EAST-EUROPEAN SHEPHERD DOG
(Vostochno-evropeiskaya ovcharka)

 

This illustration does not necessarily show the ide al example of the breed

TRANSLATION: The Russian Kynological Federation (The RKF)
Translator: Anna Samsonova
Editor: Dr.  Eugene Yerusalimsky

Original version: (En).

ORIGIN: Russia.

DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE OFFICIAL VALID STANDARD: 00.00.0000.

UTILIZATION: Utility and service dog, companion dog.

FCI-CLASSIFICATION:                Group 1 Sheepdogs and Cattle Dogs
(except Swiss Mountain
and Cattle Dogs).
Section 1 Sheepdogs.
With working trial.

 BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY:

The breed had been created in the USSR since 1940s. The breeding process was aimed at creating dogs best suited for military service, boarder guard service, police and some other areas of the national economy in varies climatic conditions.
From 1924 to 1936 some small groups of the German Shepherd Dogs of different types and quality were imported from Germany into the USSR. 
Further breeding of those imported dogs was aimed at creation of a new breed of sheepdogs taking into account the special requirements of ministries and agencies with the interest in this breed which would be more adapted for various natural and climatic conditions of the country and 
For achievement this target, the bloods of unknown origin native dogs though of a desirable phenotype were used for crossbreeding.
As a result the breed named Vostochno-evropeiskaya ovcharka was created. 
The first breed standard was developed and approved in the USSR in1955.
In 2002, the Russian Kynological Federation approved the standard of the breed.

GENERAL APPEARANCE
The East-European Shepherd Dog is a strong-built; over-medium sized, long-bodied, powerful, well-muscled,  with strong but not heavy bone.
Sexual dimorphism is well-pronounced: males are larger and more massive than females are.

IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS:
The body length exceeds the height at the withers by 10 – 17 %.
The length of the head is 40 % of the height at the withers.
The height at the elbows is about 50% of the height at the withers.

BEHAVIOUR / TEMPERAMENT
The East European Shepherd Dog is well- tempered, self-assured, attentive, and easy to train, a reliable companion, a guard dog.

HEAD
The head is wedge-shaped, and in proportion to the body size (the length about 40 % of the height at the withers), rather large, but not too heavy.

 CRANIAL REGION:

Skull: The cranial region is flat, broad enough between ears and moderately deep,
the forehead is almost flat with only a slightly indicated middle furrow, or without it.
Superciliary arches are moderately pronounced.
Head planes are parallel.
Occiput is slightly marked.

Stop: of medium lengths, moderately marked.

FACIAL REGION:

Nose: large, black.

Muzzle: wedge-shaped, tapes gradually towards the nose, slightly blunt. 
The length of the facial region is almost equal to the length of the cranial region.
The nasal bridge is straight.

Lips: are taut, and black. Gums are of dark pigmentation.

Jaws / Teeth: Upper and lower jaws are well developed and strong. 
Teeth are large, white, regular, set close to each other and complete (42 teeth according to the dental formula).
A scissor bite.

Cheeks: slightly rounded, not pronounced.
Eyes: are of medium size, oval-shaped, set obliquely and rather wide apart.
Eyelids are black and taut.
The colour of the eyes should be as dark brown as possible.

Ears: are of medium size or a bit larger, the shape of a isosceles triangle, erect, set on high and rather wide; the tips are slightly rounded.
In relaxed position the tips of ears can be carried slightly sideward, in excitation the ears are carried upright and parallel to each other, and the tips of the ears are strictly upward.

NECK: 

The neck is well-muscled, without a dewlap, slightly broader towards the shoulders. The length of the neck is approximately equal to the length of the head.
The neck forms an angle of approximately 40-45° with the horizontal line.

BODY:
The body is solid, well-proportioned and in accordance with the elongated format.

Withers: long and well pronounced. The height at the withers exceeds a little the height at the sacrum.

Back: firm, long, broad, straight or slightly sloping towards croup.

Loin: short, broad, muscled, slightly arched.

Croup:  broad, rounded, long, muscled, and slightly sloping.

Chest: oval-shaped in cross-section, long, wide and deep.  The brestbone reaches at least the level of elbows. 
The depth of the chest is approximately 48-50 % of the height at the withers.
The ribs are rather sprung.

Underline and belly: belly is moderately tucked up.

TAIL:
The tail looks like a natural extension of the croup.

The tail is of saber shape is carried downwards and reaches the hocks or slightly lower. When the dog is excited, the first 1/3 of the tail may be carried raised to the level of the back and then insignificantly curved up.
Clothed evenly all round with dense coat.

LIMBS

FOREQUARTERS:

General appearance: the forelegs are straight, and parallel.
The height at elbows may slightly exceed 50% of the height at the withers.

Shoulder blade: of moderate length, firmly attached to the chest, obliquely placed – their axes form an angle of 45° with the horizontal.

Upper arm: The upper arms are of moderate length, obliquely placed. The angle formed by the shoulder blade and the upper arm is approximately 100°. Well-muscled.

Elbow: The elbows pointing backwards and turning neither in nor out.

Forearm: The forearms are straight viewed from all sides, and parallel to each other.

Metacarpus (Pastern): The pasterns are long, firm, and springy. Viewed from the side they are a little sloping.

Forefeet:  The forefeet are oval-shaped, well-closed and arched; the pads are well-cushioned and dark-coloured. The nails are strong and dark-pigmented.

HINGQUARTERS:

General appearance: The hindquarters viewed from the side are moderately placed behind, viewed from the rear are standing parallel and set rather wide.

Upper thigh: of moderate length, broad, well-muscled.

Stifle (knee): The knee-joins are well bent.

Lower thigh:  of moderate length.

Hock joint: The hock joints are firm, dry and well-angulated.

Metatarsus (rear pastern):  The rear pasterns are firm and stand vertically. Dewclaws must be removed.

Hind feet: of oval-shape. Toes well – knit, and arched; the pads are sturdy and dark-pigmented; the nails are dark-coloured.

 GAIT / MOVEMENT: The movement is free, smooth-flowing, and well-balanced with good reach of the forequarter, well covering the ground, and with good drive from the hindquarters. The dog is trotting not too close the ground. At the trot, the dog’s legs move in parallel straight forward when viewed either from the front or the rear. At a faster trot, the dog’s feet show a tendency to converge toward the axes of the body.
The joints of both front and rear legs are well bend and unbend.
The loin is firm and springy.

COAT:
Hair: Double-coat: the guard coat is dense, rather harsh, and straight, of medium length, close-fitting; the undercoat is well-developed, dense and soft, usually lighter in colour than the guard coat.
The coat on the head, including the inside of the ears, on the front side of the legs, on paws and toes is short; the hair on the neck is a little longer and thicker.
On the back side of the upper thighs the coat is longer and forms moderate ‘trousers’.

Colour:
Black with grey, black with reddish-brown having various depth of colour intensity (a black-shaded saddle may be of different depth);
Black with some separate tan marks of grey or reddish colour that can be found above the eyes, on the cheeks, on the front of the chest, on the legs or just only on the toes, around the anus. 
Solid black. In single-coloured black a small white mark on the fore chest is permitted but not desirable.
Grey sable, reddish sable with the dark mask of different depth of the colour.
Colours with the bright red tan marks are permissible, but not desirable.

SIZE AND WEIGHT:

Height at the withers: 
Males - 67 cm - 72 cm
Females -              62 cm – 67 cm.

FAULTS:

Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog and its ability to perform its traditional work.

SEVERE FAULTS:

Distinct deviations from sexual dimorphism.

Light, coarse or loose constitution; weak muscles.

Square body or excessively long-body.

Dogs with undersize by more than 2 cm.

Dogs with lacking self-confidence.

Dogs with untypical expression.

Round or protruded eyes, very light eyes.

Dogs with lack of two first premolars (2xP1).

Weak, soft ears; ears set too low.

Curled tail; sickled tail; corkscrewed tail.

Weak ligaments, bending limbs, unbalanced movement, pacing, trotting too close the ground.

Distinct deviation from parallel position of legs seen either from the front or the rear; too straight angulations; over-angulations

Partly unpigmented nose.

DISQUALIFYING  FAULTS:

Aggressive or cowardly dogs.

Dogs of untypical breed type.

Any deviation from complete dental formula, except pointed in Severe faults

Any deviation from scissors bite; wry mouth.

Entropion; ectropion.

Drop ears.

Untypical colour

Completely unpigmented nose.

Heterochromatism – malformation in eyes pigmentation; wall-eye; blue eyes (one or two);

Albinism.

Too short tail, bob or stump tail.

Monorchid or cryptorchid dogs.

Tied, over reaching or weaving movements.

Curly coat; too long or too short guard coat; missing undercoat.

Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified.

N.B:

Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

Only functionally and clinically healthy dogs, with breed typical conformation, shall be used for breeding.