The Alabai is an ancient herding breed that has guarded livestock, homesteads, and human property for centuries. Their ferocity and fearlessness is what made them a real weapon, and their insecure work taught them to think and make their own decisions. Needless to say, the upbringing of the Alabai is not at all easy and requires certain knowledge and skills. So how to bring up an Alabai puppy, and to find an approach to an adult Asian?
Important points in raising a puppy
There are several characteristic features in the character and behavior of Central Asian sheepdogs, which is worth focusing on when raising a puppy:
- In most cases, Alabais are purchased for protection, and not because they are big and formidable, but because their guarding qualities are in their blood. Even when they are very small, they try to perform this function, extending their zeal not only to the territory, but also to the owner and his property. Showing dedication, they often demonstrate their qualities where it is not necessary. At the beginning of such impulses you need to suppress them on the spot, otherwise later, when the puppy grows up, it is no longer possible to restrain the dog.
- “Yuck!” is a very important command for representatives of this breed, by the nature of its creatures somewhat angry and distrustful. This command will teach the pet that unreasonable aggression is bad. It is necessary to achieve unquestioning obedience and immediate execution. This will avoid possible difficulties and dangers in the future.
- When training, you can use force, pushing on the puppy’s rump and clearly saying “Ew!”. As soon as the dog has distracted from the beginning, the command must be repeated, but already, looking the dog in the eyes. And after that he should be released. Fulfilled the required? Then, it is necessary to encourage him with a treat.
- Alabais are dogs, who live by the laws of the pack. That means that from the very first days in his new home, he needs to understand that the man is in charge here. To do this, you must not allow him to pull the leash forward and, as early as possible, you must teach the command “Side by side!”. To do this, take a treat with you on the walk and put it in your pocket, so that the puppy smells it. Shorten the leash so that he feels the tension. Hold the leash very close to your foot for a moment and say the command clearly. After you have walked 15 or 20 meters in this way, you can praise the puppy and give him a tasty treat. As soon as the dog learns the required, the leash can be loosened, and later unhooked at all.
- In addition, to maintain his leadership, you should not let him go into doors, wickets, the first, as well as up the stairs.
- Do not think that an Alabai puppy is a sweetheart, incapable of offending anyone. By nature are instincts, so you should not doubt – on occasion he can! From an early age you should lead him only on a leash, and later only with a muzzle. The absence of these attributes can be only on a walk in deserted places.
- By nature, alabais are very stubborn, so the owner of the dog must excel in this quality. The dog must learn that everything a person says must be unconditionally done, and it does not matter whether the dog wants to do it or not.
- Whether the puppy has to learn the command “Sit!” or whether his paw needs to be examined for a wound, the dog must obey unconditionally. Pay no attention to his resistance, use force if necessary. No matter how the pet tries to break free, the owner should calmly continue what he started.
Peculiarities of bringing up boys and girls alabais
After fighting for some time and meeting the rebuff, the little dog (boy) of the Alabai will still give up. Yes, he will still for some time look for opportunities to rectify the situation, to try not to obey or to snap back. But still, over time, such thoughts will leave his head if he realizes the futility of his endeavors. Naturally, the owner should not show weakness.
As for the bitches (girls), then everything is not so simple. Being by nature more cunning, alabaisers get their way, but in a different way. Using their entire intellect, and we must say that they have it and it is quite developed, they invent a lot of cunning ways to avoid tasks. For example, females often pretend to be sick and weak animals when they hear a command. They are so good at it that even experienced dog owners are often “bought”.
The owner panics that he has driven the animal to such a state by his torture and, of course, lets his pet go on vacation. Satisfied and happy, the dog, in front of his eyes, recovers and merrily runs to play with the rest of the four-legged brethren.
If at least once this number goes away from her, that’s it, she will constantly manipulate the owner, coming up with more and more new combinations. This can be a sudden weakness, a panicked fear of an obstacle, flattery, ingratiating glances and so on and so forth. Such machinations of the beloved pet should be immediately suppressed and be more attentive to the behavioral features of the bitch.
Education of an adult Alabai
Abandoned by previous masters, given from hand to hand, left by deceased relatives – there are very few reasons why an Alabai should join the family as an adult, independent dog. What do you need to know about how to gain the trust of Asian shepherds and become a full-fledged leader?
The first thing to clarify is that this breed is not suitable for leashing, because it is contrary to its natural pack lifestyle. Such a dog should be kept in an enclosure, which should have a kennel. But this does not mean that the animal should not be allowed to walk around the territory. Severe restrictions can only be applied when strangers are visiting the house, purely as a precaution. If the house is very hospitable, strangers come to visit all the time, then you should not get an Alabai guard, because it will make life much more difficult.
In addition, the fence must be very reliable, strong and high, able to withstand the 70-80-kilogram giant, and that he could not jump over it. Male dogs especially try to leave territory when they smell a pregnant bitch and a flimsy fence will not be able to stop them.
The second important point – be sure to establish contact with the new pet. To do this, it is recommended to go out on the territory yourself and let the dog out there. In this case it is better not to pay attention to the sheepdog, it should take the initiative. It will be easier for the dog if the owner will sit, but be on the same level with it. Any step towards the new owner to get acquainted should be encouraged with a approving glance.
It’s worth noting that girls are more contactable and get used to new surroundings and people quicker. Males in this case are more difficult, taking more time to adapt.
There is no need to put pressure on the dog, it can only aggravate the stressful state. He may not eat for a while, refuse to wear a collar, refuse to let anyone touch him. All this is quite understandable, and you should give the pet time to adjust.
In the process of getting used to it, you should not do the following things:
- Try to feed the dog by any means, this will only cause aggression;
- Pull the dog’s collar and pull it against his will;
- Keep the dog in an enclosure all the time without letting it out into the territory.
As soon as the Alabai gets the hang of it, reacts calmly to the collar, and allows itself to be stroked, you can take it out for a walk. At this point, it is important to show him superiority by taking him to unfamiliar places.
You should count on your strength, as the Central Asian shepherd negatively relates to other animals and, seeing another dog, will try to attack it. Not everyone will be able to restrain it at that moment.
You should not believe the stories about the Alabais eating children. Shepherd dogs, which the Central Asian is, have long been considered pets, suitable for keeping in a family. They are distrustful of strangers, but are quite friendly to their own, and with proper training, the Alabai gets along well with children. But there is one nuance. For Asians, there is only one master, the leader, and the other members of the family will be treated by them in the same way as by the master.
If the family is not all right, not infrequent scandals, the dog will certainly take it into account in its relationship to the housemates. It can growl at the “unwanted” children of the owner, blocking the way of the elderly. Therefore, the adult Asian shepherd can be taken only to the house where there is a benevolent climate.
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