1) Ancestry
The Wetterhoun is an old Dutch breed. The exact ancestry and history of this breed is unknown, but it is believed, that the Wetterhoun is at least 400 years old dog breed and that it was developed by crossing various Gypsy dogs with local indigenous Frisian dogs, very likely the already extinct Old Water Dog. The breed is native to the province of Friesland in the Netherlands.

​2) Name
The name Wetterhoun comes from the West Frisian Wetterhûn meaning “water dog.” In english speaking countries the breed is often times named as Frisian Water dog. Sometimes, the breed is also nicknamed as Dutch Spaniel or Otterhoun.

3) Almost extinct
Just like many other European hunting breeds, even the Wetterhoun almost dissappeared after the Second World War. Without the efforts of breed fanciers and lovers, the breed would most likely completely vanished. But these fanciers, most notably Jan Bos, found remaining specimen of the breed and they saved the breed from extinction. Today, the breed is still considered as rare, but definitely not on the verge of extinction anymore and it is officially recognized by all the major kennel clubs around the world, such as FCI or AKC.

4) Hunting
Originally, the Wetterhoun was used to hunt in water and they were most often hunting otters and polecats. Today, they are most often used for retrieving game, both in and out of the water and to hunt small mammals and waterflow. This is outstanding hunter, which is very loyal to the hunter, have very high prey drive, excellent nose and great stamina, all very important traits for a hunting breed.

5) Watchdog
The Wetterhoun is primarily a hunter, but it can also be a very good watchdog. Their extreme loyalty to its owners and family combined with their alertness makes them perfect for being a reliable watchdog. This breed is naturally suspicious of strangers, but they should never be agressive without a reason. This is not the biggest barker, but they will most likely bark when they will hear or see something suspicious around their home.

6) Companion
This is not only a worker, but also confident, strong willed, loyal and quite lively companion. I would not recommend this breed to novice owners, but with patient and firm training, these dogs can learn almost anything, it really is very smart dog. They can be socialized to live with other dog without problems, but other household pets might be problematic due to their higher prey drive. The Wetterhoun can also be good playful partner for kids, but of course, you should never leave any dog breed with a very young child unsupervised.

7) Water lover
The Wetterhoun is not a coach potatoe. If they are not used for hunting, than they will need proper amount of exercise every day to stay healthy and happy. It can be long walks, jogs, hikes, vigorous playtime.. You name it. And of course, they will love to swim and you should let them to swim from time to time! It is a water dog after all. Without enough exercise, this breed can develop some unwanted behaviour, such as destruction.

8) Size
The Wetterhoun is a medium sized dog breed with average height between 55-59 cm, which is 21-23 inch and weight between 25-35 kg, which is 55-77 lbs. Females are naturally slightly smaller than males.

9) Coat and color
The Wetterhoun is characterized by a very dense, curly coat of medium length. It is an all purpose weather resistant and water repellant coat which is extremely good for their purpose as water dogs. The coat is oily to touch. The coat colors include black and brown, either solid or combined with white, with or without ticking and roaning.

10) Maintenance
Speaking of coat it is important to mention the maintenance as well and luckily, the Wetterhoun has only minimal grooming requirements. Occasional brush will keep the coat in best possible condition. 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.

1) Newfoundland
Newfies are huge dogs with dense and thick fur and beautiful bear-like face. But they are not as fierce as bears, this is super sweet and gentle dog that makes wonderful companion pet.
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2) Caucasian Ovcharka
Named after the Caucasus Mountains, the Caucasian Ovcharka not only share a resemblance to bears, because in the past, they were actively involved in bear hunting as well! It is incredibly strong, brave and alert dog breed.

3) Tibetan Mastiff
Of course, Tibetan Mastiff must be included in this list as well. One time, a Chinese family once took in an Asiatic Black Bear thinking he was a Tibetan Mastiff and they were raising the bear for 2 years. The breed is truly very similar to bears in its appearance and they are even used to protect flocks of sheeps against strong predators, such as tigers or bears.

4) Gaddi Kutta
This Indian breed is most likely closely related to the Tibetan Mastiff and they have similar fluffy coat and giant size, which also gives them similar, bear-like appearance.

5) American Akita
The American Akita is little bit more robust than the Japanese Akita Inu. They have large head, triangular ears and fluffy coat, which gives them the bear – like look. It is very independent, loyal and confident dog.

6) Estrela Mountain Dog
The Estrela Mountain Dog is a brave, vigilant and smart livestock guardian breed and i am sure that their bear like appearance helps them to deter any intruders from their livestock.

7) Haofa (Tangkhul Hui)
Haofa, also known as Tangkhul Hui is most likely the rarest breed in this list. It is an old dog breed from Manipur in India and it was used for various purposes such as hunting or guarding. There are stories that they were able to corner a bear or a wild boar.

8) Sarplaninac
Also known as Illyrian Shepherd, this breed is a typical representation of Balkan livestock guardian dogs. Strong and athletic, reliable, independent, brave, courageous dog with very dense coat.

9) Eurasier
Most of the dogs in this video are real workers and they are not best for novice dog owners. Well, the Eurasier is the opposite. It is perfect companion pet with calm and even tempered temperament.

10) Chow Chow
One of the oldest breed in the world hails from ancient China and it is the famous Chow Chow. Most people will agree that Chow Chows resemble bears, but in China, they are actually nicknamed as Songshi-Quan, which can be translated as puffy lion dog.

11) Kuchi Dog
You probably never heard about the Kuchi dog, also known as Khorasani or Afghan Shepherd. It is extremely rare breed with strong body and protective temperament.

12) Pyrenean Mastiff
This large sized, bear like mastiff looks intimidating, but in reality it is absolutely gentle and loving breed towards its own family. It is relatively mild mannered dog, but they do protect its owners and family from any kind of danger.

13) Keeshond
This breed worked as a guard and companion on Dutch vessels. It is the smallest breed on this list, and you could argue, that they look more like teddy bears than the real life bears.

14) Leonberger
The black mask combined with impressive size and fluffy coat really brings out the bear-like qualities in Leonberger. This is generally pretty laid back, loving dog with stable temperament.

15) Spanish Mastiff
The last breed on this list is the spirited, smart and sweet Spanish Mastiff. Originally bred as a livestock protector, this is an aloof, protective, but also absolutely loyal and friendly companion.

1) Origin
The Perdiguero de Burgos is relatively old dog breed, that has been around since the 15th century. In the past, this dog breed was highly valued versatile hunting dog, especially for their scenting and pointing abilities. It is thought, that the Burgos Pointer is descendant of the Old Spanish Pointer and Sabueso Espanol.
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2) Ancestor
It is believed, that the Perdiguero de Burgos played important role in development of other European pointing dog breeds. Most of the European Pointers have their ancestry in Iberian Peninsula and it is very likely, that one of the dog breed they evolved from is the Perdiguero de Burgos. Some of the breeds, that are believed to be relatives with Burgos Pointer are, for example, German Pointer, Russian Pointer or English Pointer.

3) Almost extinct
The 20th century was a very bad time for this breed. The World War and Spanish Civil War negatively affected the population of this breed and they almost went extinct. Luckily, after the conflicts, big efforts were made to save and revive the Perdiguero de Burgos. Manuel Izquierdo and Geardo Sardonil are two of the men who are credited for reviving the breed. Today, it is still considered as a rare breed that can be mainly found in Spain, where it is once again valued for their pointing and retrieving abilities.

4) Hunting
The Perdiguero de Burgos has one main purpose and utilization and that is hunting. Originally, these dogs were used as scenthounds, specialized on hunting deers, but over the time, they become excellent at hunting hare and also birds. They are very endurant dogs, capable of hunting in any kind of a terrain without any problems. It is also very quick and agile dog breed. Of course, they have high prey drive and chasing instinct and they are absolutely passionate on the hunt. The Perdiguero de Burgos is also good adept for hunting trials.

5) Companion
Even though passionate hunter, the Perdiguero de Burgos is also loving, even tempered, playful, gentle and loyal companion dog. If they are properly exercised, they tend to be pretty calm at home and they make good partners for kids and of course, they can live with other dogs, especially if socialized together from the puppyhood. Other household pets might be problematic due to their higher prey drive. This breed is intelligent, naturally obedient and fairly easily trainable. On average, this is very friendly, pretty mellow and affectionate companion. They should never be agressive towards people without a reason.

6) Exercise
If the Burgos Pointer is used for hunting, than there is no need for additional exercise, they will burn off their energy on the hunt. But if they are living the typical life of companion pet, than these dogs will need quite a lot of exercise. Short normal walks are not enough for these dogs. Daily longer walks, jogs, hikes, vigorous playtime and fun training sessions are a must, so the dog can stay healthy and happy. Without enough exercise, they might develop some unwated behaviour, such as destruction.

7) Size
This is a well built, muscular, but quite elegant dog breed with straight back, strong legs, deep chest and overall athletic appearance. The average height is between 59-67 cm, which is 23-26 inch and weight between 55-66 lbs, which is 25-30 kg. Females are naturally slightly smaller than males.

8) Coat and color
The coat of Perdiguero de Burgos is described in the official breed standard as „Dense, short, smooth and evenly distributed all over the body“. And what about the color? Basic coat colors are white and liver. The coat is irregularly patched or roaned, which could give the dog a liver marbled or a speckled coat. A heavy ticked coat gives the dog a grizzled appearance. It is not uncommon for these dogs to have a white patch on the head.

9) Maintenance
Great fact is, that the Burgos Pointer has minimal grooming needs. They do shed some deal of fur all year long. You should regularly brush their coat to remove all the dead and loose hair and to redistribute natural oils all over the coat, but even without any grooming and brushing at all, the dog will keep the coat in okay condition. 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.

10) Health
The average life expectancy of this breed is between 12-14 years, which is pretty good for dog if this size. There are no official studies about the breeds health, but it is reported, that this is usually very healthy and hardy dog breed and that they do not usually suffer from any serious health issues. Of course, they might sometimes suffer from the typical doggy issues, such as some eye problems, joint problems or allergies and infections.

Chinese dog breeds are ancient, mysterious and unique. And a lot of them share one very distinctive appearance trait – and that is the blue-black tongue. The most famous Chinese breeds with blue-black tongue are definitely the Chow Chow and Shar-Pei, but the list does not end here. There is also, for example, the Laizhou Hong, Chongqing Dog, Formosan dog or Chuandog Hound. All these Chinese breeds must have, or at least, they have the chance to have the blue colored tongue.

But what is causing this uniquely colored tongue? Well, even the scientists do not have 100% proof about it, but there are some theories about it.

But before we will talk about the scientific theories, lets mention some old legends explaining this tongue coloration. You know, some of these dogs are extremely old, definitely one of the most ancient breeds we have today. And back than, people created some tales about their dogs tongues.

One of them says that when Buddha was creating the world, Chow Chows were allowed to lick up all the little pieces of blue sky that fell on the earth when the stars were set in their places, so they got their blue tongue from the sky.

Another tale is also linked with Buddhism. On a very cold day, a long time ago, a Buddhist monk became very ill. He was so ill that he was incapacitated and could not go out to get firewood to warm himself. The Chow Chows went out into the cold in search of firewood for the monk, but unfortunately all they could find were charred logs. When they were brought back to their mouths, the charring caused their tongues to turn this bluish-black color.

In reality, the coloration is caused by the presence of pigmented cells, similar to the same types of cells that determine the color of human skin. They share this trait with other animals as well, such as different lizzards, giraffes, several breeds of cattle or bears. And interestingly, the bear similarity might not be coincidental.

Some scientists belive, that all these Chinese dogs share ancestry with some very old and ancient dog type from China, that probably evolved from a so called Hemicyon, also known as dog-bear, an intermediate between bears and their canid ancestors.
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Of course, it is practically impossible to scientifically support this idea as a fact, but it is not completely unrealistic neither.

BTW, Chinese dog breeds are not the only dog breeds that can have blue-black tongues. Labradors or Newfoundlands can also have blue or black spots on their tongues, but it is rather rare. But the Chinese breeds, notably the Chow Chow and Shar-Pei must have this blue-black tongue as it is part of their breed standard and it is viewed as a fault, if the tongue have different color.

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.