If you want to have a satisfying relationship with your Caucasian Shepherd Dog, all you have to do is train early. If you want your dog to be calm, friendly, and well-behaved, then there are certainly some dog raising tips you should follow.
Caucasian shepherd dogs are oftentimes regarded as “stubborn” due to their self-reliance and strength. They tend to behave this way because of their roles as livestock guardian dog.
Over the years, their roles have switched to that of companion dogs, but their protective nature haven't changed much since it's genetically hardwired in their DNA.
In spite of this, you can still train one to become loyal guardian and friend with some simple steps. But ensure that your Caucasian shepherd dog is from a trusted breeder, family member or friends. This will reduce the possibility of getting a dog with behavioural problems which in turn can make it harder for you to train.
You can train and enjoy this brave, devoted and strong dog by following the simple steps below:
Step 1. Create Close Bond With Your Caucasian Shepherd Dog
A close emotional bond between you and your Caucasian shepherd dog is very important and will help your dog to be passive or inactive when you're away. The absence of this bond can lead to anxiety and trigger behaviour indicative of a separation-distress problem, which can be made worse in the absence of an attachment figure.
Every successful relationship between human and Caucasian shepherd dog begins with early bonding because this dog breed can be very strong-willed, and self-reliant.
You can begin the bonding process by petting, grooming and touching your dog regularly. Scientific study has shown that puppies that were gently handled every day in their lives behaved more calmly at 8 weeks of age than puppies that were not touched. Touching can also help your dog to become used to you and have the desire to be around you.
Another way to strengthen bond with your dog is by playing games together. Dogs enjoy playing games. Try to spend your time especially on the game of hide-and-seek whenever you're at home with your dog. This is a hunting game that will bring out the beastly urge to hunt, trace and track inherent in every canine. Aside from the bond, your dog will also be balanced and well-behaved.
Walking, grooming and playing should be focused and devoid of distractions in order to achieve maximum results and fun.
Step 2. Socialize Your Caucasian Shepherd Dog Early
In order to train your Caucasian shepherd dog to become a good companion, early exposure is required. Puppies without exposure to humans before the age of 14 weeks are unable to form a normal relationship with people according to this study. Your dog should be exposed to humans of varying ages, sizes, sex and race. Animals of different species, objects and life experiences outside your home should also be made known to your Caucasian shepherd dog. This practice should start when your dog is still very young and should continue until the rest of its life.
Give sufficient vaccinations to your dog to reduce the risks of contracting common communicable diseases while going to different places in the course of socialization.
If socialize properly, your dog will develop less separation-related problems later in life and remain less fearful and aggressive when exposed to people, animals and strangers in your home. This can lead to a lifelong relationship that will be fulfilling to you and the Caucasian shepherd dog.
Step 3. Learn Caucasian Shepherd Dog Body Language
To train your Caucasian shepherd dog effectively, knowledge of its body language is vital. Strong bonds and good relationships can only occur when you know what your dog is saying. In general, your dog will give out information to you through sounds, smell and visual displays.
The wagging of the tail can signal your dog's feelings and thinking. It can also show arousal, fearfulness, friendliness, insecurity and warning.
Upright and forward-facing ears, prolonged eye contact, upright head and clenched teeth can mean aggression, while down-facing or pulled back ears most times mean submission.
Step 4. Engage Your Caucasian Shepherd Dog In Positive Reinforcement Training
Gone are the days when choke chains or prong collars were used to force dogs to adopt acceptable behaviours. Today, many dog trainers have seen the benefits of positive reinforcement and many of them are using it as part of the methods to modify dogs behaviours. What makes this method effective in training Caucasian shepherd dog is because they're stubborn and may not yield to threats and compulsion easily.
While the use of tools and positive reinforcement can give rise to a well-trained dog, the end results can differ. Dogs trained using positive reinforcement become intelligent, independent and obedient to their owners, while those trained using aversive measures exhibit long term stress arising from cumulative exposure to aversive experiences according to this report.
The first training you should give your Caucasian shepherd dog is basic obedience training.
What Is Obedience Training?
Obedience training is the act of teaching your dog to respect you, other people and animals. It can also be defined as the process of instilling discipline in dogs to enable them to understand and obey basic commands such as sit, come, go and so on.
Obedience training can have positive effects on the dog-human relationship and also strengthens bonds if carried out correctly.
Obedience training most times begin with the sit command. This is because every dog likes to sit. It is also due to the simplicity of the command and the guarantee of receiving a reward. Your Caucasian shepherd dog will like to sit when a reward is likely but make sure that the size of the reward is small enough to save training time and prevent your dog from being full easily.
Every training that relies on reinforcement requires a good knowledge of timing. Only reward your Caucasian shepherd dog immediately when it has carried out your command correctly to avoid reinforcing the wrong behaviour.
As your dog becomes used to the sit command and get rewarded less often, there will be tendencies to get noticed by jumping and barking. Never reward such behaviour but rather time your dog and give the reward when it remains calm. In this way, you'll be encouraging good behaviour instead of jumping and barking.
After your dog has mastered the sit command, introduce the lying down, come, fetch, stay and other advanced commands.
Always remember to keep the training time short and fun by observing the body language of your dog.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Caucasian Shepherd Dogs Aggressive?
Recent behavioural study of more than 9,000 dogs covering 24 breeds did not implicate Caucasian Shepherd dogs as aggressive. The study rather found that Long-Haired Collies, like Lassie are more likely than others to exhibit aggressive behaviour.
In the study published in Nature, scientists revealed that small dogs are more likely to behave aggressively than mid-sized and large dogs, but due to their size, are often not seen as threatening and the bad behaviour therefore goes unaddressed.
Judging from the results from the study, Caucasian shepherd dogs are not aggressive by nature. They can only become aggressive if not properly trained by their owners because, they tend to be territorial and distrustful of strangers and other animals.
The reason why some people perceive Caucasian shepherd dog as aggressive is because they can grow very large and cause more damage during attacks. But early training and socialization can reduce aggression while, failure to train early can give rise to a dog that is too attached when you're around, whine and bark excessively when you're away.
What Is The Lifespan Of A Caucasian Dog?
The lifespan of a Caucasian Dog is between 10 - 12 years.
Are There Caucasian Dogs Born Without A Tail?
No, Caucasian dogs are not born without tails. Dogs that are born without tails or with small ones fall under the category of bobtailed breeds and caucasian shepherd dog is not one of them. The gene mutation that is responsible for the most known bobtail breeds is an ancestral T-box gene mutation (C189G).
Dogs with a bobtail are naturally born with this trait and should not be confused with docking. So, if you see a Caucasian dog without a tail, it may be due to docking and not that the dog was born without a tail.
Will It Be Harmful If I Dye My Caucasian Shepherd's Hair A Different Colour?
Yes, it will be harmful to dye your Caucasian shepherd's hair because some paints, dyes, inks and glues used during ‘pampering’ can be toxic and harmful to animals. Remember that dogs are sentient beings and not toys.
Conclusion
Even though some people regard Caucasian Shepherd dogs as stubborn, they can be trained to become well-behaved dogs.
In order to achieve that, adequate training must begin early in life and should be based on early socialization, bonding, sound knowledge of body language and positive reinforcement.
Caucasian shepherd dogs that are well trained usually turned out to be very loyal guardian of humans and properties. Yours will do better.
Trojanpost Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only and not intended to replace the advice of your own veterinarian or doctor.
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