Alabai or Central Asian Shepherd Dog (also Turkmen Alabai and SAO, English Central Asian Shepherd Dog) is an ancient aboriginal breed of dog native to Central Asia. Local residents used Alabais to guard and protect property and livestock.

In their homeland, this is one of the most popular breeds; they are common in Russia, but are rare abroad. This popularity is deserved, because it is one of the largest, strongest dogs capable of surviving in the difficult climate of Asia.

Nothing can be said for sure about the origin and development of this breed. They were kept by steppe nomads, among whom there were few literate people, and writing was not held in high esteem. Add to this the scattered nature and constant movement, which does not add clarity.

One thing, one can say for sure, is that Alabai come from Central Asia, regions now located on the territory of Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan. They have been used to protect property and livestock since time immemorial, but it is impossible to say exactly which country was their homeland. The very first written sources mention these dogs, but they existed before them.

According to various estimates, the breed is 4000, 7000 and even 14000 years old.

There are two groups of theorists, some believe that these dogs originated from ancient Asian herding dogs, others that from. The truth lies somewhere in the middle, many breeds are in the blood of the Alabais, because they developed naturally for at least 4000 years!

It doesn’t matter where or how they came from, because these dogs occupied an important niche in the life of nomadic tribes. They served as the eyes, ears, and swords of their masters, constantly on the lookout for potential threats. Although modern weapons and hunting methods have all but eliminated predators from Central Asia, it was once home to populations of wolves, hyenas, jackals, foxes, lynxes, bears, leopards and the Transcaucasian tiger.

Central Asian Shepherds looked for potential predators, drove them away or entered into battle. Moreover, this was often far from people, the service was continuous, and the herds were huge. Moreover, it was necessary to protect not only from animals; there was never a shortage of bandits, thieves and greedy neighbors in the steppe; wars between tribes lasted for hundreds of years.

Alabais took part in skirmishes, defending their own and fiercely attacking strangers. Add to all this the not-so-pleasant climate of the steppe. Central Asia has an arid climate, steppes and snowy mountains. The temperature there during the day can be above 30 C, and at night drop below 0 C. All this served as a natural selection for the Alabais; only the strongest, smartest, and most adapted dogs survived.

Finally, alabai played an important social function when tribes and clans gathered to communicate. Usually this was during holidays or peace treaties. Each tribe brought with them their dogs, especially males, for dog fighting.

The essence of these fights was different from what happens today in illegal fighting pits, where different dogs. What was important was not the death of the animal, but the determination of who was superior to whom. A typical fight consisted of displays of rage and posturing, and there was rarely blood. Even when the strength and ferocity of the dogs were equal and it came to a fight, one of them gave up and cost with little blood.

These fights were popular entertainment where bets were placed. In addition, for the tribe members, victory was a great achievement and a reason for pride.

But, latently, such meetings were an analogue of current exhibitions, where they determined best representatives breeds that were kept for breeding. After all, in order to protect, large, strong dogs were needed. But the most important thing is that the Central Asian Shepherd Dogs had to not retreat in the face of any threat.

The harsh climate and remote location would make Central Asia one of the most isolated places on earth, if not for one thing. Central Asia borders four of the richest, most populous and historically important regions: Europe, the Middle East, China and India.

The famous Silk Road ran through its territory, and for hundreds of years only gold was more valuable than silk. To avoid thieves and for security, merchants bought alabai to guard caravans.

But the wealth of their neighbors fueled the greed of countless nomads, and their hordes constantly attacked their neighbors for the purpose of robbery. Natural horsemen, they learned to sit in the saddle before walking, instantly swooped in and retreated with prey. Hundreds, if not thousands of nomadic tribes have sunk into oblivion, leaving behind only names: Magyars, Bulgars, Pechenegs, Cumans, Mongols, Turks, Turkmens, Scythians, Sarmatians, Alans.

And although the horse was considered the most valuable thing for a nomad, it was the dogs that brought fear to the enemies. They say that even the Molossians (war dogs of the Greeks and Romans) were inferior to them in battle. And, most likely, most of these fighting dogs were SAO or similar breeds. Most historians are confident that Europeans and Middle Easterners were so impressed by them that they took them for themselves.

The Central Asian Shepherd Dog has been formed on the territory of Central Asia for thousands of years. The advent of Islam has had a bad impact on dogs as they are considered a dirty animal. But not in Central Asia, where alabai played too great a role to be abandoned. It continues to live unchanged almost until the 1400th century.

By that time, the Russians will learn from their experience Western Europe, including firearms. No matter how fierce the Alabai were, they could not do anything against the guns. Ivan the Terrible in 1462 begins to push the boundaries, crushing the nomads. The lands are populated by settlers who are also impressed by the dogs. They call them shepherd dogs or wolfhounds.

But the First World War and the communist revolution had little impact on the region. The communists who have come to power are ready for war and are looking for a breed capable of guarding, patrolling borders, and guard duty. Someone's gaze turns towards the Central Asian Shepherd Dogs, the number of exported dogs is growing dramatically. Since the authorities take away best dogs, the quality of the population begins to suffer.

At the same time, new breeds arrive from all over the territory Soviet Union. These breeds are intensively crossed with Alabais to improve their characteristics. However, the breed is considered unpromising for military purposes, since Alabai are difficult to train. They are being removed from the army, but the popularity of the breed in the countries of the USSR has already grown, more and more people want to get a wolfhound for themselves.

At the time when the USSR government became interested in Central Asian Shepherds, it was not a single breed. These were similar local variations, many of which had their own unique names. All of them crossed both with each other and with other breeds. As a result of this, modern Alabai can be quite different from each other, more than other purebred breeds. Many breeders in Central Asia and Russia still keep the old variations, but more and more crossbreeds are appearing.

In July 1990, the State Agricultural Industry of the Turkmen SSR approved the standard for the “Turkmen Wolfhound” breed, but this is already the decline of the great country. With the fall of the USSR, they began to gain popularity in Europe. More and more Americans and Europeans are learning about the breed and starting to breed it. Most of them are interested in a massive dog for guard duty or participation in illegal dog fights, but there are also those who need guards for their herds. Alabaev is beginning to be recognized in many cynological organizations. The first is the Federation Cynologique Internationale (FCI).

Description

It is quite difficult to unambiguously describe the appearance of alabai, due to the fact that they are very different from each other. There are literally dozens of variations of Central Asian Shepherds, most of which interbreed with each other. In addition, they interbreed with other breeds. They are similar to other large guard dogs, but are lighter built and more athletic.

There is one common feature for all Alabais - they are massive. Although this is not the largest breed in the world, it is a very large dog.

Males at the withers are at least 70 cm, females at least 65 cm. In practice, most dogs are significantly higher than the minimum figures, especially those living in Asia. The weight of males ranges from 55 to 80 kg, females from 40 to 65 kg, although among males one can often find Alabais weighing up to 90 kg. The largest Alabai, nicknamed Bulldozer, weighed up to 125 kg, and standing on its hind legs reached two meters. However, on at the moment already died.

Their sexual dimorphism is more pronounced than in other breeds; males and females differ significantly from each other in size and appearance.

The Central Asian Shepherd should be muscular and powerful, its appearance indicates that it is ready to face any opponent. However, it should not look squat and stocky.


The Alabai's tail is traditionally docked to a short stump, but this practice is now falling out of fashion and is prohibited in Europe. The natural tail is long, thick at the base and tapering at the end.
Late development is also characteristic; dogs develop fully physically and intellectually by the age of 3 years.

The head and muzzle are large, massive and impressive, but not as disproportionately huge as those of most mastiffs. The top of the skull and forehead are flat, the head blends smoothly into the muzzle, although the stop is pronounced. The muzzle is usually slightly shorter than the skull, but very wide. Scissor bite, large teeth. The nose is large, wide, usually black, although shades of brown are acceptable. The eyes are large, deep-set, oval in shape and dark in color. The general impression of most Alabais is dominance, strength and determination.

The Alabai's ears are traditionally docked close to the head, so that they are practically invisible. This is usually done for puppies, but ear cropping goes out of fashion even faster than tail docking. Natural ears are small, triangular in shape, drooping and set low, below the eye line.

The coat is of two varieties: short (3-4 cm) and long (7-8 cm). Both are double coats, with a thick undercoat and a hard outer coat. The hair on the face, forehead and front of the paws is short and smooth. CAOs can be of almost any color, but most often they are pure white, black, red, and fawn.

Character

As with appearance, the Alabai's personality can vary significantly from dog to dog. There are four lines, each of which differs significantly in temperament. Anyone who wants to buy an Alabai should find out who their ancestors were and be thoughtful about choosing a nursery, as some lines can be extremely aggressive.

In general, these dogs are stable in character, but those lines that were bred to participate in dog fighting are often unpredictable. But even carefully selected dogs are very dominant, often aggressive, and given their size and strength... The combination of these factors makes Alabais one of the worst breeds for beginner dog owners. Content requires experience, patience and will.

Turkmen Alabais form close relationships with the owner, to whom they are endlessly attached. Most of them are defined as one person's dog, ignoring or negatively treating everyone except the owner. This attachment is so strong that most Central Asian Shepherds have difficulty changing owners. Moreover, many are so attached that they ignore other family members, even those with whom they have lived for years and spouses.

This breed is not suitable as a family dog ​​or for families with children. Most Alabais do not know that they are supposed to be gentle with children, and their brute strength can be a problem. Yes, they protect children and do not hurt them, but... this is a large and harsh dog. Even with decorative dogs, children should not be left unattended, let alone such a giant. Although they often get along well with children, they even allow them to ride on them. It all depends on the specific character and upbringing.

This is a guard breed, and most Alabais are suspicious of strangers, to say the least. Training and socialization are necessary from puppyhood, otherwise you will develop serious problems as you grow. Training can reduce the level of aggression, but some representatives of the breed may still experience it towards strangers. The owner needs to understand that even the slightest aggressiveness is serious problem because of the strength of the dogs.

Even the least aggressive alabai remain highly suspicious and unfriendly to strangers. They are protective, territorial and always alert, one of the best guard dogs. And her bites are much worse than barking...

They are completely intolerant of anyone who tries to enter their territory unaccompanied, but always try to scare and warn first. Although they do not hesitate to use force.
Central Asian Shepherds are excellent bodyguards who will do anything to protect their owner. In past centuries, they went against tigers and bears, instilled fear in the Roman legionnaires, so that an unarmed person could not stand against them.

And participation in dog fights did not add to their love for other dogs. As you might expect, Central Asian Shepherds are aggressive towards other dogs and aggression comes in many forms: territorial, sexual, dominant, possessive. Socialization and training reduce its level, but it cannot be completely removed.

This is especially true for males, who often cannot tolerate other males. It is better to keep them alone or in company with a dog of the opposite sex. Owners must remember that CAO is capable of injuring or killing almost any dog ​​without much effort.

These dogs protected livestock, and if the Alabai grows on a farm, it becomes a protector for the animals. But in general they are aggressive towards other animals, especially strange ones. Alabai will attack another animal to protect territory and family and will probably kill it, even if it is a wolf.

Raising and training Turkmen Alabais is a very difficult matter. This is not a dog that lives to please its owner; most of them are very stubborn and headstrong. In addition, they are dominant and they try to push the boundaries of what is permitted by a person.

Since the Central Asian Shepherd completely ignores the commands of those whom it considers socially or socially inferior hierarchical ladder, the owner must always occupy a dominant position. This does not mean that training an Alabai is impossible; it just takes more time, effort and patience. There are no difficulties only with guard service which is in their blood.

In the steppe they wander for days on end, often covering more than 20 km per day. As a result, they need serious physical activity. The absolute minimum is about an hour a day, every day. Representatives of the breed that do not receive enough exercise can develop behavior problems, destructiveness, hyperactivity, bark endlessly, or be aggressive.

They are good jogging or cycling companions, but what they really need is a spacious yard. Due to their requirements and size, Alabai do not get along well in an apartment; they need a large yard or an aviary.

Central Asian Shepherds bark to warn their owner about the slightest changes. They are aware of human limitations and bark more often at night in response to unusual smells, sounds or events. If you have close neighbors, this will lead to complaints about excessive noise. The intensity can be reduced with the help of training, but it cannot be completely eliminated.

Care

What kind of care might be required for a dog living in the steppe and called the Turkmen wolfhound? Minimum. They don't need any professional groomer, just regular brushing. It is very, very advisable to accustom your puppy to grooming as early as possible. Otherwise, you risk getting a dog that weighs 80 kg and doesn’t like being handled. Alabais shed quite heavily. Most are moderate throughout the year and intense twice a year, but some are intense all the time. At such moments they leave behind just clumps of fur.

Health

There is no exact data, since there have been no serious studies, and there are many different lines. But the owners claim that the Alabai is one of the most resilient and healthy breeds, and there is no reason not to believe it. They have an excellent gene pool, one of the best among large breeds. Central Asian Shepherds have excellent heredity. Their ancestors lived in harsh conditions, only the strongest survived. However, the situation was spoiled by later crossings with other breeds.

Life expectancy is 10-12 years, which is good enough for large dogs.

Nov 23, 2015 admin

The Alabai, or Turkmen variety of the Central Asian Shepherd Dog, is an ancient breed that originated in Russia and was the #1 most popular dog in the country for a long time until the 2000s. Alabai is known for his calm but fearless character, who stands his ground and does not back down.

Originally, they were used as herding dogs to protect livestock from large predators. Their endurance and ability to crush wolves gave them the nickname "Wolfhound".

Alabai is a large and one of the most muscular dog breeds. The body is slightly longer in length than in height. The coat is straight, rough, short or medium length with thick undercoat. Coat color has a wide range from white and gray to brindle, chocolate and blue.

The ears are drooping, small, and often cropped. The tail is saber-shaped and usually docked. The dog has a wide chest and powerful shoulder muscles. The back is wide, moderately long, strong. The hips are powerful, characterized by a slight high rear. The skin on the face is thick and can form folds.

History of the breed

The Central Asian Shepherd is the oldest breed of dog, which has a history of 4000 years. Not much is known about the true origins of the breed, but many consider it the ancestor of the Tibetan Mastiff.

These dogs are "folk" in many areas of Russia, Iran and Afghanistan. They were also loved and appreciated in Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan.

This independent breed has protected nomadic shepherds and their flocks for centuries. Similar dogs accompanied the Mongols when they invaded the Eastern and Central Europe, and probably contributed to the formation of many European Shepherds.

However, this breed is rarely found outside of Central Asia, and even in Russia today it is in decline, losing in popularity to the Caucasian Shepherd Dog.

Character of Alabai

The Central Asian Shepherd Dog, Alabai, is a calm, calm and courageous protective dog. This is an independent breed that stands its ground and is not used to backing down. These dogs are respectful and well-behaved with their family members, but they should always be supervised around children.

Outside the home, they often try to dominate other dogs and are suspicious of strangers. This watch dogs and act, as a rule, as such. Alabais love to bark at night, and this can be a problem if you have close neighbors.

Proper socialization is mandatory for the Alabai unless it is used as a herder. These Shepherds get along with cats, dogs and any other animals as long as they do not pose a threat to them or the family.

Alabay is a family dog ​​that enjoys everyday human interaction. But these guard dogs are not for everyone. They need a smart owner who understands their watchdog nature. This breed is not for timid or gentle owners.

The main goal of training these dogs is to achieve leadership status. It is a dog's natural instinct to live in a pack, and when they live with people, their pack is family. In a pack, or family, there should always be only one leader, when all the rules and responsibilities are clearly defined and established.

Since shepherds communicate by growling and eventually biting, all humans should have a higher position in the pack than the dog. Only people should make decisions, not dogs. This is the only way to build the right relationship with the Alabai.

Breed sizes

The height of males and females is 65-78 cm and 60-70 cm, respectively. The weight of alabai is 55-79 kg for males and 50-65 kg for females. Some males are significantly taller and heavier.

Health

Alabai is prone to hip dysplasia and many others genetic problems, which are found in large breeds. These dogs may also experience gastric bloating and volvulus.

The lifespan of the Alabai is between 12 and 14 years, but they often live around 10 years due to poor veterinary care and the lifestyle they lead.

Alabai requires a large yard, preferably fenced. They have to do the job (guard). Small living conditions can lead to behavior problems. These dogs love physical exercise on outdoors and will “expand” their territory as much as they can.

The Central Asian Shepherd Alabai will be an excellent companion for a person who loves hiking or jogging. On non-running days they need long walks. Alabai may seem lazy when lying down inspecting his “property,” but he can get up and be ready for a walk in a split second.

Alabai will not demand great care for wool. Weekly brushing will be enough for him, but he sheds a lot in the spring. During the rest of the year, these dogs shed lightly.

Cost of the Alabai breed

The cost of Alabai (Central Asian Shepherd) puppies varies widely. Many puppies, whose owners do not breed professionally, can be purchased for between 3-5 thousand rubles. However, a puppy with a pedigree will cost from 15 to 40 thousand rubles or more.

Video about the breed

Giant Alabai The bulldozer in the video is the largest Alabai in the world.

• Height at the withers: at least 70 cm for males and at least 65 cm for females
• Weight: for males from 50 kg, for females - from 40 kg
• Lifespan: 12-15 years
• Other names: alabai, asian, sagi dakhmarda, tobet

Description of the breed

The Central Asian Shepherd Dog (CAO, Alabai) is one of the oldest dog breeds that accompanied the herds of Zoroastrians and is one of the herding wolfhounds. A heavy look, leisurely movements, self-confidence, independence and strength - distinctive features the character of these strong and resilient dogs. Thanks to this, they are widespread in our country and still work in the countries of Central Asia, and over the past twenty years they have settled throughout Europe and came to America, where they are used for their intended purpose or live on the territory of livestock farms.

Alabai always commands respect and often - unreasonable fear. This is not surprising given his size and gaze, which can scare anyone who comes to an Asian man’s house with evil thoughts. It seems that Alabai sees right through you.

Ten years of living next to these dogs have convinced me that this feeling is not so deceptive. If there is contact with the owner, dogs are capable of mental contact, and these dogs read the bad intentions of visitors as simply as smells and sounds.

Innate conservatism often plays a cruel joke on young Alabai people. In the absence of a sufficient number of impressions in early childhood, they often grow up to be insecure and aggressive. This condition can be corrected, but it is much better not to deprive your puppy of the joy of walking together, especially since at the age of up to 6 months you develop the contact with the dog that will allow you to communicate in the future.

The Central Asian Shepherd is a breed that is quite capable of living on its own, hunting in the forest or visiting a city dump. Her attachment to a person is not based on mercantile interests. No matter how much strangers feed the Alabai, he will never follow them or leave his owner. Keep this in mind when purchasing little puppy. Dogs who have experienced a change of home live with this trauma for the rest of their lives, and always expect a trick from a person, afraid to be left alone on a leash, afraid when strangers take the leash in their hands. Their anxious look and uncertainty are a consequence of human betrayal.

Almost all colors are recognized in the Central Asian Shepherd breed. Only brown (liver), black and blue are prohibited. The attitude of breeders towards the last two can be explained rationally - they indicate the infusion of the blood of a German Shepherd or Great Dane. The ban on brown is less clear, since expeditions to the original habitats of the Alabai regularly report that brown dogs are regularly found in their native stock. American breeders even created a bloodline of these dogs. Their color is bright, and their working qualities are no different from those of standard-colored dogs.

Breed standard Central Asian Shepherd Dog

Changing over time, the standard of the Central Asian Shepherd breed took it further and further away from the type in which it had remained for several thousand years of herding work. His latest edition transformed the Alabai breed from a working breed into a giant, almost decorative one, legitimizing the will of the leadership of the monobreed club of that time. The introduction of a ban on the breeding use of aboriginal dogs isolated the population of the country that holds the breed.

It turned out that the only breed feature of the Alabais is their enormous growth and massiveness. It doesn't matter what kind of character your dog has or how long he will live and be able to work. It is important that this is the largest Central Asian Shepherd. The upper height limit was removed, and limb problems were legalized. Those interested can familiarize themselves with this standard and compare it with the first edition, as well as with standards of earlier times, written on the basis of a study of livestock taken from their habitats and describing a working dog. It turned out that the working qualities of this unique breed no one needs anymore. According to this standard, the sizes of Central Asian Shepherd Dogs are unique.

The assignment of the Central Asian Shepherd Dog to the second group of the FCI, which placed Alabais on a par with large mastiffs and other Molossians, also played a cruel joke. At the same time, the specifics of this breed were not taken into account, suggesting the use of Asians as guard shepherds. By the way, some alternative organizations in their classification include Central Asian Shepherds in the first group of working and herding dogs, which is much more justified from the point of view of its working qualities.

According to the standard, the eyes should be dark and the eyelids should be well pigmented. It is considered acceptable to have incomplete rimming of the eyelids of lighter eyes in light-colored dogs. However, among native dogs there are frequent cases of a combination of black or tri-color color with light, amber eyes. Experts indiscriminately classify this sign as a disadvantage, forgetting that this color of gas allows wolves to navigate perfectly in the dark and, moreover, it has nothing to do with the level of melanin in the body, which can cause damage to strength nervous system dogs.

Another detail that I would like to write about is the abundance of intrabreed types of the Central Asian Shepherd Dog, which for some reason everyone has forgotten lately, admiring the picturesque white dogs without ears and tails running in the rings of major exhibitions. It gets to the point where experts and novices don’t even see in the ring dark dogs, do not know about the existence of Nurata and Tajiks, choosing white dogs as winners, without looking at their movements, problematic anatomy, strange heads and incomprehensible behavior. Black Central Asian Shepherds also cause an unusual reaction, especially if they have short hair. The exception is single-breed exhibitions of Central Asian Shepherds, where people who have devoted their entire lives to the breed and who know a lot about intra-breed types are invited as experts.

Currently, the countries of Central Asia that have left the CIS are creating their own standards for Central Asian Shepherd Dogs. This has its own logic - the breed was not originally united, since in vast Central Asia there were a lot of dogs that were not similar to each other and differed both in behavioral characteristics and anatomy. And they lived in isolated areas. The legality of their association is still a subject of dispute among breeders. All this diversity was united by work - after all, shepherds paid little attention to the exterior of their dogs, selecting the most unpretentious, hard-working, brave and intelligent. Separate selection was carried out based on size and pugnacity - this concerned dogs that participated in battles and therefore were removed from the flocks, settling in rich houses and delighting their owners with victories. This group of dogs very rarely returned to the herd, fed well and reproduced “in themselves,” periodically receiving new blood from discovered working Alabais with increased aggressiveness towards their own kind and the need to sort out relationships with them.

Character and characteristics of the Central Asian Shepherd

Longtime friends of shepherds, Alabai are distinguished by their unpretentiousness, endurance, attachment to their territory and flock, and remarkable strength and intelligence. All these qualities are combined with leisurely movements and self-confidence. Most of them are hereditarily fixed in the breed over thousands of years of its existence, and some depend on the upbringing in the pack that an Alabai puppy goes through.

One of the breed's weaknesses of the CAO is children. Adult Alabai are very kind to children and puppies, take care of and protect them in every possible way, break up fights and prevent injuries, if this is in their power. The exception is young dogs, who are confident that they are equal with children and have the right to clarify their relationship with them and educate them. At this age, youngsters are always supervised by older dogs, since the speed of movement, tension in relationships and the growing weight of adolescents require skillful guidance in the right direction.

Alabais distinguish between their own and foreign territory very well. Adult Alabai very rarely enter the territory of street packs, and while protecting their owner, his children and puppies, they never go far and do not pursue enemies over long distances. Exploratory behavior reaches its peak in dogs at 9-12 months of age and usually subsides by two years, giving way to a clear understanding of the rules and their implementation.

Conservatism and the desire to protect one's own often leads to problems with socialization in dogs that are kept without walking in their own territories. Actively working at home, Alabais are characterized by increased alertness, bordering on timidity outside the territory.

Another feature of the Central Asian Shepherd's character is its pack character. Those who live at least together feel the most comfortable. The most win-win option is a pair of an older male and a younger female. Such a mini-flock is easy to form and is practically conflict-free. Dogs of different sexes live well together different sizes. The Alabai female takes care of a small male, and the Asian male is very kind to his companion - a small female.

CAOs get along well with cats, and this only applies to pets. Stray and neighbor's cats are destroyed on the territory without warning. Raised in a barn or stable from a young age, they independently begin to protect the animals entrusted to them and hunt foxes, snakes and ferrets that threaten their charges.

Considering the large number of breed lovers in different countries and regions, there is a lot of information about the Central Asian Shepherd breed on the World Wide Web. Sometimes it is difficult to understand the recommendations given by breeders who are adherents of various types. They themselves admit that each of them has “an Asian in their head.” Foreign colleagues are already accustomed to the Central Asian Shepherd with ears, and those who work with Alabais do not bother with how long to leave them when docking and whether it will look beautiful.

When choosing a dog for yourself, be sure to think about what kind of life you are preparing for it. And after that, start calling breeders. Heavy dogs require from owners certain conditions for keeping the Central Asian Shepherd, diet, and sometimes the use of special feed additives that can slow down early aging of joints. If all this is not a problem for you, you are not bothered by the short life expectancy and you are ready to spend any money on special food, then you can safely take a dog from a breeder who breeds “big dogs”.

If it is important for you that the Alabai lives a long time, is unpretentious and does not get sick, then it is better to choose a puppy from parents whose size is closer to the standard indicators in the breed. Those who want a dog to successfully work as a guard and lead herds should choose a puppy from aboriginal parents and know that size is not important for work. The behavior of the Alabai largely depends on what kind of blood it is.

To keep the CAO you will need a booth in the yard and an aviary. These two structures will allow your dog to have a roof over his head in rain or snow and will give you the opportunity to isolate the dog when visitors - be it construction workers, relatives or friends - come over. In areas with severe frosts, the floor of the enclosure is made of wood. In stone buildings, you can sprinkle hay, straw or sawdust on the floor.

The enclosure for the Alabai should not become a place for its permanent detention. The best option is to place it freely in the yard with access to all protected objects and a booth installed at a point that allows you to control the entire territory. Entrust the choice of location for the booth to the dog. It should have a view of the entrance and be located on an elevation. The flat roof of a low booth will definitely be used by an Asian for better review terrain, so place the booth so that the dog cannot jump over the fence from it.

If you have two dogs of different genders, you will definitely notice a difference in their performance. Alabai male usually sits on an elevated place, vigilantly looking around the surroundings, while the female runs along the fence, monitoring the situation every minute. It is better if you plan the area in advance so that this dog behavior does not cause you any inconvenience.

Preparing to appear in the yard new dog Please note one more feature of the Central Asian Shepherd Dog breed. They love to dig holes. This is especially true for bitches, for whom such behavior is inherent in nature - in Central Asia, puppies are born in a hole carefully dug by their mother. By burying holes, you provoke the dog to look for another place. It is much more practical to choose one of them and let the dog rummage around there, taking all measures so that the second exit from the structure does not end up behind a fence.

Feeding the Central Asian Shepherd

The diet of the Central Asian Shepherd is selected depending on its age, living conditions and weather.

The first complementary foods are usually scraped meat and a special food - starter, soaked in homemade yogurt or kefir. At this time there is a high risk of developing infectious diseases and diarrhea, so you should not neglect the quality of your diet. Optimal age introduction of complementary foods – 21 days. If the bitch has little milk, then they begin to feed earlier, using special ready-made mixtures or a combination of goat milk, honey and quail eggs.

The scraped meat can be moistened with low-fat yogurt or kefir and rolled into a small ball and offered to the puppy. The Alabai bitch should be out for a walk during this procedure, and the puppies should have time to get hungry. Alabais quickly understand that this is food and cope with complementary feeding in a matter of minutes. On the third day, the number of complementary foods is increased to two, and by a month - to three or four, allowing the bitch to supplement the babies the rest of the time at her convenience.

At two months, the starter food is replaced with food for large breed puppies, cottage cheese, eggs, oatmeal and rice porridge, and soaked bread are added to the diet. At this time, the bitch can be weaned from the puppies, although I prefer to allow the lactation process to complete at a pace that is comfortable for the bitch. Bitches no longer stand obediently under the pressure of babies, but growl at them when there is no milk in the beds.

From two to four months, puppies are fed 5 times a day. If your baby refuses one of the meals (and this happens very often among Alabais), increase the dose and feel free to reduce the number of feedings by one. At this time, the diet continues to expand, adding chopped greens, carrots, apples, whey, and dried bread.

The decision to feed the Central Asian Shepherd with dry food can be made in summer time, when other products quickly deteriorate, or when indicated veterinarian. The optimal diet for alabai is natural food. Special ready-made starter feeds are also successfully used for feeding puppies up to 3 months of age.

Don't forget that for a puppy, movement and new experiences are no less important than feeding from the belly. In addition, if you have a heavy puppy, remember that overfeeding can cause problems with joints and bones.

After six months, Alabai puppies are fed 3-4 times a day. By nine, the number of feedings is reduced to three; after a year, bitches can be fed twice a day. For males, the age of transition to two meals a day is 1.5 years.

In the summer, adult dogs often begin to eat once a day on their own. This is quite normal, since in hot weather much less energy is spent on maintaining body temperature. Many Asians are happy to diversify their diet with vegetables and fruits, and willingly catch birds and lizards. In winter, it is better to practice feeding twice a day, offering dogs warm liquid food with the addition of vegetable oil to compensate for the loss of moisture in the cold (eating snow does not allow dogs to completely quench their thirst).

Central Asian Shepherd puppies

When deciding to breed your bitch, think about the risks involved and the goal you are pursuing. If you decide to just make money on puppies, remember that there are too many dogs of this breed at the moment and many of them sooner or later end up thrown onto the street. It is from thoughtless matings that advertisements for “Central Asian Shepherd puppies for free” appear. In addition, there is always a risk that the puppies will overstay their welcome, which means that you will have to walk a crowd of three-month-old Alabais every day and provide them with proper nutrition for as long as necessary.

You definitely shouldn’t breed a bitch if you live in an apartment. The cost of repairing it will most often be higher than the money received for the litter. It is better if you discuss the decision to breed your bitch with your breeder. This is the best option for owners of one dog, since they will have at their disposal all puppy sales channels available to the breeder, kennel discounts on food, practical and methodological assistance specialist

There is no need to rush into mating CAO. Dogs of this breed are fully formed by the age of two or three years. This is the optimal time for the first mating. Most often, Central Asian Shepherds breed once a year. If your dog sheds twice a year, try to breed her in the spring or summer when puppies are scarce. A female intended for breeding must be healthy both physically and genetically. Lack of maternal instinct, eating puppies, eclampsia after the first pregnancy are convincing reasons to exclude this breeder from breeding.

When choosing an Alabai male, rely not on his titles, but on information about the offspring he bred from him. It is much more interesting to get involved not with a young untested champion, but with his father. The most stable results are obtained with linear breeding - that is, in the case when the dogs are distantly related to each other. Pregnancy of the Central Asian Shepherd lasts 60-65 days.

Central Asian Shepherd puppies are born in numbers from one to twelve. Their number depends on the age of the bitch. I would like to warn owners against trying at any cost to save the lives of all newborn Asians by using stimulant injections. Weak puppies They will grow up to be sickly dogs, unable to perform full service and causing their owners a lot of problems.

The bitch is quite capable of handling childbirth on her own, but the owner’s participation in this process strengthens contact and benefits both the owner and the dog. If the bitch behaves aggressively and does not allow the owner to approach the puppies, this is the first sign of her mistrust of the owner, which should be developed long before the first birth.

The weight of newborn Alabai puppies usually fluctuates around 500 g. They actively begin to suck, stimulating new contractions in the mother. Duration birth process– about a day, it is a little longer in primiparous bitches. It is believed that the sun should not rise above the head of a woman in labor twice. In large litters, after the birth of the first 5-6 puppies, there may be a pause and labor stimulation may be required.

In regions with a mild climate, Asian women are allowed to give birth in a stable or barn, covering the birth area with straw and limiting access to other dogs. Shepherd dogs dig their own holes. Caring owner only if necessary makes a rain shelter over them. If the frost outside is more than minus five degrees, it is better to take them into a heated room, allocating a separate room.

Central Asian Shepherds are excellent mothers. It happens that they lay around with the puppies, not wanting to go outside again. Once the puppies reach 14 days of age, it is better to start taking the bitch out for short short walks, avoiding her contact with other dogs. Upon arrival, the milk beds are washed with warm water and an antiseptic.

By two weeks, the puppies' eyes open and they begin to actively move around the floor. At this time, it is important that they cannot crawl under a sofa or closet and die there. The issue is resolved by installing limiters around the nest. By three weeks, if the outside temperature is at least 50C, the puppies are transferred from the house to a puppy mill or barn.

Before the puppies are accommodated, the premises are thoroughly treated with a special antiseptic and exposed according to the instructions. The walls of the room must be cleanly whitened to the full height of the bitch, and the bedding must be changed to fresh.

Training the Central Asian Shepherd

The upbringing of an Alabai begins on the very first day of its arrival in its new home. His self-confidence needs support from the owner, because in fact the baby is very vulnerable and it is in puppyhood that the foundations of his future behavior are laid. The fastest way to develop bonding is to take your puppy for a walk. The characteristic manner of Alabais to fall on their side, turn their heads away and squeal loudly is not cowardice. This is a great way to avoid aggression from older dogs. It is more common in puppies raised free-range with several adult dogs. The pack always keeps puppies and young Alabais under control.

Until 6 months, puppies in the pack are allowed almost everything. The adult dogs turn away and grumble quietly as they watch the young bandit try to steal the bone from under their paw. The leader dog allows the puppies to drag him by the cheeks and paws and can only leave the play area and hide away from the puppies. After 6 months, the training of the Central Asian Shepherd becomes more rigorous. The noisiest and most impudent puppies are already earning a spanking and desperately squealing, trying to avoid punishment. By the age of one year, the young animals become border guards, warning adult dogs with desperate, but sometimes useless barking about events occurring in remote areas of the pack's territory.

Knowledge of these features of raising an Alabai puppy is easy to imagine correct behavior owner during this important period of the dog’s life.

Walking together gives the baby the feeling that the owner, as befits a leader, chooses the direction of movement and knows the route. In addition, he always comes to the aid of a puppy if he gets lost or finds himself in the territory of a strange mongrel pack that attacks him as a stranger. In case of danger, it is convenient to sit down and take the puppy in the ring from your hands, providing a feeling of safety and security.

Long off-leash walks over rough terrain can teach the dog to track its owner. The basic skills of a city dog ​​- walking on a leash, sitting down, laying down, exhibition standing and trotting in the ring - are learned much faster if there is contact with the owner.

These simple points allow you to avoid situations where the puppy growls at the owner. When working with females, they do not occur at all, but with males they happen much less frequently. Correcting a dog’s behavior is best done under the supervision of a specialist trainer, just like training a dog to bite.

Alabais are very rarely food eaters. In addition, they are extremely careful about eating unfamiliar food. Therefore, their training is a combination of vocal contact and mechanics. The simplest skills for them are holding and shrinking. More difficult are moving on a leash and laying down. Most dogs of this breed quickly learn to stay put while guarding things.

History of the breed

The first images of dogs strikingly resembling the Alabai can be found in Zoroastrian books and drawings. As shepherds, Zoroastrians depended heavily on their dogs and therefore perceived them as a divine gift. Along with herds of sheep, the Alabai came to Europe, where they became the ancestors of many shepherd dogs and a whole group of Molossians. The antiquity of the origin of the Central Asian Shepherd and the unchanged conditions of its life over the centuries became the reason for the high hybridization stability of this breed. The breed quickly absorbs all foreign genes, maintaining its appearance or quickly returning to it over several generations. Thus, a cross between a German and Central Asian shepherd is much more similar to an Asian than to a German, and a cross between an Asian and a husky will only be reminiscent of the presence of foreign blood by its color.

During factory breeding, the Alabai were constantly infused with blood from larger breeds to increase their size. This had its results, but led to an increase in the number sick dogs who do not survive the age of six. What’s interesting is that as soon as such breeding released the resulting livestock from control, within a few years the breed returned to its original types, restoring its appearance and performance. Breeding dogs, taken to their original habitats, under the influence of the aborigines, became smaller and more functional, and occasionally overly large individuals did not survive in harsh conditions Central Asia.

Getting with the sheep and settlers in different countries, Central Asian Shepherds gave impetus to the emergence and development of new breeds, such as the Georgian Shepherd, Tobet, Caucasian Wolfhound and others. In addition, Asian countries began to develop their own standards for working wolfhounds, challenging the right of Russian breeders to set the tone in breeding this breed. The development of the breed at this stage has already passed the population peak. The fashion for giants has passed, the number of the breed has declined, and the main owners of Asians remain breeders - enthusiasts, as well as owners of private houses and enterprises in need of reliable protection.

The sociability of Alabais and their distrust of strangers depends on the number of early contacts with human hands. In families where puppies are born in the house and live there for up to three weeks, the owners often take them in their hands, massage their paws, allow them to crawl on their knees, the puppies grow more sociable and human-oriented. On the contrary, if desired, they can get distrustful puppies and allow them to live with their mother without allowing external contacts. Such a puppy, when trying to pick it up at three weeks, growls and bites.

Age up to 6 months – best time teach the little Alabai to unconditionally follow the owner at the level of innate instincts. If, after completing vaccination, you let the puppy out of the gate, allowing him to run without a leash and periodically calling him from a short distance and stroking him, for up to 6 months on such walks he will learn to follow the owner as if he were a leader.

Females of the Alabai breed are capable of finding stray sheep and lambs from the herd and notifying the shepherd about this by howling and barking. City dogs often find abandoned kittens and puppies in this way, keep them warm in cold weather and do not allow the owner to leave, leaving them to die.

Central Asian Shepherds most often fight snakes effectively. The speed and sharpness of movements during a fight are difficult to confuse with anything. They tolerate snake bites relatively easily - the dog sleeps for one or two days, after which it continues to perform its service.

The notorious “stupidity” of Alabais is the reluctance to perform meaningless actions to please the trainer and owner. Free your dog from unnecessary repetitions of a learned skill - and he will begin to obey much better. Training a Central Asian Shepherd is 5 minutes 3-5 times a day, and not an hour-long, soul-wearying exercise of repetition with very little benefit for both.

Prices for Central Asian Shepherd puppies

As always in the period after the population explosion caused by the fashion for the breed, the state of affairs in the commercial breeding of Asians is very difficult. Having stopped making extra profits from selling puppies, fly-by-night nurseries are closing or switching to more commercial breeds. The number of cheap market Alabai puppies is growing and among them you can find quite decent descendants of those who took a “cheaper, older dog without documents.” The number of owners who want to breed their show bitch is also falling - fussing with puppies does not pay off.

At the moment, it is quite possible to buy a Central Asian Shepherd puppy for $100. Show dog - in the range from 300 to 500 dollars. Some nurseries still keep high prices for Central Asian Shepherd puppies, selling puppies for 1000 euros or more, but the average owner does not need such a dog, and a high price does not always guarantee the high quality of the purchased dog.

Alabai is a more common name for Central Asian Shepherd Dogs. These are large dogs that have been known since ancient times. They are the ancestors of the Spanish Mastiffs, noble Great Danes and Serbernars. They have nothing in common with other shepherds. Therefore, the life expectancy of Shepherds (Eastern European, Collie or German) is not suitable for answering the question, How long do Alabai live?.

When choosing a dog, as a rule, we are guided by its appearance, wool, character, forgetting to find out how many years Alabai live. But the Alabai, whose life expectancy is limited, will be your friend for many years.

Today we will try to answer the question, how long does alabai live in as much detail as possible.

What determines how long an Alabai dog lives?

Unfortunately, the lifespan of any dog ​​is limited and it is less than the average human. The Central Asian Shepherd Dog, whose life expectancy is 6-7 times less than a human’s, was no exception. How long an Alabai dog lives depends on many factors, but lifestyle is of paramount importance. This rule is valid for basically any breed.

If you ask how many years Alabai live maximum, you will get the answer: 16-17 years. This is provided that the animal is constantly moving and has a place where it can frolic. The average Alabai, whose lifespan is on average 12-14 years, loves to run and play with its owner or other dogs.

When looking for an answer to the question of how long Central Asian Shepherds live in reference literature, you will most likely come across a period of 10-11 years. The breed is distinguished by its large mass and dimensions, so it is relatively early age problems arise with the legs, which affects such a short life. For comparison, the average life expectancy of a lapdog is 16-18 years, a dachshund - 14-15 years, a pug or chihuahua - 14-15 years.

If a dog serves, then it goes on a well-deserved rest at the age of eight. And here, how long do Alabai live at home? in retirement depends only on the care of the owner and his attitude.

How to extend your pet's life

After you have found out the answer to the question of how many years an Alabai dog lives, another question arises: is it possible to extend the life of a four-legged friend?

Of course, you can extend the lifespan of the Alabai and do it quite simply:

1. Watch your diet. First of all, it is necessary to constantly monitor the dog’s nutrition. The diet should be varied, balanced and properly composed. It is important to add vitamins, macro- and microelements.
2. Watch your weight. Obesity, which negatively affects the functioning of internal organs, should not be allowed.
3. Follow the regime. The dog must be active. Before buying a pet, make sure you can provide for it required level activity and physical activity.
4. Clean the room. It is necessary to regularly do wet cleaning and ventilate the room. Home hygiene has important for an animal.
5. Minimize stress. For many this will seem wild, but Alabai feel the microclimate in the family, the prevailing atmosphere. Frequent quarrels between relatives and stress at home can negatively affect the health of the animal.
6. Minimize the likelihood of accidents. If you walk your dog correctly and use the necessary protective equipment, this will help protect your dog from an accident.

Proper care

And once again I would like to emphasize the need. Central Asian Shepherds are not as demanding and pretentious as small dogs like Chihuahuas, but they do need regular veterinary supervision and proper bathing.

It is important to bathe, comb your dogs, clean their ears and trim their nails in a timely manner. Also, do not neglect visiting the veterinarian, vaccinations and cleaning teeth from tartar. This will help increase the life expectancy of the Central Asian Shepherd.

We hope we answered how many years Alabai dogs live. This is influenced by a number of factors, but living conditions stand out among them.

The Central Asian Shepherd Dog, or as it is also called Alabai, is the ancestor of Central Asian dogs. Considered a relative. The name Alabai used today is not correct, because this is what the specific color of the dog used to be called (translated from the Turkmen “ala”, which means black spots, “bai” means rich, alabai, respectively, rich in black spots). But the only correct name for this breed is the Central Asian Shepherd Dog.

History of origin

The Central Asian Shepherd Dog or Alabai comes from ancient Central Asian dogs and herding dogs of nomadic tribes Mesopotamia. In some descriptions of researchers, this breed is about 4500 years old. The development of the Alabaya breed was facilitated by the natural selection of powerful and strong dogs over many years.

Central Asians were used mainly to guard herds of sheep and goats and the owner’s home. Harsh living conditions shaped them strong and fighting character. Their endurance and ability to fight large predatory animals earned them the nickname "Wolfhound".

It is interesting that in Turkmenistan, purebred Central Asians are prohibited from being exported from the republic and considered a national treasure.

Description and characteristics of the breed

Alabai is a fearless, powerful, determined protective dog. This strong and massive dog. The height of a Central Asian can reach 75 cm and weight 80 kg. Dogs of this breed have thick skin that protects them from insect and animal bites and thick hair that protects them even from severe frosts.

Alabais are distinguished by the following breed characteristics and appearance features:

The ears and tail of the Central Asian are docked 3-4 days after birth, but this is not considered mandatory.

Alabai can be brown, white, black, fawn, gray and red. Photos of different colors of this breed can be found on the Internet.

Central Asians tolerate frost well. Thanks to their thick fur and thick skin, they can withstand temperatures of -30 0 -40 0. They also tolerate heat well, but it is advisable that the dog has free access to clean drinking water.

An important feature of this breed is their activity in dark time days When night falls, they must protect their master and his house from enemies. They become more wary and aggressive, so the time for walks should be chosen according to daytime days or choose places where people do not go, and never let him off the leash.

Representatives of this breed are always attack the enemy, if he violates the boundaries of their territory, which they themselves determine and if his owner is in danger. Central Asian Shepherds are not considered fighting breed, however, dog fights are held annually in Turkmenistan. In this regard, some dog breeders have formed the opinion that Alabai must necessarily show his fighting qualities and pit their dogs against their relatives. But people who truly love dogs will never expose them to such unjustified danger.

Description of the character "Alabai"

Since ancient times, Central Asians have been vaccinated aggressive attitude to other dogs, so Alabai does not get along very well in the house with another dog if he has not known it since childhood. Therefore, owners of this breed need to be very careful when choosing a place to walk their dog.

The owner of Alabai can only be an adult with leadership qualities, only in this case a dog of this breed will obey his commands. Serious training Alabai needs to be trained from puppyhood. The owner must be persistent and persistent, and also calmly teach the dog new commands. Puppies of this breed are very friendly and love their owner and his new teams.

Despite the severity of the breed, dogs of this breed are very good with small children, will play with them with pleasure, and, if necessary, will defend them. However, you can leave a dog alone with a child only if the animal is accustomed to the child and has known him for a long time.

Alabai is playful and will be the best companion for lovers of jogging and long hikes.

There is no need to get a Central Asian Shepherd if you live in an apartment. The natural instinct of life in the mountains and open spaces requires free walking of the dog around the yard and spacious enclosure with booth.

If you put Alabai on a chain or lock him in an enclosure for a long time, literally in a few months he will become brutal and will treat all living beings with aggression.

But if the owner of a Central Asian creates for his pet comfortable conditions residence and will show maximum attention to his training and upbringing, Alabai will become the most devoted friend and guard.

This breed is surprisingly undemanding in terms of living conditions. All they need is a spacious enclosure, a fenced yard and fresh air.

does not require careful grooming and shampooing, weekly brushing is enough and it will look great. They shed only in the spring.

Life expectancy of Alabai

How long Alabai lives depends on his living conditions and how many vitamins and minerals he gets from his diet.

Particular attention should be paid amount of calcium consumed by such a strong and large dog, like Alabai, during its formation period, which usually ends by 3-4 years.

Feeding such a pet is a difficult task. His food should be rich in vitamins and minerals. This will contribute not only to energy and activity, but also to the condition of the dog’s coat.

The weak points of Alabai are considered joints and limbs. Arthritis and arthrosis are the main enemies of the health of the Central Asian Shepherd Dog Alabai. The risk of disease can be significantly reduced if the dog spends a lot of time outdoors, can be physically active, and gets all the necessary minerals and vitamins in its diet.

Basic nutrition rules of Alabai:

Alabai's life expectancy is on average 12-15 years.

Reviews from the owners of Alabai are the most flattering. On the forums for the query “Alabai breed characteristics reviews” you can find what the owners of this breed write in their reviews. They write that a better guard cannot be found, they are very easy to train and unpretentious in care. These are wayward dogs with a tough character and do not respect spineless people. They must know who the “leader of the pack” is. Here are examples of several reviews describing dogs of this breed:

"Alabai is true friend and a good defender. We live in country house and keep such dogs for protection. In general, they don’t let anyone close to the house; they can immediately distinguish who is a stranger and who is one of their own!”

“We got an absolutely adequate representative of this ancient breed. Any dog, if you approach its upbringing correctly, acquires an absolutely socialized behavior pattern, without losing its protective qualities.”

“Kind, smart, loyal, very handsome, brave, loves children, excellent watchman, sensitive guard, definitely a friend.”

What to consider when buying a puppy

When purchasing a purebred Alabai, it is best to choose it from a nursery that specializes in breeding them. There are breed standards, according to which Central Asians should have a wide head with a flat forehead, a scissor bite, strong paws, a thick tail at the base, and thick straight hair.

When purchasing Alabai, you need to consider the following aspects:

• the puppy must be active and playful;
• the puppy's mother should preferably be under 9 years old;
• availability of all necessary vaccinations and documents;
• the puppy must be at least 2.5 months old.

When looking for a dog, it is best to have a photo of the color you like.

How much does Alabai cost?

As for the price, it depends on the popularity of these puppies in the market at the moment. Puppies without pedigree will cost around 3000-5000 rubles. Puppies with pedigree will cost about 10,000-15,000 rubles, but this is not the limit. If the puppy has famous parents, then the price will be many times higher. Such a puppy will cost its owner from 20,000 rubles. Dogs of the Central Asian Shepherd or Alabai breed have long taken a leading position among guard breeds.