PetzloverDoxiepom is originated from United States but Shikoku is originated from Japan. Both Doxiepom and Shikoku are of same height. Doxiepom may weigh 41 kg / 90 pounds lesser than Shikoku. Both Doxiepom and Shikoku has almost same life span. Both Doxiepom and Shikoku has almost same litter size. Both Doxiepom and Shikoku requires Moderate Maintenance.
The Doxiepom is a small dog known as a designer breed which has originated from crossing the well known Dachshund dog with another well known pure-breed dog, the Pomeranian.
This has resulted in the hybrid breed – the Doxiepom.
Both these pure bred dogs have their own history each but the Doxiepom is a new dog breed. It is believed that this mix of Pomeranian and Dachshund was originally developed in the United States in the 1990’s and while he doesn’t have much of a history, you can have a look at the history of the parent dog breeds.
The Shikoku is from the Shikoku Island in Japan and they are very much like the Japanese Shiba Inu. There are six native Japanese dog breeds and the Shikoku is medium sized and sits in between the smaller Shiba Inu and the very large Akita Inu. All of the Japanese native breeds are members of the Spitz family. The Japanese have sorted their six breeds into 3 categories by size. Being medium size, the Shikoku is a member of the Shika-inus group. Others in this group are the Ainu Ken, the Kai Ken and the Kishu Inu. There are small differences between the three dogs in the Shika-inus group.
The Shikoku was bred to be a hunting dog in Kochi Prefecture to hunt boar and deer. Other names for the breed include Kochi-ken and Kishu dog or boar hound. This dog is considered to be the purest of the Japanese native dogs or Nihoken. They are today very , very rare. There are very few outsides of Japan, but some in North America are attempting to save the breed.
The are od Kochi Prefecture is a mountainous region with rough terrain that anyone outside of the area would have a hard time accessing. That is why the Shikoku is considered to be so pure as they were pretty well isolated in the mountains. The breeders were also isolated by the mountains and there was very little interbreeding. Although breeding the same dog, these different groups developed different lines of the Shikoku.
Documentation tells us that the number of originals lines was just two and these were the Western and Eastern Shikoku. The Western dog was known as the Mount Ishizuchi Shikoku and the Eastern as the Mount Tsurugi Shikoku. Within these two lines of Shikoku there are additional strains.
Within the Eastern line there is the Tokushima (lya) and the Koci-Aki strains. Within the Western line there is the Hata Uwahara, the Ehime-ken Shuso-gun and the Honkawa. Among these lines and strains, there are different coats and different colors; some heavier and some taller, but all figure into the development of the breed.
Finally, in the Showa Era the Japanese established the Dog Protective League and they began collecting the native dogs from around the country. They protected them so that the breed will go on. The Shikoku is today recognized as Foundation Stock by the AKC and it is fully recognized by the Japan Kennel Club, the Canadian Hound Club and the Shikoku has been declared a living Japanese “natural monument”.
Two bloodlines became the way the Shikoku were know after the war – the Honkawa and the Hata lines The Honkawa line were the descendants of the Choshun-go and the Hata line were the descendants of the Matsukaze-go. They bred the lines separately until 1955, when they mixed them to make the breed stronger. They are no longer considered separate in any way.
Because they are such primitive dogs, the Shikoku are good watch dogs and quite reserved with strangers. They need a lot of socialization to be a family pet but once they are, they make great companions. Intelligent, quick to learn and eager to please. Of the two lines of Shikoku dogs from the Western strains, the current Shikoku owes much of its current development to the Honkawa and Hata strains.
The Doxiepom is a small dog - a cross between the Dachshund and the Pomeranian, and this means he can have characteristics from each of these breeds.
They’re short dogs, standing at roughly 12cm to 27cm. A full grown Pomeranian Dachshund mix can weigh between 3kg and 12kg.
With a fairly long body from the Dachshund side, he has floppy ears or they can be semi-erect and the tail is long.
You can’t really say what the dog will look like exactly and the coat may be long or short with some of the coat colors being tan, black or brown.
Their dependent nature can mean these little dogs battling with separation anxiety, and he is a dog that doesn’t like being left alone for long periods of time.
He easily attaches himself to just one member of the family while being friendly and loving to everyone else as well.
They’e fun loving, playful dogs and want to be involved in their family’s activities, whether indoors or out. They’re friendly, but are aloof with strangers. He makes a great watchdog too, barking when strangers enter the property.
Today’s Shikoku is a medium sized breed with a Spitz like body – square with a head that is wedge shaped. The ears are pointed, and the tail is curved and feathered. They have arched toes and hard pads with dark, hard nails.
The two lines of the Shikoku are slightly different in built and look. The Honkawa strain is slender and athletic; agile and single coated. They have dark eyes and most of them are black and tan.
On the other hand, the Hata strain is much heavier boned, with the front more muscular than the rear. They have small ears, a wide skull and a strong undercoat. His eyes are shaped differently than the Honkawa. Their coats are also mostly red and tan.
One of the strong characteristics of the the Doxiepom is that he shares a strong bond with his human family.
He is such a amicable little dog, ready to join in with the children in their games as well as in the activities of the adults.
He craves human companionship, and if you provide him with a happy home, he promises to give you devoted companionship throughout his life.
The Doxiepom is a little dog who isn’t going to cost you a lot of time at the vet, however there are some typical dog illnesses that you will do well to know about.
Generally the Doxiepom has a lifespan of about 12 to 16 years and with good care, your pet can reach this age too.
As far as health problems go, your dog could be affected, although it is unlikely, as he is a robust dog breed.
Your pet could inherit health problems more common to either of the breeds. Little dogs suffer with their own set of heath problems and these could be back problems, dental- and eye disease and allergies.
A common health problem with a small dog like this is obesity. They don’t need a lot of food but because they’re so friendly and entertaining, some owners over-feed them.
Being isolated as they were, the Shikoku was a fairly healthy breed, no genetic testing has been done. Despite this they suffer a few of the same potential issues as other breeds their size.
Otherwise this is an agile and hardy breed with no known congenital health issues.
The Doxipom has moderate grooming requirements, shedding somewhat throughout the year, so brushing him twice a week will keep the coat shiny and healthy.
If your pet has turned out to have more long hair than short, he may require some professional grooming. His nails will also need clipping and his ears will also need to be checked for infection.
Small dogs often battle more with dental and gum problems, and plaque and tartar buildup results when food gets trapped between the teeth, leading to gingivitis which can lead to premature tooth loss. Keeping the teeth clean is therefore important.
Small dogs have quicker metabolisms than big dogs and they also mature faster than the larger dogs. Smaller dogs actually require more calories per kilogram than big dogs because they burn up energy faster than larger breeds.
It is therefore important to feed your small dog the right amount of food to support their growth rate and to maintain weight in adulthood. Homemade foods for your Doxiepom are always wonderful, but of course many people who work make use of some of the good commercially manufactured dog foods out of sheer convenience.
Go for the better quality brands which have top ingredients in them so as to avoid deficiencies.
Raw meat should also make up part of the diet – fish, chicken and red meat. Always make sure your pet has access to fresh, cool water.
Feeding the puppy Be careful with feeding the puppy and adult as the breed is known to have a tendency toward obesity. Fresh food is better as it is what the breed has been used to, but a high quality puppy kibble is acceptable. Feed three times per day.
2.Feeding the adult He is a high energy dog so feed a high energy food designed for a medium sized dog. Feed in two meals each day.
4. Games and Exercises You will need a fenced yard for this breed and time to play with them. If not, you would need time to walk her more than once a day. They love to play indoors as well, chasing balls, learning new things. The breed make great companions for hiking, swimming, play frisbee or catch outside. They do well at agility, rally, obedience and flyball.
