Breed characteristics
Height at withers: males – 62-70 cm, females – 59-65 cm,
Weight: males – 36-44 kg, females – 31-37 kg,
Color: white (yellowish spots near the ears are allowed),
Eye color: dark brown,
Nose color: exclusively black.
General appearance: strong bones, deep chest, long coat, high paws, thick white coat.
Appearance
The Posava Hound has a slightly elongated body. The head is small, neat, with a smooth transition from the forehead to the narrow muzzle. The eyes are quite large, set very close to the forehead, and dark brown or amber in color. The wide nose is dark brown or black, with large nostrils. The ears are set low, thin, hanging, close to the head. The neck is very powerful, wide, of medium length. The chest is well developed and muscular.
The back is strong, with a slight slope towards the tail. The abdomen is elastic and toned. The front legs are straight and widely spaced. The hind legs are powerful, fairly long, with well-developed hock joints. The tail is slightly curved, medium in length, covered with dense hair.
Coat
The Posava Hound has thick, close-lying hair. The average length of the cover is from 2 to 3 centimeters. On the belly and limbs the fur is slightly longer.
Color
The breed standard includes all shades of sand, light brown and red. White spots are allowed on the head, chest, lower paws, tip of the tail, and neck. Solid dark brown color and white spots on the back are not allowed.
History of the breed
The Slovak Chuvach owes its origin to an ancient animal - the Arctic wolf . This species was distributed throughout the continent, but over time it was replaced on the plains by other predators. Arctic wolves remained primarily in mountainous areas.
The distant ancestor bore little resemblance to the modern representative of the breed. People took part in the breeding of the Slovak Chuvaches. This fact is evidenced by at least the white color of the coat.
It is believed that the light dog stood out against the background of nature, and it was easy to distinguish it from the wolves that the Chuvach drove away from the sheep flocks.
Slovakian Chuvaches were bred in the highlands of the Carpathians in Slovakia. The local population called them Tatra Chuvachi , where the first word meant the area where they lived, and the second translated as “sensitive, vigilant .
Close relatives of the Slovak Chuvaches are the Hungarian Kuvasz and the Maremmo-Abrutz Sheepdog. They are united by excellent guard qualities, size and coat color.
The Chuvachi were known only in their homeland. They herded livestock and guarded their owners' homes . Even puppies showed guarding abilities. The life of their owners depended on the household, in which dogs played an important role.
According to one of the official versions, the locals developed trade. People who arrived in the Tatras noticed bright dogs and were surprised at their strength coupled with their unusual beauty. This is how Slovakian Chuvaches ended up on the list of breeds officially registered by Czech veterinarians. In 1964, the breed received recognition from British dog handlers, who drew up the first standard.
Today these dogs also participate in international exhibitions. In total, there are about 3 dozen breed representatives in Russia. Most of them were brought from Slovakia.
Character
The first thing to note in terms of describing the breed's character is the independence of these dogs. Sometimes it comes to insolence, so it is useless for anyone to command and command the Slovak dude. He will only obey someone he respects, and most likely this will be one person: his master, his leader.
This does not mean that it is impossible to keep a dude in the family. He is very affectionate and simply adores children. But he can only truly obey the leader. Everyone else is his herd, to be looked after, to be played with, but not to be obeyed at all.
The Slovakian dude is not aggressive. First of all, this concerns people. He is suspicious of strangers, and, as a last resort, always warns before attacking. But in relation to other animals, these dogs are very arrogant, which can complicate keeping them together.
The main advantage of the Chuvach, which Slovak shepherds always noted, was their amazing fearlessness. In the face of danger, they are ready to protect the people they care about (as well as their property) until their last breath.
For the same reason, the breed really needs good training and socialization. If someone who is dear to this dog is attacked or the animal just thinks so, then the aggressor will have a very hard time. And, if the dude is not properly trained, he can seriously injure or even kill the attacker, which can result in bad consequences for both himself and his owners.
Behavior and temperament
Slovak guys are characterized by the following positive qualities:
- Thoughtfulness,
- The ability to stand up for yourself and the owner,
- Devotion,
- Courage,
- Sensitivity,
- Moderate activity.
Negative breed qualities include:
- Waywardness,
- Difficulty in education.
Most guys are sanguine and can show independence in decision making.
Dog names
As mentioned, the puppy card you receive with your puppy will already have your new pet's name on it. In most cases, breeders independently assign names to the entire litter that have the same first letter. But this is only if you buy a purebred, thoroughbred dog.
In another case, you will have to independently choose a suitable nickname for him that will be easy to remember and pronounce. For example: Ira, Rush, Diamond, Richard, Leila, Gerda, Kylie, Tudor and so on.
Slovak dude and man
Such dogs will be excellent helpers on the farm. It is not advisable for beginners who are unfamiliar with serious dogs to have them. Slovak dudes, as guards, must be raised from childhood and clearly understand their place among family members.
Some individuals have a tendency to dominate , which can become a problem in everyday life, given the size of the dog. In this case, the animal shows aggression towards people, sometimes to the point of biting. However, in guard dogs this is not an abnormal behavior, but requires certain training, strength of character of the owner and establishing contacts with the dog.
It’s not worth buying dudes for a child, because he won’t cope with upbringing. However, this breed is tolerant of children's pranks and gets along well in the house with kids. They only show anger towards strangers. Cats and similar living creatures belonging to the owner are an object of protection for the Chuvach people.
The Slovakian Chuvach has a long coat with a thick undercoat, and the climate in the mountains is harsh. This allows the dog to withstand frosts and bad weather in the form of precipitation, and the white coat protects against overheating in the heat. The dudes are brought in to guard the house and are kept on a personal plot, equipped with an enclosure with a booth.
In urban conditions, Slovak guys behave obediently, but with proper restraint and upbringing. There is no evidence of targeted use for hunting.
How to choose a puppy
Are you ready to buy a Slovak dude? An excellent choice, but you need to do it skillfully. When a flock of little “dudes”, charming white buttons, rushes at you, believe me, you will be ready to take them all at once. But you only need to take one thing with you - your dearest one, the one who will become a member of your family for many years.
Slovakian Chuvach puppies are playful, active, curious and simply adorable.
To take or not to take
First, try to clearly formulate for yourself what kind of dog, why you want to get it and whether you can handle it. The questions are by no means idle, because very soon a fluffy polar bear cub will grow into a big white “bear”, which, if not raised correctly, can cause a lot of problems for both you and those around you. Perhaps it would be better to buy, for example, a Labrador?
An adult dog has a strong character, so there may be times when his behavior will have to be adjusted regardless of the purpose for which you are currently choosing a dog: for protection, exhibitions, or just for fun. Are you ready for the fact that you will need to seriously and persistently raise a new member of your pack family?
The white fluffy ball will definitely turn into a large and serious animal, so from the age of two months it’s time to start raising it
What to pay attention to
If you have enough experience and strength to cope with a serious canine temperament, you can purchase a puppy from working parents who have both the appropriate certificates and practical security and protection skills. In any case, you need to look not so much at the documents, but at the puppy’s parents themselves, their external characteristics and behavior - no one has yet canceled heredity.
The physical and psychological state of the baby is of great importance - at the time of moving to a new family, he should be:
- self-confident and active;
- gain age-appropriate height and weight;
- have clear eyes, pink mucous membranes and shiny fur;
- be treated for parasites.
Two-month-old Chuvach puppy is completely ready to go to a new home
It is better to pick up the puppy after the first comprehensive vaccination - after two months. By this age, the main organs of a young dog have already been formed and it is ready to move from its mother’s “nest” to an independent life.
Video: Dude puppies on a walk
Maintenance and care
The Slovakian Chuvach is an unpretentious dog in food. The diet consists of a standard set of products:
- Meat and offal (beef trim, kaltyk, tripe, lung, liver),
- Porridges based on rice and buckwheat,
- Vegetables,
- Dairy products.
A small puppy is served food 4-5 times a day starting from 2-3 weeks of age. The meat is cut into small pieces, the size of which corresponds to the size of the nose.
Porridge with vegetables makes up about 20% of the daily food volume. Cottage cheese, fermented baked milk, kefir and whey – 30%. During puppyhood, practically no by-products are given. According to the recommendations of breeders and veterinarians, mineral and vitamin supplements are included in the diet.
By 8 months the dog is switched to two meals a day . The consumption of carrots is limited, since the white wool acquires a yellowish tint when there is a large amount of this vegetable in food. Raw meat remains the staple food. Pork is considered too fatty and can also be a source of disease.
During cold weather, it is recommended to increase the content of carbohydrates (cereals) if the dog is not obese. It is also useful to add fish oil and olive oil to your food in winter. This improves digestion and the condition of the coat.
Dudes need movement . Even with 24-hour living on the property near the house, dogs are walked at least once a day to maintain physical fitness. Apartment keeping involves walking the puppy as needed, and an adult puppy is walked twice a day for about 2 hours in the fresh air.
The dude loves freedom and space, but calmly tolerates life in an apartment if he has the opportunity to run around the street to his heart’s content . In the courtyard of the house, the dog should have a good-quality booth made of wood or thick plywood, of medium size.
Dude fur care is simple. It is enough to go through the wool every week with a slicker brush and a wide-toothed brush. During the molting period, the dog is combed more actively, once every 2-3 days.
Slovakian dudes are washed when they are heavily soiled or immediately before an exhibition. The dog's coat is self-cleaning , according to owners and breeders. The ears are periodically washed with special products from a veterinary pharmacy, and the claws are shortened with a nail clipper. Whitening shampoos, dry and liquid, are used for washing. After soaping, rinse the wool thoroughly and apply conditioner.
Dry in the summer in the air, and at low temperatures using a hair dryer or compressor. Guys are accustomed to such procedures from childhood, so that the dog is not afraid of water and the noise that comes from a working hair dryer.
Training
According to the standard, Slovak dudes do not pass mandatory performance tests. However, they are natural guards due to their territorial nature. The dudes look after the site, the house and the rest of the owner’s property. Therefore, instincts must be directed in the right direction. Two common types of training are suitable for this:
- OKD (obedience),
- ZKS (protection and guard).
After passing the exams, the owner receives a diploma. Contrary to the popular opinion about the harm of protective guard service, this course will help determine the working qualities of a particular dog and teach the owner how to handle the pet in extreme situations.
To train a Slovakian dude you will need a lot of patience. Unlike working breeds, these herding and guard dogs think about every action.
You cannot use brute physical force, as this only strengthens the animal’s aggressive behavior and disobedience. In some countries, they practice teaching Slovakian people to select objects by smell.
Health and life expectancy
On average, Slovakian dudes live 13-15 years .
A powerful, but dry and strong body can withstand enormous loads. The fashion for puppies of this breed and show breeding for the sake of appearance have not yet reached the Slovak dudes, so they are not deprived of health.
Common diseases:
- Hip dysplasia,
- Allergies.
It is important to know about the predispositions to diseases of your dog’s ancestors in order to provide decent living conditions and care for your pet. White coat color, along with lightened eye color and nose color, can increase the risk of allergic reactions.
Breed photo
A selection of photos of Slovak dudes.
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