Farm to the Best in Show Ring for one CAS
By Jessica Freni with Danielle Bartosiewicz
Name: Danielle Bartosiewicz
Dog’s call name: Remington
Dog’s registered name (including titles): Ch. Maxomagic’s War of Attrition
Breeder(s):Daniel Nash
Owner(s): Danielle Bartosiewicz
Breed: Central Asian Shepherd (AKC FSS)
How long have you been showing? This year makes 20!
Most memorable owner handler win: Back to back BIOS wins with such a rare breed!
What does your dog do/ enjoy outside the ring?
He’s a full time LGD/property Guardian, and where I live we have a decent predator load, so that itself keeps him pretty busy! He enjoys anything above 2,000 lbs on wheels during a weight pull, and playing the role of the fun police should any of the other dogs/ livestock start getting too rowdy. Additionally, due to online shopping, his disdain for delivery men keeps him occupied.
What’s the ideal home for your breed? The greatest challenge?
This breed absolutely needs a LOT of room to roam, as they are not a couch cuddles type of dog. Not to say they don’t love some quality time with their people, but chances are there is some… thing outside that needs monitoring. Lots of space, a sturdy and tall fence, and an iron willed owner with endless patience will help this breed thrive.
One of the greater challenges of this breed is training. Historically, the CAO performed his work, i.e. protecting the flock, independently without much help from their owner. In this regard, they make their own decision on how to best do their job.This type of independence can sometimes make training difficult; for example, the thirty-seventh time you try to explain to the dog the “down “ command they will still look at you with absolutely no understanding. They probably happened to lie down by sheer coincidence, tired of hearing you talk and still willingly taking any treats you’ll give them. In the end you’ve decided you’re either a terrible trainer, or the dog is just not that smart and you stop the lesson in order not to work the dog into a bad mood. Then, after a while, the dog may see something of interest in your hands and is more than willing to demonstrate its ability to complete the “down” task…on its own terms.
What is your goal for your dog?
Remington is such an amazing ambassador for a breed that not many people know even exist. My goal is to get his fabulous self out into the eye of potential enthusiasts and fanciers, helping the breed to gain more exposure. As well as making him only the third CAO in the history of the breed to achieve the CM title!
What is it like showing an AKC FSS breed? How does it compare to UKC?
There is truly a sense of camaraderie within the FSS breeds that can be found nowhere else. We all travel great distances to share the common goal of helping the breed we love grow and progress. AKC FSS and UKC are the same cat, just a very different color. AKC people with more popular breeds may not like UKC for various reasons, but it does serve a purpose for those of us who cannot find competition within our own.
Anything else you would like or readers to know about you or your dog? Your breed? Having owned both Caucasian and Central Asian Ovcharka, I would say that they are
both very intelligent flock guards who can tell from 100 feet away if you respect them, or are worried about them. Keeping in mind what they were originally bred for, being weary of strangers is in their DNA. A stranger locking eyes with them and outstretching a hand for a pat on the head usually ends up sending up all the warning flags for the dog. However, despite the above, it is impossible not to note the striking loyalty the CAO have to their owners and children.
