Redbone Coonhound is originated from United States but Formosan Mountain Dog is originated from Taiwan. Redbone Coonhound may grow 18 cm / 8 inches higher than Formosan Mountain Dog. Redbone Coonhound may weigh 14 kg / 31 pounds more than Formosan Mountain Dog. Both Redbone Coonhound and Formosan Mountain Dog has almost same life span. Redbone Coonhound may have less litter size than Formosan Mountain Dog. Both Redbone Coonhound and Formosan Mountain Dog requires Low maintenance.
The Redbone Coonhound has always had a busy life hunting bear, deer and cougar. It is thought that this dog descends from from Bloodhounds, Foxhounds and Irish Hounds.
Hailing from America, this dog has been registered with the American Kennel Club since 2009.
It was during the 18th century that many European-type hunting dogs were imported to America. Over time, Southern hunters bred with stamina and this ultimately lead to the emergence of coonhounds.
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 beautiful, shiny red dog is medium-sized and stands at between 53 and 70cm at the shoulders and weighs between 20 and 32kg.
The dog’s coat is short and smooth with maybe just a tiny bit of white found around the feet and chest area. He is lean and muscular with strong, straight legs and a deep chest. The ears are floppy and the tail, traditionally docked, is often left long these days.
The paws are large and webbed and when the dog is excited, the tail is held high
The Redbone Coonhound is an affectionate dog who wants to please his owners. He just loves his human family and would be beside himself if he were locked outside day after day.
He is a social dog who should be allowed time indoors and out. They make splendid playmates for children too, and get along well with other animals in the house.
Because they’re independent and strong willed, he will need to be trained and socialized to ensure he is well mannered and obedient.
He is an active dog and will require a good bout of exercise. He is vocal, known for his baying type of bark, and training will keep this kind of baying under control. Training is also necessary as this dog is stubborn. He is intelligent enough to learn, and once trained, is gentle and calm.
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 Redbone loves the company of his human family. He is such a friendly dog,getting on well with everyone in the family, including the children and other pets.
He is a hunting dog and always ready to be part of any activities his human family is involved in. He is gentle and easy going, and and having him in your life is guaranteed to bring in a lot of joy and sunshine.
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.
The Redbone Coonhound is generally a healthy breed that can reach 12, 13, 14 years of age if well cared for.
There are some common dog illnesses that this do can succumb to and which are worth knowing about as they affect so many dogs. These are cancer, bloat, skin allergies, ear infections and hip dysplasia.
If you notice that your active dog is subdued and lethargic, it is your responsibility to get your 4-legged child to the vet to be looked over.
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.
Hunting dogs such as the Redbone Coonhound will need a good deal of exercise to stay happy and healthy. The breed is best suited to the countryside or suburbs as opposed to city dwelling.
He won’t be content with just a walk every day but is the kind of dog that will want to be free from a leash and be running far and wide. When at home, involve him in some rope- and ball games.
The Redbone Coonhound isn’t going to be a dog that you have to fuss over. His short coat can be brushed twice a week to keep him looking beautifully shiny. When you brush him, make sure you check for any unusual lumps.
He has floppy ears, so look inside his ears for signs of redness and discharge. This could be an indication of an ear infection. Also check inside his mouth as he could have a rotting tooth which could be causing him a lot of pain and also be poisoning his body.
You want to ensure your beautiful Redbone Coonhound stands every chance to enjoy good health. Every dog owner should try to feed their dog the best food there is.
There are some good commercially manufactured foods on the market and these are wonderfully convenient to use for your dog. However, you want to provide him with some good homemade food too.
Dogs thrive on simplicity and consistency with their diets because then it prevents upset stomachs. Some home-cooked food such as boiled chicken, sweet potatoes, brown rice or pasta, carrots and spinach will be perfect for him.
Chop the food up finely and add it into the dry kibble once or twice a week. Raw meat can also be added in occasionally to promote good skin health. Make sure your pet is never without a constant supply of fresh, cool water.
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.