Book excerpt: Central Asian Shepherd, Alabai, Ovcharka, Tobet... so many names are used to describe this wonderfully unique breed of dog! From the remote villages of Central Asia evolved the Central Asian Shepherd, a breed whose origins trace back over four millennia. They have a fascinating history and well-developed working ability.Up until now, the only in-depth publication about Central Asian Shepherds was A. Labunskiy's Dogs of Central Asia, written in Russian. His book provides comprehensive information about the breed; I have asked his permission to translate his chapters from Russian to English for inclusion in this book. For years, these dogs have been very popular in Russia and other former Soviet republics; now interest in them is growing in Europe and North America.The purpose of this informative but fun-to-read book is to showcase the history and development of Central Asian Shepherds for anyone seriously interested in deepening their knowledge of the breed. A. Labunskiy's travel notes are included, describing his visits to the countries of Central Asia; through him you'll meet traditional chabans and the dogs that have been helping them with their work for thousands of years.You will find information about imperfections in the breed standard, as well as learn how to keep and care for these dogs. Specifics about grooming, training, feeding, and even how to best house the breed are included in this book. These dogs are quite unique, and this book describes their specific characteristics and needs in an attempt to educate those that are unfamiliar with Central Asian Shepherds. Also included is comprehensive information how to best navigate the process of choosing a puppy, and the differences between dogs used for fighting and authentic working dogs.There will also be a discussion in this book of the problems that face this breed and predictions about the development and conservation of the breed in the future.Author Ekaterina Rekowski has owned Central Asian Shepherds since 1994. She is now a certified dog trainer and owns and operates a kennel, Guardian Dog in Michigan, where she breeds high-quality puppies. She shares stories from her life with these dogs and passes on techniques she has learned over the years.