How to choose your new puppy

Money will buy a pretty good dog, but it won't buy the wag of his tail

Josh Billings

A Kuvasz is a very large, intimidating animal. Are you sure that you are up to the challenge of dealing with a dog like this? Despite how cute the young puppies are, an adult Kuvasz can be over 120 lbs. and stronger than most people. Kuvasz, like most dogs, shed, dig, bark, chew, and have almost any other annoying habits that any breed can have. Kuvasz are not hypoallergenic. Kuvasz do not have the oily coat of most water dogs and thus don't smell "doggy" as quickly as a Golden Retriever might but, they still generate dander and floating hair that can cause an allergic reaction. If anyone tells you that the Kuvasz are hypo allergenic they are wrong.

Kuvasz are headstrong, as you would expect in a breed developed to work alone guarding the flocks. They are not a dog for the weak of will. Every Kuvasz owner should attend a group obedience class with their dog. This is important to get the new puppy used to behaving when there are other dogs and people around. The American Kuvasz Association strongly recommends a Puppy Kindergarten Training program, to be begun as soon as possible after the puppy has had its shots. If you wait until the dog is "old enough" to enter a real obedience class, you are already behind the curve with your dog. A Kuvasz will likely weigh 60 lbs. at six months old. Do you want 60 lbs. of untrained puppy in your house?

Like any dog over 30 lbs., the Kuvasz can suffer from hip dysplasia. Hip dysplasia is a degeneration of the hip socket. Depending on the severity of the dysplasia, symptoms can range from, looking stiff when rising from a sitting or prone position to, a total inability to walk. While it is not clear what all of the causes of hip dysplasia are, it is widely believed in the veterinary community to have a genetic component. If an ancestor is dysplastic, it substantially raises the odds that the puppies will be. The only accepted way to reduce the chances of producing a dysplastic puppy is to have the hips of the breeding stock X-rayed and the X-rays evaluated by a skilled veterinarian. The two largest services for evaluating hips are the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) and the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC). The procedures and terminology used by the OFA and OVC differ somewhat but, in practice, the reports have similar value. An OFA or OVC report will say that the hips are Poor, Fair, Good, or Excellent. Studies have shown that puppies bred from stock that has a better rating have a much lower incidence of dysplasia.

We have heard of breeders who have said that they don't have to have OFA or OVC certification for their dogs because they have never had a dysplastic dog. How do they know if they never X-ray? How would you know? We have heard of breeders who claim that genetics is not the cause of dysplasia. This goes against every veterinary study published. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof. If the breeder is claiming this when they are trying to sell you a puppy, what are they going to say if your puppy should prove to have a defect?

Many breeders offer health guarantees. Read the guarantee closely. Most say that if the puppy is proven to have a genetic defect that the breeder will take the puppy back and replace it. This type of agreement leaves some unanswered questions. First, the word "proven," is it stated in the contract what will constitute proof? If your vet says that the puppy has a genetic condition and the breeder says that the vet is wrong, what is the mechanism for reconciling this? The second question is even more basic. What if your dog develops a condition after you have owned it for a while? Do you want to give the puppy back to the breeder, to be possibly destroyed, and get another puppy? It is best for all concerned if you ensure that the breeder that you deal with has taken certain precautions.

You've done your reading. You've met a few adult Kuvasz and you want to buy a puppy. How do you know if the breeder you've heard about is the right one for you? Here's some basic guidelines.

Ask questions. While some people think that the AKC registration implies quality, you should recognize that the AKC never examines puppies or breeding stock to ensure quality. Ask about what championships the breeding stock had achieved. A Champion, ultimately, is just a dog that has at least three judges say that it looks like what the breed standard describes. If the breeder says that they don't show their dogs, you should wonder why. Without showing, what indications do you have that the parents even resemble the breed standard? Reputable breeders show their dogs to ensure that they are on the right track with their breeding stock. Since our information shows that the prices differ only slightly between the non-showing breeders and the reputable ones, why not be sure?

Be wary of breeders who constantly are advertising in the local newspaper. If you see a breeder advertise constantly in a local newspaper that tells you two things. First, they are producing a lot of puppies. This indicates a commercial purpose rather than an a concern for the breed.The second thing that the newspaper ad tells you is that they are not working to national standards. Reputable Kuvasz breeders advertise in "Dog World" and "Dog Fancy" magazines. These publications are available in any good bookstore. Reputable breeders will not breed a litter without a waiting list. With the life span of a Kuvasz over 10 years, what is another few months to wait?

Unlike more popular breeds, most Kuvasz owners didn't buy their puppy from the person down the street. Many breeders can ship a puppy to you. Any reputable breeder would be thrilled to have you visit their kennel. Puppies are shipped to and from every state and province of Canada and the breeders are experienced in making the trip an easy one for the puppy.

We hope that this has helped you in your search for a puppy. If you have any more questions please look at the Breeders List .