The South Russian Ovtcharka is one of the three Ovcharka breeds with their origins in Russia. Their origins are directly connected to the transhumance, the moving of the sheep flocks to the high lands during the summer and to the lower valleys in winter. There was a need for a strong dog with the main quality to take on any predators, from wolves to bears, being more of guard dog rather than a herd dog - and so this sturdy fella came to be.
By the late 17th century, the Falz-Fein family, who was the owner of the largest “sheep colony” in Russia, by the name of Askania Nova, were controlling the breeding of this dog. By the 1850s, the breed was well established and widespread, with over 2000 recorded dogs working to protect flocks of sheep. Due to the diminished number of sheep flocks, the disappearing of wolves and the Russian Revolution, the breed soon faced extinction. Thanks to a biologist by the name of A.Brauner, the breed was once again resurrected.
The South Russian Ovtcharka is a very large dog, with a very strong, well-developed musculature and a massive bone structure to support all this muscle mass. Their height is minimum 25 inches in males and 24 inches in females. They weigh around 108-110 lbs when fully grown.
The thick, coarse and dense overcoat, similar to a goats hair, is about 4 to 6 inches in and has the same length all over their body. The undercoat is very furry to help them withstand the harsh mountain weather conditions. To keep the shedding under control, it is recommended to brush their coat once a week or more.
The best part about their coat, an adaptation to the outdoor environment, is that it's self cleaning. Even in wet weather and a dirty environment, their coat will be bright white when it dries. The color of the coat is, in general white, but different combinations are acceptable, white and yellow, ashen gray and other shades of gray, straw color, white with light marks of grey, etc.
To have a healthy Ovtcharka, it is very important to pay attention to nutrition in the different stages of growth. Too much protein or calcium can make them grow too quickly in size, this can result in a weaker bone structure. The Same thing applies with exercising. When they are 10 weeks old, they should be walked for no longer than 10 minutes at a time, when they're 20 weeks old, 20 minutes. After 6 months they can take longer walks.
This breed needs a strong leader as an owner, who must be firm, confident and consistent. They are territorial and possessive to a fault. Their territory includes the area that they can cover and can mark (by scent) to call it their own. Their possessions include not only the flock but the human family as well. They are not very demanding, but they need a strong minded owner. Early socialization is necessary as they tend to have a dominant reaction with strange people and other dogs. As you can imagine, the South Russian Ovtcharka needs to be in the great outdoors - apartment life would not be recommended.
