7th Annual DAY OF KUVASZ LOYALTY Commemoration Walk and Wreath Ceremony

Kuvasz loyalty day - September 2019., 15.

The II. In the war, we remember our loyal companions who sacrifice their lives in the defense of their owners and their families, on September 15th, for the seventh time.

The memory walk starts at 15 pm in Budapest, from the old tree in the middle of the blood field park. We'll walk up to buda castle from which we walk to the chain bridge. From the chain bridge we throw the wreath of remembrance into the danube.

Why September 15th.?

75 years ago, in the autumn of 1944., the Soviet army entered the territory of the carpathian basin and began with the passing of the front lines - in addition to human wine - the biggest irony of the Kuvasz stock so far Yeah. In addition to the unspeakable suffering of the population, we would like to see the example of the endless loyalty of the Kuvasz!

From Autumn 1944. To Spring 1945., it is estimated that thousands of Kuvasz sacrificed their lives while doing their job faithful!

We are waiting for you all for a memory walk in front of the loyalty of the Kuvasz, this year on September 15th (this Sunday) in Budapest, starting from the blood field park! Meeting at 15:00 under the old tree in the middle of the park.

For more information, you can find the footage from the previous Kuvasz loyalty days on our website:

Click here to see the A Kuvasz és Mi website

Let us remember them and them, because their loyalty is not a "Virtual Myth", they truly gave their lives and would give it for us today!

The DAY OF KUVASZ LOYALTY – 15th of SEPTEMBER

So everyone who can please remember with us for the infinite Loyalty of Kuvaszes!

7th Annual DAY OF KUVASZ LOYALTY - Reason for commemoration

A KUVASZ ÉS MI ALAPITVÁNY on Facebook created the idea for a memorial day for the Kuvaszok who died in World War II. He chose September 15 for the anniversary date, and in 2013 held the first walk in Budapest to honor the brave Kuvaszok who died defending their owners' property from invading Soviet soldiers. 

DAY OF KUVASZ LOYALTY, SEPT. 15, 2018
by A KUVASZ ÉS MI ALAPITVÁNY, The Kuvasz and We Non-Profit Foundation

On this day we would remember to those Kuvaszes and other breeds of dogs who sacrificed their life for those who were the most important for them, for people. 

Why September 15th?

Because around this time in the autumn of 1944 the Soviet army stepped into the area of the Karpathian basin and started the biggest known slaughter of the Kuvasz population. We at A KUVASZ ÉS MI ALAPITVÁNY in Budapest would like if this not so well-known historical fact would not sink into oblivion.

For those who do not know about this period, we would sum up what happened from the autumn in 1944, here and on our Facebook page at A KUVASZ ÉS MI ALAPITVÁNY:

In the middle of September 1944 started the marching of the Soviet army from more directions into the Karpathian basin. Crowds of people fled from their farms and left the small villages when they heard about the arrival of the front lines. Besides saving the lives of people, saving the guarding kuvaszes as well was out of the question. 

Most of the people hoped that the Kuvasz would hide when they heard the noise of the guns, or run away, and when the tenants got home they would return, so they might survive the passing of the army. 

The people who returned days and weeks after the army left the area, saw that the dogs (other breed than kuvasz) survived the brutality of the troops. 

But coming home they had to face reality, most of the Kuvaszes lied shot down near the fence. The Kuvaszes left behind tried to save the home of their owners!!! 

The warning shots were useless, the roaring tanks, the rumbling guns did not frighten them away. When everybody ran away, they protected with loyalty what they had been entrusted to guard. Entering to the Karpathian basin, it soon spread among the foreign soldiers that the big white dogs had to be shot because they did not let anyone to enter, and could seriously injure the attacker. 

According to estimations from the autumn of 1944 to the spring of 1945 THOUSANDS OF KUVASZES GAVE THEIR LIFE FOR ACTING THE WAY THEY HAD BEEN TAUGHT BY THEIR OWNERS!

A KUVASZ ÉS MI ALAPITVÁNY Facebook Page

7th Annual DAY OF KUVASZ LOYALTY - Brave Jens

Bjørn Olav of Fjellflokken Kuvasztenyészet Kennel in Norway shares this photo of army tanks from NATO's Trident Juncture military exercise in Nov. 2018.

Jens's and Kaszon's rushing to the property fence line to protect their owner's land is precisely what Kuvaszok did in Sept. 1944 when Soviet troops invaded the Carpathian basin where many Kuvaszok lived.

See more info at: jens-and-kaszon-protect-against-NATO-army

7th annual DAY OF KUVASZ LOYALTY - "Brady's Escape" movie, pieced together from YouTube

Below is the full (I think) version of the "Brady's Escape" movie, re-constructed from YouTube clips. It runs about 1 hour, 36 minutes.

This movie was made in 1983, when the VHS was the video machine of the day. The entire movie was uploaded in 11 clips to YouTube.

Kuvasz Klip's very own tech consultant, Steve Elftmann, furnished the html code that enables viewing here on this blog.  There's a little gap between each of the YouTube clips, but it's not bad, and the movie flows well.

This movie was made in Hungary by Hungarians, but when it opened in the US in 1984, much of the dialog was in English, with some Hungarian and German. 

The plot:  When two American pilots, Brady and Benson, crash-land in the Hortobágy in 1944, they find help from the Hungarian residents, because, as the doctor says, "The Germans are our allies, but we are occupied."

The Nazis find the flaming wreckage of the plane but see no bodies. So they go in search of the American pilots who must still be alive.

Though allied with (but occupied by) the Germans, the Hungarians work desperately to save the Americans from the Nazis.

The Nazis shot Kuvaszok as casually and cruelly as the Soviets did when the Soviets invaded later that year, in September 1944.

Just before the killing.

My observations on the movie:  In spite of the bleak environment and the hideous behavior of the Nazis, and the fear and anxiety the Hungarians must have felt, there was a thing of beauty that stood out -- the Kuvasz. Other things of beauty were the magnificent horses and Grey cattle and Racka sheep.

The ending was slightly happy but mostly heartbreaking, with the characters suffering the hardship and vagaries of war.

 

See links at 
IMDB - imdb.com/ Brady's Escape
Wikipedia - Wiki/ Brady's Escape

7th Annual DAY OF KUVASZ LOYALTY - Remembrance in Florida

We celebrate the 7th annual Day of Kuvasz Loyalty in Florida on September 15, 2019. Yes, that's a treat jar in my hand that Maya's looking at so intently.

Remembering September 11, 2001

New York, N.Y. (Sept. 15, 2001) — Golden Retriever SAR dog, Riley, is transported out of the debris of the World Trade Center. U.S. Navy Photo by Journalist 1st Class Preston Keres.

Riley, a Golden Retriever that assisted in the 9/11 search and rescue efforts, was trained to find live people. Still, he did help recover several bodies of firefighters. But Riley worked desperately to find the living – that was his job.

His search partner and human explained, “Riley knew the people he continued to find were dead. He was never a formally trained cadaver dog. His job was to find the still living. I tried my best to tell Riley he was doing his job. He had no way to know that when firefighters and police officers came over to hug him, and for a split second you can see them crack a smile – that Riley was succeeding at doing an all together different job. He provided comfort. Or maybe he did know.”

Coley and his Kuvasz Bretagne

There were many rescue-work dogs on site after the Twin Towers were destroyed by terrorists on Tuesday morning, September 11, 2001.

Some were search-and-rescue dogs, seeking living and dead bodies in the rubble. Some were emotional therapy dogs seeking to provide a few moments of respite to the first-responders who worked the pile.

Coley named his Kuvasz "Bretagne," after one of those brave rescue dogs.

This is a statue of Bretagne in Houston, Texas.

Kuvasz with two kittens

Monika of Fehér Farkas Lavina Kuvasz Kennel in Hungary
shares this photo of her Kuvasz enjoying some downtime with 2 kittens.

Nosztalgia

Attila of Pataki-Pásztor Kennek in Hungary shares this photo of Nosztalgia, a male aged 20 months.

Young pup on footstool

Anneliese shares this photo of her adorable puppy.

Senior dog in Hungary

Erszébet in Hungary shares this photo of her elderly dog, smiling as he walks along a pathway. 

"Aren’t seniors just the best? I think all the years of accumulated unconditional love make them magical ❤" writes Robyn in South Africa on Kelly's Redmoon’s Kuvasz Kennel page. 

The 7th Annual Day of Kuvasz Loyalty approaches

Hey, everyone! The 7th annual Day of Kuvasz Loyalty is fast approaching--September 15, 2019. If you have photos to share, let me know!

Princess Finn

Mariette of Kuvasz Kennel vom Quecksilber in Germany shares this photo of her young pup Princess Finn.

This photo showcases the Kuvasz black pigment in the eyes, nose and lips, which contrasts with the white fur. The fur is sleek on the face, while the body fur shows its waves. The triangular-shaped ears frame the face.

Fibi

Fibi and her owner, Srdjan, and a Kuvasz friend in Serbia pose by a typical shepherd dwelling.

Alma

Enikő of Dunamenti Jeles Kuvasz Kennel in Hungary gives her Alma a big squishy hug.

Kuvaszok's coat

Sándor of Harmatok Őrzője Kuvasz Kennel in Hungary shares this photo. 

This photo showcases the distinctive texture of the Kuvasz coat: 

“The hair is wavy and thick, a real characteristic of the breed....The coat of the Kuvasz is very attractive.”

From: Pál Sárkány and Imre Ócsag, Hungarian Dog Breeds, Budapest, Hungary: Corvina Kiadó, 1977, 2nd ed. 1986, p. 101, 103.

Reflection in a lake

Anna in Hungary shares this dramatic photo.

Komondor on the beach

Phil in England shares this photo of his Komondor, a Kuvasz "cousin," enjoying the last of the summer.

Click here for more info: whats-in-name-komondor.

Oggi

Claudia W. of Kuvasz vom Höllenbrand seit 1994 in Germany shares this photo of her Oggi.

This photo showcases distinctive features of the Kuvasz coat: 

“The hair is wavy and thick, a real characteristic of the breed....The coat of the Kuvasz is very attractive.” *

“The hair should be neither excessively curly nor straight, but should...have waves and swirls.  In 1924, the official term was fluctuosus, ‘wavy,’ which was replaced in 1935 by undulans, ‘undulating.’” **

"By Hungarian standard the straight coat is not acceptable. There must be special twirls in the coat." ***

The Kuvasz head also has distinctive qualities.

“Although the whole dog is pleasing and well balanced, the most attractive part is the head. This is the Kuvasz’ most distinctive feature....In profile, the skull is only moderately arched–rather flat, continuing with a smooth line to a hardly perceptible stop and a long, straight nose....The well-proportioned clean head and the almond shaped eyes indicate intelligence and loyalty.” *

*From: Pál Sárkány and Imre Ócsag, Hungarian Dog Breeds, Budapest, Hungary: Corvina Kiadó, 1977, 2nd ed. 1986, p. 101, 103.

**Dr. Tibor Buzády, Dogs of Hungary, trans. Bernard Adams (Budapest, Hungary: Nóra Kiadó, 2002), p. 101.

*** Wikipedia.

All dogs automatically go to heaven

Cartoon published Sept. 1, 2019.

Vajra

Mariette of Kuvasz Kennel vom Quecksilber in Germany shares this photo of her Vajra on the occasion of her 12th birthday.

"Aren’t seniors just the best? I think all the years of accumulated unconditional love make them magical ❤" writes Robyn in South Africa on Kelly's Redmoon’s Kuvasz Kennel page. 

Kuvasz head profile - Wahid

Franz in Germany shares this photo.

This photo showcases distinctive features of the Kuvasz coat: 

“The hair is wavy and thick, a real characteristic of the breed....The coat of the Kuvasz is very attractive.” *

“The hair should be neither excessively curly nor straight, but should...have waves and swirls.  In 1924, the official term was fluctuosus, ‘wavy,’ which was replaced in 1935 by undulans, ‘undulating.’” **

"By Hungarian standard the straight coat is not acceptable. There must be special twirls in the coat." ***

The Kuvasz head also has distinctive qualities.

“Although the whole dog is pleasing and well balanced, the most attractive part is the head. This is the Kuvasz’ most distinctive feature....In profile, the skull is only moderately arched–rather flat, continuing with a smooth line to a hardly perceptible stop and a long, straight nose....The well-proportioned clean head and the almond shaped eyes indicate intelligence and loyalty.” *


*From: Pál Sárkány and Imre Ócsag, Hungarian Dog Breeds, Budapest, Hungary: Corvina Kiadó, 1977, 2nd ed. 1986, p. 101, 103.

**Dr. Tibor Buzády, Dogs of Hungary, trans. Bernard Adams (Budapest, Hungary: Nóra Kiadó, 2002), p. 101.

*** Wikipedia.

Turkish Akbash -- a Kuvasz "cousin"

Bircan Tepe in Turkey shares this photo 

Akbaş Çoban Köpeği in Turkish means Akbash Dog Club in English.

"The Akbash Dog (from Turkish: Akbaş 'white head' ) is native to Turkey, and it is primarily used as a livestock guardian dog or shepherd dog. It is officially recognized by the KIF, a.k.a. the Turkish Kennel Club. This dog is one of the national dog breeds of Turkey."*

This particular dog has its ears cropped but the tail left its natural length. Some Akbash have both ears and tails left intact.

Click here to see their FB page: Turkish Akbash Club

*Wikipedia

A boy, his dog, and his kitten

Monika of Fehér Farkas Lavina Kuvasz Kennel in Hungary
shares this photo of three friends.

6-hour-old puppies

Marie-Paule Pellerin of Chenil des Grands Blancs in Quebec shares this photo of a mother with her 6-hour-old puppies. The Kuvasz's white fur color and wavy texture are already in evidence.

121,000 views of Kuvasz Klips!

000

Wow! There have been 1,000 views of Kuvasz Klips in just 2 weeks!

There have now been 121,000 views of Kuvasz Klips and there are 5,671 posts on the blog.

Those are amazing numbers for a blog written about a fairly obscure subject, a rare dog breed, the Kuvasz! 

This blog has been seen in 98 countries around the world, in all 6 continents of the world where dogs live: North America, South America, Africa, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Kuvasz live in all but Africa, where several Kuvasz "cousins" live.

Thanks for viewing and thanks for sharing your photos!

Tazi

Helena in Sweden shares this photo of 2-year-old Tazi.

This photo showcases a happy Kuvasz trait: “The eyes are almond shaped and oblique, which gives the dog a lively appearance, as if smiling; one can easily tell what is in its mind from its lively, rapidly reacting expression.”

From: Dr. Tibor Buzády, Dogs of Hungary, trans. Bernard Adams (Budapest, Hungary: Nóra Kiadó, 2002), p. 100.

15-week-old pup and head shape

Krisztina in Hungary shares this photo of her 15-week-old pup.

"The Kuvasz' head is typically wedge-shaped, in harmony
with his body, pleasing, noble, and it shows a considerable strength.
The Kuvasz can mainly be distinguished from other breeds by his
head shape."

From:  FCI-Standard No. 54

Éden

Angéla of Nádas-Kincse Kuvasz Kennel in Hungary shares this photo of 5-month-old Éden.

Ajsa

Gömöri-Betyár kuvasz kennel shares this photo of Ajsa, a 1-year-old female Kuvasz.

Observations about the beautiful Kuvasz head:

“In profile, the skull is only moderately arched–rather flat, continuing with a smooth line to a hardly perceptible stop and a long, straight nose.” *

"The Kuvasz' head is typically wedge-shaped, in harmony

with his body, pleasing, noble, and it shows a considerable strength.

The Kuvasz can mainly be distinguished from other breeds by his

head shape." **

*From: Pál Sárkány and Imre Ócsag, Hungarian Dog Breeds, Budapest, Hungary: Corvina Kiadó, 1977, 2nd ed. 1986, p. 101.

**FCI-Standard No. 54, Kuvasz.

Little dog's tongue and furrow

Juci in Hungary shares this photo of her 4-month-old pup, who is displaying the Kuvasz characteristic of black eyes and black nose contrasting against the white fur. And sticking out his little tongue.

"Skull: Broad, forehead slightly protruding. In the middle of the
forehead, there is a distinct furrow." *

**FCI-Standard No. 54, Kuvasz.

10-month-old male puppy

Attila of Pataki-pásztor Kuvasz Kennel in Hungary shares this photo of his 10-month-old male pup.

His thick, wavy, white coat is a breed characteristic, as is the black pigment of his eyes, nose, lips and even his claws.

Little black and white puppy

Kókai Katalin in Hungary shares this photo of her 10-week-old puppy. This photo shows the Kuvasz's distinctive white wavy fur contrasting with his black eyes, black nose, and the black skin on his little tummy by his back legs.

2 dogs and their girl

Gömöri-Betyár kuvasz kennel in Hungary shares this photo of two of his Kuvaszok and his daughter Júlia.

2 Kuvaszok

Zoltán P. of Fehér-Morcos Kuvasz Kennel in Hungary shares this photo two of his Kuvaszok.

This photo showcases the white, wavy fur the Kuvasz on its body contrasted with the sleek white fur on the face, and the dark-pigmented eyes, nose, and lips.

The ears are distinctive to the Kuvasz.

“The ears are set high on the head. The upper third of the ears slightly stand away from the head but the rest of the leather droops close to the cheeks. They have the shape of a rounded V.” 

From: Pál Sárkány and Imre Ócsag, Hungarian Dog Breeds, Budapest, Hungary: Corvina Kiadó, 1977, 2nd ed. 1986, p. 102.

So much wavy fur!

Béla K. in Hevesvezekény, Heves, Hungary shares this photo of his Kuvasz.

This curly fur is a prominent feature of the Kuvasz.

“The colour of the coat is a uniform white, while an ivory tinge is acceptable....The hair should be neither excessively curly nor straight, but should...have waves and swirls.  In 1924, the official term was fluctuosus, ‘wavy,’ which was replaced in 1935 by undulans, ‘undulating.’”*  

 "By Hungarian standard the straight coat is not acceptable. There must be special twirls in the coat."**

*Dr. Tibor Buzády, Dogs of Hungary, trans. Bernard Adams (Budapest, Hungary: Nóra Kiadó, 2002), p. 100.

**Wikipedia

Umbrellas with pictures of LGDs printed on them

Click here for info on purchasing these fabulous items: Umbrellas with dogs' pics printed on them

How do they have Eurasiers and Anatolians but no Kuvasz or Komondors? I think I'll go with the Maremma or the Pyr.