Cesky Terrier breed guide

Muscular, short-legged hunters no taller than 13 inches, Cesky Terriers are as determined and prey-driven as any terrier but mellower. Wary of strangers and protective of loved ones, they make good watchdogs.

AKC calls the breed a little less stubborn than other terriers, though it still needs a firm hand in a kid glove and shuts down under negative or harsh training.

Cesky Terriers live 12 to 15 years. Because of a small gene pool in the United States, breeders are working to eliminate genetic problems that are possible in the breed: patellar luxation, cardiac problems, progressive retinal atrophy and cataracts.

Many suffer from a neurological issue called Scotty Cramp, a somewhat debilitating but not life-threatening disorder that causes spasms and affects movement.

Hand stripping is not suggested for the Cesky Terrier coat. The body is clipped instead. AKC advises visiting a professional groomer referred by your breeder, since so few Cesky Terriers exist that most groomers have never heard of the breed.

The Cesky Terrier enjoys daily walks and play sessions with its owner, but it must be on a leash outside a securely enclosed area, because a very strong prey drive may keep it from resisting the chase.

The Cesky, also called the Bohemian Terrier, is the only Czech breed in the AKC Stud Book and the Czech lands have a long history of dog breeding going back to at least the 14th century, when Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor and King of Bohemia, kept a kennel of international renown.

The Cesky Terrier story begins in the World War II era and like the Doberman Pinscher and the Boykin Spaniel it was born of the vision of one person.