asian Ovcharka, and South Russian Ovcharka). Ovcharka is a generic Russian term for a shepherd dog or a sheepdog. The information below is for the Central Asian breed one of the most popular dog breeds in Russia, often rated as the No. 1 breed.
Central Asian Ovcharka were used as fighting dogs as well as guardian dogs for sheep. The two strains developed with different characteristics. The guardians will protect against human intruders and are very territorial. They are safe with children, love and respect elderly people, protect all small animals from predators, and are very gentle with family members. Even the fighting strain of Central Asian Ovcharkas were not vicious. Traditional Ovcharka fights were never cruel and destructive like pitbull-type fights. All herders from the same area annually met together, and fought their strongest sheep guardian male dogs to pick the winner. The fights were about dominance rather than destruction. Most dogs evaluated each other and the weaker or more submissive dog left, taking the loss. Dogs seldom injured each other, mostly minor scratches within short period of time.
Central Asian Ovcharkas are greater than average size, have great strength and power. They are independent, curious and alert, but not aggressive. They can intimidate with their size and appearance and are a good choice for a guard dog.
Some of the content on this page was originally published on Wikipedia.
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