Russian Shepherd

Other names: South Russian Shepherd, Youjak, Caucasian

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Hair type	Long
Origin	Russia
Template	Giant
Head shape	Long

Weight and size
Sex	Weight	Cut
Female	From 43 kg to 45 kg	From 58 cm to 66 cm
Male	From 52 kg to 55 kg	From 60 cm to 72 cm

History of the breed

The Russian Shepherd, also called Youjak , is originally a dog that protects flocks of sheep in Russia. He doesn’t hesitate to pit himself against wolves and bears. It was developed in the 19th ^century in the Crimea. It comes from a cross between an Asturian Shepherd and Sheepdogs such as the Tatar Shepherd or the Borzoi.

Then the breed went into decline during the Russian Revolution with the destruction of Askania Nova , a nature reserve in southern Ukraine. In 1923, a biologist by the name of A. Brauner would then strive to make the breed survive by settling in the region and setting up a breeding in Dzhankoi. His efforts are said to have contributed to a marked revival of interest in the Russian Shepherd.   Unfortunately, World War II, in turn, precipitated a dramatic drop in the breed’s numbers. This was definitively recognized by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) on September 30, 1983.

Russian Shepherd Pictures

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Physical features

His hair: long (10 to 15 cm) on the whole body, slightly wavy, thick and bushy. The outer coat is lined with an equally dense undercoat.
Its color: mainly white, but can also be white and yellow, grayish or any other shade of gray.
His head: rather elongated. The forehead is moderately broad, the stop not very pronounced, the nose large and black.
His ears: triangular in shape, small in relation to the body and hanging down.
His eyes: dark in color, oval in shape, arranged horizontally.
His body: the neck is lean, muscular and of moderate length, the withers visible without being high, the back straight and strong, the kidney wide and rounded, the chest flattened and deep, the belly slightly raised.
Its tail: covered with a long, coarse, thick and very thick hair.

Behavior and character

Behavior with others

The Russian Shepherd is a very active dog , rather nervous and lively . Dominant and independent , he is also alert, suspicious and even biting towards strangers. He is, above all, a herd and territory guard dog . The Russian Shepherd is considered hardy, lively, and devilishly effective at scaring foreigners away . With these, he can be even aggressive and biting . He is alert and acts as a perfect watchdog .

Thus, he protects his family like a herd, not letting intruders come too close. With his master, he shows a whole different face. That of a considerate, gentle, kind dog, endowed with great sensitivity . He did not hesitate even to show pot of glue by now. He loves caresses, even those of children.

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Education

The Russian Shepherd must be firmly educated from an early age. Otherwise, his naturally dominant and fairly stubborn behavior may gain the upper hand. His physical power and bite may also become difficult to control.

Its potency must therefore be controlled early. However, no question of educating him by violence, on the contrary. His master will have to show patience and gentleness to achieve his ends. It is also preferable to socialize him to reduce his distrust of strangers.

Living conditions

The Russian Shepherd is definitely not an apartment dog . Its large size, character, as well as its need for activity and space make it more suitable for living in a house with a large fenced garden . It is aimed at people with enough experience to be able to manage its personality and enough available to take it out several times a day .

Health

The Russian Shepherd is an extremely robust and resistant dog except for ear infections , due to his floppy ears. Its solid constitution and remarkably thick double coat allow it to withstand particularly difficult climatic conditions . The breed does not exhibit any predisposition to any disease , although its large size may put the risk of hip dysplasia at risk.

To protect yourself from these risks and insure your companion in the event of health problems, Woopets recommends a Russian Shepherd dog insurance .

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Life expectancy

Maintenance and hygiene

During its moult, the Russian Shepherd can lose large amounts of hair . Outside of this period, its maintenance is rather minimal, but it must be carried out regularly to avoid the inconvenience associated with its bushy dress (accumulation of dirt).

It is recommended to brush the dog once a week outside of the moulting period. During the latter, brushing becomes daily to rid its fur of the many dead hairs. For the rest, you must make sure to clean your ears from time to time to avoid any infection leading to an ear infection.

Price and budget

No name is currently proposed. Use our tool to find the name of your Russian Shepherd!

Food

The Russian Shepherd must swallow around 700 grams of high quality kibble per day. Robust and physical dog, its diet must be rich and balanced to avoid any possible deficiency.

Physical activity

The Russian Shepherd needs a lot of exercise to exercise and stay balanced. This is not the kind of dog who can be satisfied with a simple daily outing: he needs at least 2 long walks a day .

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