A Brief History of the Czech Border
Patrol German Shepherd and its current day
status.....
Prior to 1956The Czech
GSD bloodlines have
a lot of German
bloodlines bred into their own native herding
dogs. What amount of German influence there was
depends on the time during history to which we
are referring.
In the beginning, shortly after Max von
Stephanitz founded the
GSD, the Czechs began
importing German stock to improve their
bloodlines by breeding to their native dogs.
Many of the native Czech dogs were very similar
to the Southern German herding dogs of that
time. Smaller and slighter of build but a bit
sharper and harder dogs.
In 1923 the Czechoslovakian
Seiger was
Klodo
vom
Boxberg. While few people, who were involved in
the serious breeding of German Shepherds had
heard of the results, Max von
Stephanitz was
fully aware. It had been bothering Max that
the dogs of Germany were becoming too short and
too tall and because of this were loosing their
fluid movements. Max studied the results of that
show and in 1925 with the German
Seiger show
about to take place he made a decision. After
his decision was made, Max (the
Rittmeister) took
his place in the ring and after several days of
judging, made Klodo
vom
Boxberg the new
Seiger
of 1925. This dog was to be used to mold the
standard for the German Shepherd for generations
to come in Europe as well as North America.
1925 Sieger—Ch. Klodo
von Boxberg
Breeder: O. Dienemann Gotha
Born August 20th, 1921
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This dog was
dramatically different from the type of dog that had
gone before him. He was of lower station,
deeper and longer in body, short in loin and with a
far-reaching gait. As it turned out Klodo
proved to be a potent sire, successfully heralding a
"new" type of shepherd. That same year Klodo
was imported to America by A. Gilbert of Maraldene
Kennels in Hamden, Connecticut. Klodo, through
a number of important sons and daughters, is largely
responsible for the faults and virtues of modern
North American lines.
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By the 1930's the bloodlines in Czechoslovakia
had become heavily influenced by the
German, the Hungarian, and Swiss bred
GSD's,
with only a limited amount of influence
remaining from the native Czech herding dogs.
Czech bred German Shepherd dogs did have some
influence on the German bred dogs. Some breeders
regularly added to their bloodlines by
using Czech studs and dams while others
continued to use mostly native herding dogs.
When the iron curtain went up, it became
harder for West German breeders and Eastern
Europe breeders to share the bloodlines so
easily, even though many times a guard did "look
the other way" as dogs were moved across
borders.
In 1955 -- The Z Pohranicni Straze
The kennel Z Pohranicni straze (Z PS) was
founded in the year 1955 for the single purpose
of production and training of dogs that would be
solely used for the protection of the
Czechoslovakian People's Republic's, and since
1968 Czechoslovakian Socialist Republic's
borders. Most of the dogs were acquired from the
territory of former East Germany (DDR) and also
there were dogs from Czechoslovakia used for
breeding; the ones that excelled in their
character qualities.
Breeding Facilities
The breeding program, established in 1956, was
under the direction of Mr.Jiri Novotny from 1981
to 2001. Mr Novotny also was the director of
training during this time. Since the foundation
of the breeding program, it was focused mainly
on strengthening the good power of bones, dark
pigmentation, strong nerves and willingness to
work in tracking, obedience, and defense work.
There were three breeding facilities with a
total of 80 breeding females that made up the "Z
Pohranicni straze" kennel. Combined to these 80
females were 30 stud dogs, all of which were on
active duty with their handlers. The breeding
facilities were located within the Czech Boarder
Police compounds in Domazlice, Libejovice and
Prackovice. These compounds had a high security
status with access to them strictly forbidden to
anyone, including Czech Border Police, who did
not work at the specific facility.
The females were bred and puppies whelped,
raised, and trained all within these breeding
stations by military service conscripts. These
stations were staffed by trainers,
veterinarians, assistant breeders and kennel
help. Once trained, the Pohranicni Straze dogs
were assigned a handler and patrolled primarily
the border with Germany and Austria to prevent
Czechoslovakian’s and any others from within the
East Block from escaping.
The dogs were trained at the kennels for about
12 months and afterwards relocated to Border
Patrol training facilities in their quarters.
(Nowadays they're located in Czech police
training facilities.)
During the years under the communist regime, the
Czechoslovakian border patrol and their dogs
would apprehend 20 to 30 people on a daily
basis. While nine out of ten people would give
up when confronted, the dogs were regularly
called upon to defend their handlers from those
intent on crossing the border at what ever
cost.
After the fall of the iron curtain, the Czech
Border Police shared border stations with their
German counter parts who maintained a tight
control over economical refugees from the former
Eastern Block entering Germany. While one might
think that the falling of the iron curtain might
lessen the vigilance at the borders, that
thought would
be wrong. The need for the Czech Border Patrol
Dogs increased! Those who were not given visa’s
to legally enter Germany attempted to cross this
same Czech border. While many were crossing to
seek a better life in Western Europe and usually
did not resist arrest, an increasing number were
connected with organized crime and posed a
considerable threat.
The "Z Pohranicni straze" German Shepherd Dogs
continued to be called upon to respond daily in
high risk, threatening situations. The training
courses to prepare them were as demanding
as were their requirements for breeding.
Since 2001, after the retirement of Mr. Jiri
Novotny from the Czech Republic Police, the name
of the kennel changed and it is no longer z
Pohranicni straze. The name was replaced by a
new kennel name "od Policie Ceske Republiky".
The breeding program of this kennel has changed
substantially. The remaining dogs from the
original breeding program of this kennel are
mainly owned by Jinopo.
Obtaining a z Pohranicni Straze German
Shepherd Dog
There were three ways in which quality dogs from
his highly desired "Z Pohranicni straze" kennel
were available.
I. Studs Fees:
The Z
Pohranicni straze kennel bred their females
occasionally to dogs owned by civilians. The
stud dogs chosen were outstanding working dogs
selected for their ability to consistently
produce dogs with exceptional working ability. The owner of the stud had the option of being
paid or taking a puppy for payment. Most people
took the latter option in order to own a "Z Pohranicni staze" dog.
II. Whelping litters:
There were three kennels
owned by civilians with which the Z Pohranicni straze
kennel worked closely:
- “Jipo-me”, a kennel in partnership between Mr. Jiri
Novotny and a close friend,
- “z-Jirkova dvora”, owned by Mr. Novotny's
Father
-
and
z Blatenskeho Zamku owned by Zdenek Koubek
The breeding program utilized their own dogs with the
exception of occasional special breedings which took place
in partnership with these 3 private breeders. These kennels, owned by
civilians, were at times given the opportunity
to take Pohranicni Straze breeding females and
whelp the litters. In return, these private
kennels kept half of the litter which bears the
kennel name "Z Pohranicni straze".
The breeding of these 3
private kennels where also under the direction of Mr.
Novotny.
III. Dog for dog:
There are also times in which Pohranicni Straze
Kennel traded dogs with these three kennels as
another way to bring desired dogs and bloodlines
into the Pohranicni straze breeding program.
Through these three ways civilians had access to
Z Pohranicni Straze dogs and the kennel managed
to be at the center of breeding in both the
former Czechoslovakia and the present day Czech
Republic. Many of these dogs have been purchased
by Schutzhund competitors in both Western Europe
and the United States, often placing high at
championship events.
Dogs currently are being bred under the
registered kennel names Z JIRKOVA DVORA and JIPO-ME. The blood lines were obtained from former East
German dogs and also from old Czech working
dogs' blood. The most dogs have their origin in
the kennels:
Z Pohranicni straze (z PS), Z Jirkova dvora CS
and Z Blatenskeho zamku.
All of the individual dogs used in the breeding
program have at least velmi dobry (very good)
body conformation, strong bones, good
pigmentation and strong health. They are also
significant for their high food drive, high
working drives and early working maturity. The
selection of their stud dogs and females is
focused on their trainability, solid nerves and
ability to protect their territory. The males
and female come from the 6 basic blood lines, or
more precisely from their individual branches
that proved themselves in the breeding program
of former z Pohranicni straze kennel. Today this
blood is combined with the blood of significant
working German Shepherds from outside the Czech
Republic that have proved themselves in breeding
programs and that have the above described
breeding features and traits.