Cesky Fousek

The Cesky Fousek (pronounced Chess-key Foe-sek) is a Czech dog breed with wiry hair, a long “moustache,” and a short bushy tail.

Combined with a unique pattern of white, brown, and orange colorations, it almost has an old, wise appearance. Likely originating in the Middle Ages from the kingdom of Bohemia (what is now the Czech Republic), the Cesky Fousek was bred as an expert gundog to find and retrieve hunting game. The more precise term “pointing dog” comes from the way it points its muzzle in the appropriate direction of the game.

This breed also goes by the names Bohemian wirehaired pointing Griffon and rough-coated Bohemian pointer. One important caveat is that this breed may be very hard to find in certain parts of the country. This breed is not well-known outside of the Czech Republic, even though it actually arrived in the United States in the late 19th century. Depending on where you live, you may need to travel far to find specialized breeders.

3 Pros and Cons of Owning a Cesky Fousek

Pros!	Cons!
Highly active This breed will easily satisfy owners who love to exercise with their dogs.	Needs constant attention This breed requires plenty of exercise and attention throughout the entire day.
Loyal and obedient The Cesky Fousek adapts easily to intense training. Sports, tricks, hunting, and other tasks all come naturally to it.	Destructive behavior If left alone, the Cesky Fousek can easily become bored and anxious, leading it to engage in destructive behavior. It can become lost and purposeless without some kind of guidance from its owner. It is not a good idea to leave it alone for long stretches of time.
Easy-going and affectionate The Cesky Fousek has little of the stubbornness that afflicts some breeds of dogs. It is laid back and friendly, always ready to engage with its owner. It gets along reasonably well with children and other animals.	Prone to some health problems This includes cancer, ear infections, and hip conditions.

Cesky Fousek Size and Weight

The Cesky Fousek is a muscular medium- to large-sized dog breed. Males weigh quite a bit more than females.

Height (Male)	24 to 26 inches
Height (Female)	23 to 24 inches
Weight (Male)	62 to 75 pounds
Weight (Female)	49 to 62 pounds

Cesky Fousek Common Health Issues

The Cesky Fousek is prone to many common health issues that afflict other dog breeds, including cancer, ear infections, and hair loss. This breed also has a tendency to inherit hip dysplasia, a genetic disorder that arises from the abnormal development of the hip socket. In its worst form, this condition can cause lameness and arthritis that follow the dog throughout its entire life. Because this condition arises early in the dog’s development, you should make sure the breeders, store, or adoption agency has screened for potential health issues as a puppy.

It is also a good idea to have regular physical examinations and ear examinations. If you can afford it, then you might want to think about getting semi-regular tests to catch issues early on. To sum up this breed’s most common health problems:

• Cancer
• Hip Dysplasia
• Ear Infections
• Alopecia (bald spots)

Cesky Fousek Temperament and Behavior

The Cesky Fousek has a warm and friendly personality that’s eager to please. Its behavior combines intelligence with obedience, toughness and tenacity with a gentle and playful side. Through training, exercise, and play time, there are endless ways to interact positively with this breed. This dog’s personality and behavior, honed over centuries of selective breeding, are also ideal for hunting trips.

No matter the conditions, it is in its element when tracking down game. These trips also serve as a good way to strength the bond between dog and owner. For all these reasons, the Cesky Fousek is a good rural dog. But as long as you have enough open space to exercise in, even urban dwellers may come to love this affable dog. Just make sure that it has plenty to occupy its wandering and energetic mind.

How to Take Care of a Cesky Fousek

The Cesky Fousek requires a good deal of care and attention to maximize the happiness of the dog and the amount of enjoyment you derive from owning this breed. Regular health checkups and screenings from the time it’s a puppy are good ideas. Over time, you may come to develop a very deep bond with the breed. You should treat it as a companion and partner as much as a pet.

Cesky Fousek Food and Diet

The Cesky Fousek requires about 4 cups of high-quality dog food a day to supports its very active lifestyle. You can also hand out treats regularly to encourage good behavior and assist with training. This breed burns through energy very quickly, but you should nevertheless watch out for signs of weight gain.

Cesky Fousek Maintenance and Grooming

The Cesky Fousek is a moderate shedder that requires regular brushing about once or twice every week. A normal comb or pin brush should be sufficient to remove loose hair and dirt. Unless the dog is particularly dirty, it is not necessary to give it regular baths, just regular cleaning with a cloth. Other important grooming advice includes weekly teeth brushes, semi-regular nail trimmings, and constant ear cleaning to lower the risk of infection. If the dog gets wet on one of its many adventures outside, then you should dry it as thoroughly as possible to prevent it from catching a chill.

Cesky Fousek Training

The Cesky Fousek responds to training with the obedient air of a loyal companion. With a bit of guidance, this breed can be taught to perform any tricks or tasks that the owner desires. The Cesky Fousek fortunately has little of the stubborn streak that characterizes many other dog breeds, so you should not struggle to teach it what you want. Although primarily bred to assist its owner with hunting, the Cesky Fousek is also agile and fast enough to participate in some athletic or sports competitions. Training is so important to this breed that it serves as an important means of strengthening the bond with its owner.

Cesky Fousek Exercise

The Cesky Fousek is a high-energy breed that may require as much as an hour of exercise a day. Otherwise, it may engage in destructive behavior to work off its excess energy. So before buying, you should make sure that you have access to plenty of open space for the dog to run and play. If you don’t have to a yard or nearby open space, then you should be prepared to take it on frequent trips to the park. It should ideally get about 20 miles of exercise every week. Because it was bred as a hunting dog, the Cesky Fousek takes very well to fetch and ball games. It’s also an excellent swimmer that can easily traverse pools or bodies of water without a problem.

Cesky Fousek Puppies

The Cesky Fouseks are very responsive puppies that can be trained and socialized easily from an early age. As long as you attend to its needs and make the extra effort to screen for adverse health conditions, the puppy should be set for a long and successful life.

Cesky Fouseks and Children

Due to its level-headed and friendly nature, the Cesky Fousek works very well as a family pet. It is simultaneously well-behaved and very protective of its owner. However, you should be aware that the breed’s energetic behavior may be a problem around younger children. It is therefore a good idea to have a responsible caretaker or supervisor around at all times to provide the dog company and companionship.

Breeds Similar to the Cesky Fousek

The Cesky Fousek is very similar to the German wirehaired pointer and the French wirehaired pointing Griffon. However, these are relatively rare and specialized breeds. If you are looking for more mainstream hunting dogs similar to the Cesky Fousek, then you should check out these breeds instead:

• Irish Setter – Adorned in a fiery red and orange coat of fur, the Irish setter is a fellow gundog with a gregarious and good-natured personality. This incredibly athletic breed has a lean, wiry appearance with big droopy ears and long elegant fur. It has a staunch reputation as a good work dog and an affectionate companion.
• Labrador Retriever – This friendly and spirited retriever is one of the most popular dog breeds in the United States. It requires lots of exercise and training to really satisfy this breed. It is therefore not for owners who want a low maintenance dog. But for those who have the time and inclination to take care of it, the Labrador retriever is a loving and playful dog.
• Golden Retriever – This incredibly popular dog breed has many of the same attributes and characteristics as the Labrador retriever. It is loyal, playful, friendly, athletic, and obedient. It is also a medium to high maintenance dog that requires plenty of attention and exercise. But the golden retriever will delight children and adults alike.

Popular Names for the Cesky Fousek

The website madpaws.com lists these dog names as the most popular:

• Charlie
• Bella
• Buddy
• Max
• Molly
• Ruby
• Oscar
• Coco

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