Health Issues for LGDs

[CocoNUT]

Ok...I'm definitely NOT an expert on shars...but I do have one! They are more prone to hip issues that's for sure. Also, like heartworm and other environmental issues, be aware of TICK-BORNE diseases! We had issues with that this past summer and it was expensive to finally diagnose her. Also, in dealing with the more "exotic/rare" breed LGD (shar being one of them) be prepared for vet staff to NOT be familiar with the traits/characteristics fo the breed and they will often GOOGLE the breed prior to treatment! So KNOW your animal!

When Gus had gone lame (due to some tick-borne disease...eventhough she'd been treated with anti-flea/tick treatments), the vet at the specialist office ACCUSED me of STARVING Gus...she was too 'skinny' she said. I got pretty forceful with her about her "knowlege" of the breed and she admited she new NOTHING about it...had NEVER seen one....everything she knew was from google...etc. I was LIVID! (& I told her what I thought of her accusations!) Gus was (& still is) growing. She was going through the "looooong" torso stage. That pissed me off! So be preapared for IGNORANCE! Some guy at the local pet store thought she was a german sheppard....REALLY?! OMG!

Other than the tick thing this past summer - Gus is a healthy dog! Her 'soundness' amazes me constantly! Again, I was repeatedly told to ensure she grows steady and slow...to ensure her joints have the time to adjust to her size. There is a disease I had posted about this summer that larger dogs CAN suffer from (like Weimeraners) that's caused by the bones growing faster than the joints - VERY painful.

Grazer - the Caucasian Ovcharka was featured in a "Russian Prisons" episode of Nat Geo. The soviets bred/breed and use/d them to guard prisons as they are bred to be extremely large and aggressive. I've seen some recent YouTube video of "caucasian" dogs being trained...and just in general. They're obviously being bred to be HUGE and aggressive. Most of them have the same coloring as Gus (black and tan) but are VERY furry. Some even make Chow's look hairless. I'm sure those are the dogs of which you're speaking. While I like the look of the Caucasian...they are a significantly larger dog with more aggressive tendencies. VERY powerful. I'm sure they have hip/joint issues if they're not bred well or are allowed to grow too fast.

And while GPs are GORGEOUS, fluffy balls of love...I'm still partial to my Shar. Gus is AWESOME...and I LOVE watching her grow/work. (Heck...I got a herder AND an LGD all wrapped into one dog!) And the bark....wow!

 

[Grazer]

Yes those are the dogs I was speaking of.
They are not supposed to be really huge even though there is no maximum height or weight in their breed standard.
For males it's preferred to be between 29 and 32 inches tall at withers and for females 27-28 inches.
Their weight should be in proportion to the height, giving a balanced, imposing appearance. This breed is supposed to be agile and long living, something too many Caucasian shepherd breeders seem to forget.
Originally a livestock guardian breed, they are now mostly used as property/family guardians. Because of their inborn instinct to be distrusting and protective (even downright aggressive on their own property) towards strangers.

Although dark or solid colored dogs are preferred in this breed, the breed standard allows almost any color except for solid black or brown, blue, solid black and tan or a dog with a dark undercoat.
The long haired Caucasian Ovcharka are more popular, even though the standard allows short and intermediate coat in this breed.

This is for instance a short haired Caucasian Shepherd dog:

Owned by the kennel Hranitel Gor.

 

[CocoNUT]

Yeah...I figured you were talking about those dogs. I swear, some of them were so big - as puppies - they seemed FAKE. I can't remember the kennel name of that video...but the dogs didn't seem like they'd be a good 'family' dog!

There was one video of this guy in protective gear with the dog going at him...while some old lady was smoking (about 10 feet away) on the front porch! I like guardian type dogs...but that was kinda too much. All that fiddling will end up hurting the dogs/breed in the long run unfortunately. The wrong people will get their hands on them and that'll be it.

 

[Straw Hat Kikos]

CocoNUT - It's the same with Anatolians in a way too. Most have not heard of them and the ones that have have either not seen or worked or done anything with them. They are a "rare" breed of LGD too.

 

[Southern by choice]

The Tibetan Mastiff can really vary in size coat and structure.

It was recognized here in the states by the well known @&* (dog club) whose name I will not mention. Prior to that they were only recognized by Rare Breed clubs. I think the change of being "recognized" has harmed this breed as well as pretty much every other breed that becomes recognized. Breeders have now "come up" with a so called standard. If you look at Tibetan Mastiffs from all over the world you will see something very different.

They are wonderful dogs, being large, HD can be a problem, some eye issues, and sometimes Thyroid issues. I am not aware of any breeders (personally) that uses them for LGD's. More family guardians.

Having had the privilege of being around TM's many years ago I have to say they are wonderful, serious, discerning, laid back yet powerful in a second. I would not hesitate to have one of these dogs.

 

[Southern by choice]

We've had titled dogs, show dogs, working dogs, health tested dogs, and one thing I will stick to is to me health testing is worthless without a dog being proven & worked.

What kind of dogs?

 

[Grazer]

Yeah...I figured you were talking about those dogs. I swear, some of them were so big - as puppies - they seemed FAKE. I can't remember the kennel name of that video...but the dogs didn't seem like they'd be a good 'family' dog!

There was one video of this guy in protective gear with the dog going at him...while some old lady was smoking (about 10 feet away) on the front porch! I like guardian type dogs...but that was kinda too much. All that fiddling will end up hurting the dogs/breed in the long run unfortunately. The wrong people will get their hands on them and that'll be it.

That's very true, breeding them for size and looks may really ruin Caucasian shepherds one day.
I can only hope that never happens and luckily there are still ethical breeders out there, trying to preserve them.

This breed has always been famous for their natural ability (meaning without having to be trained for it first) to protect whatever they were guarding.
They are not a family dog in the traditional sense of the word.
Even when their owner is present, some Caucasian shepherds that have been properly socialized while growing up, will still not tolerate any guests on their turf.

Our male has never liked strangers visiting.
And interestingly enough even though he listens to both my husband and me equally, he'll only tolerate people he doesn't know visiting if my husband is around.
It's like he feels he needs to be more protective if it's just me at home.
But there are Caucasian shepherds out there that I've known who were far more extreme than our male.

Our female is still quite friendly because she's only 8 months old. Females of this breed are somewhat less aggressive towards strangers in general anyway.
This breed will protect anything that is put under their care, but like you said the way they do it might be too much for a lot of people.
With their background as both a livestock and military guardian dogs, they make wonderful dogs for experienced owners with a good fence looking for a dog that will guard both them and their animals.


@ Southern by choice
I agree and I think what has also harmed the Tibetan Mastiff's is them becoming a status symbol in China over night.
With studs from exclusive lines going for up to $1.5 million...
It's interesting how with all these landrace LGD breeds, once they become recognized by for instance FCI, 1 type becomes fashionable and all other sub-types are practically disregarded.
There are not that many kennels and owners that use them as LGD's anymore unfortunately. I think Kristina Sherling, the kennel Liongate and a few others are some of the handful breeders in U.S. that uses Tibetan Mastiff's as LGD's.

When a working breed all of a sudden gets selected mainly for their looks and not their temperament, their working ability and their health....things then go downhill very quickly.
I understand a lot of people love to show, but there has to be a balance and LGD breeders should do their very best to preserve their breeds.
Otherwise we'll have yet another huge and fluffy pet breed (no offense to breeds out there that are only being bred to be big, fluffy companion animals ), which is very unfair to all the people out there looking for a working LGD.

 

[Southern by choice]

I sent a pm to the person who e-mailed me. Hope it finds you.

 

[CocoNUT]

@ Straw - the "specialist" vet had only seen Anatolians! Apparently, they're the 'breed du jour' in the risty area that practice is located. I doubt the people in that area use them as LGDs though...maybe a few. In that area, most things - like cars, purses, animals - are all status symbols.

@ Grazer - Gus is pretty friendly too...but she listens to my husband better than to me! It kinda irks me as I spend WAAAAY more time with her, play with her, 'train' her, and FEED her! I guess my voice isn't "commanding" enough! I think your male is just more protective of you cause you're EXTRA SPECIAL! Gus is super friendly...especially with children...OFF property. Haven't really had any issues with anyone trying to come onto our property, into HER territory! But she 'guards' against the school bus, any car driving down the road, the singing going on at the church up the road....!

I'd LOVE a HUGE, Fluffy lap dog! Thankfully I recognize how BORED Gus would be inside all day!

 

[Straw Hat Kikos]

@Coco

Well that makes sense. Anatolians being the best, most important, smartest....well you know. Just the best. lol