FCI - Standard nr. 332 (Nr.332/03.09.1999)

Origin: The former Czechoslovakian Republic

Patronage: Slovakian Republic

Utilization: Working Dog

CLASSIFICATION F.C.I. :  Group 1 Sheepdogs and Cattle Dogs.            
                                           Section 1 Sheepdogs.  With working trial.      
           
BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY : In the year 1955 a biological experiment took place in the CSSR of that time, namely, the crossing of a German Shepherd Dog with a Carpathian wolf.  The experiment established that the progeny of the mating of male dog to female wolf as well as that of male wolf to female dog, could be reared.  The vast majority of the products of these matings possessed the genetic requirements for continuation of breeding.  In the year 1965, after the ending of the experiment, a plan for the breeding of this new breed was worked out.  This was to combine the usable qualities of the wolf with the favourable qualities of the dog.  In the year 1982, the Ceskoslovenský Vlciak, through the general committee of the breeders’ associations of the CSSR of that time, was recognized as a national breed.

GENERAL APPEARANCE : Firm type in constitution.  Above average size with rectangular frame.  In body shape, movement, coat texture, colour of coat and mask, similar to the wolf.

IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS :
- Length of body : Height at withers = 10 : 9.
- Length of muzzle : Length of cranial region = 1 : 1.5.

BEHAVIOUR / TEMPERAMENT : Lively, very active, capable of endurance, docile with quick reactions.  Fearless and courageous.  Suspicious.  Shows tremendous loyalty towards his master.  Resistant to weather conditions.  Versatile in his uses.

HEAD : Symmetrical, well muscled.  Seen from the side and from above, it forms a blunt wedge.  Sex should be unmistakable.

CRANIAL REGION :
Skull : Seen from the side and from the front, the forehead is slightly arched.  No marked frontal furrow.  Occipital bone clearly visible.
Stop : Moderate.

FACIAL REGION : 
Nose : Oval shape, black.
Muzzle : Clean, not broad; straight bridge of nose.
Lips : Tight fitting.  No gap at corner of mouth.  Rims of lips are black.
Jaws/Teeth : Jaws strong and symmetrical.  Well developed teeth, specially the canines.  Scissor or pincer bite with 42 teeth according to the usual tooth set.  Regular teeth set.
Cheeks : Clean, sufficiently muscled, not markedly protruding.
Eyes : Small, slanting, amber coloured.  Well fitting lids.
Ears : Pricked, thin, triangular, short (i.e. not longer than 1/6th of the height at withers); the lateral point of the set on of the ears and the outer corner of the eyes are in a direct line.  A vertical line from tip of ear would run close along the head.

NECK : Dry, well muscled.  In repose forms an angle of up to 40 degrees to the horizontal.  The neck must be sufficiently long for the nose to touch the ground effortlessly.

BODY :
Topline : Flowing transition from neck to body.  Sloping away sligthly.
Withers : Well muscled, pronounced.  Though pronounced, they must not interrupt the flow of the topline.
Back : Firm and straight.
Loins : Short, well muscled, not broad, sloping slightly.
Croup : Short, well muscled, not broad, falling away slightly.
Chest : Symmetrical, well muscled, roomy, pear-shaped and narrowing towards the sternum.  The depth of chest does not reach to the elbows.  The point of the sternum does not extend beyond the shoulder joints.
Lower line and Belly : Taut bellly, tucked up.  Slightly hollow in flanks.

TAIL : Set on high, hanging straight down.  When dog is excited, generally raised in sickle shape.

FOREQUARTERS : The front legs are straight, strong, clean and close together with slightly turned out feet.
Shoulders : The shoulder blade is placed rather far forward, well muscled.  It forms an angle of nearly 65 degrees to the horizontal.
Upper arm : Strongly muscled, forms an angle of 120 to 130 degrees to the shoulder blade.
Elbows : Close fitting, turned neither in nor out, well defined, flexible.  Upper arm and forearm form an angle of approximately 150 degrees.
Forearm : Long, clean and straight.  The length of the forearm and pastern is 55% of height at withers.
Pastern joint : Solid, flexible.
Pastern : Long, forms an angle of at least 75 degrees to the ground.  Lightly springy in movement.
Front feet : Large, turned slightly outwards.  Longish arched toes and strong, dark nails.  Well defined, elastic, dark pads.

HINDQUARTERS : Powerful.  The hind legs stand parallel.  An imaginary vertical line drawn from the point of the ischium, would run midway through the hock joint.  The dewclaws are undesirable and must be eliminated.
Upper thigh : Long, well muscled.  Forms an angle of 80 degrees to the pelvis.  The hip joint is sturdy and flexible.
Stifle : Strong and flexible.
Lower thigh : Long, clean, well muscled.  Forms an angle of about 130 degrees with the hock.
Hock joint : Clean, solid, flexible.
Hock : Long, clean.  Position almost vertical to the ground.
Hind feet : Longish, arched toes with strong dark nails.

GAIT / MOVEMENT : Harmonious, light-footed, ground covering trot in which the limbs skim over the ground as closely as possible.  Head and neck incline to the horizontal.  Pacing when walking.

SKIN : Elastic, tight, without wrinkles, unpigmented.

HAIR : Straight and close. Winter and summer coat differ greatly.  In winter an immense undercoat is predominant and, together with the topcoat, forms a thick coat all over the body.  It is necessary for the hair to cover the belly, the inside of the upper thigh, the scrotum, the inner part of the ear and the area between the toes.  Well coated neck.

COLOUR : Yellowish-gray to silver-gray with a charateristic light mask.  Light hair also on the underside of the neck and the forechest.  Dark gray colour with light mask is permissible.

SIZE AND WEIGHT  :
Height at withers :        Dogs at lest 65 cm,
Bitches at lest 60 cm.
Weight :           Dogs at lest 26 kg,
Bitches at lest 20 kg.

FAULTS : Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.
- Heavy or light head. 
- Flat forehead.
- The absence of two PM1 (premolar 1) or of both M3 (molar 3) is not to be penalized.  However, the absence of one M3 in addition to 2 PM1 or the absence of one PM1 in addition to both M3 is to be considered as a fault.
- Dark brown, black or different coloured eyes.
- Coarse ear.  High or low set-on of ear.
- Neck carried high in repose; low position of neck when standing.
- Unpronounced withers.
- Untypical topline.
- Long croup.
- Tail long, set on low and not carried correctly.
- Too little or too much angulation in forequarters.
- Weak pastern.
- Too little or too much angulation in hindquarters.  Insufficient muscle.
- Barely pronounced mask.
- Short, wavy movement.

ELIMINATING FAULTS :
- Aggresive or overly shy.
- Discrepancy in proportions.
- Faults in deportment and temperament.
- Untypical head.
- Missing teeth (except 2 PM1 and the M 3, see § faults), irregular bite.
- Untypical shape and position of eyes.
- Untypical set-on and shape of ears.
- Dewlap.
- Strong slope in croup.
- Untypical ribcage.
- Tail untypical in set on and carriage.
- Faulty and untypical position of front legs.
- Stand-off and untypical coat.
- Colours other than those in the standard.
- Slack ligaments.
- Untypical movement.

Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified.

N.B. : Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.