Tamaskan is originated from United Kingdom but Basque Shepherd is originated from Spain. Tamaskan may grow 10 cm / 4 inches higher than Basque Shepherd. Tamaskan may weigh 16 kg / 36 pounds more than Basque Shepherd. Both Tamaskan and Basque Shepherd has same life span. Both Tamaskan and Basque Shepherd has almost same litter size. Tamaskan requires Low maintenance. But Basque Shepherd requires Moderate maintenance
It is believed that the Tamaskan has been specifically bred to resemble a wolf, and he does too.
They aren’t recognized by the Federation Cynologique Internationale as they aren’t purebred. In fact they aren’t recognized by any kennel club, being crossbred with other dog breeds such as the German Shepherd, Siberian Husky and Alaskan Malamute.
The Basque Shepherd is one of the oldest dog breeds. With this Spanish dog, you’ll find paintings dating back 12,000 years ago. The Basque Shepherd is known as a landrace breed, which means the dog hasn’t gone through the same selective breeding programs as what other breeds have. Landrace breeds have more variations in appearance and temperament than regular breeds.
The Basque Shepherd has 2 distinct varieties, the Gorbeiakoa and the Iletsua. The smooth-haired Gorbeiakoa has a softer coat that is fairly short while the rougher-haired Iletsua has a lighter coloured coat, and unlike the Gorbeiakoa, the ears are not typically erect.
Even though this is an ancient breed of dog, only the Royal Canine Society of Spain recognizes the breed with the two varieties, and in January 1996, the two breeds - Iletsua and Gorbeikoa – were recognized.
The beautiful Tamaskan dog is large, standing at between 61 and 71cm in height and weighing between 23 and 45 kg.
It is a mix between several sled dogs – Siberian Husky and Alaskan Malamute. The thick double coat is coarse and can be grey, cream, black or reddish and the tail of the Tamaskan is wolf-like too – thick and bushy.
His ears are erect and alert and he has sharp hearing. His almond shaped eyes can be yellow or brown and they are alert and bright and don’t miss a thing.
The Tamaskan is capable of becoming a good family pet, being gentle with children and accepting of other dogs. His high intelligence makes it that he can learn a lot of simple commands.
Because he has been a pack dog, he doesn’t like to be left alone. He is social and as a pet he will want to be an interactive part of his human family. Leaving him unsupervised for days on end will see him getting up to mischief.
He will die of depression, boredom and loneliness if he is put into the back yard and ignored.
They are certainly not recommended for life in the city but will need to have a large space to run and play.
The Basque Shepherd is a strong, well proportioned dog with brown eyes and medium sized ears, which sometimes have folds. This medium-to-large dog has a beautiful fawn coat of medium-length hair that can be straight or slightly wavy. He has a long feathery tail that will wag readily when he sees his owner. You’ll find other colors for the Basque Shepherd shared between the two varieties - a yellow orange or copper coat with other shades being red, blue and black. His hair is shorter on the head and he doesn’t battle with hair over the eyes.
The Basque Shepherd is a highly intelligent dog and also very energetic. Of the two different kinds of Basque Shepherd, it is the Gorbeiakoa which is the more outgoing. The dogs will require a firm owner and they thrive on the discipline when it is combined with lots of with lots of exercise and activities.
The Basque Shepherd is generally friendly with people, if not a little reserved with strangers. He gets on well with children and other pets in the home, although socialization and training will be necessary to bring out their best.
The Tamaskan may look like a wolf but he isn’t aggressive. He’s looks can be to your advantage because intruders think twice before confronting a ‘wolf’.
Little do they know that this is a loving, loyal dog that makes an excellent playmate for children. They’re social too and want to be with their family a lot of the time.
They’re dogs so devoted to their human family that they can even suffer with separation anxiety.
Give him the love and exercise he craves and you’ll find in him the most awesome canine friend.
The dog is well suited to being a family pet, loving to spend time with family, being a people-oriented breed. He gets on well with children as well as other pets in the home, but can be reserved with strangers.
He doesn’t have an aggressive nature, and yet he does what it takes to protect his beloved human family.
He is full of energy, hardy and tough. He loves his human family and wants to be included in all their activities. He is energetic though and as a responsible dog owner, you want to make sure that your Basque Shepherd has enough space to run.
Your healthy Tamaskan, even though he isn’t prone to common genetic health problems, can get any one of the many dog illnesses there are, although this is highly unlikely.
However without good food, exercise, love and care, he can also be susceptible to parasites, rabies, parvovirus, hip dysplasia, bloat, skin infections and cancer.
Because this is an ancient breed, the Basque Shepherd doesn’t have to contend with genetic health problems such as more modern breeds. Just like other dogs though, he could be prone to certain conditions such as hip dysplasia, eye problems, ear infections and cancer. As a larger breed, he may also be prone to bloat.
Breeds with floppy ears, such as the Basque Shepherd will be more prone to developing ear infections. To prevent infection, keep his ears clean and dry. If you’re unsure, the vet can guide you how- and what to do.
This is a disease which is common to other dog breeds too and not just the Basque Shepherd. This condition affects the hip joints and can result in chronic pain for the dog and also lameness. Checking your dog’s weight is important and the pain can be managed with medication.
The Tamaskan Dog is very active. He just loves activity - long walks and hikes and lots of running off a leash. He’ll love ball games too – anything that keeps him mentally and physically active.
Provide your beautiful, active Tamaskan dog with top quality food that is rich in protein. You can give him one of the quality commercially manufactured foods – just check out the ingredients on the packaging and go for the dog foods with wholesome, natural ingredients in them.
Your Tamaskan is part of the family and deserves some home-made food. Nothing spicey and exotic as you’ll sit with stomach problems. Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots are a super healthy choice and food like this won’t play havoc with your dog’s digestion.
This food can all be chopped up and small portions added into the dry kibble twice a week.
●This is a fairly low maintenance dog. He does shed so a good brush twice a week will be sufficient for him.
●When you brush him, check him over for unusual lumps. Look inside his eyes and inside his mouth as he can’t tell you about a bad tooth that could be causing him pain. Check inside his ears too for signs of redness. If you don’t want to do these things, at least send him to a professional groomer who will do it all for you.
●Have your pet neutered or spayed if you want to avoid puppies. This can be beneficial for your pet’s health too.
This is a medium to large breed dog and he should therefore be fed a high quality food which has been formulated for medium to large breeds. Because he is a herding dog, you might want to also look at an active-dog or working-breed formula to supply him with that much needed energy.
The Basque Shepherd’s coat is lush and long with either straight or wavy hair. Regular brush at least twice a week will maintain the coat, get rid of loose hair and prevent fleas.
The Basque Shepherd is an intelligent breed that will respond well to socialization and training. He is a breed that loves sports too because of this very high energy levels. You need to be careful with the Basquae Shepherd around small children, not because he is aggressive in any way, but because he is highly active, and his exuberance and boisterous antics could see him unintentionally knocking over small children.