CESKY TERRIER

Official U.K.C. Breed Standard*

Terrier Group
  © Copyright 1993, United Kennel Club, Inc..

HISTORY

The Cesky (Czesky) Terrier, also known as the Czech or Bohemian Terrier, originated in Czechoslovakia as a manmade breed developed by geneticist Dr. Frantisek Horak. Dr. Horak, a well-respected breeder of both Scottish and Sealyham Terriers, was seeking a breed for both going to ground and for hunting in the open field. Dr. Horak's crossbreedings of these two Terriers, beginning in 1949, brought the results he desired in a relatively short period of time, with the new stock breeding true by 1959. It was recognized by the Federation Cynologique Internationale in 1963.

The Cesky Terrier was recognized by the United Kennel Club on January 1, 1993.

GENERAL APPEARANCE & CHARACTERISTICS

Thanks to its body mass, the Cesky possesses characteristic qualities just as good for successful work on wild game in a den as it also does for hunting in the open. It settles for a short walk, but is nevertheless very active and has endurance. It is rough and tenacious in battle with wild prey and vermin, yet is not heedlessly aggressive.

In addition, its easy handling, patience and sturdy construction make it a good house dog as well as companion for children. By nature it is sweet, lovable and people oriented, desiring to be in the midst of activities. Because it is not inclined to be feisty, the Cesky gets along well with other dogs. As well as the silky luster of its coat, another breed characteristic is the Cesky's pastel color - in shades of blue-gray, from silver to dark slate gray, and a light coffee-brown.

Scars, the result of honorable wounds, are not considered faults and are not to be penalized.

HEAD AND SKULL

In general, the head projects at a blunt, long, not too broad angle. The head is proportionately large. The topskull has a noticeable arch. The occiput is easily felt. Between the ears, the skull is not too broad, and is moderately narrow at the eyebrows. The plane of the forehead forms a sharp angle with the long axis of the bridge of the nose. Brow wrinkles are slight. The stop is slight but marked. The cheekbones are not prominent. The bridge of the nose is straight. The jaws are strong. The lips are well-joined.

Preferred head length: males, 8.3 inches (21 cm); bitches, 7.9 inches (20 cm). Preferred skull length: males and bitches, 4.7 inches (12 cm). Preferred skull width: males, 4 inches (10 cm); bitches, 3.5 inches (9 cm).

TEETH
A full complement of strong, white teeth meet in a scissors or level bite.
Faults: Weak teeth. Short teeth. A level bite with too pointed teeth. Overshot or undershot bites.

EYES
The medium size eyes are rather deeply set and have a good-natured expression. They are brown to dark brown in blue-gray dogs. They are yellow (amber) to liver colored in light coffee-brown dogs.
Faults: Eyes too large or protruding. Eyes too light in blue gray dogs. Entropianism. Ectropianism.

NOSE
The large nose is well-developed. It is black in dogs with blue-gray hair. It is liver in dogs with light coffee brown hair.

EARS
The medium size ears overhang (droop) so they cover the ear openings well. They are set on comparatively high and lie close to the cheeks. The ear leather is triangular in shape, the short side is at the attached edge.
Faults: Ears too short. Ears too long. Ears far from the standard. Carried in a way other than stated.

NECK

The medium long, sloping neck is carried in a somewhat powerful way. The neck is clean, having no loose skin.

FOREQUARTERS

The shoulders are muscular. The well-placed shoulder blades are flexible. The elbows are loose, moving freely alongside the body, not under it; turning neither in nor out.

Preferred angle of joints between the shoulder blade and shoulder joint is 100 degrees. Preferred angle of joints between the shoulder and the radius of the forearm is 135 degrees.

FORELEGS
The straight forelegs are strong-boned.
Fault: Crooked forelegs.

BODY

The body is medium long. The backline is straight with a very slight arch at the loin. The muscular loins are comparatively long, broad and moderately developed. The chest is more round than deep. The ideal chest circumference range, measured behind the front legs, measures from 15-3/4 to 17-3/4 inches (40 to 45 cm). Preferred chest circumference, measured behind the elbows: males, 17.7 inches (45 cm); bitches, 17.3 inches (44 cm). Preferred chest circumference at the last rib: males, 16.9 inches (43 cm); bitches, 16.5 inches (42 cm).

The ribs are well-sprung. Preferred chest (brisket) width: males, 5.9 inches (15 cm); bitches, 5.5 inches (14 cm). Preferred depth of chest: males, 6.7 inches (17 cm); bitches, 6.3 inches (16 cm). The belly, from the the last ribs to the hind legs, is considerably spacious, with a moderate tuckup. The flanks are full.

Fault: A chest circumference of more than 20 inches (50cm). A back that is short, too long, delicate or overdeveloped.

HINDQUARTERS

The muscular, strongly developed rump slopes moderately. Preferred length of rump: males, 16.9 inches (43 cm); bitches, 15.75 inches (40 cm).
Preferred angle of joints between:

• the hip bone and upper thigh joint is 100 degrees;
• the upper and lower thigh joints is 120 degrees; and
• the lower thigh and the hock joints is 135 degrees.

HIND LEGS
The strong-boned hind legs are parallel when viewed from the rear. The upper thighs are well muscled. The comparatively short lower thighs are directed in a backward slant so the legs are well-angulated. The strongly developed hocks are set comparatively high.

Fault: Faulty placement of the hind legs.

The large feet have arched toes and strong toenails. The pads are full and well-developed. The hind feet are smaller than the fore feet. Dewclaws may be removed from fore and hind legs.

TAIL

The undocked, comparatively strong tail is seven (7) to eight (8) inches (18 to 20 cm) long. It is not set on too high. At rest, it is carried hanging down or bent moderately upward at the end. In movement, the tail becomes horizontally sabre-shaped or is carried somewhat lifted.

Fault: Twisted tail. Tail carried over the back.

COAT AND SKIN

The coat is thick and of a silky luster over the whole body. The skin is gray on blue-gray dogs and flesh-colored on the light coffee-brown dogs. The eyes are well-covered with overhanging hair. The hair on the throat is somewhat curly. Some areas of the coat - the back, tail and top and back of the head - are clipped or shaven closely, not stripped, o give a shiny look to those areas. (The length of coat on he back and neck will be 1/2 to 2/3 of an inch long.) After being clipped short, the hair is usually lighter, fine and very wavy. A longer cut is darker and more wavy to curly. The hair on the stomach, chest, legs, and from the eyebrows own on the face, is long and silky. The coat is not clipped on the rib cage, stomach and legs. The transition from the clipped to the unclipped parts must be gradual.

COLOR

Cesky Terriers come in two basic colors - blue-gray and light coffee-brown. Blue-gray dogs are born black. Light coffee-brown dogs are born chocolate. In all dogs, the basic color must predominate. Yellow, gray and white markings are permissible in both colors. These markings appear on the head, on the cheeks and on the underside of the muzzle, on the neck, chest, belly, the lower parts of the legs and on the tip of the tail. There may occasionally be a white collar on the front of the neck.
Fault: Muzzle any other color than permitted.

HEIGHT AND WEIGHT

Height, measured at the withers, ranges from 10-1/2 to 13-3/4 inches (27 to 35 cm). Preferred height: males, 11.8 inches (30 cm); bitches, 11 inches (28 cm). Weight ranges from thirteen (13) to twenty (20) pounds (6 to 9 kg). Preferred weight: males, 18 pounds (8 kg); bitches, 15.5 pounds (7 kg).
Serious fault: Any dog weighing over twenty (20) pounds (9 kg).

GAIT

Movement is free and directly forward. The forelegs go straight forward in the direction of the body axis. The movement of the hind legs is propulsive. The trot is brisk so that the dog is able to follow a striding man without tiring. The gallop is slower, yet steady. Correct placement of the legs and their correct movement are to be emphasized.
Fault: Incorrect movement.

DISQUALIFICATIONS

Unilateral or bilateral cryptorchid.
Extreme viciousness or shyness.

* NOTE: This information has been contributed by, and is property of The United Kennel Club, Inc. and is gratefully used here with permission.

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