Slovensky Cuvac

The Slovensky Cuvac (CHEW-votch) is a livestock guardian dog breed that originated in Slovakia, in the Carpathian Mountains. It was originally bred to defend flocks of sheep from bears and wolves that might stalk the herd in the high mountain pastures. These dogs were always bred to be white, so that in the night the shepherd might easily distinguish the dog from the predator. The Slovensky Cuvac is a large, heavy-boned, heavily-muscled dog of square stature. It is similar to the Hungarian Kuvasz, but is shorter. It has a deep, strong chest. It has a massive, wide head and a medium muzzle, with strong jaws. Its powerful neck is roughly the same length as its head. Its ears are triangular, set back on the skull, and drop. It has small, dark oval eyes that are rimmed in black. The nose, palate and mouth are also black. The feet are large and heavily padded to work rough terrain. This breed stands an average 22 to 28 inches tall at the shoulder, with the males being the larger. Weight range averages from 80 to 100 pounds. There is a heavy ruff around the upper chest and neck, most pronounced in the male. The underbelly upper legs are moderately feathered. The tail is long and heavily feathered; it is usually carried down but contains a pronounced curve. This breed has a heavy, very thick double coat. The outer layer is coarse and made up of long, weather-resistant, wavy guard hairs. The undercoat is dense and woolly and served to insulate the dog from extremes of weather. The color of the coat is white. The Slovensky Cuvac has been documented as far back as the 17th century, but is believed to be much older. These versatile dogs assisted the shepherd with herding and driving the sheep higher in the mountains to summer pastures in the spring. During the summer months the dogs guarded the flock from predator bears and wolves. When fall came the dogs assisted in moving the herd to lower pastures again. The Slovak shepherds famously made cheese during their summer stays in the mountains with their flocks. Tourists went to the mountains and stopped to buy cheeses from these shepherds and occasionally they became enchanted with the fluffy white puppies of the mountain guard dogs. Some of the pups were taken to the lowlands and introduced to the wider Slovakian world. But these large, independent, wary dogs were not suited for the average household, and the breed remained rare. By the beginning of the 20th century, the once-large wolf population of the Carpathians had been greatly diminished by hunting. The job the Slovensky Cuvac was bred to do was no longer needed. It was increasingly seen guarding lowland farmsteads, chained as a guard dog, while farmers hired humans to mind the flocks in the high summer pastures. The advent of two world wars, coupled with advancing technology and changing practices in raising livestock, rendered the breed nearly extinct. After the wars, a Dr. Antonin Hruza of the Brno School of Veterinary Medicine made it his mission to keep the ancient breed alive. He scoured the mountains to find a few remaining pure specimens still guarding farmsteads, and started a successful breeding kennel. A written standard was approved in 1964, and sufficient numbers of the breed existed by 1969 that it was officially recognized by the Federation Cynologique Internationale. After that time a few were exported to Western Europe and to North America for breeding, but although it has a loyal following abroad and in its native country, it has remained a rare breed. Interestingly, it had completely lost its role in Slovakia as livestock guardian, and by the 1960's it was used solely for guarding property. In very recent decades the wolf population has returned to the Carpathians, again posing a threat to livestock. But efforts to reintroduce the Slovensky Cuvac to guard the flocks have failed: the instinct to guard livestock is innate in these breeds, but it must be nurtured carefully from the time the dogs are pups, or they will not perform. The Slovak shepherds had not used the dogs for decades by then and had lost the knowledge of how to train them as pups. Today, the Slovak Wildlife Society and Born Free has established ongoing efforts to provide proper training and working conditions for those who want to use the Slovensky Cuvac in its true original role, and the breed is now showing that it still possesses the necessary instinct, given proper training. The Slovensky Cuvac is not a dog for a quiet household or an urban environment. This is a tough-minded, independent worker who needs a job and room to roam. It is also a dog that needs very strong, experienced leadership in a handler. Unlike many livestock guardians, this breed is fast and agile, and has a high energy level. It is prone to digging when confined or bored, and can dig a tunnel under a fence. The breed is fairly healthy, since nearly all individuals are carefully and selectively bred at present. However, individuals may present with the common large dog disorders of hip and elbow dysplasia and bloat (GDV). The coat of the Slovensky Cuvac needs regular brushing to remain healthy and prevent matting. This breed is a moderate to heavy shedder, with the heavier shedding taking place seasonally. Ears should be kept clean and checked regularly for parasites such as ticks and mites. The Slovensky Cuvac is known to be very affectionate with family, and in particular with children. It is generally tolerant of all farm animals and household pets, and will try to protect them. This breed must be socialized while very young to accepting other canines in its environment, so that it becomes an adult who is friendly to other household dogs. The Slovensky Cuvac is extremely wary of strangers and must always be approached with caution by a visitor to the household. Besides being used as a livestock guardian and guard dog, the Slovensky Cuvac can excel in competitive obedience, border patrol work, and search and rescue.

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