McNab vs Central Asian Shepherd - Breed Comparison

This large dog breed is a native to the wilds of Central Asia, where it has been guarding and protecting livestock for thousands of years. In fact the Central Asian Shepherd is one of the oldest dog breeds of the world.

Early records as to the precise origin of the breed aren’t available. There are suggestions that the breed descended from ancient Middle Eastern livestock guarding breeds, while the other suggests the dog is descended from the Tibetan Mastiff. It is almost certain that the dog was domesticated from the Wolf.

The attractive McNab dog is also known as the McNab Shepherd or McNab Collie. This very lively dog originated in the Mendocino region of Northern California, being specifically bred to withstand tough weather conditions and rough terrain.

The dog is becoming popular outside of California now. A Scottish rancher with the surname McNab left Scotland and arrived in California in the 19th century. He crossed Scottish Border Collies with Shepherd dogs and the ranchers in California started using these dogs for herding livestock.

Today they are still being used as herding dogs in California and other countries. The dog isn’t recognized by the American Kennel Club. It was in 2014 that a group of McNab Shepherd breeders established the McNab Shepherd Registry so as to work towards the advancement of the McNab Shepherd.

The Central Asian Shepherd is a large dog, standing at up to 70cm in height and weighing in the region of 50kg. The dog is powerfully built and muscular, with the tail being traditionally docked to a short bob. Undocked, the tail is naturally long, thick at the base and tapering down. When relaxed, the tail is carried low, but when he becomes alert and excited, the tail is up and curved.

The ears of this dog are also traditionally cropped close to the head so that the dog almost appears to have no visible ears. This practice is also falling away and the natural ears of this breed are small and set at- or below eye level.

The brown eyes are small to medium size and are deep set. The Central Asian Shepherd Dog is double-coated with short to medium length hair and can be found in quite a few different colors such as tan, white, black, grey, brindle, ticked or a blend of these colors.

Temperament:

You have to be careful about where you buy your Asian Shepherd from as these dogs can be prone to aggression. With good breeding however, the dog is evenly tempered. As a first time dog owner, this shouldn’t be your first choice as it is a dominant, wilful, territorial, independent dog who will require a tough, firm, strong owner. Training and socialization are imperative to ensure he becomes obedient. He is then capable of forming close and strong bonds with his master, becoming a loyal and devoted pet. He also makes an excellent guard dog.

He is a protective dog breed, and once trained can get on well with children and other pets. He is the kind of dog that you will want to supervise around small children.

The McNab Dog is a medium-sized working dog. The appearance of this dog varies quite a bit. For instance you may come across a dog with erect ears or floppy ears or a long tail or one that is naturally bobbed.

When it comes to size, you will find that between the males and females they stand at roughly 40 – 64cm and weigh anything from 14 – 30kg.

Most of these McNabs are black or red with white feet, white tipped tails and white markings around the face. The coat is weather resistant and fairly short and dense. You also get tri-colored McNabs. Eyes are usually a brown or copper color though you might find some with bluish eyes as well.

Temperament:

These are such intelligent dogs so with training and socialization you’ll find he is able to learn easily and quickly. He is a self assured dog, so he will respond well to an owner who is firm and fair, patient, kind and consistent.

He is best suited to life in the country as he needs lots of place to run around. If you don’t live on a farm, take the dog for long walks every day as he requires lots of exercise and mental stimulation. He is a loving family member too, getting along well with kids in the home as well as other pets. He is also a good guard- and watch dog, taking his job as protector of his human family very seriously.

It is important for those interested in the Central Asian Shepherd Dog as a pet to do some research on the breed. For instance this is a large dog that has been used for fighting.

While he can’t be described as being overly aggressive, you do need to be aware of his history, especially when you have small children in the home.

This dog is intelligent and confident too while also being exceptionally protective, and therefore he makes a good watchdog.

It is essential to have your Central Asian trained and socialized, and then he becomes far more relaxed and obedient, making him a loyal, loving guardian and friend.

The McNab makes a splendid pet and is known to be even-tempered, being friendly and tolerant with his entire human family.

He gets on well with children in the home as well as other pets. He has always been a hard working pet and doubles up as being an excellent guard dog too. Those who have had the McNab as a pet say that you couldn’t get a more excellent family canine friend.

The Central Asian Shepherd doesn't have any hereditary ailments and he is generally a healthy, robust breed.

Large breeds are always prone to hip- and elbow dysplasia, an abnormal development of hip and elbow, brought about by a number of factors such as genetics, the wrong diet and rapid growth with some large puppies.

A dysplastic hip or elbow doesn’t move smoothly as it should, and this results in joint inflammation and pain. Symptoms can include loss of muscle mass, pain when moving around and difficulty with standing up again once your pet lies down.

This dog doesn’t really have genetic health issues, but they can suffer with hip dysplasia, a problem that many dogs battle with, whether small or large, young or old.

They can also suffer with epilepsy and an eye disease such as entropion where the lid of the eye is turned inwards. Check its ears and teeth regularly for infections and keep up to date with his vaccinations.

The McNab is a health dog breed so you aren't likely to face any of these common dog health issues.

Central Asians are large dogs and when he is looked after well he can reach up to 15 years of age.

Diet:

It is important to see that he receives top quality, size-specific food, of which he eats a lot, and that it has all the vitamins and minerals he needs for his size.

A puppy will need high energy foods because of their energy. As he grows bigger, protein will become imperative. It is always a treat for your pet to add in some brown rice, vegetables and cooked chicken into his kibble from time to time.

Raw meat can be expensive, but if you can, it is important to ensure that your large pet gets some raw meat into his diet too, to keep his skin and coat healthy and to ward off disease. Make sure he has non-stop access to a bowl of fresh, cool water.

Grooming:

As previously mentioned, the coat of the Central Asian Shepherd can be fairly short but it can also be medium length. He isn't going to require any exceptional grooming but you will certainly need to give him a good brush twice a week, more so in his shedding periods. This will rid him of loose hair and keep his coat free of tangles and matting.

Diet:

You can feed your McNab dog commercial dry kibble, but then you want to be sure its the best quality one. Buying inferior foods means that you’re getting a whole lot of ingredients in the food that are bad – sugar, salt, preservatives, fillers, colorants etc. Rather go for the best brands that will ensure that your dog is getting all the vitamins and minerals he needs.

Homemade food is also important and foods such as boiled chicken, brown rice and pasta as well as cooked or raw vegetables chopped up and added to his dry kibble can make for a delicious, wholesome treat. It will be to his benefit if you can every now and then give him some raw meat as well. Make sure to see that he has a constant supply of fresh, cool water.

Exercise:

McNab Shepherds are very active dogs and they are going to require quite a bit of physical exercise as well as mental stimulation. They are dogs who have been used to herding livestock and he loves this busy life. It is why he wouldn’t be happy living in the city but is better suited to farm life or in a home with a large garden. Long walks and hikes will suit him as well as swimming and joining in every game there is.

Grooming:

The McNab is considered to be a low maintenance dog and grooming the short thick coat will be required twice a week. Always check around the eyes and ears as well as inside the mouth for problems and infections.