The Bohemian Shepherd is a breed

Dog breed

Dog breeds are groups of closely related and visibly similar domestic dogs, which are all of the subspecies Canis lupus familiaris, having characteristic traits that are selected and maintained by humans, bred from a known foundation stock....

 of dog

Dog

The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...

 also known as the Chodský Pes or the Chodenhund. The Bohemian Shepherd is recognized nationally in the Czech Republic

Czech Republic

The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....

 but is not recognized by the FCI

Fédération Cynologique Internationale

Fédération Cynologique Internationale is an international federation of kennel clubs based in Thuin, Belgium. The English language translation, World Canine Organisation, is not often used.Its goals are described in Article 2 of their regulations:...

 or any other major kennel club

Kennel club

A kennel club is an organization for canine affairs that concerns itself with the breeding, showing and promotion of more than one breed of dog...

.

Appearance

Chodský pes is a medium-sized breed. They are 19 to 22 inches in height and weigh about 35-55 lbs. The coat is long and thick with a dense undercoat, colour is black and tan. The ears are erect, small, high-set and pointed.

Temperament

This is a very active dog with a wonderful temperament. They are quick in training and are generally very fast learners. This breed is not aggressive, they are good with children, dogs and other pets. Chodský pes is great at agility, rescue work and service-training. It has an excellent nose and exhibits aptitudes for working with handicapped people. Naturally it is also a wonderful watch dog. This is certainly a breed of many talents, excelling in agility, rescue work, guiding the deaf and blind, herding and even recreational sledding.

History

Chodský pes is an old sheepdog breed. They have been also guarding Czech southern borders and homes in the area. "Chodove", the local people living there, had an exceptional permission to hold large dogs for this purpose. Alois Jirasek, writing about a brave uprising of the local people, even assigned these dogs as a flag symbol of them. Though that is actually incorrect, the symbol became part of national knowledge due to drawings of a well known Czech painter Mikolas Ales

Mikoláš Aleš

Mikoláš Aleš , was a Czech painter.-Biography:Aleš was born in Mirotice near Písek, into a relatively rich family that was in debt at the time. He was taught history by his brother František until the latter's death in 1865; he expressed interest in painting at an early age...

. The symbol of the chodský pes is still on Czech young scouts badges.

As the breed of chodský pes is old, it is possibly also one of the predecessors to the German Shepherd. Chodský pes is known to exist in the Czech lands as far back as the 14th century, and having been professionally bred as early as the 16th century. A modern breeding program for this dog was started in 1984 and there are now many breeders. About 3500 registered pups have been born since the program started (1984–2009).