PetzloverBelgian Shepherd is originated from Belgium but Dogo Cubano is originated from Cuba. Belgian Shepherd may grow 11 cm / 5 inches higher than Dogo Cubano. Belgian Shepherd may weigh 16 kg / 35 pounds lesser than Dogo Cubano. Belgian Shepherd may live 4 years more than Dogo Cubano. Both Belgian Shepherd and Dogo Cubano has almost same litter size. Belgian Shepherd requires Moderate Maintenance. But Dogo Cubano requires Low Maintenance
There are different varieties of the Belgian Shepherd Dog – but these all differ only in color, length and texture of coat. The interesting aspect of the names of the different Belgian Shepherds, is that the names of the different varieties are taken from the individual towns in Belguim from which each variety comes from.
This breed dates back to the middle ages, but it was only in 1891 that Professor A. Reul of the Cureghem Veterinary Medical School established standards for the types and actually separated- and distinguishing them. In the UK they are shown as one breed.
The Cuban Mastiff which came from Cuba, was developed from breeds of Mastiffs, Bulldogs and cattle dogs, with the breed being thought to be extinct since the end of the 19th century.
The Dogo Cubano had a number of roles to fulfill in its day and they were used for guarding stock, for dog fighting and for chasing runaway slaves. After the abolishment of slavery, the large dog had no real role and it died out.
Known also as the Cuban Mastiff or Mastin de Cuba, there isn’t much accuracy as to its origins, with the most common story for their origin being that they are descendants of the Molossus.
The dogs were later introduced into Western Europe, becoming fairly common in England and Spain. The dog was also was also mentioned in the works of canine authors Stonehenge and George Wood.
The Belgian Shepherd is a well proportioned, muscular medium-to-large dog breed. There are the different varieties but they generally stands at 56 – 66cm in height and weighs anything from 25 to 30kg. You get the short haired Malinois and then you also get the Belgian Tervuren and the Groenendal which are fairly long-haired varieties. Their colour shades vary so you can find black with white markings on the chest and feet, you can find light to dark brown and some are even inclined to be brown.
All the varieties have long tails, pointed, fully erect ears and black noses. While the Belgian Shepherd isn’t an aggressive dog, he makes an excellent guard dog, being alert, highly energetic and intelligent and easy to train. As with most other dogs, you’ll want to see to it that he is trained and socialized because then he makes a super pet suited to life with a family where there are children and other pets. He has an independent nature and is loyal and protective with his human family.
The Dogo Cubano was generally similar to other Mastiffs and stood at rough 48 – 55cm in height and weighing in the region of 45kg.
He was a large dog, powerfully built, muscular and strong. Images of the dog show that it had strong, straight legs with a long tapering tail and medium-sized floppy ears that were sometimes cropped upwards and close to the head.
The dog breed came in a variety of colors such as brown, tan, fawn and brindle. The muzzle was broad and short and black. The dog had pronounced jowls with its face being fairly wrinkly.
This large dog was known for being a courageous, independent and aggressive dog. He became attached to his owner, showing protective characteristics .In those days the dog would have received simple training and certainly if such a large dog still existed today, it would have to receive training and socialization as well.
The Dogo Cubano was an intelligent dog and easily trainable, requiring an owner with a firm hand. Being an aggressive breed, the dog possibly wouldn’t have been the best companion for children. He also wouldn’t have got on too well with pets in the home as he was trained to be a fighter in his day. Independent and strong-willed, the dog would not have suited a novice dog owner.
Energy is a big factor with this beautiful dog, so before you consider one as a pet, be sure that you can take care of his exercise needs. He belongs to the working group of dogs so he won’t enjoy just lazing around day after day. He is wired to be herding livestock and that natural instinct doesn’t disappear once he becomes a pet in your home. With so much energy, he wants a nice sized garden and wouldn’t do well cooped up indoors at all.
He is a strong, loving dog, and in exchange for your care of him, he will be a loyal, loving, protective friend who will love you to the end.
The Dogo Cubano was bred to be a guard dog as well as for dog fighting, but this large dog, with training and socialization, no doubt became a loyal and devoted family pet.
It was actually a social dog, being aggressive towards other dogs. He would be described as a dog better suited to a home with older children.
He was protective with his human family but not very active, being too big to be leaping around like other dog breeds. It is a pity that this large dog has disappeared as he had some good qualities.
The Belgian Shepherd is a hardy dog so if you do your part to provide him with good quality nutrition from the food he eats and you exercise him, he’ll reach the 10-14 years allotted to him.
Just like with any dog, there will be some minor concerns that you need to watch out for -
epilepsy, eye problems, cancer, skin allergies and hip dysplasia.
remember to check his teeth and for ticks and parasites as both, if just left, can jeopardise his health seriously.
see that he get his first puppy vaccinations at 6 to 8 weeks of age.
The Dogo Cubano was a generally healthy breed, but just like with most other dog breeds, they were also prone to some of the more common dog problems. The chances of him getting sick were slim though.
When the dog first originated, there were unlikely to have been health clearance certificates, but today, you’d want health clearances from the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals.
The reason for this is that hip dysplasia is a heritable condition, seen more often in large dogs, where the thigh bone doesn’t fit into the hip joint properly. The dog suffers with pain and discomfort and the condition can lead to lameness with the dog.
Gastric Torsion or Bloat is a life threatening condition that affects large dogs like the Dogo Cubano and those with deep chests. The stomach is distended with gas and it can twist.
The gas can’t escape and blood flow is hindered. The dog vomits, is lethargic and weak, and immediate veterinary help will be required.
Your Belgian Shepherd is an energetic dog breed who is social and who wants to be included in your family activities. You can’t just keep him cooped up in your back yard and expect him to do well. He’ll need daily exercise – walks, swims if there is water close by, chasing the ball as well as your companionship.
These dogs are shedders so you’ll certainly be needing to watch your clothes for hairs. You will need to give them a good brush at least twice a week to get rid of all that loose hair and to keep his coat shiny and in tip top condition. Also, he likes the closeness the brushing provides between him and his human caretaker.
The Belgian Shepherd is a robust, healthy breed of dog, but many ill dogs are brought to veterinary clinics because they are suffering with itchy skin problems, they have digestive problems and they’re generally run down. This is because they aren’t provided with a varied and balanced diet plan. Apart from eating a quality dry- or wet dog food as recommended by your vet, he’ll most certainly need some raw meat in his diet too.
The Dogo Cubano was a large dog, so if he did become used to living in the city, he would have adapted better to life in the country.
He wasn’t a dog requiring too much exercise but he would have needed to go for walks. They were used as guard dogs long ago, and if he had been in existence today, you wouldn’t have been able to include him in your jogging and cycling as he was a dog that could easily overheat.
Not all dogs require the same amount of food. Long ago the Dogo Cubano wouldn’t have had the same variety of dog foods available today. Maybe the dog in those days was fed the same kind of food that his owner ate.
Today, if these dogs were still around, they would require the best quality ‘large dog breed’ kibble.
The better the dog food, the more nourishing it is and the healthier the dog is. The Dog Cubano would likely have been a dog that drooled, leaving quite a bit of backwash in the water bowl, so it would have been important to wash out the drinking bowl and to regularly replace it with cool, fresh water.