Pronounced KU-vash. The Kuvasz is an ancient breed of
Hungarian dog that was introduced to the region sometime in
Babylonian times. It has a smooth, soft white coat, and looks kind of like a
Golden Retriever, but is a little larger, and more
stoutly built. The Kuvasz makes a
fiercely loyal guard dog, and will happily
rip out the
throat of anyone it perceives as a
threat to its master. This has been known to include
children and
family members.
One urban legend says that in old Hungary, royalty would take advantage of the soft fur of the dog by making specially trained dogs serve as napkins at banquets. The paranoid temperament of the breed makes this legend suspect.
The plural of Kuvasz is Kuvaszok, pronounced KU-va-SHOK