The main differences between the German Shepherd and the Eastern European. East European Shepherd - breed characteristics and training features East European Shepherd description

For many dog ​​lovers, the East European Shepherd dog is associated with the German Shepherd, and some are sure that they are the same breed. There is some truth to this, since VEOs actually originated from German Shepherds and were bred as a separate breed in the USSR in order to adapt the German Shepherd to the harsh Russian climate.

For many dog ​​lovers, the East European Shepherd dog is associated with the German Shepherd, and some are sure that this is the same breed

The German Shepherd was valued for its unique qualities in many countries of the world, including Russia, but due to the negative attitude of most people towards everything German after the war, the breed had to be renamed and modified several times. Since the Soviet Union was in dire need of hardy service dogs, dog handlers worked hard to develop such a breed.

In the 20s of the last century, the Krasnaya Zvezda kennel was created in the capital, where they bred this breed of shepherd dogs. But funding was insufficient, it was not possible to purchase German shepherds, and work on the East European Shepherd dragged on. Only after the end of the Great Patriotic War did a sufficient number of German shepherds appear in the kennels, which made it possible to resume work.

The main task of the dog handlers was to breed a powerful, hardy and easily trained dog that would be superior to its ancestor. And soon this problem was solved. There are still similarities in appearance between German and Far Eastern Shepherds, but the new breed has acquired a different character. VEO became a truly universal dog, easily adapting to both the southern Asian climate and the harsh Siberian frosts.

After the war, the new breed of shepherd dog was officially recognized and named a patriot dog for its heroism during the Second World War. During the war, East European Shepherds carried out important assignments, searched for mines, and later served on the border, were rescuers, searched for explosives and protected people and territory. More than 60,000 dogs of this breed were involved in hostilities, and a bronze monument was erected to a front-line dog of this breed on Poklonnaya Hill in the capital.

For many years, the East European Shepherd was a subspecies of the German one and was not recognized as an independent breed. After the collapse of the USSR, a turning point came for dogs of this breed; many of the dogs’ exploits and merits were forgotten. They tried to eliminate them completely, excluding them from specialized clubs and exhibitions. They stopped breeding VEOs, recognizing them as mongrel dogs, and tried to completely exterminate them. True lovers of this breed continued to breed puppies illegally in private nurseries, despite the prohibitions. They continued to be trained and develop new service qualities.

The “black” period in the history of this breed ended at the beginning of the 21st century, when East European Shepherds were officially recognized by the dog handlers organization as an independent breed.

Gallery: East European Shepherd (25 photos)

East European Shepherd (video)

Characteristics of the appearance of the East European Shepherd

VEOs are large dogs. Their height is above average, males at the withers can reach 70 cm, and females - 65 cm. The body is muscular, but despite the strong bones, it is not coarse, the body is slightly stretched. Males are easy to distinguish from females, as they are much more massive and muscular.

The head is proportional to the body, slightly elongated and shaped like a sharp wedge. The lips fit tightly to the jaw, the eyes are almond-shaped, black or brown, and set slightly askew.

The jaw is well developed, the neck is muscular. The stomach is tucked, the chest is oval, and the back is strong. The tail is saber-shaped and lowered when at rest.

The fur fits tightly to the skin. It is quite tough and the undercoat is very thick. As a rule, East European Shepherds are saddle-back colored. Dogs are also black in color with a dark mask on a light gray or fawn background.

VEOs differ from their ancestors, German Shepherds, by having a wider chest, sweeping movements, and a calm and less playful character. “Easterns” also differ slightly from “Germans” in color and large build. German Shepherds are more often used as a companion, when, as VEOs, they are universal and are excellent for performing any kind of service.

Characteristics of VEO

The main character feature of the East European Shepherd is its selfless devotion and trust in its owner. She is ready to sacrifice her life for him at any moment and completely obeys his instructions. The dog treats strangers with a certain degree of distrust, but without a good reason he will never rush or show aggression, since the dog is balanced and restrained. Despite this, in an emergency situation, thanks to its lightning-fast reaction, it instantly enters into combat with an ill-wisher.

She gives in very easily and is always ready to follow the owner’s commands. Does not try to take a leadership position and place himself above the owner. VEOs are very obedient, submissive and never show their independence. Dogs get along well with other pets, including miniature ones. They will never hurt or offend them.

East European Shepherds, who grew up from puppyhood next to any pet (including a cat), will not only make friends with it, but will also protect and protect it in every possible way in the future. This breed of dog is very peaceful and sincerely loves the entire family of its owner, but in case of any attempt on his territory or on the owner himself, he will immediately come to their defense.

All about the breed (video)

Training and raising a dog

Dogs of this breed have excellent natural abilities that need to be developed from puppyhood, namely from the first months of life. First, you need to establish contact so that the owner and the dog learn to understand each other perfectly. It is necessary to instill basic obedience skills and devote about 10-15 minutes to classes. in a day. If the puppy initially cannot concentrate his attention for 15 minutes, then the training sessions should be divided into 3 sessions per day, 5 minutes each. each.

As soon as the shepherd reaches 3 months of age, it needs to begin to be trained during walks. It is necessary to teach the puppy not to be distracted by extraneous sounds while executing commands and to focus solely on fulfilling the owner’s task.

After another 1 month, you can begin active training of the VEO puppy and teach him to overcome obstacles and search for hidden objects by smell. If desired, a 5-month-old puppy can begin to develop special service qualities. During this, she must guard the objects entrusted to her and, if they are stolen, pursue the thief and rush at him. For training, you can attract people unfamiliar to the dog, but only the owner should control it. An experienced owner will very quickly teach his pet these commands, since East European Shepherds are quite easy to train. During such tasks, it is important to give in to the puppy if necessary and make sure that he always defeats his imaginary opponent. If this rule is not followed, the dog will grow up insecure.

Features of keeping and caring for the East European Shepherd

Dogs of this breed are quite unpretentious in their maintenance, but they need to be provided with daily exercise in the fresh air and a balanced diet. VEOs are equally well suited for keeping in a small apartment and a country cottage, but the dog will be more comfortable in the countryside due to its considerable size.

It is necessary to decide in advance where the dog will live; it is not advisable to constantly transport the shepherd from the apartment to the dacha. Having become accustomed to a city apartment, the dog will not be able to get along in an enclosure outside the city and will whine, asking to be returned.

An East European Shepherd should be bathed no more than 2 times a year. It is advisable to do this only when absolutely necessary. To make your dog look beautiful and well-groomed, he needs to be brushed daily. The combing procedure will also serve as a light massage for your pet and improve blood circulation.

The teeth, ears and eyes of the “Eastern” require constant care. Once every 2 weeks, be sure to clean your dog’s ears with a dry cotton swab. It is worth paying attention to cleaning your teeth from plaque, which can lead to the formation of tartar, which only a veterinarian can remove. It is advisable not to clean your eyes unless necessary, but if discharge appears, you should immediately remove it with a cotton swab.

It is advisable to treat your dog for fleas, preferably 2 times a year - in the middle and end of spring. At this time, fleas are most active.

Classification

Origin: USSR

Usage: dog for service in law enforcement agencies, dog for home protection, pet and family friend

Color: completely black or with a dark mask on a light gray to fawn background.

Dimensions: height: for males - 65-75 cm, for females 60-73 cm; weight: for males - 37-60 kg, for females - 30-55 kg

Lifespan: about 12-14 years old

The East European Shepherd is a strong, hardy, active and athletic dog that will become an excellent friend for the whole family, protector and guard.

She is distinguished by her intelligence and intelligence, ease of communication, and devotion.

This breed is extremely easy to care for; all it needs is attention and exercise with its owner, and it will reward you with a cheerful disposition, activity and hard work.

History of the breed

The East European Shepherd is a young dog. Its breeding began on the territory of the USSR.

Psychology

The East European Shepherd is a strong, resilient, but at the same time very attached to its owners dog that happily follows various commands and loves walks.

• Intelligence. Previously, the East European Shepherd breed, like and, was used exclusively as a service dog that served in the police, guarded borders and important government facilities. Nowadays she is often kept as a pet. Do not forget that you need to constantly work with the East European Shepherd, set different tasks for it and develop its intelligence. She loves active pastime and will be grateful to you.

• Friendliness. This breed will become a devoted friend for the whole family, it loves children, and dotes on its owners. Of course, everything depends on upbringing, but the East European Shepherd dog picks up everything on the fly, is easy to train and understands the owner’s requests and commands the first time.
• Similarly, such a dog quickly gets used to its owner and has a very difficult time withstanding even short-term separation. This is exactly the pet that will happily wait for you, often follow you, and happily wag its tail.
• Performance. East European Shepherds are hardy, hardworking, and have been proven through years of faithful service to humans. Training an East European Shepherd is easy if you teach the puppy to follow the owner's commands from childhood. Such a pet will need to be walked often, devote a lot of time to it, and constantly invest energy in its mental and physical development. In return, you will receive a smart, hardy and loyal dog that can perform a number of tasks and just be a good friend.

Application

Initially, the East European Shepherd breed was bred to work in law enforcement and security.

Now she is bred both to participate in exhibitions and as a devoted family friend.

Despite its size, this dog can even live in an apartment, along with others, the main thing is that it has its own place and large bedding.

For those dogs that will live in the yard of the house, it is worth building a booth or enclosure.

Often those who are just planning to get a dog wonder how a German shepherd differs from an Eastern European one.

In addition to the fact that the latter are more hardy and resistant to harsh climatic conditions, they are also larger, taller, have good health and a balanced nervous system.

How to choose a puppy

Very often, when choosing a puppy and wanting to buy an East European Shepherd, many future owners mistakenly buy German Shepherds or half-breeds.

Therefore, if you want VEO, you should contact a special kennel of East European Shepherds, where you can find out the pedigree.

As a rule, East European Shepherd puppies can cost from 5 to 15 thousand rubles.

It is important to familiarize yourself with all the documents, find out about the health of the puppy and its parents, and whether the latter participated in exhibitions.

If you find out about the sale of an East European Shepherd for 550 rubles, you should think that most likely you will be offered a pet whose pedigree is not known or has some shortcomings.

Features of care

Combing

The East European Shepherd breed is easy to care for and does not require.

All she needs is enough walks, regular visits to the vet and hygiene.

It is worth washing your dog 1-2 times a year if necessary. In the summer, it is worth taking your pet to a pond where he can swim, this will be useful for the ligaments.

It is worth brushing your pet several times a week, and during shedding - every day, with the help of.

It is also important to check your teeth regularly, give your dog special food that he can chew, and clean his ears every 2 weeks.

Walk

The East European Shepherd will need frequent walks from an early age.

Health

The East European Shepherd is a hardy breed, so it rarely has health problems.

Characteristic diseases

Although representatives of this breed are not susceptible to eye diseases like eye diseases, they do have some ailments:

• gastric volvulus;
• joint diseases, arthritis;

The East European Shepherd is a hardy breed, so it rarely has health problems

Vaccinations

Mating

As a rule, the female is brought to the male for mating.

She needs some time to get comfortable in a new environment, but a male who is on his territory, as a rule, immediately becomes interested in a new acquaintance.

It is important that the mating is between representatives of the breed without similar disadvantages.

East European Shepherd dog: a hardy protector and a loyal friend

The East European Shepherd is a hardy and hardworking breed that will become a reliable guard for your home and a devoted family friend. She is easy to train and loves her owners.

For most dog lovers, the East European Shepherd breed is closely related to the German Shepherd, many even believe that they are the same breed. In fact, there is some truth in this; the fact is that the German Shepherd is the direct ancestor of the VEO, which became an independent breed on the territory of the Soviet Union. This transformation was associated with the purposeful activities of Soviet dog handlers. The influence of a different climate than in Germany on the formation of the breed also played a certain role, but the most important thing was the purposeful work of people.

The working qualities were appreciated in many countries, but due to the negative attitude after the First World War towards everything that had German roots, this breed was renamed and modified. It was Soviet dog handlers who achieved particular success in working with the breed, since the young state needed strong working dogs. Therefore, breeding a new breed was not just an amateur hobby, but a task that was set by the Soviet government to professional dog handlers.

In 1924, the Krasnaya Zvezda kennel was created in Moscow, where work began on creating a new breed based on the blood of the German Shepherd. Due to insufficient funding for this industry and the inability to buy imported manufacturers for foreign currency, a massive infusion of new blood occurred only in 1945. After the end of the Second World War, many trophy German shepherds appeared in Soviet nurseries and were actively used in breeding work.

Cynologists set themselves the goal of creating a breed that would differ in behavioral reactions from the German Shepherd and would be more massive and hardy, and they succeeded. Despite the external similarity, which also shows a number of differences, the “Easterners” are very different from the “Germans” in behavior and character. Also, VEO was supposed to become a more universal dog, suitable for use throughout the entire length of the Soviet Union, from southern Asian territories to Kamchatka.

After the end of the Great Patriotic War, General G.P. Medvedev proposed officially recognizing the new domestic breed and giving it the name East European Shepherd. For her heroism and services during the war, she was named the most patriotic dog. The first BEO standard was adopted in 1964, the next standard with some additions was recognized in 1976. It is characteristic that this breed was a domestic subspecies of the German Shepherd, that is, there was no division of these two breeds into two independent ones. Breeding work to improve the breed was actively carried out until 1990, then a turning point came in the history of the East European Shepherd.

With the collapse of the Soviet Union, many of his achievements were questioned and criticized. This fate did not spare the “Easterners” either, who, at someone’s instigation, began to be associated with Stalin’s repressions. Although the track record of this breed was much broader: during the Second World War they were messengers, mine detectors, and were later used for service on the borders, in rescue work, in searching for explosives, and for protecting people and their property.

However, in 1991, the German Shepherd was recognized at the world level and received an international standard by the FCI. This fact immediately put the VEO in an illegal position, and even attempts were made to completely eliminate the breed. Representatives of this breed were simply excluded from kennel clubs and associations and were not allowed into exhibitions as mongrel dogs. Only thanks to the efforts of true Vostori connoisseurs, who sincerely loved these dogs, was it possible to preserve this interesting breed. They continued to breed VEO in private nurseries, in clubs, and held their own special breed exhibitions. One can even say that this “black” period in the history of the breed also made a positive contribution to its development, since all the random people whose interest was connected with self-interest left the breeding.

The response to the beginning of persecution of the breed was the formation in 1991 of the “Association of breeding nurseries VEO”. In 1999, the Unified Pedigree Book of Matings VEO appeared. The breed continued to actively develop, not only in terms of exterior characteristics, but first of all, training and development of unique service qualities continued.

The activity of connoisseurs of the breed led to the fact that it was preserved, the number of the “Eastern” livestock grew slowly but surely, and gradually they began to be recognized by cynological associations in Russia. The result of this activity was the recognition of the East European Shepherd as an independent breed by the cynological organization RKF in 2002. An official standard was approved, and the breed was restored to its former respect and honor.

Representatives of the VEO breed created a beloved image of man’s faithful friend in our country in such films as “Border Dog Scarlet”, “”, “Come to Me, Mukhtar!”. The last film starred two brothers Vargun Luthar and Duncan Luthar.

The East European Shepherd is a large dog above average height: males at the withers - 66-76 cm, females - 62-72 cm. The bones are strong, but the physique is not coarse; the body is characterized by elongation, which is 10-17 cm higher than the height at the withers . The muscles are prominent and dry. Males are larger and more massive, so it is easy to determine their gender by appearance.

The head looks proportional. It is moderately long and massive, shaped like a slightly pointed wedge. The transition from the forehead to the muzzle is not very pronounced, but noticeable. Dark lips fit tightly to the jaw. The nose is black. The ears are in the shape of an isosceles triangle. The eyes are almond-shaped, obliquely set, dark or lightish in color. The look is smart and confident.

Scissor bite. Complete set of 42 teeth. The jaws are well developed.

The neck is strong and muscular.

The chest is oval, the stomach is tucked. The withers are well defined.

The back is straight and strong. The croup is rounded, smoothly transitioning to the line of the tail.

The tail is saber-shaped, and in a calm state is dropped below the hock joint.

The forelimbs are muscular and located at an angle allowing free movement.

The hind legs are straight and parallel, the hock joints are well defined and dry.

The paws are rounded, collected in a ball, the toes are removed.

The typical gait is a creeping trot with a strong drive from the hindquarters.

The coat is hard and lies tightly to the skin. The longer coat is found on the outer sides of the forearms and thighs, while the rest of the coat is of medium length. The dense undercoat is well developed.

The desired color type is saddleback or black with a dark mask on a light background, which varies from light gray to fawn. A deep saddle-back color is also allowed; zoned gray and zoned red colors are possible, but less desirable.

East European Shepherds participated in the Victory Parade on Red Square in May 1945, and were recognized as the most patriotic dog breed.

How is the East European Shepherd different from the German Shepherd?

Despite the fact that the International Canine Federation does not recognize the individuality of the VEO, considering it a type of German Shepherd, it has many distinctive features. The main differences between these two shepherd breeds:

• Easterners are larger and taller than Germans,
• the back is not so inclined, the withers are slightly higher than the sacrum;
• the chest is wider;
• movements are more sweeping, with a strong supporting push;
• differences in colors: VEO often has a light background;
• Easterners are calmer, Germans are more active and playful;
• Orientals are a universal service dog, they are more suitable for performing various services, while Germans are more often purchased as a human companion.

Character of the breed

The most striking character trait of VEO is its focus on its owner. She is ready to give her life for him, showing miracles of courage and obeying his will. He is distrustful of strangers, but has a balanced psyche and strong nerves, therefore he does not show his strength unless necessary and does not show obvious aggression. At the same time, it has a lightning-fast active-defensive reaction to a dangerous situation.

The breed is ideal for training and readily demonstrates obedience without trying to dominate the owner or show its independence. A dog will never offend other smaller animals. If a puppy has grown up surrounded by other pets since childhood, then later, having already become big and strong, he will not only be friends with them, but even take care of them. “Easterns” are friendly by nature, but they show this quality only when surrounded by their family, and when they do not sense danger. The innate instinct of a guard and protector is developed so strongly that the slightest suspicion of a threat to the owner or his property puts the previously peaceful dog on alert.

Dogs of this breed have a very good character in all its manifestations. This is a devoted friend of man, who is always cheerful, active and ready to protect his owner and his family. East European Shepherds love children, can play with them and will never offend them. But we should not forget that all this excellent genetic heritage must be accompanied by proper upbringing, otherwise a dog will grow up that does not correspond to the ideas about the character and behavior of VEO.

In Moscow, on Poklonnaya Hill, there is a bronze monument to a front-line dog, which became an East European Shepherd. During the Great Patriotic War, more than 60 thousand dogs of this breed took part in hostilities.

Education and training

The East European Shepherd's natural abilities for training must be developed from the first months of the puppy's life. This process must begin by establishing contact with the puppy; the owner and dog must learn to understand each other. In order to develop basic obedience skills, you need to spend at least 15 minutes a day exercising your puppy. Anyway, at this age the dog will not be able to exercise for hours; some puppies cannot even concentrate on following commands for more than 5 minutes. In this case, you need to divide the total time, for example, train for 5 minutes in the morning, afternoon and evening.

At first, the main stimulus for the development of reflexes is food. After executing the command, give the puppy a piece of treat, and soon the reflex of executing the command will be developed, and he will carry it out automatically.

From 3 months of age, the shepherd dog needs to be taught obedience during walks. There is always extraneous noise on the street, and some distractions can always arise: a running cat, someone screaming, a car horn. Against the backdrop of all this, the dog must learn to carry out the owner’s commands, without being distracted by extraneous impressions.

From the age of 4 months, teach your “Eastern” to overcome barriers, carry out the fetch command, and then you can do scent tests, forcing him to look for hidden things by smell. From the age of 5 months, the shepherd dog needs to develop service qualities, if, of course, you are interested in this. These are exercises involving strangers, when the dog is given the task of guarding things, chasing and detaining an intruder. It should be said that many “Easterns” have this knowledge at the genetic level, so the training process is very easy provided that they have an experienced owner or instructor. In such staging, it is important to create preferential conditions for the puppy so that he always achieves victory. Otherwise, he may become unsure of his abilities.

An East European Shepherd that has passed must follow the following commands: “Come to me!”, “Next to me!”, “Sit!”, “Stand!”, “Lie down!”, “Walk!”, “Fetch!”, “Crawl.” !”, “Place!”, “Barrier!”. She must also be able to overcome booms and stairs, not be afraid of shots and not take food from strangers or pick it up from the ground.

Usually, such a list of commands already makes a well-mannered and disciplined friend out of a dog, but you can go even further and undergo special training. As a rule, this is required if the dog will be used for service. Depending on the plans for the use of the East European Shepherd, it is taught the skills of protective guard, search, guard and other types of services.

At the Moscow metro station Ploshchad Revolyutsii there is a bronze sculpture of a Border Guard with a VEO dog. People believe that rubbing a bronze shepherd's nose or touching its paw will bring good luck.

This breed is quite unpretentious, and all it needs is to provide minimal hygiene procedures, regular exercise and proper feeding. You can keep an East European Shepherd either in an enclosure or in an apartment, although due to the size of the dog, the first option is, of course, preferable.

The ideal place to keep it would be a spacious enclosure with a booth, but it should be remembered that if the dog first lived in a house, then it will be difficult to accustom it to life in an enclosure: it will howl and ask to go home. Therefore, it is necessary to immediately decide on a place for the dog, and from the first days of its appearance in your home, accustom it to this place.

The Shepherd does not need to be completely washed more than twice a year, and this should only be done when necessary. Usually it is enough to brush your dog regularly and it will look clean and well-groomed. Regular combing is also a kind of useful massage that improves blood circulation, so do not be lazy in performing this procedure.

Also, don’t forget about caring for your pet’s teeth, ears and eyes. If the dog is healthy, then there is no need to do these procedures daily. But still, once every 2 weeks you need to clean the dog’s ears with a dry cotton swab to remove excess wax. Occasionally, you need to brush your dog's teeth to remove plaque, which leads to the formation of tartar, which only a veterinarian can handle. This is especially important for show dogs, because the condition of the teeth also affects the final assessment. If the eyes do not bother you, then it is better not to touch them, but when discharge appears from the eyes, you need to remove them with a cotton swab.

Periodically treat your dog against fleas, it is especially recommended to do this at the beginning and end of the flea season: in May-June and then in October. Don't forget to give your pet anthelmintics.

East European Shepherds served heroically in the Chechen War. In the city of Primorsk-Akhtarsk there is a monument to the dog Elga, who saved dozens of human lives by detecting mines and ammunition depots of militants.

Feeding

How to choose and buy a good VEO puppy?

Due to the fact that not long ago they tried to eliminate the East European Shepherd as a breed, there are some difficulties with purchasing puppies. Often people who want to buy a shepherd do not understand how “Germans” differ from “Easterners”, and they buy a “German”, thinking that it is a VEO, or they buy a half-breed. In a word, if you really want to buy an “Eastern Dog,” then you need to contact specialized nurseries that trace the pedigree of dogs and keep strict records of all matings and litters. When buying a shepherd dog from an advertisement or on the market, it is difficult to obtain reliable information about its origin.

For interested people, it will not be a problem to visit a special breed exhibition or find videos from this exhibition. This way you can find exemplary representatives of the breed, contact their owners, and find out about planned matings. If you take this issue seriously, you can always buy a purebred East European Shepherd, even if you have to wait a few months waiting for the puppies to be born. An easier way is to follow advertisements on nursery websites and negotiate with breeders to book and purchase puppies.

Prices for puppies

East European Shepherd puppies with RKF documents are standing from 15 thousand rubles and above. Much depends on the presence of eminent ancestors in the pedigrees, awards at exhibitions, and the service achievements of the parents. More affordable prices: from 3000 rubles and above they say that the puppy’s parents do not have a pedigree. In this case, there is also a chance to buy a good dog with all the typical characteristics of the breed, but this is already a risk, since you can buy a mixed breed or not a VEO, but a German shepherd. Therefore, if the choice of an “Eastern” is important for you, then it is better to spend more money, but get guarantees of the thoroughbred of your friend.

Photo of the East European Shepherd breed

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The East European Shepherd is one of the breeds that were bred in the former Soviet Union - thus dog handlers wanted to give rescuers, military and law enforcement agencies worthy helpers.

If you look at a photo of an East European Shepherd or meet a live dog, an association with the German breed immediately arises in your imagination - a similar build, muzzle, color. In this case, you will not be mistaken - to breed the East European Shepherd, it was the Germans who were used as the starting step.

East European Shepherd dog standing

A little history

As mentioned above, the East European Shepherd was created on the basis of the German breed, but it is still different from it. The difference lies in a stronger body build, mental stability and balance of temperament, as well as the ability to more easily endure harsh winter conditions.

The appearance of the first German Shepherds dates back to the beginning of the last century - they were used as service dogs and orderlies in the Russian-Japanese and First World Wars.

As a result, the high qualities of this breed were recognized, and in 1924, the breeding of a new species based on it began - it was planned that the newly bred breed would participate in border troops, search activities and rescue operations. And after the Great Patriotic War, the East European Shepherd became one of the most common service breeds in the Soviet Union.

The breed was officially recognized by dog ​​handlers in 1964 - and a lot of discussions arose about the properties of the bred dogs. There were many dog ​​breeders who claimed that the “newbies” were inferior in characteristics to the Germans.

At one time, some breeders tried to improve the breed by crossing new Germans with Eastern Europeans, but these attempts were essentially unsuccessful. Classic VEOs significantly surpassed the German breed in their characteristics, so additional crossings did not yield anything.

In the 90s, after the Soviet Union ceased to exist, there was a certain crisis situation in this regard - after all, the East European Shepherd Dog is recognized only in Russia - they refuse to recognize it abroad. In this regard, there was a sharp drop in demand and a decrease in the number of people willing to engage in this breed.

Today the situation looks somewhat better - within the country, the East European Shepherd has many connoisseurs who are ready to make every effort to provide it with the necessary conditions for its continued existence.

Description of the breed

Compared to the German breed, the East European Shepherd has a somewhat elongated body with well-developed bones. She has a strong athletic build with well-developed muscles. The large head has high erect ears and a scissor bite.

Males of this breed are significantly larger in size than females. The height of a male at the withers is on average 66-76 cm, females - 62-72 cm, weight of a male is 35-60 kg, females - 30-50 kg.

Thick, coarse coat with dense undercoat. Colors come in the following types:

• Black;
• Black and tan;
• Black and tan;

• Zanarny gray;
• Zonar-red.

It should be noted that East European Shepherd puppies grow very quickly - at 2 months they weigh 8-13 kg, at 3 months - 13-18, and at 5 months - 23-28 kg. Babies gain 2 cm in height and 5 kg in weight per month.

Character and temperament

I would like to immediately note that East European Shepherds have highly developed guard instincts - they are suspicious of strangers and are always on the alert. At the same time, such dogs have an extremely balanced character - they are self-confident, friendly to their owner, and obedient. Such a dog does not attack without a reason - for this he needs good reasons or a command from the owner.

Since the East European Shepherd was bred as a working breed, it has all the properties necessary for this. She is loyal, brave and smart - these qualities of VEO are emphasized by all dog breeders.

At the same time, Eastern European dogs are extremely unpretentious to living conditions - they can easily tolerate harsh winters, frosts, and snowfalls. Such a dog can cope with any difficult conditions and survive - the breeders took care of this.

Representatives of VEO are distinguished by high intelligence, nobility and good learning ability - they are easy to train and educate. In addition, such a dog gets along well with children - he is able to become their friend and caring nanny, of which many examples can be found.

If there are other animals in the family, you don’t have to worry at all about possible jealousy on the part of the East European Shepherd - this simply won’t happen. Such dogs do not want to waste time and energy on sorting things out and useless fights.

When deciding to get yourself a VEO, you must realize that you need leadership qualities to cope with the dog. You will have to spend a lot of time on his upbringing, training and training. In addition, such dogs are not suitable for living in a city apartment - for them, a country mansion can be an ideal place to live.

A dog of this breed becomes strongly attached to its owner - you can count on loyal and sincere friendship on his part. Do not try to keep him on a chain - this can lead to serious character problems and uncontrollability.

Raising a puppy is a necessary condition for it to grow into an intelligent and loyal dog. If you find a common language with your dog and take the time to train and educate it, there is no doubt that it will fully reveal its full potential inherent in nature. In this case, you will receive a faithful assistant and friend who will not let you down even in the most difficult situations.

Learning to choose a puppy

Before you choose a puppy of the Eastern European breed, ask yourself what you need it for - for home, for service, for protection, or to win medals at exhibitions. In the first case, you don’t have to worry about the pedigree - if you need a good friend, buy yourself a cute and cute East European Shepherd puppy, even if he doesn’t have well-deserved parents.

If you need a puppy to train as a champion or for a rescue service, you will have to be more picky. Study his pedigree well - if the parents showed good results in the professional field, these skills will most likely be passed on to the baby.

To participate in exhibitions, you will need to seek advice from dog handlers - they will help you choose deserving parents and show which of the puppies has a chance of becoming a celebrity.

The lion's share of caring for an Eastern European pet falls on the care of the coat, ears, eyes and claws - no difficulties are expected here. As already mentioned, such dogs are unpretentious, so you will need basic procedures.

You will need to brush his coat twice a week - when the dog sheds, do this more often. To do this, use the following tools:

• Puhoderka;
• Rubber brush.

If the dog moves a lot, his nails will wear down on their own - if this does not happen, start trimming them. Otherwise, they will begin to peel and even bleed.

Examination of his ears is very important - it helps to identify various diseases at an early stage. It is extremely important to start these procedures on puppies at a very young age to give them time to get used to it. Otherwise, you may have problems if you approach a mature dog for the first time with a hygiene procedure.

Frequent washing is contraindicated for dogs - do it as needed. If you still decide to buy an East European Shepherd, use special protein-based shampoos and detergents.

In order for your dog to easily get used to you brushing him, examining him, or cutting his nails, start doing this as a game. Then everything will happen naturally, naturally, which will relieve the dog of stress and discomfort.

Feeding rules

Every dog ​​breeder knows that not only the dog’s health, but also its appearance and even character depend on proper nutrition. Therefore, it is very important to feed the dog as recommended by experienced dog handlers - the breeder from whom you are adopting the dog can first advise you on these issues.

To begin with, the Eastern European dog is fed exactly the same type of food that he received from the breeder - this is done in order to alleviate, as much as possible, the stress caused by separation from his mother and moving to a new home.

After a month, you can gradually transfer the dog to a new type of food - while you need to carefully monitor his well-being. Any threatening symptoms - nausea, intestinal upset, vomiting, lethargy - are good reasons to return to the old type of diet and consult a veterinarian.

Regarding the number of meals for the East European Shepherd, there are the following recommendations:

• 6 times a day in one month;
• 5 times a day every two months;
• 4 times a day for three months;
• 3 times a day at four months;
• Twice a day for six months and beyond.

When reducing the number of feedings, do not forget to increase the portion size - this is necessary. Leave the bowl of food for about 15 minutes - then remove it, even if there is uneaten food left on it.

For Eastern Europeans, there are two types of food:

• Dry food is a ready-made mixture with a ready-made balance of all necessary vitamins and minerals. For the owner, this approach is much easier - there is no need to rack your brains over creating a balanced menu.
• Natural products – this option is more interesting and varied for your pet. However, its owner bears the responsibility for properly preparing the diet - it must contain a full range of all the vitamins and minerals necessary for the dog’s health.

Whatever feeding method you choose, remember that your dog should always have a bowl of clean drinking water - do not forget to regularly change its contents. To ensure your dog has proper posture, purchase food and water bowls on tripods - this will allow your pet not to reach for food and will not damage his spine.

Education

University: Moscow State Academy of Veterinary Medicine.
Year of release: 2010.
Specialty: Veterinary medicine, Veterinary medicine.

Experience

I have more than 7 years of experience working in a veterinary clinic.

experience

FSBI "All-Russian State Center for Quality and Standardization of Medicines for Animals and Feed"