Slovensky Cuvac puppies

About the Slovensky Cuvac

The Slovensky Cuvac is a mountain flock guardian from the Tatra range in Slovakia, bred to live out with sheep and see off wolves and bears. It is a heavy white dog, 58 to 70 cm tall and 30.8 to 44 kg, with a thick double coat and a broad head. The white colour was deliberate, so that a shepherd could tell dog from predator in poor light. Its temperament is that of a guardian: watchful, independent, affectionate at home and suspicious of anything unfamiliar.

Exercise is moderate rather than athletic. Long daily walks and space to patrol suit it better than fetch games. The coat sheds and wants a weekly brush, with much more when the undercoat drops. Guardian breeds think for themselves, so training has to be patient and reward based, and recall will never be as reliable as in a gundog. This breed suits a rural home with secure fencing. The mistake people make is buying the look and then being surprised by territorial behaviour towards visitors.

What to expect at eight weeks

At eight weeks a Slovensky Cuvac 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 large breed puppy at eight weeks looks deceptively normal sized and will roughly double every few weeks for a while. Keep exercise short and low impact, the growth plates are wide open. 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 it meets calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of its 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, which breeding stock should be x-rayed and scored for
• Bloat and gastric torsion, a surgical emergency in deep chested dogs
• Ear infections under the heavy drop ears, caught by weekly checks and cleaning

From Slovensky Cuvac breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/slovensky-cuvac/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.

Your Slovensky Cuvac puppy's first six months

• Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
• Worming and parasite schedule.
• Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Large for a Slovensky Cuvac.
• Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 30.8 to 44 kg adult range.
• Puppy names and the first week checklist.

Other large breeds

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