MyDogBreedsToy Schnauzer is originated from Germany but Icelandic Sheepdog is originated from Iceland. Toy Schnauzer may grow 10 cm / 3 inches shorter than Icelandic Sheepdog. Both Toy Schnauzer and Icelandic Sheepdog are having almost same weight. Both Toy Schnauzer and Icelandic Sheepdog has almost same life span. Both Toy Schnauzer and Icelandic Sheepdog has same litter size. Both Toy Schnauzer and Icelandic Sheepdog requires Moderate maintenance.
The Miniature Schnauzer was actually a distinct breed as early as 1899. It is believed that the dog came from breeding the smallest Standard Schnauzers with Affenpinschers, Black Poodles, and the gray Spitz.
Miniature Schnauzers were registered as a separate breed in 1926. The Toy Schnauzer is registered as a Miniature Schnauzer but is actually a little bit smaller.
The Miniature Schnauzer was developed as a farm dog with the purpose of killing rats.
There are quite a few different dog breeds that fall under the name of Spitz-type dogs, and in fact they have a number of similar characteristics, one of which is that they have some wolf-like features. They typically have the thick coat with undercoat and the erect, pointed ears and slanted eyes.
There is definitely a strong link between the Spitz type dogs and wild wolves. The tail too is feathery and can curl over the back of the dog.
The Icelandic Sheepdog, a native dog to Iceland, is a Spitz type dog which originates from the dogs brought to Iceland by the Vikings. The dogs have always been used to herd sheep, and they resemble dogs found in graves in Sweden and Denmark.
The dog at one time was facing extinction in the late 20th century, but in 1969, the Icelandic Dog Breeder Association was established to restore and preserve the breed. The Icelandic Sheepdog gained AKC recognition in June 2010.
The Toy Schnauzer is a small dog standing at between 33–35cm tall and weighing about 4 to 9 kg.
He has medium length hair which is hard and wiry and which requires minimal grooming. These low-shedding dogs make the ideal family pets for those people who have allergies.
Colors of the coat are essentially black and silver, chocolate or a salt and pepper look. You'll find they have a beard and bushy eyebrows, giving him an almost human-like expression.
These dogs were brought about to be all-around farm dogs and ratters and they are tough, muscular, and fearless without being aggressive.
The Icelandic Sheepdog is a smallish to medium sized dog standing at 40 to 45cm in height and he can weigh anything between 9 and 14kg.
His double coat can be short or long, straight or wavy and in a mix of colors such as grey and white or tan and white, black, tan and white, cream or chocolate. Even though they come in a number of predominant colors, these colors are always accompanied by white markings.
He has a longish muzzle, much like the wolf, giving him an alert, foxy appearance. He has a muscular, rectangular body with strong, straight legs with dewclaws on both the front and hind legs.
Your social, energetic dog will require socialization and training which does him the world of good, turning him into a well-adjusted, obedient dog.
He is an intelligent dog, and training him won't be difficult as he is eager to please. These are social dogs which love being part of the family and they don't like being left outside day after day with little human intervention. He is a lively, confident breed, gentle and not at all aggressive.
The Toy Schnauzer is spunky, strong-willed and confident. They all have different personalities and while some people report they are aloof, stubborn and uppity, others say they are playful, friendly and amicable.
A lot depends on the owners as dogs often develop the temperaments of the owners.
With this range in temperament, you can’t say with certainty how your Toy Schnauzer will turn out. Most of them just want to be involved with their human families and they make great family pets.
The Icelandic Sheepdog is such a good all-round family pet. He is alert, intelligent, social, playful, loyal, loving and brave.
He is friendly too, getting on well with children and any pets you have in the home. He is essentially a working dog, so you shouldn’t think of owning him as a pet if your lifestyle is centered around the TV and the couch for the best part of the day.
This is an energetic dog who wants lots of action during the day. He is a dog that badly wants to be part of the family and in exchange for looking after him well, he’ll promise to be an exceptional pet.
Your Toy Schnauzer has a life expectancy of 12 – 15 years if you care for them properly. They can, however, suffer from some health problems that so many other dogs might also have to contend with.
You’ll notice your pet's eyes taking on a filmy look. Most times these cataracts emerge in older dogs and they can be surgically removed.
Entropion and Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) are other eye diseases that may affect your dog. Most dogs are able to adapt well to their limited vision and can even adapt to lost vision.
A bladder infection can be terribly uncomfortable for your pet and occurs when bacteria gets into the bladder. Females are more likely to get a bladder infection, but male dogs can pick up the infection too. Having a bladder infection increases the pet’s urge to urinate even when there is no urine to come out.
The little bit of urine that does come out may be cloudy or even have some blood in it. It is imperative to get your pet urgent veterinary attention. When you see your pet trying to urinate all the time with nothing happening, then this is the sign to get your dog to the vet for a course of antibiotics.
This is when food and liquid are retained in the dog's esophagus so that you find him regurgitating his food. This can lead to pneumonia.
Your pet will reach 12 to 14 years of age with good care and is regarded as a generally healthy dog breed. However, they can be prone to a few health conditions, and these include hip dysplasia and diabetes.
Mercifully for your pet, diabetes is considered a manageable disorder. When your pet doesn’t produce insulin or can’t utilize it normally, his blood sugar levels rise, resulting in hyperglycemia.
If left untreated, your pet can land up with a host of complicated health problems. Diabetes can be classified as either Type 1 or Type II, with the more common form in dogs being Type 1.
Most people have their Toy Schnauzers professionally groomed on a regular basis. He is a double-coated dog with a wiry coat. Some people, looking to maintain the wiry texture do hand-stripping, certainly if the dog is used for show purposes.
No dog deserves to have dry kibble served up to him day after day. However, there are some excellent commercial dog foods on the market and you can choose the best one.
These foods provide a lot of convenience for the dog owner. Dogs also need to have their share of home-made food. It doesn’t have to be all complicated as dogs like simplicity.
Wholesome foods such as boiled chicken, brown rice and some nutritious vegetables such as sweet potatoes, spinach and carrots can do him the world of good. Schnauzers are also prone to pancreatis so you want to avoid giving him food that is high in fat.
Toy Schnauzers love an active lifestyle. They don't like sitting around inactive for too long.
Your Toy Schnauzer can adapt to life in the country or the city but he will certainly need to be well exercised. Walking your dog each day will be essential as will ball games and just generally giving your pet some of your attention,
Feed your energetic Icelandic Sheepdog a diet which is appropriate for his age and activity level. Don't just feed him the best commercially manufactured dog food, but give him some cooked chicken, brown rice and vegetables mixed into his kibble as a tasty treat. Also, dogs are carnivores, so include some raw meat into his diet from time to time. Clean, cool water should always be available.
The Icelandic Sheepdog has a thick double coat, with the outer coat being longer and the hair being shiny and glossy. These dogs shed quite a bit with seasonal shedding too so twice-weekly brushing will be necessary to keep the fur free of loose hair. His nails should also be checked regularly and his teeth should be brushed a couple of times a week too.
Icelandic Sheepdogs are athletic, active dogs that require a lot of exercise to keep them in good physical shape.
He loves all kinds of games and outdoor activities, one of which will be going with you for a walk every day. He makes a wonderful companion for those people going on long hikes.