Berger the Russie

 

 Rustic dog par excellence, the Russian Shepherd is still very little known in France. He is a tireless herdsman, who scares away all strangers with his robustness and muscularity. It imposes and plays. Thus, as a companion dog, he will be ideal for the protection of his master and his adoptive family. It is dominant and independent. He can be aggressive towards those he does not know. On the other hand, it is not suitable for all families, especially the most novice ones. Physically, the males are more imposing than the females.

History of the breed

The Russian Shepherd Dog, also known as the Yitzhak, was originally a dog that protected the flocks of sheep in Russia. It does not hesitate to confront wolves and bears. It was developed in the 19th century in Crimea. It comes from a cross between an Asturian Shepherd and sheepdogs like the Tatar Shepherd or the Borzoi.

Then, the breed went into decline during the Russian revolution with the destruction of Askania Nova, a natural reserve in the south of Ukraine. In 1923, a biologist named A. Brauner would then have endeavored to make the breed survive by settling in the region and by setting up a breeding operation in Dzhankoi. His efforts would have contributed to a clear revival of interest in the Russian Shepherd. Unfortunately, World War II precipitated a dramatic decline in the breed's numbers. The breed was finally recognized by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) on September 30, 1983.

Physical characteristics

• Its coat: long (10 to 15 cm) on the whole body, slightly wavy, thick, and bushy. The topcoat is doubled by an undercoat just as dense.
• Its color: mainly white, but can also be white and yellow, grayish, or any other shade of gray.
• Its head: rather elongated. The forehead is moderately wide, the stop not very pronounced, the nose large and black.
• Its ears: triangular, small in size compared to the body, and hanging.
• His eyes: dark color, oval shape, horizontally arranged.
• Its body: the neck is dry, muscular and of moderate length, the withers apparent without being high, the back straight and strong, the loins wide and rounded, the chest flattened and deep, the belly slightly raised.

The tail is covered with long, coarse, thick, and very dense hair.