Caucasian shepherd female advice

M

mll

Member
Joined
16 November 2025
Messages
16
Visit site
I am an experienced owner of dogs having previously had a very energetic and demanding german shepherd, spanish shepherding dogs and spanish mastiffs. I have never owned a caucasian shepherd before but the opportunity has presented itself to adopt a 2 month old bitch.

She is a cross between a caucasian shepherd and a basque shepherd, I have a toddler and a baby and I wonder how the breed would be around children? I will be sure to socialise her from a puppy to be around lots of different people, I wonder if being a bitch she would be over protective of my little girls and wary of accepting people into our home, though if I socialise her well from a pup could this be corrected or is it innate with this breed?

Please give me specific information regarding your tips and first hand knowledge of socialistas and training this breed, your experience as owners of it, advice for integrating them into family with small kids and your typical daily schedule with one. Feeding requirements, stimulation, training, correcting, grooming, all. I want to ensure my home and family are prepared and educated on this breed to give her the lifestyle she deserves while also adapting well to my family
 
Hi, I have 2 livestock guardians at present and had several over the years, very short on time to reply properly, but this isn't the breed for everyone and they can be amazing, but you need to get it very right - and I don't mean by making the specific dog fit your life or correcting/changing it - you need to be prepared that you will need to make the lifestyle changes to set the dog up for success, specifically when its a rescue/ mix and you haven't got full knowledge of the dam & sire both sides...more so than with any other types of rustic land race breed. Please look up Caucasian Owczarka Rescue Uk.Run by Mark & Julie Giles, he is inundated with COs who it has gone wrong for and will be able to set you up with the info you have asked for I far better than I will in a quick post - he genuinely cares & does so much for this breed, when so many others are only interested in breeding them as big and aggressive as possible - simply for YouTube glory videos. Mark will also mentor you thru any issues before & while you navigate thru any difficulties. Please contact him as he honestly is the best source of honest advice you could wish for. he is very responsive on fb but please message me if you are stuck
 
SaharaS said:
Hi, I have 2 livestock guardians at present and had several over the years, very short on time to reply properly, but this isn't the breed for everyone and they can be amazing, but you need to get it very right - and I don't mean by making the specific dog fit your life or correcting/changing it - you need to be prepared that you will need to make the lifestyle changes to set the dog up for success, specifically when its a rescue/ mix and you haven't got full knowledge of the dam & sire both sides...more so than with any other types of rustic land race breed. Please look up Caucasian Owczarka Rescue Uk.Run by Mark & Julie Giles, he is inundated with COs who it has gone wrong for and will be able to set you up with the info you have asked for I far better than I will in a quick post - he genuinely cares & does so much for this breed, when so many others are only interested in breeding them as big and aggressive as possible - simply for YouTube glory videos. Mark will also mentor you thru any issues before & while you navigate thru any difficulties. Please contact him as he honestly is the best source of honest advice you could wish for. he is very responsive on fb but please message me if you are stuck
Click to expand...
Thank you very much for your input and recommendations, yes I 100% agree on my family adapting to and making changes for the dog not the other way around, many people get this wrong then blame the poor dog. Yes, in this case I'm being very cautious as I cannot trace her lineage. I suppose the advantage is that I'll have her from the very start so I can ensure I socialise her appropriately with the right training every step of the way. I have heard bitches of this breed can be slightly less territorial than males but I feel she could be extra protective of my girls and therefore even more wary around strangers...I will contact Mark and Julie Giles, thanks again
 
I'm Dun said:
Dont. Dont take on a dog like this when you dont know the breeding and temperament. Its a big ask to take on a well bred puppy of this type but an unknown cross breed when you have tiny children should be a hard no. These arent pet dogs. Training doesnt overcome genetics, and you dont know the genetics behind this dog.
Click to expand...
Thanks for your reply and input. I will clarify, I'll be able to meet the dam and sire when I visit next week, but beyond that I can't trace lineage. By all accounts the sire, the caucasian, is quite a gentleman and the dam your average basque shepherd, wary and aloof but warm once reassured. Of course I'd have to see for myself and even then it leaves a lot of grey area
 
mll said:
Thanks for your reply and input. I will clarify, I'll be able to meet the dam and sire when I visit next week, but beyond that I can't trace lineage. By all accounts the sire, the caucasian, is quite a gentleman and the dam your average basque shepherd, wary and aloof but warm once reassured. Of course I'd have to see for myself and even then it leaves a lot of grey area
Click to expand...

Still a hard no. My dogs mum is a sweet girl, does a bit of low key working, but fairly easy going. His dad is show line bred on paper. Hes an absolute machine. Utterly relentless. I've never met another one of his breed like him. When you look at his lines its obvious why, but seeing mum and dad youd have no idea. Both litters she had produced similar drivey dogs so hes not an exception.

Another question would be why have they been bred? It cant possibly be for the pet market, so they must have strong drives. Do you have an outlet for that drive? Can you cope with managing that drive with 2 young kids? I know I couldnt. Mine feels like a full time job sometimes and hes just a whippet and sleeps all blumming day and I've got no kids!
 
I'm Dun said:
Still a hard no. My dogs mum is a sweet girl, does a bit of low key working, but fairly easy going. His dad is show line bred on paper. Hes an absolute machine. Utterly relentless. I've never met another one of his breed like him. When you look at his lines its obvious why, but seeing mum and dad youd have no idea. Both litters she had produced similar drivey dogs so hes not an exception.

Another question would be why have they been bred? It cant possibly be for the pet market, so they must have strong drives. Do you have an outlet for that drive? Can you cope with managing that drive with 2 young kids? I know I couldnt. Mine feels like a full time job sometimes and hes just a whippet and sleeps all blumming day and I've got no kids!
Click to expand...
Yes, I do absolutely see where you're coming from and definitely want to get as many opinions and as much advice as possible before I would ever seriously consider taking her on. I wondered too why they were bred, I know many farmsteads round here in the mountains rely heavily on herders and various different types of mastiffs to defender livestock as it's very rural and isolated with pesky livestock predators. Not much that would require a caucasian shepherd though! I know the breed is popular as a guardian round here with russian expats.
 
I think even in capable hands, unless you live remotely they just don’t appear to cope - I just don’t think they are as evolved as many other guard breeds and even some of the other livestock guardian breeds, and as a result they generally seldom translate into life.

I know someone who bought one, albeit a bit naively/from a breeder who was a bit of a snake oil salesman. It’s the greatest liability I know. They aren’t what I’d describe as totally green as dog owners either. My favourite of its many Stephen King’esque moments was when it put through their entire bay window to get to a delivery driver.
 
Last edited:
P3LH said:
I think even in capable hands, unless you live remotely they just don’t appear to cope - I just don’t think they are as evolved as many other guardian breeds and even some of the other livestock guardian breeds, and as a result they generally seldom translate into life.

I know someone who bought one, albeit a bit naively/from a breeder who was a bit of a snake oil salesman. It’s the greatest liability I know. They aren’t what I’d describe as totally green as dog owners either. My favourite of its many Stephen King’esque moments was when it put through their entire bay window to get to a delivery driver.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your comment. Yes, that is the general impression I am getting of them now. I wondered how much of the stereotypical aggression and extreme territorial behaviour was due to bad breeding or irresponsable ownership but I see it is quite a common trait according to many.

Before making any kind of decision I wanted to ensure my home and family are prepared and educated on this breed to give her the lifestyle she deserves, above all to be responsable and ensure my family is the right environment for her. I have rehabilitated several 'difficult' dogs labelled impossible by shelters and owners so I have some general knowledge of how to approach more demanding breeds, but I'm aware of the sheer power and apparently stubborness a caucasian has and do not want to underestimate her nor overestimate my own abilities.
 
Tiddlypom said:
How do you prepare a toddler and a baby to cope with a ‘difficult’ breed of dog which might flip?

You don’t, you just don’t get a totally unsuitable breed of dog when you have a very young family. Unless you want to end up making headlines for all the wrong reasons.
Click to expand...
I agree. With preparation I was more referring to my home and myself as I would be the one doing the training, with outside specialist help when required of course. Of course a few exceptions can't be taken too seriously but I have seen examples of this breed seeming, by all accounts, a level headed and sensible guardian even with kids around. I wonder if anyone has any positive experiences either first hand or from others?

I would never make a choice based on the odd few success stories but I didn't want to write off the whole breed without asking first other people who have experience with them that I lack
 
I doubt it because these arent pet dogs so the few people that are daft enough to have them, are either totally clueless or have a specific job for them to do that only a dog like that can do.

I think you need to ask why you want one? Is it just because youve been offered one or were you actually looking for this type of dog?
 
I'm Dun said:
I doubt it because these arent pet dogs so the few people that are daft enough to have them, are either totally clueless or have a specific job for them to do that only a dog like that can do.

I think you need to ask why you want one? Is it just because youve been offered one or were you actually looking for this type of dog?
Click to expand...
I was mostly intrigued by a breed I didn't know much about, I've had several guardian and shepherd dogs and many large breeds, rotties, gsd, spanish mastiffs, dobermans and a malinois cross so I'm partial to large and protective breeds. I fully understand the caucasian shepherd is entirely in its own league and incomparable in terms of temperament and strength to any of my prior breeds.

I suppose I wanted to find out more about the dog from those who have actually had one, I certainly haven't gone in with the idea to accept her as I wasn't looking specifically for this breed. It’s a case of her being offered to me and me simple investigating the breed before making any kind of choice
 
I quite genuinely cannot begin to imagine, (knowing just how much time,effort,work and sheer physical slog for months it takes to bring up a puppy of any sort of working bloodlines,) how on earth anyone could fit in two small children as well.!
Though I did once have someone turn up to view a pup with the children in the care of their governess!
 
The difference between most of the dogs you mention (and I spend my weekends working with GSDs, Malinois and Doberman) is that as a generalisation, they have been bred for many generations to work WITH humans and to fit into the average family home and take part in many different activities to that which they were orginally bred for.
The livestock guardian breeds have not. You say these are farm dogs.
If I wanted a nice balanced family pet to live in my house with two kids, I'd pick something else, with little to no prey drive.
With kids involved, it's too much of a risk for me to do the round peg/square hole thing.
 
Littlest Hobo said:
I quite genuinely cannot begin to imagine, (knowing just how much time,effort,work and sheer physical slog for months it takes to bring up a puppy of any sort of working bloodlines,) how on earth anyone could fit in two small children as well.!
Though I did once have someone turn up to view a pup with the children in the care of their governess!
Click to expand...
Wouldn't mind the idea of a governess sometimes! Haha. Yes, it's a lot of hard work and sacrifice. I've always raised dogs and horses so I suppose it's just part of my life, but I'm approaching the idea of a caucasian shepherd with extreme caution as it's unknown territory and I prioritise safety first
 
CorvusCorax said:
The difference between most of the dogs you mention (and I spend my weekends working with GSDs, Malinois and Doberman) is that as a generalisation, they have been bred for many generations to work WITH humans and to fit into the average family home and take part in many different activities to that which they were orginally bred for.
The livestock guardian breeds have not. You say these are farm dogs.
If I wanted a nice balanced family pet to live in my house with two kids, I'd pick something else, with little to no prey drive.
With kids involved, it's too much of a risk for me to do the round peg/square hole thing.
Click to expand...
Yes, you've got a very good point. In my experience the only thing in some way comparable has been the spanish mastiff, which is a guardian not a herding dog and therefore in my experience stubborn, aloof, makes her own choices and fairly resistant to training unlike the herders. Although physically I'm aware the caucasian is far more dangerous and from what I can tell, more fearless, serious, independent and intense. I know the limits of a mastiff, but perhaps not those of the caucasian which seems more driven by its own judgement and decisions
 
skinnydipper said:
I have to say that Ovcharkas are not a breed that I'm fond of and do my best to avoid.

Probably better suited to their role as Russian prison guard dog than family pet.
Click to expand...
You may be right. Not knowing much about them I had hoped to hear of some more neutral opinions but I see their reputation seems backed up by real life examples. Can I ask, have you had any negative encounters with one or have you personally seen them being aggressive and hostile? Thanks
 
Yes, that is the stereotype I've seen but I wondered if it was often amped up for the cameras, and the dogs deliberately kept in hostile conditions, probably a bit hungry, and unsocialised to be as fearsome and aggressive as possible towards prisoners. I doubt the handlers bother to keep them comfortable or consider their wellbeing so I wondered how the breed would be when kept in a more suitable environment
 
mll said:
You may be right. Not knowing much about them I had hoped to hear of some more neutral opinions but I see their reputation seems backed up by real life examples. Can I ask, have you had any negative encounters with one or have you personally seen them being aggressive and hostile? Thanks
Click to expand...

I used to sometimes see a chap walking his when I was out with my dogs. When I saw him I got out of Dodge pdq.
 
mll said:
Yes, that is the stereotype I've seen but I wondered if it was often amped up for the cameras, and the dogs deliberately kept in hostile conditions, probably a bit hungry, and unsocialised to be as fearsome and aggressive as possible towards prisoners. I doubt the handlers bother to keep them comfortable or consider their wellbeing so I wondered how the breed would be when kept in a more suitable environment
Click to expand...

Why take the risk?
 
skinnydipper said:
Why take the risk?
Click to expand...
I agree. I'm still not seriously considering her, just wanted info really. So many people are terrified of Rotties, I've always had very polite and quiet ones, worked hard at it of course, and I wondered if the reputation of the Ovcharka was justified or exaggeration
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top