Breeds / Medium
Croatian Sheepdog puppies
A quick, intense Croatian herding breed, calm in the house and tireless outside it, closely attached to their handler and happiest with a job to do.
The facts
- Size class Medium
- Country of origin Croatia
- Adult weight 13.2 to 20 kg
- Adult weight in pounds 29 to 44 lb
- Adult height 41 to 51 cm
- Energy level Moderate
- Grooming Low
- Coat type Medium wavy and double
- Shedding Low
- Typical lifespan 13 to 14 years
- Good with children Fine with supervision
- Good with other dogs Fine with supervision
About the Croatian Sheepdog
The Croatian Sheepdog is a herding and droving dog from the Slavonian plains, used for centuries to move cattle and sheep across open country. This is a medium, light and quick dog of 13.2 to 20 kg standing 41 to 51 cm, black with a wavy medium coat and short hair on the face and legs, which gives them a distinctive foxy outline. Character is what you would expect of a stock dog: intense, alert, tightly bonded to one handler and quietly mischievous when unoccupied.
They settle well indoors and then want to run hard outside, and they excel at herding, flyball, agility and obedience. Grooming is easy: an occasional bath, a comb through to pull dead hair and regular nail care. A Croatian Sheepdog is a strong jumper and a keen digger, so fencing matters. They suit an active owner with something for them to do. One lead walk a day is nowhere near enough for a smart, medium sized dog like this one.
What to expect at eight weeks
At eight weeks a Croatian Sheepdog 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. Expect moderate energy, in short bursts separated by long naps. Grooming is straightforward, but start handling the coat, feet and ears in week one anyway so it is never a fight later. 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 dysplasia, screened by hip evaluation of breeding stock
- Inherited eye disease, screened by an ophthalmologist evaluation
- Patellar luxation, a slipping kneecap, found on a patella evaluation
Your Croatian Sheepdog 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 Croatian Sheepdog.
- Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 13.2 to 20 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 20 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
More on the Croatian Sheepdog
Previous: Coton de Tulear · Next: Curly-Coated Retriever
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 Croatian Sheepdog breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/croatian-sheepdog/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.
Photo: Michala Mračková, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped. All photographers are listed on the photo credits page.