1) Origin
The Norwegian Elkhound is a very old and ancient Nordic breed, with ancestry that most likely even predates the Viking age. During the Viking age, the Norwegian Elkhound accompanied the Vikings and they were used as hunters, guards and companions. The Norwegian Elkhound is most likely a result of crossing a female wolf and male domesticated dog from South, but since it is extremely old dog breed, we can not be sure about their exact history and ancestry. But it is definitely very ancient breed. 2) Name The breeds full name, and i might mispronounce it a little bit, is Norsk Elghund Grå, which is describing the dog perfectly. Norsk, means norwegian and Grå means gray. The word Elghund can be translated either as elk dog or moose dog, and indeed, the moose is the main prey of the Norwegian Elkhound. So the breed is sometimes called as Gray Norwegian Moose Dog rather than Norwegian Elkhound, but both names are correct. 3) Black Elkhound Why is it important to mention the gray color in their name? Is there any other Norwegian Elkhound? Well, there is! The Black Norwegian Elkhound. It is much younger breed, bred for the same purpose as the original Gray Elkhound, but they are smaller, more agile and thanks to their black color easily recognizable in the snow. 4) Hunting As you already know, the main utilization of Norwegian Elkhound is hunting. They serve this purpose for many many centuries and they are great asset for any big game hunter. These dogs are bred to track mostly moose on large distances in harsh Norwegian weather and terrain. When they track down the moose, they typically corner it and start barking to alert the hunters. To be good at this kind of hunting, the Norwegian Elkhound must be very endurant breed with high stamina, extraordinary sense of smell, great courage, little bit of independence and great loyalty to the hunter. And the Norwegian Elkhound posses all these qualities. 5) Companion Of course, every individual dog is different, but most of Norwegian Elkhounds create extremely strong bond with its owners and family and they are absolutely devoted to them. Some of them might be little bit protective and possesive over their loved ones, but typically, these dogs do not show agression towards other people. But they are alert dogs, that can be trained to be very good guards and protectors. They truly create very good playful and intelligent companions, especially for active families. They can be little bit headstrong and consistent training and socialization is needed to have obedient dog in your home. They are pretty tolerant with kids and they will love to play with older kids. Of course, younger children must be supervised with any kind of dog breed. Norwegian Elkhound can also live with other dogs, especially if socialized together from the puppyhood. 6) Size The Norwegian Elkhound is a medium to large sized dog breed with sturdy and squerly built body which is pretty muscular. The average height of this breed is between 19-21 inch, which is 48-54 cm and weight is usually between 44-51 lbs, which is 20-23 kg. 7) Spitz On the first sight it is obvious that the Norwegian Elkhound is a Spitz type of a dog, and they share all the typical Spitz appearance characteristics. The most obvious are erect ears, curled tail and very dense double coat. The thick and dense doublecoat is protecting them from even the coldest temperatures and it is essential for their survival in Scandinavia. The coat comes in mixture of black and white color and it gives expression of gray or silver. The head is broad and wedge shaped with shorter muzzle, pointed ears, dark brown eyes which gives friendly expression. 8) Exercise The Norwegian Elkhound is very active and high-energy dog breed who needs plenty of exercise to stay in good shape, physically, but also mentally. Daily longer walks or hikes, combined with fun playtime are absolutely essential for this breed. This dog is ideal for people who love spending time outdoors, as they will be always ready for any kind of outdoor activity. This is definitely not a coach potatoe and it is important to be prepared for a high energy dog breed when considering purchasing a Norwegian Elkhound. 9) Maintenance The Norwegian Elkhound can keep its coat in good condition by itself, but the dense doublecoat does shed. And they do shed all year long, which is why regular brushing is very beneficial to minimize the shedding, but it is impossible to stop it. But no other grooming is really required. Of course, you should regularly check their eyes, ears, nails and teeth and clip them or clean them if needed. 10) Health The Norwegian Elkhound is usually very hardy and healthy dog breed. They might ocassionally suffer from the same health issues as other larger breeds, such as hip dysplasia or kidney problems. Some Elkhounds posses genetic predispotions to suffer from progressive retinal atrophy. Just like with all dogs, you can minimize the risk of serious health concerns by purchasing the breed from reputable breeder. The average lifespan of Norwegian Elkhound is around 13 or 14 years.
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1) Designer dog breed
The Corgidor is not a purebred dog, but a so called designer dog breed, which is basically just another term for a crossbreed or mixedbreed. It is mix of two pure breeds, the Labrador Retriever and Welsh Corgi, either Cardigan or Pembroke. 2) Origin Most crossbreeds are rather newer creations, but that is not the case of Corgidor. Since both – Corgis and Labs – are dog breeds developed in United Kingdom, it is almost certain that these two dogs were unintentionally crossed together for a long time. And there are even some reports, that some people in Britain intentionally crossed these two breeds since the 1990s, when they tried to create a new herding dog breed from them. But nevertheless, the Corgidor is not recognized by any major kennel club as a separate breed, but lately they are gaining more and more popularity. 3) Appearance Just like with all the crossbreeds, the appearance of Corgidor is not unified and it is pretty unpredictable. Most often, they look like dwarf Labradors, or Labradors with short Corgi like legs. The head is usually squared with almond shaped eyes and relatively long muzzle. The ears tend to be set high on the head and they are typically slightly larger than pure Labradors ears. But again, this is only what is the most common appearance, as they can truly inherit the appearance of two pretty differently looking dog breeds and some Corgidors will look more like Corgis and some more like Labs. 4) Size Again, the size can vary quite a bit, but the Corgidor size is usually between the size of Labrador and Corgi. The height can truly differ a lot and it is normally between 12-23 inch, which is 30-58 cm and weight is usually between 40-55 lbs, which is 18-25 kg. Females tend to be slightly smaller than males. 5) Companions Even though the Corgidor was first bred for herding purposes, vast majority of them are typical companion dogs. And they have amazing temperament for being the best companions! They are absolutely loving, affectionate and loyal towards their owners. The Labrador gives them their famous friendliness, while the Corgi gives them alertness and little bit of protectivness, which makes interesting mix of personalities. Most Corgidors are very smart dogs that are relatively eager to please, but just like with all dogs, patient and consistent training is essential, just as early socialization with different environemnts, animals and people. 6) Living with The Corgidor is very adaptable breed that can live in big houses, but also in smaller apartments, if they have enough exercise. They will be very happy if they have access to big yard and some of them will enjoy guarding yard, while some of them woud invite everyone right inside your house. The Corgidor is typically very friendly, gentle and playful around kids, but of course, you should never leave any dog breed, with a very young child unsupervised. Corgidors can also live with other household pets without problems, as they do not posses high prey drive, but again, it is important to socialize your Corgidor with your other pets from the beginning. But overall, this is truly very adaptable breed that will happily live almost anywhere, if they can live there with their people. 7) Exercise Both Corgis and Labs are very active dogs, so as the Corgidor. Regular daily exercises are absolutelly essential to have happy and healthy Corgidor in your home. Daily longer walks, jogs, hikes, vigorous playtime and fun training sessions are great to deal with the Corgidors energy. You should also exercise them mentally with regular training, some dog sport or puzzle toys. Without enough exercise, they might develop some unwanted behaviour, such as destruction. 8) Coat and color The coat of Corgidor is typically pretty thick and dense and in medium length. The main Corgidor colors are brown, black, red and tan and the coat can be in solid color, but it can also be a mixture of different colors. 9) Maintenance The grooming needs of Corgidor are minimal. Even without any grooming at all, they will keep their coat in great condition. On the other hand, they do shed quite heavily, which is why regular brushing is recommended to minimize the shedding. But it is impossible to stop it. No other grooming is required. Just like with any other breed, you should regularly check their eyes, ears, nails and teeth and clip them or clean them if needed. 10) Health There are no health related studies about Corgidors, but we can presume, that they will inherit the same health issues as their parent breeds, which includes mainly hip dysplasia, patellar luxation and intervertebral disc disease. Other problems might include bloating, some eye problems, allergies or infections. The average lifespan of Corgidor is somewhere around 13 years. 1) History
The origin and ancestry of the Serbian Hound is rather unknown. South Eastern Europe has a long tradition of hunting with dogs. The Serbian Hound is probably descendant of various hunting breeds brought to Balkans by Phoenician traders and their ancestors are various European and North African hunting breeds that were traded around the Mediterranean. The FCI breed standard also say, that scent hounds from Anatolia also played important role in the breeds development. 2) Breed standard We know for sure, that Serbian Hounds, as we know them today, lived and hunted in Balkan region at least since the 18th century. Some people claim, that their history in this area is much longer, but it is debatable. The first breed standard of this breed was finally written in 1924 and the breed was recognized by the FCI in 1940. For most of the time, the breed was known as Balkan Scenthound, but the breed was most widespread in Serbia, so in 1996 the name was changed to Serbian Hound. But the breed can be found in other Balkan countries as well! 3) Serbian Tricolor Hound Today, the FCI recognizes not only the Serbian Hound, but also Serbian Tricolor Hound. Both breeds have identical origins and for most of the time, they were recognized as the same breed, with only different color, but the Serbian Tricolor Hound was given its own breed status in 1946, though except for color the breed standards are nearly identical and other than the color, there really is not much differences in appearance and temperament of those two breeds. 4) Hunting Of course, the main utilization of the Serbian Hound is hunting and they are even today very often used for hunting, rather than for companionship. They are natural born hunters and over the centuries, they have proven their superiour hunting abilites. Their main weapon on the hunt is their extremely good sense of smell, which is why they are just amazing at tracking the game. But they are also very good at capturing it and they use their distinctive booming voice on the hunt. They typically hunt deer, fox, hare or wild boar. This truly is very passionate and tenacious hunter, with excellent stamina, high prey drive and ability to hunt in difficult terrain. Overall, just incredible asset for any hunter! 5) Companions Of course, the Serbian Hound is not only an excellent hunter, but also loyal and affectionate companion. When they are not hunting, these dogs are absolutely sweet and gentle and they make great playful partner for kids. Of course, you should never leave any dog breed with a very young child unsupervised. They will also love to live in a pack with other dogs in the family. On the other hand, other household pets might be problematic, due to their high prey drive, but this is vastly influenced by early socialization. Overall, the Serbian Hound make excellent lively, loyal and obedient companion dog. 6) Size The Serbian Hound is medium to large sized dog breed which is showing great athleticisim. The average height of this breed is between 44-56 cm, which is 17-22 inch and weight is usually around 20 kg, which is 44 lbs. Females tend to be slightly smaller and lighter than males. 7) Coat As i already mentioned, there are two recognized breeds – the Serbian Hound and Serbian tricolor hound. Both dogs have the same short, dense and quite thick practical doublecoat, which is slightly longer on back of thighs and underside of tail. The difference is of course in color. The tricolor hound is, well, in tri-color. The Serbian Hound on the other hand should be in red color, going from yellowy red to rust red and according to the breed standard, they should have black mantle or saddle. 8) Maintenance Great fact is, that the Serbian Hound is very low maintenance breed and even without any grooming at all they will keep their coat in great condition. But they do shed some deal of fur and regular brushing is only beneficial to remove dead and loose hair, minimize the shedding and also to remove any dirt and redistribute natural oils all over the coat. But no other grooming is required. Of course, just like with any other dog breed, you should regularly check their eyes, ears, nails and teeth and clip them or clean them if needed. 9) Exercise This breed, just like almost all the hounds, is very lively and they have rather higher energy level. Of course, they will naturally use this energy on the hunt, but when they are not used for hunting, they need regular daily exercise. Long walks, jogs, hikes, playtime and fun traning sessions are must with this dog. But when you meet their exercise needs, they are typically pretty calm when they are at home. 10) Health Another amazing fact about this breed is, that it is usually very healthy and hardy dog breed, with average lifespan of 12 or 13 years. They might ocassionally suffer from the same health issues as other larger breeds, mostly from joint and bone problems like hip dyplasia, but it is not extremely common in this breed. So overall, this is truly very healthy dog. 1) Çoban köpeği
The Karadeniz Shepherd dog is one of the many Çoban köpeği breeds, which are basically Turkish livestock guardians. It is a group of dogs that evolved in different parts of Turkey and they are arguably one of the oldest and one of the best livestock guardians in the world. The other Çoban köpeği breeds include for example Kangal, Akbash, Malakli or Boz Shepherds. 2) Origin The Karadeniz Shepherd is extremely old dog breed with ancient history. They are native to the high mountains along the Black Sea coast in northern Turkey, where they evolved over centuries by adapting to local specific conditions, such as harsh mountainous climate, intense rains and higher altitude. 3) Name The Karadeniz Çoban köpeği has a very specific name, which is describing their place of origin and their purpose. As you already know, the Çoban köpeği can be translated as shepherd. And the word Karadeniz means Black Sea. So the literal translation of the Karadeniz dog is Black Sea Shepherd. 4) Utilization The main utilization of the Karadeniz Shepherd always was protecting the sheep and other livestock from dangerous predators such as wolves or bears. It is very hard job to protect the sheep on their annual transhumance to the plateaus in winter and to mountanious pastures in summer. Only very strong, powerful and endurant dogs can be succesfull at job like that and Karadeniz Shepherd is just perfect for this kind of a job. They also have amazing temperament for it, as they are absolutely loyal to the flock so as to its owners. They are very courageous and they would even die for its pack. Alertness, indepence and intelligence are other traits that are necessary for this job and Karadeniz Shepherd has all of them. 5) Companions Even today, most Karadeniz Shepherds are working dogs, but that does not mean they do not have strong bond with its owners and that they do not make great companions. Of course they do. They are absolutely faithful and friendly towards their people, towards their pack. They might not be overly affectionate just like some other breeds, but they truly love its people and they create strong bond with them. 6) Size The Karadeniz Shepherd protects the flocks against the most dangerous predators you can imagine, such as bears and wolves. Only big and strong dogs are capable of doing that. According to the breed standard, the average height is between 65-85 cm, which is 25-34 inch and weight between 50-70 kg, which is 110-155 lbs, but there are even some larger Karadeniz Shepherds than that! Females are naturally smaller than males. 7) Coat Karadeniz Shepherds can survive outdoors even in low temperatures and in heavy rains without any problems. It is mostly thanks to their long dense coat, which is protecting them from the harsh conditions. The coat is tightly attached to the body and the color should be gray-grizzled, brown-grizzled or brindle. 8) Maintenance The maintenance and grooming is extremely easy with the Karadeniz Shepherd. This breed can keep itself in good condition and even without any grooming they will keep the coat in okay condition. Of course, regular brushing is only beneficial as it will remove any dirt and loose hair and it will prevent any tangles or mats, but it is not necessary. Just like with all dogs, you should also regularly check their eyes, ears, nails and teeth and clip them or clean them if needed. 9) Rarity The Karadeniz Shepherd is not under the spotlight like some other Turkish breeds, such as Kangals and their numbers declined a lot in last decades. The breeders did not care about the purity and they often times crossbreed Karadeniz Shepherds with other dogs. Today they can be almost exlusively found in remote places of Blacksea highlands, where they were recently re-descovered and efforts are being made to increse the breeds numbers once again and to preserve the breed, while keeping its original traits. 10) Health The Karadeniz Shepherd is usually quite healthy and hardy dog breed with average lifespan around 13 years, which is actually very good for such a large dog breed. They might ocassionally suffer from the same health issues as other giant breeds, such as some eye problems or joint problems like hip dysplasia, but it is not very common with this breed and they are usually very healthy. Sled dogs are dogs specifically bred for one main purpose, which is pulling heavy sleds across frozen terrain in arctic temperatures for days or even for weeks. It is a very hard task and only few breeds in the world are capable of doing it. In this video i will tell you what are the TOP 10 sled dogs, what is the history of sled dogs, what makes a good sled dog and i will also show you some famous individual sled dogs. Lets jump into it!
For a long time, sledding was the main transportation of people living in Siberia, Greenland, Northern Canada or Northern Norway, Sweden and Finland. We do not know for sure, what is the exact ancestry of sled dogs, but there is a theory that suggest, that most of the sled dogs have their roots in ancient Mongolia more than 30 000 years ago, from where people migrated with their dogs to migrated north of the Arctic Circle with their dogs about 25,000 years ago, and began using them to pull sleds roughly 3,000 years ago. In the arctic regions, sled dogs made it much much easier to transport people, goods and even just to communicate and without sled dogs, people would have it much harder to survive in these cold areas. Many sled dogs were not only used for pulling sleds, but also for hunt and to help provide food for their owners. They were truly unreplaceable companions. Even today, sled dogs are used in Greenland and in some rural areas of Alaska and Canada, but of course, with the invention of trucks, snowmobiles, trains and airplanes, the original purpose of these dog is not so needed as it was in the past. Today, many sled dogs are used just as companions or for dog sports like mushing. And what does make a good sled dog? Well, every sled dog must combine a great strength, stamina and endurance with speed and athleticism. Back in the past, the strength and stamina were much more important and the dogs used to be larger and heavier. Today, most competitive sled dogs are rather lighter and much faster and most of them weigh around 25 kg, which is 55 lbs. Every sled dog must also have very thick weatherproof doublecoat which protects them from extremely cold temperatures. These dogs also must have strong work ethic, lots of energy, strong pack mentality, as they most often work in groups and they must show loyalty and devotion to the owner. And now lets take a look at the list of 10 amazing sled dogs! 10) Alaskan Malamute The first sled dog on this list is one of the most famous of all of them and it is the official state dog of Alaska, the Alaskan Malamute. They are one of the largest and strongest of all sled dogs. Most often they were bred for stamina, rather than speed and they were commonly used as freight dogs. 9) Yakutian Laika Laikas are typical hunting dogs of Siberia, but the Yakutian Laika is exception, as they were not only used for hunting, but also sledding and herding. These dogs come from the Russian Sakha Republic. 8) Canadian Eskimo Dog Also known as Canadian Inuit dog, Canadian Husky or Esquimaux Husky, the Canadian Eskimo dog is extremely old breed originally used by the Thule people of Arctic Canada. These dogs can also be used for hunting and they typically have pretty high prey drive. 7) Chinook I said that most sled dogs are very old breeds, well the Chinook is an exception, as they were developed only in the 1900s by Arthur Welden as a mixture of Greenland dog, English Mastiff, German and Belgium Shepherd. 6) Samoyed Samoyed is another sled dog that is quite popular these days as a companion dog. They have a long history and they were developed in Siberia by the Samoyedic tribe. In the past, they were used not only for hunting, but also for herding reindeer. This is very alert, loyal and obedient breed. 5) Greenland Dog The Greenland dog has very old history with the Inuit people of Greenland and even today, their main purpose is sledding. In 2010 it was estimated that there is 18000 Greenland dogs living in western Greenland from which approximately half is used for working as sled dogs. They are considered to be the same breed as Canadian Eskimo dog, that only evolved in different place. 4) Eurohound The Eurohound is the second dog on this list without long history, as they were developed only recently, specifically for the sled dog racing. They were developed in Scandinavia by crossing Alaskan Husky and German Shorthaired Pointer. They are extremely fast, but not so strong as typical sled dogs. 3) Alaskan Husky The Alaskan Husky, just like the Eurohound is not a purebred dog breed, bur rather a dog type developed from breeding various Nordic breed for the purpose of sledding. The Alaskan Husky and the Eurohound is the most common breed that can be seen in todays sled dog racing, mushing or canicross. 2) MacKenzie River Husky The MacKenzie River Husky is again not a breed, but rather a term, that is describing local populations of Arctic sled dog types. One of the most famous is the Yukon type, that was developed by crossing Newfoundland dogs with Saint Bernards and it is amazing powerful freight dog. 1) Siberian Husky One of the most popular breed in the world, the Siberian Husky, is also one of the tough, endurant and resilient sled dogs. They are descendants of the sled dogs used in Siberia by Chukchi people. They were mostly famous for their use in Alaska in the late 18th and early 19th century as sled dogs. There are some other breeds that can be called as sled dogs, like Saint Bernard, Newfoundland or Chow Chow, but i believe that the list truly include the 10 best sled dogs that have either long history in sledding or they are used for recreational sledding these days. By the way, i made videos about most of the dog breeds mentioned in this video, so if you will be interested in any of them, just search for Rocadog + breeds name in the Youtube search and check it out! There are few especially famous sled dogs. The most famous is probably Balto, a black Siberian Husky who was a lead dog of the sled dog team who brought the diphtheria serum on the last leg of the relay to Nome during the 1925 diphtheria epidemic. They brought this lifesaving serum from a one place to another for over 700 miles only in 6 days. There is even a movie from 1995 about this heroic act called Balto. Another famous dog from this journey is Togo, who was anoter lead dog of this sled team. Another famous duo of sled dogs is Taro and Jiro. In 1958 several researchers have to evacuate themselves from their positions in Antarctica. They left behind 15 chained sled dogs with small supplies of water and food, because they believed, that they will return in just few days. However the weather turned bad and the team never made it back to the dogs. A year later another expedition arrived to the outpost, finding out that two dogs, Jiro and Taro, survived. There is also a movie about their story, called Nankyoku Monogatari and Eight Below. 1) Origin
The Villano is a native breed to the region of Las Encartaciones in the Basque country. The history and origin of Villano is not very well documented and we do not know when it was developed, but it is believed that it was developed by the ranchers of Las Encartaciones, who were looking for a strong, fast, endurant and athletic dog, that will be able to work with their cattle, mainly as catch dogs. Main breeds they used in creating the Villano are Alano Espanol and Presa Canario, which created very agile and effective breed. 2) Working dog The main utilization of this strong dog was to work with specific mountain cattle breed Monchina, more specifically to catch the wild cows in forrest. The connection between the Villano and the cattle is very close. To be good at this job, these dogs must be very endurant and fast, reliable, devoted to the herd and to its people, brave, independent and confident and the Villano posses all these qualities. The Villano was also used to protect the cattle, sometimes even to herd it and lately, they were also sucessfully used as rescue dogs. 3) Hunter The Villano is not only a cattle dog and catch dog, but also a skilled big game hunter. Their strength, good senses, speed and courage makes them amazing for this purpose as well. Its qualities of a great catch dog are handy when hunting for example wild boars and other big game. So as you can see, this is truly very versatile dog breed. 4) Companion dog The Villano de Las Encartaciones is not only a worker, but also a loyal and devoted companion dog. Even though intimadating in appearance, these dogs have pretty balanced temperament and they are known to create very strong bond with its owners. They are typically cheerful and friendly towards its whole family and they can make playful and active partners for older kids. Of course, you should never leave any dog breed with a very young child unsupervised. On the other hand, these dogs are suspicious and alert towards strangers and they need proper early socialization and training. Becaue of that, they are only suited for experienced owners who know how to handle strong-minded dogs. 5) Rarity The Villano breeds numbers declined a lot in 20th century and in 1960s they almost went extinct. It took concerted efforts in the 1960s to bring numbers back and many times it was done by some crossbreeding with Alano Espanol dogs. Today, the breed is not on the verge of extinction anymore, but it is still extremely rare breed, which is almost exclusively found in the Basque country and in northern Spain and it is believed that there is only something around few hundread of pure Villano de Las Encartaciones dogs. 6) Size The Villano is a large sized dog breed with muscular and athletic body and rustic apperanace. The height of Villano is typically between 55-65 cm, which is 21-25 inch and weight is usually around 35 kg, which is 77 lbs. Females are typically slightly smaller than males. 7) Name The Villano de Las Encartaciones job needed them to be kind of agressive, tenacious and decisive. They are not agressive without a reason as they were never used for dog fights, but when the situation needs it, they must be a little bit like that, there is nothing wrong with it. And their name, Villano, can be translated to english as villain, which fits perfectly this temperament. The other part of their name, de Las Encartaciones, is describing place of their origin. 8) Coat and color The coat of Villano is pretty short and it is lying close to the body. These dogs are known for their beautiful dark brindle color, but they can also be found in solid colors, for example in all black, dark brown or tan, rarely in red as well. 9) Maintenance Speaking of the coat, it is important to mention the maintenance as well and luckily, it is very easy. Even without any grooming at all, these dogs will keep their coats in excellent conditions. Of course, brushing them from time to time is only beneficial, as it will remove any dirt and loose hair from the coat. Just like with any other breed, you should regularly check their eyes, ears, nails and teeth and clip them or clean them if needed. 10) Health There are no scientific studies about the breeds health, but this should be rather healthy dog breed with average lifespan around 12 years. Of course, they can suffer from similar health issues as other larger breeds, such as bloating, some joint and eye problems, allergies or infections, but none of these is extremely common in this breed. |