Bohemian Shepherd

The Bohemian Shepherd — Chodský pes — is a Czech herding dog that guarded the country's western border for six hundred years.

History

The Chods were a Czech people granted privileges in exchange for guarding the Bohemian frontier with Bavaria, and their dogs patrolled it with them from the fourteenth century — the breed is named for them. It is documented in Czech records long before the German Shepherd existed, though it was standardised only in the twentieth century.

Temperament

The breed is known for being cheerful, biddable and closely attached to its family, easier and less intense than the German Shepherd it resembles, and good with children.

Care and training

It needs substantial exercise and mental work, and it trains readily and willingly. The long double coat sheds seasonally and needs regular brushing.

Health

Generally healthy, with hip dysplasia among the known tendencies and a small gene pool as the standing caution. These are patterns for the breed rather than a forecast for one dog; the measured facts are in the panel.