Proactive Guard Dogs Take On All Predators

Proactive Guard Dogs Take On All Predators FARM HOME Miscellaneous According to Katerina Rekowski her Central Asian Shepherd Dogs CASD don’t wait for predators to attack They take the fight to them Rekowski has been raising the multi-purpose guard dogs also known as Alabai since she was a young girl in Russia Now she is promoting the breed in North America “They are the toughest guardians ” says Rekowski “While other guard dogs bark at a predator or intruder the Central Asian Sheherd Dog will attack It is known as a wolf killer in the central territory of Russia ” The American Kennel Club AKC describes the CASD as being created by the climate and culture of Central Asia over the past 5 000 years They’re thought to be one of the oldest known breed of dogs in existence The AKC describes them as independent courageous self-confident and fearless toward large predators They are territorial guardians bred to guard people and their possessions Rekowski agrees “They are a real working breed with the ability to do their job guarding whether it is you your property your house family animals or poultry ” says Rekowski “At the same time they can be good show dogs ” Rekowski saw her first CASDs when she was 8 years old and within a few years had one of her own When she emigrated to the U S about 11 years ago she began visiting breeders “I wasn’t happy with what I saw ” she says The breed was first introduced in the U S in the early 1990’s However initial enthusiasm for the breed sagged Rekowski has been told that crossbreeding with Great Pyrenees and other large breeds took place Rekowski returned to Russia to secure a line of purebred CASDs “Now the breed is gaining in popularity and there is renewed interest in purebreds ” she says “Before buying a dog familiarize yourself with the bloodlines study the pedigree and look at littermates They should all exhibit the same breed characteristics ” No official breed organization exists in the U S but standardization is recognized in Russia This includes large stature; moderately long robust muscular body but not with visible muscles Males are more massive than females Head shape is close to rectangular seen from above and the side Temperament and sociability are important with dogs bred to be aggressive While some livestock guard dog breeders warn against socializing the animals with people Rekowski advises the opposite “They may spend their nights in the barn with the animals but they need to spend time with people too ” she says Prices vary from $300 up to thousands of dollars Rekowski notes that lower priced dogs are likely crossbred “If an animal is of good lineage and genetically tested for elbow and hip health you are looking at something over $2 000 ” she says “My puppies are priced at $3 000 each with a discount for multiples ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Central Asian Shepherd Dog - Guardian Dog New Haven Mich 48048 ph 513 602-8869; dogtrainermi@gmail com; www guardiandog net

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