Description

Referred to as the Bohemian Terrier, the Cesky Terrier is considered to be a very stout and short-legged, average-sized dog with bushy eyebrows--all on a very long head coupled with a mustache and beard.

Slung long and low, its tail is not docked and is approximately eight inches in length. When in the normal position, the tail is against the hindquarters, but when alert or highly emotional it is carried horizontal to the ground.

Coat Description

This dog has the dual-length coat look as it is clipped short on the body, with longer hair left on the belly and legs. This long hair reaches to the floor, while covering the legs like a little skirt with the hair on the moustache, eyebrows, and the beard remains long.

Unusual as it sounds, the color of the Cesky's features will vary depending on the color of the hair. Certain colored hair will bring about certain colored eyes, noses, and lips.

History

A controlled crossbreeding of the Scottish Terrier and Sealyham Terrier brought forth the present-day Cesky--a short-legged, moderate, sized hunting dog that was easy to take care of.

Additional cross-breeding with the Dandie Dinmont was felt to jeopardize the Cesky breed over the years, especially as it affected in a negative manner its original breed standards. Because of this, the Sealyham Terrier was cross-bred into the Cesky Terrier to develop a more refined look.

Temperament

Considered to be less aggressive than most other terriers, the Cesky gets along well with other dogs, even though they still maintain the terrier personality--feisty and fearless. Terriers are wonderful animals for being very brave, courageous, loyal, and obedient, while in comparison to other terriers, will get along well with strangers, to a point.

Having a desire to please their owners, they are usually kept inside as an indoor pet or companion, as they want to be around their loved ones as much as possible. As a young puppy, this is a breed that is chock-full of energy, becoming slightly calmer as they gently mature unless it is exercise time.

Health Problems

Scottie Cramp is one of this breed's problems that can cause awkward movements to develop in the Cesky, even though it is not a fatal or threatening disease. In fact, this dog is considered a very sturdy animal with very few diseases, especially diseases that are on the "major illness" list.

The folded ears have been known to cause problems for the folded ears of this dog, as in any breed that has such an ear-type. The first sign of ear problems is a bad odor from the ear area, rubbing the head on something hard or even scratching at the ears.

Grooming

Regular grooming of this little dog's hair needs to be done on a steady basis, especially when the hair is kept long around the face of the little Cesky--this long hair will involve the beard, the mustache, and the eyebrow. The hair around the body will look a little skirt that has been placed around their middle.

Clipping around the stomach and legs should be done about four times annually, depending on the dog and how much time is spent outdoors. Stickers, bristles, mites, and grass clippings have a habit of "gathering" on the long hair of this little dog whenever they run around outside or exercise in the woods. To remove such things, special brushes are available at any pet shop--such as pin brushes, slicker brushes, and many other types.

Exercise

Considered an inside pet or companion that requires a certain amount of exercise; this is the type of dog who is perfect for city life, apartments, and homes with yards. They are also perfect for walking with the elderly, running with the teenage children or small youngsters to the park, and they can also live with healthy joggers who are single. But wherever they live, this dog needs to stay busy as they love to eat more than just about anything on Earth; their slow metabolism can cause them to become heavy very quickly with the smallest amount of food.

Many things can be considered as exercise for this little dog--hunting classes, agility or competitive shows, or anything the owner and his dog feels they can succeed at. The advantage of this type of classes or competitions are the fact that handling the dog becomes second-nature to both the owner and the dog. Becoming a better owner should also mean becoming a better dog handler and trainer, with the Cesky becoming more content and emotionally closer to their owner.

Training

Working with this terrier should begin at a young age from eight weeks to about four months of age, in order to get them to learn to trust and build a positive relationship with their owner. Considered a dog that minds automatically without much training, they are considered an affectionate animal with a mild-mannered aspect toward their owners.

In order to properly train this dog will, usually very little needs to be done as it is a natural quality of the breed to want to learn and please their owner. For example, housebreaking the Cesky Terrier should begin as soon as they can "live without mother," as the smaller breeds who are indoors more often than the outside dogs, seem to struggle a bit more with this process. Training this type of breed with a puppy crate when learning to housebreak the young puppy is the easiest and best way to achieve success.