MyDogBreeds
St. John's Water Dog is originated from Canada but Latvian Hound is originated from Russia. Both St. John's Water Dog and Latvian Hound are having almost same height. St. John's Water Dog may weigh 21 kg / 47 pounds more than Latvian Hound. Both St. John's Water Dog and Latvian Hound has almost same life span. St. John's Water Dog may have less litter size than Latvian Hound. Both St. John's Water Dog and Latvian Hound requires Low maintenance.
The breed known as the St. John’s water dog is an extinct landrace breed. They were domestic dogs found in Newfoundland and at times were called the lesser Newfoundland. There is not much information available about the other breeds that went into its development. Hypothetically it is believed they are a mix of the Irish, Old English and Portuguese dogs bred to work.
It is also thought that other breeds in their family tree, descending from them, include the Golden Retriever, the Flat-Coated Retriever, the Chesapeake Bay Retriever, the Labrador and the Curly-Coated Retriever. The Newfoundland is also related to the St. Johns Water Dog through the line of Rafeirio do Alenteios that Portuguese fisherman brought to the island.
The breed was exported to England in the 19th century and early 20th. There the breeds of retrievers were developed. In Canada during this time frame restrictions were placed on dog ownership in order to encourage people to raise sheep. At the same time England imposed a long quarantine on all animals coming into the country in order to get rid of rabies. These two factors contributed greatly to the extinction of the breed. It seems the last two dogs were seen in a remote area in the 1980’s. All attempts to save the breed failed.
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.
St. John’s Water Dog is strong, medium sized and stocky. They looked more like English Labs than American Labs. They had a thick, short coat, loved swimming, had a lot of endurance and rudder tail. It was also described as a thin, black dog with short hair. They had white patches on their chest and feet. His nose was thin and tapered, his legs powerful, his chest muscular. The breed is quick, swims, runs quickly and is a fighter as well.
Never accepted by any major kennel club except as a foundation breed. They became extinct.
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.
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.
3.Adaptability large need fence, they are not large dogs but they need outdoor space
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.
There is no documented history of any genetic or hereditary illnesses in the breed. However, it seems rational to believe they suffered from ailments similar to Labradors and newfoundland though they are smaller dogs.
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.
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.
1Feeding the puppy – Don’t overfeed – they have a propensity toward obesity. Feed high quality, high protein 3 x a day.
2.Feeding the adult – Don’t overfeed. Feed a high quality, high protein 1-2 x a day.
4. Games and Exercises – They need space to run and they love to explore. They would also love to be near water where they could swim. Good at dock diving, field trials, flyball and frisbee.
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.