Central Asian Shepherd Dog (Alabai)

The Alabai, also referred to as the Central Asian Shepherd Dog, is a wonderful breed with a lengthy history. These dogs, who came from the vast steppes of Central Asia, were bred for their remarkable loyalty and guarding abilities. For generations, they have been the dependable and trustworthy friends of shepherds, keeping livestock safe from harm and guarding homes and families.

The Alabai’s formidable strength and size are among their most remarkable characteristics. These dogs are strong and have a thick coat that keeps them warm in inclement weather. Their majestic yet menacing appearance makes them excellent security canines. Alabais are renowned for their intelligence and strong instincts, but they are more than just physically strong people.

Characteristics of the breed

A strong bond with family

Stance toward minors

Stance toward outsiders

Trainability

Origin of the Alabai breed

Among the few breeds that were not created through artificial breeding is the alabai. Natural selection produced the Central Asian Shepherd Dog from the canines of the nomadic peoples of China, Afghanistan, and the Southern Urals. The breed’s blood contains genes from Tibetan mastiffs and Mesopotamian fighting dog breeds.

There is a unique perspective on the breed in Turkmenistan. Alabai is a name only given to purebred dogs with a stellar pedigree. Exporting Turkmen Alabai is forbidden since it is regarded as national property. The breed’s name translates to "rich and colorful" in Turkic.

In the latter part of the 1930s, alabai was introduced to the former USSR. The breed was intended to serve as a service dog and protect significant state buildings. However, this notion had to be dropped because of the dog’s unstable mentality and the difficulty of training it.

See what breeds of guards are available here.

The exceptional Central Asian Shepherd Dog, sometimes referred to as the Alabai, is renowned for its fidelity, power, and protective tendencies. These dogs, who were originally bred to protect livestock in hostile environments, make loving family companions in addition to being fearsome guardians. For owners, they present a challenge as well as an enjoyment due to their special fusion of intelligence and independence. Being aware of their needs and traits is essential to building a solid relationship with this amazing breed.

Description of the Central Asian Shepherd Dog

Shepherd dogs have historically been used by nomadic peoples to protect sizable herds. A whole pack of wolves can be easily handled by two large Alabai dogs, who will come out on top in the fight. The dog has a deadly grip, is fearless, and is tough.

The breed is suited to protect the personal belongings of its owner. It can handle any unexpected visitors and won’t back down from applause or gunfire. The dog knows how to conserve energy and keep an eye on the adversary when engaging in combat. There are guardian and fighting qualities in everything. An Alabai dog can easily bite a different dog or cat while out for a walk. It thus requires a responsible owner who can maintain control over the dog. The breed can become a terrible weapon in the hands of incompetents.

Wolfhounds are employed as pasture guard dogs in Turkmenistan.

Breed standard (appearance)

There was only one standard for Turkmen Alabai and Central Asian Shepherd Dogs until 1990. However, Turkmenistan established a unique standard specifically for their wolfhounds. Turkmen dogs are thought to be the most purebred canines worldwide, and they are not allowed to be exported. The 1993 document that established the global standards for Central Asian Shepherd Dogs remained in effect until the end of 2010. The new guidelines are more relaxed. They have the approval of FCI, a global organization.

The following standards are met by the traits of the Central Asian Shepherd Dog breed:

• Body type. Large, muscular, with strong and developed bones.
• Chest. Developed, wide.
• Back. Straight, but not narrow. The lumbar region is wide and shortened. A slight high back is allowed.
• Belly. Tucked up, small.
• Neck. Short, thick and muscular.
• Head. Wide and large, with a massive skull.
• Forehead. Wide, flat. The transition from the forehead to the muzzle is not sharply defined.
• Nose. Straight, wide, with a large black or brown lobe.
• Eyes. Round, set wide apart. Dark colored pupils.
• Bite. Standard scissor bite. Fangs are powerful and sharp.
• Cheeks. Fleshy, without drooping flews, fit tightly to the teeth.
• Paws. Straight, developed, long and muscular. The angle of the articulation of the hind legs is average. Toes and pads are powerful, developed with strong claws.
• Ears. Triangular, small in size. In some countries they are docked, but according to the standard, uncut, with hanging ends are allowed.
• Tail. Low-set, thick, saber-shaped. Docked to the 3rd vertebra. Under the new standard, an uncut tail is allowed.
• Coat. There are two types of wool in the Central Asian Shepherd: short – 3-4 cm and medium – 7-8 cm. The outer coat is thick, hard, tightly fitting the body. There is a thick and soft undercoat, which creates a protective layer from wind, frost and rain.
• Color. Any color of the Alabai is allowed: gray, brown, white, spotted, brindle, speckled, tan and solid, red, sandy. Colors to be rejected: blue, liver and chocolate.
• Size. At the withers, a male reaches 65-70 cm, a female is slightly smaller and will grow to 62-65 cm.
• Weight of an adult Central Asian Shepherd Dog from 40 to 80 kg. Depends on the sex and athletic form of the dog.

Breed character

The Alabai dog is known for its bravery and tenacity. The breed’s notable characteristics are as follows:

1. Attachment to its owner. The dog trusts only members of its family, only relatives are treated without aggression.
2. Loves children, but only its own. Can bite and even maim other people"s children.
3. Does not trust strangers and shows aggression.
4. Excellent in protecting its territory from uninvited guests.
5. Does not like other animals and can easily strangle a cat or crush a small dog.
6. Poorly amenable to training, since protective instincts prevail.
7. Needs early socialization, otherwise it turns into an aggressive dog that even the owner cannot cope with.
8. A hardy dog ​​that is suitable for keeping in an aviary or on a leash.
9. Not suitable for apartment keeping due to their large size and wayward nature.
10. The dog is decisive and capable of making decisions independently. This interferes with training.
11. Needs daily walking.
12. A psychologically unstable breed, and without education and constant attention from the owner, falls into depression, which manifests itself in aggression towards everyone around.
13. The dog loves walking without a leash, in the summer he enjoys swimming in open water.
14. A playful dog and is able to perform complex sports tasks until old age.

The dog is tough and canine; if not properly trained, it will become unmanageable. The animal can only be managed by a skilled breeder who is willing to dedicate the majority of his leisure time to his alabai and who will establish genuine authority over him. It is not acceptable to be soft or compliant; the dog will detect this right away and you will lose control over him.

Care and maintenance of an alabai

A large dog should ideally be kept in a closed space with a designated walking area. However, the dog needs to go for a daily walk. The dog does not freeze in the lowest temperatures because it has a thick undercoat.

Crucial! Since the Alabai enjoys digging holes and can leap even the tallest fences with ease, the dog is also fastened to a lengthy rope that is extended around the entire boundary of the enclosed space.

Water and food bowls are situated in a different area. All year long, the Alabai ought to have access to clean water. The water freezes in the winter, so the bowl needs to be changed multiple times a day. A bowl made of any material other than metal is installed at below-freezing temperatures.

Because this breed sheds a lot, the undercoat of the dog is brushed out every two days using a metal brush. Every two to three days, debris, mucus, and secretions are removed from the ears and eyes by wiping them. Cleaning the ears with a cotton pad or gauze napkin that has been moistened with a boric alcohol or hydrogen peroxide solution is more practical.

Following any fight, the dog is inspected for injuries. Wounds are lubricated with fucorcin and cleaned with hydrogen peroxide or a weak potassium permanganate solution.

Diseases and prevention

Because the breed evolved naturally, unaided by humans, the dog has a robust immune system. The Central Asian Shepherd is typically susceptible to illnesses for up to a year. The puppy receives vaccinations against enteritis, hepatitis, and the plague as a preventative measure. The complex medication Nobivac Diluent, produced by Intervet International B in the Netherlands, works well for immunization. V.

Central Asian Shepherds can live up to 10 or 11 years on average. Eight years later, the animal exhibits pathologies:

• Discopathy of the intervertebral discs, joints of the paws. Vitamin complexes with chondroxide are used as a preventive measure: Radostin, Kostochka. When the first signs appear, a chondroprotector and painkiller are prescribed.
• Allergic reaction to some types of food.

The Alabai is resistant to disease and adapts well to climatic changes when given the right care and maintenance.

Training the Central Asian Shepherd

Working qualities are innate in pets, so it’s critical to instill them in them from a young age. When a puppy develops guard traits at a young age, cowardly and weak dogs that are unable to repel the enemy are rejected and are not allowed to compete in shows.

By three years, a dog has fully developed both physically and psychologically. The owner needs to acclimate the dog to obedience before this time. The Alabai will attempt to lead during the training phase, but any signs of aggression toward him must be sternly suppressed by the owner.

The puppy receives basic training in OKD (open-ended dog diet). The Alabai will pick up skills such as walking beside you, sitting, lying down, and mindlessly obeying "no" and "come to me" during training. The dog goes through another ZKS (protective and guard service) course by the time it turns one year old. In many nations, wolfhound fights are held after training to test the dog’s fearlessness and working abilities.

Feeding

The Alabai doesn’t require a lot of food, even with its impressive size. An adult dog consumes food no more than three to four liters, one meal per day, on average.

A dog fed only natural foods should consume the following items:

• lean meat: beef, veal, rabbit, elk;
• offal: tripe, tails, ears, liver, kidneys, lungs. Pork offal is not suitable, as it contains hidden fats;
• dairy products: cottage cheese, kefir, fermented baked milk;
• boneless seafood;
• cereals: buckwheat, rice, corn;
• vegetables, except starchy ones and onions.

It is not permitted to feed smoked foods, baked goods made with wheat flour, or hot and spicy semi-finished products to your pet.

After a month and a half, the puppy is ripped from the bitch’s chest. Puppies should be fed milk formula porridge for the first three months of their lives, then gradually move on to liquid soups made with beef broth. Feed the puppy 300–500 ml portions every 3–4 hours.

The puppy switches to three meals a day by the time it is six months old. The meal is enhanced with vegetables and offal. Depending on the puppy’s size, the serving size starts at 1.5 l. The dog transitions to two meals a day at eight months old.

Feeding a large dog "dry" food is safer and easier. Alabai is suited for dry food: ProNature 22 Classic Recipe Lamb& Rice Formula; Royal Canin Giant Adult; ABBA Premium Large Adult; Pro Plan Adult Large Robust.

Dogs fed natural food are given additional vitamins in their diet: Biorhythm for large dogs, Unitabs Brewers Complex with Q10, 8-in-1 EU Excel Calcium XL, and Unitabs Brevers Complex.

Photo

The Central Asian Shepherd’s natural color is shown in the picture as white. For three months, puppies of this color resemble polar bears.

The largest alabai in the world, which resides in the Stavropol Territory, is shown in the picture. He goes by Bulldozer.

The size of the Turkmen alabai is astounding. However, this large dog will make a dependable guard with the right training.

Owner reviews

Alexander: "Inexperienced dog breeders should not attempt this breed. The wolfhound is a powerful dog with a deep personality. A dog that is out of control will not submit to a feeble owner and will run amok. A dog that is out of control will never be able to escape; it will be forced to spend its entire life on a chain.

Important: "Will keep any large predators away from the herd. Jackals and wolves are terrified to approach at all. This breed is born with a death grip and a broad chest. This dog has no equal opponents in a fight.

Olga: "Don’t expect the alabai to become a happy, well-mannered dog who will play well with kids." This working guard breed requires early socialization in order to develop into a trustworthy guard.

Price of a puppy

An official nursery is where you can purchase a purebred puppy. Puppies are more reasonably priced and available at markets and in ads, but a dog without a pedigree cannot be shown in exhibitions. Furthermore, only a skilled expert can identify whether a puppy at the market is a wolfhound.

The average cost is 7,500 UAH in Ukraine and 12,000 rubles in Russia.

Breed Name	Central Asian Shepherd Dog (Alabai)
Origin	Central Asia
Size	Large
Weight	100-140 lbs
Temperament	Loyal, protective, and independent
Life Span	10-12 years
Coat Type	Thick and dense
Exercise Needs	Moderate to high
Good With Kids	Yes, with proper training

The Alabai, also known as the Central Asian Shepherd Dog, is a truly amazing breed. These dogs, who are renowned for their tenacity and strength, have a long history of serving as protectors and guardians. They have spent centuries with wandering shepherds, exhibiting not only their physical strength but also their intelligence and flexibility.

The Alabai’s strong protective instinct is one of their most distinctive characteristics. They are therefore great protectors of both families and animals. But it also means that they need to be socialized and trained appropriately from an early age. They are capable of developing into obedient, loving companions given the proper training.

It’s crucial to keep in mind that alabais do best in settings where they have room to move around and exercise. They thrive in homes with a yard and are not well adapted to apartment living. Because of their independence, they also get along well with owners who recognize and value their needs.

The Central Asian Shepherd Dog is, in essence, more than just a companion and a guardian. They can create strong, enduring relationships that improve both their owners’ and their own lives, provided they are prepared to put in the necessary time and effort. If you’re thinking about bringing an Alabai into your house, get ready for a loving and devoted journey.

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