Latvian Hound vs Korean Mastiff - Breed Comparison

The Latvian Hound is a medium sized Russian or Latvian hunting hound. The dog was bred in Latvia, Russia.

He was developed from a number of English and Polish dogs as well as Lucernese breeds.

It is by no means a new breed and records of it go way back to the 1600s. A certain Duke Courland developed the dog so that it was also known as the Courland Hound. In 1922 the Latvian Association of Hunters' Associations was formed.

It was in 1971 that the Latvian Hound was was approved with it's name and a new standard was developed and approved. It isn't recognized by the AKC or the FCI.

This large breed dog is also known as the Mee Kyun Dosa. In spite of his huge size, he isn’t aggressive at all and is bred to be a companion dog.

He was originally developed to be a working dog. The dog was developed in the late 1800’s from European and Asian working breeds. Those interested in dog breeds suspected that a crossing of the Japanese Tosa-Inu with the Neapolitan Mastiff and the Dogue de Bordeaux brought about the breed. They also thought that the Saint Bernard and English Mastiff were brought in later on as well.

These large molosser dogs have been developed through years of inbreeding. It is one of the biggest dogs in Korea.

The Latvian Hound is a medium sized dog standing at between 40 to 48cm in height and weighing about 15 to 20kg.

He has a deep chest, fairly long, floppy ears, a long tail with strong legs. The coat is double and is short, shiny and dense. He is an average shedder. He is essentially black with tan markings, with tan spots above the eyes. The eyes are dark brown and the nose is black.

Temperament:

The Latvian Hound may well be an exceptional hunter but he also makes a great family pet. He is looked upon as being a friendly, amicable, sweet dog.

Because he has been a working dog, he likes to be busy and will happily join in with all your hikes and swimming. He will also run with you while you cycle.

It’s a dog that doesn’t like to be left alone for long periods of time, being inclined to suffer with separation anxiety. He doesn’t take kindly to strangers either, but a dog which has been socialized and trained becomes more amicable.

Your Latvian is intelligent so you won’t have any trouble teaching him some simply commands. He is a friendly, lively dog and just having him in your home brings in a joyous atmosphere. He is an easy-going dog, but even so, if you don’t have a fair sized garden and you don’t have the time to exercise him, he is better off living on a farm or where there is a fair sized garden.

You can’t help but stare at the Korean Mastiff because of his strong, muscular neck of loose skin that forms dewlaps. His face is wrinkled and he has a cumbersome, sluggish gait.

He is a large dog standing at anything between 59 to 76cm in height, both male and female. He can weigh between 65 to 74kg. He is noticeable because of his fairly loose fitting coat, which is short and smooth and which is a rich, shiny reddish, orange or brown colour.

The nose of the dog is broad and dark, the ears soft and floppy and he has eyes which are set wide apart.

Temperament:

The Korean Mastiff is reserved with strangers but he is friendly and even tempered with his human family, making an ideal pet.

He is looked upon as a gentle giant, being an oversized playmate for children and he also tolerates other pets in the home.

He isn't an overly energetic dog, but that doesn't mean he shouldn't be exercised. He will need long walks to avoid him putting on weight.

The Latvian Hound is an outgoing, fun dog to have around and a great dog for first-time dog owners too. He has always been a working dog, so he has developed skills such as being focused and tenacious.

As a companion and family dog, you will have a true friend as he is sweet, loving and loyal and thrives on the attention of his human family. He is a playful dog, feisty and energetic, and will be protective too. Bring him into your home and you'll see what a bright place it becomes just having him there as pet and friend.

Your huge Korean Mastiff is a good natured dog who isn’t aggressive. He loves being with his human family and makes a particularly good pet when he has been trained and socialized.

He likes a firm but fair owner who takes a leader-of-the-pack role. In spite of his largeness and sluggishness, he can be quite agile and makes a good watchdog too.

All round, the Korean Mastiff, known as a gentle giant, is capable of making you a splendidly friendly, loving canine companion.

The life span of the Latvian Hound is 12 to 14 years, and while there are no reported major health issues, all dogs face some kind of medical issues during their lives. The Latvian Hound can face things like hip dysplasia, eye problems, bloat and ear infections.

Vaccinations:

Vaccines can protect your dog from contracting some illnesses which can be fatal.

There is controversy over pet vaccines but the problem is more about HOW the dog is vaccinated.

There was a time when puppies were vaccinated many times, but newer guidelines were updated in 2017, stating that core vaccines be given to adult dogs in intervals of 3 years or more, rather than every year.

Puppy vaccines still need to be done about every 3 weeks between the ages of 6 and 16 weeks against the likes of parvovirus and distemper. Get yourself a good vet who is skilled and safe with vaccines.

Treat your big Mastiff dog like the wonderful fur-child he is and make sure your attend to all his medical needs to avoid pain and discomfort for him.

Cherry Eye:

Cherry eye is a fairly common health issue with this breed. It affects the tear gland of the third eyelid, and if left untreated, can lead to ongoing eye problems.

All dogs have a third eyelid, as well as two tear producing glands to lubricate the eyes. Its an important protective component to eye health in dogs. When the connective tissue that holds the gland in place is damaged or weak, there is a red protrusion of the gland from the lower eye. This is a congenital disorder. Don’t ignore it, but get your pet to the vet so you can catch it early.

Bloat:

Canine bloat, known as gastric dilatation and volvulus can be a killer disease for your pet, more so with deep-chested, large breeds.

Gas accumulation is known as bloat, and its the accumulation of gas which can cause the stomach to rotate. A dog can go into shock from bloat. The reason for this is that the stomach expands, putting pressure on veins. Blood can’t flow as it should and the blood supply gets cut off to the stomach.

Your dog could be vomiting, restless, the stomach hard and bloated or he may be drooling. Dogs who gobble their food down and eat just one large meal a day have an increased susceptibility to GDV than other dogs.

The wrong ingredients of a dog’s diet can also contribute to bloat. High quality food and feeding your pet smaller meals can help.

Grooming:

The Latvian Hound has a short coat that is easy to groom. He is a moderate shedder and brushing him twice a week will take care of all that loose hair. He’ll thrive on the attention this grooming session gives him and its the time to check him over for ticks and fleas too.

Check the inside of his ears. Without even realizing it, dirt and wax can build up and result in an ear infection. His ear may be red and you’ll notice him shaking his head and scratching at his ears. Be very careful about cleaning his ears as going to deep can damage the ear.

Any grooming of your dog that you can’t manage can be attended to by professional dog groomers.

Grooming:

A Korean Mastiff is an easy dog to groom with his short smooth coat. He is a moderate shedder so a brush twice a week will be sufficient to maintain the shiny, smooth condition of his coat.

Because the dog has lots of skin and folds, these folds will need to be washed and kept clean as grime can collect.

While you're busy attending to his skin check his nails too and check inside and outside his ears for signs of redness and irritation.

Diet:

Puppies use up more energy than mature adults, requiring a diet of good quality protein. Dogs that have been spayed or neutered will require less calories as will senior dogs.

Korean Mastiffs require high quality nutrition, and if its dry kibble, make sure its the best brand. Mix in some home-made food such as cooked chicken, brown rice and vegetables from time to time as well as some raw meat occasionally.

Protein and fat from good sources are top ingredients for your Korean Mastiff. Avoid food with allergens such as corn and wheat, sweeteners, preservatives and colorants.

Make sure your large pet has constant access to fresh water.