Ever met a dog that can handle any type of weather? That’s me! Because of my thick, waterproof coat, I can deal with whatever Mother Nature decides to throw at me - wind, snow, you name it! No wonder I’ve been used as a working dog in a wide range of climates, including the harsh Siberian tundra. Before I went to Siberia, though, I toiled in the Caucasus Mountains of Eastern Europe, where the USSR army eventually recruited my help.

Hailing from the Caucasus Mountains of Eastern Europe, Caucasian Shepherds belong to families from a number of different countries, including Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Iran, and Turkey. Because our ancient breed has called a wide range of places in Eastern Europe and Russia home, our bloodline varies a lot. Some humans believe we descended from Balkan sheepdogs and Tibetan Mastiffs, which probably explains our size. (Have you seen those dogs? They’re huge!) Beyond that, we’re known by many different names, including Caucasian Mountain Dog, Russian Bear Dog, Baskhan Pariy, and Caucasian Ovcharka Dog. Back in the day, our job was to protect our families’ livestock from predators like wolves, coyotes and bears. Nothing got by us – we never back down from a fight! We’re one loyal guard dog. We first rose to prominence in the 1920s, when the USSR began breeding Caucasian Shepherd dogs for our courage, good hearing, keen eyesight, and physical strength. We guarded prisoners and patrolled