South-Russian Shepherd Dog

A lovely re-constructed breed closely related to other Russian Ovcharkas and white mountain dogs of eastern Europe and Asia, the South-Russian Shepherd Dog's heritage is debated by fanciers and researchers. Some authorities believe that these dogs existed since ancient times, while others trace its ancestry to the late 1700's, when bearded herding dogs of Spain, France, Italy and Austria were introduced to Russia with the Merino sheep flocks. Bearded sheepdogs have always been a common sight in Hungary, Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria and elsewhere for centuries, where they were considered just a coat variant of the indigenous working Molossers. A number of fanciers are convinced that the Youzhak is simply a bearded Hutsul Sheepdog of Ukraine, whereas others are pointing out that breeding programmes that took place in Russia over the past 200 years did indeed involve the use of other European herding dogs, which were eventually crossed with Komondors from Hungary and Crimean sighthounds from the Ukraine, as well as a variety of local Tatar sheepdogs. Whatever its true ancestry might be, the Youzhak's size, strength and working qualities made it a prized livestock herder and guardian in its homeland, where its basic type had been established since the mid-1800's.

Before the Russian Revolution, there were reportedly over 2000 working examples found in the region, but a great number of these ferocious guardians were killed by the revolutionaries, leaving only a handful of young dogs alive. These dogs were found in the ruins of a large cattle farm known as Askania Nova by a biologist and an admirer of the breed named Brauner in 1923, the man responsible for the recovery of the South-Russian Ovcharka after the Revolution. In the following years, a successful revival programme had resulted in the establishment of an official breeding center in Crimea and by the beginning of WW2, the Youzhak had found its way in many other parts of Russia. Unfortunately, the devastation of the war took a great toll on the breed once again, inspiring yet another revival programme, which involved the use of imported Komondors from Hungary, as well as some unpure Youzhak examples and other undisclosed breeds. Although it was salvaged, the South-Russian Ovcharka's popularity was fairly humble during the 2nd half of the 20th century, but this powerful shaggy dog has received some well-deserved attention from European fanciers in recent times, becoming a moderately popular watchdog and companion outside Russia. This breed is part of the famous Troika, a trio of recognized Russian sheepdogs. The other two breeds in question are the Caucasian Shepherd Dog and the Central Asian Shepherd Dog.

Regardless of the controversy surrounding its origins, the South Russian Ovcharka is a wonderful Moloss which is becoming increasingly popular outside Russia, both as a working dog and a companion pet. This powerful breed was one of the favourite service dogs of the old Soviet Army and can still be found in Russia as a guardian of military and civilian properties. As a livestock herder and protector, the Youzhak is a dedicated, tenacious and aggressive worker, more than willing and capable of confronting a wolf or a bear. Loyal, intelligent and even-tempered, it makes an agreable urban companion, although certain bloodlines can be quite territorial and suspicious of strangers, needing early socialization and training. The body is muscular, well-boned and strongly built. The South-Russian Ovcharka has a large head, broad shoulders and long sturdy legs. This is a fully weatherproof bearded mastiff, thanks to its thick and coarse double coat, which shouldn't be shorter than 4 inches in length. Strong pigmentation is desired, although a flesh-coloured nose is tolerable, as long as the lips and eyerims are black.

The preferred colouring is uniform white, but other light pastel shades are common. Average height is around 30 inches.