Breeds of shepherds' dogs: a list with descriptions and photos

Since the time when sheep, goats, and then cattle were domesticated, the dog became his constant companion on pastures. This four-legged friend not only helped to feed the herds, but also guarded them from the attack of predatory animals. First all shepherd dogs were called sheep dogs, and only after many centuries breeds of shepherd dogs were identified.

And all this time from the first primitive rocks carefully deduced those who possess the necessary set of qualities:

• Average body size with a proportional physique.
• Stamina and developed musculature - for large and long loads.
• Thick coat with undercoat - for protection from bad weather or heat.
• Poorly developed hunting instinct (so that the dog does not get distracted from his direct duties).
• Excellent security qualities, distrust of outsiders. If necessary, the dog can pursue the beast.
• Selfless devotion to the master.
• Courage and courage.

Geography of the breeding of shepherd dogs

The geography of countries where shepherds' breeds were bred is quite extensive. Moreover, the more livestock is developed in the state, the more it is the motherland for a larger number of dog breeds of this category.

For example, Hungary became the birthplace of five common breeds of shepherd dogs - the commander, bullets, pumi, mudi and Hungarian kuvas. The first two are long-haired, capable of superbly carrying even the fiercest weather. Pumi is a relatively young breed, derived by crossing a bullet and Pomeranian Spitz. It is used not only as a guard of the herd, but also a guard dog, as well as a rodent fighter. A Hungarian shepherd dog (mudi) is an even younger breed, obtained by crossing several breeds, including bullets and pumas.

Slovakia, in which there is no mountainous terrain, and, accordingly, livestock breeding is developed to a lesser extent, in its history brought out only one breed of shepherd dogs - the Slovak chuvash, which is closely related to the Hungarian kuvas.

Great popularity with English shepherd dogs. This is the well-known collie (Scottish shepherd), as well as sheltie, bobtail. You can often see little handsome welsh corgi. This particular breed of dog was favored by the royal family of George VI. And the dog of this breed was presented by the king as a gift to his daughter Elizabeth II. And all because their representatives are very intelligent, are able to perfectly overcome difficulties and fulfill their functions.

Swiss breeds of shepherd dogs are one of the few remaining, thanks to the skillful actions of breeders, in pure form until today. Four types of Swiss shepherds with a unique color in the form of a tricolor - this is the weighty contribution of Switzerland to the science of cynology. A large mountain dog (or a large mountain Swiss Shepherd) has at the withers as much as 72 cm and has a smooth coat. The Bernese shepherd dog (Bernese Mountain Dog) is already long-haired, with a withers of 65 cm. Well, appenzeller sennenhund and entlebucher heronhound are short-haired, 58 and 35 cm respectively. The photo shows the Bernese Mountain Dog.

Contributed to the breeding of shepherd dogs and Belgium. And very weighty. In Belgium, breeds of dogs were herded, the herds of which are of high quality and are appreciated all over the world. Versatility, excellent security capabilities, similar physique, height 62 cm at the withers - such are the Belgian shepherd dogs. They differ only in the color and appearance of the coat. Thus, the dogs of the Grünendal breed have a long black coat, and the representatives of the Tervenur breed differ from the first with a bronze color with a black tint. Another shepherd's dog, malinois, has the same color, but it has a shorter and more closely fitting fur coat. But lakenua is a breed of French-horned shepherd dogs.

Australian Shepherd Dog

It is a cattle breed, and its second name, the healer, it got thanks to the manner of grazing the cattle for the lower part of the hind legs (from the English heel - heel) with the fit of the herd.
Australian shepherd dog has a body length of 44-51 cm, its color can vary from red to dark gray. This is an extremely unpretentious and hardy animal, always active and ready for decisive action. Ideal conditions for the dog - staying in the open air most of the time. Well get along next to other animals. Possessing vigilance and strong grip, the dog also shows good results in the work of detention.

The history of the breed originates in the middle of the XIX century, when the development of the Australian state of New South Wales took place. Together with the cattle herdsmen brought here also shepherd dogs - the Smithfields (black bobtails), which were not adapted to the heat, were too large and noisy, which frightened the animals.
The first attempt by farmers to cross smithfield with dingoes (in 1830) was unsuccessful: red short-tailed dogs worked quietly but strongly bitten. It was also an unsuccessful attempt to cross a long-haired collie with a bull terrier. And in 1840, the landowner Thomas Holle ordered from Scotland two collies (black and blue and gray-black-marble), which were then crossed with dingoes. So, an Australian shepherd dog with a blue color was obtained. It should be noted that the same was done by the farmer J. Elliott of Queensland, and some still call this breed Queensland. A little later, Sydney farmers mixed the healers with Dalmatian blood, due to which the breed inherited the speckled-and-white pattern of the "shirt".
The breed received its recognition in 1903 thanks to Robert Kalesky, who initiated its first standard. In 1963 he came out in a modern interpretation, and in 1987 the last version of FCI was released. In 1979 the standard was approved by the ACS. Also the breed's recognition is confirmed by SCS, UKC, KCGB and ANKC.

Australian Kelpie

The breed received its name from the water of kelpie mentioned in Louis Stevenson's work.

The Australian Kelpie is a very active dog, with an excellent combination of muscular strength and great flexibility of the limbs. Has a high intelligence, is distinguished by loyalty to a person and dedication to work. Despite its average size (43-58 cm at the withers), the dog copes well with grazing even cattle. Has a short coat of black, black and tan, red, red with tan, fawn, chocolate or smoky blue.

The history of the formation of the breed has not been fully studied. The first mention of it dates back to 1870. It was widely spread that the emergence of the breed was the result of crossing a border collie with a wild dingo dog. The Australian kelpie does possess the habits of a wild dog. For example, when grazing, he bends his head to the ground, as if he creeps up to the victim. In general, dogs of this breed can single-leggedly graze a thousand sheep. In their work, they apply techniques such as biting insubordinate animals by their feet, as well as jumping over their backs to quickly reach the other end of the herd.
The breed was recognized by the FCI standard.

Azorean dog

Dogs of this breed are extremely rare. Only directly in the Azores, and occasionally at competitions and exhibitions, one can meet its representatives. Although at home Azores shepherd dog invariably enjoys well-deserved popularity - excellent working qualities, as well as boundless devotion to the owners make these animals the true favorites of the family.

Azores dogs belong to the category of cattle breeding, they have a fairly lively temperament, they perfectly cope with the function of grazing cows and other large livestock, they are a great watchdog. The breed is characterized by its height at the withers, corresponding to 48-60 cm, and has a short tiger-colored coat.

This breed of dogs has another name - Cao de Fila de Sao Miguel (Cau fila de San Miguel) - identical to the name of the largest of the Azores. The fact is that during the period of active expansion of their possessions by Portugal, in 1427, the Azores were discovered by Henry the Navigator. The presence of lush vegetation and the absence of mammals on them have become an obstacle to the settlement of islands by people. Then Henry was given the order to bring to the island of San Miguel cattle, and already in 1439 there were abundant herds of animals, gradually bereaved without human presence. That's when the need for a shepherd dog arose. The dogs brought in by the settlers were extinct, but their interbreeding with other Molossians gave birth to a different breed, named after the island.
Thanks to almost complete isolation for centuries, the Azores shepherd dogs have kept the breed clean. And only the development of external relations has created the danger of losing its thoroughbredness. Therefore, in 1995 the breed standard recognized by FCI was described.

Caucasian Shepherd Dog

The Caucasian shepherd breed is one of the oldest (it is more than 2000 years old).
It is also one of the largest breeds (up to 75 cm at the withers, 45-70 kg). According to the type of hair, dogs of this breed are short-haired, with an intermediate length, and also long-haired. But they all have a thick undercoat. Color can be wolf-gray, brown, pale, red and motley.

There are two versions of the history of the occurrence of the breed. According to one of them, the breed originated from Tibetan Great Danes and dates back to 1211 BC. E., when the Chinese Emperor Zhou gave one of these dogs. However, there are images of similar animals on the remains of the Caucasian state of Urartu (VII century BC).
But whatever version they adhere to, one thing is clear - ancient breeders-cynologists have worked hard to glory. The dog is intelligent, hardy, perfectly copes with the shepherd and guard duty, has the courage and determination.

Collie

The bright appearance and impeccable service characteristics of this dog bribes even those who are neutral to our four-legged friends. Of course, we are talking about the Scottish Shepherd Dog, the Collie. The price of a puppy with a pedigree is not in vain starts from 15,000 rubles - after all, its representatives are the standard of dog beauty, devotion and intelligence.

There are several versions of the origin of the name of the breed. According to one of them, it is associated with a species of Scottish sheep colley. On the other - with the word coaly, which in translation means "coal." Well, the third assumes the title is related to the English word collar, which translates as "collar" and points to the chic mane and jabot inherent in this breed. The royal appearance, the proud posture of its representatives, muscular physique, graceful movements, as well as magnificent thick and long hair, were appreciated by Queen Victoria, who travels through the Scottish lands. And since 1860 the collies began to take part in exhibitions. Since that time, breeding work with the breed has been directed solely at the exterior and has not touched the performance of the dog.

Today, the collie is the embodiment of mind and beauty in the canine world. The sharp mind of the dog allows her to master not only a standard set of commands, but also learn the meanings of a set of words. Dogs are obedient, smart, become excellent friends and helpers for children. In short, if you decide to get a collie puppy, the price you pay for a thoroughbred breed, though it will be rather big, will fully justify your expectations from the acquisition.

Sheepdog from Portugal

The Portuguese Shepherd has long been valued by its shepherd qualities. The manner of her behavior consists in adjusting the cattle to barking, and also by quietly bypassing flocks or herds during their grazing.
This is a medium sized dog (42-55 cm, 12-18 kg) with a thick long and slightly harsh hair. Undercoat is not available. Modern representatives of the breed are predominantly black, but there are individuals of gray, reddish, yellow and brown color.
As you can guess from the name, the native breed is Portugal, to be exact - its regions Alentejo and Ribatero. Specialists admit a close relationship with such breeds as Briard, Pyrenean and Catalan Shepherd.
Excellent watchful qualities, tolerance to various weather conditions and unpretentiousness in food, as well as vigor, vigilance, and at the same time calmness and poise - all these qualities are inherent in Portuguese shepherds.

Romanian Shepherd Dog

The Romanian shepherd breed originated, probably, as a result of crossing of shepherd dogs of various breeds, possibly Slavic and Turkish.
For the dog of this breed is characterized by white color (or with a brown crab), which is very convenient - such a dog is not afraid of a sheep, it can not be confused with wolves. The coat is straight, thick, and of medium length. The dog has a height at the withers of about 58-66 cm, weight in the range of 32-45 kg, strong bones, short and strong neck, developed musculature.

Romanian Shepherds are very reliable shepherds, perfectly adapted to harsh local conditions. These are very hardy dogs with lightning reaction and innate aggression. The breed is fairly rare and little known beyond the boundary line of its homeland.

Czech dog

Czech shepherd dog - one of the oldest breeds and, perhaps, the predecessor of the famous German shepherd.
These sheep dogs are 50-55 cm tall and weigh 15-25 kilograms. They have a proportional head and an elongated muzzle. The ears are spiky, of medium size, located at a close distance to one another and placed high. The muscular body of the body also has a strong backbone. Completes the perfect exterior of the saber-shaped tail. The coat is straight, elongated (up to 12 cm), with a thick, well-developed undercoat, which makes the dog remarkably resistant to severe frosts and summer heat. The coat has black color and tan marks on the cheeks, around the eyes, on the chest, the front of the neck and on the limbs.
Having a height and weight lower than that of other working dogs, the Czech shepherd dog is more convenient in content, more manoeuvrable, very active and quickly included in the work.
It should be noted that, along with the official, the breed has other names, one of which is a horseshoe (from the Czech ethnic group "moves", which has long protected the way to Germany in the mountains of the Czech Republic). The history of the breed begins with the XIII century, and in the XVI century its breeding had already a professional level.

Then in 1984 the restoration of the breed began thanks to the work of Willem Kurz and Jan Findeis. In one cynological edition, a photo of a golee dog was published and a call for readers to report the presence of such dogs. Thus, in the period from 1985 to 1992, 35 litters of dogs of this breed were registered. In 1997, Findejs introduced the official standard of the Czech shepherd dog.

South Russian

A distinctive feature and pride of the breed is its wool. Firstly, it is soft, silky and very long. On the head, the wool covers the muzzle and reaches the tip of the nose, on the legs it forms a kind of felt boots. The coat color can vary from white to yellowish and smoky. But this harmless, as it seems at first glance, appearance conceals under itself a rather aggressive nature, called to carry a shepherd and guard duty.

How did the South Russian Shepherd appear? The history of the breed dates back to 1797, when the Asturian shepherds and shepherds were brought to Tavria, along with the first pairs of fine-wooled Spanish sheep. Being excellent shepherds, these dogs had a significant flaw. The small growth and light build made them very vulnerable to local steppe wolves. Therefore, the sheep breeders had to turn the brought dogs into stronger ones without losing their existing shepherd skills. Inflating the Asturian four-legged shepherds with the blood of Tatar sheepdogs, local greyhounds, Russian dog greyhounds, they brought out a breed of dogs with such qualities as endurance, speed in running and malice towards predators. At the same time the dog is unpretentious in its content, intelligent, affectionate with its own and has a lightning reaction. Breeding work was conducted in the famous estate Askania Nova, so the breed was called the South Russian Shepherd. Sometimes this shepherd is also called Ukrainian.

But unfortunately, the popular breed has not become so far. The fact is that during the First and Second World Wars, in connection with the reduction in the number of sheep, the development of the breed ceased. As a result, by 1945, rare specimens of the breed remained only among its true connoisseurs, as well as local shepherds. Of course, since then the number of dogs has increased, but the breed has not gained popularity. There are several reasons for this. First, the activity of the animal is such that it takes a lot of space, which is impossible in an apartment setting. Modern sheep breeding no longer needs so many serving dogs. And other skills, to which breeds of shepherd dogs have abilities, have not been mastered by the South Russian sheepdog.