Last Updated on August 5, 2023 by Pets Feed
The Czechoslovakian wolfdog is a true example of the close relationship between dogs and wolves. Result of the German shepherd and the Carpathian grey wolf, it has the qualities of the sheepdog and the wild wolf, it is therefore a very beautiful breed of dog.
Recently, pets from the category of exotics are becoming more and more popular. The Czechoslovakian wolfdog is to some extent also a predatory exotic pet. Of course, this is a dog breed, but its representatives have the size, power, grip of a wolf.
Czechoslovakian Wolfdog photos
Physical characteristics
According to the type of constitution, the Czechoslovakian wolfdog is closer to sheepdogs, therefore it has a less brutal appearance than true hybrid individuals.
The strong and large body of these dogs is notoriously similar to that of the wolf. Barely longer than tall, the ratio of body length to cross height is 10:9. This gives these dogs an almost square build. The legs are long, the front slender and the back sturdy.
The size of a male 60 to 65cm; with a weight of 20-26 kg.
Distinctive features
- Head: In proportion to the body, wedge-shaped, the occiput is tuber-like.
- Jaws: Powerful, not a bit inferior to a wolf, big fangs. Scissor bite.
- Ears: Erect, movable, set high, able to sink so low that they are level with the top of the head.
- Eyes: Amber color, medium size, oblique.
- Body: Muscular, nervous. Powerful withers, upturned belly. Sternum has a pear shape.
- Legs: Filiform, with well-developed muscles. Big, strong. At birth with profitable fingers, they are removed.
- Coat: Dense with a dense undercoat, with coarse ridges. Color, gray, silver, with fire marks. There are light spots on the cheekbones.
Character and behavior
The Czechoslovakian Wolfdog in its modern form is very different from its wild counterparts – wolves. They are much more open and social animals, which nevertheless have many natural instincts. Including – and the instinct of the hunter.
Obviously, the Czechoslovakian Wolfdog inherited the extreme affection, as well as the caution and endurance of the ancestors of wild wolves. Plus he howls like a wolf. And from domestic ancestors he borrowed friendliness, sociability in relation to humans and other pets. But if this dog is locked in an aviary without communication, he quickly goes on a rampage.
With the children
Children are perceived normally, but we must not forget that this is a large dog, which can unintentionally injure children while playing.
With other animals
There can be issues with cats and other small animals, as hunting instincts take their toll. If you want to acquire a cat or a hamster, it is best to introduce them into the house as soon as possible and train the Czechoslovakian Wolfdog to perceive them and communicate normally with them.
Health
The health of the Czechoslovakian Wolfdog is naturally strong, inherited from wild wolves. The propensity for diseases inherent in large dog breeds is extremely low. Very rarely, the wolf dog has such diseases as:
- Dysplasia of the elbow and hip joints – characterized by severe pain, lameness, up to immobility.
- Cataract – leads to a decrease in vision, if not treated, the dog will go blind.
- Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract – occur due to improper diet, poor quality feed.
- Malocclusion.
- Cryptorchidism is a hereditary disease in males, which is expressed in the fact that one or both testicles did not descend into the scrotum.
Life expectancy
The average lifespan of a Czechoslovakian Wolfdog is the same as that of large breed dogs, 12 to 15 years. Although there are cases when mestizos lived to be 17-20 years old. The lifespan of a pet largely depends on the conditions of detention, nutrition and veterinary support.
Care
Caring for a Czechoslovakian Wolfdog is the same as for regular dogs and is quite simple. The main thing is to do them regularly, correctly and on time. The list of required procedures is presented below:
- We comb the coat every 6-8 days. During the seasonal moulting period, combing is necessary daily.
- We bathe him twice a year.
- It is recommended to use special bones to brush your dog’s teeth. The Czechoslovakian Wolfdog is extremely negative about brushing with toothpaste.
- We examine the eyes daily, removing morning discharge if necessary.
- We clean our dog’s ears 1-2 times a week.
Fun facts
- In May 2019, the Finnish government issued a decree banning the care, sale, breeding of the Czechoslovakian Wolfdog and wolf hybrids.
- A shepherd in a confined space is able to find a person in 4-5 minutes, while a Czechoslovakian Wolfdog spends only 20 seconds on the same task.
- In Canada and the United States, organizations involved in trapping stray animals cannot place the Czechoslovakian Wolfdog in dog shelters, and it is also forbidden to transfer them to new owners. As a result, these animals are euthanized.
- The Czechoslovakian Wolfdog, like wolves, do not bark, but howl or “talk”, making interesting sounds.
- Czechoslovakian Wolfdogs are the heroes of the documentary “Dogs of Special Purpose”.
History of the breed
This breed is very new and is the result of an experiment carried out in 1955 in extinct Czechoslovakia. This experiment aimed to check if it was possible to obtain viable offspring from crosses between dogs and wolves, for which they would cross Carpathian wolves with German shepherd dogs.
Since the Czechoslovakian wolfdog is in fact a subspecies of the wolf (although with very different ecological and ethological characteristics), from this experience were obtained puppies which could breed between them, giving birth to the breed that we now know as the Czechoslovakian wolfdog.
At the end of this experience, the breeding of this breed began, with the intention of obtaining in a single animal the best qualities of the German shepherd and the wolf, with which the breed has consolidated. In 1982, the Czechoslovakian wolfdog was recognized as the national breed of the Czechoslovak Republic, which has since disappeared.
