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. 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.
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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. 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. It is easy to confuse Jack Russell, Parson Russell and Russell Terrier. These three distinct breeds share similar origin and ancestry and they are extremely similar in their appearance and temperament. But still, they are not identical.
There are definitely more similarities in these three breeds as they all share the same background. The roots of all three breeds can be traced to the first half of 19th century to avid hunter reverend John Jack Russell, who was also known as Parson Russell. Reverend Russell bought small white and tan terrier female named Trump from a local milkman. Trump was used to bolt foxes out of their burrows and she was just amazing at it! Because Trumps character and personality was just incredible for hunting, mr. Russell decided to start a breeding program around her and indeed, Reverend Russell created exceptional hunting dog for the terrain and environment of his home region, Devonshire, England, which was very confident, fiesty and strong dog with slightly longer legs. When Mr. Russell passed on, other breeders continued developing the breed. But different lines were developed in different parts of the world with different terrain, which caused slight differences between each lines. These dogs were bred for hunting purpose and thus, somedogs had shorter legs and stockier body than the original Reverend Russells dogs. The official FCI breed standard states, that over the time, two varieties of this breed evolved with almost identical breed standards with only subtle differences. One variety was recognized as Parson Russell and the second as Jack Russell. But for example the AKC only recognizes the Parson Russell Terrier, as the Jack Russell club of America preferred to remain their own entity and refuse to join the AKC. So now you know the common origins of the Jack Russell, Parson Russell and Russell Terrier, but what are the actual differences between them? Lets start with the Parson Russell and JRT differences, as those two dogs are extremely similar. The main differences are size and body type. According to the breed standard, the Parson Russell Terrier height is between 12-14 inch, which is 31-36 cm, while the Jack Russell height is between 10-15 inches, which is 25-38 cm. So according to the breed standard, the Jack Russell could be larger than the Parson, but on average, the Parson Russell Terrier is slightly taller dog, with longer legs and it should have more squarely built body. On the other hand the JRT is on average slightly smaller and its body is more rectangular. The Parson Russell can also have slightly larger head, but the difference is very small. The coat types, color, eyes, ears, tail and virtually every other appearance aspect of those two breeds is the same, so as you can see the difference is not really that huge. When it comes to temperament, it is also very similar. Both dogs are energetic hunters with higher prey drive, which are very bold, courageous, alert and confident. They are very friendly with its own family, but they are pretty watchful around strangers. Some people claim, that Parson Russell Terriers are better suited for hunting purposes, while the Jack Russell Terrier is better as companion dog, while other people say that the temperament of those two breeds is almost identical. Overall, even if there would be some differences in temperament, they would be very small. To make it even more confusing, there is also the third breed, the Russell Terrier, but luckily, in this case the difference is very clear. The Russell Terrier, in some parts of the world also known as Irish Russell Terrier or English Russell Terrier is just a smaller version of the two breeds mentioned before with shorter legs. This physical difference exists mostly because the Russell Terrier was further developed in Australia to dive straight into fox dens where the original breeds could not go that easily. The Russell Terrier height is only between 10-12 inches, which is 25-30 cm. Other than that, there are no big differences from the other two breeds. All three breeds share the same, predominantly white color, three different coat types, the smooth, rough and broken, and the same purpose – to be excellent fox hunters. The differences between them are not huge and if you are looking for smaller, but active companion with boundless energy that is always ready for outdoor adventure, then these breeds might be excellent for you. But make sure it is really a right dog for you! They are hunters and they are not best suited for families with other smaller household pets, because they might try to chase them down. You also must provide them with enough daily physical and mental stimulation, otherwise they might develop some unwanted behaviour, such as destruction. They need constant interaction with the world around them – sniffing, listening, chewing, playing, running. They are just big dogs, in small package and i can guarantee you, that you will never be bored with neither of these three breeds! On the first sight, Dobermans and Beaucerons are pretty similar dogs, sharing similar size, body type, color and markings. But they are definitely not identical dogs as they have different history, utilization and temperament.
A person who owned or lived with Beauceron or Doberman would probably never confuse these breeds. But it is understandable, that a person, who does not normally encounter these breeds can confuse them. Probably the number one reason for this confusion is the color. Both breeds have black coat with rust markings on similar places. They are also similarly sized, they have similar body type and they can both have either natural or cropped ears. But their appearance is definitely not identical. The Dobeman tends to be leaner, taller and it has sleek single coat. The Beaucerons coat is much thicker and it is a doublecoat, which can easily withstand harsh weather. Their fur is kind of more messy, than the perfectly elegant Dobermans coat. Beaucerons are also stockier dogs, they do not look that athletic and agile as Dobies, but it is still very quick and athletic breed. The tail of Doberman is very often docked, but Beauceron tail should always be naturally long. Another important apperance trait of Beauceron is double dewclaws on reer feet. Some Doberman can have them too, but for Beauceron it is an important trait that vast majority of them have. It is also important to say, that both dogs are not only in black and tan color, even though it is by far the most common color combination in both breeds. Beaucerons are occasionally in blue mottled with tan markings and Dobermans, depending on the breed standard, can be red and rust, blue and rust, fawn and rust or all black. But the real difference between these two dogs is not in their appearance, but in their personality. And to understand their personality, it is important to know their purpose, the utilization they were bred for. Lets start with the Doberman. The Doberman was developed at the end of 19th century by German tax collector Louis Doberman as ideal breed for personal protection, which is their main purpose even today. Great emphasis were placed on the dogs courage, alertness, determination and confidence. On the other hand, the Beaucerons main utilization is not personal protection, but working with livestock. They are excellent at both – herding it and guarding it. This is breed is much older than Doberman and its history probably dates back to 1500s France, where it was used as all around farm dog. So the Doberman was bred to primarily work with people, while the Beauceron primarily worked with animals. Interesting fact is, that it is very likely that Beaucerons played a role in the Dobermans development. We are not 100% sure what exact breeds were used in Doberman creation, but most experts believe that it were Rottweilers, German Pinschers, Weimeraners and Beaucerons, which would explain the similarities between these dogs. So now you know that both breeds are used for different tasks. Both are very succesful at their jobs, but to be good at different jobs, they must have slightly different temperament. Both dogs are absolutely loyal and devoted to its people and family and they create strong bond with them. The Doberman, especially the European type of a Doberman, is high performance dog, with very alert and sharp temperament. If they are not in their home, they are constantly scanning their surroundings for potential danger and they would definitely protect its owners if needed. On the other hand, the Beauceron is little bit calmer and gentler dog. But they also have natural guarding instinct, but i would say that they are not as sharp as Dobermans. But of course, all these traits are also vastly influenced by early socialization, which is absolutely essential for both breeds. The Doberman is also more active breed. Dont get me wrong, the Beauceron definitely needs daily longer walks to stay healthy and happy, but after that, they will be absolutely happy to lay by your side and chill. The Doberman will also cuddle with you, but they will be always ready for any kind of action. If you want to do virtually any kind of activity, Doberman will gladly do it with you anytime. They just seems tireless. But again, this does not mean that Beaucerons are coach potatoes, not at all, but they are definitely calmer than the Doberman. Neither of those two dogs have high prey drive, as they were never used for hunting and thus, they can both happily live with other household pets, especially if socialized together from the puppyhood. Beauceron can sometimes try to herd other animals, as it is their instinct, but again, they should never harm them. The maintenance and grooming of both breeds is not hard, but the Beauceron sheds more than Doberman. Dobermans coat should be brushed from time to time and it is enough to keep it in excellent condition. The Beaucerons doublecoat should be brushed regularly in order to minimize the shedding and to remove any loose hair and dirt from it. The Beaucerons really sheds quite a lot, much more than Doberman and you should be prepared for it. In worldwide perspective, the Doberman is much more popular and common breed. Which is probably a reason why i never heard a Doberman owner says, that someone mistaken his dog with Beauceron, but i heard several Beauceron breeders say, that people confuse their dogs quite often with Dobies. Lets start the breed comparsion with the appearance. Both breeds are small dogs, but Lhasa Apso is bigger, especially in terms of weight. The Lhasa Apso weighs approximatelly 14 lbs, which is 6 kg, while the Maltese only weighs arounds 6 lbs, which is 3 kg. Females tend to be slightly smaller than males. The difference in height is not so big and the average Lhasa Apso height is 25 cm and Maltese height is around 22 cm, which is 10 and 9 inches.
The size is not the only appearance difference. The most important is probably the coat and color. The Maltese has a silky and most importantly, pure white coat. The Lhasa Apso on the other hand has long and hard coat, which can be in many different colors, such as black, brownish, grizzle, golden, sandy, smoke or white. Both breeds have very attractive and besides the color and size similar appearance. The main difference between them is in the temperament and to understand the temperament, we need to look at their history. The Maltese dog always was a very popular companion and lap dog, beloved by very old civilizations like Greeks or Romans. It was never used for any other purpose than companionship. One of the well-known duty of the Maltese was as a “comforter” to the sick people of Egypt and later, the Europeans, because people believed, that they have healing powers. On the other hand, the Lhasa Apso is not only a companion dog. While the Maltese comes from Mediterranean Basin, the Lhasa Apso is a dog from Tibet, where it was developed by the Buddhist monks in the mountains of Tibet to be a watchdog, which will be very alert and keen and that will let the monks know by barking, if they see or hear any intruders. Even though today the Lhasa Apso is only rarely, almost never, for their original purpose as a watchdog, they still have it in them, which is creating quite a big difference in comparsion to completely affectionate and cuddly Maltese. The Maltese is just the definition of an amazing companion and lap dog, with their fun loving, sociable, people oriented, intelligent, trainable and devoted personality. The Lhasa Apso on the other hand is perfect for people who are looking for a small dog with big dog personality. They are typically friendly with their people, around its family, but alert and suspicious towards strangers. They are alert, courageous and fearless, independent and sometimes quite bossy. On the other hand also clownish, loving, loyal and devoted. I am not going to say, which dog is better, that is impossible, because it really depends on what you expect from a dog. Both breeds need daily exercise, but they are okay with few daily longer walks, accompanied with some playtime and fun training sessions. The exercise is not very challanging with these dogs, but what can be a little challenge is the grooming. The continuously growing coat needs to be brushed daily to keep mats and tangles under control. Some owners choose to keep Maltese's and Lhasa Apso's hair short for easier maintenance and many owners choose services of professional groomers. If you choose one of these dogs prepare for extensive grooming. But good fact is, that both dogs are low shedding. Just like with any other breeds, you must also regularly check their eyes, ears, nails and teeth and clip them or clean them if needed. |