South Mountain Pass

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The Caucasian Mountain Dog also known as the Caucasian Ovtcharka is an ancient breed that for centuries was little known outside the remote regions from which it hails, namely the Caucasus which incorporate: Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Dagestan, Iran and Turkey. The Caucasian Mountain Dog or Ovtcharka (in Russian Ovtcharka means shepherd or sheepdog) is a member of the working group of dog breed and despite its appellation of sheepdog/shepherd this dog was never a livestock herder but rather a guardian or protector which goes a long way in explaining its not inconsiderable size! The Caucasian Mountain dog was bred to protect livestock against wolves, bears and other predators; in fact the Caucasian Ovtcharka has an uncanny resemblance to a bear!

Considered until fairly recently by many to be a descendent of the Tibetan Mastiff, updated archeological evidence suggests that its ancestry originated from ancient dogs that lived in the woody hills of Iraq and Mesopotamia. It is believed that assorted dog types that accompanied nomadic tribes that settled in the Caucasus regions, with little intervention and interference from outside influences, eventually evolved into the Caucasian Mountain Dog.

Up until the 1930s, the Caucasian Ovtcharka was little known outside its home range until it started appearing in European dog shows in Germany. Around 1952 the Caucasian Mountain Dog was sub-divided into two distinct breeds: the Transcaucasian Ovtcharka which is typically the heavier-boned, massive dog that hails from the mountainous regions; and the Caucasian Ovtcharka, the less heavily built type that originates from the steppe regions.

In 1976 the two sub-breeds were consolidated and reclassified as one breed, and these days the Caucasian Mountain Dog is expected to conform to a single standard. Be that as it may however, the various sub-breeds can still be differentiated regionally from the various territories of the former USSR and nowadays one of the most coveted type of Caucasian Mountain Dog is the so-called Georgia sub-breed which is characteristically a thick-coated, heavy-boned, massive dog that most closely resembles a bear.

The potential of the Caucasian Mountain Dog as much more than a Livestock Guardian Dog (LGD) was quickly realized by the now defunct Soviet Army and soon enough this dog breed was employed both during peace and war time as auxiliary military “personnel” within the expanse of the Soviet Union. In the late 1960s the Caucasian Ovcharka was widely introduced to East Germany specifically for border patrol duty, fore mostly to patrol the infamous Berlin Wall. When the Berlin Wall came toppling down in 1989, the by-then, at least 7000-strong unit of Caucasian Mountain Dogs employed to patrol the Wall’s perimeter was disbanded and many of those dogs found new homes within the newly emancipated civilian population!

Temperament

This dog breed was developed to guard flocks and livestock and hence has a strong inherent guardian/protector trait. Much as a Border Collie family dog will tend to herd its family as a substitute flock of sheep, the Caucasian Mountain Dog will have the tendency to be somewhat protective of its immediate family, a characteristic that has obvious benefits but perhaps less obvious consequences. The Caucasian Ovcharka is a strong-willed (some might say stubborn) breed of dog that requires a firmer hand for proper socialization and training. The so-called stubborn nature of this dog type is not surprising when one considers that it was bred over hundreds of years for these exact qualities.

This dog was bred to largely exist independent of humans (except for its shepherd) and was bred to co-exist with the livestock it was guarding; thus the Caucasian Mountain dog breed is inherently wary of strangers be they people or animals. Unsurprisingly, the Caucasian Ovtcharka is most active at night (livestock predators tend to hunt under the cover of night) and though it may give the impression that it’s a big lazy dozing dog, at the slightest hint of intruders the Caucasian Mountain Dog will nimbly get to its feet, sound the alarm (barking) and immediately go to confront the threat!

The Caucasian Ovcharka takes the protection of its territory (these days consider that the family yard) very seriously and will consider any encroachment by a stranger as a threat. Despite its formidable size this dog is characterized by the use of minimal force to dissuade any threat. Such minimal force may likely take the form of confronting the predator and barking and growling aggressively; usually that is enough to change the minds of most intruders because much like its wild Canid counterparts, this old dog breed still retains the mindset that physical (or deadly) force should be a last resort since it tends to be counter productive (i.e., injury to either party).

Any Good With Kids?

As previously noted this dog breed tends to substitute its immediate family for the livestock it was selectively bred to protect; in other words this dog is strongly protective of members of its family. Hence it is important to understand that this dog could perceive rambunctious or rough child’s play between a family member and a friend (as is the tendency with boys) to be a threat and its hardwired protect-the-flock genetics will immediately kick in!

Thus it is vitally imperative to properly socialize this dog breed and also explain to your kids that just because they know that “Shaggy” would never hurt them, they should understand that the same may not go for their friends unless the dog knows them well (i.e., has accepted them as an extension of its flock). Obviously with a dog this size all activity around small children should be supervised, because though the family pet may not intend harm, it’s a big dog that during the heat of play may easily forget its formidable strength and size and could accidentally hurt a young child!

The Question Of Apartment Dwelling?

By and large the Caucasian Mountain Dog does not make the ideal apartment dweller. Although like most big dogs its energy level is somewhat low this dog breed is inherently nocturnal and was bred to alert and warn of, and off intruders. In other words your love for your Caucasian Mountain Dog could well translate into hatred from your neighbors because your Caucasian Ovcharka is driving them crazy with its nightly cacophony (barking…which is especially true if your neighbors are creatures of the night aka party animals).

Interactivity With Other Dogs

From a genetic view point the Caucasian Mountain Dog was never bred to be overly friendly with other canids be they dogs or wolves, because as a flock guardian it would have been expected to ward off all potential predators which naturally would have included feral dogs. However as with most any breed of dog timely and proper socialization usually overcomes any unfriendliness towards other dogs or animals in this breed!

Caucasian Mountain Dog Breed Standard

Currently there appear to be conflicting breed standards which could be in part explained by the different sub-breeds and the late acceptance of this breed into the AKC; as of now this dog breed has no AKC ranking. Only recently has the AKC moved to officially recognize this dog breed (May 2007) even though the Caucasian Ovcharka has been on record with the FSS (Foundation Stock Services) since 1996. From January of 2008 the Caucasian Mountain Dog will be allowed to formally compete in the AKC Companion Events.

Size Requirements:

The following height measurements are for the mature dog and are measured up to the shoulder bone.

Height of Males: 25.5 – 30 inches (64cm – 70cm)

Height Females: 24.5 and upwards

Weight of Males: 100lbs + (45kg – 70 kg)

Weight Females: 80lbs + (37kg – upwards)

It should be noted however that for the Kavkazskaya Ovcharka Breed (the Georgian Caucasian Mountain Dog sub-breed that most closely resembles a bear)
the requisite dimensions differ considerably:

Height of Male: 28.3 – 29.5 inches (72cm – 75cm; minimum is 68cm or 26.8 inches)

Female Height: 26.0 – 27.2 inches (66cm – 69cm; minimum is 64 cm or 25.2 inches)

Naturally the weight of the Kavkazskaya Ovcharka Breed will tend to be somewhat heavier and it is not unusual for males to top 180lbs!

The Caucasian Mountain Dog falls under the category of Working Dogs as a Livestock Guardian Dog (LGD).

Caucasian Mountain Dog

Here the resources of Green Mountain’s Energy come from :

Landfill gas contaminated with dozens of toxic chemicals

Green Mountain claims to be using landfill gas as its primary source of new renewables. In early 1999, Green Mountain claimed to be using 4 specific landfill gas burners in New Jersey and Michigan. It turns out that they lied about all of these. Green Mountain has not disclosed the true locations of the landfill gas burners in their mix. To learn more about landfill gas burning and why is isn’t “green,” please read the Primer on Landfill Gas as “Green” Energy. Waste Wood Incinerators

Green Mountain has claimed to be using energy in its California products that comes from lumber industry wood waste incinerators in Oregon and Washington. However, when the two facilities in Oregon were contacted in preparation for a report by Public Citizen called Green Buyers Beware, it turned out that the facilities were not aware that their energy was being marketed by Green Mountain and apparently the money charged to customers was not passed along to them.

In the Pennsylvania and New Jersey markets (Green Mountain only has markets in CA, PA & NJ so far), there are several wood waste incinerators whose energy could be sold as “green.” Proposed new construction/demolition wood waste incinerators have been kicked out of several communities in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware in the past few years. On April 24th, 2000, a law was passed in Delaware state banning the “green energy” wood waste incinerators that have been threatening Delaware communities.* Before being banned by Delaware’s new law, Philpower Corporation’s proposed wood waste incinerator has been kicked out of 5-6 Delaware communities, most of them targeted for poor, minority neighborhoods.

Currently, there are still “green energy” marketers proposing to build new construction/demolition wood waste incinerators in New Jersey. If any of these wood waste incinerators are constructed, their power may be sold by Green Mountain as “new renewable” power. Green Mountain has indicated a willingness to market this sort of polluting energy.

Information on the hazards of wood waste incineration can be found in the article titled, “The Burning Issues with Biomass.”

* Delaware’s new law also bans the “green energy” chicken shit incinerators proposed by Fibrowatt and Allen’s Family Foods. These companies are now looking to eastern Maryland to build their waste burners.

Hydroelectric Dams

Hydroelectric dams currently qualify as “renewable” under the Green-e certification program if they are under 30 megawatts in capacity. In early 1999, Green Mountain claimed to be selling energy from a small hydro dam in New Jersey in their Pennsylvania energy products. It turned out that they were lying. At the same time, they claimed to be selling energy from a large (non-renewable) dam in West Virginia. From what we can tell, this is true. However, the money from the sale of this power would go to a company that is 99% coal-powered (Allegheny Power) and would do nothing to increase renewable energy or benefit the environment in any way. Natural Gas

Green Mountain claims to have natural gas – a non-renewable fossil fuel – in their products. If they were telling the truth in early 1999 (when they lied about most of their other energy sources), they are buying some natural gas power from Conectiv Energy’s Hay Road natural gas plant in Delaware. While natural gas is cleaner than coal and nuclear power, it still releases global warming gases, acid rain precursors, and hazardous air pollutants, including lead, mercury, benzene and formaldehyde. For info on natural gas health hazards, visit www.green-energy.org/naturalgas/. Wind

In California, Green Mountain is selling power from new wind turbines that they were billing customers for before they were even built. These wind turbines may not have been built if it weren’t for the California state ratepayers helping fund it through the state’s system benefits charge and through other state subsidies that provides money for such things. Green Mountain has been deceiving customers into thinking that they alone (through the “free market”) accomplished the building of these wind turbines. That’s simply not true. Regardless, it’s a wonderful thing that these wind turbines exist and Green Mountain should be encouraged to spend their own money to build lots more instead of providing so much of their power from air-polluting energy sources like biomass incineration and landfill gas.

In Pennsylvania, Green Mountain has been advertising since January, 1999 as if they have wind turbines in their mix. For at least several months, Green Mountain wouldn’t even claim that they had wind power in their mix (they likely had none). At some point in 1999, they claimed to be reselling wind power from Searsburg, Vermont (a 6 megawatt wind farm that was built in part with federal tax dollars) to Pennsylvania customers. To the extend that this was true, they were simply taking wind power out of the mix that Vermont customers used to get to sell it to Pennsylvania customers. In other words, they were only moving existing supplies around (on paper) and were doing nothing to improve the environment.

Not until recently, has Green Mountain had NEW wind power in their mix. A 10 megawatt wind farm in Somerset County in southwest Pennsylvania was built to supply Green Mountain’s mix and should be doing so starting around May 2000. This is very commendable that they have this new wind capacity being built. Green Mountain should build more wind power and should commit to not using polluting sources of power.

Tiny amounts of solar

Building solar power costs about 10 times more than building wind power. Although the solar project that Green Mountain installed near Philadelphia in 1999 was the largest solar project in the state, it’s still extremely tiny by electricity standards. It sits on the roof of a BJ’s warehouse and generates a mere 43 kilowatts – not even enough to power the building it sits on.Until solar prices come down a lot, don’t expect to see any significant amounts of solar power built for the green energy market. Marketers like Green Mountain are likely to continue to build only as much as they need for a good Earth Day press release. No one knows for sure because they don’t have to tell anyone

No state or federal laws require that energy marketers tell you exactly what plants make your electricity. Some require mild disclosure that will give you a very vague idea (ex: 25% hydro, 25% biomass, 50% natural gas). However, you have no right to know what specific facilities provide your power. You also don’t get to know which corporations end up with the extra amount that you might pay for a green energy product. Even with the Green-e certification program for “green” electricity, you don’t get to know anything more than vague percentages ot types of power. If you’re concerned that energy from a specific incinerator or other power station in your community is being sold as green power, you’re out of luck. You have to rely on the good graces of companies and certifiers who lie to people if you want to find out the truth.

Do you live in a mountainous environment? Have you ever wondered how important these mountains are to man? If you do or don’t, below are the importance of mountain to life of Earth. Apart from agricultural, mineral and forest value of mountains we still need them as our major source of water, habitat for our wildlife, conservation of wildlife, its aesthetic beauty, climatic, recreational and relaxation function.

Source of Water: Do you know that the mountains are major sources of water to all living things on Earth? If you don’t, know it today. The mountain is the source of the major rivers we have on Earth today. Since water is life, mountain is very important for the existence of life on Earth today.

A Habitat for Wild Life: The Mountains have very nice vegetation that supports wildlife. Wild animals like lions, tiger, snake, etc live in the mountain.

Conservation of Wildlife: Since most mountains are not easily accessible to man, the mountain helps in the conservation of wildlife on Earth. It prevents man from encroaching into mountainous wildlife. Without mountains, most species of plant and animals would have long been extinct.

Aesthetic Beauty: The appearance of mountains around our environment makes it naturally beauty. We can always find entertaining waterfalls, caves and ornamental plants in mountainous environment.

Recreation and relaxation: After the hustle and bustle of the day, some of the mountains within our reach can serve as center for recreation and relaxation. Recreational activities like mountains climbing and walking are very interesting and entertaining.

It appears as if the mountains are of no use to humanity today. Day by day, man continues to destroy the magnificent splendid beauty of the mountains through the daily routine activities like farming, mining, deforestation and so fort. I hope this article will help change the minds of those who are destroying our mountain. We can’t really live without mountains.