FCI
1976 CENTRAL ASIAN SHEPHERD DOG [Sredneasiastskaia
Ovtcharka] F.C.I. Standard No 335 dated 17/05/93
Adopted in Australia May 1996. Translation amendment May
1997. Translated by: by Mrs Peggy Davis into English, and
by Mme Alain, Professor at the University of Lille III
assisted by Mr R. Triquet into French from the original
Russian. Compiled by Mrs Ann Mitchell, A.N.K.C. Breed
Standards Co-Ordinator from both versions and with
reference to the German. Please Note: Words contained in
brackets (........) are as in the Davis translation. Words
contained in square brackets [....], are alternative
translations or explanations.
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Russia
BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY: The shepherd dogs of Central
Asia are dogs of above average height and of great size;
of a coarse conformation; strong; bold; distrustful of
strangers [must be amenable to handling]; not demanding;
who adapt easily to different climatic conditions. All
these qualities allow the shepherd dog of Central Asia to
be used widely in the different regions of the country.
The main regions where the Central Asian Shepherd dogs
have penetrated are the republics of Central Asia and the
regions surrounding them.
GENERAL APPEARANCE: Of a coarse conformation, with massive
bone structure and powerful muscles. One often finds dogs
of this breed with a tendency to looseness [soft; flabby].
The thick skin, with well developed and sufficiently
elastic sub-cutaneous tissue, often forms folds in the
region of the neck. Indication of Size [Proportions] The
male is square to just slightly long, and the female is
slightly longer - height to length ratio. Sexual
Characteristics: Accentuated. The males are more
masculine, stronger and more massive than the females. The
sexual differences are clearly marked.
CHARACTERISTICS: [Not specified - See General Appearance
and Temperament]
TEMPERAMENT: Type of very great activity [industrious;
willingness to work], calm and balanced. The predominant
reaction is of active defence.
HEAD AND SKULL: Massive, broad skull with well developed
zygomatic arches. Flat forehead, slight stop. The muzzle
is slightly shorter than the length of the skull; wide
between the eyes, hardly narrowing at all towards the
nose. Seen from the front and from above, the muzzle
appears rectangular, whereas in profile it has a truncated
[blunt] shape with a heavy [thick] upper lip which hangs
at the corners. The nose is strong and black. In light
coloured dogs a brown [liver] nose is allowed. EYES: Dark,
wide apart, round, set straight. EARS: Small, pendant, set
low, triangular MOUTH: Teeth white, strong, fittingly
tightly. The incisors are set with their base in a
straight line. Scissor bite. NECK - Short, muscular,
carried low, forming an angle of about 30 to 40 degrees
with the line of the back. FOREQUARTERS: Seen from the
front, straight and parallel. The length of the leg, from
the ground up to the elbows is slightly greater than half
the height at the withers. The angle formed by the
scapular and humerus [shoulder blade and upper arm] is
about 100 degrees. The forearm is straight, massive and
long. Pasterns short, broad, strong and upright. BODY:
Withers: High, well defined especially in the males. The
height at the withers is 1 or 2 cm higher than the height
of the croup. Chest: Wide, deep, with rounded ribs. The
lower line of the chest is level with or lower than the
elbows. Abdomen [Belly]: moderately tucked up Back:
Strong, straight, broad. Loin: Short, broad, slightly
rounded. Croup: Broad, muscular, almost level.
HINDQUARTERS: Set parallel; moderate angulation of stifle
and hock joint. Short second thighs. Metatarsals [Rear
pasterns]: Thick and perpendicular. FEET: (Front and Hind)
- Strong, oval, compact. TAIL: Set high,; sickle-shaped;
hanging down, reaches to the hock joint. Preferably docked
short. GAIT/MOVEMENT: The heavy, short striding trot and
the gallop are the most characteristic gaits of this breed
of dog. At the trot, the legs must move in a straight
line, with a certain coming together of the forelegs
towards a median [centre; tend to single track] line.
COAT: Coarse hair, straight with well developed undercoat.
The hair is short and flat against the skin on the head
and on the front of the legs. The dogs are described
according to the length of their coat: (a) Long-haired (7
- 8 cm) on the back and body, particularly on the ears,
the neck, the back of the fore and hind legs, and on the
tail.. (b) Short-haired (3 - 5 cm) and smooth. COLOUR:
White, black, grey, straw coloured, russet (reddish
brown), grey/brown, brindle, parti-coloured and flecked.
SIZE: Height at the withers: Males not less than 65 cm;
Females not less than 60 cm
FAULTS: General Appearance: Obesity. Slight deviation from
the indicated size. Temperament: Lack of courage, nervous.
Head & Skull: Small head, very prominent zygomatic arches;
domed forehead; pronounced stop; prominent eyebrows; short
or long muzzle; wrinkled skin on head. Ears: High set
ears. Eyes: Light eyes or set obliquely; lids drooping;
white fleck on the eye. Mouth: Teeth worn
disproportionately to the age of the dog; broken teeth
which do not spoil [deform] the bite. Missing more than
two P1's or one P1 and one P2. Slight yellowing of the
teeth. Neck: Long neck with insufficient muscle.
Pronounced dewlap. Forequarters: Slight variation of the
shoulder angulation. Slightly soft pasterns. Body - Chest:
Flattened, somewhat slight [weedy]. Abdomen too tucked up
(as in a greyhound), or drooping (voluminous). Withers:
Low, not sufficiently prominent from the backline. Back:
Soft or arched [roached]. Loin: Stretched [slightly long],
straight or too rounded. Croup: slightly sloping.
Hindquarters: Slight deviation from hip to foot being in a
straight line and parallel to each other. Hock joints
slightly close. Hind angulation slightly straight. Feet:
Splayed, long, flat. Toeing slightly in or out. Movement:
Slight deviation in relation to normal gaits.
SERIOUS FAULTS: General Appearance: Weak constitution.
rickety; muscular weakness. Great deviation from the
indicated size. Feminine males. Monorchids; cryptorchids.
Temperament: Too liable to anger [irritability];
cowardice. Head & Skull: Narrow head; weak, snipy
[pointed] or turned-up nose. Mouth: Small teeth; sparse
teeth. Irregularly placed incisors. All deviations from
the normal scissor bite. Missing one incisor or one
canine. Missing a third or fourth premolar or one molar.
Teeth with badly damaged enamel. Forequarters: Straight
shoulders or too closed [forming too small an angle with
the upper arm]. Deformed leg bones. Soft pasterns. Body -
Chest: Flat, narrow, small, insufficiently developed.
Back: Sway back or humped. Loin: Long, narrow or hollow.
Croup: Narrow, short, steep, very high. Hindquarters:
Definite deviation from hip to foot being in a straight
line and parallel to each other. Bowed legs. Hind
angulation excessively straight. Feet: Badly splayed, very
flat. Toeing in or out badly. Movement: Restricted
movement; hobbled. Coat: Very short coat without
undercoat, soft, wavy or curly.
ELIMINATING FAULTS: All deviations from the correct
scissor bite. Absence of one incisor or one canine, a
third premolar or a fourth premolar or of one molar.
Monorchids; cryptorchids. Atrophied testicles. NOTE: Males
should have two apparently normal testicles fully
descended into the scrotum.
Utility Group A.N.K.C. © January 1998
