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The
Cesky Terrier, sometimes referred to
as a Bohemian Terrier or Czech Terrier, is a relatively new breed. The
breed was developed by Mr. Frantisek Horak, a Czechoslovakian geneticist.
Sadly, Mr. Horak passed away in 1996, but during his lifetime he developed 2
breeds of dogs: the Czech Piebald Dog and our beloved Cesky Terrier.
He began developing the Cesky breed in 1949 and the Piebald in 1954.
Mr. Horak at his kennel in the Czech
Republic
| Mr.
Horak was a Scotty and Sealyham breeder. Most
terriers were bred to "go to ground," which involves
locating or following burrowing animals into their holes. This
task requires a small but courageous dog.
Mr. Horak wanted a game dog that could go to
ground and not "get stuck" as his Scotties sometimes did,
but one that was more amenable to other dogs than most terriers so
they could be used to hunt in groups.
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Mr. Horak with one of his Cesky
Terriers |
Mr. Horak believed that crossing a Sealyham and a
Scotty could produce the type of dog he wanted. He kept
extremely detailed records of his breeding program, so unlike many breeds,
the history of the Cesky is extremely well documented. His breed
gained popularity, particularly with hunters.
The
Cesky is the most successful of the national breeds in the Czech
Republic, and has been featured on stamps, buses, on television, in books,
and even in a movie. Despite a temporary ban on exporting the breed
from Czechoslovakia, the breed has still managed to become quite popular in
Europe and is now becoming well known in the U.K., Canada and the
U.S.
Important
Dates
1949 Mr.
Horak did the first breeding of a Scotty and a Sealyham.
1963 The
Cesky was recognized by the FCI
1980’s Mr.
Horak decided that the breed needed some new blood, so, with the FCI’s
permission a Sealyham was bred back into the breed
twice, in 1984, and again in 1985.
2000 The
Cesky was recognized by the Canadian Kennel Club as a full-fledged member of
the terrier group.
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