CZECHOSLOVAKIAN VLCAK CHARACTERISTICS
BY TERRI WEMIGWANS
T he Czechoslovakian Vlcak (“CsV”) is influenced by the thousands of generations of its Carpathian wolf ancestors from which it inherits many traits. These traits include an immense intelligence, supe- rior olfactory and sensory abilities, and strong pack bonds that include members of its human family. CsVs place a strong emphasis on pack hierarchy and will allow the human to take the place of the pack leader—if the human is up to the chal- lenge. They are extremely aware of their surroundings, and because of their superior-developed senses, they can be extreme- ly vigilant and highly reactive. It’s typical for CsV to have a late adolescence, as most reach maturity at eighteen to twenty- four months; males sometimes even later. At this time, pack dynamics can often shift. Same-sex aggression can be common because of hierarchy challenges; spaying and neutering often does little to stop this behavior. It may lessen the intensity of the behavior, but not always. Males can be particularly challenging at this time. Calm, consistent training is critical. As a breed, the CsV is generally very healthy, with very few genetic diseases present due to the health testing that has been ongoing since the beginnings of the breed. The female reproductive cycle is usually twelve to fifteen months. They are classified as monoestrous animals; “come into estrus only once a year.” CsV are natural birthers and most make excellent mothers. CsV puppies mature quickly in early puppyhood and are robust and healthy. Early extensive socialization is a must. Socialization needs to be continued until, at the very least, the CsV has reached adolescence. As puppies and young adults, they often have extremely short attention spans. They can also be extremely “mouthy” as puppies, much more than the tradi- tional canine. This “mouthiness” will result in bruises and bite marks, and is not something that can be trained out. Sometimes it can be modified, but the behavior will still persist. Most CsV grow out of the extreme mouthiness by the time they reach ado- lescence. In females, this often turns into excessive licking. The extreme mouthiness sometimes reappears throughout adult- hood when the CsV is stressed; the stress may be as simple as the dog feeling like you have been gone too long or they’re just SO happy to see you.
300 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, OCTOBER 2022
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