Caucasian Shepherd Dog

Кавказская овчарка

FCI group 2ratings complete

Trait ratings

The 1–5 scale describes how pronounced a trait is in the breed. Both ends are named explicitly — without that the number means nothing.

Training and control

Learning speed2/5

1 — Learns new things slowly, needs many repetitions5 — Picks up new skills in a handful of repetitions

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Decision independence5/5

1 — Waits for instructions, makes almost no decisions itself5 — Acts on its own decision without looking to the handler

Selected to guard a flock on its own, without a person present — it makes the decisions itself.

Source: expert judgement · confidence: high

Recall reliability2/5

1 — Off lead, the recall does not work5 — Comes back on the first signal even under strong distraction

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Inhibitory control2/5

1 — Acts on impulse, cannot hold back5 — Waits for the release signal even under strong temptation

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Temperament and reactivity to the environment

Excitability2/5

1 — Stays calm even during play, with guests or when getting ready for a walk5 — Gets excited instantly by any noticeable event

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Activity and exercise

Exercise needs2/5

1 — Short walks are enough5 — Needs hours of activity daily, or behaviour deteriorates

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Endurance4/5

1 — Tires quickly, cannot handle long distances5 — Can keep moving for many hours at a stretch

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Ability to settle4/5

1 — At home almost always wants something to do, never unwinds5 — Rests quietly after exercise and asks for nothing

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Risks and unwanted tendencies

Wanderlust / roaming3/5

1 — Stays close, does not extend the distance on its own5 — Readily goes far and keeps going regardless of the person

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Prey drive / chasing2/5

1 — Barely reacts to running animals5 — Launches after a moving target and ignores commands

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Barking tendency4/5

1 — Barks rarely and with reason5 — Barks often and for many reasons

Night-time alert barking at any movement near the boundary.

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Howling tendency2/5

1 — Practically never howls5 — Howls often and at length

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Destructiveness2/5

1 — Indifferent to belongings5 — With nothing to do, regularly takes the place apart

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Digging tendency3/5

1 — Digs rarely5 — Digs a lot and willingly, including under fences

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Separation anxiety1/5

1 — Takes being alone calmly5 — Becomes markedly distressed when left alone

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Territoriality and resource guarding5/5

1 — Guards neither territory nor resources5 — Actively guards territory and resources, reacts hard

Territoriality is the core of the breed. Visitors on the plot need managing separately.

Source: expert judgement · confidence: high

Social behaviour

Human orientation2/5

1 — Works and walks by itself, rarely seeks contact5 — Keeps the owner in focus at all times and seeks to work together

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Tolerance of children2/5

1 — Copes badly with children, needs to be kept apart5 — Tolerant of noise and rough handling

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Attitude to strangers1/5

1 — Wary of strangers or avoids them5 — Open and friendly with people it does not know

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Attitude to other dogs1/5

1 — Gets into conflicts with other dogs5 — Calm and sociable with any dog

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Attitude to cats and small animals2/5

1 — Treats small animals as prey5 — Lives calmly with cats and small animals

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Tolerance of being alone4/5

1 — Copes badly with even a few hours alone5 — Stays alone for a working day without trouble

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Daily life and grooming

Shedding5/5

1 — Hardly any hair around the home5 — Sheds heavily; in season the hair is everywhere

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Grooming effort4/5

1 — Minimal grooming5 — Needs frequent professional grooming

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Drooling2/5

1 — Hardly drools at all5 — Drools constantly, on clothes and furniture

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Space requirements5/5

1 — Comfortable even in a small flat5 — Needs a house with a plot

Needs a house with a plot; keeping one in a flat goes against what the breed is for.

Source: expert judgement · confidence: high

Climate tolerance

Heat tolerance2/5

1 — Copes badly with heat, high risk of overheating5 — Copes well with heat

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Cold tolerance5/5

1 — Gets cold, needs protection5 — Excellent in cold, can live and work in frost

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium