The Czechoslovakian Wolfdog is also known under the names and abbreviations of: Czech Wolfdog, Czechoslovakian Vlcak, Czechoslovakian Wolfdog, Chechoslovakian Wolfdog, CV (outdated), Czechoslovakian Wolfdog, Slovak Wolfdog, Czech Wolfdog and Ceskoslovensky Vlcak.

The Czechoslovakian Wolfdog, as it is commonly known, would be better called ‘Ceskoslovensky Vlcak’, the name the breed is registered under with the FCI, in order to avoid that the dogs are seen as ‘wolf hybrids’ which they are not.

• Exercise Needs: High.

• Typical Health Problems: Few.

• Average Life Expectancy: Up to 16 years or even more.

• Grooming Requirements: Middle.

• Training Difficulty: High.

• Diet: Depending on exercise / work load.

• Price and Cost: Puppy prices vary greatly (see below).

Introduction

If you always dreamed of having a wolf, but don’t have the acres of land necessary for a wolf sanctuary, you might be tempted to look at the different wolfdog breeds available. Before you do so, you have to know the difference between wolf hybrids and wolfdogs.

As a rule of thumb, any dog with a wolf ancestor in the last five generations is considered a wolf hybrid, while dogs that have wolves in their ancestry more then five generations ago are considered wolf dogs. To make matters even more complicated, some dog breeds carry the term ‘wolf’ in their name without having any lupine ancestors at all!

The Czechoslovakian Wolfdog falls in the second group, it is the product of an intentional crossing between the German Shepherd Dog and the Carpathian Wolf. However, the last time a wolf was crossed into the breeding stock was 1983 which means that since then the dogs have been solely interbred among themselves. Nevertheless, even if the Ceskoslovensky Vlcak is more a look-a-like wolf than a wolf hybrid, it is still not a dog for a first time, or unexperienced, owner, but more to that under training and temperament.

History

The Czechslovakian Wolfdog was first bred in the, then, CSR (Czech Slovak Republic) in the 60s of the last century by crossing German Shepherd Dogs (GSD) with Carpathian (Eurasian) wolves. The initial intent was to research if the resulting hybrids were able to procreate and how their behavior would differ from that of the parent breeds. As this research was concluded ,the next step was to create a breed that served specifically in border control.

The person in charge of this breeding program was Karel Hartel. From 1965 onwards the resulting dogs were reorganized in a new breeding program. The idea was to create a dog breed that combined the qualities of the GSD with the hardiness of the wolf. In 1982 the breed was recognized nationally by the, then CSSR (Czech Slovak Social Republic). International recognition by the FCI followed in 1998 with now Slovakia as the ‘patron’ country.

The AKC has registered this breed since 2001 in its FSS (Foundation Stock Service) and the UKC recognized it in 2006. The foundation stock of the breed consisted of 4 wolves and 40+ German Shepherd Dogs, which helps in explaining  the relatively low level of wolf blood that now exists in this breed.

The use as military border and guard dogs declined after the fall of the iron curtain and today most of these dogs are kept as sport dogs. While in 1982, the year of its national recognition as a breed, only 43 puppies were in the official register this number increased quickly and today many thousand Czechoslovakian Wolfdog are in the respective databases.

Appearance

In short, the Czechoslovakian Wolfdog looks like an above average sized German Shepherd Dog in a wolf coat, with the head being slightly finer than that of the GSD. The body shape is rectangular and the gait is ‘wolf like’, meaning a ground covering trot or pace with head and tail held horizontal.

The hair is firm and in cold climate a dense, abundant undercoat develops which then is shed when the season changes. The colors are wolf-like from gray-yellow over silver-gray to dark gray and the dogs have a characteristic light-colored mask and yellow to amber eyes that enhance the wolf look even more. Also lighter markings at the throat and the chest are permissible by breed standard.

Minimum dimensions for male dogs are 26in / 65cm at the withers and 57lbs / 26kg body weight and for bitches 24in / 60cm and 44lbs / 20kg.

Temperament

Fiercely loyal to his owner and devoted to his family pack, the Czechoslovakian Wolfdog doesn’t tolerate being without them for too long. On the other hand it can be pretty aloof with strangers and can show a high prey drive towards small animals.

When socialized and trained with care it is an outstanding dog, when not, it is a disaster waiting to happen. It is also a dog with lighting fast reaction times that needs a watchful handler to nip problematic situations in the bud.

Fearless and courageous, but very social with people it knows, this dog barks less then many other working dog breeds. This doesn’t mean it is a quiet dog, actually the opposite it’s true, it is a rather ‘talkative’ dog that loves to communicate with its voice by howling, whining and many other sounds.

Training

Training any wolfdog involves consequence, firmness and variety. The Czechoslovakian Wolfdog learns extremely quickly and hates repetitive exercises. Training that doesn’t take this into account will be unsuccessful. This training doesn’t consist in only going one time a week to ‘doggie school’, to be effective it has to be an ongoing process.

This breed is more of an all purpose dog than a specialist and excels in a variety of fields such as tracking, Schutzhund, agility, search and rescue and so on. A potential Czechoslovakian Wolfdog owner should be willing to take up any dog sport the dog shows talent for as this dog needs a lot of purposeful exercise.

Its independent character can lead to potentially problematic situations when the dog decides that he knows better than his handler what to do next. Therefor obedience training is a must with this breed. But careful, harsh and unfair handling can disconnect this dog quickly from his handler and, as a consequence, is also very harmful for a good dog – handler relationship.

Czechoslovakian Wolfdogs react best on a varied training that is consequent, doesn’t bore them and challenges them to use their considerable intelligence. If, on the other hand, such a dog is asked umpteen times to go from ‘sit’ to ‘down’ to ‘sit’, chances are good that he just gets up and leaves or curls up and takes a nap

Exercise Needs

As this breed was created to control and patrol borders in all conditions and in long shifts, day or night, it is only natural that it needs a lot of exercise. This is best combined with some sort of training or dog sport the individual dog shows an actual interest in. Just to give you an idea of this breeds capabilities, they are, when well trained and in form, able to run 62mi / 100km long endurance races beside a bicycle in 8 hours and recover from this effort typically in less than 12 hours. Needless to say that this dog does best with very active people!

Grooming Requirements

The one major grooming exercise is during the twice yearly shedding of the heavy undercoat, apart from this these dogs are pretty low maintenance. A good weekly brushing combined with a quick ear and eye control and all is done. It is important to train the puppy from day one to allow this, if not this ‘easy maintenance’ could quickly become a chore.

Common Health Problems

The Czechoslovakian Wolfdog is a hardy breed with few typical health problems, hip dysplasia being the most common one. Before buying any dog it is important to check that the breeding stock they come from is HD free and has also been checked for other genetic illnesses. This dog tolerates harsh climates well and certainly doesn’t need any clothes like, for example the Italian Greyhound, does in winter.

Price and Costs

Prices for a Czech Slovak Wolfdog puppy vary greatly, depending on the country they are bred in. In the United States and Canada the puppy prices start typically at $1,500 as these dogs are considered a rare breed and the demand is typically higher than the supply.

Beware of breeders that offer other kind of ‘wolfdogs’, sometimes under fantasy names. The best way to make sure you get a purebred Czechoslovakian Wolfdog is to check with the Czech Slovakian Vlcak Club of America and their list of breeders.

Prices in Europe are typically lower, but when considering the high costs of flying a puppy over to import it, this will end up more expensive in the end. If you live in Europe, the typical price for a Czechoslovakian Wolfdog puppy is around 1,000 Euro.

Other Important Points to Consider

Depending on where you live there might be special rules and regulations in place when it comes to ‘wolfdogs’ as many authorities tend to confuse them with ‘wolf hybrids’. It helps immensely if the papers of the dog are in its correct breed name, Czech Slovakian Vlcak, and don’t mention the term wolf at all.

Consider also the potential problem a ‘wolf look-a-like’ can cause. Are people in your area familiar with this kind of dog? Parents with kids might get easily frightened if a ‘wolf’ moves into the neighborhood and hunters might mistake it for a real wolf and shoot it, depending on the rules and regulations of the state you are in.

An additional problem in the USA is that the USDA has not yet approved the use of rabies vaccines in wolf-dog hybrids and this can affect the prevention of rabies in a Czechoslovakian Wolfdog if your vet is not knowledgeable about the situation. Bitches come into heat typically only one time a year, something yhat your vet needs to know about as this can affect the effectiveness of certain hormonal treatments.

Summary

The Czech Slovak Wolf Dog is a gorgeous dog in the right hands, but a catastrophe waiting to happen in the wrong ones. Before deciding on this breed, learn about the breed and research thoroughly. A good place to start is http://www.wolfdog.org where owners of this breed meet and exchange information on an international level. If you are still convinced that this is the right breed for you, make sure to meet several in person before buying a puppy from a reputable breeder or giving a rescue dog a new forever home. Here a check list to go through before even contacting a breeder:

• Rules and regulations about wolfdogs in your area of residence or where you might want to live in future.

• Read and research everything you can find about the breed.

• Meet Czechoslovakian Wolfdogs and their owners in person and ask questions and listen to their experiences.

• Check if your vet is knowledgeable about this breed and its special situation when it comes to vaccinations.

• Make sure that everybody in the family knows what is involved and supports the idea.

And last, but not least, a Czechoslovakian Wolfdog is best kept in the countryside and by an active family or person that doesn’t have small kids. And no, you can’t leave it alone at home when you are going to work, not if you still want to have a home worth coming back to!