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Standards

CKC Standard Hungarian Standard AKC Standard

CKC STANDARD - Picture of Skeletal Anatomy

General Appearance Origin and Purpose Temperment Head Neck Forequarters
Body Tail Hindquarters Size Gait Coat and Colour Faults Disqualifications

General Appearance
The Kuvasz is a large working dog with a pure white, medium length, wavy coat. Although strongly built, he possesses grace and lightness of foot with no hint of bulkiness or lethargy and is exaggerated in no aspect.

Origin and Purpose
A Hungarian breed whose forbears can almost certainly be traced back to the Tibetan Mastiff, the present type Kuvasz was first recorded in Hungary in the ninth century. Since that time, they have been widely used in their native land, primarily as guardians but also for tracking, hunting, herding, and as companions.

Temperment
Temperamentally, the Kuvasz is an intelligent dog with a great deal of independence of spirit. He has been used for centuries as a guardian and has very strongly developed protective instincts.

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Head
From the tip of the nose to the top of the occiput should measure slightly less than half the dog's height at the withers. Viewed from above, the head should narrow gradually and smoothly from the ears to the nose. The skull and muzzle are of equal length, and the width of the skull should be slightly less than its length. While there is a gentle and graceful arch of the forehead above the eyes, the stop should be only slightly marked. A distinct furrow runs from between the eyes to the top of the occiput. The muzzle, which tapers gently from root to nose, is strongly built with a punishing bite. It is never snipey, but neither should it be coarse or clumsy. Skin on the skull and muzzle should be clean, dry, and close-fitting. The lips should be tight and show no flews. The eyes should be as dark as possible, ideally a coffee-black. They are almond shaped with close fitting rims set well apart and a trifle obliquely. The nose is of good size with well developed nostrils. The teeth are large and very strong. Dentition should be complete, and the teeth meet in a scissors bite. The Kuvasz has drop ears of triangular shape with a gently rounded tip. Set well to the side and nearly at a level with the top of the head, the upper portion stands slightly away from the head, while the lower third falls close to the cheek. When the dog is alert, he brings the whole ear slightly toward the front giving him a keen and alert appearance. The ear should be small and neat, and when pulled over the face should just cover the eye.

Neck
The neck should be powerful, slightly arched, and of medium length. There should be no dewlap.

Forequarters
The shoulders are well covered with good, hard muscle. The shoulder blade and upper arm should be at right angles to each other and of good length allowing the dog ample reach and follow through of stride. Elbows are close without being constricted and the whole foreleg should describe a straight line from shoulder to forepaw when viewed from the front. The leg should be of good, strong bone without being coarse or clumsy. The pasterns should have ample spring and the feet should be of the type known as " cat feet", tight and well arched with deep, resilient pads. There should not be much hair between the toes.

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Body
The withers are prominent and slope gently into a strong, level back of medium length. The chest reaches to the elbow with a well developed forechest and medium spring of rib. The ribs behind the forelegs must taper inward to allow complete freedom for long, easy stride. The loin is strong and gently arched. There is a distinct but moderate tuck up. There should be a well formed, slightly sloping croup which is broad and well muscled.

Tail
The tail is set on low, a smooth continuation of the slope of croup. The tip, when straightened, should reach the hock. The tail hangs straight down and may be slightly turned up at the tip but should not curl when the dog is relaxed. When the dog is excited, the tail will curl up to the level of the loin but should not be carried over the back.

Hindquarters
The hindquarters are well angulated. The angle between pelvis and upper thigh should be 90 degrees to correspond with the proper angle in the forequarters. The upper thigh itself should be of good length creating the correct bend of stifle (110-120 degrees). The bend of the hock joint should be about 130-140 degrees with the metatarsus being short, strong, and perpendicular to the ground. Rear paws are somewhat longer than forepaws but should nevertheless be tight and well arched with deep, resilient pads. Dewclaws are undesirable and should be removed.

Size
The recommended sizes are:
Males - 28 to 29 1/2 inches (71 to 75 cm); high at the withers with a corresponding weight of approximately 88 to 115 lb. (40 to52 kg)
Females - 26 to 27 1/2 inches (66 to 70 cm); high at the withers with a corresponding weight of approximately 66 to 93 lb. (30 to 42 kg).

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Gait
The trot is smooth, elastic, and far reaching often showing a tendency for the hind foot to overreach the front. As the dog's speed increases, he will tend to single track. When he is moving fast, he will carry his head low at a level with his shoulders. The Kuvasz should move effortlessly enabling him to travel great distances without fatigue.

Coat and Colour
The double coat is formed by a coarse outer guard coat and a thick, woolly undercoat. The texture of the guard coat is rough so that the coat readily sheds dirt and shows no tendency to mat. The length of the hair follows a definite pattern: head, ears, front of forelegs, and feet are covered with short, straight, dense hair 3/8 to 3/4 inches ( 1-2 cm) in length. The guard coat on the body and thighs is medium length 1 1/2 to 4 3/4 inches (4-12 cm). Some coats have long, loose waves. Some have smaller, tighter waves. Both are correct, as is anything in between. On the adult dog, the coat must not be tightly curled nor should it lie completely flat, but the degree of waviness will vary considerably from one specimen to another. There is a ruff and mane of longer hair about the neck and chest, more prominent on the males, and feathering of 2 to 3 1/4 inches (5-8 cm) on the back of the legs. The tail is thickly covered in long, wavy hair 4 to 6 inches (10-15 cm) in length. Puppies may have either straight or curly coats but should lose these characteristics with their first adult coat. The coat is a lustrous pure white, although ivory is permissible but not preferred. A yellow saddle is to be severely penalized. The skin is well pigmented, preferably grey in colour. The nose, eye rims, lips, and flews are black. The roof of the mouth should be dark. Pads of the feet are black or slate grey and slate coloured nails are preferred.

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Faults
Since the Kuvasz is a working breed, any faults of soundness should be considered serious. Faults in type which should be guarded against are:

  • too short a muzzle
  • apple head or bulging skull
  • no visible supraorbital ridge
  • too much stop giving an uncharacteristic setter like appearance
  • drooping haws or pendulous flews
  • hound ears lying back in the ruff
  • too long a neckbarrel chest
  • loose or sloppy shoulder assembly
  • yellow eyes or yellow markings
  • sullen appearance or distrustful expression (not to be confused with reserve)
  • extreme nervousness
  • overshot or undershot mouth
  • gay tail

Disqualifications
Over or undersize as follows:
Males - over 32 inches (81 cm) or under 25 1/2 inches (65 cm)
Females - over 30 inches (76 cm) or under 23 1/2 inches (60 cm).
So pronounced a lack of pigmentation as to have flesh coloured eye rims. Colour other than white.

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HUNGARIAN STANDARD

General Characteristics Origin and Purpose Head Neck Forequarters Body Tail
Hindquarters Size and Weight Movement Skin and Coat Faults Disqualifications

General Characteristics
Strong, large, white, wavy coated dog. Pleasing exterior denotes nobility and strength. Body proportions are well balanced neither lanky nor cobby. Medium boned, never course. Well muscled with dry joints. Viewed from the side, the trunk and the limbs form a horizontal rectangle slightly deviated from the square. Sturdy build combined with lightfootedness allows him to move freely on strong legs.

Origin and Purpose
The kuvasz is one of the oldest Hungarian working shepherd dogs. He came to the Carpathian basin possibly with the migrant Hungarians or with the Cumanians. The kuvasz excels as a protection dog and is a good watchdog for property and home. He has a keen sense of smell and can be used for tracking work.

Disposition is lively but not easily excitable. His general exterior gives evidence to untiring working ability. Loyal to his owners but very discriminating with strangers. Extremely brave to the point of self sacrifice.

Head
The beautiful Kuvasz head denotes harmony, strength, and intelligence. The wedge shaped head is elongated but never pointed. Skull is broad and the forehead slightly rounded. The longitudinal midline of the forehead is pronounced and continues to the muzzle. Medium developed bony arches are above the eyes. Stop is gently sloping to the muzzle. Top of muzzle is straight, tapered towards the nose but is never snipey. Nose is rounded and black in color. Cheeks are wide and long, very well muscled. The full set of teeth are well developed, powerful, regular, and close in a scissors like bite. Flews are tight and black with indented edging at the corner of the mouth. Ears are set on the same horizontal plane as the top of the head, bent at the base, and close to the skull. The outer edge of the upper third stand away from the head, and the inner edge lie close to the cheeks forming a rounded V-shape. When alert, the ears may move slightly but never rise above the head, cast backward, or fold lengthwise. Eyes are slanted, almond shaped, dark brown or black in color. Eyelids are black and tight.

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Neck
Forms an angle of 25 to 30 degrees with the horizontal, medium length well muscled and has no dewlap.

Forequarters
Position of the front legs is of medium width. Elbows neither in nor out. Long, well muscled radius support the body in a definite straight line. Muscles continue towards the foot with lean and strong tendons. Joints are dry, never loose. Pasterns form an angle of 45 degrees with the horizontal. Feet are tight, well padded cat feet, black or slate gray in color. Very little hair between the toes. The nails are well developed, black or slate gray.

Body
Shoulders are long and withers are higher than the back. Medium long back is straight and firm. Loin is short and tight. Croup is slightly sloping, broad, and well muscled. The abundance of coat on the rear may give the appearance of being higher than the front. Chest is slightly rounded and deep. The ribs are long, and well sprung. In profile, the prosternum is ahead of the shoulders and is covered with strong muscles. The stomach is tucked up.

Tail
The tail is set low, a natural continuation of the sloping croup. It is carried low with the last vertebra reaching to the hock joint. In repose, it hangs down, the end slightly lifted, and not curling. In a state of excitement, the tail may be elevated to the level of the loin but never curl above the back.

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Hindquarters
Rear limbs and the thighs are well muscled. Pelvis and the femur form an angle of 90 degrees. The femur and the tibia form an angle of 110 to 120 degrees (stifle angulation). Tibia and metatarsus form an angle of 130 to 140 degrees (hock angulation). Metatarsus is broad, dry and powerful. Hocks are perpendicular to the ground. Metatarsus is more steep than the metacarpus. Rear paws are somewhat longer than the front paws but just as tight. Dewclaws, if any, are removed. Pads are thick, nails well developed, black or slate-gray in color.

Size and Weight
Height at the withers are:
Males: 71 to 76 centimeters
Females: 66 to 70 centimeters
Relative measurement for different parts of the body is in percentage to that of the withers:

  • length of body: 104%
  • depth of chest: 48%
  • width of chest: 27%
  • measurement of the girdle: 120% (also called circumference at the withers)
  • length of head: 45%
  • length of muzzle: 42% of the head length
  • length of ears: 50% of head length
  • weight for males: 48-62 kg
  • weight for females: 37-50 kg

Movement
The walk is slow. The trot is energetic, covers ground well. The kuvasz is able to trot 25 to 30 km without tiring.

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Skin and Coat
Skin is heavily pigmented, slate gray in color. Nose, eyelids, and flews are black. The foot pads are slate gray or black. Preferred color for the roof of the mouth is black, but dark pigmentation on slate gray foundation is accepted. Hair is medium coarse, wavy, slightly rough in texture and does not mat. Color is white. The double coat formed by medium course guard hair has a fine, downy undercoat. Head, ears, and paws are covered with 1 to 2 centimeter long, straight, thick hair. The hair on the front of the forelegs up to the elbows and on the hindlegs below the thighs are also covered with straight thick hair. The back of the forelegs are feathered to the pastern with hair 5 to 8 centimeters long. Around the neck, there is a mane that extends to and covers the chest. The mane is more prominent on the male kuvasz. Body, thighs, and upper forelegs are covered with a medium long (4 to 12 centimeters) thick, wavy coat which forms haircrests, swirls and tufts. The entire tail is covered with a thick wavy coat 10 to 15 centimeters.

Faults

  • Too short or too long muzzle
  • Forehead more rounded
  • Underdeveloped bony arches above the eye
  • Too much stop
  • Loose eyelids and flews
  • Cast back, twisted or incorrectly folded ears
  • Long neck
  • Too wide chest
  • Loose shoulders
  • Light or pink pigmentation of the skin
  • Light eyes
  • Poor pigmentation on the nose, flews and eyelids
  • Roachback or swayback
  • Loose body structure
  • Yellow coat or markings
  • Incorrect front or rear stance
  • Missing, crooked, or uneven teeth
  • Coat not wavy
  • Small size
  • Round eyes
  • Roman nose
  • Coarse head
  • Aggressive or shy temperament
  • Long body
  • Flat chest
  • Light bone structure

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Disqualifications

  • Upstanding ears
  • Overshot bite
  • More than 2 millimeters undershot bite
  • Entropion or ectropion eyelids
  • Very pronounced stop
  • Coat which mats
  • Short, straight, stiff, splintery coat
  • Open coat with very little undercoat
  • Limbs covered with long hair
  • Males smaller than 68 centimeters
  • Females smaller than 63 centimeters
  • Tail raised higher than the loin or curled over the back in repose
  • Coat color other than white
  • Cryptorchidism, monorchidism

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AKC STANDARD

General Appearance Temperment Head Neck Forequarters Topline, Body Back
Tail Hindquarters Size Proportion Gait Coat Disqualifications

General Appearance
A working dog of larger size, sturdily built, well balanced, neither lanky nor cobby. It is white in colour with no markings. Medium boned and well muscled without the slightest hint of bulkiness or lethargy. Impresses the eye with strength and activity combined with light footedness and moves freely on strong legs. The following description is that of the ideal Kuvasz. Any deviation must be penalized to the extent of the deviation.

Temperment
A spirited dog of keen intelligence, determination, courage and curiosity. Very sensitive to praise and blame. Primarily, a one family dog. Devoted, gentle, and patient without being overly demonstrative. Always ready to protect loved ones even to the point of self sacrifice. Extremely strong instinct to protect children. Polite to accepted strangers, but rather suspicious and very discriminating in making new friends. Unexcelled guard possessing the ability to act on his own initiative at just the right moment without instruction. Bold, courageous and fearless. Untiring ability to work and cover rough terrain for long periods of time. Has good scent and has been used to hunt game.

Head
Proportions are of great importance as the head is considered to be the most beautiful part of the Kuvasz. Length of head, measured from tip of nose to occiput, is slightly less than half the height of the dog at the withers. Width is half the length of the head. Eyes are almond shaped, set well apart, and somewhat slanted. In profile, the eyes are set slightly below the plane of the muzzle. Lids tight, haws should not show. Dark brown - the darker the better. The ears are V shaped with the tip slightly rounded. Rather thick, they are well set back between the level of the eye and the top of the head. When pulled forward, the tip of the ear should cover the eye. Looking at the dog face to face, the widest part of the ear is about level to the eye. The inner edge of the ear lies close to the cheek, the outer edge slightly away from the head forming a V. In the relaxed position, the ears should hold their set and not cast backward. The ears should not protrude above the head. The skull is elongated but not pointed. The stop is defined, never abrupt, raising the forehead gently above the plane of the muzzle. The longitudinal midline of the forehead is pronounced widening as it slopes to the muzzle. Cheeks flat, bony arches above the eyes. The skin is dry. Muzzle length in proportion to the length of the head, top straight, not pointed, underjaw well developed. Inside of the mouth preferably black. Nose large, black nostrils well opened. Lips black closely covering the teeth. The upper lip covers tightly the upper jaw only, no excess flews. Lower lip tight and not pendulous. Bite dentition full, scissors bite preferred. Level bite acceptable. Disqualifications - overshot bite, undershot bite.

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Neck
Muscular, without dewlap, medium length, arched at the crest.

Forequarters
The shoulders muscular and long. Topline - withers are higher than the back. The scapula and humerus form a right angle, are long and of equal length. Elbows neither in nor out. Legs are medium boned, straight and well muscled. The joints are dry and hard. Dewclaws on the forelegs should not be removed. Feet - well padded. Pads resilient, black. Feet are closed tight forming round " cat feet." Some hair between the toes, the less the better. Dark nails are preferred.

Topline, Body Back
Is of medium length, straight, firm and quite broad. The loin is short, muscular and tight. The croup well muscled, slightly sloping. Forechest is well developed. When viewed from the side, the forechest protrudes slightly in front of the shoulders. Chest deep with long, well sprung ribs reaching almost to the elbows. The brisket is deep, well developed, and runs parallel to the ground. The stomach is well tucked up.

Tail
The tail is carried low with natural length reaching at least to the hocks. In repose, it hangs down resting on the body, the end slightly lifted. In state of excitement, the tail may be elevated to the level of the loin, the tip slightly curved up. Ideally, there should not be much difference in the carriage of the tail in state of excitement or in repose.

Hindquarters
The portion behind the hip joint is moderately long, producing wide, long, and strong muscles of the upper thigh. The femur is long creating well bent stifles. Lower thigh is long, dry, and well muscled. Metatarsus is short, broad, and of great strength. Dewclaws, if any, are removed. Feet as in front, except the rear paws somewhat longer.

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Size Proportion
Substance height measured at the withers - Dogs - 28 to 30 inches, females - 26 to 28 inches
Disqualifications - dogs smaller than 26 inches. Females smaller than 24 inches.
Weight - dogs approximately 100 to 115 pounds, females approximately 70 to 90 pounds.
Trunk and limbs form a horizontal rectangle slightly deviated from the square.
Bone in proportion to size of body. Medium, hard. Never heavy or coarse. Any tendency to weakness or lack of substance is a decided fault.

Gait
Easy, free and elastic. Feet travel close to the ground. Hind legs reach far under meeting or even passing the imprints of the front legs. Moving toward an observer, the front legs do not travel parallel to each other but rather close together at the ground. When viewed from the rear, the hind legs (from the hip joint down) also move close to the ground. As speed increases, the legs gradually angle more inward until the pads are almost single tracking. Unless excited, the head is carried rather low at the level of the shoulders. Desired movement cannot be maintained without sufficient angulation and firm slimness of body.

Coat
The Kuvasz has a double coat formed by guard hair and fine undercoat. The texture of the coat is medium coarse. The coat ranges from quite wavy to straight. Distribution follows a definite pattern over the body regardless of coat type. The head, muzzle, ears, and paws are covered with short, smooth hair. The neck has a mane that extends to and covers the chest. Coat on the front of the forelegs up to the elbows and the hind legs below the thighs is short and smooth. The backs of the forelegs are feathered to the pastern with hair 2 to 3 inches long. The body and sides of the thighs are covered with a medium length coat. The back of the thighs and the entire tail are covered with hair 4 to 6 inches long. It is natural for the Kuvasz to lose most of the long coat during hot weather. Full luxuriant coat comes in seasonally depending on climate. Summer coat should not be penalized. Color white. The skin is heavily pigmented. The more slate gray or black pigmentation the better. Disqualification - any color other than white.

Disqualifications

  • Overshot bite
  • Undershot bite
  • Dogs smaller than 26 inches
  • Females smaller than 24 inches

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