East European Shepherd
{{Short description|Ukrainian and Russian breed of shepherd dog}}
{{use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
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{{Use British English|date=March 2020}}
{{Infobox dog breed
| name = East European Shepherd
| image = Vostochno Evropeiskaya Ovcharka.jpg
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| altname = {{ubl|Vostochno Evropeiskaya Ovcharka|VEO|{{langx|ru|Восточно-европейская овчарка}}|{{lang|ru|ВЕО}}}}
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| maleheight = {{convert|67|-|72|cm|in|abbr=on}}{{r|veo}}
| femaleheight = {{convert|62|-|67|cm|in|abbr=on}}{{r|veo}}
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| kc_name = RKF
| kc_std = http://rkf.org.ru/upload/documents/standards/1/veo.do
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The East European Shepherd, also called Vostochno Evropeiskaya Ovcharka or VEO ({{langx|ru|Восточно-европейская овчарка}} or {{lang|ru|ВЕО}}) is a Ukrainian and Russian breed of shepherd dog. It was selectively bred in the Soviet Union from the German Shepherd to create a larger dog with better resistance to cold conditions, and was intended for military and guard work.{{r|Morris|Wilcox-Walkowicz|veo2}}
History
The East European Shepherd was bred in the Soviet Union in the early twentieth century. In the 1920s a number of German Shepherds were imported from Germany into the Ukrainian SSR, where a breeding programme was established with the aim of adapting the breed to the harsher Soviet climatic conditions. Over several decades of selective breeding, a distinctly different form of shepherd had been created from that known in the West;{{r|Morris|Wilcox-Walkowicz}} from 1950 this was named the Vostochno Evropeiskaya or East European.{{r|veo2}} While initially the breed was centred in Ukraine, it soon spread throughout the Soviet Union, although its fortunes suffered at the Eastern Front during the Second World War.{{r|Morris|Wilcox-Walkowicz}} At the end of the War there were substantial imports of German Shepherd dogs from Germany; importation had not been possible before the War.{{r|veo2}}
The East European Shepherd was used heavily by the military and police within the Soviet Union as a guard and sniffer dog. It was a favourite of the KGB, who only ever kept solid black examples; if a single non-black pup was born in a litter bred by the KGB the entire litter was destroyed and that breeding was not repeated.{{r|Morris|Wilcox-Walkowicz}} A breed standard was approved in 1955 by the Central Committee of the USSR DOSAAF, and in 1964 by the Presidium of the Service Dog Breeding Federation.{{r|veo2}} The East European Shepherd is now among the most numerous dog breeds in Russia and several former Soviet countries.{{r|Wilcox-Walkowicz}}
With effect from 1 January 2017 the Vostochno Evropeiskaya Ovcharka was recognised by the {{ill|Nordic Kennel Union|da|Nordisk Kennelunion}}, and is thus recognised by the {{ill|Danish Kennel Club|da|Dansk Kennel Club}}, the Finnish Kennel Club, the Icelandic Kennel Club, the {{ill|Norwegian Kennel Club|no|Norsk Kennel Klub}} and the Swedish Kennel Club.{{r|skk|skk2}}
Characteristics
The East European Shepherd is significantly larger than the German Shepherd and shows substantial sexual dimorphism: dogs typically stand {{convert|67|to|72|cm|in|abbr=on}} at the withers although some can be as tall as {{convert|74|cm|in|abbr=on}}; bitches are typically {{convert|62|to|67|cm|in|abbr=on}}.{{r|veo|Morris}} The coat is dense and of medium length, with a well-developed undercoat, and often with longer soft hair on the ears, neck, limbs and tail. It may be black-and-tan, sable or solid black; brindles or whites are rare.{{r|Morris|Wilcox-Walkowicz}} The eyes may be brown, amber or blue; odd-coloured eyes are known. The ears are long and upright, and the paws are large with long toes, giving a snowshoe-like appearance.{{r|Wilcox-Walkowicz}}
The breed is considered particularly intelligent, courageous, determined and tough, and owners often describe its temperament as similar to that of a Dobermann.{{r|Morris|Wilcox-Walkowicz}}
References
{{commonscat|East-European Shepherd}}
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External links
- {{cite web|url=http://www.veorkf.ru/|title=RKF National Breed Club for the East European Shepherd breed|access-date=28 December 2014|publisher=RKF NKP VEO}}
- {{cite web|url=http://www.veorkf.ru/catalog|title=The official Catalog of purebred East European Shepherds|access-date=28 December 2014|publisher=RKF NKP VEO catalog}}
{{Russian dogs}}
Category:Dog breeds originating in Russia
Category:Dog breeds originating in the Soviet Union