It would be very unusual to find a Kuvasz sitting in the pet store window. They do very poorly in a puppy mill atmosphere. They need human conact, affection and socialization. Find yourself a reputable dog breeder whos main concern is raising well balanced loving dogs. Most breeders agree that heredity contributes 10%; upbringing, training and socialization contribute 90% to the mental soundness of your Kuvasz. 

You will no doubt, want to meet the dam and sire of your puppy. If a kennel owner refuses to allow you access to them, you have to question why? You do not want to buy a puppy whos parents are agressive and tempermental around you. Your little ball of white fluff will be an adult one day.

Quite often a cash deposit will be required to reserve a puppy for you. Be prepared to possibly have to wait up to a year before your puppy will be born. It is sometimes very difficult to get the correct breeding lined up, but patience always pays.  Cost of a good companion/livestock dog will start at $1000. These are special animals, performing a special job and you know the old saying; you get what you pay for"

YOUR NEW KUVASZ PUPPY 

Q: Can I leave my puppy alone all day while I go to work? 

A: When your puppy comes home with you it should be at least eight weeks old. At this stage the pup should be well on the way to being house trained. A good breeder makes sure that the pup follows the example of its mother and learns to eliminate outside.  Kuvasz, ultimately want to live in a clean environment and will only eliminate in there personal space if they have no other option.

I know that sometimes it is impossible to be home all day with your new puppy. For those times it is important to confine your pup to a small area that is free from dangers, such as electrical cords, carpeting, shoes, or anything he can get his teeth into. Remember they do not chew to annoy you, but they chew to releive the pressure of teething. Take away anything you don't want wrecked and give them chew sticks or chewy toys to play with. The stage will pass in time.  Remember that your puppy cannot hold himself for too long, so therefore, eight hours in a crate is plenty long enough.

You should provide a fenced yard for your new friend. This will prevent any accidents on the road, or encounters with neighbors. If your pup is going to work on the farm, it is important that he learn the boundaries as soon as possible. Walking him around the perimeter will help with this. I usually allow my pup to run free on the farm when I am outside with him. This helps in the bonding procedure also. Remember that your dog will need a cool comfortable place to sleep during the day. A nice shade tree works great!  They will find ways to entertain themselves if left alone, a trait that all dogs have.  Two dogs are always better then one, but sometimes not practical.
 

Keep in mind that the Kuvasz was never meant to live out its life in a crate or kennel run. Your Kuvasz needs the freedom to protect you and your possessions. A job he takes seriously.

THE FAMILY KUVASZ 

Q: Will the kuvasz be the right choice for my family?

A: So, do you want a playmate for your kids? If so you need to remember the purpose of the Kuvasz. The Kuvasz is first and formost a protection dog. They are extremely forgiving when it comes to children, soft and gentle, but like with all dogs, children have to learn to respect them.  They are not a toy and need to be treated with respect. The bond between children and this dog is strong, and the kuvasz will quickly consider your children part of their property to protect and take care of.

Even so, most Kuvasz will cope with behavior from children that would not be tolerated from adults, and many Kuvasz will assume the role of babysitter if not active playmate of the family children. As we all know, children at any age often lack the ability to foresee the consequences of their actions, and many children deliberately tease and injure each other not to mention any nearby pets. It is never a good idea to leave children unsupervised with any animal, including the family Kuvasz. 

The kuvasz is not unlike any other breed in that they are different. Some may just like to lay around your house, docile and content with life, while other are mischeivious troublemakers. Each and every one of them have a personality all their own which needs to be respected and accepted.

If you are consistant and take the time to train your Kuvasz carefully you will end up with a well behaved, gentle animal around company. All it takes is a calm reassuring that a guest is quite welcome and your dog will accept them as part of the family. Thats how much they trust your instincts about people.

THE LIVESTOCK GUARDIAN 

Q: We have a Coyote problem!  How do I train my dog to guard the livestock?

A:The Kuvasz is not a herding animal. Thats not to say thet he cannot do the job if he was trained for it. His main job is to protect the flock, whether that be sheep, cattle, horses, chickens, or whatever. He watches for trouble in the form of anyfour legged predators that pose a risk to the animals he is in charge of. He does this by barking ferociously, chasing and puching them back from the fences and property.  This is not to say that this same dog cannot be a family pet. Thats the very special appeal of these dogs. They are dual purpose, and thrive on human contact. I would never leave my dogs in the field and have nothing more to do with them. They are just as much a part of my family and there for my protection as they are to protect the cattle.   Try to find a breeder who raises puppies around livestock and who knows which pups display the temperament required in a livestock guardian.

Whether it will be used as a part-time or full-time livestock guardian, the puppy should be raised with gentle animals who will not  injure it. If the puppy is intended to be a full-time livestock guard, it should be introduced to its duties at around six weeks of age, and should receive as much contact as possible with the animals he will protect until the age of fifteen weeks.

While the kuvasz is especially good at what they do, we have to be realistic. Coyote very seldom wander or attack as a single predator, they usually have a pack to back them up. It would be unrealistic to expect one single dog to fight off a pack of ferocious hungry animals, although they will fight to their last breath to protect. For that reason I have two out at all times. I rest easy knowing they can back each other up, and coyotes will not take on two big white dogs showing teeth.
There is safety in numbers.

 
RIGHT DOG FOR YOU 

Q: Do They Shed? 

A: Oh Yeah.  But I need to point out that they are hypollergetic. Maybe the only large guardian dog that is! That means that when they do shed all over the house, at least you won`t be sneezing and weezing about it.
 

Q:How much exercise do they need? 

A: Kuvasz are amazing , and although they are wonderful runners, swimmers, and can chase anything down, they are not extremely hyperactive. They require an average amout of exercise and can asjust to any lifestyle. Just like us, if you get them out working a bit, they`ll sleep for hours. If you have a day of rest, with no exercise at all, they`ll sleep for hours.

Q: Will my Kuvasz bark at anything that moves? 

A: Well it would be a lie to say that the Kuvasz do not bark. But lets remember that they are a guard dog, with very limited verbal skills. How else are they going to warn you or others that there is something unwanted on the property. Some will not stop barking until you have gone to see what the problem is, or they have managed to take care of it themselves. Remember that a guard dog is supposed to bark. The Kuvasz style is "prevention by intimidation," and almost all threats can be neutralized by a blood-curdling bark.

Q:  Is it true that Kuvaszok don't wander? 

A: We have to remember that the Kuvasz is a guardian dog, so instinctively he will protect anything he feels is in his territory.  If there is no boundary or fence to show him where his territory ends he will expand.  He is not wandering aimlessly around the neighborhood, but he is protecting his new found property.  It does not take long before your dog will know where he is to stay.

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