Kintamani vs Dogo Guatemalteco - Breed Comparison

The Kintamani dog is an ancient cross-breed and hails from Bali Island, Indonesia.

The beautiful dog is classified into the working dog group.

It isn't sure how the dog developed, and it is believed that local Balinese feral dogs might have had a show in with bring the breed about. There are many stories regarding the origination of this breed but in 2006 the dog got recognition in Bali under the category 'distinct' dog breed.

There are efforts to see the Kintamani dog get global recognition.

Known as the Guatemalteco Bull Terrier or Guatemalan Molosser, the Dogo Guatemalteco is also known as the Bull Terrier Guatemalteco, Guatemalan Bull Terrier, and Guatemalan Molosser.

This big Molosser-type dog originates in Guatemala. In the 20th century, it was known as the Bullterrier Guatemalteco, but at the end of the century, it was changed to Dogo Guatemalteco.

Today, while the dog is kept as a companion dog, most are working guard dogs. The Dogo Guatemalteco isn’t recognized by any major international kennel clubs. However, the Kennel Club of Guatemala has given full recognition to this dog and it was in 1981 that the Guatemalan government named the dog as their national dog breed.

Looking quite a bit like the Malamute, Chow and Samoyed, the Kintamani is a medium sized dog and has a broad face, erect ears, dark-brown eyes and a thickly plumed tail that is essentially held high.

The Kintamani is a Spitz type dog with an attractive appearance. Standing at 40 to 55cm, the Kintamani weighs in at roughly 13 to 17kg. The colors of the medium to long haired coat are white, beige, black and even brindle, though less common.

Temperament:

Having an independent nature and being territorial, your Kintamani can become aggressive with other dogs. He is very loving and accepting of his human family members though, becoming very loyal to one favorite family member.

They're alert and curious and make good watchdogs. He is also fond of swimming and climbing so he makes a good sport companion.

He is an intelligent dog and he can be easy to train. He is strong-minded and an independent thinker, so training and socialization will rein him in a bit and make him obedient and amicable.

The Guatemalteco is a medium to large dog standing at 54 – 60cm and weighing between 40-45kg. He has a short, smooth coat and is essentially white with some black markings on the head.

This breed was created from a crossing between a bull terrier, boxer and dalmatian. Some of the dogs are thickly built, while others are more leaner and athletic looking.

The ears of the dog vary quite a bit because while sometimes the ears fold down closely to the head, others are semi-pricked. There are some dog owners who have their dogs ears cropped into fully erect triangular shapes. The eye are small and usually dark brown.

Temperament:

The Dogo Guatemalteco is a fearless, evenly tempered dog. He was bred as a guard dog and he wants to protect his human family, forming a deep bond with them. It makes them difficult to re-home because of this.

It is imperative to have this dog trained and socialized because it might believe its the leader of the pack in your home. He is quite capable of getting along well with children and pets in the home. Because of his dominant nature, he isn’t suited as a pet for the first-time dog owner. He also doesn’t warm easily to strangers.

The Kintamani dog is an alert, bright, intelligent dog who will make you a good watchdog.

He also makes a companionable pet, and is friendly, loving and loyal to his human family. He has a social, lively temperament, and as people see what awesome pets they make, they are becoming more in demand as they are also easily trainable.

Do your duty towards this attractive dog and love and care for him like any other family member and he’ll be your most devoted best friend.

Your Dogo Guatemalteco is an intelligent dog breed, and because he is strong-willed and stubborn he might give you a hard time during training. It is possible though and it is important as the training will turn him into an obedient, relaxed dog, able to get on with all his family members, including pets.

He is an energetic dog and will require walks and other forms of exercise each day.

This is certainly not the kind of dog that you buy to protect your property and provide little else for him except food and water. Frustration on the dog’s part can lead to destructive behavior and aggression.

Treat him well and he can make an excellent family companion.

You’re the only one who knows your dog, so you’re the one who will pick up signs that he isn’t well.

You can tell a lot from your dog’s behavior, and often a dog that isn’t well will hide away in a corner. If you're worried about your pet’s health, get him to the vet for peace of mind.

Being a responsible dog owner requires you regularly performing body checks on your pet.

Parvo in Dogs:

The canine parvovirus (CPV) infection is a very contagious viral illness that affects dogs. The intestinal form will have your dog vomiting, he won’t want to eat and he’ll have diarrhea.

The other less common type is the cardiac parvo where the heart muscle of a fetus is attacked, leading in all likelihood to death. Thankfully the incidence of the parvo-virus infection has been reduced by vaccination of puppies.

Lyme Disease in Dogs:

This is a tick-borne illness that is transmitted through deer ticks. It is a disease more typically seen in dogs from the northeast United States. Common signs of the illness are lameness, lethargy and enlarged lymph nodes. Most dogs respond well to antibiotic treatment.

Ears Infections:

Take a look inside your dog’s ears and check for itchiness, discharge and redness. Inside the dog’s ears it is very sensitive so if you don’t want to clean his ears, rather leave you vet to do it as you don’t want to perforate your dog’s eardrums.

This dog can be susceptible to skin allergies. The skin is sensitive and prone to rashes.

Another health concern with this dog because of his white coat, is congenital deafness. The deafness could be in one- or both ears.

The dog could also experience lameness, of which the most common problem is hip dysplasia. Because skeletal problems occur in this breed, it is advisable for owners to have their pet tested by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals.

Grooming:

The thick, lustrous coat of the Kintamani will need to be brushed twice a week because the coat is capable of getting burrs in. He sheds, so to keep the coat lustrous you want to be brushing him twice a week to remove all those loose hairs.

Exercise:

The dog can adjust to life in the city or the countryside, but being energetic it is best that they have a reasonable sized garden or life on a farm. He will be quite happy with some good walks, but he'll want some more rough and tumble. He just loves joining you on a hike and climbing on rocks. These dogs are actually known for their climbing skills.

Diet:

Kibble isn’t all equal, and dog owners have a huge choice, with the idea being to find the most nutritious one. Good food is key to good health for your Kintamani.

Your Kintamani puppy will require 4 meals a day. As he reaches adulthood you can start feeding him one or two meals a day.

The Kintamani has a beautiful thick coat and you want to ensure it stays that way by feeding him the best quality food there is. Top-quality dry food from a reputable brand will ensure balanced nutrition.

Read the packaging to ensure you’re giving him food that is appropriate to his age and for medium sized dogs. He will do well on some cooked chicken, brown rice, pasta and vegetables being added to this dry kibble every now and again as a treat.

If you’re unsure about whether he is getting the right kind of food in with a good balance of vitamins and minerals, you can always speak to your vet. Make sure that fresh, cool water is constantly available to him and wash his food and drink bowls regularly.

The coat of the dog is short and harsh and it sheds throughout the year. While he is still looked upon as a low maintenance dog, regular brushing will be required twice a week.

Because he is a dog breed that is susceptible to skin allergies, bathing isn't necessary as it removes the dog’s natural oils.

Other areas of grooming for this dog are brushing his teeth twice a week, trimming his nails and checking his ears.

Diet:

Always choose a high quality dog food for your Dogo Guatemalteco and look at the feeding recommendations on the packaging.

When you feed your pet kibble, you can also mix in some cooked brown rice, vegetable and chicken for variety and contentment.

Raw meat is also advised from time to time. Don’t just go on and on through the years feeding your dog the same amount of food, as there are factors to take into account when deciding on food quantity. The age of your dog, it’s stage of life and its activity levels will mean regulating your pet’s food to match his needs.