MyDogBreedsFormosan Mountain Dog is originated from Taiwan but Double-Nosed Andean Tiger Hound is originated from Bolivia. Formosan Mountain Dog may grow 8 cm / 3 inches shorter than Double-Nosed Andean Tiger Hound. Formosan Mountain Dog may weigh 11 kg / 24 pounds lesser than Double-Nosed Andean Tiger Hound. Formosan Mountain Dog may live 3 years less than Double-Nosed Andean Tiger Hound. Formosan Mountain Dog may have more litter size than Double-Nosed Andean Tiger Hound. Both Formosan Mountain Dog and Double-Nosed Andean Tiger Hound requires Low maintenance.
The Formosan Mountain Dog is most often known as the Taiwan dog and it is a landrace indigenous to Taiwan. It is a small to medium breed of dog that was semi-wild at one time. The colonialization of Taiwan and other foreigners help to fully domesticate the Formosan Mountain Dog. They were found to be very trainable and uniquely suited for the terrain around Taiwan. The dogs were easy to train and now serve as hunting dogs, stunt dogs, guard dogs, rescue dogs, therapy dog and personal companions. There are three types of Formosans two smaller types and one medium. However, the original pure Formosan Mountain Dog is getting close to extinction again because the government and people have provided no protection or conservation efforts for them. These dogs have been living in Taiwan in the mountains and were called Formosan Mountain Dogs when Taiwan was known as Formosa. They come from a line of Southeast Asian hunting/gun dogs and they are considered ‘rare’ now.
According to historian Dr. Sung Yung-yi, the breed went through 4 major catastrophes that affected their development. The first of these was the Dutch Establishment in 1624. The Dutch colonized Taiwan and imported both people and dogs. The dog they brought in was called the Flying Dog and was either Greyhound or Pointer. Eventually, the Flying Dog bred with the Formosan Mountain Dog. This along with the slaughter of dogs belonging to the indigenous people by the government, starting the decline of the original Taiwan dog.
In 1895, it was the Japanese acquiring Taiwan following the First Sino-Japanese War. The Japanese bred the Formosan Mountain Dog extensively with the own Japanese dogs. This further diluted the line and authenticity of Taiwan dogs.
This was followed by World War II when German Shepherds traveled with the US Army and they cross-bred with the Formosan. This was the third major dilution of the Formosan Mountain dog line. At the same time, the Japanese government considered the Formosan Mountain Dog a sanitation threat and barbaric. They massacred them in large numbers in the name of sanitation.
The fourth and final dilution took place during the Kuomintang Era beginning in 1945 with the arrival of the Chinese Nationalist Party. They brought with them the culture of eating dogs. During this time the economy of Taiwan took off and business people began to import their own foreign dogs that were high priced purebreds. These dogs bred with the Formosan and other Formosans were just abandoned to die. The ranks of the breed became very thin indeed. Today’s pure Formosan is highly valuable and extremely rare. Because of all the crossbreeding over the centuries, today’s purebred Formosan Mountain Dog is very different from the Taiwan dog of old. Today’s Formosan is loved all over the island and is a companion and watchdog.
Today there is an effort by Taiwanese ecologists to put together a research project that would study and preserve the Formosan in its indigenous form. Dr. Yung-yi led this effort. He located only 46 dogs with a pure pedigree, 21 females and 25 males. They let the Food and Agricultural of the United Nations know and the dogs were labeled close to extinction. Reproducing from the indigenous dogs to purify and increase the breed was the goal. The government was not very supportive.
Today the Royal Air Force is looking at the Formosan Dog to use for military security. They are currently only using German Shepherds and needed another choice. It was decided that the Formosan Mountain Dog had a better sense of smell, dexterity, alertness, and hearing as well as better padding on their paws.
Through these efforts and those of foundation stock breeders and owners, the Formosan Mountain Dog in its indigenous form was brought back. Some call this dog a purebred Formosan while others consider it a new type. Standards were presented to the FCI for registrations as a purebred. This debate continues today
This is truly a rare breed of dog with his double nose. He hails from Bolivia.
Twentieth century reports of this rare feature include one report of a certain Percy Fawcett in 1913 already. This report received wide press coverage in 2006. There were photographs of this unique dog breed and they were distributed in the leading press outlets, with some people thinking that this was just a genetic abnormality.
However it soon proved that this wasn’t an abnormality but part of the breeds unique features, and these dogs can be seen around Bolivia and Trinidad.
It is believed that this dog is descended from the Pachon Navarro, a type of Pointer dog believed to have been brought to Central- and South America in the 16th century. Today, no kennel club recognizes the dog.
The Formosan Mountain Dog that was seen during Dr. Sung Yung-yi’s research is a medium-sized dog, athletic and fit. It has a deep chest and a slim waist. The ears are half-covered, the nose is black and there is a coating of black on the tongue. This black tongue is the most distinguishing attribute of the Formosan Mountain Dog. The breed has a strong jaw, the skull that is just slightly longer than the muzzle, which is flat and tapered, triangle face and almond eyes. They have a thick coat and upright, curved tail.
The dogs are known to be extremely agile with an ability to hop that is rare in dogs but helps when hunting animals like rats. The Formosan Mountain Dogs hunted in packs with each dog attacking the prey with one bite until it was too exhausted to fight them off any longer.
The Double-nosed Andean Tiger Hound is a medium to large sized pure bred dog known specifically for this unique feature – the double nostril divided by a skin and fur band.
He stands at roughly 48 – 60cm and weighs 20 – 29kg. The dog has floppy ears or semi-erect ears with short limbs and a long tail.The coat of the dog is short and silky and it can be brown and white or black, grey and white or he can be a mixture of several of these colors.
Even though the dog’s name - Andean Tiger Hound - might make people think it is similar in character to a tiger, it is actually a sweet natured dog with a gentle nature that loves being close to its human family.
It lives peacefully with children and pets in the home. It is a brave, alert dog who makes a good watchdog. He is an energetic dog and will require regular exercise such as long walks. As with all dogs he can benefit with training and socialization and being an intelligent breed, he is actually easy to train.
The Formosan Mountain Dog is very child-friendly. He is affectionate and loyal to his family and protective of his children.
He is intelligent and has exceptional hunting skills. He is a good guard dog due to his alertness, but they can be fear-aggressive.
He is very adaptable to living in any location as long as there is somewhere for him to get adequate exercise. He is friendly to people and animals.
He is intelligent and learns quickly.
This medium sized dog with the double nose is unusual in that respect, but he is no different from most other dogs when it comes to making a wonderful pet.
Loving, loyal, gentle, easy to please, amicable and intelligent, the Double Nosed Andean Tiger Hound guarantees to make you an excellent pet as he has so many of the desired characteristics of a good friend.
Because there have not been any studies done on the health of the Formosan Mountain Dog, there is not a lot known about any inherent or genetic health issues. It would seem that some bloodlines are healthy, and others have some serious issues. Especially because there are no studies, it is important for breeders to test for eye issues and skeletal issues through the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals and the Canine Eye Registration Foundation.
The Double nosed Andean Tiger Hound, with good care, can reach 12 to 15 years of age.
Every dog has common dog ailments to contend with and some of these your dog might be susceptible to are -
Atypical disease to look out for as your dog grows older. It can be heartbreaking to watch your bet battling to walk and battling to get up from lying down.
This is a disease with dogs that accounts for almost 50% of deaths in pets. It is a killer and you want to be looking out for drastic weight loss and lumps and get your pet to the vet.
This is a respiratory infection and it can be easily be passed from one dog to the next. Your dog will have a raspy cough and will be lethargic too.
This can cause weight loss in your pet and he can also have a swollen stomach and be lethargic.
Anything can cause your dog to have an allergy, whether it is fleas or ticks or even food. Common allergies can be treated by changing some of the things you believe could be aggravating your pet.
Remember that a healthy, balanced diet and good exercise are important for keeping your pet healthy and ensuring longevity.
Feed a high-quality puppy food for medium size dogs at the rate of a ¼ cup twice a day until 8 months then ½ to ¾ twice a day until 12-16 months.
1 to 2 cups of high-quality dry food split into 2 meals per day.
Generally healthy breed. Keep clean and watch for mites.
This is an energetic breed and he needs a lot of exercise. He must have at least an hour of exercise daily but the more, the better. He loves swimming and jogging with his people. He’s athletic, smart and agile. He does well with field trials, tracking, agility, and obedience.
Feed your pet a quality diet – either from the top-range commercially manufactured foods or home-made food such as cooked rice, vegetables and chicken.
Steer well clear of over-feeding your pet as this can negatively affect your pet’s health in many ways.
Ensure your pet is always sheltered from the weather and that he has both sun and shade.
Your Double Nosed Andean Tiger Hound is an energetic dog and you want to walk him and make sure that he gets regular exercise to keep fit, lean and healthy.
Dogs are social creatures and to stick him in your back yard without any interaction with you is enough to make him ill and to take all the spirit out of him. Rather don’t get a pet.