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	Back to "About Kuvasz, Croatian Sheepdog and Mudi" Contents Back to Home COMPARISON BETWEEN KUVASZ, CROATIAN SHEEPDOG, MUDI 1 - MORPHOLOGY General Characteristics : If Croatian Sheepdog (Hrvatski Ovcar) and Mudi appear so similar that we could think that they make only one breed, it could seem a strange idea to compare Kuvasz and Croatian Sheepdog/Mudi, above all because of the height, also the ears and the colours. The main characteristic of these 3 breeds is that they all prove to be tall and spare, lean. Long legs support comparatively narrow body. On no account Kuvasz could be classified as a mountain dog. The standard dated 1966 wrote that he is able to run and cover a distance of 25 km without being very tired. Actually, Kuvasz, Croatian Sheepdog and Mudi share a very considerable inclination for running. They have a good turn of speed. Most of them like jumping too. Their morphology, especially all their inclination for running, and their mentality make me put side by side these 3 breeds and the Sighthound ones. The Sighthound breeds show a slighter morphology, but this can often be considered as "hypertype", and when I compare Kuvasz and Croatian Sheepdog/Mudi with the Sighthound type, I want to say without "hypertype" - Sighthoundtype of past centuries ? Head We find an elongated head, rather narrow but no too much narrow. The head main characteristic is that it forms an isosceles triangle when it is seen from above. This with almond-shaped and slantwise eyes belong to the typical wolf-head, and Kuvasz is said to take after wolf but also of Sighthoundtype. In fact, it can be read in the standard of some Sighthound breeds that the head is cone-shaped. The Mudi eyes are considered as a little less slantwise than those of the Kuvasz. The standard dated 1969 writes that the Croatian Sheepdog's eyes are set straight. The Mudi eyes are said oval and those of the Croatian Sheepdog must be almond-shaped. But this is a matter of fact : Mudis and Croatian Sheepdogs have exactly the same eyes. Of course, this doesn't mean that one and all have exactly the same eyes, dogs are not clones inside one breed ! Why such descriptions ? Time has come to explain. Croatian Sheepdog is bred for centuries by the Croatian ethnic group. But during centuries, their land belonged to the Hungarian one. I will write more about that, but there is no doubt for me that Mudi is nothing else than a Croatian Sheepdog who spread lands around. The FCI recognized the Mudi as a breed in 1963 and after that, the Croatians had to concoct another standard which was different enough so the FCI could accept to recognize Croatian Sheepdog in addition of the Mudi. For me, such differences as those we can find about the eyes are due only to this need for two different enough standards. By the way, Csaba Geyza Anghi, who wrote a book about Hungarian Sheepdogs in 1936 (A Magyar Pasztorkutyàk és a Külföldi Rokonfajtàk, Anghi Csaba Geyza, Springer-nyomda Bethlen Gàbor-utca 33, Budapest, 1936), described the Mudi eyes as "rather almond-shaped" ... Although we can find straight set eyes in the 3 breeds, most of the dogs have slantwise eyes (wolf-head), in the Croatian Sheepdog too. For me the straight set eyes didn't mean anything else that to get some differences from the Mudi standard. The standard dated 1969 wants eyes-arches to be "not developed" for the Croatian Sheepdog ; the Mudi standard dated 1966 write the same, the one dated 2000 says "only a little developed" ; while the Kuvasz standard dated 1966 wants "moderately developed" and the Kuvasz standard dated 2000 write nothing about ! The Hungària Kuvasz Klub published a book in 2000 ("A Kuvasz", Hodosi Jozsef) ; we find of course the new standard and comments : we must consider as defect not enough developed or too much developed eyes arches. For me, all the expressions means about the same. Of course we can find every kind of eyes-arched in the dogs of the 3 breeds, bust most head show little developed eyes-arches. In the 3 breeds the longitudinal ditch in the middle of the forehead is visible, more or less pronounced. The Croatian Sheepdog standard dated 1969 in French write that the longitudinal ditch isn't very pronounced, the one in Croatian says that it is expressed - for me that means : visible but not too pronounced. In the 3 breeds the heads are long (more for the Kuvasz and less for the Mudi), elongated, but we get measurements. Measurements in the percentage of the height at the withers : Length of the head : Kuvasz : 39 % (Anghi, 1936), 45 % (standard dated 1966), 45 % (propositions for the standard dated 2000 and standard comments, that is to say "A Kuvasz" book, 2000) Mudi : 38,6 % (Anghi, 1936), 42 % (standard dated 1966), 42 % (propositions for the standard dated 2000) Croatian Sheepdog : about 20 cm (standard dated 1969) - that is to say about 40 % if we consider the maximal height at withers (50 cm), but if we consider the mean of the height, 45 cm, the percentage become about 44 %. We find also some measurements in the percentage of the length of the head : Length of the muzzle (nose) : Kuvasz : 36 % (Anghi, 1936), 42 % but often 50 % (standard dated 1966), 42 to 50 % (standard comments, "A Kuvasz", 2000) Mudi : 41 % (Anghi, 1936), 40 % (standard dated 1966), 40% (propositions for standard dated 2000) Croatian Sheepdog : (about) a 20 cm long head with a 9 cm long muzzle (standard dated 1969) - that is to say 45 % Ear length : Kuvasz : 36 % (Anghi, 1936), 50¨% (standard dated 1966), 50 % (propositions for standard dated 2000 and standard comments, 2000) Mudi : 44 % (Anghi 1936), 45 % (standard dated 1966), length = 110-115% x its base (standard dated 2000) Anghi gave also some other measurements : Kuvasz : breadth of the head (1) : 35 % breadth of the head (2) : 22 % breadth of the ear : 29 % Mudi : breadth of the head (1) : 50% breadth of the head (2) : 23 % breadth of the ear : 35 % length of the skull : 56 % Of course these numbers are only "about" ! Anghi gave precise numbers, which were the result of the mean of different measurements that he did on real dogs. All these numbers must be put into perspective. Some measurements are given in the percentage of the height at withers, others in the percentage of the length of the head. But how precise are the measurements of the height at withers and of the length of the head ? So for me, measurements of the length of the head or of the muzzle can be really used as argument to differentiate Mudi and Croatian Sheepdog from each other. The muzzle would have to be shorter in the Mudi than in the Croatian Sheepdog (5% x 20 cm = 1 cm as difference). Of course we can find long muzzle and short muzzle in the two breeds. Such ratios must be put into perspective. But they give an idea of what must be the dog. Must be but isn't always ... of course. A few things appear with these numbers. Kuvasz head has changed from 1936 ... But can one be sure that the Kuvasz population was really reflected in the measured Kuvaszes ? If it was, Kuvasz head was shorter but narrow (compare with the Mudi ...), it seems that in particular the muzzle was shorter. Now we can still find Kuvaszes with short head and especially short muzzle, but in general the head appears elongated, with long muzzle. Stop must be gently sloping, the muzzle continue to the stop-line and then the forehead but it can't be seen the end of one and the beginning of the following. Muzzle, stop-line, forehead and skull form a harmonious line without break. Head is dry, like the whole body, this must not be forgotten. For me, it is important to keep the original wolf-head. Particularly, a lot of dogs can be found with too much level difference between skull and muzzle, and too strong stop-line - especially in Mudi and Croatian Sheepdog, such dogs are easily used in breeding, while strong stop-line is an eliminating defect in the Kuvasz. Head is often different from a dog to another in the Croatian Sheepdog and in the Mudi. Nevertheless, Kuvasz head is different enough from Croatian Sheepdog/Mudi head. In particular, in Mudi and Croatian Sheepdog, stop-line is more or less stronger, with more level difference between skull and muzzle, and skull can be more rounded. Kuvasz skull appears rather flat, but Mudi one is generally slightly rounded, in side view - but not round like the Puli skull. The standard of the Croatian Sheepdog don't say anything about that, but we can meet skull like Kuvasz one or like Mudi one - or between of course. Anghi described the Mudi skull as "not very rounded", and it seems that more rounded skull has been a recenter breeding choice. I don't set great store by details like "cheeks are rounded" (Croatian Sheepdog, Standard dated 1969) ; because in such breeds (at least Croatian Sheepdog and Mudi), dogs are not homogeneous enough to describe such details - and I am convinced that the main meaning of such words was to write a standard which appears different enough from the Mudi one ... In the 3 breeds, head is dry, so "the edge of the eyelid closes tightly to the eyes " and "the lips fit closely to the set of the teeth" (Kuvasz standard dated 1966 in English). And the upper lip just cover the lower one. Jaws and teeth defects are the same like in other breeds : lack of teeth, under- or overshot jaws, etc. Some concessions can appear (lack of some specific teeth, overshot jaws till 2 mm between upper and lower teeth, level bite ...) in the standards. I met undershot jaws in my Mudi litter, and I searched to know more about. Specialist veterinaries say that short muzzle represents the first step to the undershot jaws (and too long muzzle, the first step to the overshot jaws) : so Mudi and Croatian Sheepdog are not equal in front of undershot jaws. And when Mudi breeders select short muzzle to respect Mudi standard (and to make difference from the Croatian Sheepdog), they can easily select at the same time towards the undershot jaws ... Ears make easy to differentiate immediately a Mudi and a Croatian Sheepdog from each other ... if both have ears perfectly like their standards wants ... Mudi must have high set, reversed V shaped and pointed ears, with long hair behind - but the hair must be long also on the point. Croatian Sheepdog ears must be set a little on the side, they must be reversed shaped too but they are allowed to be perfectly erected or only half-erected ; the hair must be long inside the ear and short behind - like wolves. But in reality : a lot of Mudi have ears that are set more or less on the side, while Croatian Sheepdogs can be found with high set ears ; I have already seen on photos Mudi with rounded ears (not reversed V shaped) ; it can easily happen in the Mudi breed that ears have difficulties and even never succeed to be perfectly erected (excepted by artificial maintenance) ; the Mudi standard says nothing about hair inside the ears, some Mudi have a lot of long hair like Croatian Sheepdog, some haven't ; in both Mudi and Croatian Sheepdog, most dogs have long and wavy hair over the lower half part of the back of their ears, and short and smooth hair over the upper part of the back of their ears - and this can be found too on some Kuvasz ears. Kuvasz ears represent overall Croatian Sheepdog/Mudi pups' ears, when ears are just beginning to erect - ear is "crushed at its stock" (Kuvasz standard dated 1966, in English). When a normally erected ear get deep enough wound, it doesn't succeed anymore to become erected without help, that is the reason why I wonder whether such Kuvasz ears could come from the fact that during centuries man cut Kuvasz ears (at least of those who were working to protect livestock) ; pictures from the 19th century show Kuvaszes with ears like nowadays, or with cut ears, or with perfectly erected ears. Anghi in his book wrote that he saw one and only one Kuvasz, completely similar as the others, but his ears : they were quite normal but in the state of excitement, in this case they became perfectly erected ; Anghi was thinking that surely in the past more Kuvaszes with such ears could be found. But Kuvasz ears can also come from an evolution from wolf (to Sighthoundtype ?). It seems that in the past, Kuvasz could sometimes mate with wolves (Anghi's book), and so it could bring (again ?) erected ears. Everyone who live with a Kuvasz can observe how easily one or two ears take the erected position in some movement down towards the ground. I am convinced that perfectly erected ears could be easily obtained by keeping artificially the ears in erected position during the growth (like it is done in some breeds, for example Briard, Beauceron, ...), and with no need at all to cut the ear. Erected ears is still an eliminating defect in the Kuvasz standard dated 2000 - as it might happen ... High set ears can also be found in some Kuvasz, normally ears are set a little on the side. They are too V reversed shaped. Sometimes more or less hair cover the inner side of the ears. On the back side, the hair must shorter than 2 cm, but as I said above, some Kuvaszes have longer hair on the ear. Kuvasz neck must be rather short or of medium length, and must form with the horizontal line an angle of 25-30 ° (50-55 ° for the Mudi and no precision for the Croatian Sheepdog). Anghi don't write about this. Of course in the 3 breeds any kind of neck can be found, and his position is not the same in all situations and with all characters ... Neck shape is not always the same too. In the 3 breeds, neck has no dewlap. Body : In the 3 breeds, withers are more or less elevated above the back. Chest must be deep enough, but if Kuvasz with too much deep chest can easily be found, in the Mudi we can met rather chests which stay above the elbow. Normally the chest must reach the elbow, and not be lower. The Kuvasz chest was said rather flat in the standard dated 1966, while the one dated 2000 don't write anything about ; but in the book "A Kuvasz", the chest must be rounded enough ; finally, let us read Anghi : chest is "neither rounded nor flat". Of course, Kuvasz chests can be found from completely flat (as Sighthounds) to really rounded, and that is the same for Mudi and Croatian Sheepdogs. Flat chest must belong to Mudi and rounded chest to Croatian Sheepdog, of course that is only theoretical thing ! Chest must be long enough too. Belly is more or less lifted, often rather more than less, in the 3 breeds. All the body is very muscled, always spare. Kuvasz and Mudi must have short trunk, and Croatian Sheepdog longer one, at least in the standard dated 1969. The reality is that one can meet a lot of Kuvaszes and Mudis with (too) long body, while both long and short bodies can be met in the Croatian Sheepdogs. Breeding selection improved this point in the Kuvasz - the number of Mudis and of Croatian Sheepdogs doesn't allow to eliminate all dogs who are not enough like their standard wants ... In the same way, judges and breeders can be severe for the tail in the Kuvasz breed, while almost everything is allowed in the Croatian Sheepdog ... Between, the Mudi has more reservations that are not always really considered, and Mudi without tail (born so or with cut tail) is not at all any defect ! In the 3 breeds, the tail must bent downwards, below the back-line, when the dog is not excited, and be lifted above the back-line when he is. Nothing else is required for the Croatian Sheepdog, at least for the time being, that is to say the standard dated 1969. The Mudi tail must make an arc of circle that is long enough in diameter ("sickle"), but we can find rounded tails above the back (like Pumi) and even rounded tails lying on the back like some Spitz breeds (or like Puli). We can meet also such tails in the Croatian sheepdog. In these 2 breeds, pups can have been born without tail or with more or less short tail, and longer tail was often cut. Tail must be fixed in middle height for Mudi and Croatian Sheepdog, but lower for the Kuvasz. . Kuvasz tail must bent down while its end lift a little, and straighted out, the tail must reach the hock. When the dog is excited, the tail must lift but not above the back-line, and it is not allowed to be rounded. Among the eliminating defects, one can find : tail above the back-line also when the dog is not excited, and tail that is rounded upon the back. Of course all Kuvaszes don't show all these requirements. Hindquarters are not quite the same in Kuvasz and in Croatian Sheepdog/Mudi, hind-limbs too. In the 3 breeds, Sighthound hindquarters can be met, but Kuvasz hindquarters must be only a bit sloping. Limbs : If Anghi was writing that the Mudi limbs were completely similar to the Kuvasz ones, nowadays they are different enough, particularly hind-limbs. The 3 breeds have hind-limbs more or less standing back, less fort he Kuvasz and more for the others - that is particularly searched in the Mudi, and so the back-line appears downward. Kuvasz standard gives a few angles : pelvis/thigh : 90° ; knee articulation : 110-120° ; hock articulation : 130-140°. Straighter hind-limbs can easily be found in the 3 breeds. Mudis and Croatian Sheepdogs have overall the same fore- and hind-limbs. Croatian Sheepdog standard dated 1969 and Kuvasz standard dated 1966 and the Kuvasz standard comments (2000) write that the forearm is long, that can be said for the Mudi too. The Kuvasz standard dated 2000 gives some angles : shoulder blade/ arm : 100-110° ; arm/forearm : 120-130°. But in the 3 breeds short limbs can be found, particularly in the Kuvasz : such dogs with short forearms are no more typical Kuvasz and remind of Mountain Dogs. I met twice Kuvaszes with too short arms, and so the chest was very lower (several cm) than the elbow ; for me, this come from hereditary disease. Short legs can happen too in Croatian Sheepdog/Mudi, and if breeders must select smaller dogs to respect the standards (in both breeds too high dogs is an eliminating defect), I think that it is important to notice that one can't accept that the smaller height comes from short legs, that would mean losing the type, the smaller dogs must stay with typical long enough legs compared with the whole body. Limbs defects are of course similar to those of any other breed. Movement : Although Kuvasz and Mudi standards describe in several ways the movement of the step, it can be easily summed up : Kuvasz, Croatian sheepdog and Mudi amble instead of stepping, and easily instead of trotting - and when the standard dated 1966 writes that the Kuvasz is able to run over 25 km without being particularly tired, it can be thought that in such a case he ambles. It can't be forgotten that these 3 breeds are long-distance runners, and all their morphology is useful for that aim. Nevertheless, they often reveal that they are able to run at high speed too - and they often like running at full speed. A lot of dogs of these 3 breeds like very much jumping too, and they prove to be able to jump highly without run-up. Of course, movements defects are similar to those of other breeds, excepted that they amble. Skin, pigmentation and fur : For the 3 breeds, skin, pigmentation and fur are similar, but some differences appear for no black Mudi. Although his standard says nothing about, Croatian Sheepdog has dark skin like Mudi and like Kuvasz - at least as they must have. Kuvasz skin is generally dark on the head, but more or less pink skin on the belly, on the inner side of the ear and under the hair can easily be found. This can be met also on some Mudi or Croatian Sheepdog (and even black Mudi). I have noticed that in the case of wound, skin is first red, then pink while it heals, and it becomes completely dark, black, until the hair has grown again ; then, the skin at this place appears similar to what it is on the whole body under the hair : light-grey. So I think that light increases the pigmentation of skin and mucous membranes, and that explains that they are darker where light can come than in other places : by the way, the Croatian Sheepdog standard dated 1969 writes that the visible lips mucous membranes are black, that is to say that the others can be not so black, and one can observe that it is often so. Like Kuvasz and Croatian Sheepdog, black, white, fawn and blue-merle Mudis must have black or grey-black skin and mucous membranes, claws and pads too, but that is still difficult to obtain this perfectly in white and fawn dogs : nose is generally black and skin rather pink. Brown/blue Mudis have brown/blue skin and mucous membranes, claws and pads. Their eyes can't be dark too, while dark eyes are searched in all other colours and in the Kuvasz breed. Croatian Sheepdog is allowed to have from "nut-brown" to dark-brown eyes. Pigmentation defects are often eliminating ones : Kuvasz : pigmentation defect on the nose, on the lips and on the edge of the eyelids (standard dated 2000) Mudi : pigmentation defect on the nose ; yellow eyes (Standard dated 2000) Croatian Sheepdog : not black nose ; light eyes or albino eyes (standard dated 1969). Fur form appears similar in the 3 breeds ; that doesn't mean that all dogs have exactly the same fur, undulating hair can have different looks. Hair is short and smooth on the head and on the limbs excepted behind ; elsewhere, more or less long hair-locks are more or less undulating in any direction, so we can obtain very different appearances from a dog to another. Croatian Sheepdog standard is still more permissive : from scarcely undulating to completely curly hair and nowhere we can find any requirement that hair must form locks - nor that hair must be shining. But Generally Croatian Sheepdog fur has locks of shining black colour. Kuvasz and Mudi hair that doesn't form locks is said "open", and that is defect ; if locks make complete circle or more, fur is said "curly" and that is simple defect for the Mudi but eliminating defect for the Kuvasz ,with straight hair and wire hair, (standards dated 2000). Black Mudi fur must be shining, but that is not always so. Anghi and Dezso Fényes knew Mudis with short hair or with wire hair, but only the undulating hair has been kept - it can be supposed that these other kinds of hair came from more or less cross-breeding. Standards give some lengths of hair : Kuvasz : 4-12 cm on the body and 10-15 cm under the tail (standard dated 2000). Mudi : 3-7 cm on the body (standard dated 2000). Croatian Sheepdog : 7-14 cm on the back (standard dated 1969). In the 3 breeds, a lot of dogs show longer and often more undulating or even curlier hair on the back while flanks have shorter, less undulating (and sometimes "open") hair ; but similar hair on sides and back can be found too. None of these 3 breeds allow " like wool " (Croatian Sheepdog standard) or "going to get felted " hair. A Kuvasz important characteristic lies in the hair collar that forms a mane on the breast. Bitches have too, but a less important one. The same can be found in the Croatian Sheepdog breed, while that is rather considered as "undesirable" in the Mudi because of the Croatian Sheepdog, but a lot of Mudis have such a hair collar too. The 3 breeds have hair-flags behind the forearms ; they often have longer hair at the elbow than at the feet, but some have equally long hair near the feet than near the elbow. All have long and plentiful hair behind the thighs (hair-flag). Tails have also long hair as a flag. Colours : If Croatian Sheepdog is allowed to be only black, with some white marks, and Kuvasz only white or ivory, Mudi can wear black, brown, blue ("ashed"), blue-merle, fawn and white fur ! But this comes from standards, the reality is still different. Nowadays, Kuvasz are only from ivory to white - not snow-white, rather off-white. All other colours are considered as an eliminating defect (standard dated 2000). Anghi wrote about persons he knew, and who had seen different coloured Kuvaszes : grey, "wolf" (fawn with black), black, and fawn too - one or these persons that Anghi cite, was writing that about 20 years ago Kuvaszes still mated with wolves and so pups could be born with different colours. But all agree that most of Kuvaszes were white without marks - the first writing about this is dated 1801 ! So it can be supposed that other colours than white and yellow-white came from crossbreeding. Unregistered Mudis can be found in a lot of colours, some are now allowed, some have become eliminating defects (standard dated 2000 and modifications in 2004), the others are considered like "simple defects". Nearly every single colour can be met, and also black and tan and fawn with black ("wolf-colour"), both are now eliminating defects ; white marks exist too, from "black with marks" to "white and black". Anghi wrote already about the blue-merle colour, which seemed rather widespread enough, and about "blue-grey" (blue) colour too. The Croatian Sheepdog standard dated 1969 writes that the basis colour is black, and excepted some white marks, the eliminating defects don't include any other colour : probably because that is such an obviousness that the Croatian Sheepdog is black, with possibly some few white marks - although it may happen that no black Croatian Sheepdog appears in a litter, in such a case it can be supposed that some crossbreeding happened a few generations before (The Croatian Sheepdog is bred as a breed, but dogs don't always ask permission before mating ... ). As for me, I am convinced that the Croatian Sheepdog has not always been completely black, in the past centuries, but only if regularly some other colours appear in the litters and this for centuries, it can be considered that old colours have been kept in the Croatian Sheepdog breed, in the other case old colours genes have been lost and only crossbreeding could have brought again these genes. No other colour can be found among the eliminating defects, but white marks - so it can't be imagined that other colours wouldn't be eliminating defects, when some white marks are ! Only some (little enough) white marks are allowed, on the throat, the chest and just below, while they are tolerated on the toes but undesirable. In the eliminating defects part, it can be read that white marks on the head, on the body and on the tail are eliminating defects, but it is written that "white marks on the legs" lower the valuation. Must it be understood that white marks on the legs are"serious defect" but not eliminating defect ? Colours genetics is overall the same in all countries, but acronyms are not always perfectly similar. In France, we consider the work of Professor Bernard Denis ("Génétique et sélection chez le chien", Pratique Médicale et Chirurgicale de l'Animal de Compagnie & Société des Sciences naturelles de l'Ouest de la France, ISSN : 0758-3818). I will use his acronyms - and his informations. Capital letter is used to mean "dominant", small letter to mean "recessive". BLACK colour (Croatian Sheepdog, Mudi) and BROWN (Mudi) colour come from B locus, which comprises B+ and b. BB and Bb give black, bb gives brown, but on some conditions : E locus must be EE or Ee, A locus must have As, D locus must be DD or Dd and M locus must be M+M+ - while C locus can be anything. It could be supposed that selection for only black dogs have made the Croatian sheepdog overall homogeneous in BB - that doesn't mean that it can't happen that some Croatian Sheepdog is Bb, particularly because of possibly crossbreeding. Black Mudis are BB or Bb, brown Mudis are bb, but it can't be said that Mudi is heteregenous in Bb, that is to say that all the Mudis can't be Bb : if a Bb Mudi mates another Bb Mudi, statistically 1/4 pups are BB (black), 1/2 are Bb (Black) and 1/4 are BB (brown) : so there will always be Mudis who will be homogeneous in BB like most Croatian Sheepdogs are probably. BLUE colour (Mudi) and BLUE-MERLE colour (Mudi) can happen only on BB or Bb dogs with EE or Ee, AsAs or Asat or AsA+, but with dd (and M+M+) for blue or with MM+ for blue-merle. MM+ on brown Mudi (bb) gives a pretty colour that is neither allowed nor eliminating. FAWN colour (Mudi, "fako") can come from E locus (ee) or from A locus (A+, often written Ay) but only in some case. When the pup was born with a kind of grey-black or yellow/black fur, and that the adult dog has no more black part but is completely fawn, this comes from A+ (in the most cases, the adult is fawn with more or less black, or black with more or less fawn). If the pup was born fawn, that comes normally from ee. Then, d or cch and other genes can light the fawn colour (more or less from fawn to off-white). WHITE colour (Kuvasz, Mudi) must be differentiated from white which comes from widespread marks, that is to say S locus. In Mudi and Kuvasz, white - that is rather off-white - comes from fawn with genes that thin down the fawn colour - C locus or D locus and others - and more such "others" genes are, more light is the colour. That is generally difficult to know perfectly if light fawn comes from dd or from cchcch action, or from both. S locus (which gives white marks) doesn't belong to the Kuvasz breed, but of course it can have been brought by crossbreeding. It can be found some two-coloured hair in the Kuvasz fur, more ivory (even rather yellow) part and whiter part on the same single hair, and the ivory-yellow marks often appear on the head and on the back : so one can wonder whether the fawn colour would come from A+ in some Kuvasz, or perhaps in most Kuvasz, but that doesn't exclude that ee exists in the breed. In the Mudi, A+ exist and gives some fawn with black colour, which is become an eliminating defect in the standard dated 2000, so fawn and white must come only from ee. Fawn with mask can be met too, while black and tan (atat) is also an eliminating defect since the standard dated 2000. So the Mudi breed admit only As among the A locus. WHITE MARKS (Mudi, Croatian Sheepdog) comes from the S locus. sisi gives only a few white marks, spsp more, while swsw leads to a white dog with more or less black marks - even almost no more black at all. ALBINISM (Mudi, Croatian Sheepdog) is said very scarce in dogs, and of course albino dogs are not used in breeding, so the informations about albinism too are scarce. Albinism comes from C locus, albino dogs are cc. I met first albinism in an ancient pedigree of a Hungarian Mudi, but since the moment that the number of white Mudis had increased, it seems that cases of albinism too increased : in 2004, the Hungarians have made a modification (through the FCI) in the standard dated 2000 to add several things, included albinism among the eliminating defects. The Croatian Sheepdog standard dated 1969 write "albino eyes" among the eliminating defects ; there is always the doubt, that this was written only in the aim of getting a standard different enough from the Mudi one, but what an idea if nothing like albino eyes would have never happened in Croatian Sheepdog ! If it really happened that some Croatian Sheepdogs had shown albino eyes, it is difficult not to think that albinism in the Mudi don't come from the Croatian Sheepdog. Albinism is scarce enough in dogs not to let think that it could have been brought in the Mudi breed by crossbreeding. I think that one day (some centuries ago), some mutation have made appear c in the Croatian Sheepdog/Mudi ancestors, and that c has been kept till nowadays - and probably such a mutation came from cch, and I do think that the ancestors of the Croatian Sheepdog have been also fawn, even from fawn to off-white, before shepherds succeed to eliminate light colours to get only dark dogs to herd livestock. There's really very few informations about c, but it is known that cch (which gives from light-fawn to off-white) has no action at all on the black colour ; it can be thought that it is the same for c, in such a case selecting for the black colour can keep c in the dogs because on a black dog it doesn't appear : no one can know how is the C locus (C+, cch, c ...) in a black dog, so it could explain that c has been kept into the Croatian Sheepdog/Mudi during centuries. It can be supposed too that if c has no action on the black colour, it can nevertheless give albino eyes - perhaps eyes more or less lightened till the real pink or red albino eyes, according to the fact that c acts on eyes which would have been dark brown or light brown or even yellow : and it is known that cch has no action on black colour but lighten the brown colour ... If c too is so, it could explain that some black Croatian Sheepdogs could have very lightened or even real albino eyes. But all these things are only hypothesises of my own, I do repeat that the scientific informations don't say anything else that albinism (c) exists in dogs but is very scarce - and that perhaps would exist cb, giving only blue eyes. I have no information about albinism in Kuvasz, but if it has even happened, it can be thought that breeders have quickly eliminate the problem int this breed. In the opposite, that is quite impossible to eliminate c in a black breed if nobody knows when c is in a black dog. Measurements : Head measurements are already handled above. Height at withers and sometimes weight can be found in the standards : Kuvasz : Anghi gives heights found by other persons before him : from 55 to 85 cm (and mean : 70 cm) ; he writes that the height must be at least 55 cm for the bitches and 60 cm for the males. The standard dated 1966 writes : 71 to 75 cm for the males, 66 to 70 cm for the bitches, with eliminating defect under 65 cm for the males and under 60 cm for the bitches - and prefers a weight not above 60 kg. The standard dated 2000 gives 71 to 76 cm for the males and 66 to 70 cm for the bitches, with no more eliminating defect, and some weights : 48 - 62 kg for the males and 37 - 50 kg for the bitches. It must be specified that in Hungary, the upper and the lower numbers of the height are not limits, but render the reality of dogs, and if only males have won 1 cm in the standard dated 2000, it is said that some 76 cm high males can be found easily enough, but that is not the case for 71 cm high bitches. A lot of people want the Kuvasz as high as possible, but some other disagree and prefer rather medium size. High Kuvaszes don't cause any problem, but in the opposite, too much Kuvaszes are still not high enough. Mudi : Anghi described the Mudi in a kind of first standard, so in 1936, and he wrote then 30 - 50 cm for the height. The standard dated 1966 gives 35 - 47 cm for the height (males and females together), and 8 - 13 kg for the weight. The standard dated 2000 demands 41 - 47 cm (ideally 43 - 45 cm) and 11 - 13 kg for the males, and 38 - 44 cm (ideally 40 - 42 cm) and 8 - 11 kg for the females. A very important thing is that since that standard dated 2000, height below 38 cm or above 47 cm are become eliminating defects. One could separate males and females and eliminate too males under 41 cm and especially females above 44 cm, because a 47 cm high bitch will have difficulty to give males under 47 cm ... In fact, the height problem is not under the limits, but above the limits, a lot of Mudi were and still are too high. Too high dogs still receive CAC and CACIB without any difficulty in some countries, and are easily used in breeding, but it seems that Hungarians now try to lower the height of their dogs. Croatian Sheepdog : The standard dated 1969 wants height between 40 and 50 cm, males and females together, with eliminating defects for heights below or above these numbers. Like in the Mudi, a lot of dogs are several cm above the upper limit - and can have good results in dogshows and be easily used in breeding, at least in some countries. For several years it could be thought that some official (FCI) modifications would permit higher dogs, but years after years time is going away without bringing any modification ... When I imported my first Croatian Sheepdogs ( born in 2001), I was already anxious about this question and asked about, it seemed that in a hand some persons thought that the upper limit was no more really considered, in another hand some others wanted the standard to be respected and that the Croatian Sheepdog isn't too high. I wonder whether all Croatians agree with each others for the time being ... So for me, official modifications which would allowed higher dogs is not at all neither a sure thing nor even a probable one. I remember what happened in Hungary : about 1995, judges in dogshows preferred high dogs and were giving bad valuation to the smallest, a very few persons tried to make the standard be respected, and when appeared the new standard, in 2000, not only higher dogs were not allowed, but too high dog was become an eliminating defect ... So I am still distrusting, and I wouldn't be surprised at all that the new standard for Croatian Sheepdog (if one day there is ...) keep the actual numbers with precisions for males and females, and with still eliminating defects for too small and especially too high dogs ... So for me it is important to consider the standard dated 1969 for the time being. Some other measurements can be found, in the percentage of the height at withers : Length of the body : Kuvasz : 104 % (Anghi, 1936), 104 % but often 108-110% (standard dated 1966), 104 % (propositions for the standard dated 2000 and standard comments, 2000). Mudi : 102-103 % (Anghi, 1936), 103% (standard dated 1966), 103 % (propositions for standard dated 2000). Croatian Sheepdog : about 110 % according the standard dated 1969. Depth of the chest : Kuvasz : 48% (Anghi, 1936), 48% but often 52-58% (standard dated 1966), 48% (propositions for the standard dated 2000 and standard comments, 2000) Mudi : 37% (Anghi, 1936), 40% (standard dated 1966), 40% (propositions for the standard dated 2000). Breadth of the chest : Kuvasz : 27% (Anghi, 1936), 27% (standard dated 1966), 27% (propositions for standard dated 2000 and standard comments, 2000) Mudi : 12-14 cm for 40-48 cm high dogs (Anghi, 1936), 30% (standard dated 1966), 30% (propositions for standard dated 2000). Perimeter of the chest : Kuvasz : 105% (Anghi, 1936), 120% but often 125-130% (standard dated 1966), 120% (propositions for standard dated 2000 and standard comments, 2000) Mudi : 105% (standard dated 1966) Kuvasz had got bad years after the second world war, when very few Kuvaszes were still alive, and when some crossbreeding happened. It cant still be found long bodies, but now in general the legs are long enough again, and the chest is better too. As I've already said, as for me short arms with chest under the elbow is an hereditary disease - in such a case, the depth of the chest can be like this "often 52-58%" found in the standard dated 1966, but short forearm with chest at the level of the elbow can also show such "52-58%" measurements ; both are no more typical Kuvasz . The chest has always been (or been wanted) narrow, 27%, even in the "bad years" after the second world war. Croatian Sheepdog must be long and Mudi short (like Kuvasz), but of course in the two (an even three) breeds both long bodies and short ones can be found. The depth of the chest is only 37,5% in the Mudis measured by Anghi, a little more in the standard ; it can happen that chest don't reach the elbow, and in any case, the forearm must be long. It can be found shorter legs and so deeper chest too. The same can be said for the Croatian Sheepdog. Of course measurements are only theoretical things ! Morphology part : ended 03/02/06 Isabelle Coquinot Back to "About Kuvasz, Croatian Sheepdog and Mudi" Contents Back to Home