17 Aug Interesting Facts about the Alabai Breed

Alabai breed, or Central Asian shepherd dog, is a vast, strong, intelligent, resistant, brave, and independent-spirited breed that is very loyal to his owner’s family but wary of strangers. This breed is 5000 years old and evolved in nature. He was initially used to guard livestock. Alabai dogs, according to their instincts, take care of everything in their territory (including their owner’s family members, livestock, and other animals). Although these dogs are very self-confident and independent, they love to be with their owners. This article will tell you everything you need to know about them.

Alabai breed history

Unlike many other breeds bred by humans, the Alabai dog breed was born about 5,000 years ago and evolved in different parts of Asia. He’s one of the oldest known dog breeds. The living and breeding place of the Alabai dog has been from Afghanistan to China. This native breed has adapted to the harsh climates of Central Asia, from frozen mountain peaks to deserts, in these vast areas. Later, their instinct will pull them toward people. Alabai is one of Russia’s most popular dog breeds but rare in America and Europe.

Appearance characteristics of the Alabai breed

The Alabai breed has a large and square head that fits perfectly with his large body, His legs are long, and his body is vast. His ears are oval and hanging. This dog’s hair is rough and straight, and almost all colors are found. The color of the iris of the eyes also varies a lot (from hazel to dark brown), but the border around the iris is usually black.

Size and weight

The pure Alabai dog is large and heavy. Both males and females are at least 65 cm tall and may reach more than 70 cm. The weight of these dogs is usually at least 40 kilos, but it can reach up to 50 kilos. The female Alabai dog has a more petite body than the males and reaches full maturity faster. Also, he has one of the most robust jaws among different dog breeds. The jaw strength of these dogs is between 35 and 45 kilos per square centimeter.

The temperament of the Alabai breed

Alabai dogs have an independent spirit and high self-confidence. Even though he gets sad to be alone, he isn’t isolated or aloof. He can have a perfect relationship with his owner’s family. The Alabai is kept at home like to be close to their favorite people, and usually follow their family members from one room to another. This breed has fought with big predators for centuries, isn’t afraid of anything, and is quite fierce against the enemy. But they’re very kind to the people they know.

Of course, since these dogs evolved to protect people’s property and animals, he may take a while to get to know and warm up to new people. Introduce your dog slowly and without haste to new people or animals and get help from positive reinforcement methods. The best thing is to introduce him to many people and situations from childhood so that he can deal with strangers more readily when he grows up. Training an Alabai dog may not be accessible due to his high intelligence and independent spirit. With persistence, time, encouragement, and frequent treats, you can quickly turn these dogs into well-behaved animals.

Alabai dog and children

Alabai dogs love to spend time with children, especially their owners’ children. They usually behave well with other dogs and cats that are part of the family. These dogs are kind and loyal and take care of children. Because of their strong protective instinct, they may not show kindness to strangers like your child’s playmates. In addition, their large body may cause them to injure small children accidentally. So you should take care of them and don’t leave the dog alone with children or other animals.

Asian shepherd dog keeping conditions

Alabai dogs aren’t very energetic and are considered a calm breed that doesn’t have much activity and busy work, but they enjoy regular walks, sports, and games. It means that if you take them for a walk, outing, and playing, they will be pleased, and if they lie next to you at home and rest, they might enjoy it just as much. Due to living in different areas and under challenging conditions, they gradually learned not to waste their energy when they have nothing to do. By the way, this breed has a lot of endurance and can easily walk in any weather and terrain, and it’s perfect for people looking for a primary companion for long walks. Take this dog for long walks, give him something to do outside the house, or play with him in the yard. This breed should have at least one hour of daily activity.

The best environment for these dogs is a house with a large, enclosed yard for walking and a cozy and private place away from neighbors to rest and relax. Alabai dogs aren’t very suitable for living in apartments or city houses. In addition, if he likes to go away from home and wander, then you should check the fence around the yard regularly so that there are no holes or lose boards or any other way to escape. Alabai can be a good dog for families with big children, but because of his large body, he isn’t usually recommended for homes with small children; he may hurt them. These dogs were bred in different climates and adapted to hot and cold weather.

Alabai puppies

Alabai puppies grow very fast, and their needs increase. Puppies need plenty of playtime and activity to be entertained, and they usually enjoy playing with sturdy, durable rubber toys that won’t break easily. If you’re planning to have an Alabai breed puppy, make sure that the conditions of your home are ready. Otherwise, he may search and destroy everything you have. At the same time, the puppies of this breed need more care and continuous training than many other breeds, and you should spend a lot of time with them.

Central Asian Shepherd grooming

• Alabai dogs don’t need much care. You have to brush their coat well once or twice a week and take them to the bathroom whenever they get dirty.
• Once every year, when the temperature rises (in spring or early summer), this breed’s hair sheds heavily. You will need a vacuum cleaner a lot during the shedding season.
• The nails of these dogs also grow fast, and you must cut them regularly on time. So they don’t grow too long, crack, break or make it difficult for him to walk.
• If your dog goes outside the house often, his ears will get dirty quickly, and you must clean them regularly.
• Don’t forget to brush your dog’s teeth and visit the vet regularly for dental checkups.

Nutrition

For adult Alabai dogs, use food that is specific to large breeds. Also, since Alabai isn’t a very energetic and active breed, you should look for food prepared for low-energy dogs. Depending on the characteristics of your dog, it’s better to give him only one large and elaborate meal or two smaller meals every day. Alabai puppies have different nutritional needs than adults. Puppies’ stomachs are smaller, and you should give them several small meals throughout the day. Consult your veterinarian about this, but in most cases, puppies under six months should eat between three and four meals daily.

Health and illness

Alabai dog’s lifespan is almost longer than other large breeds and usually lives 10 to 15 years. According to the Council of Agencies Serving South Asians (CASSA) statistics, some dogs’ life has reached 17 years. You can have a healthy dog with a long life by using quality food, proper exercise, and regular veterinary examination. Alabai dogs usually have very few genetic problems and are considered a healthy and resistant breed; Because they evolve through natural selection ( the weak and sick ones are eliminated in nature). But they may have some problems, for example, dog dysplasia in the hip joint and elbow dysplasia, as well as a rare skin disease called epidermolysis bullosa, which causes skin blisters.

To wrap up

The Alabai dog is huge and robust and is known for his bravery against big predators. At the same time, he’s quiet and kind. This breed isn’t perfect for living in an apartment, but if you have a proper yard that is completely fenced, you can keep him at home. Of course, the training of Alabai dogs may not be easy and reputable trainers or experienced and patient people should do it. To have a healthy and lively dog, you need to pay attention to nutrition, activity, health, grooming, etc. You can prevent the disease and have a healthy dog in this case. In all these steps, you can count on the specialized team of MishkaGrooming. Our experienced and precise groomers have carefully and accurately groomed your dogs, so they count the moments for the next session.