Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs Formosan Mountain Dog - Breed Comparison

Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs Formosan Mountain Dog - Breed ComparisonFormosan Mountain Dog is originated from Taiwan but Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla is originated from Hungary. Formosan Mountain Dog may grow 12 cm / 4 inches shorter than Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla. Formosan Mountain Dog may weigh 32 kg / 70 pounds lesser than Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla. Formosan Mountain Dog may live 3 years less than Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla. Formosan Mountain Dog may have more litter size than Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla. Both Formosan Mountain Dog and Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla requires Low Maintenance.

Basic Information

Group:
Sporting dog
Hound dog
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Taiwan
Hungary
Height Male:
48 - 52 cm
18 - 21 inches
57 - 64 cm
22 - 26 inches
Height Female:
43 - 47 cm
16 - 19 inches
52 - 59 cm
20 - 24 inches
Weight Male:
14 - 18 kg
30 - 40 pounds
45 - 50 kg
99 - 111 pounds
Weight Female:
12 - 16 kg
26 - 36 pounds
43 - 48 kg
94 - 106 pounds
Life Span:
10 - 12 Years
12 - 15 Years
Litter Size:
10 - 13
5 - 10
Size:
Medium
Medium
Other Names:
Taiwan Canis, Taiwanese Dog, Taiwanese Aboriginal Dog, Native Formosan Dog, Taiwanese Native Dog, Taiwanese Mountain Dog, National Dog Takasago Dog , and Taiwanese Dog., Formosan Hunting Dog, Formosan, Native Taiwanese Dog, Formosan Aboriginal Dog, Formosan Dog, Taiwanse Canis. Formosan Native Dog
Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla • Hungarian Wire-haired Pointing Dog • Drotzoru Magyar Vizsla
Colors Available:
earthly yellow, Black, or yellow
russet to golden sand
Coat:
smooth and oily
harsh, hard and loose fitting
Shedding:
Minimal
Moderate
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Energetic, Friendly, Intelligent, Loving, Loyal, Protective
Affectionate, Alert, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Loving, Loyal, Protective, Responsive, Social
Grooming:
Low Maintenance
Low Maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

History

formosan mountain dogThe Formosan Mountain Dog is most often known as the Taiwan dog and it is a landrace indigenous to Taiwan. It is a small to medium breed of dog that was semi-wild at one time. The colonialization of Taiwan and other foreigners help to fully domesticate the Formosan Mountain Dog. They were found to be very trainable and uniquely suited for the terrain around Taiwan. The dogs were easy to train and now serve as hunting dogs, stunt dogs, guard dogs, rescue dogs, therapy dog and personal companions. There are three types of Formosans two smaller types and one medium. However, the original pure Formosan Mountain Dog is getting close to extinction again because the government and people have provided no protection or conservation efforts for them. These dogs have been living in Taiwan in the mountains and were called Formosan Mountain Dogs when Taiwan was known as Formosa. They come from a line of Southeast Asian hunting/gun dogs and they are considered ‘rare’ now.

According to historian Dr. Sung Yung-yi, the breed went through 4 major catastrophes that affected their development. The first of these was the Dutch Establishment in 1624. The Dutch colonized Taiwan and imported both people and dogs. The dog they brought in was called the Flying Dog and was either Greyhound or Pointer. Eventually, the Flying Dog bred with the Formosan Mountain Dog. This along with the slaughter of dogs belonging to the indigenous people by the government, starting the decline of the original Taiwan dog.

In 1895, it was the Japanese acquiring Taiwan following the First Sino-Japanese War. The Japanese bred the Formosan Mountain Dog extensively with the own Japanese dogs. This further diluted the line and authenticity of Taiwan dogs.

This was followed by World War II when German Shepherds traveled with the US Army and they cross-bred with the Formosan. This was the third major dilution of the Formosan Mountain dog line. At the same time, the Japanese government considered the Formosan Mountain Dog a sanitation threat and barbaric. They massacred them in large numbers in the name of sanitation.

The fourth and final dilution took place during the Kuomintang Era beginning in 1945 with the arrival of the Chinese Nationalist Party. They brought with them the culture of eating dogs. During this time the economy of Taiwan took off and business people began to import their own foreign dogs that were high priced purebreds. These dogs bred with the Formosan and other Formosans were just abandoned to die. The ranks of the breed became very thin indeed. Today’s pure Formosan is highly valuable and extremely rare. Because of all the crossbreeding over the centuries, today’s purebred Formosan Mountain Dog is very different from the Taiwan dog of old. Today’s Formosan is loved all over the island and is a companion and watchdog.

Today there is an effort by Taiwanese ecologists to put together a research project that would study and preserve the Formosan in its indigenous form. Dr. Yung-yi led this effort. He located only 46 dogs with a pure pedigree, 21 females and 25 males. They let the Food and Agricultural of the United Nations know and the dogs were labeled close to extinction. Reproducing from the indigenous dogs to purify and increase the breed was the goal. The government was not very supportive.

Today the Royal Air Force is looking at the Formosan Dog to use for military security. They are currently only using German Shepherds and needed another choice. It was decided that the Formosan Mountain Dog had a better sense of smell, dexterity, alertness, and hearing as well as better padding on their paws.

Through these efforts and those of foundation stock breeders and owners, the Formosan Mountain Dog in its indigenous form was brought back. Some call this dog a purebred Formosan while others consider it a new type. Standards were presented to the FCI for registrations as a purebred. This debate continues today

hungarian wirehaired vizslaIn the 1930’s some breeders noticed that the Hungarian Vizsla produced some dogs with more water, cold weather and ground cover protection because they had a much thicker coat than most of the breed. One breeder decided to cross one of these females with a German Wirehaired Pointer, thus producing the first Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla. There were now three types of Vizsla – the smooth coated, the longhaired, and the wirehaired. The longhaired is very rare and can be either smooth or wirehaired. It is also believed based on anecdotal evidence that the original Wirehaired Vizsla was also mixed with the Bloodhound, Pudelpointer, and Irish Setter during World War II. Many kennels started breeding the Wirehaired Vizsla at this time.

This rare longhaired is not recognized by any official club or organization while the smooth and the wired are recognized as two separate breeds. There are only a few longhaired Vizsla and they are only found in Europe. The Wirehaired Vizsla was recognized in 1986 by the FCI in Europe and in 2014 by the AKC (American Kennel Club).

Like their cousins the smooth Hungarian Vizsla, the wirehaired version is a natural hunter and easily trained. They are great retrievers as well as pointers in the water or on the land. Their wirehair coats offer them more protection than their smooth coated cousins. They love to swim and are very good at it and will even use your back yard pool if it is available to them.

The wirehaired Vizsla came to North America in the 1970’s and was recognized by the CKC (Canadian Kennel Club) in 1977, The North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association (NAVHDA) by 1986 and in 2006 by the United Kennel Club (UKC). The Australian Nation Kennel Council offered recognition in 2007 prior to their entrance into the AKC Foundation Stock Service. They began showing the breed at AKC events in Performance and Companionship, prior to their full AKC recognition in 2014.

These gentle hunting dogs became great family dogs as they love children and just want to be with their people. Falconers have recently taken up the breed because their temperament is suited to this work as well. There are only about 400 to 450 Wirehaired Vizslas left in the United States and few thousand across the globe.

Description

formosan mountain dog puppy - descriptionThe Formosan Mountain Dog that was seen during Dr. Sung Yung-yi’s research is a medium-sized dog, athletic and fit. It has a deep chest and a slim waist. The ears are half-covered, the nose is black and there is a coating of black on the tongue. This black tongue is the most distinguishing attribute of the Formosan Mountain Dog. The breed has a strong jaw, the skull that is just slightly longer than the muzzle, which is flat and tapered, triangle face and almond eyes. They have a thick coat and upright, curved tail.

The dogs are known to be extremely agile with an ability to hop that is rare in dogs but helps when hunting animals like rats. The Formosan Mountain Dogs hunted in packs with each dog attacking the prey with one bite until it was too exhausted to fight them off any longer.

hungarian wirehaired vizsla puppy - descriptionVery much like his cousins, the Wirehaired Vizsla is a noble looking breed. He is lean and muscular with a noble head and moderate skull line. Their muzzle is just a little shorter than the skull and the end is squared. They have powerful jaws and a broad, wide nostrils. The nose is brown, and the eyes are slightly darker than the dog’s coat color.

Low set ears are long and hang near the cheeks. With a strong, long neck and muscular shoulders, the Wirehaired Vizsla certainly looks the part of a hunting dog. Her chest is a little deep and the breastbone is prominent. She has round paws with short nails. Of course, her coat is wiry and dense. The undercoat is water repellent. He has an intelligent and lively facial expression.

Their ears are long but proportionate to the head and body. Their upper teeth overlap the lower teeth. Finally, the tail is thick and usually 1/3 docked. The tail is mostly carried in a horizontal position while walking or running.

Characteristics

Children friendliness

formosan mountain dog dog - characteristicsThe Formosan Mountain Dog is very child-friendly. He is affectionate and loyal to his family and protective of his children.

Special talents

He is intelligent and has exceptional hunting skills. He is a good guard dog due to his alertness, but they can be fear-aggressive.

Adaptability

He is very adaptable to living in any location as long as there is somewhere for him to get adequate exercise. He is friendly to people and animals.

Learning ability

He is intelligent and learns quickly.

Children friendliness

hungarian wirehaired vizsla dog - characteristicsVery good with children as long as he gets enough exercise.

Special talents

Very athletic

Adaptability

A puppy could live in an apartment in the city, but the adult dog needs a yard and is better off on a farm.

Learning ability

Very smart, very responsive, high learning ability.

Health Problems

formosan mountain dog puppies - health problemsBecause there have not been any studies done on the health of the Formosan Mountain Dog, there is not a lot known about any inherent or genetic health issues. It would seem that some bloodlines are healthy, and others have some serious issues. Especially because there are no studies, it is important for breeders to test for eye issues and skeletal issues through the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals and the Canine Eye Registration Foundation.

Some of the health issues the Formosan Mountain Dog might be susceptible to.

  1. Dysplasia: Hip and/or Elbow
  2. Can cause lameness and/or arthritis
  3. Luxating Patella
  4. Floating or dislocated kneecap
  5. PRA – Progressive Retinal Atrophy
  6. Degeneration of the retina – causes blindness
  7. Cataracts
  8. Can be removed/causes sight issues or blindness
  9. Mange Demodex/Demodicosis/Demodectic
  10. Caused by mites and can be treated

hungarian wirehaired vizsla puppies - health problemsMostly healthy but the Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla does have some inherited dispositions to:

  • Hip Dysplasia: can cause lameness and arthritis.
  • Dysphagia – Megaesophagus: Causes drooling, problems swallowing and muscle – entropy
  • Food allergies and intolerances
  • Hypothyroidism
  • Both Ectropium and Entropion: curling of eyebrows out and in.
  • Idiopathic Epilepsy : Unknown origin. Can cause seizures.

Caring The Pet

Feeding the puppy

formosan mountain dog dogs - caringFeed a high-quality puppy food for medium size dogs at the rate of a ¼ cup twice a day until 8 months then ½ to ¾ twice a day until 12-16 months.

Feeding the adult

1 to 2 cups of high-quality dry food split into 2 meals per day.

Points for Good Health

Generally healthy breed. Keep clean and watch for mites.

Games and Exercises

This is an energetic breed and he needs a lot of exercise. He must have at least an hour of exercise daily but the more, the better. He loves swimming and jogging with his people. He’s athletic, smart and agile. He does well with field trials, tracking, agility, and obedience.

Feeding the puppy

hungarian wirehaired vizsla dogs - caringFeed high quality food for medium to large breed puppies. Feed 3-4 time a day 1-2 cups.

Feeding the adult

Feed high quality food for adult medium to large dogs. Feed 2x a day 2-3 cups.

Points for Good Health

Great stamina and very athletic breed.

Games and Exercises

The Wirehaired Vizsla is a working dog and needs serious daily exercise. He will be full of energy and excitement if he doesn’t get enough mental and physical stimulation. He needs a family that can walk a mole or two every day or jog with him. He easily becomes neurotic and high-strung if his energy is not dissipated. Excels at Field Trials, Competitive Obedience, tracking and Barn Hunt.

Comparison with other breeds

  1. Formosan Mountain Dog vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  2. Formosan Mountain Dog vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  3. Formosan Mountain Dog vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  4. Formosan Mountain Dog vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  5. Formosan Mountain Dog vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  6. Formosan Mountain Dog vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  7. Formosan Mountain Dog vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  8. Formosan Mountain Dog vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  9. Formosan Mountain Dog vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  10. Formosan Mountain Dog vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  11. Formosan Mountain Dog vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  12. Formosan Mountain Dog vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  13. Formosan Mountain Dog vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  14. Formosan Mountain Dog vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  15. Formosan Mountain Dog vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  16. Formosan Mountain Dog vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  17. Formosan Mountain Dog vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  18. Formosan Mountain Dog vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  19. Formosan Mountain Dog vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  20. Formosan Mountain Dog vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  21. Formosan Mountain Dog vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  22. Formosan Mountain Dog vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  23. Formosan Mountain Dog vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  24. Formosan Mountain Dog vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  25. Formosan Mountain Dog vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison
  26. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  27. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  28. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  29. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  30. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  31. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  32. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  33. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  34. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  35. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  36. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  37. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  38. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  39. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  40. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  41. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  42. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  43. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  44. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  45. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  46. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  47. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  48. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  49. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  50. Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison