BELIEVED to be the most ancient guardian breed of dog in the world and as the name suggests it originates from Central Asia. From the Caspian Sea in the West to China in the East and from Southern Russia to the North to Northern India in the South, Central Asia played a key part in the cradle of civilisation and the Neolithic Revolution. The Agricultural Revolution is marked as the main epoch in human history between 8500 and 7000 BCE, here humans began the systematic husbandry of plants and animals. And with this came the need to develop a dog to protect livestock from predators and be a home guardian of all the countries throughout Central Asia.
Many believe the Central Asian Ovcharka is the ancestor of all breeds. Certainly the Tibetan Mastiff often thought to be the oldest breed is a descendent of the Central Asian Ovcharka not its ancestor. There are many theories as to the true historical origin of the mollosser type dogs. What is undeniable is the following list of ancient breeds carry too many similarities of each other to simply say its coincidence:
The Armenian Gampr
The Sage Koochee
Ancient type Bully Kutta
( Pinto) Kangal
They are all undeniably related to each other and to the ancient mollosers, cousins if you will. The Central Asian Ovcharka however is a breed in its own right thanks mainly to being bred under a Russian written FCI standard (No. 335 Sredneasiastskaia Ovtcharka translated as Central Asian Ovcharka) with working tests and experienced judges in the fore.
The Central Asian Ovcharka may have a standard but it is more correct to say it currently describes a collective group of breeds (a landrace). This is because there are so many different types in existence varying in size, coat, colour and temperament. Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and so on all have their own type of Central Asian Ovcharka. But until these nations create there own standard which is very doubtful this ‘breed group’ will remain in the UK under the name Central Asian Ovcharka (CAO).
Chiefly the Sage Koochee of Afghanistan, Alabai of Turkmenistan, Sarmatian Mastiff and the rare Tobet of Kazakhstan are partly standardised by breed fanciers searching for separate recognition. Unfortunately having personally seen the Sage Koochee in Afghanistan being used for dog fighting with the British Army in 2006 I doubt their natural state will ever return. And the other countries don’t own the breed to show and standardise like the West its bred to work and do the job its had for thousands of years.
The Central Asian Ovcharka has been shaped by nature more so than man. It would be foolish to say that man has not had any influence but it is a reflection of the job it was born to do, “Protect its flock at all costs”
Written by Richard D Mosley
Richdon ovcharkas
Central Asian Ovcharka UK Club Chairman