Charka

CENTRAL ASIAN or
OVCHARKA
SHEPHERD DOG

Aus Ch. MILKYSILKY ALABAI
24.6.2000

The livestock Guardian dog from Central Asia. - even though Charka is a livestock guardian dog she is unlike the Anatolian in many ways. But working alongside the ASD has proven to be a very interesting and successful combination.

I will over time give more details on this breed, but the best place to learn would be to go to the breeder. Elena Swegen at Alabai

Charka was the first Central Asian to be titled in Australia, and caused a lot of interest in the public arena.

Ch. Alabai Milky Silky

But let us go back to the beginning:

Milky arrived at Adelaide Airport on the 2nd of September 2000. The staff were so excited at this new arrival and could not believe she was only 10 weeks old.
This was our first glimpse of our baby?

On arrival home, the first stop was


a cuddle from her new proud Dad.	Then off to discover the sheep

The following story has been told by Charka of her new experience away from home Enjoy

My first week here with the funny animals started off being so much fun..... the first day, everyone played with me, and made a big fuss of me, and people came to look at me, putting their hands in my mouth, making me run and looking in my eyes. But I liked it, cos they all talked nice to me. So I was a good girl..... There were lots of little puppies here similar to me, but a different colour, and they have a permanent milk bar on legs. Oh she is so nice, and reminded me of my mommy ( little tear) and she let me have a little drink sometimes. Her name is Yamba and she is really lovely and kind, and she smells kind of nice, like a dog.
Anyway the first night I got to sleep outside with the little puppies, and we were all so good, I watched them carefully and made sure they didn't cry...

That night after everyone left.. things started to change. My new Mummy put me out with some sheep and said I had to stay there... And she left me and went inside..... SO I thought about it, and then I remembered an old puppy trick told to me by my mother before I was taken from her.. She said it works in any country.. So I put my little head up to the skies and I gave a little wolf call.... I kept looking but Mummy didn't come....... so I got a little louder, and still no mummy, so i got very loud, and BOY OF BOY IT WORKED.. out came Mummy and I wagged my tail and told her how happy I was to see her, and all she said to me was NO MORE.... and disappears NO MORE I wondered what that meant and when I couldn't work it our I tried the trick again, and then from No where came this cold water.... Oh is scared me, and I couldn't see where it was coming from..... I looked and then decided to do the puppy trick again. More water. so after a couple of times I gave up and had a little sleep. Then after a little while Mummy came and said good girl Charka, and gave me a treat. and a cuddle
That night I got to sleep with the puppies again, and the next day I had to go back with the wooly things. It is not so bad, but they are not as playful as the puppies. and not as much fun.

But my third night here took a turn for the worse..... I had been with the wooly things all day, and when my Daddy came home, he came out to let me out from them to play... and that Mummy person said NO she has to stay there tonight... OH I really wish she would mind her own business, and let me and Daddy get on with life.... But anyway I didn't really mind as one of the baby wooly things curled up with me and was nice and warm, but doesn't smell nice like a puppy.
Today I went to see Mummys vet, to be weighed and they wanted to look at me.... They were so nice When we got home, Mummy once more put me in with the woolly things, and I had a little sleep.

She has put a nice funny collar on my neck, and when I howl or bark it sprays some yukky stuff in my face. So I am not going to let it trick me any more. I don't know why she is so mean all I was doing was calling her all night in puppy talk
But really it is nice here and I think I am going to like those wooly things
One of the other puppies is going to stay here to live, Katy, and I like her and so I will have one little dog friend.

Oh it is very hard here. and today I had a visitor. A little bird the looked just like me came to visit... I didn't understand him, but he shared my lunch with me.
OH well this is all from me, I have to get some sleep.

It did not take long for Charka to settle in as a guardian dog, and combined with her show career she spent many active moments between the two careers "Beauty queen and sheep babysitter"

Charka is an exceptionally friendly and loving dog. She is gentle with any thing small but when she wags her tail she tends to knock things over with the body wag. I could talk for hours on the love this dog has given, not asking for anything in return except food.

We feel very privileged to have had the chance to know this amazing breed, and we are very excited about the puppies due any day.

Please if you want any information on the Central Asian, or have any questions, or would just like to meet Charka do not hesitate to contact us