Slovak Cuvac vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison

Looking quite a bit like the Pyrenean Mountain Dog, the Slovak Cuvac is a large dog that has served as a guard dog. The Slovensky Cuvac is still used on sheep farms as he isn’t afraid of wolves and bears and will take them on if needs be.

Records of this dog have been kept since the 17th century already, and when the breed started dying out, a certain Dr Antonin Hruza put in efforts to revive the dog.

The registered breeding of the Slovensky Cuvac was established in Czechoslovakia and a club for the dog was established in 1933. A written standard was established in 1964. The dog is not recognized by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale.

We can find records for pointers from 17th century. Breeds such as Old Spanish and Portuguese Pointer were set in to England from European Mainland. In 1800s they were brought to America and then they slowly developed their hunting skills and in 1910 they became an excellent bird hunter. In 1936 Modern American Kennel was established and they bred pointers in large quantities. They are very popular in southern United States and are called as "bird dog". Pointers are good in hunting birds like pheasant and grouse. They got their name because of their special skills in hunting.

This is a large dog standing at between 59 and 70cm in height and weighing between 31 and 44kg.

The neck is broad and has quite a bit of fur around it. The head is large, the eyes dark brown, the double coat is white and thick and medium length. The eyes are brown, the ears medium length and floppy and the tail long and furry.

He has well-muscled limbs and is fairly agile for such a large dog.

Temperament:

This is a robust dog, used to spending time outdoors keeping watch over livestock. When he is invited into the home, he is gentle and well behaved, more so when he has been trained and socialized.

He is loving and loyal towards his human family and will get on well with children in the home. He isn’t the brightest dog but you can still have him trained.

Pointer has a long head and its body is perfectly suitable for hunting. In hunting the pointers shows hunter the direction of the bird and also they will go and get them after they were shot. They are well known for their speed, energy and continuous working. Pointers are also a good companion dog and love the family members so much. It is very easy to groom them as they have short coat. They are very alert and excellent watch dog.

If pointer is not set in huntng then they should be given lots of exercise daily. Pointers love to play and run with children. They will give a good company for cyclists. Pointers show their talents in dog shows especially in obedience and field trials. They will not worry about the crowd surrounding them and performs well. In performing at public, pointer will show perfect attention to its master. Pointer must be trained slowly from its puppyhood to get good results.

Your playful Slovak Cuvac is an affectionate dog, wanting nothing more than to be totally involved in his family’s life.

He is social and loving and also makes an excellent watchdog. He’s a big dog so think carefully before you bring him into your home. Many dog owners like the look of a big dog and forget that it costs a lot of money to feed a big dog and to pay for vet fees.

This big dog is wanting to be part of your family and not just to be discarded when you find that he is costing you too much.

Special talents

Pointer is a wonderful kid friendly dog and a nice companion. Also he is very energetic,fun-loving and an excellent watchdog. Pointers are very courageous as well as obedient. They can work for a very long time. Early socialization will make them with a good behaviour.

Adaptability

They will be happy if they are given a fenced yard to play and spend their natural energy. They will not have a good behaviour in apartment living. Pointers always likes to be with some one in his family. They are suitable for areas having hot weather and they will not do better in cold weather.

Learning ability

Pointers have very high intelligence and thus they are very easy to train. Good behaviours must be taught to them and the main word they must learn is "NO". They should stop what they are doing when they hear the word "NO" from you. "Sit" is another important word they should learn. Training should be given friendly and not compelling them to do it. Giving reward to them will make them happy and give more interest in training.

This is a healthy dog breed, but as with many large dogs, hip dysplasia is a threat. Hip dysplasia is always reason for concern as the condition can reduce a dog’s quality of life.

It is distressing seeing your once active pet becoming reluctant to play and move around.

Canine hip dysplasia is a common skeletal condition. It can strike any size dog but is more prevalent with large dogs. The ball and socket of the hip doesn’t fit properly and deterioration sets in resulting in loss of function of the joint.

You will need to get your dog to the vet who will perform a physical exam and discuss treatments to alleviate the pain your dog can experience.

Pointers face health problems such as gastric torsion, hypothyroidism and canine hip dysplasia. Overweight will also lead to many health problems in them. Other problems seen in them are cardiomyopathy, ectropion and progressive retinal atrophy.

Hair fall

They have the chances to get several skin disorders which leads to hairfall. Follicular Dysplasia is a hereditary disorder which causes hairfall. Special shampoos or lotion to combat the dry skin should be used to overcome this problem.

◆The thick white hair will require regular grooming to keep it free from burrs and dirt. He sheds so this brushing will help him to look more groomed.

◆The nails should be trimmed regularly and the ears too should be checked for redness and infection. You’ll need to look inside his mouth too as a rotting tooth can cause havoc within his body. A rotten tooth can also cause him tremendous pain and he has no way of telling you this.

◆Have your pet spayed or neutered if you don’t want any puppies. This is better for your dog’s health in the long run too.

◆Your Slovak Cuvac is going to need a lot of exercise as they have always been used to roaming the mountains watching over livestock.

◆This is a big dog so if you buy commercially manufactured food, make sure its for large, energetic dogs. There are good commercially manufactured dog foods on the market – just make sure you buy the best one for your pet to enhance health and longevity.

Try and give him some home made food too. Healthy food which won’t jeopardise his digestion is boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots. These can all be chopped up and small portions mixed into the dry kibble twice a week as a treat.

Try and include some raw meat occasionally. Your dog will thank you for not giving him exotic people foods which can do lots of harm. Ensure there is always a bowl of fresh, cool water within his reach.

Feeding the puppy

Normally puppies require more food when compared with adult to meet their growth needs. The food given to the pointer puppy must contain vitamins, carbohydrates and minerals. Also the food given to his mother should be continued to the puppy as to avoid digestive problems for the puppy. If it is needed to change the food then it should be done in a step by step process.

Feeding the adult

Pointer can be fed one or two times a day. Usally small meal is given in morning and full meal will be given in the evening. But in case if they will be left alone for the whole day then morning food shall be a full meal. They can be fed meat of goat, pork, fish and woodcock. Brown rice is a good food for pointer.

Points for Good Health

Pointers will be happy if they are always with their family. They enjoy when they are taken outside for playing or camping. Puppies don't need much exercise as adults need. Adults should not be fed too much as it will lead to overweight.

Games and Exercises

When pointer is given proper exercises and training they will be a very good mannered dog. They are very active and intelligent dogs and hence require exercise and training regularly. The breed was developed to be a hunting dog and can work continuously in a day. Pointers should be exercised a minimum of an hour per day. They will be happy to run along with your bicycle and playing frisbee with you.