MyDogBreeds
English Shepherd is originated from United States but Bavarian Mountain Hound is originated from Germany. English Shepherd may grow 6 cm / 3 inches higher than Bavarian Mountain Hound. Both English Shepherd and Bavarian Mountain Hound are having almost same weight. Both English Shepherd and Bavarian Mountain Hound has almost same life span. Both English Shepherd and Bavarian Mountain Hound has almost same litter size. English Shepherd requires Low maintenance. But Bavarian Mountain Hound requires Moderate maintenance
The English Shepherd is another dog with an English name that was developed in the United States. They developed from British farm dogs that were brought to the United States in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries by the Scottish and English as they settled in the New World. Tracing their line through working dogs and collies in Scotland and northern England, the settlers bred them with local dogs and each other. These working farm dogs were called English Shepherds, Scotch Collies, barnyard collie, farm shepherd, the cow dog, and the old fashioned shepherd.
The English Shepherd was appreciated by the settlers and farmers because he was a versatile dog that could herd their flocks and protect their homes as well. They appreciated his intelligence and ability to hunt vermin and be a companion for their children. English Shepherds were bred to work with a variety of livestock such as pigs, cattle, goats, sheep and fowl. They were used to hunt as well and were known to track racoons and squirrels and tree them. There wasn’t a more popular dog in the American Midwest and East in the 1800’s and 1900’s.
The breed is trustworthy, alert and independent. As the small family farms were replaced by large agricultural enterprises the English Shepherd’s numbers dwindled as well until he fell into the category of a rare breed. There were no clubs to support it and not AKC recognition. The UKC had a different dog registered as a farm shepherd.
Today’s English Shepherd is still a farm dog, but he also hunts, is a therapy dog, competes in AKC trials, and performs search and rescue duties. As a farm dog, they are still the most desirable due to their versatility in working with different livestock, guarding the home and caring for the children. They do these things in a gentle way if possible but can be tough if needed. They have great empathy for the livestock and for their human family. This makes him a great dog for the family. The English Shepherd has remained a farm dog, working dog more than a show dog, over all these years.
The Bavarian Mountain Hound was originally bred mixing the Bavarian Hound and the Hanover Hound. They decided to mix these breeds in a hope that the new breed will have the best of the parents. Actually, it turned out better than they could even imagine, since they created a great family dog, with magnificent stamina, quiet temperament and supersensitive nose that made them great hunters.
The American bred English Shepherd is a medium sized dog that looks somewhat like an Australian Shepherd or Border Collie. They have tails, never come in merle coloring and their head is not as rounded as the Australian Shepherd. A working dog, its proportionally very well balanced. Because the English Shepherd is so popular across the country, doing a wide variety of jobs, there is some regional differences in the dogs.
The coat can be curly or straight with feathering around the tail, ears and legs. Their heads are slightly rounded but broad and the muzzle is also broad with a solid black nose except for the clear sable dogs whose nose is brown. The eyes show you how intelligent and strong this breed is, and they should be round, brown and oblique. The ears are close to the head and wide apart.
With a strong, muscular back and shoulders the English Shepherd can do almost anything you ask him to. His legs are strong and straight, and his hind legs are muscular. His feet are compact, oval and well padded.
The Bavarian Mountain Hound is a medium sized breed of a dog. They have larger bones, but there is a very low risk of obesity. This is a very active dog, with a very muscular body. Their bone structure defines in a wide chest, and their back legs set a little bit higher than the front legs. They have strong necks and pear-shaped heads. They have strong jaws, ideal for a hunting dog. They are very specific because of their big brown eyes. The Bavarian Mountain Hound is a perfect pet. First of all, he is not a pack dog. He gets attached to his family and he is not very friendly with strangers. If they are trained well, they will never attack a stranger but they will bark and let you know that something isn’t right.
It may seem strange to talk about kindness in a working dog, but it is one of the defining traits of the English Shepherd, along with intelligence. The breed is extremely kind to everyone he lives with animals and people. Once he is secure in his job and takes in his children or his herd, he is one of the best caretakers around. He is an independent thinker, is easily trained, and highly affectionate. However, he does see himself as the boss and unless you establish yourself in that alpha role you could have problems.
Special talents: Since the Bavarian Mountain Hound is born with a strong scent, they are great for hunting. They can be trained to be search dogs.
If you live slow and quiet life indoors, maybe the Bavarian Mountain Hound is not the best choice for you. They are a calm breed, they do not bark a lot, but they need daily outdoor activity. They usually get attached to the owner, but in case you raise this dog in a family, they will be attached to adults and the children. They are very good while playing and living with the children, but if you usually have a lot of other children or strangers in a house, he will adapt to that kind of social life very easy.
It is very important that you start an early socialization of your Bavarian Mountain Hound. In situations where you raise this breed without the social life, they will have difficulties when they find themselves in situations with other animals. If you raise this breed with other animals in the same home, they will learn to play with other dogs, cats etc.
Bavarian Mountain Hound is not easy to train because they get easy distracted with smelling something more interesting than listening to your commands. It is not advised to have this breed as your first pet because they need an experienced trainer with a lot of patience and understanding.
Like many other herding breeds, it has been found that about 15% of English Shepherds had a gene mutation called MDR1. This means they have adverse reaction and high sensitivity to many common drugs for dogs. This condition could be life-threatening so test your dog for it and know what you are up against.
The Bavarian Mountain Hound is a quiet type of the dog. They don’t ask for a lot of attention and even if they develop some health issues you will have a hard time finding it out. So, the regular vet checks are a necessity. They usually suffer from an ear infection. The vet will usually check for a hip or an elbow dysplasia since those diseases occur with highly active breeds. Some irritations with eyelids are also found in the medical history of this breed but they are generally very rare.
Remember the English Shepherd is a hard working dog. But if you don’t work him don’t overfeed him. Twice a day, he needs about one half cup of a good quality dry food made with an active, medium sized dog in mind.
In addition to the health concern listed above, the English Shepherd is also prone to:
Both elbow and hip dysplasia can plaque the English Shepherd as it does almost any active breed. Have your puppy tested as it can cause lameness and arthritis.
This is a herding breed and they need exercise. They need a job. They are intelligent and work oriented so make sure they have something to do. Take them to herding trails and have their herding instinct tested. Put them to work in flyball, agility, frisbee, tracking, obedience, rally, herding and showmanship events. Just make sure your English Shepherd has enough to keep his mind and body stimulated at a high rate every day.
There is a big difference in feeding the Bavarian Mountain Hound since you can raise him to be a pet or a dog for hunting. If you decided to keep this breed as a pet, they will do just fine with one of the dry foods that are good quality. If you want to raise them as a hunting dog, an active dog, then they will need a high-quality dry food and occasionally some raw minced meat.
High-quality food for puppies with a lot of nutrients that will help in growing the healthy bones and beautiful coat.
Since they have a short coat, the Bavarian Mountain Hounds don’t need a regular or any special kind of grooming. They will do just fine with occasional brushing. They don’t shed a lot, but in a season when they do you are free to brush them more regularly. They enjoy the brushings, cuddles, scratching, belly rubs - they are very lovable breed. But, as advised, take them to regular vet check because they can be very quiet even when they feel the pain.
The Bavarian Mountain Hound has a gene of a working dog and that is the reason why they need a lot of the activity on a daily basis. No matter if you take him to walk, run or a bike ride, they will love it. They do not like being on the leash since they love to use their nose to play. If you socialise them well, the dog park will be a great thing for them.