During the period after World War II, Russia needed thousands of guard dogs due to the rising crime, a breed of dog that could adapt to a very low temperature , snowy environment during winter and to be able to guard nearly everything that was owned by the government, such as warehouses, railroads, labor camps and infrastructure. That was the reason why they started an immense project led by Gen Medvedev. It began in 1946 and lasted a year at the Central School of Military Kynology, a department of the USSR Ministry of Defense. After many years of experiments of crossbreeding purebred dogs, the Moscow Watchdog was one of the most successful breeds from crosses between Caucasian Shepherd Dogs and St. Bernards. It provides the mental and physical aspect that they desired.