Moscow Watchdog is a breed of dog

Dog breed

Dog breeds are groups of closely related and visibly similar domestic dogs, which are all of the subspecies Canis lupus familiaris, having characteristic traits that are selected and maintained by humans, bred from a known foundation stock....

 that was bred in the Soviet Union

Soviet Union

The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

. It descends from crosses between the St. Bernard

St. Bernard (dog)

The St. Bernard is a breed of very large working dog from the Italian and Swiss Alps, originally bred for rescue. The breed has become famous through tales of alpine rescues, as well as for its large size.-Appearance:The St. Bernard is a large dog...

, Caucasian Shepherd

Caucasian Ovcharka

- External links :* *...

, and Russian Spotted Hound breeds. The breed is very large and weight is between 100 and 150lbs. Unlike its modern St Bernard counterparts, the breed needs lots of vigorous exercise. They do not drool like many of the other molosser

Molosser

Molosser is a category of large, solidly-built dog that includes several breeds, probably all descended from the same root stock. The name derives from Molossia, a subregion of ancient Epirus, ancient Greece, where the large shepherd dog was known as the Molossus.The proper noun "Mastiff", however,...

s. Until recently, Moscow Watchdogs were very hard to find outside of the Soviet Union, however are now becoming more popular in Europe and have recently reached the United States.

History

The breed standard was first published in 1985 when it received "official status" in the Soviet Union. In 1992, the Federation of the Dog Breeders of Russia approved the standard and then in 1997 the Department of Animal Breeding and Pedigree of The Ministry of Agriculture of Russia. The standard was also approved by the Russian Kennel Club in 1997.

The Russian Kennel Club is working with the International Kennel Federation (FCI) to gain official recognition. Currently, the Moscow Watchdog is considered by the FCI as part of the 2nd group Molosser. In FCI sanctioned dog shows, they are shown in what is referred to as a "Special Show." Inside Russia, they are widely shown and a recognized breed.

External links

• http://rkf.org.ru/RussianCynology
  Cynology
  Cynology is the study of matters related to canines or domestic dogs.In English it may be a term sometimes used to denote serious zoological approach to the study of dogs as well as by writers on canine subjects, dog breeders and trainers and enthusiasts who informally study the dog,...
  
  cal Federation]
• www.molosserdogs.com