Overview
The Bohemian Shepherd is a compact, long-haired herding dog from southwest Bohemia. For centuries it worked alongside the Chod people, guarding borders, moving livestock and tracking game.
Today it is valued as a lively, trainable family companion and sport dog, with a stable temperament and a lovely, light, unhurried gait.
History
The breed is tied to the Chods, a people settled in the borderlands between Bohemia and Bavaria in the thirteenth century to guard the frontier. Their faithful dogs became a symbol of the region, appearing on the Chod pennon and in Czech literature, which earned the locals the nickname Psohlavci, or Dog-heads.
After the Second World War the breed nearly vanished. In 1984 two Czech enthusiasts began a revival program, tracing surviving dogs and comparing them with old records and drawings. The first litter of the program arrived in 1985 and the studbook was closed in 2000. The breed has been provisionally recognised by the FCI since 2019 and is slowly reaching North America.
Appearance
The Bohemian Shepherd is a medium-sized, slightly rectangular dog with a compact, well-proportioned body and an elegant neck. The ears are small, pointed and set high, and stand erect.
The coat is long and thick with a rich undercoat, and the desired colour is black with tan markings. The movement is fluid, light and unhurried.
Temperament
Bohemian Shepherds are quick, energetic and eager to learn, yet stable and calm in the home. They are friendly with children and usually get on well with other pets.
They are agile with a good nose, which makes them well suited to search and rescue, assistance work and dog sports, and they make natural, alert watch dogs.
Care and exercise
This is an active breed that needs daily exercise, mental work and a family to share its time with. Training, agility, tracking or scent games suit it well. Early socialisation helps shape a confident, balanced adult.
The thick coat needs regular brushing, especially during the seasonal moult, but is otherwise easy to keep.
Health
The Bohemian Shepherd is generally healthy with few hereditary problems, helped by strict breeding guidelines set by the Czech breed club in the 1990s. Typical lifespan is 12 to 14 years.
