Slovak Cuvac

The Slovak Cuvac is a large white dog from Slovakia, bred to guard livestock. It is closely related to the Hungarian Kuvasz. The name is spelled in many ways in English, but they all refer to one breed, which the FCI lists as the Slovenský čuvač.

History

The Cuvac has been documented since the 17th century. It worked on sheep farms and mountain ridges, guarding against bears and wolves, and it also watched over cattle, poultry and its master’s home. By shepherds’ tradition it was always bred white, so that it could be told apart from predators at night. Visitors to the mountains and spas took a liking to the dogs and carried them down to the lowlands.

As wolves disappeared from Europe’s mountains and herding changed, the breed lost its work and its numbers fell. Its revival is credited to Professor Antonin Hruza of the veterinary faculty in Brno, who set up registered breeding in Czechoslovakia in 1929. A breeders’ club followed in 1933, and a written standard was approved in 1964. The foundation dogs came from around Liptovska Luzna, Kokava and Vychodna, and from Rachov in the Carpathians.

Appearance

The Cuvac is an imposing, strongly built dog, slightly longer than it is tall. Males stand 62–70 cm and weigh 36–44 kg; females stand 59–65 cm and weigh 31–37 kg.

The head is large, with a wide, heavy muzzle a little shorter than the skull, strong jaws and a scissors bite. The eyes are oval, dark and lively. The ears are set high and hang close to the head, with rounded tips. The tail is thickly furred and hangs low, reaching the hocks.

The coat is dense and rich: an outer layer 5–15 cm long fully covers a shorter, soft undercoat, and males carry a thick ruff around the neck. It is always pure white. A yellowish tinge near the ears is permitted but not wanted. The nose, lips, eyelids and paw pads are black.

Temperament

The Cuvac is lively, watchful, fearless and alert, and a natural guard. It is gentle and loyal with its own family. It does best in a large household with children and animals to look after, and farms and ranches make the best homes.

Care and health

Regular grooming keeps the white coat clean. The dense underwool is shed once a year, in spring, and takes vigorous brushing and bathing to clear.

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