The Central Asian Shepherd temperament is intelligent, fearless and will protect his house at all costs. He’ll also do it with a calm disposition. However, his intelligent temperament comes with a stubbornness that can straight overwhelm inexperienced owners
The Central Asian Shepherd can be disobedient and difficult to control, which isn’t ideal given his size.
As you can see, there are a lot of moving parts with his temperament.
This article will provide a deep dive into the personality and behaviors of this massive dog. We hope it helps you determine whether or not the Central Asian Shepherd is a good fit for your household.
The Central Asian Shepherd Temperament and Personality
The following discussion of the Central Asian Shepherd temperament will demonstrate why he isn’t a good fit for a newbie. But it’ll also show why he’s such an intriguing option for a prospective owner with a little bit more experience
Intelligent & Stubborn
The one thing most owners find the most challenging about the Central Asian Shepherd temperament is the intelligence. You’d think this aspect would be a good thing for training and it can be in the right owner’s hands.
However, with this intelligence, comes self-confidence that he knows what’s best for him. In other words, he has a stubborn streak that’s almost unmatched by any dog breed; therefore, he’s not looking to please anyone but himself.
It’s why he's such a bad fit for a first-time owner. His hardheadedness would overwhelm them and cause chaos within the household. He’d end up being uncontrollable, which is rather a scary thought given the Central Asian Shepherd size.
He instead needs an owner that can form a bond with him and still fulfill being the alpha. Once he has this type of handler, obedience training should be a breeze as he can grasp new concepts quickly.
Fearless & Protective
Since the early days, the Central Asian Shepherd temperament has one that’s been known for its protective qualities. And he continues to provide top-notch performance in a guardian capacity for the families who have him as a pet.
He’s capable of being a fantastic guard dog because of his fearlessness. There isn’t a thing in this world that he will back down from when it concerns his family. If necessary, he’ll gladly give up his life to save his loved ones.
Both of these Central Asian Shepherd Dog behaviors do have a downside though; his protectiveness comes with an embedded distrust of strangers, and his fearlessness can get him in trouble with larger predators.
It also doesn’t help that his sense of protectiveness makes him prone to barking at nighttime. It’s not uncommon for him to wake his family up because he saw something suspicious outside the window.
But these drawbacks can be corrected with the right owner handling the training sessions. In the end, these behaviors come from the right place: a sense of caring about his loved ones' safety and well-being.
Independent
If you’re looking for an overly affectionate dog, the Central Asian Shepherd temperament isn’t a good fit for you. You see he tends to be a somewhat independent dog, which means he likes his privacy. He’s often found away from the family doing his own thing
This trait is the result of his protective instincts and his need to be on watch all the time. Of course, his independent nature doesn’t mean he won’t ever show affection. It's just less than you typically see from other dog breeds.
We should also mention this independent nature doesn’t mean he has issues with other animals. He shouldn’t have any problems with pets such as cats or non-threatening dogs as long as he’s well-socialized.
And he shouldn’t have issues with other grown Central Asia Shepherd either as he’ll be able to understand their motives. If you want a pair of massive dogs, it’s recommended you get two CASs to protect your house.
Active & Calm
The Central Asian Shepherd Dog exercise needs are wildly extensive. It might seem weird given his calm personality: but he needs at least 90 minutes of physical stimulation daily, or the poundage might start piling on fast.
You can offer this physical stimulation in a variety of different ways: walks, hikes, playing sessions, dog sports, etc. Anything you can do to get him moving is something you should look into investing time in as an owner.
Taking him out on the town isn’t a bad idea either as his calm demeanor should mix well within most environments. It’s essential to remember that he does have a little bit of an issue with the dominance of other dogs.
As a result, you might want to stay away from dog parks until you have a complete handle on his training. But once you do, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t bring him around town now and then.
Quick History of the Central Asian Shepherd Dog
The origins of the Central Asian Shepherd dog aren’t some big secret. In fact, the story is hiding in plain sight within the breed’s name; therefore, you shouldn’t be shocked to learn this breed got its start in Central Asia.
The exact location is between the Ural River, Caspian sea, China’s Northwest border, and Asia Minor. We should also mention his history dates back quite a long time to some time between 3000 BC and 2000 BC.
It’s often hypnotized that he descended from the Tibetan Mastiff, but it’s impossible to be sufficiently accurate. He also has similarities to the Caucasian Shepherd, Akbash, and the Kangal, which all come from the same relative location.
Humans started breeding them as guard dogs, fighters, and livestock guardians. As you might expect, he became incredibly efficient in these roles as the centuries continued. And with his usefulness on full display, he soon became a favorite breed.
He became so popular that by the year 2000 he was the most popular dog breed in Russia. This popularity gained him the attention of several clubs such as the National Kennel Club. Even the American Kennel Club is slowly coming around to recognizing him.
Central Asian Shepherd Dog Appearance
With their believed ancestor being a Mastiff breed, you shouldn’t be surprised to learn this dog is massive.
You can expect him to be quite powerful and have a muscular body type as well. Given his enormous size, you should be aware of both his expected height and weight.
The Central Asian Shepherd Dog height will fall somewhere between 23 and 32 inches.
As a result, picking up scraps off your table won’t be an issue for this dog.
Meanwhile, the Central Asian Shepherd Dog weight will hover somewhere between 88 to 176 pounds.
Both these Central Asian Shepherd Dog traits point to a breed that has a rather eye-catching appearance.
It's also essential we mention his other defining characteristics as well. For instance, his face will have jowls with a head that’s incredibly broad and a muzzle, which is rather slim.
He’ll have a great set of oval eyes that’s color can range from dark brown to hazel. These eyes will also have black rims around them, and his eyelids will be slightly thick. His coat will be dense, but it can be either short or long.
In both variations, the undercoat will be substantial as well. The Central Asian Shepherd Dog colors can either be some shade of fawn, black & white, or brindle; the brindle coloring can sometimes present with a black mask.
How to Train a Central Asian Shepherd Dog?
Training a Central Asian Shepherd can be downright frustrating. You see he’s a brilliant dog and this high IQ comes with a stubbornness that’s hard to crack. The key to solving it is by establishing a leadership role within the bond you have with him.
In other words, he needs an owner that has an authoritative, but loving personality. And once this balance comes to fruition, training him becomes rather easy. But this middle ground can be tricky for an inexperienced owner to find.
Given this information, he isn’t an ideal fit for a first-time owner. We should also mention he will not respond well to harsh training methods. It’s best to rely on positive reinforcement techniques as it’s the most effective at getting your desired results.
Helpful Dog Training Resource:
For help with training your dog, you should take a look at The Online Dog Trainer by Doggy Dan. Doggy Dan is an expert Dog Trainer based in New Zealand. His online resource contains Hundreds of Excellent Dog Training Videos that will take you step-by-step through the process of developing a healthy, happy well-behaved dog.
Grooming the Central Asian Shepherd Dog
The Central Asian Shepherd Dog has a rather lowkey set of grooming requirements. In other words, it doesn’t take a whole lot of upkeep to ensure his coat stays in pristine condition. He tends to limit his heavy shedding toward the springtime.
During this heavy shedding period, you’ll want to put in a little extra effort regarding the brushing. This increased brushing will make sure the shedding doesn’t get out of control. It’ll also prevent matting from occurring, which is a must for a breed like this one.
In the other parts of the year, he will won’t require regular grooming or bathing as he’s a light shedder. You should also know that he isn’t hypoallergenic; therefore, if you have allergies, he’s not going to be a good fit for you.
And besides the heavy shedding season, there isn’t much else you need to know about his grooming requirements. Just remember, you still need to keep up with basic care things: trimming nails monthly, checking his ears for buildups, and brushing his teeth weekly.
Relevant Central Asian Shepherd Dog Health Issues
When compared to other breeds, this breed is remarkably healthy. This aspect reflects itself in the unbelievable average Central Asian Shepherd Dog lifespan: 12 to 15 years. You see this range is much higher than most other breeds you might come across.
But even with his healthy disposition, there are few issues that any prospective owner should know about:
Both these issues can be kept in check by regular visits to your vet. These visits will inform you how your dog’s stacking up with other members of his breed. And it’ll help you stay on top of trying to become the best owner you can be for your dog.
It’s also a good idea to ensure you get a puppy that has parents with OFA certified hips. These certifications will reduce the risk of him picking up hip dysplasia later in life. And you can use them to separate the bad Central Asian Shepherd Dog breeders from the good ones as well.
In fact, if the breeder you ’re in contact with doesn’t have these certifications, you should move onto a different one. After all, it’s standard operating procedure among good breeders.
Helpful Dog Health Resource:
Finding Your Central Asian Shepherd Dog
If you want the Central Asian Shepherd temperament, there might be a slight issue. You see these dogs aren’t quite as popular in the United States as they’re within Russia. In fact, there are considered somewhat rare.
But this rarity doesn’t change the fact that you have one more decision to make: adopt or buy. And we’ll discuss both processes in-depth to ensure you have the best possible chance at securing one.
Central Asian Shepherd Dog For Sale
When looking to buy a CAS, the first place you should look is the American Kennel Club database. This marketplace will point you toward some AKC sanctioned breeders who’ve agreed to the club’s strict breeding guidelines.
In doing so, this site almost entirely removes the risk you’ll end buying from some bad breeder or puppy mill. The options will be much more limited though than you might find on other sites due to these guidelines though.
It’s entirely possible you won’t see any available Central Asian Shepherd Dog puppies for months on the AKC site. But there are other means you can use to procure the dog you’re looking for such as a site like Puppyfinder.com.
A site like this one will give the location of the nearest Central Asian Shepherd Dog puppy in your area; however, some of these puppies will be being breed by horrible people in awful conditions.
It’s essential you don’t end up buying from one of these people, which you can avoid doing by knowing the warning signs: a constant influx of litters, unsanitary breeding facilities, lack of OFA certifications, online payment via credit card, etc.
If the breeder you’re talking to has any of these qualities, dump them immediately. All they're trying to is make a quick buck and isn’t something you should endorse. But if everything does check out, the Central Asian Shepherd Dog price ranges from $1200 to $2000.
Central Asian Shepherd Dog For Adoption
Trying to adopt a CAS might even be more challenging than buying one. The main issue with this process is there isn’t a predominant Central Asian Shepherd Dog rescue within North America.
This issue becomes problematic because you’ll instead have to rely on unreliable or unlikely resources. For instance, your next move would be going down to your nearest shelter or humane society seeing the dogs available.
The chances a CAS will be there are almost zero; however, it’ll give you time to get familiar with people at the organization. You can tell them what kind of dog you’re interested in and provide them with your contact information.
If this option sounds like a bit too much waiting for you, a site like Adoptapet.com could be an excellent resource. This site works a lot like Puppyfinder.com does by locating the nearest adoptable CAS near you. From there, it’ll provide you with the contact information, and you do the rest.
If one of these options does end up working, your job isn’t over yet. You need to evaluate whether or not you're both the right fit for each other. This evaluation will mean asking questions that might give you answers you don’t want to hear.
In other words, get all the information about their previous situation, medical issues, temperament, etc. If you like the answers you get, the adoption fee will be between $200 and $300.
This price will vary depending on numerous factors such as age, medical expenses, and rescue or shelter.
Conclusion: Is the Central Asian Shepherd the Right Dog For You?
If you’re looking for a massive guard dog, the Central Asian Shepherd temperament could be an ideal fit. He’ll approach his job with a fearlessness other breeds don't have and keep your family safe no matter the situation.
But if you’re a first-time owner, it’s best you stay far away from this breed. His stubbornness will most likely be too much for you to handle and could cause some serious issues. It’s also a good idea for people who are looking for an affectionate dog to start searching elsewhere as well.
Calvin is the co-founder and one of the main contributors to dogtemperament.com. He has been an avid dog lover all his life. He enjoys researching and sharing great ideas on how you can avoid common pitfalls of dog ownership and build the most loving and enjoyable relationship with your dog.