Cesky Terrier breed: the “not too stubborn” terrier

This handsome dog is the Cesky Terrier. It is a relatively new breed (at around 70 years old), but it has quickly won people's hearts with its good temperament and excellent rat-hunting ability.

The Cesky Terrier is a small, soft-haired, lovable and rare breed. Although originally bred to be a more manageable terrier, it is now more of a companion dog. Nevertheless, it should not be forgotten that he was made for hunting and, although he may not have the hunting instincts of a small terrier, his hunting instinct is not negligible.

History of the Cesky Terrier

As the name of the Cesky Terrier suggests, the breed originated in what is now the Czech Republic, which was then Czechoslovakia. (Around the middle of the century, a Czech-born breeder, geneticist and sportsman, František Horák, set his sights on creating a new hunting dog. He had a clear vision of the character and function of the new breed of dog. He wanted a dog that could catch rats and hunt small game, but was not as headstrong and independent as a terrier. It can also hunt in packs and is as obedient as a retriever. And when there is no action, it fits in well with the family rhythm.

To achieve this goal, he mainly used two breeds, the Scottish Terrier and the Sealyham Terrier. He directly selected for breeding individuals that were close in temperament to the perfect dog he had in mind. He perfected the breed over many years (with greater effort from 1949 onwards), probably introducing all the Dandie Dinmont Terriers and spiny-haired Dachshund. The result of his persistent work was a good-natured hunting dog, very easy to train for a terrier and combining the qualities of a family dog with those of a hunting dog.

Breed standard

Small, compact, long-bodied, slightly short-legged, but well-built dog, only 27-35 cm in height and weighing 6-9 kg. He has a similar appearance to his ancestors, with an elongated, axe-shaped head, prominent eyebrows and a long beard. Its eyes are dark brown and its ears are smaller, yet drooping. It has parallel, strong limbs and a drooping tail. It is blessed with a straight back, firm, muscular loins, a relatively deep chest and a slightly raised belly, but the latter is often obscured by its long coat, which is either greyish blue or a very light coffee brown. Expected lifetime 12-15 years. It belongs to FCI breed group III, the terriers.

Character

Intelligent, smart, obedient and just a little bit stubborn. The Cesky Terrier is still a terrier at heart, so many of their characteristics are still there. They are sensitive, yet (just a little bit) fiery, feisty, but not as independent and “going their own way” as terriers. (It may seem that we are generalising terriers, which is true, because they have stereotypes, which often turn out to be true. Of course, the degree to which they have “terrier blood” varies from breed to breed and from individual to individual: the true independent, stubborn hunting dog, bred to have a mind of his own. This is not a negative, just a trait that most of them still have, more or less, even if they have been more of a companion animal for generations.)

Coming back to the Cesky Terrier, we are talking about a devoted ewe who can soar with positive reinforcement-focused training. Either out of misunderstood stubbornness or sensitivity, but does not take well to ‘crude’ training methods, simply freezes up or resists. This is not to say that you don’t need a confident hand, but consistency and patience are more important. Her teaching is therefore very straightforward, she takes well to obstacles and generally likes to comply or at least compromise. The small size of his body requires a relatively large amount of energy, but if care is taken to ensure that his daily exercise needs are met (by walking, playing in the park or garden, perhaps a long hike) and that he has mental effort to do, it is not difficult at all to create a balanced life for him. He thrives in a (usually) active family who can engage him on a daily basis.

Ideal environment

It is well adapted to the conditions of an apartment, but it doesn’t mind having a garden to run around in. However, if you do have a yard, it is important that it is well fenced. As the Cesky Terrier’s small size (and its scoop legacy) means it can easily fit through slightly larger holes in the fence. Although most people don’t use it for hunting (and that line has been somewhat overshadowed), it is still a boar with a very strong hunting instinct and has been used for rabbit, fox and badger hunting. So as soon as he spots a potential prey, he’s more than likely to run after it. For this reason, the use of a leash is strongly recommended. Not only because of the legal implications, but also to protect your pet and the wildlife (or cats in the area).

This dog doesn’t bark much, but will signal if he doesn’t like something. He is distrustful of strangers at first, but is easily relaxed. He will easily fit into any family, gets on well with children and is relatively friendly with other dogs. The Cesky Terrier is also good with cats, but especially at the beginning, it is still worth paying attention to all interactions (this is also true for dog-child and dog-dog interactions).

Care

Grooming terriers is usually simple and can be easily done at home. The Cesky Terrier is not one of these dogs, his coat needs a little more care and attention. In order to keep his coat silky and soft (and more importantly, clean), he needs frequent washing. There is no exact rule as to what this means, as it depends to a large extent on how dirty the dog gets. As a general rule, it is not recommended to wash even dogs that require “frequent bathing” more than once a week, as this can dry out their skin and coat.

Therefore, unless your pet is mud-bathed, it does not require daily washing. It is also important to wash your dog with the right shampoo for its coat type, which is a fine-textured, thinner-hair type than the Cesky Terrier. Frequent can mean monthly, it really depends a lot on the living conditions. But what is certain is that bathing them twice a year or once every three months will not work, because they do not shed dirt. But don’t go overboard, because it’s not good to bathe your pet too often. Also, don’t forget to brush your pet, which should be done at least once a week to keep the coat smooth.

Unless you want to learn how to trim your pet’s coat properly, the Cesky Terrier is one of those breeds of dog that you should take to a groomer for a trim. For him, this is a once every 6-8 weeks appointment. He also has a fair amount of ear hair, which can be a problem for him after a while, so that needs to be taken care of (but, if you take him to a beautician, he will more than likely take care of it). Nail trimming can be done at home.

Common health problems

Although it is a basically healthy breed, it can be susceptible to many diseases. Of course, responsible breeders will strive to maintain as healthy a breed as possible despite the small numbers, but they too have their limitations. The Cesky Terrier may be prone to the following:

• Patellar luxation: the knee joint of the dog may pop out of place for no particular reason.
• PRA (Progressive retinal atrophy): gradual atrophy of the retina, which causes blindness over time.
• Cataracts
• Heart problems
• “Scotty Cramp”: a problem similar to epilepsy in that it is neurological in origin. But it is not potentially life-threatening and does not involve loss of consciousness. It “only” impedes movement, with spasmodic tensing of muscles.

Literature: János Szinák–István Veress: A világ kutyái I.