The Czechoslovakian wolfdog is large, square and strong, due to its characteristics, its movements and its gestures, its type and the color of its fur and facial mask, this breed of sheepdog is much more reminiscent of its wild ancestor, the wolf, than its canine ancestor, the German shepherd. At Petlifey, we explain everything about the Czech wolfdog.
Characteristics of the Czech Wolfdog breed
It is a very strong and resistant dog. Due to its genetic nature, it is one of the domestic dogs closest to its wild version.
It is able to endure long marches through the most rugged and difficult places and, by nature, it is prepared to face the vicissitudes of life in freedom.
Its reactions are quick, energetic, courageous and reckless, which implies that it does not shy away from facing problems, even though it does not seek them.
It is also a naturally suspicious dog, acting with reserve in the presence of strangers or in circumstances beyond its control.
Physical characteristics of the Czechoslovakian Wolfdog
From a physical point of view, the Czech wolfdog is so similar to the wolf that it even resembles it in gestures and movements and, of course, in bearing.
It is very expressive and, to show its state of mind, it prefers to use its body rather than its voice. Let’s see in detail its physical characteristics :
- General appearance: rugged, rustic, with a strong and muscular constitution, with a body as tall as it is long, it is very similar to the wolf. Strongly built, the body of this dog can be inscribed in a square. It is similar to the wolf in its body structure, its movement, its fur, the color of its hair and its mask.
- Size: very large.
- Height at the withers: 65-70 cm (males) and 60-62 cm (females).
- Weight: 26-30 kg (males) and 20-23 kg (females).
- Body: with a strong constitution and square body structure, this dog resembles a wolf. The males reach a height at the withers of about 67 cm, and the females, about 62 cm. It is a very muscular animal with a harmonious figure. The upper body line flows smoothly towards the back, which is a little sagging.
- Head: symmetrical and muscular, with a bulging forehead seen in profile. Viewed from the sides and from above, it forms a truncated wedge and moderately pronounced stop. The muzzle is thin and dry, like the cheeks.
- Skull: Seen from the front and from the sides, it has a bulging forehead, but with little marked frontal furrow.
- Muzzle: It is wedge-shaped, with a straight nasal bridge, dark-colored lips, firm and well attached.
- Nose: Oval, black in color.
- Nose-frontal depression (stop): Moderate.
- Eyes: they are small, almond shaped and set with a slight inclination. Of an intense amber color, they are bright and curious, and their eyelids are well attached.
- Ears: erect, thin, triangular in shape and short. The most lateral point of the set of the ears and the external angle of the eyes are on the same line.
- Jaws: The jaws are strong and symmetrical, and the teeth, especially the fangs, well developed and uniformly arranged. The bite is scissor or pincer.
- Neck: Dry and muscular, when the dog is at rest it forms an angle of about 40o with the horizontal. It is so long that the nose can easily touch the ground.
- Back: Firm and straight, it has short and very muscular loins. The croup is thin, short and slightly sloping.
- Chest : Symmetrical, well muscled, the chest is broad, pear-shaped, tapering towards the sternum. The depth of the chest does not reach the elbows, and the tip of the sternum does not protrude from the shoulder joint.
- Forelimbs: they are straight, firm, thin and close to each other, with the feet slightly twisted outwards.
- Shoulders: The shoulder blade is positioned considerably forward and is very muscular. Forearms and arms: The forearms are long, thin and straight, and the arms are endowed with strong muscles.
- Hind limbs: from behind they are seen to be parallel and have a slightly collected position.
- Legs: Long, outlined and muscular, with strong and well articulated knees.
- Hocks: They are thin, strong and very mobile.
- Feet: the front ones are large and slightly twisted outwards. They are provided with long and arched toes, the nails are strong and dark, and the pads, also dark, are elastic and well developed.
- Tail: set high, the tail usually hangs straight, but when the dog is in motion it is common for it to be raised in the shape of a sickle.
- Skin: elastic, tight and without folds, it is not pigmented.
- Hair: the coat is straight and adherent, and in winter the undercoat, which is very dense, forms a set with the outer coat that covers the entire body of the animal with a thick fur. From a yellowish grey to a silver grey, with the characteristic light mask In winter, the undercoat thickens, and with the outer layer it forms a thick mantle that protects it from the cold.
- Color: the shades of the coat range from a yellowish grey to a silver grey, with the characteristic light mask. The hair is light also under the neck and on the front of the chest. Even so, there are some dark grey individuals with a light mask.
- Movement: harmonious and light, it presents a wide trot in which the extremities hardly leave the ground. The head and neck are inclined towards a horizontal line. The step is with amble.
Character of the Czechoslovakian Wolfdog
What character has the wolfhound Czech? Well, it has a very active temperament and behaviour, resistant and easy to train, this dog is quick to react, reckless and courageous.
Although distrustful, it shows its master extraordinary fidelity. It is very resistant to inclement weather, therefore it is a very versatile utility animal.
The Czech wolf joint is essentially a gregarious animal. Its similarities with the wolf are many and go beyond the merely physical, since it likes to live in a pack and seek its place within it.
Therefore, every owner of a Czech wolfdog should be aware of the inconvenience of leaving the animal alone for hours; in fact, it is best not to have it as a single dog, regardless of whether you live with dogs of the same breed or others.
- Energy: high level. It is a very active dog that needs regular exercise and to live in open spaces.
- Temperament: very active, resistant, faithful, disciplined, reckless and brave, it is distrustful of strangers.
- Adaptability: low. Little adapted to urban life, and cannot be alone for many hours,
- Sociability: medium. It adores its master and is faithful to them, but distrusts strangers. For its development it needs constant contact with other dogs, as well as with the members of the human family with which it lives.
- Health: very good. It is not prone to inherited diseases, but it can suffer from hip dysplasia.
- Longevity: High. Live between 14 and 15 years.
- Utility: versatile. In addition to being a shepherd dog, it can be trained as a tracking animal and is one of the most used by the Czech army, as it is very resistant to inclement weather.
- Utilization: Grazing and guarding.
- Other names: Czechslovakian Wolfdog / Chien-loup tchécoslovaque / Tschechoslowalascher Wolfhund / Ceskoslovensky Vlcak.
- Origin: former Czechoslovakia.
For this breed, the herd is made up of all those beings with whom it shares daily life, from other congeners to different animal species, passing, of course, through its human family, of which it becomes a close and inseparable companion.
Left alone for many hours, it feels disowned by the pack and can develop antisocial behaviours and destructive habits. But precisely its wolf vestiges make it a reserved animal that distrusts strangers.
For this reason, the owner of a specimen of the breed must start an intense socialization process from the earliest possible age, and establish through permanent contact with the animal the foundations of a hierarchical relationship that will turn this dog into a wonderful animal company.
Education and training of the Czech Wolfdog
Its gregarious nature makes them an extraordinarily faithful animal and attached to its master.
The Czech wolfdog recognizes and accepts the social hierarchy better than any other breed, thus, a fundamental task of the owner of one or more of these copies must be positioned as the Alpha individual, that is, the leader of the pack to win in this way the respect, affection and fidelity of their dogs.
However, do not confuse fidelity with submission. It is an animal that is both gregarious and free, and it does not accept that authority is exercised through abuse or violence; That is why it does not tolerate physical punishment and responds poorly to inconsistent and contradictory orders.
It is not, therefore, a highly recommended dog for beginners. The owner of a Czech wolfdog must be experienced enough to assert its authority and moral supremacy, and to do so firmly but fairly.
Feeding the Czechoslovakian Wolfdog
Regarding what the Czechoslovakian wolfdog eats, say that the energy needs of the breed vary depending on seasonality and the type of life that the animal develops.
It has no special dietary requirements, although many breeders recommend including raw meat in their diet. And it is that this animal is the spitting image of its wild ancestor (the wolf), of which it retains its enigmatic beauty and great strength.
Czechoslovakian Wolfdog Care
This breed needs very basic maintenance. It is a rustic and very clean dog, without body odour, so it does not need regular baths.
Their fur is their main protection against inclement weather; It has a dense and abundant undercoat that produces two very copious annual molts and that must be brushed regularly.
Czech Wolfdog Health
The Czech wolfdog is not prone to characteristic diseases; On the contrary, it is a basically healthy and long-lived breed, which easily reaches between 14 and 15 years of average life, and there are even cases of individuals that have lived up to 17 years.
Due to its size and structure and, in part, due to the genetic inheritance that comes from its ancestors of the German shepherd breed, the only condition that can occur in this breed is hip dysplasia.
To prevent it, it is best to investigate the health status of the reproductive individuals, rule out the use of animals affected by the disease and provide the dog, during the development stage, with a suitable environment, a quality diet and moderate exercise.
Origin and history of the Czech Wolfdog breed
The Czech wolfdog has its origin in an experiment carried out in 1955 in the former Czechoslovakia that consisted of crossing specimens of the German shepherd breed with specimens of the Carpathian wolf (Karpatenwolf).
The result was a new breed with the useful characteristics of the wolf but the domestication capacity of the dog, and was recognized as a national breed in 1982.
Indeed, the breed was developed between 1955 and 1965 in the former Czechoslovakia, on the basis of the cross between German shepherd dogs and the wolves that populated the Carpathian mountains, with the intention of selecting the characteristics of both species and finding in this way the perfect dog for guard and defence.
In 1982, at the suggestion of the breed’s breeder clubs, this splendid animal achieved the status of a Czech national breed.