Turkmen dog - alabai is a beautiful and courageous animal. For many centuries it has helped Turkmen shepherds to safeguard flocks of cattle in heavy conditions of sandy desert. This magnificent dog can not be confused with one other breed. Strong, well built alabai is fascinating in its nobleness of movements, confidence and calmness. But anyone who has seen this fighter struggles with a predator will never part with his alabai... Now Turkmen wolfhound has a lot of friends and admirers all over the world. It is a fact that this breed has been created by genetic selection. From time immemorial shepherds selecting set dogs to fight.

They kept the winner. In fact, they needed a courageous fighter capable of protecting a flock of sheep. Even today during dogfights experts evaluate its hind and fore legs positioning, width and the upper part of chest, waist strength, steep ribs and long false ribs."A wolfhound should have a strong short neck - they say - a massive heavy head with smooth transition from forehead to muzzle similar to a polar bear's". All these qualities of the breed representative are fixed only on a ring during dogfights. Today alabai is treasured not only by the people who have created the breed but also by all who has grown fond of these animals and highly appreciates this courageous protector and friend.

Using a mirror, we do not exclude, that it can be curved, and on the other hand, remember: " there is nothing to expostulate on a mirror... "? But anyhow, 247 people answering questions of the questionnaire about " Most loved breed of the dog " have mentioned the German shepherd 1022 times, the Caucasian sheep-dog of 387 times and the Central Asian sheep-dog 233. On one hand it can be caused still by small acquaintance of general public to this breed. Thus the Central Asian sheep-dog was never mentioned as the "most trained, silly " breed for city, for gentle persons and the "most"emotional breed. The Central Asian sheep-dog was mentioned as the sharpest, artful, friendly, fashionable, perspective breed, breed for older persons, for the businessman, for family with the child, for the president, as a dog who happens to be more clever then the owner, intelligent, sexy breed, breed as a hobby, sad breed and breed for all occasions. Less often than the Caucasian sheep-dog, the Central Asian sheep-dog mentioned as the "most harmful breed on character, beautiful, malicious, irritable, as breed for the present of the man, for the racketeer, for rich, as the "most" difficult breed, as breed for masterful men, for rigid people, as "bodyguard" breed, igoistic breed, complex(difficult) at the maintenance(contents) and independent breed. Also it has appeared, that from the point of view of the film-logic inhabitant the Central Asian sheep-dog is very malicious, obstinate, independent, difficult, dangerous, but perspective enough breed for imperious and rigid (not severe!) men and racketeers. Which, however, love much more than the Caucasian sheep-dog and dream to have them more often.

THE CENTRAL ASIAN SHEEP-DOG IN THE EYES OF THEIR OWNERS

To learn about what the Central Asian sheep-dog grows up to be like, not only from prespective from the expert-cynologist how does the dog meets to the requirements of the breed standard ,but how the dog will grow up in any of our homes and how will it present to be as the watchman, the defender and our partner,how much does Alabai meetsof this requirement in public opinion, 42 owners of dogs of this breed have been interrogated.Owners of dogs were offered to estimate properties and qualities of the dogs all over again and then quantitatively, on a ten-ball scale, considering absence, very weak, weak, moderate, significant or very significant expressiveness of an attribute. Data have been shown in the general table and occurrence of this or that degree of expressiveness of an attribute has been estimated in percentage. For comparison have been chosen the German shepherd (data are received on the basis of interrogation of 78 owners) and the Caucasian sheep-dog (data of interrogation of 17 owners).

AGGRESSION

If we live with a dog in the big city and in a close apartment, it couldn't bother us how, however, and those who yet has no dogs, ability of a dog to not complicate our life. Therefore also it would be desirable to estimate that, if Central Asian sheep-dog is capable to be the good neighbor. And for this purpose we have allocated following kinds of aggressive "justify" hasbox="2">

Frequency of occurrence of various forms of aggression:

Attribute	Degree of expressiveness of an attribute
Attribute	Absence	Weak	Moderated(Moderate)	Significant
Aggression to dogs	2,40 %	21,40 %	28,60 %	47,60 %
Aggression to the person	14,30 %	28,60 %	19,00 %	38,10 %
Aggression to children	42,90 %	23,80 %	11,90 %	21,40 %
Aggression to the owner	81,00 %	19,00 %	0,00 %	0,00 %
Aggression to members of family	73,80 %	26,20 %	2,40 %	0,00 %
Danger to associates	28,60 %	21,40 %	16,70 %	33,30 %
Sentry qualities	2,40 %	16,70 %	14,30 %	66,70 %
Qualities of the defender	7,10 %	19,00 %	9,50 %	64,30 %
Protection of territory	7,10 %	11,90 %	0,00 %	81,00 %

Aggression to dogs.

Aggression to dogs in the Central Asian sheep-dog is expressed highly enough: almost 48 % of the interrogated owners mark significant expressiveness of this attribute, and 29 % - the moderate expressiveness, that in any way does not make a life of owners quiet. Dogs whom very few people risks are especially aggressive to shirk without the leash While among German shepherds significant aggression to similar is marked 22 % of dogs, and at the Caucasian sheep-dogs at - 29 % of dogs of the surveyed livestock. Aggression to the person in opinion of owners of the Central Asian sheep-dog, is considerably expressed at 38 % and moderately expressed at 19 % of dogs, that much below, than in the Caucasian sheep-dog (accordingly 65 % and 23 % of dogs), but considerably above, than at the German shepherd (accordingly 18 % and 26 % of dogs).

Aggression to children is absent almost at 43 % of dogs of breed the Central Asian sheep-dog. Among German shepherds aggression to children is absent at 46 % of dogs, and among the Caucasian sheep-dogs only at 23 % of dogs.
The conflictness of a dog in family can be shown both in the form of aggression to the owner, and to members of its family. In Central Asian sheep-dog aggression to the owner is absent at 81 % of dogs, among dogs of breed the German shepherd at 82 %, among dogs of breed the Caucasian sheep-dog only at 65 %.

Aggression to members of family in Alabais almost same, as well as in German shepherds also is absent at 74 % of dogs while in the Caucasian sheep-dogs it is absent only at 65 % of dogs.
Not provoked aggression which can represent danger to associates in the Central Asian sheep-dog below, than in Caucasian (33 % and 41 % accordingly), but above than in the German shepherd (11 %).
Sentry qualities, sentry bark in this case means, among compared breeds are most expressed in the Caucasian sheep-dog - substantially they are expressed at 94 % of dogs; among the Central Asian sheep-dogs at 67 % of dogs, and among German shepherds at 76 % of dogs.

Qualities of the defender, that is ability to not give(allow) the owner in insult, are considerably expressed at 64 % of the Central Asian sheep-dogs. The similar parameter in the Caucasian sheep-dog makes 76 %, and in the German shepherd about 57 %. It is reliable to protect territory, to prevent attempts of penetration of a stranger, on a recognition of owners, 81 % of the Central Asian sheep-dogs can. To this feat 59 % of German and 88 % of the Caucasian sheep-dogs are capable. Thus, under the certificate of owners of dogs of breed the Central Asian sheep-dog, their pupils possess the raised(increased) aggression to dogs, and on aggression to the person they concede to the Caucasian sheep-dog, but surpass German. Aggression to children at them is expressed less than at Caucasian, but it is more than at the German shepherd. Intra family aggression of the Central Asian sheep-dog almost same, as well as at the German shepherd also is much less expressed, than at the Caucasian sheep-dog. The Central Asian sheep-dog is less dangerous to associates, than the Caucasian sheep-dog, but is much more dangerous, than German. On qualities of the defender and ability to protection of territory the Central Asian sheep-dog surpasses German.

If to look attentively at the table of occurrence of various forms of aggression it is possible to notice characteristic frequencies of some forms (especially it it is characteristic for an attribute of protection of territory). It can be caused by heterogeneity of breed and reflect feature of formation of the Moscow population of the dogs who are based manufacturers from various republics of Central Asia, at times much differing from each other on the behavior. But can reflect and presence of special preparation of dogs - training's, from a part of owners.

PSYCHOLOGICAL FEATURES OF BREED

Frequency of occurrence of attributes of the various form of the expressiveness, describing some psychological features of a dog:

Attribute	Degree of expressiveness of an attribute
Attribute	Absence	Weak	Moderated(Moderate)	Significant
Obstinacy	4,80 %	23,80 %	42,90 %	28,60 %
Independence	4,80 %	4,80 %	23,80 %	66,70 %
Attachment to the owner	0,00 %	4,80 %	9,50 %	85,70 %
Sociability	9,50 %	23,80 %	19,00 %	47,60 %
Cheerfulness	0,00 %	9,50 %	21,40 %	69,00 %
Need(Requirement) for caress	4,80 %	9,50 %	19,00 %	66,70 %
Intelligence	7,10 %	7,10 %	21,40 %	64,30 %
Ingenuity	0,00 %	4,80 %	16,70 %	78,60 %
Backhandedness	2,40 %	19,00 %	47,60 %	31,00 %

Obstinacy

Almost third of interrogated owners of the Central Asian sheep-dogs have noted significant expressiveness of obstinacy of the dogs, it is equal as much, how many in the Caucasian sheep-dogs. While among German shepherds the expressed obstinacy meets only at 10 % of dogs.
Almost 67 % of dogs of breed the Central Asian sheep-dog differ much expressed independence of the behavior. Among the Caucasian sheep-dogs 53 %, and among German only 20 % of dogs suffer. However, despite of it, attachment to the owner is high enough and in much expressed degree meets almost in 86 % of dogs (among the Caucasian sheep-dogs at 59 %, among German at 95 % of dogs).

On sociability the Central Asian sheep-dogs a little differ from Caucasian and these breeds are much less sociable, than the German shepherd.
The Central Asian sheep-dogs are much less playful, than German shepherds - significant cheerfulness is noted at 69 % САО, among BUT at 75 % of dogs. While among the Caucasian sheep-dogs significant cheerfulness is noted only at 41 % of dogs.

In opinion of owners, the need(requirement) for caress is considerably expressed almost at 67 % of the Central Asian sheep-dogs and is absent almost at 5 % of dogs. Among German shepherds the significant need(requirement) for caress is noted at 76 % of dogs and only at 47 % of dogs of breed the Caucasian sheep-dog.

On intelligence, noted substantially at 64 % of the Central Asian sheep-dogs, this breed surpasses also German (accordingly 53 %), and Caucasian (53 %) sheep-dogs.

Ingenuity of the Central Asian sheep-dogs almost the same, as in German (much expressed accordingly at 78,6 % and 78,2 % of dogs) and above than at the Caucasian sheep-dogs (much expressed at 64,7 % of dogs).

Training ,ability to learn is considerably expressed at 31 % and it is moderate at 48 % of dogs of breed the Central Asian sheep-dog while among German shepherds substantially training it is characteristic for 75,6 %, and moderate for 16,7 % of dogs. Among the Caucasian sheep-dogs significant training it is characteristic for 23,5 %, and moderate for 58,8 % of dogs.

Thus, in opinion of the owners, the Central Asian sheep-dog very obstinate dog, very much stuborn, than the German shepherd also more independent, than the Caucasian and German sheep-dogs. In this connection only third of Central Asian sheep-dogs differ much expressed training, that much below, than the German shepherd, but has some above, than at the Caucasian sheep-dog (same experts in the field of training confirm also). However in ingenuity to the Central Asian sheep-dog you will not give up - they are as sharp as the German shepherd and sharper, than the Caucasian sheep-dog. Despite of the expressed obstinacy and independence, the Central Asian sheep-dog is more adhered to the owner, than Caucasian, but it is much less, than the German shepherd. Also as well as the Caucasian sheep-dogs, Central Asian do not differ sociability, but they are more cheerful, than the first. The Central Asian sheep-dogs are more exacting to caress, than Caucasian, and less, than German shepherds. But on intelligence (most likely this advantage of behavior and absence of fussiness) to the Central Asian sheep-dogs there is no equal!

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