Kuvasz
GENERAL APPEARANCE : The dogs of this breed are strong, large and have a dense, wavy, white coat. Its pleasant appearance radiates nobility and strength. The parts of his body individually harmonize as a whole, his legs are neither short nor long. The bone structure is powerful but not gross. The musculature is strong and slender and the joints show clear contours. Viewed in profile, the body forms a rectangle, almost a square. Well muscled, with a strong build, pleasant temperament and great agility. His appearance denotes an indefatigable ability for work.
Personality: Determined and fearless.
Energy Level : Moderately active.
Good with children: Yes.
Good with other dogs: With supervision.
Grooming: Seasonal.
Life Expectancy : 10-12 years old.
Bark level: Bark when necessary.
HISTORICAL SUMMARY
It is a Hungarian shepherd known in this territory since antiquity. Your ancestors arrived with the Magyar occupation of the Carpathian Basin. They used these dogs to guard and defend their flocks against predatory animals and thieves. Due to its hunting instinct, it was the preferred hunting dog at the time of King Matthias Corvinus. Since the decline of pastoralism, it has been much less used for its original duties and has been located first in villages and later in cities.
Country of Origin: Hungary.
BEHAVIOR AND TEMPERAMENT: THE Kuvasz is determined and fearless. He defends people and property entrusted to his care, even with his life. It is self-confident and can become aggressive if mistreated. It is faithful, reliable and loves its owner and everything around him. It needs a lot of exercise and must be kept busy. It is dependent and undemanding. It is easy to care for and can withstand the most severe weather conditions. This dog appreciates any love and affection given to him.
HEAD: Typically wedge-shaped, in harmony with its body, pleasant, noble and demonstrates considerable strength. The Kuvasz can be distinguished, especially from other breeds, by the shape of its head. The head is characteristically thin and dry. In males, it is more voluminous than in females.
CRANIAL REGION
Skull: Wide; forehead slightly prominent with a distinct furrow.
Stop: Not very pronounced.
FACIAL REGION: Wide, long and well-muscled.
Truffle: black.
Muzzle: Straight nasal bridge. The muzzle gradually thins, but is never pointed.
Lips: Black and close fitting. The labial commissure has irregular edges.
Jaws and Teeth: Well developed; strong, regular teeth and a complete scissor bite, according to the dental formula.
Eyes: Set slightly slanted, almond-shaped and dark brown. The edges of the eyelids are black and well adherent to the eyeball.
Ears: Set on at medium height. One third of the ears rise from the base of the skull in a curve, falling close to the head. They are V-shaped with rounded ends. When on alert, they are slightly raised. Never erect or twisted.
NECK: More short than long, well muscled, at an angle of 25° to 30° with the horizontal. The back of the neck is short. Throat skin firm, without dewlap. In males, the collar and mane are very expressive.
BODY: Seen in profile, it forms a rectangle slightly different from a square.
Withers: Long, markedly higher than the backline.
Back: Of medium length, straight, broad, well muscled and firm.
Loin: Short, in firm continuation of the back.
Croup: Slightly sloping, well muscled and broad; the very dense coat gives the croup a slightly larger appearance.
Forechest: Due to the musculature being strongly developed, the forechest is rounded, with little perception of the tip of the sternum.
Chest: Deep, long and slightly arched.
Underline and belly: In continuation of the thorax, rising towards the rear.
TAIL: Set on low, following the slight slope of the croup in a straight line. Vertically drooping, it has a slight upward curve, without being bent (hook). When the dog is alert or excited, it is allowed, at most, to rise to the level of the top line.
MEMBERS
FOREQUARTERS: The forelegs support the body vertically to the carpal joints. They are parallel and moderately separated. Viewed from the front, the position of the front legs will be correct if a vertical line drawn from the shoulder joint runs along the axis of the limbs and reaches the paws between the 3rd and 4th toes. Viewed in profile, the position will be correct if a vertical line drawn from the elbows to the ground passes through the center of the legs to the carpal joint.
Shoulders : Long, sloping and muscular shoulder blades. Well adherent and firm to the rib cage, but flexible.
Arms: Of medium size, well muscled. The arms and shoulders form an angle of 100° to 110°.
Elbows : Dry, well adhering to the chest, turning neither out nor in. The upper arm and forearm form an angle of 120° to 130°.
Forearm: Relatively long, straight, compact with slender muscles. Strong tendons that reach the carpal joints.
Carpi: Well developed, firm, with strong tendons.
Pasterns: Relatively short, thin, slightly inclined (10° to 15° angle with the vertical).
Feet: Round or slightly oval, they are firm. Toes short and highly arched so that the middle part does not touch the ground. Elastic and tightly closed. Elastic and black pillows. Hard, strong, black or slate gray nails.
HINDQUARTERS: The position of the hind limbs, seen in profile, will be correct if the angulation of the knee is positioned vertically under the iliac crest and the paw under the hip. The vertical line that runs down from the tip of the ischium touches the heel bone. Viewed from behind, the position of the hindquarters will be correct if the vertical line, which falls from the ischium tip, runs along the axes of the limbs, these being parallel on both sides and meeting the ground moderately apart.
Thighs: Long, broad, with massive muscles well set into the pelvis. The pelvis and thighs form an angle of 100° to 110°.
Knees: Bulky. The angle between the thigh and the leg is 110° to 120°.
Legs: Its musculature, which is long and massive, is inserted into the hocks with strong tendons. Viewed from behind, they are vertical and parallel on both sides and to the axis of the body.
Hocks: Broad, bulky, dry and tendinous. The hock angle is 130° to 140°.
Metatarsals: Long and perpendicular to the ground.
Feet: Oval or as above.
GAIT/MOVEMENT: Slow, broad steps. When trotting, the movement is light, elastic, covering the ground well, dynamic, constant and tireless. The elbows turn neither in nor out.
SKIN: Well pigmented; slate gray in color and firm.
COAT
Hair: Moderately hard, wavy, slightly stiff, with no tendency to tangle. Underneath the coat, which is thicker, there is a shaggy undercoat. THE head, ears and paws are covered with short hair (1 to 2 cm long), dense and smooth. The front and sides of the front limbs, as well as the hind limbs, from the knee down, are covered with equally short (1 to 2 cm long) and straight hairs. We find fringes of 5 to 8 cm in length on the back of the legs, which reach the hocks. Around the neck, there is a natural collar that extends to the chest, in the form of a mane. This is a particularity more noticeable in males. On the body, thighs and arms, the coat is of medium length (4 to 12 cm), richly wavy, forming ridges, furrows and locks. The tail is covered, throughout its length, by a dense and wavy coat, which can reach a length of 10 to 15 cm.
COLOR: White. Ivory is allowed. The nose, the rim of the eyes and the lips are black. Cushions are black or slate gray. A dark color is desired for the palate, but pink spots are permitted.
SIZE: Height at the withers: Males: 71 to 76 cm. Females: 66 to 70 cm.
WEIGHT: Males: 48 to 62 kg. Females: 37 to 50 kg
FAULTS
Any deviation from this standard should be considered a fault and penalized in exact proportion to its severity and its effects on the health and well-being of the dog.
DISQUALIFYING FAULTS
• Aggressiveness or excessive shyness.
• Any dog that shows any sign of physical or behavioral anomaly must be disqualified.
• Atypical dogs.