Petzlover
Pomsky is originated from United States but Shikoku is originated from Japan. Pomsky may grow 13 cm / 6 inches higher than Shikoku. Pomsky may weigh 39 kg / 85 pounds lesser than Shikoku. Both Pomsky and Shikoku has same life span. Both Pomsky and Shikoku has almost same litter size. Both Pomsky and Shikoku requires Moderate Maintenance.
Pomskies are such cute little wolf-like dogs, you just wish they’d been around much sooner.
They’re a fairly new addition to the breed of designer dogs, believed to have originated in 2009, in the United States. Today they are a well known, and sought after designer dog breed.
They are a cross between the Pomeranian and a Siberian Husky. As a designer dog breeds, the Pomeranian Husky isn’t recognized by the American Kennel Club. There is a Pomsky Club of America and they are wanting to get the breed registered.
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.
Just like most hybrid breeds, the Pomsky can have mixed looks – taking more after one or the other dog.
They can stand between 25 to 40cm in height and weigh between 9 to 14kg. The dog looks like a small Husky, but even so, in one litter, there can be some variety between the puppies in terms of looks and temperament.
The dogs have a soft double coat that keeps the dog comfortable in icy temperatures. Coat colors vary and the coats can be grey and white, a reddish brown or even solid white.
You’ll find your Pomsky to be amusing and entertaining as he is quite clownish.He fits quite easily into life in the city or in the countryside.
Wherever you are, part of being a responsible dog owner includes taking him for walks and seeing that he gets enough exercise. He is a vocal dog, which might not be good in the city if you live near to your neighbors as he can howl and whine quite a bit.
Training and socialization will be important for him, particularly as he tends to be nervous around strangers. Socialization makes him obedient, well balanced an well behaved.
They are playful, loving dogs and intelligent too so you won’t have trouble getting him trained and socialized.
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.
A Pomsky is such a great pet to have. They’re intelligent dogs and respond well to training and socialization.
They’re playful, confident and full of life and want nothing more than to be an active member of the family. He will need quite a bit of exercise and will love playing with the children in the home.
Provide him with love and care, and you can count him in as a faithful, loving pet and companion.
Your Husky and Pomeranian mix promises to be resilient in the face of illness if you feed him well and exercise him. Still, no dog is immune from the many common health issues there are that plague dogs.
As a responsible dog owner, as soon as your pet is showing signs of being sick and in distress, you need to get him to the vet. Some common dog illnesses include bloat, cancer, skin allergies and hip dysplasia.
Bloat, also known as Gastric Dilatation and Volvulus:
This can be deadly for dogs, and when you see your dog’s stomach swollen and hard and he is restless and drooling, vet attention is required immediately.
The stomach is twisted and filled with gas that can’t escape. Pressure within the stomach puts pressure on other body organs and this can result in blood flow to the heart being stopped.
There are a number of theories as to why bloat occurs, but it is better to give your pet a couple of smaller meals a day instead of one large one which he gobbles up too quickly.
Its tempting to give your dog a piece of chocolate when he looks so pleadingly at you, but chocolate as well as other human foods can be toxic for your dog.
Chocolate has ingredients which are safe for human consumption but which can lead to a host of medical complications for your dog. Your dog may vomit, have rapid breathing, an increased heart rate and even seizures – it’s just not worth taking the chance.
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 thick coat sheds quite a bit so it will need to be brushed at least twice a week to keep it vibrant and shiny.
Nails will need to be trimmed regularly if they don’t wear down themselves. You will also need to check your dogs teeth when you brush him. A bad tooth can cause ill health that can damage the heart and kidney.
Your Pomsky is an energetic dog that requires a lot of exercise. While he will love a walk every day, they want more than that – loving to play ball- and frisbee games with all that energy.
Pomsky owners can’t be couch potatoes as this energetic dog will become bored, frustrated and destructive, and then an irresponsible owner blames the dog.
With so much energy, your Pomsky is going to require high quality food that ensures his energy levels remain high. Commercially manufactured dog foods can be wonderfully convenient, and the best ones can be excellent for your pet, with the right balance of vitamins and minerals.
High quality dry kibble can get a bit boring so add in some home-made food to the dry kibble to make it more interesting. Dogs thrive on simplicity, so boiled chicken, sweet potatoes, brown rice or pasta, carrots and spinach will be 100% sufficient for him. This can be chopped up into his dry kibble occasionally as a welcome treat.
Also, your pet will thrive on a bit of raw meat added in from time to time. Make sure he is never without a constant supply of 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.
