Kuvasz - TOP 10 Interesting Facts

1) Ancient origin
The Kuvasz is an old Hungarian breed, that came to Carpathian Basin with the Magyars. But the origin and ancestry of this breed is most likely Asiatic and it can be traced back thousands years to Mesopotamia to a dog called „ku-assa“, which can be translated as a dog-horse, or a dog that traveled with horses.

2) Protector
When the breed arrived to today Hungary, they were used to protect flocks against beasts of prey and thieves. Most often they were protecting sheeps and horses and thanks to their courage and strength, they were and still are amazing at it. The Hungary has one more amazing livestock guardian, the Komondor, which was most often used in in the lower elevations with drier climates, while the Kuvasz was used in the wet pastures of the higher mountains.

3) Hunters
The Kuvasz was is not only an amazing livestock protector, they are also very good at hunting and in 15th century they were highly valued for their hunting skills. They were preffered hunting companions of the famous Hungarian king Matthias Corvinus. There are rumours, that the King should said, that he trust his Kuvasz dogs more than his own soldiers and councilors.

4) Almost extinct
During the Second World War, this breed almost went extinct, when almost all of them were killed. The German and Soviet soldiers were actively looking for this breed and killing them. It was probably because of their extremely protective instincts. The soldiers were afraid of these dogs. When the war is over, there were around 30 Kuvaszok alive in all Hungary, but thanks to the enthusiastic breeders, they survived and today, the Kuvasz is not on the verge of extinction anymore.

5) Companion
So you already know, that the Kuvasz is amazing livestock protector and hunter, but are they good companions? Definitely yes. They are incredibly loyal and faithful to its owner and family. They are also very affectionate and intelligent and some people describe them as clownish. They are very social and they will want to spend every moment by your side. On the other hand, they can be alert and suspicious towards strangers. They do have strong protective instincts and they would protect their owners if they think they are in danger.

6) Training
Even though this is definitely a smart dog, they are a poor choice for novice or unexperienced dog owners. It is because of their high protective instinct, independent nature and strong body. They are definitely not pushovers to train and they do need quality early socialization and obedience training to become good companions. Especially because of their independent mind, they need very patient trainer.

7) Exercise
The Kuvasz is a good partner for active people, because as a working dog, they do need a lot of daily physical and mental stimulation. They love outdoors and long walks outside. This is a naturally active and athletic dog, especially when they are younger and if you will not provide them with enough activity, then they can develop unwanted behaviour, such as destruction.

8) White coat
One of the breeds halmark is definitely the beautiful dense white coat. Actually, it is no coincidence that these dogs are white and even though, it is definitely looking great, it served a purpose in the past. The Kuvasz dogs were bred to be white so the shepherds could easily distinquish them from wolves on larger distances.

9) Maintanance
The maintenance and grooming is not very hard and the Kuvasz coat does not require any special grooming. But, they do shed and the coat should be brushed once or twice a week to stay in good shape and to minimize the shedding. During the spring and fall, the Kuvasz coat sheds profusely, and during that time, daily brushing is required. Amazing fact about this breed is, that they should have none of the typical doggy odor.

10) Health
For a large dog, the Kuvasz has a great lifespan around 12 years. Just like all heavy and big dogs, they can have troubles with bones, which is why you should not overdoit with the exercise, running on stairs or jumping when they are growing. The major health concerns include hip dysplasia and congenital heart defect at older age.