Maremma Sheepdog vs Czechoslovakian Wolfdog - Breed Comparison

Known also as the Cane de Pastore Maremmano-Abruzzese, the Maremma Sheepdog is often referred to as the Maremmano or the Abruzzese Sheepdog.

This is a working dog – a guardian of sheep and an indigenous dog to central Italy. The dog has been used for centuries already to guard sheep.

It was in 1924 that the first standard for the breed was published.

The Czechoslovakian Wolfdog is a mix between a German Shepherd and a Carpathian wolf. In fact the Czechoslovakian Vlcak is another name for the Czechoslovakian Wolfdog and Vlcak is the Czech name for a German Shepard dog.

When you translate the name, it means Czechoslovakian German Shepherd. There was a biological experiment that began in 1955 and these experimental breedings went on for a decade, so that in 1965 a plan was created for the breeding of this new breed.

It was in 1982 that the Czechoslovakian Vlcak was recognized as a national breed in the former Czechoslovakian Republic and recognized by the United Kennel Club in 2006.

This attractive, intelligent looking dog won the title of ‘World Champion’ at the World Dog Show in 1990 and in 1999, the breed met all criteria of the World Canine Organization, earning full recognition of the Czechoslovakian Wolfdog breed.

The Maremma Sheepdog is a large dog with a muscular build. Some people who have owned these distinctive-looking dogs say he is like a big bear. He stands at 65 to 73 cm in height, both male and female, and he weighs 35 to 45 kg.

The coat is long, thick and white with a dense undercoat. If you look you’ll see flashes of pale orange or apricot amid the white. There is thicker, longer hair around the neck area.

The nose is black, the eyes brown and the ears medium length and floppy. The long tail is set low and is thickly feathered. You can expect 6 – 10 puppies from these dogs.

Temperament:

The Maremma has always been used to guarding sheep, and today even though he is looked upon as a wonderful, friendly companion dog, he also makes an excellent watch dog, being brave and courageous. He isn’t the kind of dog that you think of as getting wildly excited over something, as he has a dignified aura about him.

He is an independent dog, so training and sociaization will be absolutely imperative as he is strong-willed and likes to do things his way. Once trained and socialized, it is amazing to see such a large dog obeying all your commands such as ‘lie down, come, sit an stay'. He is very intelligent and shouldn’t have any trouble learning these basic commands.

He is calm and gets on well with children as well as other pets in the home. With his role as guardian of sheep, he has learned to be loyal and patient and will make a loyal ad loving family pet he takes his role as guardian very seriously.

He loves hard work, and shepherds have always appreciated the splendid work he does guarding their flocks. As a companion you will also appreciate the many excellent qualities he possesses.

The Maremma Sheepdog isn’t recommended for life in the city where there is a tiny garden. He has always been accustomed to large open spaces and requires a large garden. He won’t tolerate heat well with that thick coat of his and will require a shady spot in your garden to retreat to.

The Czechoslovakian Wolfdog looks like a true German Shepherd/Wolf mix with his erect ears, bushy tail and straight, muscular legs.

The eyes of the dog are slanted and brown. He stands at about 65cm in height and weighs up to 26kg. The thick coat of the dog is greyish in color but other colors come in as well such as white, cream, black, silver and yellow - all wolf colors. In fact the density of the coat as well as the color changes according to the seasons.

The coat is particularly thick in the Winter, thinning out in the Summer. The coat color may be yellow-gray or silver-gray.

Temperament:

Having a pet which has some wild animal mix can be risky and dangerous. Adding wild animal DNA means that you can get some of the behavior of the wild animal added in and this can be asking for trouble.

When the Czechoslovakian Wolfdog turns on a person, he will be blamed and put down, whereas it is the stupidity of the human to breed such dogs and bring them into their homes in the first place. You need to be careful with children in the home, especially if they don’t know how to treat a dog with respect.

Nonetheless the Czechoslovakian Wolfdog is able to develop a deep relationship with his owner. He is a dog who, when training and socialized, can gets on well with his human family as well as with other pets in the family.

He has got other excellent characteristics such as being fearless and courageous. He is intelligent and learns easily.

This is a beautiful dog, but large, so don’t make the mistake of wanting a large dog like this for his looks. He will be expensive to feed.

If you have the means to provide a good home for him, he is friendly and good natured, even though he is strong-willed and independent.

Provide him with a good home and you’ll have a most splendid pet and companion.

The beautiful Czechoslavakian Wolfdog resembles a wolf and in many of these dogs, their characteristics are wolf-like too. The dog is confident and independent, but it also able to form good relationships with his human family.

Many people thrill at the idea of having a pet which has a wild side to him, but there is a price to pay for having such a pet in your home. Their wild side can suddenly come to the fore, with dangerous consequences.

There are so many dog breeds to choose from that surely it isn’t necessary to start tampering with animals from the wild?

This ancient dog breed is robust and can reach 11 to 13 years of age when cared for properly. Like any other dogs, he can be prone to certain health problems.

One of these is hip dysplasia. Preventing your dog from becoming overweight can work towards preventing these kinds of musculoskeletal issues. Hip dysplasia occurs when your dog’s hip joints don’t develop properly so that the hips partially dislocate.

It is painful for your dog and it can be debilitating, leading to arthritis too and making it difficult for your pet to get around and to get up from lying down. There are a number of treatment options offered by your vet.

Your Czechoslovakian Wolfdog is a healthy dog who with good health care, can reach the age of 12 to 15 years. However, it is good to be forewarned about some dog sicknesses that your dog might get and which could be detrimental to your dog’s quality of life.

Hip Dysplasia:

This disease comes about when the ball and socket joint at the hip doesn’t form properly. The bones rub and chafe when the dog moves and the condition just gets worse as time goes on. Your dog can actually end up with arthritis, and worse, become lame.

Degenerative Myelopathy:

This is a progressive deterioration of the spinal cord which causes lameness in your pet’s hind legs. It is incurable and can be the end of your pet. The exact cause of this tragic illness is unknown.

Exercise:

As already suggested, this large dog will need space and he will need to be exercised. Apart from long walks in he countryside or in the park or your neighborhood, he will also need other activities that stimulate him mentally and physically.

Grooming:

The thick, all-weather coat of the Maremma will need a thorough bushing at least twice a week to get rid of all those loose hairs. When you are brushing him, look around for signs of ticks and fleas too and run your hands over him to feel for any unusual lumps.

Diet:

The Maremma is a large-breed dog, so before you get a big dog like this, decide whether you have the financial means to feed him and look after him properly. He is going to cost a lot to feed, so think it through first.

He will need to be fed a high-quality commercial dog food which has been specially formulated for a dog of his size. Keep the food of dogs simple. We’re all tempted to feed our dog treats like things such as chocolates, coffee, nuts, onions, grapes and raisins but these can cause havoc with your dog’s stomach.

Stick to simple, nutritious food. Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and vegetables such as potatoes, spinach and carrots can do wonders for your pet when you sometimes mix this into his kibble.

Try and mix some raw meat into his diet occasionally. Make sure he always has access to fresh, cool water.

Exercise:

Vlcaks have been specifically bred for stamina and if you neglect to exercise him, he’ll become bored and frustrated and possibly destructive and aggressive. He must be trained and he must be constantly provided with lots of exercise and activities.

Training and Socialization:

Because of the wolf side of this dog, Czechoslovakian Wolfdogs have a high prey drive, so he will need to be trained and socialized if you want him to get along with your other pets in the home.