MyDogBreeds
Tahltan Bear Dog is originated from Canada but Spitz is originated from Russia. Tahltan Bear Dog may grow 27 cm / 10 inches shorter than Spitz. Tahltan Bear Dog may weigh 31 kg / 68 pounds lesser than Spitz. Both Tahltan Bear Dog and Spitz has almost same life span. Tahltan Bear Dog may have less litter size than Spitz. Tahltan Bear Dog requires Low maintenance. But Spitz requires Moderate maintenance
The primitive Tahltan Bear Dog comes from Canada. The dog was developed by the Tahltan people to hunt bears, so you can imagine he was a strong, brave dog.
They also had fox-like yaps that confused bears until the hunter could come and kill the bear. These dogs are descended from pariah-type dogs with their diet being birds and fish.
It was in 1988 that the Canadian Post Office honoured the Tahltan Bear Dog by having a picture of it appearing on a stamp.
Some people claim that after the 1960s there are no longer any living descendants while others say that breeding projects were established and that there are still a few of these dogs around today. There are records on the other hand that claim the dog became extinct in the 1970s.
A spitz is not a breed of dog, but rather a “group or family” of dogs that has its roots in Germany. Within this family there are a variety of breeds that were bred for very specific purposes by people in many different parts of the world. The spitz family can be toy dog size up to vey large. Examples run from the Pomeranian to the Canadian Eskimo Dog.
The Spitz family dogs share the look of thick, long fur and pointed muzzles, ears and curly tail. Despite their German name, they are thought to originally be of East Asia or Artic descent. Most of today’s spitz are from Siberia’s Artic region, first described in 1788 and in English in 1792. Spitz have been bred for three types of jobs depending upon where they were developed. These jobs included pulling, herding and hunting.
There are very powerful and large Spitz breeds that pull or hunt large game. Examples of these breeds are the Swedish Elkhound, the Akita Inu, the Norwegian Elkhound and the Karelian Bear Dog. The smaller sized breeds like the Samoyed hunted small mammals and birds, while the Finnish Lapphund, Lapponian Herder, and Swedish Lapphund herded, hunted and pulled small sleds.
The three largest spitz also pulled sleds throughout the 17th and 18th centuries. In most places the Canadian Eskimo Dog, the Alakan Malamute and the Greenland dog were used in sled racing and fur trapping while in Canada and Alaska the Siberian Husky was used for the same things.
Recently there have been genetic tests that show a large number of dogs that are considered Spitz type so share many strong ancestral ties and DNA similarities with wild wolves. It is now believed that a lot of these breeds were intentionally mated with wolves and some were accidental. Both domestic and wild dogs are included in this history.
Most spitz are made for cold weather, even today’s lapdogs, like the Pomeranian, do not do well in hot climates.
Not like a bear, but more foxy in appearance or even more like a husky, the Tahltan Bear dog is medium sized, standing at between 36 – 43cm in height and weighing between 6 – 9 kg.
It is believed that they were similar to spitz and pariah type dogs, and were athletic. The short to medium length coat of the dog was mainly black or brown with some white.
He had fairly large pointed, erect ears and also a fairly pointed muzzle. The tail was interesting and was short and furry and always carried erect.
The Tahltan Bear Dog is fearless, not being deterred when meeting large bear. It's why the dog has been valued by hunters – their bravery and fearlessness.
They’re great family dogs too and will get on well with children. He is intelligent and easy to train if you want to give him training and socialization.
Most of the spitz breeds share a “look” that includes erect ears, stocky heavy, usually double coats, a pointed muzzle, thick, fluffy ruffs and a heavy curled tail carried high over the body. Build for northern climates they are insulated by a undercoat that is waterproof and dense and a less dense topcoat. Their ears are small to prevent frostbite and their paws have thick fur to protect them in the frigid, icy terrain.
Many still have wolf-like looks and tendencies. Some are very difficult to train to be companions – the Akita, Chow and especially the Karelian Bear Dog – fall into this category. Many mixed breed dogs are also considered members of the Spitz family. These dogs are easy to recognize as spitz because of these physical characteristics
Because some claim that this dog is extinct, there are only a few accounts of what he is actually like.
Even though they were hunting dogs, they were devoted pets and companions of the people of the Yukon.
If these dogs are still to be found today, you will find them to be easy going, protective, loyal, intelligent, playful, alert, watchful and energetic. Just don’t allow them to get too hot as they prefer cooler climates.
Healthy dogs are unlikely to pick up any of the many common dog illnesses there are. There are many – cancer, diabetes, bloat, hip dysplasia, ear infections, dental disease and many more.
This is a contagious and infectious disease known as canine tracheobronchitis and which is transmitted through the air. Treatment is usually administered as a nasal spray, but your dog will need to get to the vet because of his dry, honking cough and lack of appetite.
This is a viral disease which in most instances is fatal. It is mostly transmitted when an animal that carries the disease bites the dog. Your dog develops behavior which is totally uncharacteristic of him. He'll also froth at the mouth and become aggressive. Death is nearly always guaranteed.
It is a little harder to characterize the health issues of a family of dogs than it is a .will overheat in hot climates due to their double coats. Here are some propensities of dogs in the Spitz family.
• Thrombopathia bleeding disorder with the risk of a hemorrhage, platets don’t clot.
• Larger breeds are affected by Elbow and Hip dysplasia that can cause arthritis and lameness.
This double coated hunting dog’s thick coarse coat will require brushing at least twice a week to free the dog of loose hair. He is regarded as a low mainenance dog.
During brushing, you would check inside his ears and make sure there are no signs of redness. Eyes of the dog should be bright, eager and free of discharge.Always keep the nails of the dog trimmed.
If you keep your pet outside for any lengths of time it is imperative that this dog has shade to lie down in as he doesn’t do well in too much heat.
Because he is a hunting dog, he is used to being outdoors and being active. He wont be content to lie around inactive for too long. He’ll want at least a walk every day and some ball games.
A pet dog can’t choose his own food so they depend on us to make the right choices for them. It’s always convenient to have a packet of commercially manufactured dog food available, but who knows if this dog, which some claim is extinct, ever ate commercially manufactured food.
If he did, you would want to mix it every now and again with home made food - boiled chicken, sweet potatoes, brown rice or pasta, carrots and spinach. This food could be chopped up and added to the dog’s kibble.
1Feeding the puppy The Spitz family has high energy needs but in a slow-release so they need protein more than grain. Puppies should be fed 3-4x a day in small meals. Don’t overfeed them.
2.Feeding the adult – The Spitz type dog stores their energy to use in extended periods when working or playing. They will become obese if overfed or if they don’t get enough exercise. Feed 2-3X a day in small or medium sized meals, even the larger breeds because of their storage of calories.
4. Games and Exercises – Having been bred for endurance and stamina most Spritz breed need plenty of exercise, lots of space and lots of play. They love to run, jog, or play games. They are outdoors types who love to hike, and run or walk for long times over long distances. They are great in cold, wet weather but not so good in the heat. How much exercise they need depends on the size and history of the specific breeds. Most love to play with other dogs, so dog parks and dog day care can both be good choices for most of them. Agility, barnhunt, field trials, pulling games are all good choices.
