Kuvasz

This is one truly affectionate dog, unless you threaten her family, in which case she will not hesitate to act out aggressively.

She likes a game in puppyhood, but becomes more serious with maturity.

Most of the time, she is calmer and less aggressive than her cousin the Komondor, but she is always reactive and ready to defend when needed.

She is very intelligent and self-determining.

Although she has a good sense of smell, she doesn’t really use it to hunt any more.

She is stand-offish and defensive towards strangers, whom she will regard with suspicion until their story checks out.

She is a very independent dog, but does still need human contact.

She can bear being away from her master, since her main mission is to protect their stuff for them.

She has a strong character that should be controlled quickly with a consistent training routine, firm but fair. You should know that if this dog feels threatened or abused, she can quickly show her fangs.

Bred as a guard dog, she can be very barky unless it’s trained out of her as a pup.

The Kuvasz is not noted as a runaway. She is bred to stay at her post.

She will become destructive if left alone and under-stimulated for long periods – particularly during puppyhood.

She is not noted as a glutton but will tend to bloat dangerously if given the chance to overeat or rush her food. Treats can help her education.

She makes an excellent guard dog but needs to be professionally coached in her youth to prevent her natural vigilance from getting out of control like a rogue superhero.

She’s too big and outdoorsy to enjoy life in a flat.

She needs around an hour of decent exercise each day, plus regular walks and plenty of mental stimulation, or she will go nuts.

The Kuvasz can become quite uncomfortable in most transportation.

She needs to be well socialized with other animals from her youth if she is to receive them with warmth and gentleness.

She can work well in a pack. Otherwise, the Kuvasz puppy must benefit from an early, regular and high-quality socialisation to develop her canine codes and respectfully interact with her fellow creatures.

She is affectionate, gentle, and protective with children. However, caution should be taken that she doesn’t cause accidental damage with her considerable strength, and that she doesn’t mistake visiting children as a threat to those of her own family.

She is not built for an inactive life. This dog would only suit an elderly owner with the experience, energy, and durability to cope with a hound of her training needs, size, and strength. 

The Kuvasz is a terrible idea for a first dog; although she looks gorgeous, she can be difficult to handle for inexperienced owners.