The Caucasian Shepherd dog is a serious guardian breed and should never be taken lightly. The Caucasian is bold, fearless, self-confident and fierce when a threat is present, but he is soft, devoted, kind and endearing to his family, including other family pets. Caucasian Shepherd dogs were used for centuries to protect properties from trespassers, guard livestock from large and small predators such as wolves and coyotes, and for many other duties. In modern days, especially in the West, they're most commonly companions and watchdogs. There is a great variety of types among the Caucasian dogs depending on their home region. For almost a century, there has been two breed types and standards: The Mountain type, which is long-coated and has a heavier body mass than the Steppe type, a shorter-coated dog with a lighter body mass. Other names for the breed include Caucasian Ovcharka, Caucasian Sheepdog, Kawkasky Owtscharka, and Kaukasische Schaferhund.  

The Caucasian Ovcharka is a large dog, usually weighing 45–70 kg.^[7]: 71 The preferred height at the withers is in the range 67–70 cm for bitches, and 72–75 cm for dogs;^[2] the minimum heights and weights for registration are 64 cm and 40 kg for bitches, and 68 cm and 50 kg for dogs.^[2] Life expectancy is some 10–11 years