MyDogBreeds
Shikoku is originated from Japan but Rampur Greyhound is originated from India. Shikoku may grow 48 cm / 18 inches shorter than Rampur Greyhound. Shikoku may weigh 23 kg / 51 pounds more than Rampur Greyhound. Both Shikoku and Rampur Greyhound has almost same life span. Shikoku may have less litter size than Rampur Greyhound. Shikoku requires Moderate maintenance. But Rampur Greyhound 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.
Known also as the North-Indian Greyhound or the Rampur Hound, the Rampur Greyhound is native to the Rampur area of Northern India.
This dog is a member of the sighthound family, and in the past has been sought after for its efforts in controlling jackals.
The dog is also able to cover large distances at high speed. Some commemorative postage stamps were issued in 2005 as acknowledgement of this attractive dog breed.
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.
In height, the Rampur Greyhound stands at between 55 and 75 cm and they weigh in the region of 27 to 30kg.
They are much the same as other greyhounds, but they’re somewhat wider and just a little bit more muscular. The head too, is broader than the slimmer head of the English Greyhound. Of course these dogs are known for the slim, pointed nose, the high-set ears which are sometimes half-floppy, half-erect. The eyes are large and the tail is long and slim.
The coat is short and smooth and is in colors such as gray, fawn, some white, some black with white and some brindle.
Your Rampur Greyhound is social around his human family, lapping up all their attention. He is the kind of dog that can be seen sprinting at high speed over the fields, but he is also not averse to lying peacefully with you on the sofa.
He is far better suited to a home with large gardens or on a farm as opposed to being confined to a small property in the city.
He can be gentle but when required, he becomes an excellent watchdog. He will need training and socialization as he can be rambunctious indoors, knocking things over. Training makes him obedient and restrained They get on well with children and other pets in the home.
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.
Everyone loves the Rampur Greyhound, and why not? He is fantastic with children because of his gentle, loving nature. He is a playful dog too and will require a daily dose of exercise.
They aren’t noisy dogs, being naturally timid, but he still loves to get out and about with his daily walk to see and experience new sights and smells.
When you bring a Rampur Greyhound into your home, you’re bringing in a whole lot of wonderful companionship, love and loyalty from this remarkable canine.
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.
Rampur Hounds are generally a healthy dog breed, and their health is enhanced when you take good care of them and provide them with lots of love, good food and exercise.
Still, every dog can fall prey to any one of the many dog illnesses there are such as cancer, bloat, diabetes, ear infections, epilepsy, obesity, eye problems and others.
This can be deadly for your dog. Gas collects in the stomach and the stomach can twist. You’ll notice your dog has a hard, swollen stomach and he is lethargic, but restless. Getting him to the vet as quickly as possible should be a top priority.
Your pet can develop all kinds of skin problems where he bites and scratches, causing bacteria. It can be terribly painful for your pet, and even ticks and fleas on the skin can cause cause a lot of irritation for your pet.
Some people add in omega 3 oils to their pet’s diet to help with dry skin. Don’t let your pet suffer with skin allergies and other problems that are itchy and painful. Get him to the vet so you can get to the root of what is causing him so much frustration with his skin.
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.
Active and playful, your Rampur Hound will need a lot of space to let off steam and run. He will look forward to his walks every day with you. Maybe you’ll need a tennis racquet to hit the ball far enough for him to sprint after.
These dogs, with their short coats, are considered to be low maintenance, even though they do shed.
A good brush twice a week will do them good and they just love being massaged. It’s your time to run your hands over the slim, muscled body to make sure there are no unusual lumps on him.
Follow a regular grooming regime when you brush him. Check inside his ears, have a look at his eyes to make sure they’re still bright. Check inside his mouth for bad teeth which could be causing him terrible pain and make sure to trim his nails.
To be healthy and content, every dog needs good food.For convenience it can be great to feed your Greyhound one of the high quality commercially manufactured dog foods. To vary the food occasionally, add in some delicious home-made food too.
Once or twice a week you can simply add some home-made food to the dry kibble. Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots are a healthy choice for your pet. Nothing complicated.
If you cook it in bulk, you can chop it all up and feed smaller portions to your pet. Some raw meat added in from time to time will also keep him healthy.
A simple meal like this will please your dog no end. No exotic spices and strange, weird kinds of food which could upset his stomach – just plain and simple the way dogs love it.
Ensure there is always a bowl of fresh, cool water within his reach.