Shikoku is originated from Japan but Double-Nosed Andean Tiger Hound is originated from Bolivia. Shikoku may grow 33 cm / 12 inches shorter than Double-Nosed Andean Tiger Hound. Shikoku may weigh 24 kg / 53 pounds more than Double-Nosed Andean Tiger Hound. Both Shikoku and Double-Nosed Andean Tiger Hound has same life span. Both Shikoku and Double-Nosed Andean Tiger Hound has almost same litter size. Shikoku requires Moderate maintenance. But Double-Nosed Andean Tiger Hound requires Low maintenance
The Shikoku is from the Shikoku Island in Japan and they are very much like the Japanese Shiba Inu. There are six native Japanese dog breeds and the Shikoku is medium sized and sits in between the smaller Shiba Inu and the very large Akita Inu. All of the Japanese native breeds are members of the Spitz family. The Japanese have sorted their six breeds into 3 categories by size. Being medium size, the Shikoku is a member of the Shika-inus group. Others in this group are the Ainu Ken, the Kai Ken and the Kishu Inu. There are small differences between the three dogs in the Shika-inus group.
The Shikoku was bred to be a hunting dog in Kochi Prefecture to hunt boar and deer. Other names for the breed include Kochi-ken and Kishu dog or boar hound. This dog is considered to be the purest of the Japanese native dogs or Nihoken. They are today very , very rare. There are very few outsides of Japan, but some in North America are attempting to save the breed.
The are od Kochi Prefecture is a mountainous region with rough terrain that anyone outside of the area would have a hard time accessing. That is why the Shikoku is considered to be so pure as they were pretty well isolated in the mountains. The breeders were also isolated by the mountains and there was very little interbreeding. Although breeding the same dog, these different groups developed different lines of the Shikoku.
Documentation tells us that the number of originals lines was just two and these were the Western and Eastern Shikoku. The Western dog was known as the Mount Ishizuchi Shikoku and the Eastern as the Mount Tsurugi Shikoku. Within these two lines of Shikoku there are additional strains.
Within the Eastern line there is the Tokushima (lya) and the Koci-Aki strains. Within the Western line there is the Hata Uwahara, the Ehime-ken Shuso-gun and the Honkawa. Among these lines and strains, there are different coats and different colors; some heavier and some taller, but all figure into the development of the breed.
Finally, in the Showa Era the Japanese established the Dog Protective League and they began collecting the native dogs from around the country. They protected them so that the breed will go on. The Shikoku is today recognized as Foundation Stock by the AKC and it is fully recognized by the Japan Kennel Club, the Canadian Hound Club and the Shikoku has been declared a living Japanese “natural monument”.
Two bloodlines became the way the Shikoku were know after the war – the Honkawa and the Hata lines The Honkawa line were the descendants of the Choshun-go and the Hata line were the descendants of the Matsukaze-go. They bred the lines separately until 1955, when they mixed them to make the breed stronger. They are no longer considered separate in any way.
Because they are such primitive dogs, the Shikoku are good watch dogs and quite reserved with strangers. They need a lot of socialization to be a family pet but once they are, they make great companions. Intelligent, quick to learn and eager to please. Of the two lines of Shikoku dogs from the Western strains, the current Shikoku owes much of its current development to the Honkawa and Hata strains.
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.
Today’s Shikoku is a medium sized breed with a Spitz like body – square with a head that is wedge shaped. The ears are pointed, and the tail is curved and feathered. They have arched toes and hard pads with dark, hard nails.
The two lines of the Shikoku are slightly different in built and look. The Honkawa strain is slender and athletic; agile and single coated. They have dark eyes and most of them are black and tan.
On the other hand, the Hata strain is much heavier boned, with the front more muscular than the rear. They have small ears, a wide skull and a strong undercoat. His eyes are shaped differently than the Honkawa. Their coats are also mostly red and tan.
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.
1.Children friendliness – They might be a little aloof with children. They are hunters.
3.Adaptability with your commitment to exercise they can live anywhere even in an apartment.
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.
Being isolated as they were, the Shikoku was a fairly healthy breed, no genetic testing has been done. Despite this they suffer a few of the same potential issues as other breeds their size.
Otherwise this is an agile and hardy breed with no known congenital health issues.
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.
Feeding the puppy Be careful with feeding the puppy and adult as the breed is known to have a tendency toward obesity. Fresh food is better as it is what the breed has been used to, but a high quality puppy kibble is acceptable. Feed three times per day.
2.Feeding the adult He is a high energy dog so feed a high energy food designed for a medium sized dog. Feed in two meals each day.
4. Games and Exercises You will need a fenced yard for this breed and time to play with them. If not, you would need time to walk her more than once a day. They love to play indoors as well, chasing balls, learning new things. The breed make great companions for hiking, swimming, play frisbee or catch outside. They do well at agility, rally, obedience and flyball.
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.