Osterreichischer Kurzhaariger Pinscher vs Dalmador - Breed Comparison

The Dalmador is a cross-breed – a mix between a Dalmation and a Labrador, and because it is a a fairly new breed you won’t find much information about the dog’s origins.

We do know that the Labrador originated in Canada and that the Dalmation comes from Croatia. Both these dog breeds have their own interesting histories. The Dalmador is a hybrid dog and isn’t a member of the American Kennel Club.

They started coming about from the 1980s when mixing one pure-breed dog with another became popular.

Hailing from Austria, the Osterreichischer Kurzhaariger Pinscher, better known as the Austrian Short-Haired Pinscher has always been depicted on paintings from the Baroque period.

The dog is a terrier-type canine and has always been used as a watchdog but he was also used to hunt because of the terrier qualities he possesses.

This dog has always been used for working on farms. Breeding of this dog started in 1921 and the dog was recognized by the United Kennel Club in 2006.

The Dalmador is a cross breed dog which comes from crossing the Labrador Retriever with a Dalmatian. The result is a muscular, well proportioned body.He has floppy ears and a long tail.

He is medium to large sized dog and can stand up to 58cm in height and weigh between 25 and 32kg. No two dogs look the same and some dogs gravitate more towards the one breed while others toward the other.

Most Dalmadors have the spotted coat, although the coat could have very visible spots or maybe just a few dots on the fur. Then again there are some Dalmadors where the coat is more of a solid color in brown or black or cream with some white patches. The double coat is short and dense and he is quite a heavy shedder.

Temperament:

The Dalmador is a gentle, friendly dog, making him a great family pet. You can’t really say exactly what temperament your Dalmador will have as he could inherit either the Dalmatian’s more aloof nature or he could inherit the friendly character of the Labrador.

He is quite likely to be even-tempered and is amicable with other pets in the home. He is alert too and this makes him a good watchdog. Because the Dalmador is the hybrid of two active, alert, intelligent breeds you can expect a dog which for some will be quite a handful. It is why training and socialization can be excellent for the Dalmador as it will calm him down, turning him into an obedient dog who comes and sits when told.

If you’re looking for an energetic, active and highly social dog, the Dalmador will suit an active family that can join in with all his high jinks.

As a medium sized dog, both males and females stand at between 42 and 50cm in height and the dog weighs roughly between 14 and 20kg.

The coat is shortish, dense and smooth and is essentially black and tan with some white, fawn or brindle. The ears of the dog are fairly short and they look as though they wanted to be erect but then decided to be floppy. The nose is black and the eyes dark brown.

The tail is usually docked but when it is left long, it curls over the back. If you want your dog to be bred you can expect between 4 – 6 puppies.

Temperament:

These are playful dogs, getting on well with their human families and wanting to get involved in their activities. They are suspicious of strangers. They are good with kids, making them a good playmate, but they don’t like small children being allowed to climb over them.

They are able to get along well with any other pets in the house. It would be to your benefit to have the dog trained and socialized as he becomes obedient and good around people in social settings. He is an intelligent dog and will find training easy.

They also take their role as guardian and protector seriously.Because he was bred to be a farm dog, he wouldn’t e able to adapt to life on a tiny property in the city.

The wonderful Dalmador is such a easy-going, cheerful dog full of surprises really, as you never know which dominant traits he will inherit from either of the two dogs involved in his making.

Friendly and social, he loves his human family and is totally loyal and loving toward them. Even tempered and faithful, if you’re looking for a wonderful 4-legged friend and companion, the Dalmador promises to make you a splendid pet.

Have your Osterreichischer Kurzhaariger Pinscher trained and socialized if you want him to be amicable and obedient around you and your visitors.

He does well with a human family who are firm, kind and patient with him. He loves to be kept busy with both mental and physical exercise, thriving on challenging activities, and he will become frustrated if he is left day after day just to lie around.

Take him with you on walks, buy him nice chewy, stimulating toys, throw a ball or frisbee with him and include him in your activities.

This is a dog more suited to life in the countryside as opposed to life in the city. Care well for this splendid family pet and you’ll quickly begin to see why dogs like him are known as man’s best friend.

The Dalmador is a hybrid dog and they don’t experience the same health issues that the pure bred dog contends with. The Dalmador has a life expectancy of 10 to 14 years and he can reach this age if you give him all the doggy care he deserves as a 4-legged member of your family.

Apart from a common dog ailment – hip dysplasia, bloat and obesity are also common problems for your dog.

Bloat is a serious health condition that can actually be fatal because its a twisted stomach where trapped gas puts pressure on the diaphragm.

You will notice the swollen stomach of your pet. Larger breeds are more prone to suffer from bloat because of being deep-chested. Also known as gastric dilatation-volvulus, a vet will need to intervene with this ailment as it can be life-threatening.

The Austrian Short-haired Pinscher is a robust kind of dog that isn’t going to have you rushing to the vet very often. True, he does have some hereditary health issues but it is highly unlikely that you will find these health issues in your pet.

Nonetheless it pays to know about one of the more serious conditions -

Congenital Heart Condition:

This is a heart disease that is present from birth and could have been passed down from the parent dog to the puppy. A congenital heart defect occurs as a malformation of any valve, with the most common congenital heart diseases in dogs being patent ductus arteriosus, pulmonic stenosis as well as subaortic stenosis, all potentially inherited defects.

Sometimes a dog can live a fairly normal life with this disease but other times there are complications which can lead to congestive heart failure and atrial fibrillation, causing symptoms such as difficulty with breathing, cough and weakness. Your dog will need to get to the vet to discuss treatment options.

The Dalmador is a medium to large dog so you want to be feeding him one or two bowls of food a day. You want to be giving your Dalmador top-quality food to ensure good health. The lower quality foods are inclined to have ingredients in them that aren’t good for your pet.

Always try to include some home-made food into your pet’s diet such as cooked brown rice, cooked chicken and vegetables. You can mix this into some of his dry kibble. It is important to include some raw meat into his diet from time to time as well.

Clean water must be constantly available. Without good quality food and water, you jeopardize the health of your pet.

He isn’t going to require much maintenance so a good brush twice a week will rid him of loose hairs and keep his coat shiny and glossy.

Other things to check regularly are his ears and to brush his teeth 2 or 3 times a week. Don’t neglect giving him a good amount of exercise too.

Exercise:

They need quite a lot of exercise, and even though they can adopt to life in the countryside or the city, they will require regular walks, ball- and rope games to prevent them becoming bored, frustrated and destructive.

Grooming:

The Austrian Short-haired Pinscher sheds quite a bit so he will need to be brushed at least twice a week to remove the loose hairs.

Diet:

As a medium sized, energetic dog, you want to ensure you maintain your dogs energetic nature by providing him with excellent food.

Choose your commercially manufactured food carefully as some of them are of a poor quality and can actually be detrimental to your dog’s health. Choose a high quality kibble that has quality ingredients.

Home-made food such as boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and vegetables such as carrots, spinach and sweet potatoes all chopped up and added to his kibble occasionally will do wonders for this dog. He will thrive on also getting in some raw meat from time to time.

Ensure a constant supply of fresh, cool water.