Tahltan Bear Dog vs Dogo Sardesco - Breed Comparison

This is an ancient working dog breed which hails from the Italian island of Sardinia. When you do research, you find that no one is sure as to this dogs exact origin, and there are a number of theories as to how the dog developed.

Regardless of how the Dogo Sardesco came about, it is a valued companion of farmers in Sardinia, being appreciated for its protective nature.

The dog is a kind of Molosser or Mastiff dog. In the past the dog has been used as a working and hunting dog, and today he is a popular dog in mainland Italy. He is also known as Sardinian Mastiff, Sardinian Molosser and Dogo Sardo.

The Dogo Sardesco isn’t recognized today by international kennel clubs, and breeders on the island of Sardinia have done nothing to form a breed club for the dog.

The primitive Tahltan Bear Dog comes from Canada. The dog was developed by the Tahltan people to hunt bears, so you can imagine he was a strong, brave dog.

They also had fox-like yaps that confused bears until the hunter could come and kill the bear. These dogs are descended from pariah-type dogs with their diet being birds and fish.

It was in 1988 that the Canadian Post Office honoured the Tahltan Bear Dog by having a picture of it appearing on a stamp.

Some people claim that after the 1960s there are no longer any living descendants while others say that breeding projects were established and that there are still a few of these dogs around today. There are records on the other hand that claim the dog became extinct in the 1970s.

These dogs have been recognized by the American Kennel Club.

The dog Sardesco is a medium to large sized dog generally measuring 56 to 68 cm at the withers and weighing roughly 30 to 45 kg.

Because the dog isn’t bred to specific standards, it varies in appearance, but it is a powerful looking dog, being lean and athletic. The dog’s tail is traditionally docked, but with tail docking being frowned upon, the tail is left long and the dog loses its distinctive look.

The head of the dog is large and the ears are also traditionally cropped to be very short. Left naturally, the ears fold down closely to the sides of the head.The eyes are small and amber colored. The coat is short and smooth, but thick, and while it comes in many colors, the more regular color is red, brown, black, grey or brindle.

Temperament:

The Dogo Sardesco becomes a loyal family pet, more so when he has been trained and socialized. Although he is a devoted and affectionate dog, forming particularly strong bonds with his human family, he isn’t recommended for homes where there are young children.

He also doesn’t take too kindly to other pets in the home. This is because they are a strong-willed, dominant breed and might therefore not be a good choice for first-time dog owners.

Because Sardinian breeders have focused on developing an aggressive dog, he has become a dog suspicious of- and aloof with strangers. He is stubborn and self-willed, and to make him more obedient and amicable, he will require training and socialization. He is an alert, intelligent dog and this makes him an excellent watch dog.

The Sardinian Mastiff is an active dog too and won’t do well in a home where the people aren’t interested in exercise. He is the kind of dog that will need to be taken with you on walks, and he will love to spend time running alongside you when you go running or cycling.

He won’t adapt too well to life in the city, particularly when there is just a tiny garden.

Not like a bear, but more foxy in appearance or even more like a husky, the Tahltan Bear dog is medium sized, standing at between 36 – 43cm in height and weighing between 6 – 9 kg.

It is believed that they were similar to spitz and pariah type dogs, and were athletic. The short to medium length coat of the dog was mainly black or brown with some white.

He had fairly large pointed, erect ears and also a fairly pointed muzzle. The tail was interesting and was short and furry and always carried erect.

Temperament:

The Tahltan Bear Dog is fearless, not being deterred when meeting large bear. It's why the dog has been valued by hunters – their bravery and fearlessness.

They’re great family dogs too and will get on well with children. He is intelligent and easy to train if you want to give him training and socialization.

The Dogo Sardesco has always performed his role as a working dog well, and this is a reliable watch dog as well as the dog takes his job of guarding his human family seriously.

With his aggressive temperament, he has appeared on the list of banned breeds, and this is why he isn’t an ideal choice for homes where there are small children, as some small children haven’t been taught how to treat a dog with respect.

However, when properly trained and socialized he becomes an excellent companion dog. He has an intimidating look about him, but when he is with his human family, another side comes out and he is affectionate, loving and protective.

Because some claim that this dog is extinct, there are only a few accounts of what he is actually like.

Even though they were hunting dogs, they were devoted pets and companions of the people of the Yukon.

If these dogs are still to be found today, you will find them to be easy going, protective, loyal, intelligent, playful, alert, watchful and energetic. Just don’t allow them to get too hot as they prefer cooler climates.

The Dogo Sardesco is a relatively healthy breed who is unlikely to suffer with ailments common to dogs, but nonetheless there are some diseases or conditions that you might want to be aware of with your dog.

Skeletal and visual problems can occur in this breed. Both hip- and elbow dysplasia are common orthopedic disorders in dogs and they can cause a lot of pain and discomfort and even cause lifelong disability.

Genes and environmental factors play a part in your dog developing this disease.If he has been diagnosed as having hip or elbow dysplasia, get your dog to the vet as there are treatments which can at least make your pet a lot more comfortable.

Remember that feeding your puppy Dogo Sardesco too much food which is particularly high in calories can mean him growing too fast, and this can contribute to this hip dysplasia problem.

Healthy dogs are unlikely to pick up any of the many common dog illnesses there are. There are many – cancer, diabetes, bloat, hip dysplasia, ear infections, dental disease and many more.

Kennel Cough:

This is a contagious and infectious disease known as canine tracheobronchitis and which is transmitted through the air. Treatment is usually administered as a nasal spray, but your dog will need to get to the vet because of his dry, honking cough and lack of appetite.

Rabies:

This is a viral disease which in most instances is fatal. It is mostly transmitted when an animal that carries the disease bites the dog. Your dog develops behavior which is totally uncharacteristic of him. He'll also froth at the mouth and become aggressive. Death is nearly always guaranteed.

Dog owners who don’t like the idea of spending too much money on grooming will appreciate that the Dogo Sardesco is a very low maintenance breed, and that a good brushing twice a week will keep the dog’s coat shiny and healthy.

As with all other dogs, he will need to have his teeth brushed to remove plaque build up. Not only does plaque lead to dental disease, but bad teeth can lead to other health issues too.

Nail clipping will also be necessary if your pet doesn’t wear the nails down naturally from getting to run on a hard surface from time to time.

Grooming:

This double coated hunting dog’s thick coarse coat will require brushing at least twice a week to free the dog of loose hair. He is regarded as a low mainenance dog.

During brushing, you would check inside his ears and make sure there are no signs of redness. Eyes of the dog should be bright, eager and free of discharge.Always keep the nails of the dog trimmed.

If you keep your pet outside for any lengths of time it is imperative that this dog has shade to lie down in as he doesn’t do well in too much heat.

Exercise:

Because he is a hunting dog, he is used to being outdoors and being active. He wont be content to lie around inactive for too long. He’ll want at least a walk every day and some ball games.

Diet:

A pet dog can’t choose his own food so they depend on us to make the right choices for them. It’s always convenient to have a packet of commercially manufactured dog food available, but who knows if this dog, which some claim is extinct, ever ate commercially manufactured food.

If he did, you would want to mix it every now and again with home made food - boiled chicken, sweet potatoes, brown rice or pasta, carrots and spinach. This food could be chopped up and added to the dog’s kibble.

Ensure that a constant supply of fresh, cool water is available to him.