The history of the breed

Armenian Shepherd (Hailer) is the oldest breed of dogs spread throughout the territory of Armenia. It is an indigenous breed and has been used since ancient times by the Armenian people as a shepherd dog, as well as to protect herds and homes from predators.

   Images of the Armenian Shepherd can be found on the bas-reliefs of Armenian churches (St. Cross Church, Akhtamar, 9-10 century) and in the most ancient chronicles. The dog depicted on the walls of the church represented fecundity and fertility. It is known that dogs were used even before Christ in the heyday of the Urartian kingdom. Throughout history Kings of Armenia used dogs during combat battles.

   During the Great Patriotic War the best dogs of Armenia were given to the kennel “Red Star”. Selection works on creation of breed of  Caucasian shepherd were carried out in the kennel. Based on this information, we can say with certainty that the Armenian shepherd is a subtype of the Caucasian shepherd.

   Later on the legendary specialist-cynologist, founder of the Soviet cynology, one of the founders of the Russian dog-breeding Alexander Pavlovich Mazover in his book “Tribal work in dog-breeding” (1954) described the Armenian shepherd as a dog with an average bone, with a strong and rough type of constitution.

 Since 2006 the painstaking works on the restoration of this breed have started.

Type of behavior

    A breed-specific, balanced type of nervous activity. The Armenian shepherd is self-confident and with a very stable psyche, distrustful of outsiders and evil on her territory. Uncompromisingly devoted to her master and his family members. The Armenian shepherd has a herd’s instinct and easily adapts to different climatic conditions.    The dog is above the average height, strong, strong-coarse and rough-strong type of constitution, strong, enduring, unpretentious.

Head without dampness and hangers, massive, with a wide enough cranial part, with developed cheekbones. The forehead is wide, flat, divided by a shallow groove into two parts. Transition from forehead to muzzle is inconspicuous. Muzzle is equal to forehead length, male dogs may have slightly shorter forehead length, slightly pointed, with thick but dry, tight lips.

    Nasal lobe is large and wide, but does not support the contours of the black muzzle, with moderately open nostrils.

    Ears are hanging, set high, short, triangular; as a rule, ears are bought.

    Eyes are small, oval or almond-shaped, deeply planted with dry stretched eyelids, dark brown or brown.

    Teeth: white, large, well developed, closely adjacent to each other. Bite of scissor-shaped, complete set. Adults are allowed to have a tick-shaped bite. For the absence of one premolar P1 assessment is not reduced.

    Neck: powerful, planted at an angle of 30-40 degrees to the longitudinal axis of the torso, slightly convex, smoothly goes into the withers. More likely to be moderately long than short.

The index of stretch varies: for male dogs it is within 102-105%, for bitches – 103-108%.

Height in the crest of the dogs is more than 67 cm, preferably 70-80 cm., with bitches more than 62 cm., preferably within the limits of 65-70 cm.

The chest is wide, deep, quite voluminous. The lower part of the chest is on the same line with the elbows or just below them. Should be equal to the length of the lumbar and groats.

Narrow, flat, not deep enough breast is a disadvantage or vice, depending on the degree of defect severity. The top line is straight, very strong, with no sign of weakness.

Holke: wide, muscular, well developed and above the back line (especially in male dogs).

The back is wide, straight and muscular.

The lumbar region is short, wide and should be equal to the length of the groats.

The coarse, wide, horizontal, muscular, should be equal to the lower back.

The abdomen is moderately tightened.

The muscles are massive, strong and well developed.    

  The color is varied. Dogs with white grooves, with white marks on the chest, on the belly, on the legs, on the tip of the tail. In combination with colors; gray: from dark gray, almost black, to light fawn gray, including dark gray, tan from dark tan to light brown, including dark tan. White with gray markings, white with red markings. Brindle color is allowed.

    Hair cover: straight wool, coarse wool, lighter undercoat. Length up to 6-7 cm. On the head and front sides of the legs hair short, tight-fitting. Dogs are allowed toilet maneuverable.

    Skin: thick with well developed skin fiber, elastic enough, sometimes forms folds in the neck area.

    Front extremities are straight and parallel when viewed from the front, angles of shoulder blade joints 90-100 degrees. Elbow processes are strongly developed and directed backwards; forearms are straight, thick, moderately long. High latitude index is 50-52%.

Five short, massive, plumbed or slightly inclined arms. Legs are rounded, fingers are vaulted, densely compressed. Black toe cushions.

Rear extremities are straight and parallel, slightly straightened at the side in knee joints; tibiae are short, rolling joints are strong, wide, plush, massive, plumbed.

Paws large, oval shape.

Tail is planted high, reaches the rolling joints, sickle-shaped or ring.

The movements are leisurely and free. Typical allure: short lynx or heavy but fast gallop. Hollow, back, lumbar and groats are slightly springy and at the same level. When moving legs parallel to each other.

Dogs should have two normally developed testicles that are fully embedded in the scrotum.

Disadvantages

General view. Easy or loose build, poor bone quality, square or very stretched body, pronounced underwear.

Head. Small, light, disproportionate to the body, convex forehead, oblique nape, long, light, pointed, strongly upturned or lowered face, weak lower jaw, sharp foot, skin folds on the head, wet, saggy eyelids.

Eyes: Very large, convex, very light, with a blue or yellow-green hue, sagging eyelids, strongly developed third eyelid.

Teeth. Absence of more than one premolar P1, small, not in one line put, strongly destroyed.

Neck. Highly stacked.

Hull: Narrow, with peeling, sagging or humpback lumbar region.

The sacrum. Narrow, short, sharply sloped.

Chest: Narrow, shallow, flat, with insufficient forbrushes. Short chest.

Musculature. Soft or humpbacked back, long, not strong enough lumbar, narrow or beveled groats are disadvantages or vices, depending on their degree of severity.

Skin. Sagging, wrinkled skin on the head, pronounced suspension and pelts, sagging eyelids are considered a disadvantage.

Limbs. Straight or sharp shoulders, short, wrinkled or thin forearms, goatskin, weak heels, weak elbows, strongly pronounced high butt, excessively straightened corners of the joints, strongly pulled back supply, weak ligaments, narrow limb supply.

Paws. Flat, loose, of different lengths.

Movement. Flexible lynx, atypical for the breed, excessively large movements, connected, heavy movements, strongly pronounced high butt when moving, unbalanced movements, unadjustable foreign passage.

In the breed there is a sharp straightness, with straightened corners of the knee and rolling joints, which often entails high butt. Such dogs should be rejected and these vices should be taken into account in the selection and selection of the couple.

Growth. Dogs below 67cm, bitches below 62cm.

Vices

Temperature. Cowardice, choleric, uncontrollable aggression.

General view. A dog in a bitch type, and a bitch in a dog type.

Growth below 65cm. at male dogs and 60cm. at bitches.

Teeth. All deviations from the standard bite, the absence of any tooth, except P1.

        Horrible absence of fingers.

Tail.  Congenital cucumae.

Hair cover.  Soft, wavy, very short coat.

Coloration: Monotonous – black, pale, red, white, tiger, gray, liver color in all variations, blue color in all variations, genetically weakened pigmentation: ashes in combination with grey eyelids and light eyes, pale or light red in combination with brown eyelid and lip circumference, as well as with brown nose and light eyes. Foot color.

Kryptorchidism is full or one-sided.a