Georgian Shepherd - Facts and Information

Appearance
The Georgian Shepherd evolved in the high Georgian Caucasus mountains for protecting purposes, so it just must be a very strong and poweful dog with thick and dense coat which is protecting them from the cold weather.

These dogs come in two coat types – one is long, called bear type and it is commonly in brown color. The second type is short coat, called as Lion type and it is considered to be the original type of a coat and that is predominantly found in the north-east regions of Georgia. This coat is most often in white color with spots and patches of other color. It is important to mention that even the shorter coat is very dense and it is providing good protection against cold.

This is very large and strong dog with average height between 65-85 cm which is 25-34 inch and weight is usually between 50-90 kg, which is 110-200 pounds. The females are naturally little bit smaller than males. These dogs have massive head and large powerful legs.


Temperament
This breed has been used for centuries for protection the livestock and property against very strong predators such as wolves. And to be good protector, the Georgian Shepherd must be very alert, territorial, brave and courageous dog breed, with strong natural guarding instinct and independent personality. These dogs are also alert towards strangers and it can take a while before a stranger will gain a trust of this dog.

On the other hand, the Georgian Shepherd is known for its loyalty to its owner. They might not be overly affectionate like some other breeds, but they truly love its family and would protect them in case of any danger. If the Georgian Shepherd is well socialized from the puppyhood, they can live with other dogs or other pets in the family and they can make good partners for kids in the family, but of course, you should never leave any dog breed with a very young child unsupervised.

Even though this is highly intelligent breed capable of learning many different commands, it is certainly not a dog for novices. It is mostly due to their very big strenghth and natural protective instinct. If you would faily the training and socialization with dog this powerful and protective, you can have a big problem. The Georgian Shepherd needs a firm, patient and consistent trainer who know how to show the dog boundaries.
The Georgian Shepherd will do best in a home with a big fenced yard where it can run freely and naturally stretch their legs. These dogs are not completely hyperactive, but definitely not a total coach potatoes neither. They need daily playtime, fun training session, walks or hikes to stay in good condition, healthy and happy.

History
This is a very old and ancient dog breed from Caucasus mountain range in Georgia, where it was used for centuries for protecting the livestock against strong predators such as wolves or jackals. This breed was developed by adapting to its environemnt and purpose, but the breeds ancestry nor its exact date of origin is rather unknown, since there is not much of historical documentation about this breed.

The Georgian Shepherd is very popular in Georgia, where it is often time called as Nagazi dog.

Health and grooming
Great fact is, that the grooming and maintenance of Georgian Shepherd is not extremely hard. They do not need any trimming or shaving. It is true, that their double coat does shed, which can be minimize by regular brushing, which will remove loose and dead hair from the coat. It will also remove any dirt and it will keep the coat in best possible condition. Just like with all dogs you should regularly check their eyes, ears, nails and teeth and clean them or clip them if needed.

The average lifespan of Georgian Shepherd is between 11-12 years, which is actually above the average for a dog of this size. Of course, just like all breeds, even the Georgian Shepherd can suffer from some health issues, which include hip and elbow dysplasia or cataracts, but none of those is extremely common with this breed and the Georgian Shepherd tends to be very healthy and hardy breed.