Don’t raise them to be bullies! The Caucasian Shepherd Dog

Is the Caucasian Shepherd Dog an actual sheepdog? Is this breed truly as unmanageable and aggressive as people say? We talked about these very questions with breeder Gábor Oláh, president of the Karakán Klub.

Recently, an old debate has flared up again about what the Caucasian Shepherd Dog is: are they herding dogs or Soviet military guard dogs? What is your opinion on this question?

O.G.: I can only give one opinion on this question. I am not a theoretician in the field of herding dogs. There were herding dogs among ancestors the Caucasian Shepherd Dogs, and I therefore believe that some of these traits are passed on to the present day. The matter of the fact is that since we have been breeding them in this form, almost everything has changed, and the environment is not what it used to be. In fact, I don’t know of any dogs in my circle of acquaintances that are herding dogs. I am aware of the relevance of the Soviet Red Star Kennel but I still think that there is an instinct left over from the past.

There are many negative experiences about this breed, which say that it is a very hard dog, which is very easy to spoil and even dangerous for the owner. How do you see the truth in what is said?

O.G.: After all these years and experience, I am increasingly finding that there is no major problem with the breed itself if normal individuals with normal nerves are bred.

The main problem I see is that very few people can keep this dog the way they should be kept.

I judge this breed at a lot of events, where we often do Wesen tests. In my experience,

there are many dogs that are perceived by owners and “Facebook experts” as being very tough dogs, when in fact I see a very high percentage of them exhibiting fear-aggressive symptoms and behaviour.

This is mostly due to the fact that these dogs, who require exercise, practically live their lives in a yard. Ideally not 2 x 2 metres,but unfortunately there is such a thing. These dogs can potentially be a real danger in these circumstances. I know that this is often said in dog circles, but it is really of paramount importance in this breed, and increasingly I see this as the alpha and omega of the matter, that socialisation starts as soon as possible. 

I, for example, still go to the horse ranch. In fact, I have even taken my dogs to conferences from a young age. With the recently born 7-week-old puppies, I am in the process of asking the children of my friends to come and play with them. The goal is to get them to see as many people as possible, at as young an age as possible. As adults, they will naturally develop the reflex to know who is family and who is not. But they should not become dogs that want to kill all humans.

The personality of the owner is of paramount importance in raising a Caucasian Shepherd Dog

I really enjoy experiencing how much a puppy’s personality changes in a short period of time due to outside influences, almost on a daily basis. For example, with my current litter, I noticed that even at 4-5 weeks old, I was almost disturbing them in everything. But as I get them used to me and then to strangers, their character can change completely. Going back to the original question, some of what I have said is of course stereotyping. But it is also a fact that the Caucasian Shepherd Dog can be a tough breed and you have to be very careful to train them properly.

There is a very big problem if this dog is raised to be a bully, wild and aggressive.

An old friend of mine said 20 years ago, which I didn’t understand at the time.“There is nothing wrong with them, they are just often touched by people who shouldn’t be”. The first year is critical, almost determines what the dog will be like as an adult.

Let me give you an example. I have just had a 9-month-old male dog returned to me who was considered very problematic. They couldn’t handle him and his former owners were afraid of him. The problem was that he was bought by an 80+ year old lady who had children. Also, she was trying to raise him with zero determination and very little dog experience. She was not up to it. Now that he is with me, I’ve managed to sort it out. Although it took a few months, because it’s hard at this stage. But he has turned into a surprisingly clear-headed young adult.

The point is, I still think they are a wonderful breed with a great history that’s not for everyone. In fact, I would say it is for very few people. You have to understand the spirit of this breed and be aware of their physical capabilities.

We continue our interview. In the meantime, we recommend you read our article on another much criticised breed, the Central Asian Shepherd Dog.