The authentic Caucasian Ovcharka (accurately referred to as the Caucasian Mountain Dog) is a livestock guarding dog of greater than average size and power possessing a robust constitution and exhibiting an inherent distrust of strangers. 

The Caucasian Ovcharka (Mountain Dog) is indigenous to the mountain regions of the Georgian, Armenian and Azerbaijani Union Republics; the Kabardino-Balkar, Daghestan and Kalmyk Autonomous Republics, and the steppe regions of the northern Caucasus and the Astrakhan district. For hundreds of years the Caucasian Ovcharka (Mountain Dog) has functioned as a guarding dog, herding dog, and historically as a fighting dog. Their faithfulness, protectiveness, and ferocity when called upon to defend is legendary. 

The breed's intrepidity, hardiness, and tolerance for different temperatures and climates have made it possible to utilize the Caucasian Ovcharka (Mountain Dog) in almost all the regions of the Soviet Union. 

Type varies geographically throughout the mountain range, and also varies according to the purpose for which the dogs were utilized. Generally, dogs of the transcaucasus regions are more massively built, while those found in the steppe regions have a somewhat rangier build, are leggier, and are often short-coated. Modern breeding conforms to a single standard. 

PARTICULARS OF DEPORTMENT - Highly developed nervous system - strong, well-balanced and even-tempered. Well developed defensive reactions, professed in the active form (ADR). Suspicion and aggressiveness toward strangers is characteristic. 
MINOR FAULTS - Sluggishness. Immediate and indiscriminate trustfulness of strangers while functioning as a guard. 
MAJOR FAULTS - Cowardice, extreme phlegmatism, fearfulness. 
NOTE: Characteristic aggressiveness should be tempered by careful socialization and training without suppressing natural instincts to guard and protect. Behavior in the show ring should be controlled, willing and adaptable. The dog should be trained to submit to "Hands On" examination. Only the handler shall show mouth. Mild hostility exhibited towards other dogs should not be penalized; however, the judge should dismiss from the ring any handler who does not have control over the dog.  

TYPE OF CONSTITUTION - Despite regional differences, the ideal Caucasian Ovcharka (Mountain Dog) is powerful and athletic, sturdy and well-boned in proportion to height (see index of bone), with very strong musculature. 
MINOR FAULTS - A slightly lighter or looser build. 
MAJOR FAULTS - Sharply noticeable lightness or looseness of build. 

HEIGHT AT WITHERS - Dogs: 65 cm. (25.6 in.) minimum; Bitches: 62 cm. (24.4 in.) minimum, usually much larger. Preferred height range: Dogs 69 cm. (27.2 in.) - 85 cm. (33.5 in.); Bitches 65 cm. (25.6 in.) - 75 cm. (29.5 in.). 
MAJOR FAULT - Less than minimum height. 

WEIGHT - Proportional to height giving the Caucasian Ovcharka (Mountain Dog) an imposing, symmetrical appearance. 

INDEX OF BONE - dogs: 21-22; bitches: 20-22. 
(Circumference of metacarpals x 100 divided by height). 
MINOR FAULTS - A slight deviation from the indicated format. 
MAJOR FAULTS - Sharp deviation from the indicated format. 
NOTE: While the ideal Caucasian Ovcharka (Mountain Dog) is "well-boned", this breed is not as large-boned as some of the giant mastiff breeds.  

INDEX OF FORMAT - 102-108. 
(Oblique length of dog x 100 divided by height at withers). 
MINOR FAULTS - A slight deviation from the indicated format. 
MAJOR FAULTS - Sharp deviation from the indicated format. 

GENDER TYPE - Well expressed. Dogs are more powerful and more massive than bitches. Bitches are slightly smaller, lighter in build, more feminine. 
MINOR FAULTS - Slight deviation from gender type. Doggy bitches. 
MAJOR FAULTS - Major deviation from gender type. Bitchy dogs. 
DISQUALIFICATION - Monorchid or cryptorchid dogs.  

SKIN - Thick and elastic. 
NOTE: Because the Caucasian Ovcharka (Mountain Dog) is a working breed, superficial scars should not be penalized.  

COAT - A double coat, slightly off-standing, formed by straight and coarse guard hairs and a well-developed undercoat. Coat on the muzzle, forehead, and the front of the legs is short and smooth. Coat on the top and back of head is longer and slightly off-standing. 
Three types of coat lengths are accepted without preference: 
a) Long coats with very long outer coat hairs. The hairs on the neck form a "mane," and extensive feathering on the hind legs gives the appearance of long, silky "pants". The long hairs feathering the tail on all sides make it look thick and fluffy. 
b) Intermediate coats covered with longer hair on the body, but with a lesser degree of "mane", leg "pants" and tail feathering than the long coat variety. 
c) Short coats covered with thick hair, somewhat shorter than the long coat variety. The neck "mane", leg "pants" and tail feathering are absent. This coat type is seldom seen. 
DISQUALIFICATION - Soft, wavy coat. Absence of double coat.  

COLOR - Agouti gray - dark, light, silver, reddish, or yellowish - with or without white markings; white, creme, fawn, reddish fawn, tan, reddish tan, fulvous, or any of these colors with white markings; brindle, piebald or white with gray patches. The undercoat is light colored. The head often has a distinctive dark mask. 
DISQUALIFICATION - St. Bernard red and white, solid black, black and tan, or solid brown coat color.  

HEAD - Massive, with a broad skull and strongly developed cheekbones. Skull and gradually tapering muzzle form a one piece blunt wedge shape. The forehead is flat, broad and level, divided by a slight centerline furrow. The stop is gently defined but not abrupt. The muzzle is shorter in length than the forehead and tapers to a large, broad, black nose. A brown nose is acceptable in white and light fawn colored dogs. Lips are thick, dry and tight. 
NOTE: The head of the dog is more massive and masculine compared to the more refined and feminine head of the bitch.  
MINOR FAULTS - Excessively protruding forehead, abrupt or insufficient stop. Insufficiently broad and massive head. Too short or too long muzzle. Damp, drooping lips. 
MAJOR FAULTS - Light, narrow head with a snipey muzzle, not proportional to the general build. Snub-nose. 

EARS - Hanging, highset, cropped short. 
MINOR FAULT - Lowset ears. 
MAJOR FAULT - Incorrectly cropped ears. 

EYES - Dark brown or brown, medium-sized, oval-shaped, deepset, slightly slanted. Eyelids rimmed with black pigment. 
MINOR FAULTS - Light colored eyes. Slightly ectropion. 
MAJOR FAULTS - Ectropion with sclera showing. 
DISQUALIFICATION - Blue, green or yellow eyes. 

TEETH - White, strong, well-developed, fitting closely one to the other. The points lie in one line. Scissor bite. 
MINOR FAULTS - Teeth worn down inappropriately for the dog's age. Broken teeth which do not interfere with the determination of correct bite. Absence of isolated premolar. Yellow teeth. 
MAJOR FAULTS - Any deviation from corect scissor bite. Small, widely-spaced teeth. Caries. Points not lying in a single line. Broken or very worn teeth or lack of specific points if it interferes with determination of bite. 
DISQUALIFICATION - Substantial deviation from correct scissor bite-overbite, and underbite. Missing teeth (other than isolated premolar).  

NECK - Powerful, short, moderately set at an angle of approximately 30-40 degrees. 
MINOR FAULTS - Long or weak neck. 

CHEST - Broad and deep with a well-sprung, slightly rounded ribcage. The brisket curvature should be at the elbow line or slightly below. 
MINOR FAULTS - Slightly flat chest. Brisket curvature not meeting the elbow line. 
MAJOR FAULTS - Flat, narrow, undeveloped chest. 

ABDOMEN - Moderately tucked. 
MINOR FAULTS - Acute tuck-up or lack of tuck-up. 
.WITHERS - Broad, muscular, clearly distinguishable above the backline. 
MINOR FAULT - Weakly developed, indistinguishable above backline freely. The back and loins should be elastic and springy. At a trot, the withers and croup should lie in the same plane. 

BACK - Broad, straight, muscular. 
MINOR FAULTS - Soft, sagging, or narrow. 
MAJOR FAULTS - Swayback or roachback. 

LOINS - Short, broad, gently arched. 
MINOR FAULTS - Slight excess in length or arch; straight loin. 
MAJOR FAULTS - Extreme excess in length or arch; slack in loin. 

CROUP - Broad, long, muscular, almost horizontally set. 
MINOR FAULTS - Inadequately muscled, sloping croup. 
MAJOR FAULTS - Narrow, short, extremely sloping croup. 

TAIL - Highset, hanging downward, reaching at least to the hocks in repose. Carried as a sickle-shaped hook or ring when raised in excitement and when gaiting. 

FOREQUARTERS - Viewed from the front, the forelegs are straight and parallel. Measured from the shoulder joint, the angle between the blade and humerus is approximately 100 degrees. The forearms are well-boned, straight and moderately long. The length of the lower arm to the elbow is slightly greater than half the height at the withers. Index of leg height is 50-54. (Measure of forearm to elbow x 100 divided by height at withers). 
MINOR FAULTS - Slight deviation from angle. Slight lengthening or shortening of the forearm. Slight elbowing out. 
MAJOR FAULTS - Straight or acute shoulder angulation. Crooked or narrowly positioned forearms. Sharp elbowing out. 

METACARPALS - Short, strong, perpendicular. From a side view they may appear slightly sloping. Circumference of metacarpals for dogs: 14-17 cm (5.5-6.7 in.); bitches: 13-15 cm (5.1-5.9 in.). 

HINDQUARTERS - Viewed from the rear the hind legs are straight and parallel; from the side they are slightly straightened from the stifle joint. The shins are short, the hocks strong, broad, and slightly straightened. The metatarsals are well-boned and perpendicular. The hind legs are not extended backwards. A perpendicular line, drawn from the hip, passes through the center of the hock and the metatarsus. 

MINOR FAULTS - A slight deviation from the parallel (slightly cow-hocked or spraddle-hocked). Overly wide or slightly close leg placement. Overly straight rear, or slightly high in the rear. 
MAJOR FAULTS - Sharp deviation from the parallel, extremely straight rear, sickle hocks. Extremely high in the rear. 

FEET - Large, oval, well arched, compact, firm. Dewclaws, if any, should be removed from the hind legs. Foreleg dewclaws should remain. 
MINOR FAULTS - Soft, slightly splayed; extra toes. 
MAJOR FAULTS - Extremely splayed, flat. 

MOVEMENT - Free, usually unhurried. The characteristic gait is a short prancing trot, shifting to a rather heavy gallop as the dog gains speed. The legs should move in a straight line with the limbs converging slightly toward the center line of travel. The joints of both the fore and rear quarters should flex Slight looseness from behind. 
MAJOR FAULTS - Constricted, heavy movement. Insufficient levers. Croup highly raised relative to the withers while trotting. Sharp vertical movement of the croup. Pacing. 
MINOR FAULTS - Close in rear tracking. Lack of joint flexibility or lack of springy movement of the back or loins. Croup not raised while trotting. 
DISQUALIFICATIONS - 
1) Substantial deviation from correct scissor bite - overbite, underbite. Missing teeth (other than isolated premolar) 
2) Monorchid or cryptorchid dogs. 
3) Soft, wavy coat, absence of double coat. 
4) St. Bernard red and white, solid black, black and tan, or solid brown coat color. 
5) Blue, green, or yellow eyes. 

STANDARD INTERPRETATION: - Overall structure and soundness have priority over color and flashiness. Regional variations shall be judged under this single standard without preference. 
The authentic Caucasian Ovcharka (Mountain Dog) has been extensively crossbred with other breeds in the former U.S.S.R. and throughout Europe (such as the St. Bernard, Great Dane, German Shepherd, Leonberger, Tibetan Mastiff, Sar Planina, and others). These cross-breeds ofter possess a pedigree stating that they are "Caucasian Ovcharka" or "Caucasian Shepherds", and it may be extremely difficult to differentiate these cross-breeds from the authentic Caucasian Ovcharka (Mountain Dog) type. Incorrect coat type, disqualified coat colors and lack of distinctive blunt, wedge-shaped head are strong evidence of mixed breeding; therefore, dogs exhibiting these traits should be strictly disqualified. 
 

*Other names include: Kavkazskaya Ovcharka; Caucasian Shepherd or Sheepdog; Kaukasischen Owtscharka; Kaukasischer Schaferhund; Kawkasky Owtscharka. 

**All publications of C.O.C.A. are copyrighted in the name of the Club. Permission is granted to members to photocopy said material for their own use if said material is not specifically marked forbidding copying. This permission extends to members of the C.O.C.A. only. Any other reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden without the express written consent of C.O.C.A. 
 

***U.S.S.R. Breed Standard translated from Russian by: 
Esther Findling, M.A. 
U.S. State Department Contract Interpreter 
Breed Standard Revision by: 
Elena Kuleshova 
Specialist of Methodological Education 
Working Dog Club, St. Petersburg, Russia 
Licensed Judge - Russian Native Breeds & All Working Breeds 

Copyright 1991 by Caucasian Ovcharka (Mountain Dog) Club of America, Inc.