Official ICCF Breed Description

Brief Historical Background

The Central Asian Shepherd Dog is one of the oldest indigenous breeds, formed in the territory of Central Asia, where for thousands of years it accompanied nomadic peoples. These dogs were used to guard livestock, nomadic camps, and caravans, standing against wolves and other predators. The breed developed through natural selection under extreme climatic conditions—hot summers, freezing winters, dry steppes, and mountainous regions. Only the strongest dogs with stable temperaments, robust health, and powerful bodies survived. In the 20th century, systematic breeding began with the goal of preserving the breed’s working qualities, endurance, and natural guarding instinct. Today, the Central Asian Shepherd Dog is valued as a reliable guardian, retaining its traditional type and functionality.

General Appearance

The Central Asian Shepherd Dog is a large, powerful, harmoniously built dog of a strong, sometimes slightly coarse type, with clearly pronounced sexual dimorphism. The body is broad and deep, with strong bone and well-developed musculature. The head is massive, with a broad skull and strong jaws. The limbs are straight and stable, providing confident movement across any terrain. The coat is dense, with a well-developed undercoat that protects against both cold and heat. Movements are calm, confident, and wide-reaching. The overall impression is imposing yet balanced, reflecting natural strength, courage, and the ability to work independently for long periods. The breed must show confidence, stability, and authentic working functionality.

Important Proportions

The format of the Central Asian Shepherd Dog is moderately elongated. Height at the withers is slightly less than body length. The chest is deep, reaching the elbows, providing significant respiratory capacity. The head is large; skull width is noticeably greater than its length; the muzzle is powerful, almost rectangular, and forms about half the length of the head. The neck is strong, of medium length, smoothly merging into the pronounced withers. The shoulder blades are sloping; the scapular–humeral angle is balanced, supporting stable movement. The limbs are strong, heavy-boned, and muscular. The tail is set high, naturally sabre-shaped or curled. The proportions ensure strength, stability, and endurance.

Behavior and Temperament

The Central Asian Shepherd Dog has a balanced, confident, and independent temperament shaped by centuries of guarding work. The breed has a strong territorial instinct, high vigilance, and the ability to quickly assess situations. It is brave, reliable, and capable of making decisions independently, which makes it an excellent guardian. Toward strangers it is wary without unnecessary aggression, but will act decisively when needed. Within the family, it is calm, loyal, and protective of its owner and property. The breed requires an experienced, confident handler and early socialization. Nervousness, fearfulness, unjustified aggression, or weak nerves are serious deviations from the breed’s temperament.

Head

The head of the Central Asian Shepherd Dog is massive and broad, with a well-developed cranial volume. The skull is flat or slightly convex, broad between the ears. The stop is smooth and moderately expressed without sharp transition. The muzzle is voluminous, almost rectangular, tapering slightly toward the nose but remaining powerful along its length. The lips are thick and tight, though slight looseness is acceptable in larger dogs. The cheekbones are broad and strong but not protruding. The jaws are extremely powerful, with a full set of large teeth and a correct scissor bite. The overall impression of the head conveys strength, stability, and confidence—key characteristics of the breed.

Facial Region

The facial region is broad and massive. The nose is large, well pigmented, with wide nostrils. The muzzle is straight and powerful, maintaining consistent width throughout. The lips are thick and firm; the upper lip may slightly cover the lower lip without forming deep folds. The jaws are strong, the teeth large and even. The cheeks are moderately filled without coarseness, emphasizing the strength of the head. The chin is moderately defined without projection. The facial region must reflect confidence, calmness, and power typical of a guardian breed. Weak jaws, a narrow or pointed muzzle, insufficient pigmentation, or loose folds that distort breed type are unacceptable.

Eyes

The eyes of the Central Asian Shepherd Dog are medium-sized, oval, and slightly slanted, giving an attentive and calm expression. The eyes are set moderately deep, without protrusion. The iris is usually dark brown, although lighter shades are acceptable but less desirable. Eyelids are tight, well pigmented, without droopiness or signs of weakness. The expression is confident, balanced, and thoughtful, without aggression or nervousness. Unacceptable features include round, overly large, or protruding eyes, weak pigmentation, excessive tearing, or irritation. Correct eyes emphasize the breed’s calm temperament, judgement, and reliability.

Ears

The ears are medium-sized, triangular with a broad base, set relatively low and hanging close to the cheeks. In their natural form, the ears are pendulous with a soft shape. They should not be excessively long or too short. Traditional cropping is acceptable, but within ICCF standards the natural ear is preferred. The ears must emphasize the head’s massiveness and balance without disrupting its proportions. High-set, overly small, strongly protruding, or damaged ears are unacceptable. The ear shape must harmonize with the breed’s strong, steady expression.

Neck

The neck is strong, muscular, and of medium length, smoothly transitioning into the withers. The carriage is confident and somewhat high, but not excessively upright. The skin is thick, and a slight dewlap may be present, characteristic of the breed, but should not be excessive. The neck ensures stability and power during guarding work and helps the dog maintain balance when moving and confronting predators. Musculature must be well developed, firm, and strong. A short, weak, overly long, thin, or excessively loose neck disrupts the breed’s silhouette. Proper neck structure highlights the Central Asian Shepherd Dog’s working nature and endurance.

Body

The body is powerful, broad, and deep, reflecting natural strength and the ability to withstand significant physical load. The withers are pronounced and strong, blending into a wide, straight back that must remain stable in motion and stance. The loin is short, very powerful, with well-developed muscles supporting the hindquarters. The croup is wide and moderately sloping, ensuring a strong push and stable footing on any terrain. The chest is deep and spacious, reaching the elbows; ribs are long and moderately arched, forming a capacious ribcage. The abdomen is slightly tucked but not overly dry. The body must demonstrate strength and massiveness without coarseness, maintaining harmony and functionality suitable for a guardian breed.

Tail

The tail is set high; naturally it is sabre-shaped or curled, often carried low at rest. When alert, it may rise above the topline while maintaining a smooth curve. The hair on the tail is dense and close-fitting. Traditionally the tail may be docked, but within ICCF standards the full natural tail is preferred for evaluating breed balance and structure. The tail must be strong at the base and proportionate to the body. Unacceptable are excessively short, thin, tightly curled, low-set, or incorrectly structured tails. A correct tail emphasizes balance, strength, and the breed’s confident character.

Exterior Description

Forelimbs

The forelimbs are straight, wide-set, parallel, showing strong bone and stability. The shoulder blades are long and moderately sloping, ensuring good reach. The upper arms are strong and muscular; the shoulder angle is balanced, enabling free and confident movement. The forearms are straight and powerful; wrists are broad and firm without softness. The feet are large, round, with thick pads, providing traction on various surfaces. Given the breed’s working nature, the forelimbs must show strength and the ability to support heavy weight and prolonged activity. Unacceptable features include weak pasterns, splayed feet, narrow or overly wide stance, or joint weakness. Correct forelimbs reflect the breed’s power and reliability.

Hindlimbs

The hindlimbs are powerful, wide-set, with well-developed musculature, ensuring strong drive and stability on difficult terrain. The thighs are long, voluminous, and firm, providing endurance during extended guarding or long-distance movement. The knees are well-defined, with a balanced angle—not excessively steep or straight. The lower legs are of moderate length, strong, merging into broad, low-set hocks. The metatarsals are firm, vertical, without inward or outward deviation. The feet are large, dense, with thick pads. Unacceptable features include weak joints, narrow stance, cow-hocks, bow-legged posture, lameness, or disrupted drive.

Gait and Movement

The gait is confident, free, powerful, and stable. The dog maintains a straight topline while moving, demonstrating smooth, energy-efficient strides. The forelimbs extend forward with assurance; the hindlimbs deliver a strong but controlled push. Movements must not be hurried or overly energetic—the breed moves with steadiness, clear power, and stability. When accelerating, the dog must maintain balance and straight movement, which is crucial for guarding work. Unacceptable are short steps, crossing limbs, paddling, cow-hocks, rolling of the body, high action, or signs of discomfort. Correct movement highlights the breed’s strength, endurance, and natural confidence.

Coat

The coat is double and dense, consisting of a harsh outer coat and a thick, warm undercoat providing protection in both cold and heat. Coat length varies: short-coated dogs have outer hair 4–6 cm long; long-coated dogs have hair up to 8–10 cm on the neck, tail, and backs of limbs. The coat is straight, dense, water-resistant, and close-fitting. The undercoat is thick and soft, forming uniform insulation. The coat must retain a working type and must not be soft, curly, or overly fine. Unacceptable: absence of undercoat, excessive fluffiness, matting, or signs of artificial alteration. A correct coat confirms the breed’s ability to function under extreme climates.

Acceptable Colors

The Central Asian Shepherd Dog allows a wide range of colors, reflecting its ancient native origin. Permitted colors include white, fawn, red, gray, brindle, black, zoned, and combinations of these shades. Both solid and moderately spotted patterns are acceptable. Undesirable are large irregular patches that severely disrupt harmony. Pigmentation of the nose, eyelids, and lips must be full and dark, appropriate to coat color; mild seasonal lightening is allowed. Unacceptable are albinism, complete depigmentation, faded nose, merle coloration, blue eyes, or genetic-defect-associated colors. A correct color enhances strength, expression, and the natural character of the breed.

Size

The Central Asian Shepherd Dog is a large, powerful breed, and size plays a crucial functional role. Males typically stand 70–80 cm at the withers, females 65–75 cm, with slight deviations acceptable if the dog maintains harmony and strength. Weight ranges from 40–65 kg for females and 50–80 kg for males, depending on format and musculature. The dog must not be excessively heavy or too light: over-massiveness reduces endurance, while excessive lightness disrupts working type. Size must align with strong bone, powerful limbs, and proportional body structure. Unacceptable are disproportion, excessive size, or miniaturization that harms functionality.

Faults

Faults include any deviations reducing working ability or breaking breed type. These include loose or overly light or coarse constitution, weak bone, narrow chest, insufficient chest depth; weak topline, sway back, weak loin; incorrect limb structure—paddling, cow-hocks, narrow stance, weak pasterns, straight angulation; light or elongated head, weak jaws, incomplete pigmentation. Coat faults: overly soft, short, wavy, or sparse coat; lack of undercoat. Temperament faults: fearfulness, nervousness, unjustified aggression, lack of confidence. Any traits limiting the dog’s ability to perform guarding duties are considered significant faults.

Disqualification

Disqualifying faults include severe defects of structure, behavior, or health that exclude the dog from shows and breeding. Full depigmentation of nose, lips, or eyelids; serious eye defects—incorrect eyelid position, lack of pigmentation, severe strabismus, major vision impairment. Undershot, overshot, multiple missing teeth (beyond age-appropriate exceptions), jaw deformities. Major limb defects: heavy lameness, severe joint deformities, cow-hocks, significant elbow or hock abnormalities. Complete absence of undercoat, excessively long or wavy coat, merle coloration, blue eyes, large white patches on dark coats, albinism. Cryptorchidism in males. Unstable temperament—panic fearfulness, unjustified aggression, uncontrolled behavior—is an absolute disqualifying factor.

Important Notes

The Central Asian Shepherd Dog is a working indigenous breed; evaluation must prioritize its functionality, mental stability, and preserved ancient type. Minor cosmetic deviations may be acceptable if they do not affect guarding ability or endurance. Any artificial alteration—changing coat color, texture, ear shape for appearance, tail correction, skin or coat dyeing—is prohibited. Judging considers age, sex, health, temperament, and overall impression. The breed must display calmness, confidence, strength, and independent decision-making. Nervousness, lack of confidence, or behavioral instability are unacceptable in working and show evaluations.

Conclusion

The Central Asian Shepherd Dog is a powerful, balanced, and highly functional guardian breed that has preserved ancient qualities of protection and defense. To participate in ICCF shows and breeding, the dog must possess official ICCF documents confirming origin, absence of disqualifying faults, and full compliance with the standard. Expert evaluation is based on anatomy, movement, coat quality, pigmentation, temperament, and overall breed type. Only healthy, typical, stable dogs capable of passing working qualities to offspring are approved for breeding. The Central Asian Shepherd Dog must demonstrate strength, confidence, solid structure, and functionality essential for its historical role—protecting territory, family, and livestock.