The Catahoula and American Leopard Hound are two similarly looking dog breeds and it is easy to confuse one to another. But they are two different dog breeds with different history, utilization, temperament and appearance.

Both breeds are hard working dogs. The AKC classifies the American Leopard Hound into hunting group while the Catahoula is put into Herding group, which is not exactly correct. While it is true, that the American Leopard Hound was mainly used for hunting feral hogs or even bears using his amazing strength, strong eye contact and body language, the Catahoula Leopard dog is definitely not only a herding dog.

It is a multipurpose dog breed that was used for almost anything, starting from hunting, to herding the livestock to guarding utilization. And they are very versatile and skilled at all those jobs.

Both breeds are very protective, alert of strangers and territorial and both can be good protectors, but the Catahoula is more commonly used for this purpose. Catahoula is known to be extremely alert and reserved with strangers. American Leopard Hound is known to be little bit friendlier and relaxed around strangers.

The American Leopard Hounds on the other hand has higher prey drive and chasing instinct and they are naturally better for hunting various prey. Their speciality is treeing the game. This makes more difficult to socialize with household pets like, for example, cats.

Of course, even the Catahoula has prey drive, as they were also used to hunt, but it is reported that it is easier to socialize them with other household animals. But many of them will still try to chase any moving object on your walks.

On the other, American Leopard Hounds typically behave better around other dogs. Catahoulas can be reserved with other dogs and it can take them longer time to accept them.

Catahoulas also have natural herding tendencies, which you will not see in American Leopard Hound. They can try to herd other animals or even kids. AKC desribes their herding ability as creating a “canine fence” around the herd which allows the dog's master to work the herd within that circle.

Both dogs are typically very gentle with its own family and they are absolutely loyal to it. Both are known to be very protective, especially towards kids in the family and they will defend them. Many of them are known as clownish, playful, energetic and lively, kind of independent but extremely loyal, hardworking and intelligent.

It is also important to say that all the temperamental characteristics are of course vastly influenced by early training and socialization.

And what about the appearance of those two breeds? Well, both dogs are very strong and muscular and they have similar size and body type. You can see the size comparsion on the screen right now.

Both breeds are named after their leopard like coat. The American Leopard Hound comes in a leopard or spotted pattern and may be red, blue, merle, brindle, black or another color, with white making up less than a third of the coat.

Catahoula Leopard dog can also be in leopard like color, but they can also be in solid color. Typical colors of these dogs are blue merle, red merle, brindle and almost all the solid colors. Very often they also have white spots on their face, chest or legs.

The American Leopard Hound always has short and very dense coat. The Catahoula can either have smooth short or coarse medium coat, which can have extended feathering on hind legs, chest and tail.

Now lets talk briefly about the maintenance, which is almost the same for both dogs. Both are very energetic dogs that need a lot of daily physical and mental exercise. Daily long walks, hikes, jogs, fun training sessions or vigorous playtime is a must with these breeds. Exercising these dogs can be little bit challenging, on the other hand, grooming, can not be simplier. Regular brushing which will remove the dead and loose hair is enough for both dogs, no other grooming is required.

On the first sight, it is easy to mistake the Moscow Watchdog with the Saint Bernard and the similarities between those two breeds are no coincidence, because they are closely related together. But even though the appearance of Moscow Watchdog and St. Bernard is similar, the temperament is very very different. And to understand the similarities and differences between them, it is important to know the origin of those dogs.

The Saint Bernard is an old dog breed from Swiss Alps where it was mainly used for search and rescue jobs and as avalanche dogs. To help people, to save them and to assist travelers who were travelling across the dangerous parts of Switzerland Alps.

The Moscow Watchdog breed is a result of crossing the Saint Bernard with the Caucasian Shepherd in Soviet Union kennels. They were not bred to save and help people as the Saint Bernard, quite the opposite. They were bred to be courageous guard and patrol dogs that will withstand very low temperatures. They were guarding borders, warehouses, infrastracture, and they were amazing at it.

These two dogs had to have proper temperamental traits for their different utilization, which is why they have different personality even today.

The Saint Bernard is a definition of the gentle giant. They are super calm, patient, sweet, affectionate, gentle and loyal. Of course, all the temperamental traits are vastly influenced by early socialization. The Saint Bernard is not naturally and instinctively territorial and protective, but they might be trained to bark at strangers and to guard the property, but it is not the number one job for them. They are typically very friendly, even towards strangers.

On the other hand, the Moscow Watchdog is instinctively protective and territorial. They are more courageous, alert, and watchful towards strangers, but they are still very gentle, friendly and loyal to its family. They are also more active and lively breed than the more relaxed Saint Bernard and they need more exercise.

Due to the giant size of both dogs, they should both be very well trained and socialized, but the Moscow Watchdog should especially be owned by experience owners who can handle independent dog breed with protective instincts. But with proper socialization, the Moscow Watchdog is also extremely good and loving companion.

And what about the size. First of all, the Saint Bernard is slightly bigger, especially in terms of weight. You can see the height and weight comparsion on the screen right now. The Moscow Watchdog is more athletic dog breed and both dogs have well muscled body.

The coat of Moscow Watchdog is a thick, medium length doublecoat. The coat is rough and lying close to the body and the color is white with patches of red, often times spotted with brown or black.

The Saint Bernard has two different coat types, either smooth or rough, either long or short, which is another appearance difference from the Moscow Watchdog. The colour is typically a red shade with white, or a mahogany brindle with white.

The maintenance of both dogs is similar, as they both shed a lot of fur all year long. Regular brushing is recommended to minimize the shedding, but it is impossible to stop it. Other than that, these two breed as easy to take care of, they do not need trimming, bathing or any other grooming and they will keep the coat in great condition.

Both breeds are also prone to similar health issues, but the Moscow Watchdog, especially thanks to its slightly lighter build, has longer lifespan and is little bit healthier. The average lifespan of St. Bernard is 8-10 years and Moscow Watchdog lifespan is between 9-11 years. Both dogs are prone to joint and bone problems like hip dysplasia, arthritis and patellar luxation. Other health issues are gastric torsion and bloating or some eye problems.

 Two adorable, short legged, herding dog breeds with similar temperament, those are the Swedish Vallhund and Welsh Corgi.

The similarities of these two breeds are most likely not coincidental. It is believed, that they are closely related, you can say cousins, and that they share their ancestry. Those are pretty old dog breeds, and historians can not agree on the exact ancestry of those two breeds, but it is widely accepted, that either the Swedish Vallhund was brought to Wales or the Corgi was taken to Sweden, hence the similarities between the two breeds.

It is also important to say, that the Welsh Corgi is not only one breed, but there are two different, officially recognized Welsh Corgi breeds – the Pembroke and Cardigan. Again, both are very similar. The main differences are size, their tail and you can also find some differences in their temperament.

But lets go back to comparsion of Swedish Vallhund and Welsh Corgi. They are both herding dogs and they have the typical personality trait of herding dogs, such as alertness, independence, they are quite active and they are very loyal to the herd and to its family.

The Swedish Vallhund lean a little bit more to the Spitz like temperament, while the Corgi is all herder. The Corgi is typically little bit easier to deal with, they are little bit more easy going. On the other hand, the Swedish Vallhund tends to be little bit more alert, independent and focused. It is also reported, that the Corgi tends to be somewhat friendlier towards strangers, but both dogs are extremely friendly and loyal to its family and owners.

Overall, there are not many differences in the temperament of those two dog breeds. Both also share relatively high energy and exercise needs. Daily longer walks, jogs, hikes and playtime sessions are must for both, so they stay healthy and happy.

And what about the differences in the appearance? The Swedish Vallhund is, on average, slightly taller than the Corgi, but the Corgi tends to be little bit heavier and stockier.

Another difference is the coat and color. The Corgi always has short to medium long doublecoat, which is very dense. Swedish Vallhunds may have different coats, some are relatively long, but most commonly they also have medium long doublecoats. Corgis have typically slightly softer and, lets say fluffier coat, than the Vallhund.

Welsh Corgis can be found in almost any color with or without white markings. On the other hand, the Swedish Vallhund is most often found in grey, wolf like color. That is a reason why many people call them as Wolf Corgis. Their fur color varies from grey, greyish brown and greyish yellow to reddish brown, with darker hair on the back, neck, and sides of the body.

Other than that, there are not many differences between these breeds. Both are heavy shedders and they will require a lot of brushing to minimize the shedding. No other grooming is required. Both are also predisposed to similar health issues, which are mainly orthopedic diseases connected to their long spine and short legs. The Vallhund typically lives slightly longer than the Corgi. The average lifespan of Swedish Vallhund is around 14 years, while the average lifespan of Corgi is around 13 years.

Another important difference is the rarity. It is relatively easy to find a good breeder of Welsh Corgi all around the world but it might be almost impossible to find a breeder of Swedish Vallhund in some parts of the world and overall, the Welsh Corgi is much more popular breed.

Overall, both dogs are very similar and if you are looking for a smaller companion dog that is pretty active, always ready for outdoor exercise, playful, but also affectionate and loyal, you will not make a mistake with neither of these two dogs.

Just remember, both can be little bit stubborn, they have herding tendencies, which means they might nip and try to herd other pets or kids and both are pretty independent, which is why they are not total pushovers to train.  

Can you recognize the Puli, Komondor and Bergamasco apart? All three share similar appearance due to the heavy matted, flocked or coarded coat. But they are all very different dog breeds, with different temperament, utilization, size and there are even important differences in the coat structure.

All three breeds are used to work with livestock, but they are used for different purposes. The Komondor and Puli are Hungarian breeds that most likely came to the area of todays Hungary with migrating Turkic speaking tribe, known as Cumans.

Most often, they worked as partners, where the large, strong and serious minded Komondor was guarding the livestock and it was protecting it from wolves or strangers and the lively, independent and alert Puli was used to herd the livestock. They most often worked with sheeps. So the Komondor is described as guard dog, while the Puli as herding dog.

Than we have the Italian Bergamasco. It is a breed developed in Italian Alps. They probably have ancestry in ancient Persia and they came to the Alps with nomadic people and their herds. Unlike the Puli and Komondor, who worked together and had separated roles in their job, the Bergamasco was doing everything on its own. It is both – herding and guarding dog breed.

Another difference in their utilization is the environement. While the Komondor and Puli most often work on vast plains, the Bergamasco is used to work in harsh mountainous environemnt of the Alps.

Now you know what is the brief history and utilizitaion of all three breeds. Now lets compare them based on their appearance and we will mainly focus on two areas – size and coat. Lets start with the size.

All three breeds were bred for their utilization, so it is only logical, that the herding dog Puli is the smallest, guardian Komondor is largest and Bergamasco, which is both – herder and protector – has size in between them.

The Puli needs to be quick and agile, so it has smaller size. The Komondor must be strong to deter any intruders and predators, so it the largest. Bergamasco is combination of both. But, the Bergamasco is heavier boned and lets say little bit more muscular than the Komondor.

What is connecting these breeds is their unique coat. It is definitely the most distinctive part of their appearance. The Komondor and Puli has the same coat type with the same cording style, but the Bergamascos coat is different. As you can see on this picture, all three breeds are born with soft coat that is not matted yet and they develop the corded coat later in life.

The Komondor and Puli has rope – like corded coat, which can reach the ground when they are few years old. The coat is formed naturally from the soft undercoat and the coarser outer coat combining to form tassels or cords.

The Bergamasco coat is not formed by rope like cords, but it is formed from long matted locks of hair. The Bergamasco coat is unique, as they not only have the wooly undercoat and coarse outercoat like the other two breeds, but they also have something called „goat hair“. The distribution of various hair types over the body is not homogenous. Some areas might be completely without any flocks, while others, especially the rear, will form mats or cords with maturity. The coat is formed by flocks and clumps, rather than cords.

The final form and look of Bergamasco is not as predictable as with Puli and Komondor, because of the variable presence of the goat hair. The Bergamasco has more unkept and unorganized appearance.

The coat of all three breeds have the same purpose. It is providing excellent protection against nature elements like bad weather and also against attacking predators.

Another difference is the color. The Komondor is always white. Puli comes in white, shades of gray, black and rusty black. And the Bergamasco can be gray, merle or black.

So now you know what is the difference in appearance, but there are also important differences in temperament of these breeds.

It is true that all three are independent, reliable, loyal and intelligent dogs. They need to be extremely independent, but also loyal, so they take instruction from its owner, but they must also be able to take action on their own.

The Puli is the most active and is always ready to herd something or someone. Just like majority of herding dogs, they excell at obedience or agility trials. They are always ready for any action, very active and lively.

The Komondor is much more laid back. They are also more territorial and you can see their natural guarding instincts. They are extremely loyal, protecting, but also loving.

And just like with the appearance, the Bergamasco is once again somewhere in the middle. Definitely not so active as Puli, but also not so laid back as Komondor, even though it is very relaxed breed. They also have protective instincts and may wary of strangers, but they accept the stranger faster and easier than the Komondor.  

 The Bull Terrier and Miniature Bull Terrier are two extremely similar and closely related dog breeds. For a very long time, they belonged to the same collective breed, but recently, in 1990s, they were recognized as two separate breeds by the AKC.
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Many people believe, that the Miniature Bull Terrier is a downsized version of the Bull Terrier, but that is not true. In reality, the first Bull Terriers that were developed in 19th century England were about the same size as the modern day Mini Bull Terrier. Some breeders wanted to increase the size of this breed, so they crossed it with a Spanish Pointer and possibly some other breeds, which resulted in modern day Bull Terrier.

So indeed, the Miniature Bull Terrier pre-dates the „standard“ Bull Terrier and it is the older breed.

So as you can see, these two dogs are extremely closely related together, and even the American Kennel Club say, that except the size, these dogs are almost identical in every other aspect, including appearance, temperament and maintenance.

It is true, that on a single photo, it is impossible to say, if it is a Miniature or Standard Bull terrier. You can only see the difference, when they stand next to each other, just like on this photo. The average height of the Mini Bull Terrier is between 10-14 inch, which is 25-35 cm and height of Bull Terrier is typically somewhere around 21 or 22 inch, which is 53 to 55 cm. Breed standards do not say anything about the weight, but it should be proportional to the body.

There is no other real difference in the appearance of these two dog breeds. They both have the typical egg shaped head, muscular body, triangular ears and both come in wide spectrum of colors.

The temperament of these two breeds is also identical. Both breeds are described as energetic and lively, courageous, full of spirit and with fun loving attitude. They are very friendly with its family, but if socialized properly, they are friendly with almost everyone. Some might be independent and kind of stubborn, which is the main reason why they are not the perfect fit for unexperienced dog owners. They are perfect family dogs, as they typically absolutely love children and they are devoted to the whole family. This description applies to both breeds and there really is not difference between the temperament of Miniature Bull Terrier and Bull Terrier.

Of course, the Miniature Bull Terrier is little bit more manageable, as they need little bit less of exercise and they can live in smaller space. But they are still active dogs, neither of those breeds are coach potatoes, but it is true that the larger Bull Terrier needs little bit more exercise.

Both breeds are also very easy to maintain, as they do not need almost any grooming at all. You should only brush the coat from time to time to keep it in best possible condition. And thats it, no other grooming is required.

In conclusion, there really is not much difference except the size in those two breeds. So if you are choosing between them, you should only look at the size. If you prefer smaller dog, than go for Miniature Bull Terrier, but if you like medium sized breeds, than go for the normal Bull Terrier.  

 The Schnauzer is a popular German dog breed, that comes in three sizes, miniature, standard and giant. All three are recognized as separate breeds by majority of kennel clubs, but they are closely related together, as the miniature and giant Schnauzers are descendants of the original and oldest standard Schnauzer.

And indeed, the size is not the only difference in these dogs. Since they all have slightly different ancestry, they also have slightly different temperament. The Miniature Schnauzer was most likely developeded by crossing Standard Schnauzer to Affenspinscher, Miniature Poodle, Miniature Pinscher or to Pomeranian and the Giant Schnauzer was most likely developeded by crossing the Standard Schnauzer with Great Danes, German Shepherds, Rottweilers, Dobermans, Boxers and Bouvier des Flandres.

The typical temperament of the Standard Schnauzer is described as extemely intelligent, alert, lively, quite playful, kind of independent and strong willed. It is a great choice for guarding, but it also has higher prey drive, as it was used for a long time as vermin hunter. Very often, they are described as dogs with human brain. They are always thinking and it is natural born explorer. They are very curious. They have deep instinctual roots as a guard dogs and vocal dogs and they will most likely bark on any strangers approaching your home. Even though all the Schnauzers are kind of independent, they are relatively easy to train and thanks to their intelligence, they will learn all the basic commands easily.

It is true, that the Miniature and Giant Schnauzer share very similar temperament with the standard Schnauzer, but it is not identical. Lets start with the Miniature Schnauzer.

And the Miniature Schnauzer is described as little bit more affectionate dog, with less prey drive. They are still good alert watchdogs, but they should not bark that much as the standard Schnauzer. Because of their size, they have lower exercise needs, but it is still an active dog. They are probably best to live with kids and they are much more biddable and companionable. It is also very inquisitive and spunky breed.

And what about the Giant Schnauzer? Well, all Schnauzers are good guard dogs, but the Giant Schnauzer is above them. It is extremely strong breed with very smart, independent and protective nature. This Schnauzer, unlike the Miniature one, is not the best choice for novice dog owners. They have natural inclination to protect its people. But they are absolutely loyal and very friendly towards its own family. If you want your Giant Schnauzer to be okay with other dogs or other pets, early proper socialization is absolutely needed, but that can be said about all the Schnauzers. It is also very active dog breed, they need a lot of daily excercise to stay healthy and happy. It is very bold and courageous, rambunctious and reliable dog breed.
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So now you know what is the temperament of each Schnauzer breed. And what about the differences in appearance? Well, the obvious one is their size. You can see the size differences on the screen right now. And the size differences are quite huge, there is a massive difference between the giant and miniature Schnauzer. The second difference is in the coat and color. Again, you can see the color possibilities for each Schnauzer breed on the screen. They all typically have medium to long non shedding coat. The Giant Schnauzer is slight exception, as they can have shorter coat as well.