1) Recognition
The Old German Shepherd is most often viewed as a long haired German Shepherd and most often it is considered as a variety of the German Shepherd breed, rather than a separate breed. And indeed, the Altdeutsche Schäferhund is not officially recognized by any national kennel club. So what is the reason for the separation from the German Shepherd? Well, to understand that, we need to look at the origin and history of the breed.
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2) Origin
The Old German Shepherd share the same ancestry and origin with the German Shepherd and their origin dates back hundreads of years. Most likely the ancestors of Old German Shepherds lived in the area of todays Germany since as early as the 7th century and their original purpose was to herd livestock, mostly sheep. Before 1890s, any dog used for herding and protecting in Germany was simply called as German Shepherd dog. But that changed in 1890s, with the introduction of the German Shepherd association. This association wrote an official breed standard for the German Shepherd, where the long-haired variety of the German Shepherd was not accepted. That caused decline in popularity of the long-haired German Shepherds, but some breeders started their own breeding programs and started to call their long-haired GSDs as Old German Shepherds, or Altdeutsche Schäferhund. The situation once again changed not so long ago, in 2010, when the German Shepherd association decided to allow the long-haired type in their breed standard once again. Since than, the long-haired type is again bred within the official German Shepherd association, but some owners and breeders still stick with the term Old German Shepherd and with their own breeding lines.

3) Old German Shepherd vs German Shepherd
You already know that the main difference between the Old German Shepherd and „classic“ German Shepherd is their coat length. The Old German Shepherd has much longer coat. But are there any other differences between them? Well, mostly because of the breeding programs, it is said, that the backline of Old German Shepherds is not sloping as much as the normal German Shepherds backline. Their backs are typically much straighter which makes them look healthier. And what about the temparament? I will talk about it later in the video in more details, but many owners claim, that the Old German Shepherd is somewhat calmer, more balanced and more relaxed, especially when they are at home. But overall, the temperament is very very similar.

4) Coat and color
As you already know, the coat of Old German Shepherd is pretty long. It is a beautiful long coat with soft undercoat. The tail and legs are typically more bushy and fluffy than the rest of the body. Some dogs exhibit a mane around the neck. And the breeds come in several colors and color combinations, which are most commonly black-brown, black-grey, black-yellow or all black.

5) Maintenance
Speaking of the coat it is important to mention the grooming and maintenance as well. And it is slightly harder than with the short-haired GSD, but it not extremely hard grooming routine. The only thing these dogs require is brushing. But it is recommended to brush their coat regularly, few times a week, in order to prevent matting and tangling. The Old German Shepherd also sheds fur all year long and regular brushing will minimize this shedding. You should never shave the coat of the Old German Shepherd, or better to say, you should never shave any doublecoated dog. The doublecoat provides protection in cold, but also in hot temperatures and it provides protection against all kinds of weather. But you can trim some parts of your Old German Shepherds body, such as the area around ears or bottom of their paws, but if you will just brush your dog regularly, you will make good job. These dogs also do not need much bathing. You should bath them only when it is really really necessary and they are dirty. Otherwise there is no reason for bathing them. And of course, just like with all dogs, you should regularly check their eyes, ears, nails and teeth and clean them or clip them if needed.

6) Function
The first ancestors of the Old German Shepherds had one main utilization, which was herding and protecting the livestock. But over the time, they found utilization in many other areas and fields. Thanks to their endurance and strength, intelligence, loyalty, incredible work ethic, confidence with nerves of steel and eagerness to please, they are trainable to do almost any task. They can be herding, protecting the livestock, but they can also be property or personal guard dogs, police dogs, military dogs, search and rescue dogs, service dogs or therapy dogs. They can truly do almost any kind of a job and they will excell at it. The one exception is hunting. These dogs are not used for this purpose. The Old German Shepherd can also compete in various dog sports, like Schutzhund, obedience, rally or nosework and tracking. And of course, these dogs can also make incredible companion dogs.

7) Companions
As i mentioned earlier in the video, the Old German Shepherd is considered as slightly calmer, more relaxed and little bit friendlier than the German Shepherd. And these are great benefits for companionship. But remember, that the difference is not really big and the temperaments are very similar. It is a docile, obedient, absolutely loyal, but also affectionate, gentle and playful dog breed. They have very well balanced character. It is a good natured dog, known to show affection towards kids, but of course you should never leave any dog breed with a very young child unsupervised. The Old German Shepherd can also live with other dogs or other pets in the family, especially if socialized together from the puppyhood. This is a reliable companion dog whose playful character brings a lot of life into a family. I can guarantee you that you will never be bored with this breed by your side. Overall, it is an excellent companion pet for active families.

8) Exercise
And when i said that they are much better suited for active families, i 100% meant it. These dogs are no coach potatoes. If they are not used for some kind of a work, they definitely need daily longer walks or hikes accompanied with some vigorous playtime, which will exercise their body, but they will also need some fun training session or playtime that will occupy their mind as well. Without enough physical and mental exercise, they will become bored and possibly develop some unwanted behaviour, such as destruction or excessive barking. You can also try some dog sport with the Old German Shepherd. These dogs will be always ready for any kind of outdoor adventure, and it does not matter if its raining or snowing outside, they are just always ready.

9) Size
The Old German Shepherd is a very strong and muscular, but also agile and athletic dog breed. Its height and weight is the same as the size of German Shepherd, but their long coat makes them look little bit bigger and much stockier. When a long-haired and short-haired GSD will stand next to each other, the long-haired type will just look bigger. And what is the average height and weight? Well, the height is typically between 55-65 cm, which is 22-26 inch and weight between 22-40 kg, which is 49-88 lbs. Females are typically slightly smaller than males.

10) Health
The Old German Shepherd is a big dog, and just like all the large dogs, they have higher chance to suffer from bone and joint problems, such as hip and elbow dysplasia. Other health issues associated with this breed are some eye problems, allergies or muscle atrophy. The list of health issues associated with the Old German Shepherd is similar to the one of classic German Shepherd. The average lifespan of this breed is around 12 years.

 The Labradoodle is a mix of Labrador Retriever and Poodle, while the Goldendoodle is a mix of Golden Retriever and Poodle. And while Poodles are very low shedding dogs, both Labrador and Golden Retriever sheds quite a lot. Especially the Labradors shedding is extreme.
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Idealy the mix should inherit the Poodles almost non shedding coat, but is it always true? Well, of course it is not. The Labradoodle can inherit the Labradors coat and Goldendoodle can inherit the Golden Retrievers coat, which means, that they will shed quite heavily.

To understand the chances of a Labradoodle or Goldendoodle shedding ammount, it is important to know a little bit about the genetics of crossbreeds. I will try to make it as simple as possible, but if you will be interested in this topic in more details, there will be link to my video about this topic in description.

You might already heard about the crossbreeds generations. The first generation is called F1 and it is a cross of pure Poodle and pure Labrador, which will create the F1 Labradoodle. The offsprings have equal chances of inheriting Poodles or Labradors coat, but most commonly, the shedding will be slightly higher than Poodles and slightly lower than Labradors shedding. The F1 generation has typically the highest chance to shed a lot.

Since the low shedding coat is desirable trait, the crossbreeds with higher shedding coats are not used very often for further breeding, which is why further generations such as F2 or even F3 typically do not shed very much.

There is also F1b generation, which is a cross of F1 Labradoodle and pure Poodle, which gives the dog 75% of the Poodle genes and 25% of Labradors genes and it is more likely that the pup will have the Poodle like low shedding coat.

The example would be the same with Golden Retriever and Goldendoodle. The breeder should always tell you, what generation is your furute Doodle. So just remember, the F1 generation has the highest chance of shedding heavily, while other generations typically sheds a little.

The genetics are not always black and white and any doodle can be born with the coat that will sheds a lot, so it is always a little bit of lottery when buying a crossbreed. But on average, both Labradoodles and Goldendoodles are shedding rather low ammount of hair.

You can always just look at the coat type and you will get the idea of the ammount of shedding. Good identification sign for goldendoodles are their facial hair and face in general. If the dog has a lot of furnishings such as mustache, goatee and visible eyebrows, they will most likely have the Poodles low shedding coat. On the other hand, if they lack this furnishing and they have open face like Golden Retriever, than they have much higher chance of shedding. In general, the more curly the coat is, the less it sheds. If it is wavy, than it might sheds more.

Labradoodles come in three coat types. We can name them as wooly, shaggy and straight. The wooly, or curly coat is the least shedding. Straight coat is similar to Labradors and it sheds quite a lot. The shaggy coat is somewhere in the middle.

So to answer the questions from the beginning of the video. How much does these Doodle crosses shed? As you already know it depends on the coat type and it is vastly influenced by the generation of the cross. On average, both Labradoodles and Goldendoodles are low shedding dogs, but they still shed a little bit of fur. But again, it is always a loterry with any crossbreed and you never know what you will get.

And can they be at least better for allergy sufferers? Well, of course they can. Since they typically shed only a little, it is always better for people with allergies. But it is important to say that there is literally no dog breed or cross that is 100% hypoallergenic. All of them produce some dander, but also urine or saliva, which all trigger the allergy. It is always adviced to spend some time with the dog and see if they will trigger the allergies or not. There is no other way how you can make sure of it.

When we compare the Labradoodle and Goldendoodle and their shedding level, than it all comes down to its parents shedding level. And since the Labrador Retriever sheds considerably more than the Golden Retriever, even the Labradoodle has higher chance to sheds more than the Goldendoodle.

If you are unlucky and you bought a Doodle that sheds a little bit more than you would like to, there are some ways how to minimize it. The most obvious way how to do it is brushing. Brushing will not only keep the coat tangle and mat free, it will also remove any dirt and most importantly loose and dead hair. If you want to minimize the shedding as much as possible, you will have to brush their coats on daily basis.

Another way is to cut the hair. A regular haircut makes grooming more manageable which results in less shedding and less hair. It is always recommended to use the services of professional groomer who will tell you what haircuts are the best for your dog.

Bathing will also remove all the dead hair and minimize the shedding. But be careful with it. It is not recomended to bath your dog too often as it will remove all the natural coat oils as well. I would not bath the dog more than once a month and i personally do not bath the dog if it is not absolutely necessary.

One of the shedding trigger is stress. If the dog is not happy and for whatever reason is in stress they will most likely shed a little bit more than usual. This can be caused by not enough exercise, by leaving the dog alone for long time regularly, by not enough mental exercise, by moving to new place or by changing the dogs owner. The happier the dog is, the less it sheds. But to be honest, this will affect the shedding only a little.

Bad nutrition is another trigger. Make sure your dog has balanced diet. You should feed the dog with dogs food only and not human food. And do not overfeed the dog.

And the last trigger are health problems. It can be allergies, parasites such as fleas, bacterial or fungal infections, kidney and liver diseases, thyroid and many many other health problems. Many ilnesses trigger the shedding. So if your dog starts to shed a lot seemingly from a nowhere, you should discuss it with your veterinarian.

The tips to reduce the shedding are not only valid for Labradoodles and Goldendoodles but for all dogs in general.

So now you know that there is no such thing as absolutely hypoallergenic dog and that some Labradoodles and Goldendoodles can shed quite a lot. But it not a common thing for these crosses as majority of them are rather low shedding crosses.  

1) Not from Australia
The Australian Shepherd is not a dog breed from Australia, as generally perceived. It is most likely the only officially recognized livestock working breed developed in United States of America. The Australian Shepherd was developed in 1800s California for working on farms and ranches with livestock animals. But why are they named Australian and not American? Well, we are not sure on 100%, but the most accepted theory is, that the breeds main ancestor is a Basque Shepherd. The Basque Shepherd is Spanish breed, but they were most likely brought to America from Australia, and thus, the breed got its name Australian Shepherd. The breed is sometimes also nicknamed as Spanish Shepherd, which makes more sense than Australian Shepherd, as Pastor dog, Bob-Tail or Californian Shepherd.

2) Ancestry
We are not sure on 100% about the breeds ancestry. Generally, it is believed that the Basque Shepherd is one of the main ancestor of this breed, but it is definitely not the only one. Back in 1800s, sheeps from all around the world were imported to California, from places such as France, Spain, New Zealand or Australia. And very often, these sheeps came into California alongside their shepherds and working dogs. Different other Collie type of dogs probably also played a role in the breeds development and it is very likely that the Pyrenean Sheepdog is also one of the ancestor. But eventhough the exact origin is unknown due to lack of documentation, there is no doubt that the Australian Shepherd breed was developed in the western part United States of America.

3) Workers
Australian Shepherds have been used for many purposes and they quickly became popular as farm and ranch working dogs. They are natural workers, they just love to have some kind of a job in their life and they are easy to train. Originally, they were used for herding the livestock and they truly possess strong herding instinct. But mostly because of their devoted and loyal temperament towards their owners and family, they quickly became a favourite companion dogs and they were ideal family farm dogs. In modern times, they found utilization in many other fields as well, such as search and rescue, as service dogs, drug detection dogs, but you can still find them herding on ranches as well. These dogs also excell at various dog sports like agility, rally, tracking, dock diving, disc, flyball and of course herding events. You can do virtually any sport with Australian Shepherd and they will do it very well.

4) Companions
Of course, the Australian Shepherd is not only a working breed as majority of them are living the happy spoiled life of family companions these days. And they are amazing companions, especially for active owners. It is because these dogs are very energetic and they need regular outdoor exercise to stay happy! These dogs tend to be alert and reserved with people they do not know, but once they get to know the person, they are typically very friendly and playful. They are extremely intelligent and loyal. Actually some people describe them as velcro dog, which means they want to be next to the owner all the time and they follow the owner everywhere. Australian Shepherd can live with other dogs in the family, especially if socialized together from the puppyhood and they are typically good playful and tolerant partners for kids, but of course, you should never leave a young child with any dog breed unsupervised. It is also important to say, that many Aussies have strong herding instincts and some of them might want to herd other family pets or even the kids, so be aware of that. But overall, if you want an intelligent dog that will learn any trick you want and energetic dog that will be alway happy to go on a walk or a hike, than the Australian Shepherd might be a perfect dog for you.

5) Eyes and tail
Now lets talk a little bit about the appearance of the Australian Shepherd. And one of the most interesting parts of Aussies body are the eyes and tail. They have almond shape eyes with curious and alert expression that come in many different colors. Most commonly in brown, hazel, green, blue or amber. The Australian Shepherd is one of the few breeds where heterochromia is quite common. This means, that they can have each eye in different color. Some Aussies even display more than one color within the same eye, but this is quite rare. And what about the tail? Most Aussies are born with long tail, but some of them, approximtely one in five, is born with naturally bobbed tail. And ranchers purposely bred Aussies that had these naturally short tails because they are safer when it comes to herding and very often the long tails were docked.

6) Size
The Australian Shepherd is a very athletic, medium sized dog breed with average height between 18-23 inch, which is 46-58 cm and weight between 35-70 lbs, which is 16-32 kg. Females are naturally slightly smaller than males. They should have slightly longer body and the body should be lean, athletic and agile.

7) Smart and energetic
The Aussie is a very energetic and very intelligent dog breed. Which means they need a lot of daily physical and mental stimulation. I would not say that they are completely hyperactive, but they will definitely need daily longer walks, jogs, playtime and fun training sessions to stay healthy and happy. This is not a coach potatoe! Exercise is a must for these dogs. Without enough exercise, they might develop some unwanted behaviour, such as excessive barking or destruction. As i already mentioned earlier in the video, a good way how to deal with the Aussies physical and mental exercise needs is through some dog sport like agility, or any other sport actually. And about their intelligence? Well, it cannot be stressed enough that this is a dog with brains to spare. These dogs are fast learners and they can learn almost any trick and command. And most of the time, they will enjoy the training and learning new tricks and you should train them regularly! It is an amazing way how to create a great bond between you and your Aussie.

8) Coat and color
One of the first thing you will definitely notice about the Australian Shepherd is its georgeous coat and coloration. It is a dense doublecoat of medium length, which is weather resistant. The outercoat is typically straight, but there can be little curls as well. The breed standard allows several colors and color combinations, which are blue merle, black, red merle, red all with or without white markings and copper points. White is acceptable on the neck, legs, chest and muzzle underpants. Merles characteristically become darker with increasing age.

9) Maintenance
Speaking of the coat, it is important to mention the grooming and maintenance as well. It is important to say that the Australian Shepherd does shed all year long, more heavily twice a year during shedding seasons in the spring and autumn, so be prepared for that. To minimize the shedding and to keep the coat in best possible condition, regular brushing is absolute must. Regular brushing is a key to keep the coat shiny, mat and tangle free, to remove any dirt and loose hair and to redistribute natural oils all over the coat. There is no need for trimming or shaving the coat and it is recommended to not shave this breed, or any other doublecoated dog. You can trim some parts of the dogs body, such as feet, tail, legs or ears, but it is not necessary. Just like with any other breed, you should also regularly check their eyes, ears, nails and teeth and clip them or clean them if needed.

10) Health
The Australian Shepherd is usually very healthy dog breed with average lifespan somewhere around 14 years. Just like any other breed, they can suffer from some more or less serious health issues, such as cataracts, progressive retinal atrophy, hip dysplasia, collie eye anomaly or von willebrands disease. It is also important to never breed two merle dogs together, as this can cause deafness and blindness next to some other serious health issues. But serious breeder would never use two merle dogs in breeding program.

The German Spitz and Pomeranian are two different dogs that can be often times confused for one another. And even though it is true that they have similar temperament and personality, grooming needs and exercise needs, upon closer inspection, you can find some very important differences between these two dog breeds. 

It is true, that both breeds are closely related together as they both belongs to the Spitz category and they both have their ancestry in Germany. So you can actually say, that the Pomeranian is a German Spitz, since it is a spitz breed from Germany. And indeed, even the FCI breed standard says, that the Pomeranian is a German Toy Spitz, but the breed standard is slightly different. And to understand the differences between the two breeds, lets talk briefly about their history. After that i will mention appearance, size, color, temperament, grooming, exercise and every other aspect.

The first documented mentions of German Spitzes are from 1500s Germany, where they were used as herders and watchdogs on farms, alarming the owners when strangers approached, which is why, even today, these dogs are quite alert.

It is believed that the breed evolved from ancient Nordic spitz-type herding dogs and that they share similar ancestry with other Spitzes, like Samoyed or Finnish and Swedish Lapphund.

These dogs were not extremely popular in the past and they were mostly living on farms with poorer people. That changed in 1800s when royalty in Germany and England fell in love in these dogs. Proper documentation is lacking, but over the time, different sizes of German Spitz were developed. And one of them is the Pomeranian.

We do not know much about the Pomeranian breed before they got into England. During this time, Pomeranian were much bigger than they are today and they were almost identical to the German Spitz and it was not until the late 1800s when Queen Victoria fall in love with the Pomeranian breed. And this is the time when Pomeranians and German Spitzes took different paths.

Queen Victoria fall in love in small Pomeranians and started her own breeding program and it was this breeding program that evolved Pomeranians into the small and lively companion dogs we know today.

So yes, Pomeranian is most likely a descendant of the German Spitz and these two dogs are closely related together. But for relatively long time the two dogs have different breeding programs and they evolved into slightly different dogs.

Definitely the most important difference in these two dogs is their size, so lets start with that. The Pomeranian height is typically between 18-24 cm, which is 7-10 inch and weight between 3-7 lbs, which is 1,5 – 3 kg.

The German Spitz is considerably larger breed, so when these two dogs would be standing next to each other, it would be very easy to recognize them apart. There are actually three size types of the German Spitz. The German Miniature Spitz, German Medium Spitz and German Giant Spitz. You can see the sizes of all three types on the screen right know. Most commonly when we talk about the German Spitz and what most people think German Spitz is, is the Medium type, also known as Mittel.

But the size is not the only difference in the appearance of these two dogs. Other two notable differences are their head shape and tail type. The German Spitz head is wedge-shaped and flat on top with triangle-shaped ears that sit high on top of their heads and the head has much longer muzzle in comparsion to Pomeranian. The head of German Spitz is much more fox like.

On the other hand, the Pomeranian has much shorter muzzle. Pomeranian also has much smaller ears than the German Spitz, but both dogs have erect ears.

The tail is also slightly different. The Pomeranians tail is set very high and it sits flat against the back, while the German Spitz has more traditional spitz like tail which is curled over the back and it is typically carried to one side or curls into a ring shape. The Pomeranians tail is also slightly more fluffy.

Speaking of fluffy tail, lets mention the coat and color, because the coat is also not identical. Both dogs have dense doublecoat, which is a must for any spitz breed. But the coat of German Spitz consists of soft and cotton-like undercoat with a straighter and more coarse outer coat.

On the other hand, Pomeranians coat is a short and dense undercoat with a fine long-haired outer coat. And the difference in the length and, lets say fluffiness, is visible on the first sight. The Pomeranian has longer and extremely fluffy coat, which many people consider cute and the German Spitz have more practical and more traditional Spitz like coat, which is still dense and pretty long, but not as much as the Pomeranians coat.

Pomeranians also come in more colors. The standard for Pomeranian recognizes 18 different colors and the standard of German Spitz recognizes only 8 different colors.

And if we talk about coat, lets talk about the grooming and maintenance as well. In this case, it is very similar as both dogs have very dense coats and regular brushing several times a week is needed to keep the coat tangle and mat free. Pomeranians are often times also trimmed by professionals. German Spitzes are never trimmed, or extremely rarely. The Pomeranian has more fluffy and dense coat, so they need little bit more grooming, but overall the grooming needs are similar.

Both dogs also shed some deal of fur all year long and in most climates they blow out their coats twice a year in spring and fall during the shedding seasons. During this time, it is recommended to brush the coat on daily basis.

You should also regularly check and clean their teeth, as both breeds are prone to dental issues. Ear cleaning and nail clipping if needed is also beneficial for both dogs.

When we look at the temperament of the German Spitz and the Pomeranian, we will find a lot of similarities and not much differences. Both dogs are very social animals who bonds very closely to its owners and family and who wants to be around them all day long. These dogs are naturally friendly, affectionate and loving. Both dogs are also quite inquisitive and curious, playful and outgoing. I can guarantee you, that you will never be bored with neither of those two dog breeds.

Both breeds are also great playful and loving companions for kids, but do not forget, that especially the Pomeranian is a small and delicate breed, so the child should know how to behave around dogs properly.

They can also live with other dogs in the family and even other smaller household pets are typically not problematic. These dogs do not have extremely high prey drive and especially if they are socialized with other animals from the puppyhood, they will create a great friendship with them.

Both dogs also have the same watchdog ancestry, which is why they like to bark and they will most likely alert you when they will hear or see something suspicious around the house.

So as you can see, the temperament and personality is very similar, but what about the exercise needs and energy level?

These dogs are no coach potatoes. They are both lively and quite energetic, some people say, that they are pocket rockets. The German Spitz definitely requires more exercise than the Pomeranian. The Pomeranian is known to have bursts of energy when they will run like crazy around the home. Other than that, they will be happy with few daily walks and some playtime.

The German Spitz on the other hand will be always ready for a long hike or walk and they are always ready for any outdoor adventure. They can also go for a jog and they are much better fit for active people who want companion for their outdoor activities.
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Health is another category where these two breeds are similar as they both are known as usually very healthy dogs with long lifespan. The health issues of these two breeds include patellar luxation, different eye problems, collapsed trachea and epilepsy. The lifespan is somewhere between 12-16 years. The Pomeranian has usually slightly longer lifespan than German Spitz, but the difference is not big.

Appearance
You can tell on the first sight, that the Tonya Finosu belongs to the Spitz dog category. They have the typical fluffy coat, erect ears and tail that is curled over the back and fox like face.
This is a smaller breed with average height between 30-32 cm, which is 12-13 inch and weight is typically between 9-12 kg, which is 20-26 lbs. Females tend to be slightly smaller, but the difference between males and females is not extremely huge.
Even though small in size, the Tonya Finosu has pretty strong and very athletic body. This dog is lightning fast and their body structure is almost square to rectangular.
The first thing you will most likely notice about Tonya Finosu is their fluffy coat. The coat is always white, it is the only permitted color. And it is a very practical coat as well! It is a dense and thick doublecoat, which is helping the dog withstand harsh, rainy and cold conditions along the Black Sea, where they were developed.

Temperament
The Tonya Finosu is very good alert watchdog, but also loving and loyal family companion. Due to their small size, they are not good choice for guarding purposes, but their alert and watchful temperament makes them great adepts for watchdogs. They will definitely alert you by barking when they will hear something suspicious around your house or when they will see a stranger approaching. They can also be used to watch over farms, where they can also be used to hunt rodents.
As you already know, thanks to the dense doublecoat, this is very adaptable breed capable of withstanding colder and rainy conditions. And indeed, if they are provided with some form of shelter, they can stay outside all day long.
But they will be happiest next to their family. They create very strong bond with its owner and with the whole family and the Tonya Finosu is known as a tolerant, friendly, playful, lively and cheerful companion. If socialized from the puppyhood, they can happily live with other dogs in the household.
The Tonya Finosu is also tolerant and playful partner for kids, but of course, you should never leave any dog breed with a very young child unsupervised.
When getting a Tonya Finosu, do not expect a coach potatoe. This is rather active breed with a lot of energy. They will be always ready for any outdoor adventure, walk, hike or jog. And they will be happiest if they are provided with proper daily exercise and playtime.

History
The Tonya Finosu is indigenous dog breed to the Trabzon province in Turkey, more specifically to the city of Tonya, which they are named after. It is a mountanious region on the Black Sea coast in northeastern Turkey.
There is not much documentation how and when the ancestors of Tonya Finosu got into the Trabzon province. The most accepted theory says, that the ancestors of Tonya Finosu were bought already in Middle Ages from sailors who frequented the Baltic and Black Sea ports during the Russian Fur trade into Europe and parts of Asia.
So the breed is relatively old, but it was never internationally recognized. They were virtually unknown outside Trabzon area for centuries. And even today, in 2022, the Tonya Finosu is not recognized by any major kennel club, but their popularity is slowly raising, which is amazing news, since they were on the verge of extinction not so long ago.
Health and grooming

The Tonya Finosu sheds some deal of fur all year long, more heavily when the climate changes, so you can expect more shedding during spring and autumn shedding seasons. It is important to brush the coat of this dog regularly in order to minimize the shedding and to keep it mat free. But this is usually pretty clean dog. No other grooming, other than brushing, is necessary. Just like with any other breed in the world, you should regularly check their eyes, ears, nails and teeth and clip them or clean them if needed.
There is not much information and no scientific studies about the health of Tonya Finosu breed. The average lifespan is around 12 or 13 years. There are no breed specific related health issues with Tonya Finosu, but they can suffer from the typical doggy issues, such as allergies and infections, some hereditary eye problems or some joint problems. But none of those should be extremely common in this breed.

 All dogs shed. All of them. Some, like Labradors or German Shepherds, shed a lot, while other, like Poodles shed only a very little. Some breeds shed only seasonally while others shed all year long. I am going to help you understand more about the dog shedding in general, when you should be worry about the excessive shedding, what can cause excessive shedding and how to minimize it. 

Just like humans hair, a dogs hair grows all the time and just like our hair, even the dogs fur have natural life cycle. There are four cycles of hair growth, the anagen, catagen, telogen and exogen.

Anagen is the active hair growth stage. This is where the hair keeps growing until it reaches its genetically predetermined length.

Catagen is a transitional phase when the hair stops growing and an outer sheath attaches to the hair strand.
Telogen is the resting phase and finally the exogen is when the hair falls out to make room for another strand. This is the shedding phase.

Duration of each phase is a reason for the ammount of dogs shedding. The breeds that shed only a little like Poodles have dominant anagen cycle, which means that the actual growth stage is much longer than in other breeds. Sometimes the anagen cycle is so long, that the hair grows continuously, which is why many breeds need trimming very often and why they are almost non shedding.

Duration of each phase is not only determined by genetics, as factors like health, climate and nutrition plays a big role as well. But genetics are the most important factor.

And to answer one frequently asked question – Do really all dogs shed? Or are they some completely non shedding dogs? Well, all dogs really shed as all dogs coats go through the same hair life cycle. So yes, all of them shed at least a little bit and there is no such thing as completely hypoallergenic dog. But it is true that some dogs shed only a very very little.

The shedding have very practical reasons and most wild dogs or dogs that evolved by natural selection will shed quite a lot. The dogs coat consists of different layers, there are primary hair which make up the outer coat, than there are the dense and soft secondary hair, also known as undercoat and than there are tactile hair, which helps the dog to sense things. The typical example of tactile hair are whiskers.

Most dogs will shed to either prepare for climate change, which is why many dogs shed seasonally in spring and autumn or to replace damaged hair for new ones. When the dogs are preparing for climate change, in the spring, these dogs will shed to have a lighter outer coat for the summer. In the fall, shedding allows for a thicker and warmer undercoat to grow in to prepare for the winter.

And all dogs must replace the damaged hair for new ones, as the coat must remain healthy to provide its important functions. These functions are mainly protection from heat and cold, sun and water. The coat also keeps your dog's body temperature regulated.

So the shedding is natural. Different dogs will shed different ammount of fur, but there is nothing wrong with the actual shedding. But not all shedding is normal and excessive shedding often signals an underlying health problem. It is important to know the baseline shedding of your furry friend, so you'll notice any changes in hair loss.

If you notice that your dog started shedding more, maybe you will notice stray hairs here and there or maybe you might notice bald spots and patches on your dogs fur. All these things can be sign of a health issue and you should visit the veterinarian who will identify the problem and start the treatment.

The typical health issues and problems causing excessive shedding are stress and nutrition, which can be fixed quite easily, but it can be also skin infection, different allergies, parasites like fleas, ticks or mites or hormonal imbalance like hypothyroidism.

So if your dog sheds a lot, but he was always shedding a lot during his life, there is nothing to be worry about, but if you will notice that your dog started to shed much more than he did before, you should contact veterinarian.

And how can you help your dog to minimize the shedding? Well, healthy diet and stressful environment definitely helps, but the only real way how to minimize the shedding by a lot is by regular brushing. If your dog sheds a lot, you can even brush the coat several times a day to minimize it.

Regular brushing will remove all the dead and loose hair. You can also try to bath your dog, as it will do the same thing – get rid of dead or damaged hair and collects it in one place. But i would not recommend you to bath your dog very often, as it can also damage the coat.