Petzlover
Basque Shepherd is originated from Spain but Toy Mi-Ki is originated from United States. Basque Shepherd may grow 31 cm / 13 inches higher than Toy Mi-Ki. Basque Shepherd may weigh 24 kg / 53 pounds more than Toy Mi-Ki. Both Basque Shepherd and Toy Mi-Ki has almost same life span. Basque Shepherd may have more litter size than Toy Mi-Ki. Both Basque Shepherd and Toy Mi-Ki requires Moderate Maintenance.
The Basque Shepherd is one of the oldest dog breeds. With this Spanish dog, you’ll find paintings dating back 12,000 years ago. The Basque Shepherd is known as a landrace breed, which means the dog hasn’t gone through the same selective breeding programs as what other breeds have. Landrace breeds have more variations in appearance and temperament than regular breeds.
The Basque Shepherd has 2 distinct varieties, the Gorbeiakoa and the Iletsua. The smooth-haired Gorbeiakoa has a softer coat that is fairly short while the rougher-haired Iletsua has a lighter coloured coat, and unlike the Gorbeiakoa, the ears are not typically erect.
Even though this is an ancient breed of dog, only the Royal Canine Society of Spain recognizes the breed with the two varieties, and in January 1996, the two breeds - Iletsua and Gorbeikoa – were recognized.
The Toy Mi-Ki is a sociable companion dog. He hasn’t got a long history, and the little bit of history there is, isn’t clear.
It is believed that the breed was bought about by Maureen Westburg. It was in the 1980s that she crossed several toy breeds to develop the Mi-Ki. It is thought that she gave the dog the name Mi-Ki because her name was Mikkie. It seems whe wanted a dog that came close to looking like a gremlin.
Some of the dogs used in the breeding program were the Japanese Chin, the Maltese, and the Papillon. The International Miki Registry is trying to get recognition with the United Kennel Club for this dog. There are other canine clubs and organizations that recognize the Mi-Ki Dog as a breed.
The Basque Shepherd is a strong, well proportioned dog with brown eyes and medium sized ears, which sometimes have folds. This medium-to-large dog has a beautiful fawn coat of medium-length hair that can be straight or slightly wavy. He has a long feathery tail that will wag readily when he sees his owner. You’ll find other colors for the Basque Shepherd shared between the two varieties - a yellow orange or copper coat with other shades being red, blue and black. His hair is shorter on the head and he doesn’t battle with hair over the eyes.
The Basque Shepherd is a highly intelligent dog and also very energetic. Of the two different kinds of Basque Shepherd, it is the Gorbeiakoa which is the more outgoing. The dogs will require a firm owner and they thrive on the discipline when it is combined with lots of with lots of exercise and activities.
The Basque Shepherd is generally friendly with people, if not a little reserved with strangers. He gets on well with children and other pets in the home, although socialization and training will be necessary to bring out their best.
The small Toy Miki stands at between 25 cm – 30 cm in height and weighs between 2 – 5kg. You get two different coat types – long and short and the long-haired variety also has quite a bit of hair around the face.
His longish coat is low-shedding which makes him popular for people who battle with allergies. The Miki Dog will produce about 2 – 4 puppies.
As a toy dog, he has a domed head with large eyes. Their ears are feathered and are carried erect and the tail is long and feathered.
These little dogs are popular companion dogs and they’re intelligent and loving, making the ideal pet for anyone.
It’s a friendly dog and yet he will bark to alert you of an intruder. Youll take notice because he isn’t the kind of dog that just yaps away.
Children love them and they make great playmates for children who have been taught to be kind and gentle with animals.
Their small size and their adaptable nature make them suitable for city or country living. Sweet and amicable, the social purebred Toy Mi-Ki is everything you want in a companion.
He is loyal and devoted, calm and adaptable. They’re not the kind of dogs to go jogging with you, but nonetheless, he will still need his exercise – walks every day as well as ball games.
The dog is well suited to being a family pet, loving to spend time with family, being a people-oriented breed. He gets on well with children as well as other pets in the home, but can be reserved with strangers.
He doesn’t have an aggressive nature, and yet he does what it takes to protect his beloved human family.
He is full of energy, hardy and tough. He loves his human family and wants to be included in all their activities. He is energetic though and as a responsible dog owner, you want to make sure that your Basque Shepherd has enough space to run.
The Mi-Ki is calm and good-natured, and because of his cuteness, he can’t help but become a lap dog, if you allow him.
He is social and just loves human companionship. He is friendly too and will quite happily be friends with children and pets in the home.
Make sure he is trained and socialized so that you become one of the many people who have nothing but good things to say about this sweet little dog.
Because this is an ancient breed, the Basque Shepherd doesn’t have to contend with genetic health problems such as more modern breeds. Just like other dogs though, he could be prone to certain conditions such as hip dysplasia, eye problems, ear infections and cancer. As a larger breed, he may also be prone to bloat.
Breeds with floppy ears, such as the Basque Shepherd will be more prone to developing ear infections. To prevent infection, keep his ears clean and dry. If you’re unsure, the vet can guide you how- and what to do.
This is a disease which is common to other dog breeds too and not just the Basque Shepherd. This condition affects the hip joints and can result in chronic pain for the dog and also lameness. Checking your dog’s weight is important and the pain can be managed with medication.
You just have to bear in mind, that because of his short muzzle, he is prone to respiratory problems. Too much exercise and you may find him huffing and puffing. Be careful on a hot day.
Also, little dogs like this often have all kinds of dental problems. When you brush him, check his teeth because he can’t tell you if he has a rotten tooth causing him a lot of pain and misery.
Check his eyes too that they are bright and clear and check the inside of his ears. Hypothyroidism and eye issues can also bother the Mi-ki.
This is a medium to large breed dog and he should therefore be fed a high quality food which has been formulated for medium to large breeds. Because he is a herding dog, you might want to also look at an active-dog or working-breed formula to supply him with that much needed energy.
The Basque Shepherd’s coat is lush and long with either straight or wavy hair. Regular brush at least twice a week will maintain the coat, get rid of loose hair and prevent fleas.
The Basque Shepherd is an intelligent breed that will respond well to socialization and training. He is a breed that loves sports too because of this very high energy levels. You need to be careful with the Basquae Shepherd around small children, not because he is aggressive in any way, but because he is highly active, and his exuberance and boisterous antics could see him unintentionally knocking over small children.
Considered to be low-shedding, the Mi-Ki will benefit from a brush once or twice a week.
Some people take their Mi-Ki’s to have their hair professionally cut. This is a good move because then the ears, teeth, and nails are attended to as well.
You can do all of these things at home yourself, but sometimes, particularly with the long-haired Miki, the matting of the hair can make it that you rather send him to professional groomers.
Like all dogs, the Mi-Ki dog will need nutritious food if he is to stay healthy. He isn’t a big eater and you will find the perfect food for your small canine pet.
Read on the packaging to make sure you get high-quality dry food for small dogs. You want the ingredients to be as natural as possible without any toxic colorants and additives.
Meat and protein must always be the top ingredients. Try to provide some home-made food too. Boiled chicken, brown rice, spinach, and sweet potatoes can be chopped up finely and a small portion added occasionally to the dry kibble as a tasty treat.