Treeing Cur vs Shiba Inu - Breed Comparison | MyDogBreeds

The Treeing Cur dog is a mixed-breed, working dog which hails from the USA and recognized by the United Kennel Club in November 1998.

They’ve always been used to tree animals such as squirrels, raccoons, bears, and even mountain lions. They were developed to be used as hunting and guarding dogs.

Aside from these good qualities, today the dog makes an excellent family companion.

The Shiba Inu hails from Japan and was a dog bred to hunt birds and small game. The dog is one of 6 native breeds in Japan. Today he is essentially a companion dog in both Japan and the United States.

He is actually one of the smaller spitz dogs in the country but known for his boldness.

The first Shiba Inu was imported into the United States in 1954 and was recognized by their Kennel Club in the Miscellaneous Class and also the Non-Sporting Group.

Standing at between 46 – 61cm in height and weighing between 14 – 27kg, the medium-sized Treeing Cur is athletic and muscular.

He has a short to medium-length double coat that can be in a number of colors. Red and white, tan and white, black and white, brindle, some freckling and bi-colored or tri-colored.

The eyes are mostly brown but can be green or blue too. They’re well-muscled and robust and have medium length floppy ears. The tail is mostly docked but is sometimes left long.

Temperament:

These dogs are alert and intelligent, being easy to train and wanting to please their owners, getting along well with all members of the family, including children and other dogs.

They’re strong-willed dogs and will require training and socialization if you want them to be well behaved wherever they are. He is intelligent so there won’t be any trouble with training him. He is very responsive to what his owner requires of him, with a desire to make their owners pleased with them.

The Shiba Inu is a medium sized, athletic dog standing at between 33cm and 43cm in height both male and female and weighing in the region of 6 to 11kg.

He is an agile dog, known for his feline agility. He has the typical spitz dog erect ears and slanted eyes with the tail curling over the back.

The coat is available in a number of colors – cream, red, sesame, black and tan.The double coat is thick and is made up of straight, stiff kind of hair.

Temperament:

This is an intelligent, independent, alert, strong willed dog who has a calm aura about him. He is stubborn too, so it will be best to have him trained or socialized just to make him more amicable to get along with.

As he is a dog that just loves his human family, this training helps him to get along with other dogs too. He is possessive with his human family, wanting to guard them and everything he regards as his territory.

The Treeing Cur is a working dog that loves all the action. He is an alert, intelligent dog, and being territorial and protective, he makes an excellent guardian dog too.

They can show some aggression towards strangers and other dogs they don’t know. Apart from being an excellent hunting dog, the Treeing Cur loves to be around their human family, making loyal and loving companions.

The Shiba Inu looks like a large fox and he is just as bright and alert.

He is the smallest of several spitz dogs that originated in Japan. He is known for his bold, feisty personality and for being so good natured as well. Other excellent characteristics are intelligence, strong-willed, loyal and loving and he has a calm, confident dignity around him.

He will get on well with kids and other dogs he has grown up with but he can be a bit aggressive towards dogs he doesn’t know.

Always ensure good exercise. Getting outside and active is important for this dog.

You can certainly benefit from having this wonderful dog in your life as he has some excellent characteristics.

These dogs are very healthy and you’re not likely to have many vet bills when you bring one into your home.

However, there are always some diseases that can plague dogs and these are -

Ear Infections:

The Treeing Cur has floppy ears, and particularly if it's a dog that loves swimming, it will battle with moisture in the ears. Dogs with floppy ears don’t have good air-flow inside the ears like a dog with erect ears would have. This means that the dog is prone to ear infections.

Cancer:

This is such a common dog illness that can strike even young dogs. That is why it is important to check your dog over regularly for lumps and bumps on the body. Age increases the risk of cancer, so if you feel an unusual lump on your Treeing Cur, better to have your dog checked out at the vet.

Shiba Inus are generally healthy, but like all breeds, they're prone to certain health conditions. Look out for things such as hip dysplasia, hypothyroidism, bloat, cancer, eye diseases and skin allergies.

Skin Allergies:

Skin allergies can come about because of being allergic to food, fleas, too much shampooing and some medications. It can be traumatic for your pet who will sometimes chew and bite to get relief. Treatment varies but get your pet to the vet.

Glaucoma: 

There is pressure in the eye, and symptoms can include vision loss and pain. Glaucoma can be treated with eye drops but sometimes surgery is required.

Exercise:

Being an energetic working dog, this dog isn’t going to be content to be lying around. He is going to need regular exercise. He loves a brisk walk or even a run next to you when you go cycling.

When at home, you can consider ball games and hide and seek games with him. They just love to run, and if you live near a park, he will want to be off the leash if possible for some free running and sniffing around.

They’re smart dogs and will need some form of mental stimulation as well.

Grooming:

The short coat of the Treeing Cur will do well with a brush twice a week. While you brush your dog, check him out for ticks and fleas. Also, check him over for any unusual lumps.

Part of his grooming should be to check inside his ears for signs of redness, to make sure his eyes are nice and bright still and to see if he will let you look inside his mouth for bad teeth. Bad teeth can be a source of pain for him.

Make sure to keep his nail trimmed as well.

Diet:

Caring for your Treeing Cur in a responsible manner means ensuring good food. Such an active dog will require proper nutrients so as to meet his energy and health needs.

Your Treeing Cur will need a high-quality commercially manufactured dog food for active dogs and they will also benefit from other simple cooked foods such as boiled chicken, brown rice and vegetables. The habit of feeding your Treeing Cur human foods such as chocolates, popcorn, peanuts, onions and spices could cause digestive upsets and possible vet fees.

Make sure your pet has constant access to fresh, cool water.

Exercise:

A nice long walk out and about in the neighborhood is good for this dog. Apart from a daily workout, he will love to come running with you or if you go cycling, he will run next to you. He will require exercise every day.

Grooming:

Brushing your Shiba Inu will be required at least twice a week as he is a dog that sheds quite a bit throughout the year. You want to get rid of those loose hairs to keep him looking nice and groomed.

Diet:

Never pop sugary treats into your pets mouth and avoid feeding him spicy, toxic foods. It can drastically upset his digestion.

You can feed your Shiba Inu commercially manufactured food but it should be the best quality ones. Give him some tasty homemade food too. Simply add into one big pot chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots. This food can all be chopped up, refrigerated and added warmed up and in small portions to your pets dry kibble once or twice a week.

Try and also give him some raw meat occasionally. Ensure that there is always a bowl of fresh, cool water within his reach.