Breed Characteristics:
Apartment Friendly
?How well will this breed adapt to apartment living? Is the apartment size the most important factor when it comes to proper living conditions? Is the breed suitable for apartment living?
Good For First-Time Owners
?Some dogs aren't suitable for first-time dog owners. Is this breed a good match for someone with no dog experience? Can training help them be on their best behavior with owners with no dog experience? Are they suitable to be handled by someone who is just entering the canine world?
Overall Sensitivity
?Some dogs are sensitive. Certain breeds are rough on the outside, while having the softest heart on the inside. In other words, some dogs are 'thick-skinned' while some are 'easygoing.' Is this breed prone to sensitivity?
Tolerates Being Alone
?Separation anxiety in dogs is a serious condition that can affect a dog's life quality. Is this breed prone to this condition? Can you leave him alone for hours? How destructive this breed can become when bored, neglected, or not loved enough?
Affectionate With Family
?How affectionate this breed will be around his humans? Will he welcome new family friends easily or he will choose to be shy? Some breeds can be clingy with owners, while others don't attach a lot. Will this breed act as the family's best friend?
Kid-Friendly
?Some dogs will tolerate children, while others will adore well-behaved ones. Dogs and children should always be supervised, no matter how well trained the dog might be. Will this breed act as a nanny dog or he will stay away from children?
Friendly Toward Other Dogs
?Some dog breeds cannot wait to run to the dog park and run with others. Others prefer to be with their humans, and not to be a part of a multi-pet household. Is this breed dog lover or not? How friendly this breed will be toward other dogs?
Friendly Toward Strangers
?Some dog breeds tend to be reserved toward strangers and highly suspicious. Others are fast to walk away with them easily. How welcoming this breed is toward strangers?
Drooling Level
?If you love to clean all the time drooling level in dogs is a trait that you should mind. Is this breed less likely to drool, or you will always need a towel on hand?
Easy To Groom
?Heavier shedding during the shedding season is something that every dog needs to go through. However, some dogs shed just a bit all year round. Is this breed one of them? How often should you groom this dog?
Overall Health
?What can you expect from this breed in terms of health? Are there any genetic conditions to vary about? Is obesity a major issue in this breed? By knowing more about the dog's health, you are learning how to help him live a longer and healthier life.
Prone To Obesity
?Treats are a great addition to training sessions. Dogs love sweet bites of dog treats but they should be served in moderation. Treats can lead to obesity, next to poor nutrition. Can this breed gain extra weight from treats? How prone to obesity this breed actually is?
Trainability Level
?Training some dogs is easier than others. How easy this dog will be to train? What can you expect? Some dogs are huge people pleasers and they will master commands easily, while others will try to outsmart you.
Intelligence Level
?Dogs are smart beings. We do our best to train them, but they do still end up training us to adapt to their needs. How intelligent is this breed? Will he try to outsmart you? Or he will need multiple training sessions to master basic commands?
Prey Drive
?Dogs were bred for a specific purpose. Those who were bred to hunt have natural instincts to hunt, even today. This is why many dogs, like Terriers, will chase other animals. They will also have a hard time concentrating on your commands when there is something small moving. Is this breed prone to following his prey instincts?
Barking Level
?How vocal this breed is? Can you expect neighbors to ring you often to calm your dog? Or you can sleep without worries of hearing your Fido bark? Some breeds are highly vocal, others have unusual sounds, and some are silent. Is this breed prone to barking?
Energy Level
?Low-energy dogs are happy with regular walks and indoor chill times. High-energy dogs are always ready for action. Is this breed a couch potato, energetic dog, or somewhere in between?
Exercise Needs
?Some dogs are more than happy with a slow stroll down the street. Others need hours of active time to stay happy and fit. Is this breed demanding in terms of exercise? How much exercise this breed needs to stay happy and healthy?
Playfulness Level
?Some dogs never lose that puppy spirit, not even in their senior years. Others are more serious and prefer having a job to do. Is this breed demanding in terms of playfulness? Can you expect playfulness in their senior years as well?
The Bohemian Shepherd or Chodsk Pes (also known as the Chodský pes or the Chodenhund) is an old breed originally from the Czech Republic. Dog experts claim that this breed has been around since the early 1300s.
Today, this breed is very rare, but they are still highly popular in their region.
Originally bred to be guard dogs, this breed did an amazing job watching over families during wartime.
Over time their purpose evolved, and they were used as herding dogs as well.
This is a medium-sized dog, with a medium energy level making them a great choice for those who have an active outdoor life.
They are highly protective of their family, and if they feel threatened they will bark without any fear until the situation is solved.
The Bohemian Shepherd loves being around children, although children should always be educated on how to behave around dogs.
Still, as herding dogs, their herding instincts may get the better of them sometimes, which is why they shouldn’t be left alone with small children and smaller pets.
Keeping this breed neat and clean is easy, as long as you provide regular brushing sessions. They shed from time to time and require weekly brushing with the right grooming tools.
Quick Facts
Real name: Bohemian Shepherd
Other names: Chodský pes, Czech Sheepdog, Bohemian Herder, Chodenhund
Origin: Czech Republic
Breed type: Herding Dogs
Weight: 35 to 60 pounds
Height: 19 to 22 inches
Lifespan: 10 to 15 years
Litter Size: 4 – 6 puppies
Color: Black and tan
Coat: Long coat of straight or wavy structure, with a soft undercoat
Bohemian Shepherd History
Bohemian Shepherd may not be popular like German Shepherd, but this is in fact an old breed.
They worked as protectors of the Kingdom of Bohemia. As such their history can be traced back to 1325 when the King of Bohemia approved breeding efforts of Chodové people to breed very unique dogs.
This breed was simply known as the Chodský Pes, today known as the Bohemian Shepherd.
These dogs were primarily used for protection. Their second most common duty included pastoral work.
All in all, these dogs were highly active from day one with massive endurance.
As with all breeds, the post-war era affected the breed’s numbers, until 1984. This year was a massive milestone for the breed’s survival and development.
Dr. Vilem Kurz and Mr. Jan Findejs joined their efforts to re-establish this ancient Czech breed.
As result, a modern breeding program began in 1984. The breed standard was approved and the first litter, based on these standards, was born in 1985.
From that point on many breeders appeared and several registered Bohemian Shepherd puppies grew.
As for the States, the breed was officially recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 2019, under Foundation Stock Service Group.
This is the first step before the breed gets fully recognized.
Bohemian Shepherd Physical Appearance
One look at Bohemian Shepherds is enough to realize that this is a versatile working dog.
This is a medium-sized dog with a powerful stand and an oblong-shaped body.
The Bohemian Shepherd should always have a strong and rich undercoat, which is weather-resistant.
Overall body structure communicates strength and harmony. All body parts are so equally developed and shaped, that they give an overall compact and elegant appearance.
While the neck is long, ears are short, and the head comes with a soft and noble appearance.
The skull is flat, the nose is medium-sized, and the lips are firm and close-fitting. Eyes are medium-size and almond-shaped.
The tail is carried naturally in a slight curve, and should never be docked. Overall, this is a medium-sized breed.
Males are slightly bigger than females.
Bohemian Shepherds stand 19 to 22 inches at the shoulder and weigh 35 to 60 pounds. Some dogs can be smaller or larger than average.
Bohemian Shepherd Personality
The Bohemian Shepherd is a loyal dog who will guard you and your home without thinking twice.
This is why proper training and early socialization are so important for this breed.
Plus, make sure that your home visitors know the dog house rules, and follow them accordingly. This breed isn’t known for being vocal, but they won’t be shy to alert you to any possible danger.
At first sight, this is a very intimidating breed. However, once they get to know someone and become comfortable, they will become calm and affectionate.
As medium-energy dogs, they will need a lot of outdoor time and constant companionship.
They hate being left alone for long periods, and they do need larger living space, a huge backyard, and multiple people to help care for them.
Bohemian Shepherds are more than happy to join families with children. However, children need to know how to behave around dogs, and to respect their space.
Children should never disturb dogs while they are eating, drinking water, playing with their toys, or just resting in their crates.
Bohemian Shepherd Training
Bohemian Shepherds are not recommended for first time dog owners. They do the best with more experienced dog owners.
As intelligent breed, they are easy to train. Still, they need an owner who is patient and firm with them.
They can become bored quickly, so make sure that you create training sessions, that are:
- Consistent
- Fun
- Engaging
- Packed with treats
No dog should ever experience any type of harsh training.
Dogs thrive on positive reinforcement training and should be rewarded for any nice behavior.
As an intelligent breed they will usually get bored quickly, so make sure that training sessions are well-structured and fun.
If you feel that training your Bohemian Shepherd is too much work, think about puppy classes.
This is a great way to bond further with your dog and speed up the training process. Plus, it can never harm to get professional input on training.
Bohemian Shepherd Exercise Needs
This breed is more energetic than an average dog. As such they will need extra exercise next to daily walks.
Make sure that you provide additional 30-minutes of more intense exercise at work.
You can also think about dog sports, such as agility or trekking. Some Bohemian Shepherds could be great water-lovers. Therefore, swimming may be a great low-impact activity to keep their joints strong and active.
Last, but not least, you can never go wrong with fetch.
Bohemian Shepherd Grooming
People often expect long grooming hours when a dog has long hair. However, that’s not the case with the Bohemian Shepherd.
Brushing this dog will be easy and fast as long as you have the right grooming tools on hand.
Provide a weekly brushing to keep his coat shiny and clean. Use this time to check the skin for signs of fleas and skin infection. Plus, this is a great way a make a stronger connection with your Fido.
The rest is basic care:
- Trim or grind nails weekly
- Clean ears
- Check eyes and gums weekly
Of course, you should provide parasite control and regular veterinarian check-ups.
Visiting your veterinarian regularly is the best way to keep your Fido in balance health-wise.
Bathing a dog should be an option only when he gets into something really messy.
Dogs have different skin than humans do, and they don’t need as frequent bathing as humans do.
Even when you bathe him, make sure that you are using shampoos specially designed for dogs.
Bohemian Shepherd Health
Being a dog owner is a big responsibility.
Cuddles and exercise time are a great part of dog ownership, but it should go beyond that.
Dog ownership is a lot about proper care, creating a safe environment, serving high-quality food, implementing the right nutrition, and providing enough exercise.
Once you get your Bohemian Shepherd you are directly responsible for his weight.
Obesity in dogs is on the rise across the States, and this is something that you don’t want to see in your canine.
Weight loss is still possible, but it will take a lot of time, consistency, and even higher expenses because you might invest in food of specific nutrients.
Bohemian Shepherds are generally described as healthy dogs. Still, some problems may occur, due to several reasons.
Poor nutrition, an injury, or any other external factor can lead to specific health conditions. This doesn’t mean that your dog will suffer from any of the listed conditions, but you should still be aware of them.
In fact, before you get any dog, you should research common health conditions in a breed.
Here are some of the most common issues that a Bohemian Shepherd might suffer from:
- Bloat
- Ear infections
- Hip and elbow dysplasia
Bloat is a serious condition that can easily put your dog in a deadly situation.
Make sure that you know how much you should feed your dog, how often, and how to choose the best dog bowl.
Avoid feeding your dog after intense workouts, and serve treats only when deserved. To make sure that you are getting a healthy puppy, deal with responsible dog breeders only.
They should screen puppies for most common health issues and present you with medical documentation on the breed.
To keep your Fido in the best possible shape, provide regular veterinarian check-ups, a proper exercise schedule, and proper nutrition.
Is Bohemian Shepherd For You?
The Bohemian Shepherd is a breed for experienced dog owners.
If you don’t have enough experience, think about getting a smaller size lap dog.
On the other hand, if you know what does it take to own a medium-to-large size dog and how serious investment should be in this breed, then Bohemian Shepherd is a breed to consider.
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