Kyi-Leo vs East European Shepherd - Breed Comparison

The East European Shepherd is a dog which hails from Russia. The dog was developed in the 1930-1950s as there was a need for a bigger, more robust, weather-resistant type of dog who would perform all kinds of guard duties in the Soviet Union.

This is a rare dog breed, created by mixing Russian breeds such as the Laika, Central Asian Shepherd and Caucasian Shepherd to create a strong working dog that could cope well with the sub-freezing conditions.

The standard breed type was established in 1964. The only major kennel club to grant full recognition to the East-European Shepherd is the Russian Kennel Club. In the United States, the dog is recognized by a number of rare breed registries.

The Kyi-Leo first came about in the 1950s in San Francisco, USA, with the crossing of two dog breeds – the Lhasa Apso and the Maltese.

Because this is a mixed-breed dog, it isn’t recognized by the American Kennel Club, but it is recognized by some of the other dog associations such as the American Rare Breed Association or ARBA as it is known. Today the dog is looked upon as a designer breed.

The East European Shepherd is larger than a German Shepherd. He is described as a large dog with males and females standing roughly at 66-76 centimeters at the withers and weighing anything between 30–50kg.

The coat with undercoat is medium in length with the standard color being black-and-tan or black-and-red. The dog is solid colored or is light fawn or tan in color with black saddle.

The face of the dog is black and he looks a lot like a wolf in appearance. The ears of the East European Shepherd are medium sized and always erect.The tail is long and hangs low.

Temperament:

The East European Shepherd is an intelligent and confident dog and can be aggressive when aggravated. He is a working dog and to get along with other pets in the home as well as children, the East European Shepherd will need to be trained and socialized, becoming obedient and loyal with his owner.

He is an intelligent dog and training him poses no problem. Loyal and devoted, this dog mostly becomes particularly attached to one member of the family.

There are a number of dog experts who don’t recommend the dog as a family pet as it is a dog reluctant to form a close bond with a child, being irritated by them, especially ill disciplined children.

It is a strong-willed dog too and shouldn’t be the first dog choice for a novice dog owner. They make excellent guard dogs and take their role as protector of the family seriously.

The Kyi-Leo is a small dog standing at 20 – 30cm in height and weighing in the region of 4 – 6kg.

He has a long, silky coat which is essentially black and white or grey/silver and white or even gold and white. He has frail legs which can become injured or broken in vigorous rough and tumble games.

Temperament:

You can certainly describe the Kyi-Leo as a sweet, quiet, non-aggessive playful dog, and for anyone who wants a splendid pet and companion, this dog makes a great family pet and he won’t cost you an arm and a leg to feed either.

He also has an acute sense of hearing and this turns him into an excellent ‘alarm’ watch-dog. It is also a dog, that while he will love to join you on a walk, he isn’t a dog that is going to demand a lot of exercise.

He responds well to his human family, is easy-going and gentle, tending to be cautious around strangers. You can trust him to be an awesome playmate for children. In this instance, it’s the children who should be warned when playing with a dog like this as, because of his fragile build, he could easily be injured by children who haven’t been taught to respect animals.

Even though he is such an amicable pet, it will still be of benefit to you and him to have him trained and socialized. Then he responds well to basic commands such as sit, stay and lie-down.

Dogs who spend time with their family, pick up on the ‘culture’ of the family and they learn how to behave. Dogs who are left on their own and never socialized can become nervous and aggressive towards people as they never got to learn how to behave – they weren’t socialized.

The East-European Shepherd dogs are balanced, confident, intelligent, loving and playful while also being tough and protective of their owners.

They make fantastic guard dogs, becoming aggressive around strangers whom they don’t trust. When you bring a dog like this into the home, it is essential to have him trained and socialized and to also have a firm owner who can deal with such a strong-willed animal.

He is an active, alert dog who will require regular exercise and will slot into life in the city or in the country so long as his exercise needs are met.

When you look after your East European Shepherd you’ll find in him a devoted, loyal friend who will protect you with his life.

The Kyi-Leo is everything you want in a family companion – active, playful, loving, gentle, happy and balanced.

He loves his human family but tends to be a little bit wary around strangers, gradually warming to them.

He may be small, but he is robust and alert, and he is also capable of making you a good watchdog.

The Kyi-Leo is an all-round great little pet to have.

Regarded as a tough dog who can reach 10 – 12 years of age, the East European Shepherd is prone to hip or elbow dysplasia. This is a a disease that is more prevalent with German Shepherd type dogs.

Dysplasia is a genetic condition which can lead to inflammation and arthritis and even lameness. Unfortunately it can happen with young dogs too, and the vet will suggest different types of treatment which can include surgery.

Degenerative myelopathy is another degenerative disease which can be found with the East European Shepherd. It is a fatal, progressive degenerative disease of the spinal cord. Unfortunately there isn’t treatment for the disease, leading to paralysis of the limbs.

Your Kyi-Leo is such a feisty, robust little dog who is not likely to cost you much in terms of health care. With his frail legs, it is a good thing to know that you need to be careful with him in terms of back-and joint problems.

There are actually knee joint issues which are fairly common in small dogs, one of which is patellar luxation.

Patellar Luxation:

This is where the kneecap pops out of the thighbone, causing the dog to skip or hop. Some joint issues are genetic and may require surgery. Make sure to keep your pet’s weight under control to remove additional stress on the joints.

Pancreatitis:

This is another dog illness you want to be careful with. Acute pancreatitis -inflammation - is when the condition comes on suddenly while chronic pancreatitis is when pancreatitis occurs over a period of time.

With acute pancreatitis in dogs you’ll see symptoms such as vomiting, abdominal pain, tremors and reluctance to eat. Pancreatitis can be brought on by too much fat, especially rancid fat, some anti-biotics, a low protein diet or a sickness such as diabetes.

If you suspect pancreatitis in your dog, get him as quickly as possible to the vet.

Grooming:

The coat of the East European Shepherd is thick, and while he won’t require any professional grooming, he will require being brushed at least twice a week. This is because he sheds heavily at certain times.

His nails will need to be clipped if they don’t wear down naturally, and his teeth will require regular brushing at least 2 or 3 times a week. Fortunately, because his ears are large and open, he doesn’t easily get an ear infection.

Exercise:

The East European Shepherd is a dog which has always been worked. It is a highly energetic dog and its role as a guard- and herding dog has made it that the dog will require a good dose of exercise.

A long walk may not be enough for this active dog, and he will require intense ball throwing with a tennis racquet to get the ball far away so that he can run far to fetch the ball. Without enough exercise, the East-European Shepherd will develop behavioral problems which will include aggression.

Exercise and Interaction:

The Kyi-Leo doesn’t require vigorous exercising. One walk a day will keep them happy. There are pet owners who believe dogs can be permanently outside dogs where they can do their own exercise.

Everybody who knows dogs, knows they are social creatures who will simply lie at your backdoor just waiting for some response from their beloved human family. Every dog, regardless of breed or size, needs exercise and interaction with their humans every day.

Dogs left alone in the yard day after day are loney, frustrated and bored, and when they start digging or barking, irresponsible owners will ill treat them. These kind of people should never own a dog.

Diet:

The Kyi-Leo has a sensitive stomach so he’ll need good quality food to avoid digestive problems. Ideally home-cooked food such as softly boiled chicken, brown rice and raw or cooked vegetables added into top quality kibble is the preferred diet.

Fresh, cool water needs to be constantly available.

Grooming:

Brush the long, silky coat at least twice a week to ensure it remains free of knotting. Brushing keeps the coat shiny too.

As a long eared dog, ears should be checked and cleaned regularly too. Air doesn’t reach the inside of their ears and the warm dampness in the ears are a breeding place for infection.

Nails should also be trimmed when they become long because left uncut they can hook onto things causing injury ad pain.

Small dogs are more prone to tartar formation and loss of teeth. You’ll notice that something isn’t right because your lively little dog will be lethargic, he may not want to eat his food and his face may be swollen. When you suspect dental problems, get him to the vet.