All About
Cesky Terrier

The Cesky Terrier is less edgy than most terriers, and their normally friendly, happy, easygoing temperament and cute looks makes this breed a potential choice for those who are looking for a lively household companion. Unlike many of its terrier cousins, the Cesky is fairly good around unfamiliar people and dogs, although it still often is reserved around strangers. Ceskys are smart, loyal and generally well-mannered. They love to play and are not particularly yappy or excitable. Nevertheless, they are still terriers and retain the hot, feisty, stubborn streak that makes them such talented hunters and watchdogs.

Your veterinarian can point you toward a high-quality diet that is suitable for your dog. This is a breed who loves to eat, so monitor his food intake carefully. Learn about which human foods are safe for dogs, and which are not.

Unlike grooming of some terrier breeds, hand stripping is not suggested for the Cesky’s coat. Instead, the body is clipped. You should visit a professional groomer referred by your breeder to be sure your dog is groomed correctly. There are so few Ceskys around that it is unlikely that most groomers have ever even heard of the breed. In between groomings, as the Cesky coat does not shed dirt as some harder coats do, he will need regular baths. They tend to grow a lot of hair in the ears, and this should be removed during each grooming appointment to prevent an ear infection. Ears should be cleaned regularly to remove excess wax and other debris.

With a small gene pool in the States, breeders are doing their best to eliminate genetic health problems that are currently possible in the breed. These include patellar luxation (slipped stifles), cardiac problems, progressive retinal atrophy, and cataracts. Many suffer from a neurological issue known as Scotty Cramp, a somewhat debilitating but not life-threatening disorder that causes your dog to spasm, affecting his movement. Your breeder can discuss the potential health problems with you and help you make informed decisions about your dog’s health. You should receive copies of the certification of the testing of your dog’s parents.

Recommended Health Test from the National Breed Club:

Although the Cesky (aka Bohemian Terrier) is the only Czech breed in the AKC Stud Book, the nation known as Bohemia, then Czechoslovakia, and finally the Czech Republic can boast a long, distinguished history of dog breeding. The tradition goes back to at least the 14th century, when Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor and King of Bohemia, kept a grand kennel of international renown. But it is not the Middle Ages but the World War II era where the Cesky story begins.

Like the Doberman Pinscher and the Boykin Spaniel, the Cesky (pronounce it “chess-kee,” meaning Czech) is a breed born of the vision of one person. In this case, the visionary was the mid 20th century Czech breeder, sportsman, and geneticist Frantisek Horak, who grew up hunting in the forests outside of Prague.

Horak set forth an ambitious breeding program. His ideal was a dog that could go to ground and dispatch a rat like a true terrier, but could also work in packs like hounds on bigger game, while being as gentle and obedient at home as retrievers.

If the Cesky looks something like a cross between a Scottish Terrier and a Sealyham Terrier, it’s because that’s what it basically is. Horak employed judicious crosses of Scotties and Sealys over many years to create the dog of his dreams. (At least one canine historian suggests that, at some point, Horak introduced Dandie Dinmont Terrier and wirehaired Dachshund into the genetic mix.)

The old Czech adage “Like dog, like master” certainly applied to Horak. As a 2011 story in the AKC Gazette put it, “Horak persevered through World War II and a communist revolution with terrier-like determination to create his vision of a new hunting breed.”
Ceskys were first imported to the United States in the late 1980s, and the breed was admitted to the AKC in 2011.