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The Kuvasz is an ancient breed, among the oldest of
all breeds. The Kuvasz (plural Kuvaszok) is
recognized by the American Kennel Club and is a
member of the Working Group.
While scholars differ on the detail, the origins
of the Kuvasz are traced back as far as the cradle
of civilization in Mesepotamia and the steppes of
the Ural mountains in western Asia.
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It was in Hungary, however, that the breed
achieved it's present appearance. The Kuvasz is a
guarding dog, originally used for protecting
livestock such as horses, sheep and
cattle. |
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Around 2000 B.C. travel routes for the nomadic
people (and their livestock) between Europe and
Asia were established. The Magyar tribes were among
them, and swept along these routes conquering the
Carpathian Basin in Hungary bringing with them the "Ku
Assa" (meaning "Dog of the Horse").
During the reign of Matthias Corvinus, King of
Hungary (1443-1490) and Hungary's Renaissance
Period the Ku Assa were used by the nobility for
protection and hunting game. King Matthias
established his own breeding program. Those were
tumultuous times, with betrayal and assasination a
common occurrence. The King placed trust in his
dogs over his own Royal Guardsmen: it is said that
he kept at least a brace of Kuvasz with him at all
times. A gift of Kuvasz to a nobleman from the
Kings Royal Kennels was a special honor. Among
those so honored was Count Dracula, upon his
release from prison and marriage to the King's
daughter.
The Ottoman-Turkish takeover brought with it a
new evolution of the name, to "Kawasz" (meaning
nobility's armed guard). Over time, the "Kuwaz"
returned to its original duties, primarily guarding
livestock and farms.
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During World War II, the breed was
almost driven to extinction in Hungary. No
doubt the large white dogs, protecting
their families and farms, were a problem
to invading forces. Some letters of the
time suggest the dogs were hunted by
occupying troops. Ironically, at the same
time, officers were known to have taken
Kuvasz home with them. |
After the war, a factory owner wanted Kuvasz to
guard his property. A search of the country found
less than 30 dogs remaining. Thanks to his efforts,
and the efforts of other dedicated breeders in
Hungary and other parts of Europe, the Kuvasz was
re-populated in Hungary.
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Kuvasz were first shown at a dog show
in 1883. Count d'Esterházy, a strong supporter
of the breed, displayed two Kuvaszok in Vienna in
that year. The first Hungarian standard for the
breed was written in 1885, and the first Kuvasz
registered in the USA appears in the stud books of
August 1931. |
CH Rike von Waldfried
1st AKC Champion 1936
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The Kuvasz Club of America (KCA) was established in
1966, and granted status as the official breed club
in America by the American Kennel Club in
1993.
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