Breeds / Medium
Bohemian Shepherd puppies
A Czech herding and patrol breed, cheerful, willing and more relaxed indoors than most working shepherds. They need daily exercise or training, and they get vocal when under occupied.
The facts
- Size class Medium
- Country of origin Czech Republic
- Adult weight 16.8 to 27.2 kg
- Adult weight in pounds 37 to 60 lb
- Adult height 49 to 55 cm
- Energy level High
- Grooming Moderate
- Coat type Medium wavy and double
- Shedding Moderate
- Typical lifespan 12 to 15 years
- Good with children Usually good
- Good with other dogs Usually good
About the Bohemian Shepherd
The Bohemian Shepherd, known at home as the Chodsky pes, comes from the Czech borderlands, where frontier guards kept them to herd, watch and patrol. This is a medium sized dog of 49 to 55cm and 16.8 to 27.2kg, with erect ears, a wavy black and tan double coat and a longer ruff around the neck. Their temperament is cheerful and willing, easier going than most working shepherds, closely attentive to their people, and rated reasonably well with children and other pets given supervision and socialisation.
The Bohemian Shepherd is a high energy breed that needs daily exercise, training or play, but they do switch off indoors, which makes them more liveable than many herding dogs. Without that daily outlet the energy comes out as barking and chewing, and the breed already rates fairly vocal. Grooming is easy: a weekly brush, more during the seasonal moult, and an occasional bath. New owners tend to be caught out by the noise a bored one makes rather than by the exercise itself.
What to expect at eight weeks
At eight weeks a Bohemian Shepherd puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A medium breed puppy at eight weeks is a manageable armful that will not stay that way. Most of the growth happens between now and six months, so buy for the adult dog where you can. This is a high energy breed. At eight weeks that shows up as intensity rather than stamina, and they will need a job to do long before they need long walks. Grooming needs are moderate, so build the brushing habit now while the coat is still short and easy. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything they meet calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of their life.
Health worth knowing about
Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.
- Hip and elbow dysplasia, screened by hip and elbow evaluation of breeding stock
- Degenerative myelopathy, a progressive spinal cord disease, detectable by DNA test
- Epilepsy, diagnosed by ruling out other causes of seizures
Your Bohemian Shepherd puppy's first six months
- Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
- Worming and parasite schedule.
- Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Medium for a Bohemian Shepherd.
- Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 16.8 to 27.2 kg adult range.
- Puppy names and the first week checklist.
Kit sizes: crate 36 inch (36 x 24 x 26 in, 91 x 61 x 66 cm) for an adult of up to 27.2 kg; chew toys made for medium breeds. Worked out the same way as the crate size calculator. PetMD bases a crate on the dog's own measurements, not weight or breed alone, so measure once the puppy is home.
Buying guides for this
Other medium breeds
American Cocker Spaniel
American Pit Bull Terrier
American Staffordshire Terrier
American Water Spaniel
Aussiedoodle
Australian Cattle Dog
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Not veterinary advice. Breed information is general. Your own dog, and your own vet, always win.
Sources
- akc.org for adult weight and height, life expectancy, energy, grooming, shedding and the temperament ratings, coat type and health notes
- fci.be for country of origin
- Health notes from Bohemian Shepherd breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/bohemian-shepherd/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.
Photo: Krosandra, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped. All photographers are listed on the photo credits page.