MyDogBreeds
Tamaskan is originated from United Kingdom but Huntaway is originated from New Zealand. Both Tamaskan and Huntaway are having almost same height. Both Tamaskan and Huntaway are having almost same weight. Both Tamaskan and Huntaway has almost same life span. Tamaskan may have more litter size than Huntaway. Both Tamaskan and Huntaway requires Low 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 Huntaway or New Zealand Huntaway is a herding dog that originated in the New Zealand sheep country. Their main purpose is to drive sheep and they are not an old breed. They were developed late in the 19th century for their working skills. The only real criteria was that they were black and tan. A dog must win a trial in order to be placed in the New Zealand Sheep Dog Trial Association studbook. They drive sheep mainly through their deep, loud voice.
In the New Zealand high country there was a need for a working dog with stamina, agility and intelligence to work the sheep as a drover (herder). The dog had to be able to handle rough, steep land and work with very large groups of sheep. The sheer area of land that the sheep graze and the dog would have to cover, demanded that this dog have stamina and strength to cover large pasture land and work for days if necessary. Before this the shepherds had used British sheepdogs but they preferred dogs that barked while working. So they bred the British Sheepdogs with Collies, Border Collies, Labrador, Rottweiler, Doberman and other barking sheepdogs to create the Huntaway. In addition to the bark, they bred for stamina and size.
They were participating in field trails in 1870 and ads for them were seen in newspapers by 1884. They became a separate breed in the 20th century. Today they are spreading around the world and are becoming very popular. It is not recommended that they be kept as pets however, since they are true working dogs.
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 Huntaway is a large dog with a deep chest and a black and tan coat. They are strong, big and muscular with voices to match. They herd, head, work the sheep in pastures and force them into pens. They are bred to have that big authoritative, deep bark. They do not yap. Their bodies are well proportioned but longer than high. They have well - padded feet and a deep chest for stamina, along with strong legs and body that allows them to run fast and change directions at will.
The tail of a Huntaway if long, while their heads are shaped like blocks while the muzzle is long and the nose is black. They have dark, round eyes and long ears. An unusually attractive dog, they have dense fur with fringe on the tail and chest. There is characteristics a very large variety in the in the way the breed looks from one dog to the next. Thus they do not participate in confirmation events, as the standard is based on working characteristics rather than appearance guidelines. They are more a “class” than a “breed”.
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.
They are very good with children and love to play with them.
Stamina, speed and independence
Not really. Don’t do well in small spaces. Better off in the country.
Very intelligent, quick learner, loves learning new things.
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.
The Huntaway is a pretty healthy breed, developed as it was from the sheepdogs and collies. They still face some inherited issues such as:
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.
If you are not using your Huntaway to herd, then feed a medium formula not a high protein, high calorie formula. Feed 3-4 times a day and 1-2 cups.
3 cups per day feeding twice a day high quality medium calorie food.
Exceptional stamina
This herding breed has a great need of mental and physical stimulation. They were born to herd and to do so over vast tracts of land in challenging conditions. They need to be challenged. They need daily exercise at a very high level. A Run them every day or take them on a couple of long walks. They will excel in field trials, Barnhunt, agility and rescue. They love to learn.