MyDogBreeds
Shikoku is originated from Japan but Saarlooswolfhond is originated from Netherlands. Shikoku may grow 48 cm / 18 inches shorter than Saarlooswolfhond. Shikoku may weigh 8 kg / 18 pounds more than Saarlooswolfhond. Shikoku may live 3 years more than Saarlooswolfhond. Both Shikoku and Saarlooswolfhond has same litter size. Shikoku requires Moderate maintenance. But Saarlooswolfhond 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.
Dutch breeder Leendert Saarloos began to breed German Shepherds to a European wolf. His goal was to bring out a dog that was more hard working.
The Dutch Kennel Club recognized this dog breed in 1975, and to give honor to the breeder, they gave the name to the dog - Saarloos Wolfdog. The dog was also recognized by the Federation Cynologique Internationale.
Today the Saarloos is regarded as a pet and companion. It was in 2015 that a study found that this dog showed more genetic association with the gray wolf.
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 Saarloos Wolfdog is a large dog standing at between 60–75cm male and female and weighing between 30 and 45kg. He is athletic and muscular with a short, dense coat. Colors are wolf-grey, white and red. The Saarloos has wolf-like expressions so the ears are erect, the muzzle pointed and the tail long and plumed. They eyes are a yellow color. The face is bright and alert, showing how intelligent he is.
The Saarloos Wolfhound is full of energy so will be looking toward his owner to come up with good exercise for him.
A walk will always be welcome, but for such a lively dog, he’ll want something more energetic such as a hike, swimming, being allowed to run off his leash in the park and lots of vigorous ball- and rope games.
He is an independent dog and for this reason you’ll want him trained and socialized to make him obedient. He is loyal and loving but some of his wolf-like characteristics might mean that he isn’t a good choice for the first-time dog owner. If the first time dog owner is firm, consistent, strong and kind, then everything will be alright.
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.
The Saarloos Wolfhound is a beautiful wolf-like dog that is full of life and energy. When you bring him into your life, you’re going to to have a wonderful addition to your family.
He is an independent dog that is strong-willed so it pays to have him trained and socialized, and then he becomes a balanced, well mannered dog that is loving and loyal with his beloved human family.
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.
A well bred Saarloos Wolfhound is regarded as very healthy, and with good care they can reach up to 12, 13, 14 or 15 years of age.
This is a common canine disease which comes about when a dog’s hip joints don’t develop properly. For a dog diagnosed with hip dyslasia it can be painful lying down and getting around.
Hip dysplasia is a genetic condition, but diet also plays a part as well as environmental factors. All dogs breeds are susceptible to hip dysplasia. Try and avoid your dog putting on too much weight as then it puts excessive strain on the joints. There are different treatment options to make it more comfortable for your pet.
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.
He’s an active dog so he will need a good dose of exercise to keep that muscular, lean look.
You will need to brush the dense double coat twice a week to ensure the removal of loose hairs and to keep the coat shiny and glossy. Trim his nails and check inside his mouth as he can’t tell you when he has a rotten tooth which can cause a lot of pain.
Feed puppies 4x a day.
Puppies 6 months on can have 2 meals a day.
Always feed your dog premium-quality dry food. Twice a week you can add home-made food to the dry kibble as a tasty treat. Add boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots. This food can all be chopped up and a portion added to the kibble. The rest can be frozen and then a portion warmed up for another meal.
Try and add some raw meat to his food occasionally as this helps to keep skin problems at bay.
Ensure there is always a bowl of fresh, cool water within his reach.
Your pet needs a warm, dry, comfortable place to sleep to call his own.
If your dog spends a lot of time outdoors, make sure there is both shade and sun.
Spaying and Neutering – beneficial if you don’t want puppies.
Vaccinations for puppies and adults to stave off deadly canine diseases.