KUVASZ HUNGARY – Facts | Weight | Height |Breed

KUVASZ (KUVASZ HUNGARY) – Dog breeds: Kuvasz is a brave dog, uncompromising in his desire to protect the family, who does not blindly comply with human requirements – that’s how the experts describe this breed. An individualist who is very attached to his people, but does not have a special affection for strangers – he treats them with a slight suspicion, at most indifferent. He is a vigilant and good guardian – no change in his surroundings escapes his attention.

Skills

Guarding your family, her belongings and territory – this is kuvash’s calling. He is not a loud alarming watchman, rather he will try without any unnecessary noise to personally deal with the attacker disrupting the herd’s life. She has an excellent sense of smell, and as she is persistent and accurate at work, she is suitable for the role of a dog hunting or detecting specific smells. He treats the tasks entrusted to him very seriously, therefore working with him is pure pleasure.

Despite its size, it is physically fit and lively. In the United States, where the kuvash made a career, some owners try to work with them on agility tracks, although they only do it recreationally.

Training and education

A person who wants to subordinate a dog of this breed cannot have a delicate, soft or shaky character. However, too strong corrections or “military drill” will cause Kuvasz to withdraw, close himself and will not want to cooperate with man at all, with which he has problems even if he is run best. It is said that animals of this breed are typical dogs of a strong man, but this statement has a metaphorical sense rather than a literal one. It is about spiritual strength, not physical (although, with the strength and endurance of kuvash, training in the gym will always be useful to match him on a walk).

The puppy needs to be intensively and regularly socialized. With the breed being quite distrustful, it would be good if the pooch was used to other people, animals, strange sounds and phenomena from an early age. Manifestations of aggression must meet with a very strong reaction of the guide, and certainly you can not encourage the dog – awakened and supported in such behavior, kuvasz can become an extremely difficult to control animal.

Who is this race for?

Kuvasz is a good family dog, forgiving children, but in the event that clearly showing them the limits. He will perfectly guard a large property, provided that he is taken out for walks outside the fence every day – it will help civilize this big dog. A small apartment in the middle of the city and constantly the same walking route through the estate’s lawns or in a nearby small park is not an offer for kuvash and you have to be aware of it. Similarly, age, physically weak, invalids and teenagers should rather give up the thought of being the main guide for this beautiful dog.

Kuvasz is good for this as a companion of an energetic, resolute person who likes movement, who is fit or wants to work on it. All because for kuvash making thirty kilometers at one go is not a problem.

Advantages and disadvantages

Kuvasz – what is he like? Learn its pros and cons!

Disadvantages

• exceptionally independent, he may not pay heed to the guide’s opinion
• can show a lot of aggression
• requires a lot of movement and occupation, and preferably also a guarding area

Benefits

• strongly attached to the family
• excellent watchman
• durable and loyal

Health

Like most large breeds, also kuvasz is struggling with hip dysplasia. The breed also has a tendency to twist the stomach, so it would be best to divide the daily portion of this large pet’s food into several smaller portions, and make sure that the animal rests and does not run right after eating. In addition, eye diseases occur in the breed, mainly entropion (hereditary predisposition, poligenic).

nourishment

Kuvasz is not a whim when it comes to food. It also makes good use of food. It can get ready-made, good-quality dry and wet food, as well as food prepared at home, if it is properly supplemented. In addition, it is worth giving the dog vitamins (especially biotin) to keep his beautiful, effective coat in good shape. As the Kuvasza puppies grow relatively quickly, it is good to support their development with calcium preparations during the growth period.

Care

Despite its spectacular appearance of a fluffy white bear, kuvasz is extremely easy to care for – you only need to comb its dense coat with a metal comb from time to time. More frequent care is indicated during the molting period, which is usually abundant. You should also carefully control the sphere under the eyes (in white races sometimes there are unsightly brownish leaks).

Accessories

If our kuvasz will spend time on the property, we should invest in a high and tight fence in the well-understood interest of the environment. This guardian by vocation is ready to fuel a lot of fear to accidental passers-by, if he gets out of the garden and wants to patrol a slightly larger area than the designated plot boundary. In addition, it is best to take kuvasza for a walk in a wide, material collar or in guard braces.

History

Some researchers derived kuvash from molos from the ancient Roman empire, but most support the theory that large white dogs found their way to today’s Hungary with Asian nomads – a people called the Kumans.

The basic occupation of these dogs was to protect herds of sheep, cattle and goats from predators, mainly wolves. That is why dogs with light, expressive coat were preferred in breeding – this helped to distinguish the dog from much darker, wild-colored wolves. In the Middle Ages, their tasks were also involved in hunting, mainly for wild boars.

In the interwar period, many Hungarians emigrated to the USA, some of them took their beloved animals, most often dogs, including a large number of kuvushas. The Americans liked the large, effective puppies, hence the relatively large number of kennels in the United States. It was, among others, thanks to this that the breed was saved from extinction, because during the Second World War the number of kuvash in their home country significantly decreased.

Kuvasz in Poland

In Poland, the breed remains small. She did not make a career probably because we have a native breed of mountain dogs very similar to Kuvash – a Tatra Sheepdog.

Template

Kuvasz – group I FCI, section 1, reference number 54

• Country of origin: Hungary
• Nature: loyal to the owner, brave, quite independent, has a strong guarding instinct
• Size: dogs 71-76 cm, bitches 66-70 cm
• Weight: dogs 48-62 kg, bitches 37-50 kg
• Robe: fairly long, hard, undulating coat, with a dense down undercoat, with no tendency to tangling quickly
• Ointment: white, sometimes light cream
• Length of life: 10-12 years old
• Weather resistance: tall
• Maintenance costs
• Price of a dog with a pedigree:

Full FCI template applicable in the Kennel Club in Poland (pdf)

Interesting facts

Kuvasz is not a popular breed in the world. It must be said, however, that she won a group of supporters in the United States, in which her fans not only present kuvash at exhibitions, but also work with them – including tracking classes. The first kuvasz, who won the official track dog title in the USA, was the bitch Szumeria’s Wildwood Pretty Penny, affectionately called Moola at home.

Kuvasze are closely related to our Tatra Sheepdogs and Slovak Watchers. The differences in appearance are so small that it is very easy to confuse these breeds. Dogs of this breed were especially liked by King of Hungary, Maciej Korwin, who ruled the country in the 15th century. Receiving a kuvash puppy from the ruler was then considered an extraordinary distinction.