meet the...Slovak Cuvac
Breed Summary
Breed Group Group 9: Large Guardian Pastoral/Mountain Dogs
Sub-group :
Origin Country Czechoslovakia
Weight Males: 79-97 pounds. Females: 68-81 pounds.
Height Males: 24-28 inches. Females: 23-26 inches.
Other Name(s) Liptok, Slovak Cuvac, Slovakian Chuvach, Slovensky Cuvac, Slovensky Kuvac, Slovensky Tchouvatch, Tatransky Cuvac
Breed Type Pure
click here for FULL BREED STANDARD
Origins
It is believed that the Slovak Cuvac, along with the Kuvasz and many of the other large mountain flock guardian breeds, such as the Akbash, Maremma Sheepdog, Komondor, and Great Pyrenees, are descendants of large, ancient dogs that were originally used to guard nomads, horses, sheep, and goats from predators and thieves.
When the nomadic bands moved throughout Western Europe, they brought many of their large dogs along and traded some of them with the locals. In their never-ending search for greener pastures, the nomads eventually made their way throughout what is known today as Hungary, where they once again left a number of their prized dogs with the people of the area. There, the dogs worked alongside the local herdsmen and huntsmen, from nobles to peasants, for thousands of years, and the populations remained mostly isolated from outside genetic influence.
The breed has been documented as far back as the 1600s, but once large predators were mostly eradicated from the area, the breed’s numbers fell drastically. Even today, this dog is rare in their home in Slovakia and the Czech Republic.Breed Characteristics
Head: The skull type is mesocephalic and somewhat shaped like a long wedge, tapering from the fairly broad topskull to the muzzle. The skull is proportionate to the size of the body. The topskull is broad, with the length being equal to that of the width (measured across the top in front of the ears). In profile and from the front, the topskull appears flat, but in comparison to the muzzle, it may appear slightly arched. The forehead exhibits good depth, leading to a moderate stop. There is a shallow median furrow running from the stop to the occiput. Superciliary ridges are well-proportioned to the head and are somewhat obliquely set.
Eyes: Moderate in size, oval to almond to diamond in shape, set slightly obliquely, and medium to dark brown in color. The inner membranes of the eye are darkly pigmented instead of pink, adding to the expression. The eye rims are well-fitted and well-pigmented. The eyes are never bulging. There should be sufficient bone in the surrounding orbital sockets to protect the eyes. Any signs of entropion or ectropion are incorrect for this breed.
Ears: Medium in size, set rather high on the skull, above the level of the zygomatic arches. The bases are well lifted, with the leathers dropping and lying close to the cheeks. They are triangular and V-shaped, with rounded tips. The ears are never long, "fly-away," prick, rose, or overly large. Cropped ears are permissible in working dogs.
Muzzle: The muzzle is well-developed with strong jaws. It is full, deep, broad, and blunt. It blends, or tapers, to the blunt end of the muzzle, giving the muzzle a blunt wedge shape. The upper and lower jaws have good bone substance and are well-developed, never appearing snipey or weak.
Nose: The nose is well-pigmented and black. The nostrils are well opened. The nose is in line with the vertical plane of the muzzle, never protruding forward nor receding back. This gives the muzzle a blunt appearance.
Neck: Sufficiently long enough to allow for good head carriage and range of motion. It is strongly muscled with an arch. The neck tapers smoothly from the deeper and broader body toward the head. Overall, the neck is clean-cut and without excess skin, throatiness, or dewlap.
Chest: Deep and broad but never wider than deep. The brisket extends to the point of the elbows. The forechest is well-developed but not prominent.
Body: Solid and of good substance and depth throughout. The body is never racy or excessively heavy. The width at the forequarters is approximately equal to the width at the hindquarters.
Feet: Oval to round and compact, with well-arched toes and tough pads.
Tail: Set low on the croup, just below the level of the topline. It is thick at the base and tapering toward the tip. It is carried in accordance with the dog’s mood and energy level, usually down (never tucked) to just below the horizon. When alert, the tail may be raised to slightly above the level of the topline but never high, flagged, or over the back. The tail is of a medium-to-long length, with the tip of the last vertebrae extending to the hock joints when held down. The tail is straight, having an almost cigar-like shape.
Movement: The Slovak Cuvac breed moves with surprising grace, agility, efficiency, and energy. Powerful yet graceful, the characteristics of a healthy structure are evident. When moving away, the forelegs and rear pasterns should remain parallel to one another. When viewing movement from the front, the forelegs should remain parallel, with elbows and paws moving neither in nor out. From the rear, the back pads should be visible when the rear legs are extended. As speed increases, the forelimbs and hindlimbs will converge to the centerline of gravity. From the side, the topline should remain firm and level. Good reach of movement in the front allows the forepaw to extend out in line with the nose. When extended, the width between the forefeet should be approximately equal to the width between the hindfeet when extended, indicating balance, good reach, and good drive. Dogs that exhibit any sign of breathing or locomotive difficulty shall be disqualified from the show ring.
Temperament: The Slovak Cuvac breed comes from centuries of self-sufficient flock guardians, so their independent and protective nature should come as no surprise. This breed is observant and discerning, capable of telling herd from predator and friend from foe. They are developed to bond strongly with flocks and families at a young age. Due to the intensity with which the Slovac Cuvac bonds, socialization should be employed on individuals who will accompany their families outside of the property; otherwise, they may become overprotective homebodies. They are mostly known as gentle giants unless they have identified a threat. Being a dog with guarding instincts, the Slovac Cuvac demands a certain amount of autonomy, but they are always happy to accompany those that he loves. Mature individuals may show indifference or aloofness toward strangers, which should not be penalized. Any unprovoked aggressive or fearful behavior toward people is incorrect for this breed.
Breed Standard
BREED GROUP 9: Large Guardian Pastoral/Mountain Dogs
Proportions: The Slovak Cuvac is a somewhat off-square to slightly rectangular breed, with the point of the forechest to the point of the rump being slightly greater than the height at the withers. The ideal body-height-to-length ratio is between 1:1 and 5:4. The distance from the point of the shoulder to the point of the rump is approximately 6% greater than the height at the withers. The bone is solid, giving strength to the frame, and the dog is powerfully muscled throughout. Males should appear masculine, being more substantial in size and mass, while females should appear more feminine and slightly less substantial. Neither should lack overall type. The weight of males and females is always in proportion to height.
Head
General Appearance: The skull type is mesocephalic and somewhat shaped like a long wedge, tapering from the fairly broad topskull to the muzzle. The skull is proportionate to the size of the body. The topskull is broad, with the length being equal to that of the width (measured across the top in front of the ears). In profile and from the front, the topskull appears flat, but in comparison to the muzzle, it may appear slightly arched. The forehead exhibits good depth, leading to a moderate stop. There is a shallow median furrow running from the stop to the occiput. Superciliary ridges are well-proportioned to the head and are somewhat obliquely set.
Expression: Watchful, attentive, alert, self-composed, and reflective.
Stop: The stop is moderate.
Skull: The ideal skull-to-muzzle ratio is 10:9, with the topskull being just slightly greater in length than the muzzle.
The convex planes of the skull are slightly divergent from the straight or gently tapered plane of the muzzle.
Muzzle: The muzzle is well-developed with strong jaws. It is full, deep, broad, and blunt. It blends, or tapers, to the blunt end of the muzzle, giving the muzzle a blunt wedge shape. The upper and lower jaws have good bone substance and are well-developed, never appearing snipey or weak.
Lips or Flews: The lips are clean and fit tightly over the teeth and jaws. They should never appear loose, droopy, or pendulous. The edge of the lips gives the muzzle a blunt, slightly rounded end. They are darkly pigmented.
Nose: The nose is well-pigmented and black. The nostrils are well opened. The nose is in line with the vertical plane of the muzzle, never protruding forward nor receding back. This gives the muzzle a blunt appearance.
Cheeks: The cheeks are smoothly muscled, never pronounced. The area below the eyes is fairly well-filled and never completely chiseled.
Dentition and Bite: Forty-two strong, clean, and white teeth. The bite may be level, scissor, or reverse-scissor. Contact must be made between the top and bottom incisors. Missing or broken teeth due to routine work are not to be penalized. The palate is black to grey.
Eyes: Moderate in size, oval to almond to diamond in shape, set slightly obliquely, and medium to dark brown in color. The inner membranes of the eye are darkly pigmented instead of pink, adding to the expression. The eye rims are well-fitted and well-pigmented. The eyes are never bulging. There should be sufficient bone in the surrounding orbital sockets to protect the eyes. Any signs of entropion or ectropion are incorrect for this breed.
Ears: Medium in size, set rather high on the skull, above the level of the zygomatic arches. The bases are well lifted, with the leathers dropping and lying close to the cheeks. They are triangular and V-shaped, with rounded tips. The ears are never long, "fly-away," prick, rose, or overly large. Cropped ears are permissible in working dogs.
Body and Tail
General Description: Solid and of good substance and depth throughout. The body is never racy or excessively heavy. The width at the forequarters is approximately equal to the width at the hindquarters.
Neck: Sufficiently long enough to allow for good head carriage and range of motion. It is strongly muscled with an arch. The neck tapers smoothly from the deeper and broader body toward the head. Overall, the neck is clean-cut and without excess skin, throatiness, or dewlap.
Chest: Deep and broad but never wider than deep. The brisket extends to the point of the elbows. The forechest is well-developed but not prominent.
Topline: Level from prominent withers to croup. The back is broad, strongly muscled, of a moderate length, and straight, yet supple. The loin is taut and may be straight, level, or just slightly arched, yet supportive. The back is never swayed or roached.
Croup: Broad, strongly muscled, and gently sloped.
Underline: A slight tuck-up is present, or the underline may parallel the topline. The underline is taut and firm, without any indication of sagging or excess weight.
Ribs: Long, well-sprung, well-laid-back, and oval-shaped, never barrel-chested or slab-sided.
Tail: Set low on the croup, just below the level of the topline. It is thick at the base and tapering toward the tip. It is carried in accordance with the dog’s mood and energy level, usually down (never tucked) to just below the horizon. When alert, the tail may be raised to slightly above the level of the topline but never high, flagged, or over the back. The tail is of a medium-to-long length, with the tip of the last vertebrae extending to the hock joints when held down. The tail is straight, having an almost cigar-like shape.
Forequarters and Hindquarters
Forequarters: The forequarters are always balanced with the hindquarters and well-angulated with well-laid-back shoulder blades. The shoulder blades are fairly long, approximately equal in length to the forearm, and slightly longer than the upper arm.
Elbows: The elbows are close to the body. The distance from the withers to the point of the elbows is slightly less than the distance from the ground to the elbows.
Forelegs: Slightly longer than the upper arm.
Frontal View: Straight, of good muscle, of solid bone, and parallel to one another.
Side View: The forelimbs appear straight with strong pasterns.
Pasterns: Never weak or broken.
Hindquarters: The upper and lower thighs are fairly long, equal in length, strong, sturdy, solid bone, and well-muscled.
Rear View: When viewed from the rear, the rear pasterns are parallel to one another.
Side View: Good angulation will allow the rear toes to align with the point of the rump or within one to two paw-lengths behind the point of the rump, with the rear pasterns remaining perpendicular to the ground and parallel to one another.
Stifle Joint: Well-angulated with a good bend to well-let-down rear pasterns.
Angulations: The angulation of the hindquarters is always in balance with the angulation of the forequarters.
Feet: Oval to round and compact, with well-arched toes and tough pads.
Coat
Skin: Well-fitted, yet supple, and black-pigmented throughout the coat (from paw pads to nose). The skin should never obstruct the outline of the dog.
Coat Type: Well furnished with a dense, harsh, flat (without parting), medium-length, weather-proof outer coat. The coat is denser and slightly longer on the shoulders, chest, neck, and throughout the body, with males sporting an impressive mane. Hair on the face, ears, topskull, and front of the legs is shorter. The hair is longer on the neck, rump, and tail but without forming a plume. The coat may exhibit a very slight wave. The undercoat is dense, supportive, and protective.
Coat Color or Pattern: Solid white or with shades of ivory.
Movement
The Slovak Cuvac breed moves with surprising grace, agility, efficiency, and energy. Powerful yet graceful, the characteristics of a healthy structure are evident. When moving away, the forelegs and rear pasterns should remain parallel to one another. When viewing movement from the front, the forelegs should remain parallel, with elbows and paws moving neither in nor out. From the rear, the back pads should be visible when the rear legs are extended. As speed increases, the forelimbs and hindlimbs will converge to the centerline of gravity. From the side, the topline should remain firm and level. Good reach of movement in the front allows the forepaw to extend out in line with the nose. When extended, the width between the forefeet should be approximately equal to the width between the hindfeet when extended, indicating balance, good reach, and good drive. Dogs that exhibit any sign of breathing or locomotive difficulty shall be disqualified from the show ring.
Temperament
The Slovak Cuvac breed comes from centuries of self-sufficient flock guardians, so their independent and protective nature should come as no surprise. This breed is observant and discerning, capable of telling herd from predator and friend from foe. They are developed to bond strongly with flocks and families at a young age. Due to the intensity with which the Slovac Cuvac bonds, socialization should be employed on individuals who will accompany their families outside of the property; otherwise, they may become overprotective homebodies. They are mostly known as gentle giants unless they have identified a threat. Being a dog with guarding instincts, the Slovac Cuvac demands a certain amount of autonomy, but they are always happy to accompany those that he loves. Mature individuals may show indifference or aloofness toward strangers, which should not be penalized. Any unprovoked aggressive or fearful behavior toward people is incorrect for this breed.
Faults
All dogs should be in proper, healthy condition, free from disease or defect. Any departure from this description is considered a fault. Unless altered, all male dogs should have two fully descended testicles.
