Care and maintenance of Alabai puppies at home: food, walking and hygiene

Alabai is the largest and oldest breed of dog. A strong, resilient and fearless animal has become man's best friend, a true protector.

This article will tell you how to properly care for your dog, how to feed it, and whether it can get sick. Find out what size the enclosure and booth should be, and whether a muzzle is needed. Does he get along with other dogs or cats when he becomes angry? Read on about all this and more.

Characteristics of the Alabai

Alabai puppy
Central Asian Shepherd puppies have a number of characteristics. First of all, it is worth noting that the Alabai breed has a calm, balanced type of puppy with high nervous activity. In addition, it has the following properties:

the small dog is agile and stable;
has uniform strength and balance of nervous processes;
thanks to genetics, Alabai puppies are calm and not fussy;
they have a long reaction to stimuli;
an adult dog has primitive herding-guard traits combined with pride and self-confidence;
give the impression of serious and arrogant animals;
in the process of being kept together, CAO puppies are able to form packs;
dogs have a good attitude towards all pets and family members;

Bitches are more mobile and dynamic than males.
Attention! When vagrancy and gathering manifest themselves, radical measures in education should be urgently taken.

Serious and arrogant bitch Alabai

Diseases

Alabai boasts good health. But there are diseases to which the Central Asian Shepherd is suddenly exposed.

Common

Here is a list of diseases common among Alabais:

Joint problems. The considerable weight of the dog negatively affects the structure of the cartilage. Arthritis, arthrosis, dysplasia, and so on occur.
Problems with the cardiovascular system. If the dog leads an inactive lifestyle, then the performance of the heart decreases and the elasticity of blood vessels is impaired.
Excess weight and poor functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Poor nutrition and a sedentary lifestyle are not good for your dog.

If the Alabai has become indifferent to the outside world and does not want to communicate with the owner, then you should immediately consult a veterinarian. The specialist will examine the pet and prescribe treatment. It is not recommended to select medications on your own, much less test traditional medicine on a dog.

Rare

Such diseases can occur due to a gene defect, or the owner’s neglect of the dog.

Here is the list:

Skin. For example, the Central Asian Shepherd dog suffers from ringworm and demodicosis. Infected from other animals, or due to living in poor conditions.
Genetic. These are infertility, diabetes and cryptorchidism. The treatment is long, and is selected only by a veterinarian.
Parvovirus enteritis. A contagious and practically untreatable viral disease. Very often the animal dies.

Self-medication is not encouraged. Otherwise, all attempts will lead to sad consequences.

Nose becomes swollen

A swollen nose indicates the presence of some disease. The reasons why a dog's nose swells can be different. Here are some of them:

bite of a wasp, bee, mosquito or other insect;
allergic reaction;
runny nose;
viral diseases;
poor nutrition;
immunity disorder.

A swollen nose is a cause for concern and a visit to the veterinarian. For example, a bee or wasp sting causes the dog to have trouble breathing. May be accompanied by swelling of the nasopharynx.

Alabai is a dog that requires increased attention and professional training. If the owner takes into account the recommendations of specialists and doctors, the dog will become a good and healthy protector of all family members. The Shepherd gets along easily with other pets, is unpretentious in food, but needs care.

How to prepare for the arrival of a Central Asian Shepherd puppy

Knowing how long pregnant Alabai walk, you can predict the date of birth. And even if the Asian Shepherd puppy has not yet appeared in the house, a good owner is already thinking about how to make his maintenance comfortable. First of all, you should acquire the following items:

2 bowls;
collar, leash, muzzle, harness;
puppy food;
zoo shampoo;
bed;
toys;
combs, furminator.

Until the dog has had all its vaccinations, it should live in a home. A place for the baby should be arranged where the new family member can rest peacefully. A suitable option is a mattress with a removable cover that can be easily washed.

Important! The bed should be placed away from radiators and drafts.

The bed should be positioned correctly in the room

Personality: aggressive or kind?

Harsh climatic conditions and high demands on representatives have shaped the character traits of Central Asian Shepherd Dogs. During the evolution of the dog, the aborigines gained fearlessness, endurance and endurance. They are independent and will not follow commands for treats; they obey only one owner, who has been raising them since childhood.

Depending on the method of upbringing, the alabai becomes angry at the age of 6 months. This is a real fighting breed and it is impossible to imagine who could be stronger than the Alabai. They fight until their last breath, never give up or run away, and do not try to make the enemy feel sorry for them. You can watch a video of Alabai in battle here. By the way, I recently wrote about who is stronger and smarter: the Alabai or the German Shepherd.

On the Internet you can find shocking footage of Alabai attacking a person or biting its owner. Yes, there are such cases. For the sake of fairness, it must be clarified that the number of such cases is negligible. Cases of attacks on humans cause huge resonance due to the power of the dog.

Reviews from owners overwhelmingly say that the dogs are calm and balanced. I have already written about the attitude of the Alabais towards children here. Proper coexistence between dog and human must go hand in hand with respect.

At the same time, the character of East Asian Shepherds is such that they will protect the owner and his family until the last breath. Alabai is loyal and kind to his own people, but evil to those who are inadequate. An attack on a person is usually associated with aggressive behavior on the part of the latter.

Cowardly Alabai. The breed standard states that cowardice is a fault and a disqualifying characteristic.

Contents of Alabaev

It is worth discussing how to properly care for puppies when the birth of the Alabai is over and the kittens will go to new homes in the near future.

Vaccinations

To ensure your pet's health, you need to follow the vaccination schedule:

At the age of 5-8 weeks, the first vaccination is done in 2 stages, if the mother was vaccinated before mating.
More often, breeders tend to give the first vaccination at 2 months. Revaccination should be carried out at intervals of 1-2 weeks.

Important! The injection should only be administered to an absolutely healthy animal until the baby teeth fall out.

Grooming

You should not bathe the animal too often, because the fur is resistant to dirt. It is enough to carry out the procedure 2-3 times a year using special shampoos. Dead fur should be combed regularly; the peak of shedding occurs in the spring.

Development of an Alabai puppy up to one year

Newborn Sao individuals have a round and dense body, short legs, and a small tail. Small alabai are born with a body weight of 350 or 550 grams, eyes closed, without a natural thermoregulation system and practically deaf, but with an excellent sense of smell. They can easily distinguish the mother's smell from the rest, and cling to the mother's body in search of food and warmth.

Photo from Instagram account alabay.azmaral

Babies open their eyes 2 weeks after birth, and begin to hear after 2.5 weeks. Purebred dogs actively grow in height up to 8.5 months, and at ten months growth stops completely. When the dog is 12 months old, it will have a narrow torso and underdeveloped muscles. From birth to one month, the puppy increases its weight 10 times or more, that is, its body weight reaches 5 kilos and its height reaches 30 centimeters.

An Alabai puppy at 2 months is actively gaining weight, but is not growing. The dog will weigh 10 kilograms, since the animal's skeletal bones are actively forming. At 4 months, Black Alabai puppies reach 55 centimeters at the withers, they already weigh 30 kilos, and their body lengthens and narrows significantly. At six months, the alabai already weighs 50 kilograms, its height is 70 centimeters, so it looks like a powerful adult. At this time, the skeleton stops growing, muscle mass increases. Adult males will mature until they are three years old, and females until they are one and a half years old.

Caring for ears, eyes, teeth, claws

To make life easier for the animal, you should regularly examine your pet and clean its vital organs.

Ears

It is necessary to examine the dog’s ears every day for signs of:

redness;
swelling;
heavy discharge;
mud;
unpleasant odor;
discoloration in some places.

You should clean your ears every 3-4 days. If sulfur has not yet accumulated, you should not disturb the puppy again.

Attention! In Russia, ear cropping of white or black Alabais is not a mandatory procedure; the owner decides the issue independently.

Alabai eyes

If discharge appears from the dog's eyes, it is necessary to wash them with chamomile decoction or tea. It is recommended to show the animal to a veterinarian.

Ears and eyes require constant care

Teeth

You can clean plaque from pets using special toys or large bones, as well as a special toothbrush. The puppy should get used to the procedure from early childhood; in adulthood, he will know what the device can look like.

To remove tartar, you should contact your veterinarian.

Claws

If the claws do not gradually wear off, you need to shorten them using special forceps yourself or contact a veterinary clinic.

Education and training

Alabai and the children usually get along great. The dog will play with pleasure with the child. However, you have to seriously work on establishing psychological contact between you, the owner, and the puppy from the first days. It is very important to show your pet who is boss in the house. To do this, do not allow disobedience.

Another key point: try to take the dog for walks in unfamiliar places, take him in a car and public transport. He will be confused and confused, and therefore he will internalize and take your leadership qualities for granted.

Puppy food

A balanced diet plays an important role in a dog’s health.

What to feed at 1 month

At this age, feeding should be done every 3 hours, gradually increasing the intervals between meals. The basis of nutrition at the age of 1 month is dairy products, which should be supplemented with vegetables, cereals, sour cream, and vegetable oil in small quantities.

Diet at 2 months

In addition to vitamin and mineral supplements, the diet of a two-month-old Alabai should include:

meat - 160 g;
cottage cheese - 290-310 g;
curdled milk - 230-250 g;
cereals - 100 g;
vegetables - 60 g.

Nutrition at 3 months

The puppy's energy needs and appetite increase by the age of three months. For a weekly diet you will need the following volume of products:

360 meat products;
500 ml yogurt;
650 g offal;
330 g cereals;
300 g vegetables;
160 g dark bread;
50 g bran;
10 ml vegetable oil.

Attention! The puppy should be given a boiled chicken egg about 2-3 times a week.

Further diet

By the age of five months, the number of meals is 4 times a day. Meat also dominates the diet. During the period of 5-8 months, it is customary to feed the dog 3 times a day.

From the age of eight months, two meals a day are introduced; for one meal, the volume of meat should be 550-700 g.

Natural feeding

When feeding naturally, it is important to include in the diet not only meat, but also dairy products, cereals, fermented milk products, bran, and vegetables. You should also ensure constant access to a bowl of water. From 10 months, your puppy can be given raw soft meaty bones.

Important! It is recommended to monitor the amount of food you eat, as overeating is not advisable.

Switching to dry food

It is recommended to switch animals to ready-made dry food no earlier than two years of age. The brand should be chosen individually so that the components do not contribute to allergic reactions.

In any case, you should give preference to high-quality products, the super premium category.

Rickets in puppies

Puppies up to 12 months of age are susceptible to this disease. The disease occurs as a result of a deficiency:

vitamin D;
calcium;
phosphorus.

Signs of rickets in puppies:

inhibited reaction;
fatigue often occurs;
oppression;
the condition of the coat deteriorates.

Treatment involves adjusting the diet and taking additional mineral and vitamin preparations as prescribed by the doctor.

Crooked front paws

Most often, curvature of the paws occurs due to genetic abnormalities. Correcting the situation is extremely difficult, often impossible. Remains to love and care for the pet.

Curvature of a pet's paws

Description of the Alabai breed

What does a Central Asian Shepherd look like?

There is a standard appearance for Alabai:

Height: at withers: male from 68 cm, female from 63 cm.
Weight: male from 50 kg, female from 42 kg.
Head: flat forehead, developed nape, massive.
Muzzle: wide jaws and medium length, massive chin, large fangs. The nose is large, black, the lips are black.
Eyes: small, widely set, oval shaped. Thick, black eyelids, eye color - from light to dark brown.
Ears: triangle-shaped and drooping, pinna at eye level. They are docked in their homeland or in places where it is permitted.
Neck: strong, muscular, prominent dewlap.
Back: elongated, with muscular withers and convex loin.
Chest: The chest is well developed, expanding towards the back. Round, strong ribs. The bottom of the chest drops to the elbow level.
Tail: thickened at the base and shaped like a sickle. There is a tail twisted into a ring. At will, it can be stopped or left in its natural form.
Hind legs: straight, muscular, have strong bones.
Forelegs: straight, with strong bones.
Paws: large, with thick skin on the pads.
Coat: thick, straight, up to 8-9 cm long. The undercoat is well developed.
Color: black, white, fawn, brindle, speckled, red.

How to care for Alabai in a city apartment

If you have to keep a dog in an apartment, you must provide:

daily walks in the morning and evening, at least 60 minutes in time;
young dogs should be walked 3-4 times a day;
The dog must be let off the leash in designated areas;
It is recommended to use a leash and muzzle for walks.

Aviary for alabai

How to walk an alabai correctly

Outside private territory, the dog must be taken out on a leash and the pet must be muzzled. In a crowded place, you should take the animal on a short leash. A strong collar will help restrain your dog if he tends to lunge forward or to the side. The dog can be provoked by a cat or another dog.

If there is a deserted wasteland or forest area not far from your home, you can let your pet off the leash. Alabais need a lot of physical activity to stay in shape. If there is a shallow river nearby, you can let your pet swim.

Walking in a deserted area without a leash is only allowed with a controlled dog.

It is impossible to release a teenage Alabai who is not accustomed to following commands without control. An unfamiliar object that appears in the animal's field of vision may be damaged by the dog's teeth.

If the Alabai is tolerant of other dogs and loves to play with them, then you should replace the strict collar with a leather one before meeting your canine friend. This will protect your playmate's teeth.

Alabai are aggressive towards their fellow dogs, but can live peacefully with other dogs

Keeping alabai in a private house

In the yard, the dog needs to build an enclosure with a booth made of durable materials, maintaining a distance of at least 10 m from the home. The designated area should be dry, clean, and sunny.

Attention! If you make a collapsible booth, it can be easily treated with detergents and disinfectants, then dried thoroughly.

After the Alabai pregnancy ends and the puppies are born, you need to wait a little and choose an active baby. Many people know how many puppies the Alabai gives birth to. Their number reaches on average 6-10 individuals, sometimes more in one litter. In this case, you can take the puppy who has proven himself more than the rest.

Selection and prices of puppies in Russia

When purchasing an Alabai puppy, be sure to check the documents and not make a purchase if they are missing. This guarantees you at least some guarantee of stability in the puppy’s behavior in the future. Ideally, it is best to buy from reputable breeders who can introduce the buyer to the puppy's parents. It is worth noting that the first vaccination of puppies is also carried out by the breeder, at his own expense.

When purchasing, the future owner must make sure that he has a veterinary passport and puppy records, and also check the data in them.

A simple technique can be used to identify the healthiest puppy in the litter. Throw a treat in front of the puppies; you need to choose a puppy from among those who reached it first. It is believed that males are calmer than females, especially during the period of heat.

The price of puppies in Russia ranges from 10,000 rubles to 70,000 rubles. The cost varies depending on the availability of documents and the quality of the pedigree. Thus, puppies are divided into 3 classes:

Pet class. The simplest puppies, they can be bred further, they are purebred and have all the relevant documents. They cost from 8 to 15 thousand rubles.
Breed-class. Puppies are purebred and fully comply with the breed standard. Such a puppy costs from 15 to 30 thousand rubles.
Show-class. Puppies with unique characteristics of the breed, potential exhibitors. Typically, the pedigree of such puppies suggests that the parents have many awards. Price from 30 thousand rubles.

If you do not have documents, we do not recommend buying a puppy. We remind you that one of the defects of the breed is excessive aggressiveness; the seller may not have documents in this regard.

Nursery addresses

The breed is popular in Russia and other countries of the former USSR, so the number of nurseries is huge. We will name only the most popular ones:

Russia: “Sheriff Aga” (Moscow), Shilele (Nizhny Novgorod), Shakhriyar (St. Petersburg), Turkmen-Kala (Tver region).
Ukraine: “AK SHIYAT” (Kyiv), “Kara Yulduz” (Sumy), “PitomnikDog” (Kharkov).
Belarus: “Iz KIFY” (Baranovichi), “Triple” (Minsk).

Care

Aviary

It is best to place the aviary at a distance of 10–15 m from the house. It should be spacious enough to satisfy your pet's need for movement. It is advisable to choose an area for the enclosure with a slight slope: during the rainy season, this will not allow excess water to accumulate. It would be better to first compact the area and clear it of foreign objects.

Booth

First of all, do not forget that the booth should not be cramped. It’s easier to make it out of wood and insulate it from the inside for protection during the cold season. For convenience, the roof of a dog’s home is made sloping. The booth should not be ventilated or overheated by the sun, despite the fact that Alabais are resistant to bad weather conditions. In front of the entrance, as a rule, a pole with a metal ring is dug in, to which the dog can be tied if necessary.

Muzzle

A muzzle is a mandatory attribute for walking with an Alabai. It is strictly necessary to accustom him to it from puppyhood, from about 3 months.