Czechovalakian Vlack (Wolfdog) Breed Info & Facts

---

How cool would it be to own a pet wolf? Pretty cool, right? Probably quite dangerous, though, so the next best thing might be a Czechoslovakian Wolfdog, a dog that looks like the wolf but has the character of a dog. Learning about them before getting one is a good idea. You probably don’t want to pick a dog based only on their looks because you might end up with a dog that looks cool but is impossible to handle.

Here at World Dog Finder, we are huge suckers for dogs that look like wolves, and the first chance we get, we will get one of them. The first time we saw one of these dogs in a dog show, we were immediately mesmerized by their looks, so naturally, we started researching the Czechoslovakian Wolfdog breed. Here are some of the things we’d share with anyone looking to get one of these dogs.

What kind of a pet is the Czechoslovakian Wolfdog?

Having such an awesome wolf-like appearance comes with a price, and the price is that their character is not for everyone. As you can imagine, these dogs are wolf hybrids, and to understand why they act how they act, we need to know how they were created.

Short history and creation

The Czechoslovakian Wolfdog is a result of breeding the Carpathian wolves and the German Shepherds. They are a breed that is genetically closer to the wolves than any other dog breed. They came to life in the 1950s, and since then, have been refined and carefully bred to achieve the perfect balance between a wild animal and a domestic dog.

As a pet, the Czechoslovakian Wolfdog can be a lot to handle. They have a high prey drive, so forget about getting them if you already have other pets like cats, gerbils, bunnies, or even smaller dogs. However, because of their pack mentality, they get along great with other dogs after they clear each of their positions in the pack order. These dogs are crazy strong, so keep in mind they are not for someone who might not be able to control them.

Czechoslovakian Wolfdogs can learn to live around kids from their family, but they shouldn’t be trusted with strange children. They have wild wolf blood in them, and if you can understand that and you know what to expect of them, you can have a wonderful, loyal pet and a guardian. These dogs should definitely come with a warning label and an instruction manual.

Before getting such a strong and unique breed, I would recommend weighing the pros and cons. It is a great way to see all the benefits and the potential negative sides of owning one of these dogs.

Pros of owning a Czechoslovakian Wolfdog

Besides having the coolest-looking dog ever, there are other benefits from getting a Czechoslovakian Wolfdog. Here are some of the best things we found out about owning this breed;

• Amazing protectors - These dogs are one of the best guard dogs out there. They are rather territorial, so they will let you know about anyone approaching your house or your family. They will defend you with complete disregard for their own safety.
• They don’t bark - A lot of dog breeds can be annoying barkers, and that is not pleasant for you, especially for your neighbors. The Czechoslovakian Wolfdog never barks; it is completely unnatural to them. Their wolf genes allow them to communicate through body language, howls, growls, and whines.
• Not needy - This is a breed that doesn’t require constant attention and their owner’s affection. They are very comfortable on their own or in the company of other larger dogs.
• Stunning looks - One of their biggest pros is their stunning looks. There is something special about these dogs and their nearly-wild appearance. They are very similar to the wild wolf, and if you are like us (otherwise, you probably wouldn’t research this breed), you will be completely in love with their looks.

Cons of owning a Czechoslovakian Wolfdogs

Unfortunately, owning a Wolfdog comes with some negative sides average owners might find off-putting. This is certainly not a breed everyone can own, especially if you never owned dogs before. Here are the cons of owning a Czechoslovakian Wolfdog;

• Natural hunters - These dogs are closely related to wolves, so you should expect to see some wolf-like behavior. Strong prey drive is one of those traits you should expect from them, and many owners are not capable of controlling such behavior.
• Not suited for kids - It is not recommended that you get a Czechoslovakian Wolfdog if you have a family with small children. These dogs can be distrustful towards them and see them as lower pack members, resulting in biting and asserting dominance over kids.
• Not the easiest to train - Many Wolfdogs have a rough “teenage years,” and training them can become a problem. They get pretty bored with repetitive training and lose their motivation. You have to be experienced and try different training approaches to find out what works for your dog.
• Require loads of socialization - Czechoslovakian Wolfdogs require a tremendous amount of socialization while they are still young. This is vital for them if you want them to develop into stable, confident dogs that know how to react peacefully in different situations.

Still thinking about getting this breed? Check out these socialization tips and tricks that could help you raise your dog.

Czechoslovakian Wolfdog from an owner’s perspective

It is hard to know what website information is accurate, especially when the internet and social media are full of information about everything. That is why we decided to interview different Czechoslovakian Wolfdog owners and see what they have to say about their dogs. We tried getting different perspectives, the good and the bad, you can say, and this is the information we managed to gather.

A Wolfdog owner Mireille H. from the Netherlands, said this about her Wolfdog;

“Our girl is incredibly gentle towards adult people but insecure around young children and other dogs. She is very curious, eager to learn, and very intelligent. She always finds a way to get her way and does everything she can to protect her pack.”

- we were eager to hear a bit more, so Mireille gave us a bit more comments on the breed; she added;

“A lot of wolfdogs get put up for adoption when they reach puberty because people fall in love with the outside instead of what the dog needs. They can be so amazing when they get what they need and if the owner understands them. Every wolfdog is different. Ditto (Mireille’s dog), for example, was a challenging pup, but when we started to understand her needs, she got really easygoing and relaxed.

You really can tell the difference between a "normal" dog and a wolfdog, and sometimes, it takes a completely different approach to achieve the results you want with them. You have to find out, together with your wolfdog, what works for them.”

Jonatan from León, Spain, is a Czechoslovakian Wolfdog owner, who was kind enough to provide us with a description of his dog. He said,

“Czechoslovakian Wolfdog is not an easy dog to own. They require a lot of work and a lot of patience. It is not a dog that is suitable for everyone, but they are nevertheless special and fantastic.”

It is clear to see that the Czechoslovakian Wolfdog is not for everyone. They can be challenging to raise, and if you are not strict with them, they can become overly aggressive and shy. The same scenario can happen with any other breed, but they are usually a lot more tolerable towards our mistakes as owners. Your average Labrador will probably still be friendly even if the socialization part wasn’t entirely done correctly. This is not the case with the Czechoslovakian Wolfdog.

Jonatan happens to be a Czechoslovakian Wolfdog breeder, so we continued our conversation and asked him about a different perspective.

Czechoslovakian Wolfdog from the breeder perspective

Breeding is a lot different than just owning a dog of a specific breed. There are many things to consider and just focusing on dogs retaining their wolf-like appearance is not enough. We asked Jonatan what some of the things he looks at when breeding these dogs are. He gave us an interesting answer.

Jonatan said,

“I try focusing mainly on the dog’s character and temperament. It is true that these dogs are not for everyone, but these dogs can be calm. The temperament of the dog is the most important characteristic when I decide which dogs to breed.” His dogs are beautiful, but he said that he is extremely proud of their typical Wolfdog character, making them suitable for the experienced owner.  

“But the main focus has to be on the dog’s health. Nothing else matters if the dogs aren’t healthy. You have to check the pedigrees and perform all the necessary health tests to be able to make a good breeding couple.” - he added.

If you are interested in learning about general information, check out the Czechoslovakian Wolfdog’s full breed profile.

We got in touch with another breeder, Mrs. Constanza, from Florence, Italy. She told us about a different approach to breeding and raising processes. “Since the first time I opened my dog to the Czechoslovakian Wolfdog, I knew this is the breed I want to be involved with. I had different breeds, but I immediately felt the special connection to the Czechoslovakian Wolfdog.” - she described to us her first meeting with this breed.

“We live near a forest, so my dogs and I spend a lot of time in the woods every day. I try to nurture the wolf part of their character. I would hate to see that side of their character lost and have these dogs turned into something they are not.”

She is clearly a huge fan of the relationship these dogs have to wolves, and that can clearly be seen from her occupation - a veterinarian specialized in wolves.

“We feed them a raw diet and allow them to roam the woods free, so they can develop their wild side. This doesn’t make them totally wild. You can clearly see them in the photo below. They are great pets if you provide and let them fulfill their daily needs.”

This is an awesome way to live with these dogs, and that is precisely what we had in mind when we hear the name Czechoslovakian Wolfdog. Not only are these dogs amazing to look at, but there are also some really fun facts about them. Here are some we wanted to share.

Photo by: Simone Pileci, dog -Silmarien of Foresta Incantata

Czechoslovakian Wolfdog fun facts

All breeds have something specific about them, and the Czechoslovakian Wolfdog has really cool fun facts. Here are some we would love to share.

1. Experiment result

These dogs are a result of an experiment that started in 1955. The experiment finished in 1965, and the result was the Czechoslovakian Wolfdog. There were different breedings of Carpathian male wolves to female German Shepherds and female wolves to male GSDs. Ten years after the start, the complete breeding plan was done for the breed, and in 1982 these dogs were recognized as the national Slovakian breed.

2. Service dogs 

Since their beginnings, these dogs had a purpose. They were developed to combine the wolf’s raw power and the German Shepherd’s trainability and obedience. At the beginning of the breed, these dogs were used as military attack dogs, and these days, they are often used as search and rescue dogs because of their superior tracking ability.

This is not the only Wolfdog in existence; there is a breed pretty similar to the Czechoslovakian Wolfdog, called the Saarloos Wolfdog.

Czechoslovakian Wolfdog vs Saarloos Wolfdog

This is only used as a breed comparison, not what is a better breed. These two dog breeds have some similarities, and those that are not familiar with both breeds can easily confuse them. To be completely honest, we haven’t seen them enough times to be entirely sure we would guess the correct breed right away. Here are their differences and similarities.

Differences 

The Saarloos Wolfdog comes from the Netherlands, while the Czechoslovakian Wolfdog comes from the former Republic of Czechoslovakia (now under Slovakia’s patronage). Saarloos is also larger than the Czechoslovakian dog. However, Czechoslovakians are healthier and have a longer lifespan (about 15 years, Saarloos only 12). Saarloos is also a lot heavier, which isn’t surprising since it is a taller dog.

Similarities

If you have never seen these dogs live, it is pretty easy to confuse them. You will be impressed by how similar they look to wild wolves, and both breeds come in wolf-grey colors with a traditional “mask” on their muzzle. They are both a result of breeding wolves and German Shepherds and the result of experimenting.

If you love wolf-like dogs, check the full profile of the Saarloos Wolfdog here.

Getting a healthy Czechoslovakian Wolfdog puppy 

Buying any dog breed should be a similar process; it is vital that you contact a good, responsible breeder with good breeding practices. It is an impressive breed, but don’t buy the first Czechoslovakian Wolfdog puppy for sale you come across. It is essential that you get a dog with a stable and balanced character.

If you don’t know how to spot a good breeder, here is a helpful guide. Dog breeders - everything you need to know.

This is a powerful dog, so it wouldn’t be the best idea to just get one without checking everything you can before deciding on a breeder and puppy. No one can guarantee your dog will be healthy, but getting one from a good bloodline and a good breeder is the best possible choice you can make. You can check the list of breeders on World Dog Finder here and ask them if they have any Czechoslovakian Wolfdog puppies for sale or even if they are planning on having any litters soon.

We only allow registered breeders to publish on our site, so you can be sure you are getting the best possible start for yourself and your new puppy. We hope you find your perfect wolf companion and that we have helped you to make an easier choice about this breed.

World Dog Finder team