MyDogBreeds
Huntaway is originated from New Zealand but Abruzzenhund is originated from Italy. Huntaway may grow 7 cm / 2 inches shorter than Abruzzenhund. Both Huntaway and Abruzzenhund are having almost same weight. Both Huntaway and Abruzzenhund has almost same life span. Both Huntaway and Abruzzenhund has almost same litter size. Huntaway requires Low maintenance. But Abruzzenhund requires Moderate maintenance
The Huntaway or New Zealand Huntaway is a herding dog that originated in the New Zealand sheep country. Their main purpose is to drive sheep and they are not an old breed. They were developed late in the 19th century for their working skills. The only real criteria was that they were black and tan. A dog must win a trial in order to be placed in the New Zealand Sheep Dog Trial Association studbook. They drive sheep mainly through their deep, loud voice.
In the New Zealand high country there was a need for a working dog with stamina, agility and intelligence to work the sheep as a drover (herder). The dog had to be able to handle rough, steep land and work with very large groups of sheep. The sheer area of land that the sheep graze and the dog would have to cover, demanded that this dog have stamina and strength to cover large pasture land and work for days if necessary. Before this the shepherds had used British sheepdogs but they preferred dogs that barked while working. So they bred the British Sheepdogs with Collies, Border Collies, Labrador, Rottweiler, Doberman and other barking sheepdogs to create the Huntaway. In addition to the bark, they bred for stamina and size.
They were participating in field trails in 1870 and ads for them were seen in newspapers by 1884. They became a separate breed in the 20th century. Today they are spreading around the world and are becoming very popular. It is not recommended that they be kept as pets however, since they are true working dogs.
Abruzzenhund was established as an individual breed in the middle of the 20th century. They are descendant of the big, white Eastern sheepdogs which came to Europe 2000 years ago. Abruzzenhund is a mix of Turkish sheepdogs Akbash and Karabash, the Kuvac, Slovakian breed Hungarian breed, Komondor, and a French sheepdog Pyrenean Mountain Dog. Those dogs were much bigger than today’s breed. Abruzzenhund is still not very popular breed, but it is very common in Great Britain and Italy. They have been used as guard dogs, hunting dogs, and working dogs because they are very brave and strong.
The Huntaway is a large dog with a deep chest and a black and tan coat. They are strong, big and muscular with voices to match. They herd, head, work the sheep in pastures and force them into pens. They are bred to have that big authoritative, deep bark. They do not yap. Their bodies are well proportioned but longer than high. They have well - padded feet and a deep chest for stamina, along with strong legs and body that allows them to run fast and change directions at will.
The tail of a Huntaway if long, while their heads are shaped like blocks while the muzzle is long and the nose is black. They have dark, round eyes and long ears. An unusually attractive dog, they have dense fur with fringe on the tail and chest. There is characteristics a very large variety in the in the way the breed looks from one dog to the next. Thus they do not participate in confirmation events, as the standard is based on working characteristics rather than appearance guidelines. They are more a “class” than a “breed”.
A height of Abruzzenhund variates between 60-73 cm, males are slightly bigger than females. While the weight is 30-45kg, again, males are heavier than females.
Abruzzenhund lifespan is between 11-13 years, but since these dogs don’t have any weaknesses and don’t tend to get sick, they can live longer with a proper care and adequate food and training.
Litter size of Abruzzenhund depends, but as any large breed, they usually have 6-9 puppies. And that is a very good considering size of the breed.
Abruzzenhund is not the only name of this breed. There are more names that you might hear. You can hear names like Maremma, Pastore, Abruzzese, Cane da Pastore, Maremmano- Abruzzese, Italian Sheepdog, and many similar names. Basically, they sound similar but there are differences.
Abruzzenhund is a friendly dog, but it is very powerful. Very strong jaw with a scissors bite makes them very strong. They have small but intelligent eyes, usually dark colored. The undercoat is dense, while the coat is white with segments of ivory to white yellow. Their long undercoat and coat make them winter resistant.
They are very good with children and love to play with them.
Stamina, speed and independence
Not really. Don’t do well in small spaces. Better off in the country.
Very intelligent, quick learner, loves learning new things.
Abruzzenhund is a very well-balanced breed who loves spending time with other animals and people. They have a very good temper. They love being around families, and they are very gentle with children. It is important to train Abruzzenhund properly because the dog of that size should be a leader. A human with a strong character should train this breed. Training is important because they tend to make their own decisions which can be bad sometimes.
The Huntaway is a pretty healthy breed, developed as it was from the sheepdogs and collies. They still face some inherited issues such as:
A great thing about Abruzzenhund is that they are very healthy dogs. They don’t have any chronical health problems, so if you are feeding your dog properly, with a lot of exercises they will not have any health problems. It is also important to check genetics of the dog.
If you are not using your Huntaway to herd, then feed a medium formula not a high protein, high calorie formula. Feed 3-4 times a day and 1-2 cups.
3 cups per day feeding twice a day high quality medium calorie food.
Exceptional stamina
This herding breed has a great need of mental and physical stimulation. They were born to herd and to do so over vast tracts of land in challenging conditions. They need to be challenged. They need daily exercise at a very high level. A Run them every day or take them on a couple of long walks. They will excel in field trials, Barnhunt, agility and rescue. They love to learn.
They learn very quickly, but it requires strong will and constant training to keep them happy. They are great working dogs, and with the positive training, they are amazing. It is very important that they follow rules and to keep them in balance with training.
They can eat a lot of food, depend on their activity. High-Quality dog food twice a day for a grown dog is a must. While puppies should eat 3-5 times, smaller portions of food. The food is important especially for working dogs, they need up to 2000-3000Kcal per day. Abruzzenhund will enjoy eating meat with a lot of vegetables and oil.
They are not recommended for small house or apartment. They need big yard because they require a lot of space. During the winter they can be outside because of their coat, but during the summer they need to be in the shade with a lot of fresh water available anytime.
The coat should be brushed and groomed very often because they have a thick coat. There is a lot of dead and loose hair in it. During shedding, period takes even more time to groom your dog properly. They love and they need exercise. Mental exercise is important as physical. Every day walking, running, playing with other animals is an important part of dog's activity. When they get enough quality exercise, they will sleep in the house.