In the year 1955 a biological experiment took place in the CSSR of that time, namely, the crossing of a German Shepherd Dog with a Carpathian Wolf. The experiment established that the progeny of the mating of a male dog to a female wolf as well as that of male wolf to female dog, could be reared. The overwhelming majority of the products of these mating possessed the genetic requirements for continuation of breeding. In the year 1965, after the ending of the experiment, a plan for the breeding of this new breed was worked out. This was to combine the usable qualities of the wolf with the favourable qualities of the dog. In the year 1982, the Czechoslovakian Wolfdog, through the general committee of the breeder's associations of the CSSR of that time, was recognized as a national breed.
Originally bred for working border patrol (tracking and apprehension) in Czechoslovakia in the 1950′s Currently used in Europe and the United States for search and rescue, tracking, obedience, agility, drafting, herding, and working dog sport (Schutzhund) Bred for versatility and hardiness in harsh elements Bred from CSSR government crosses of the famed working lines Z Pohranicni Straze of German Shepherd Dogs, and the Carpathian Wolf More independent in nature than many other working breeds Excellent choice for tracking or trailing sport/work, or as a companion for active owners who enjoy spending time doing outdoor activities such as biking, running, or hiking.
Overall:
- Czechoslovakian Vlcaks should resemble the Carpathian Wolf in appearance – lean, weatherproof, courageous in expression
- Males over 25.5 inches and at least 57 pounds, females over 23.5 inches and at least 44 pounds
- Yellow gray or silver gray (wolf gray) are preferred colors, dark grey is also acceptable.
Light, expressive mask, chest, belly and underside of legs, black tip on tail. - Black nails.
- Face has a light, expressive mask with black lips and nose.
- Small, erect triangular ears.
- Eyes are yellow to amber, dark brown is penalized, all other colors are a disqualification.
- Large white teeth with a full, scissor bite.
- Dogs pace at slow speeds.
- They have a long, ground-covering, swift trot, and are tenacious canterers.
- Feet should remain close to ground, with neck carried forward and tail held straight down, or raised in a “sickle” shape (not curled) when excited.
- Thick, differs in summer and winter when a thick undercoat is present.
- Heavy shedders, similar to a German Shepherd Dog.
Temperament:
- Extremely loyal to their family (including children, with proper supervision and socialization).
- Suspicious and aloof towards strangers.
- Early socialization and training is very important.
- Fearless and courageous.
- Highly intelligent, versatile and curious – with proper training Vlcaks can excel in many different types of activities.
- Obedient with quick reactions.
- Highly energetic – need lots of daily exercise and stimulation to prevent destructive behavior.....But they can lay the whole day in bed too:) they love to sleep and relax around their owners, but it is true that they need their exercise and mental stimulation, always remember a tired dog is a happy dog:)
- Can have a dominant and independent personality.
- May have prey drive towards small animals.
- Not recommended for first time owners........I can´t agree with this, even a first time owner can manage them, sometimes even better then someone who already had a dog. A first time owner is open to many ideas a can work very well with his dog, but he should have a lot of patience!
Health:
- Hardy and healthy breed.
- Dogs should be checked for canine hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, degenerative myelopathy and CERF (eye) tested prior to breeding; new owners should verify these results with their breeder before purchasing a puppy.
- Known cases of pituitary dwarfism exist; a genetic test exists, but not is not currently available in the United States.
- Rare and isolated cases of cardiac problems, seizure disorder, lens luxation and EPI have been documented.
- DNA testing required by AKC prior to registering litters from imported parents.
- Breeders should be aware of the Wright’s co-efficient of sire and dam prior to breeding, and breed for healthy genetic diversity. As a rare breed, it is very important that breeders limit the amount of line-breeding/inbreeding to preserve the health and genetic integrity of our breed.
- Vlcaks are a very energetic breed, and benefit from a high-quality dog food that will provide them with the calories they need. That said, the vlcak is a lean breed, and should not carry much fat.
- Facts:
- At the end of 2012 there were 91 Czechoslovakian Vlcaks in 24 states in the USA.
- The first, unofficial gathering of Czechoslovakian Vlcaks and their owners took place amongst 7 owners and 6 Vlcaks in the summer of 2008, in Wintergreen, Virginia.
- The Czechoslovakian Vlcak has been recorded in the American Kennel Club (AKC) Foundation Stock Service (FSS) since 2001, and is in the Working Group.
- Czechoslovakian Vlcaks have been able to compete in AKC Companion Events since January 1, 2010.
- The Czechoslovakian Vlcak has been recognized by the UKC since 2006.
- The first UKC Championship Title awarded to a Czechoslovakian Vlcak was given in 2009.
- The first litter was bred in the United States in 2009.
- The breed is also known as the Czechoslovakian Wolfdog, the Ceskoslovensky Vlciak (Slovakia), the Ceskoslovensky Vlcak (Czech Republic) – or in short, the CSV.
- Average litter size is 6-7 puppies.
- The breed was created by breeding approximately 40 working line German Shepherd Dogs with 4 Carpathian wolves: Argo, Brita, Lejdy, and Sarik.
- The breed was recognized by the FCI in Europe in 1998, with Slovakia as the governing country for the breed standard.
- Czechoslovakian Vlcaks generally love water and snow.
- Most litters are born in the winter.
- Many Czechoslovakian Vlcaks pass endurance tests in which they run beside a bicycle – the longest test is 60 miles (100 km), run in 8 hours!
- Many females come into heat after their first birthday, and only once a year after that Czechoslovakian Vlcaks howl, and make many other vocalizations besides barking – barking can be a difficult command to teach!
Copied from the CSV Club of America