INTRODUCTION

    Hello, my name is Gregory Barrett, and I am a Kuvasz lover and creator of this information site. I have been involved with Kuvaszok for a few years as a pet owner, and decided to provide information to those interested in the breed.

    The extraordinary beauty and regal bearing of these dogs bewitched me. Unfortunately, I was naive and uninformed about Kuvasz and the dog business when I first became involved with the breed.

    I had to put Tyra to sleep at fifteen months of age. She was my first dog and the love of my life. My beautiful pup had hip dysplasia and severe patella (knee) problems. Surgery and fifteen miserable weeks of confinement couldn't save her. Imagine how you would feel losing your Tyra. 

    My sweet Amiga tried to console me after our friend Tyra was gone. A few months later she was diagnosed as having an extra vertebra in her spine and fluid on both knees. When the local veterinary experts advised me that she should only be leash exercised from that point on, (at seven months of age) I did what I thought was best for her, but made the biggest mistake of my life... I returned her. 

    Amiga has a snow white coat and weighs about seventy-five pounds. There is a red spot in the corner of her right eye. Thanks to my socialization and care she was very friendly with people and animals.

    Utilize the information found in the documents entitled QUESTIONS FOR BREEDERS and KUVASZ AS PETS, as well as everything else found at this site. Hopefully you will have pleasant experiences should you decide to bring a Kuvasz or any dog into your life.

    Due to my sad encounters and because of my love for these beautiful dogs, I try to find homes for Kuvasz in need. To date I have facilitated the rescue of several Kuvasz in Canada. I have had to manage these undertakings by myself.

    One of my goals is to prevent rescue situations by providing people with information and as much help as I can, so they can be sure that a Kuvasz is the right choice for them. This is as much for the sake of the dog as the prospective buyer. I would rather not ever have to try and find a new home for another orphan, regardless the reason.

    Kuvasz are large, formidable, guardian oriented dogs. They absolutely must have early, continual, and lifelong EXTENSIVE SOCIALIZATION. To some people that is hard work. Personally I have always enjoyed the process, but I will concede it is extremely time consuming. If because of family, work, or other commitments, you cannot perform this MANDATORY task, I respectfully suggest you select one of the more naturally people-friendly breeds.

    You are likely aware there is very little information available about this breed. Another unfortunate side effect of Kuvasz rareness on this continent is the lack of specific professional help. Veterinarians, dog trainers, show judges, and people in canine related fields are often not familiar with these dogs. Those acquainted with the breed who have only seen delinquents, are sometimes unnecessarily critical of all Kuvasz as a result and not supportive of owners.

    If at all possible go to see a Kuvasz in a setting similar to the one where you live.

    I encourage you to take your time and do conscientious research if you are considering one of these guardians as a companion. You must be especially careful to choose an ethical and competent breeder, so you will have a partner, lifelong reference source, and maybe even a friend.


QUESTIONS FOR BREEDERS
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