Posted with kind permission of "Rona" owner of CSV: Lorelei z Peronowki
What makes the difference between the CSV dog breed and what the Americans call wolfdog/wolf hybrid/ is the level of predictability of the animal's appearance, character and behaviour. In case of CSV an extremely tough and fast process of controlled selection for specific features took place for several years. It was completed with a detailed breed standard and the registry of the breed at FCI. In case of wolf/dog hybrids - there has been no such targeted selection.
This means that when getting a pedigree CSV from a reliable kennel, where the pups are well socialised and used to interacting with the "human pack" from their early days, the owner knows what kind of animal he might expect. When buying a wolf/dog hybrid of any wolf blood content either 98% or 5%- he may expect anything - from a wolf to a dog or any combination of these...
Sixty years ago in the Pohranicny Straze Military Kennel methodical work was carried out towards selection of CSVs that would be as doggish, trainable and work-loving as GSDs, and as healthy and strong as wolves. Only four Carpathian wolves were used in the creation of the breed and the last crossing took place in 1980. The full pedigree of each registered CSV can be traced back to the crossing with the wolves and the names + kennels of the GSD are also known. There were no random matchings! The first hybrids were trained for work and later tested. Those, that did not pass extremely tough working tests were eliminated (also physically ) from breeding, just like animals of the strongest 'wolfish' nature (most independent and shy) were NOT used for further breeding simply because they were useless for service. Still, some of their genes remained in the population and their remote "echoes" now contribute to the differences among particular CSVs. That's why it's not an easy breed and requires much time, effort and knowledge on the part of the owners, especially when raising very smart and ingenuous () pups.
People who know the breed well put great emphasis on the need to train CSVs and give them opportunity to work - whether it's obedience, tracking, defence, endurance runs by the bike (40, 70, 100 km), etc. 'Work drive' especially towards tracking is the most basic selected element of their nature and at the same time the most valuable trait of their character, which shouldn't be wasted if the dogs are to match the standard and not be turned into a purely 'show breed'.
I personally think (as do most CSV owners and breeders from Europe) that mix-breeding CSVs with other animals is morally wrong, since it would eventually lead to the destruction of the breed, which is still in the phase of development. Honest breed lovers and breeders have been trying now to cooperate internationally in order to breed smart, friendly and healthy CSVs, more and more balanced as far as the appearance and especially the character is concerned.
By producing accidental mixes with other breeds and wolves, those devoted breeders’ work and effords would be easily spoiled and the deaths of many beautiful animals that did not pass the tests in the Military Kennel would be wasted, not to mention the suffering of the people who were involved in this very controversial "experiment". (I'm not in a position to judge it and I don’t). The gene pool of the breed is rather limited and that’s why the breeders carry great responsibility for wise and knowledgeable breeding, to strengthen the positive features, to avoid hereditary illnesses and keep the separate genetic lines.
Adding Carpathian wolf’s blood (the scientist argue that this was the key to success – Carpathian wolves are shy, but their crosses turned more oriented towards cooperation with humans than those with American wolves) might theoretically help enrich it, but it would be a very risky step. Hardly anyone can imagine in modern ‘humane’ times, in civilian conditions such fast, tough and.... cruel selection process like the one that took place in the Czechoslovakian Army . Such project would cost a fortune, involve many people - breeders, trainers and still without the selection the balance and stability of the breed would be put at great risk…
Whatever the origin of the breed was, these beautiful, smart and healthy animals now exist. They're lovely and loyal... I think it was W. Churchill who said that he liked neither dogs nor cats, because dogs are man’s slaves and cats show him contempt. I bet he would like CSV since they love their pack, but definitely are not slaves…
It's just a matter of imagination & ethics to protect them, and keep the way they are...
View Rona's CSV at link below.
http://picasaweb.google.pl/rpaszkowska/Lorelei#
What makes the difference between the CSV dog breed and what the Americans call wolfdog/wolf hybrid/ is the level of predictability of the animal's appearance, character and behaviour. In case of CSV an extremely tough and fast process of controlled selection for specific features took place for several years. It was completed with a detailed breed standard and the registry of the breed at FCI. In case of wolf/dog hybrids - there has been no such targeted selection.
This means that when getting a pedigree CSV from a reliable kennel, where the pups are well socialised and used to interacting with the "human pack" from their early days, the owner knows what kind of animal he might expect. When buying a wolf/dog hybrid of any wolf blood content either 98% or 5%- he may expect anything - from a wolf to a dog or any combination of these...
Sixty years ago in the Pohranicny Straze Military Kennel methodical work was carried out towards selection of CSVs that would be as doggish, trainable and work-loving as GSDs, and as healthy and strong as wolves. Only four Carpathian wolves were used in the creation of the breed and the last crossing took place in 1980. The full pedigree of each registered CSV can be traced back to the crossing with the wolves and the names + kennels of the GSD are also known. There were no random matchings! The first hybrids were trained for work and later tested. Those, that did not pass extremely tough working tests were eliminated (also physically ) from breeding, just like animals of the strongest 'wolfish' nature (most independent and shy) were NOT used for further breeding simply because they were useless for service. Still, some of their genes remained in the population and their remote "echoes" now contribute to the differences among particular CSVs. That's why it's not an easy breed and requires much time, effort and knowledge on the part of the owners, especially when raising very smart and ingenuous () pups.
People who know the breed well put great emphasis on the need to train CSVs and give them opportunity to work - whether it's obedience, tracking, defence, endurance runs by the bike (40, 70, 100 km), etc. 'Work drive' especially towards tracking is the most basic selected element of their nature and at the same time the most valuable trait of their character, which shouldn't be wasted if the dogs are to match the standard and not be turned into a purely 'show breed'.
I personally think (as do most CSV owners and breeders from Europe) that mix-breeding CSVs with other animals is morally wrong, since it would eventually lead to the destruction of the breed, which is still in the phase of development. Honest breed lovers and breeders have been trying now to cooperate internationally in order to breed smart, friendly and healthy CSVs, more and more balanced as far as the appearance and especially the character is concerned.
By producing accidental mixes with other breeds and wolves, those devoted breeders’ work and effords would be easily spoiled and the deaths of many beautiful animals that did not pass the tests in the Military Kennel would be wasted, not to mention the suffering of the people who were involved in this very controversial "experiment". (I'm not in a position to judge it and I don’t). The gene pool of the breed is rather limited and that’s why the breeders carry great responsibility for wise and knowledgeable breeding, to strengthen the positive features, to avoid hereditary illnesses and keep the separate genetic lines.
Adding Carpathian wolf’s blood (the scientist argue that this was the key to success – Carpathian wolves are shy, but their crosses turned more oriented towards cooperation with humans than those with American wolves) might theoretically help enrich it, but it would be a very risky step. Hardly anyone can imagine in modern ‘humane’ times, in civilian conditions such fast, tough and.... cruel selection process like the one that took place in the Czechoslovakian Army . Such project would cost a fortune, involve many people - breeders, trainers and still without the selection the balance and stability of the breed would be put at great risk…
Whatever the origin of the breed was, these beautiful, smart and healthy animals now exist. They're lovely and loyal... I think it was W. Churchill who said that he liked neither dogs nor cats, because dogs are man’s slaves and cats show him contempt. I bet he would like CSV since they love their pack, but definitely are not slaves…
It's just a matter of imagination & ethics to protect them, and keep the way they are...
View Rona's CSV at link below.
http://picasaweb.google.pl/rpaszkowska/Lorelei#