Kuvasz

The Kuvasz is beautiful, smart, profoundly loyal, and makes an excellent watchdog and guardian.

Daily Care

Grooming Tips

The Kuvasz has a beautiful white double coat that sheds dirt but also sheds hair. Brush him weekly with a pin brush to remove dead hair and keep the skin and coat healthy. Trim the fur between his toes to keep his feet in good condition. His coat repels water and sheds dirt easily with brushing, so a bath is rarely necessary.
When summer comes along, don’t think that your Kuvasz has suddenly developed a disease that causes hair loss. It’s normal for the Kuvasz to lose most of his long coat during hot weather.
The rest is basic care. Trim the nails as needed, usually every week or two. Brush the teeth frequently with a vet-approved pet toothpaste for good overall health and fresh breath.

Exercise Tips

The Kuvasz is a large and energetic dog, theyrequire daily activities for his health and happiness. A fenced yard is essential for this large and agile dog.
Kuvaszok are happiest when they feel that they are doing a job that will be beneficial to their loved ones. You can get a backpack for your dog and go hiking together; this will make him feel needed.
When you must go to work, it would be wise to leave toys out that require the dog to figure out how to get the treat hidden within. As an active dog, the Kuvasz is best suited for an active family. He will have no issue relaxing on the couch after a hard day of work.
Adequate and controlled exercise is a necessity for the rapidly growing Kuvasz puppy.

Feeding Tips

Because the Kuvasz is a large breed of dog, he will require a fair amount of high-quality dog food. Since quantities vary from brand to brand, it is impossible to accurately estimate how much food your dog should consume.
Kuvoszok breeders strongly advise that all dogs be fed dry kibble from the time they are young puppies. This can help to prevent gum disease and tooth decay. It also helps to cut down on bad breath by leaving less plaque on the dog’s teeth.

Health Tips

The average life span of the Kuvasz is 10 to 12 years. Breed health concerns may includecongenital deafness, entropion, cataracts,cruciate ligament injuries (CCL or ACL),hip dysplasia, hypertrophic osteodystrophy, hypothyroidism, osteochondritis dissecans andprogressive retinal atrophy.

Trainability

Kuvaszok are very strong-willed and tend to have minds of their own. This is why they make such great dogs for protecting your home, livestock and family.
Training must be started as soon as they have received their first series of vaccinations, if you are going to formal classes. Otherwise, you can start training as soon as the puppy has become comfortable in your home.
Training should be consistent and of a positive nature. Yelling, screaming or physical punishment should never be used as it will have a detrimental effect on the dog and can truly come back to bite you in the butt.
Positive reinforcement with consistent lessons is the key to having a well-trained and reliable Kuvasz.

History

The Kuvasz (plural – Kuvaszok) is a very ancient breed. Its ancestors are believed to have been brought to Hungary, noted as its country of origin, as long ago as the 13th century.
The breed is still found in that country. Their historical and present uses are as hunting dogs, flock guards and guard-companions. The first specimens of the breed were brought to the United States in the 1920’s.