Toy Bulldog vs Slovak Cuvac - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

Looking quite a bit like the Pyrenean Mountain Dog, the Slovak Cuvac is a large dog that has served as a guard dog. The Slovensky Cuvac is still used on sheep farms as he isn’t afraid of wolves and bears and will take them on if needs be.

Records of this dog have been kept since the 17th century already, and when the breed started dying out, a certain Dr Antonin Hruza put in efforts to revive the dog.

The registered breeding of the Slovensky Cuvac was established in Czechoslovakia and a club for the dog was established in 1933. A written standard was established in 1964. The dog is not recognized by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale.

The Toy Bulldog hails from England, but it is now extinct.

It is believed that the reason for this is that there were different breeding groups working in different directions. One of the groups wanted a smaller dog and there was also an attempt to cross French Bulldogs with Bulldogs to decrease their weight, but this breed was also not developed.

This is a large dog standing at between 59 and 70cm in height and weighing between 31 and 44kg.

The neck is broad and has quite a bit of fur around it. The head is large, the eyes dark brown, the double coat is white and thick and medium length. The eyes are brown, the ears medium length and floppy and the tail long and furry.

He has well-muscled limbs and is fairly agile for such a large dog.

Temperament:

This is a robust dog, used to spending time outdoors keeping watch over livestock. When he is invited into the home, he is gentle and well behaved, more so when he has been trained and socialized.

He is loving and loyal towards his human family and will get on well with children in the home. He isn’t the brightest dog but you can still have him trained.

The Toy Bulldog was a medium sized dog standing at between 25 to 35cm in height and weighing between 11 and 18kg.

The coat of the dog was short and smooth and came in colors such as white and fawn, red or brindle. He had quite a bit of soft skin around the face and neck.

He was a small dog with a large body, short legs, broad muzzle, small ears and a docked tail.

The coat was glossy and short and they had soft skin and hair around the neck and head. They come in a variety of different colors ranging from pale yellow, light fawn to solid red.

Temperament:

The Toy Bulldog was a loyal and affectionate dog towards his human family It’s a pity he became extinct because he was amusing and entertaining, a great friend and companion.

They were calm dogs and didn’t require a lot of space and would have adapted well to life in the city or the countryside.

Your playful Slovak Cuvac is an affectionate dog, wanting nothing more than to be totally involved in his family’s life.

He is social and loving and also makes an excellent watchdog. He’s a big dog so think carefully before you bring him into your home. Many dog owners like the look of a big dog and forget that it costs a lot of money to feed a big dog and to pay for vet fees.

This big dog is wanting to be part of your family and not just to be discarded when you find that he is costing you too much.

The Toy Bulldog was friendly, docile, calm and gentle although tending to be a little bit stubborn.

He no doubt made a wonderful pet and would have been ideal for single people, families as well as older people. He would have made a splendid pet, and would have been an indoor kind of pet.

Not particularly high in energy, he would have enjoyed some exercise just to ensure he didn’t put on weight. He’s extinct now, but there are other popular bull dog breeds, and something of him lives on in these modern bulldogs.

This is a healthy dog breed, but as with many large dogs, hip dysplasia is a threat. Hip dysplasia is always reason for concern as the condition can reduce a dog’s quality of life.

It is distressing seeing your once active pet becoming reluctant to play and move around.

Canine hip dysplasia is a common skeletal condition. It can strike any size dog but is more prevalent with large dogs. The ball and socket of the hip doesn’t fit properly and deterioration sets in resulting in loss of function of the joint.

You will need to get your dog to the vet who will perform a physical exam and discuss treatments to alleviate the pain your dog can experience.

It is believed that that these dogs were healthy in their day but were no doubt prone to some canine illness issues just like any other dogs.

They would likely have battled with eye issues such as cherry eye, as well as joint problems.

Cherry Eye:

Cherry eye in dogs may not mean your dog’s life is in danger, but left untreated it can cause bigger eye problems later on.

Unlike a human being, a dog has 3 eyelids, with the 3rd one giving added protection to the dog’s eyes. It’s job is to keep dirt from entering the eyes.

There is a gland in the 3rd eyelid which can move out of place and then it bulges. This is what cherry eye is. The eye becomes irritated and the gland produces discharge. It is best to get your dog to the vet who has the skills and know-how to push the gland back into place.

◆The thick white hair will require regular grooming to keep it free from burrs and dirt. He sheds so this brushing will help him to look more groomed.

◆The nails should be trimmed regularly and the ears too should be checked for redness and infection. You’ll need to look inside his mouth too as a rotting tooth can cause havoc within his body. A rotten tooth can also cause him tremendous pain and he has no way of telling you this.

◆Have your pet spayed or neutered if you don’t want any puppies. This is better for your dog’s health in the long run too.

◆Your Slovak Cuvac is going to need a lot of exercise as they have always been used to roaming the mountains watching over livestock.

◆This is a big dog so if you buy commercially manufactured food, make sure its for large, energetic dogs. There are good commercially manufactured dog foods on the market – just make sure you buy the best one for your pet to enhance health and longevity.

Try and give him some home made food too. Healthy food which won’t jeopardise his digestion is boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots. These can all be chopped up and small portions mixed into the dry kibble twice a week as a treat.

Try and include some raw meat occasionally. Your dog will thank you for not giving him exotic people foods which can do lots of harm. Ensure there is always a bowl of fresh, cool water within his reach.

Diet:

The Toy Bulldog would have needed healthy, quality food to remain healthy. It is believed he became extinct in the early 1900s. Maybe there weren't commercially manufactured dog foods then. Their owners possibly tossed them scraps from the table.

Any dog would have to receive a good quota of vitamins and minerals in their food to stay healthy. If the dog was around today, you would read on the packaging label to see what to give him and definitely include some tasty home-made food too.

Nothing spicy and exotic – just plain, boiled chicken, brown rice, sweet potatoes and spinach. Simple foods like this ensure a dog remains free of stomach ailments.

Every dog requires a constant supply of fresh, cool water.

The Toy Bulldog with his short coat would have been easy to groom. He would have required a brush twice a week.

He would have needed a little bit of exercise, preferably a longish walk.

You had to be careful with a dog like this. He didn’t tolerate the heat well. He was not suited for running or jogging and could have developed heat stroke and weakness with his excessive panting. All the huffing and puffing and sweating would have irritated his skin as well.

He would have needed a warm, dry place to sleep indoors. If he went outside, he would have required shade and sunshine to lie in.