The Central Asian Shepherd Dog (Alabai) is an intelligent, discerning breed. An Alabai is able to not only execute commands, but also to think and make his own decisions, which do not always coincide with the mind of the owner. Therefore, when educating Alabai, it is worth considering that you have chosen not a toy to bring you your slippers, but an equal partner who will demand respect for himself. Alabai are proud, self- confident, intelligent, and independent dogs, they will not tolerate an inappropriate attitude towards themselves.
The main rule in communicating with your Alabai is to respect the dog. You should not ask the wolfhound several times to perform any trick; the dog may simply ignore the request. The main thing in working with and befriending an Alabai is not training, but education.
Just consider any adult member of your family or spouse and asking him in a strong loud manner, “Bring me that bottle of water!” Most likely that person would ask you, “Why are you asking me in such manner? Am I your dog or something? I am equal to you, and I am not doing it.” This is exactly how an Alabai will react, the only difference is you would receive their response through eye contact. Immediately, you will feel that there is someone a lot wiser standing in front of you. It is best to ask the same thing in a nice calm voice with positive energy and attitude and then your dog will come and bring you that bottle. These dogs do not respond to demands, and they will not react to a monologue. They do dialogue with the owner. For your dog to listen, he will need to respect you; otherwise, nothing is going to work for you and your Alabai. You should raise your voice only when your dog is doing something wrong. Usually, this will be when the dog is a puppy. After 8 months, all your consistent and effective work with your dog will pay off, and you will have a companion who will not give you problems over the years.
I do not recommend taking Alabai to a trainer. It is possibly a waste of your money and time. In post USSR countries, there are a professional trainer specializing only in training the Alabai, and, in reality, they mostly train the owners, not dogs. If you refer to my Training Section and follow all my instructions, you may not need any professional training. Alabai are extremely smart and will understand what you want if you train them correctly. And it works both ways: you will understand the Alabai, as well. You and your dog can become one unit, with the same mind. It will take you some time, but in the end, you will have a dog with whom you don’t even need to verbalize your commands. Alabai usually will do what you want even without asking or being reminded.
The Central Asian Shepherd Dog is very unpretentious in food and care. A place in the backyard will be a paradise for the dog! Keeping Alabai on a leash or chain all the time is not an option for this majestic dog. Alabai will live in a booth in your yard or in your house and will never disturb you or do any damage. Obviously, I am talking about dogs close to 9 or 10-months old. A puppy and junior will mean a lot of 24/7 round the clock work for you, just as a human child would be. However, the good news is that Alabai stop being naughty a lot faster than our kids.
The Alabai is an excellent, loyal friend, partner, companion and protector, but he makes his own decisions and will not respond to disrespect. Always remember that! If you are patient and willing to give your time to the dog, it will give back in effort, and this will be a huge reward.