CMDR Colorado Mountain Dogs

Colorado Mountain Dogs (CMDs) are a new breed of livestock guardian dogs (LGDs) that are being bred with the goal of reducing behaviors that often cause LGDs to fail in modern settings such as small acreage farms or farms in more populous areas. With predator threats growing in many places, there is a great need for an effective LGD who is not aggressive toward human visitors/strangers, who doesn't bark incessantly and is lower energy without a desire to wander or escape. Not every puppy produced will fit the standard perfectly, but with each generation we get closer to that ideal.

The Colorado Mountain Dog is not a designer hybrid or specific breed cross; it is a new breed still in formation with an open studbook. Although the foundation stud, Caspian, was Great Pyrenees x Anatolian Shepherd, dogs are individually screened and accepted into the CMDR based on temperament and guarding aptitudes. The CMD standard calls for a tall, slim body, a medium to long coat that is easy to care for and sheds easily, and a head that is fairly refined. CMDs should not drool. They can come in any color. Because the CMD is still in development, the physical appearance is currently secondary to temperament and guarding aptitude, so I do have some dogs in my program who are heavier built, short-haired or somewhat smaller than standard. However, I do not have any dogs that are aggressive toward strangers or untrustworthy with livestock, since those are disqualifications for a CMD.

In our breeding program, we are working toward dogs who, besides being calm and friendly, mature quickly and can be trusted with livestock from a young age. We also are prioritizing dogs that get along well with other dogs (not as alpha as many LGDs) and can be fed around other dogs without squabbles. We want our CMDs to be the perfect starter LGD for people who are new to LGDs and want a less intense, friendlier dog.

After these temperament goals, our secondary focus is on bringing outcross dogs that are unrelated to dogs already in the CMDR. We have bought numerous dogs to evaluate. Some have made the cut and some have not. Those that do are registered into the CMDR when they are old enough to pass temperament and health screenings. In fact, our whole program consists of outcrosses we’ve gotten from all around the US. It takes 62 dogs from purebred Foundation Dogs to produce one purebred G5 (purebred) Colorado Mountain Dog. In order for the breed to be healthy and genetically diverse for years to come, it is imperative that enough dogs be added to the registry at this early stage, and that has been a driving factor in our decision to focus on new lines of CMDs.

For more information about the breed or to read the standard you can visit:

https://coloradomountaindogs.com/