Latvian Hound vs Eurasier - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

The Eurasier is a dog which hails from Germany and is a cross between the Wolf Spitz, the Chow Chow and the Samoyed.

The puppies of the dog could reproduce themselves, so that a new breed was recognized by the German Kennel Club as well as the Federation Cynologique Internationale.

It is believed that the name was chosen as a referral to the dog’s European and Asian background. Today the Eurasier is found in most European Union countries as well as in Canada and the United States, but still the breed’s population is low, with efforts in place to raise its numbers.

The Latvian Hound is a medium sized Russian or Latvian hunting hound. The dog was bred in Latvia, Russia.

He was developed from a number of English and Polish dogs as well as Lucernese breeds.

It is by no means a new breed and records of it go way back to the 1600s. A certain Duke Courland developed the dog so that it was also known as the Courland Hound. In 1922 the Latvian Association of Hunters' Associations was formed.

It was in 1971 that the Latvian Hound was was approved with it's name and a new standard was developed and approved. It isn't recognized by the AKC or the FCI.

The Eurasier is a medium-sized dog, standing at roughly 48cm to 60cm in height and weighing 18kg to 32kg. He has a medium to long length coat in a range of different colors – fawn, black and tan as well as a mix of colors such as silver and black.

He has medium-sized, erect ears and the tail is always held over the back. The nose is black and the eyes are also medium in size and dark and should never be obscured by the dog’s hair.

Temperament:

Confident while being reserved around strangers, the calm Eurasier isn’t an aggressive dog.Bred as a companion animal, he is tolerant of other pets in the house as well as with children, and having him socialized and trained will ensure that he is obedient, relaxed and amicable. He is an intelligent dog and responds well to training.

He loves to be with his human family and will adapt happily to city- or country life. He doesn’t have high activity levels so daily walks and ball games will be sufficient for him.

He isn’t the kind of dog that you can keep in your backyard as a watchdog and then just neglect him. He’ll become bored and destructive through no fault of his own.

The Latvian Hound is a medium sized dog standing at between 40 to 48cm in height and weighing about 15 to 20kg.

He has a deep chest, fairly long, floppy ears, a long tail with strong legs. The coat is double and is short, shiny and dense. He is an average shedder. He is essentially black with tan markings, with tan spots above the eyes. The eyes are dark brown and the nose is black.

Temperament:

The Latvian Hound may well be an exceptional hunter but he also makes a great family pet. He is looked upon as being a friendly, amicable, sweet dog.

Because he has been a working dog, he likes to be busy and will happily join in with all your hikes and swimming. He will also run with you while you cycle.

It’s a dog that doesn’t like to be left alone for long periods of time, being inclined to suffer with separation anxiety. He doesn’t take kindly to strangers either, but a dog which has been socialized and trained becomes more amicable.

Your Latvian is intelligent so you won’t have any trouble teaching him some simply commands. He is a friendly, lively dog and just having him in your home brings in a joyous atmosphere. He is an easy-going dog, but even so, if you don’t have a fair sized garden and you don’t have the time to exercise him, he is better off living on a farm or where there is a fair sized garden.

You can just see on the face of the Eurasier that he is a loving, gentle dog who wants to be part of a loving human family.

As a companion dog he makes a splendidly devoted and loyal pet, wanting to be involved in everything his human ‘pack members’ are doing. He is healthy, intelligent, playful and loving and when you invest in such a pet, you’re investing in a close, loving relationship for many years.

The Latvian Hound is an outgoing, fun dog to have around and a great dog for first-time dog owners too. He has always been a working dog, so he has developed skills such as being focused and tenacious.

As a companion and family dog, you will have a true friend as he is sweet, loving and loyal and thrives on the attention of his human family. He is a playful dog, feisty and energetic, and will be protective too. Bring him into your home and you'll see what a bright place it becomes just having him there as pet and friend.

To a large extent, we have the health of our pets in our hands. The way we treat them – the food we give, the activities he takes part in, his sleeping facilities and the attention we give him all contribute to whether he will be healthy or not.

Nonetheless there are dogs who enjoy the best life and yet they still get sick. The Eurasier is a healthy dog breed who can push 12, 13 or 14 years, but still there are some common dog diseases to look out for.

Problems which are of concern are hip- and elbow dysplasia and patellar Luxation. Patellar luxation is when the dog's kneecap becomes dislocated and you see your pet holding up his hind leg for a while. These dislocated kneecaps are quite common in dogs and can lead to arthritis and even lameness.

Your vet can diagnose this problem through different means to help your pet.

The life span of the Latvian Hound is 12 to 14 years, and while there are no reported major health issues, all dogs face some kind of medical issues during their lives. The Latvian Hound can face things like hip dysplasia, eye problems, bloat and ear infections.

Vaccinations:

Vaccines can protect your dog from contracting some illnesses which can be fatal.

There is controversy over pet vaccines but the problem is more about HOW the dog is vaccinated.

There was a time when puppies were vaccinated many times, but newer guidelines were updated in 2017, stating that core vaccines be given to adult dogs in intervals of 3 years or more, rather than every year.

Puppy vaccines still need to be done about every 3 weeks between the ages of 6 and 16 weeks against the likes of parvovirus and distemper. Get yourself a good vet who is skilled and safe with vaccines.

Diet:

The Eurasier, just like any other dog, requires high quality food. Luckily, as far as convenience goes, there are some excellent commercially manufactured foods, but you still need to check out the ingredients on the packaging as you want to avoid some of the dog foods high in chemicals and fillers.

The best pet foods are the ones that are high in protein, and meat sources such as chicken, beef or salmon for instance should show up among the top 5 ingredients.

Your Eurasier won’t want to eat kibble every day of his life so add in your own homemade cooked brown rice, vegetables and chicken from time to time. Also, every now and again, it will be of tremendous value to your pet’s immune system to include some raw meat.

Grooming:

Brush your Eurasier twice a week to keep his coat shiny and healthy. Grooming your pet has a number of benefits apart from making him look good. It infuses him with a healthy glow – he literally glows with a sense of wellbeing and confidence because you care for him.

The benefits of brushing your pet include better blood circulation and a shinier, healthier coat. Also check your dog’s nails, check his ears inside and out and make sure to attend to his teeth 2 or 3x a week. There are special toothbrush and toothpaste designed specifically for dogs.

Grooming:

The Latvian Hound has a short coat that is easy to groom. He is a moderate shedder and brushing him twice a week will take care of all that loose hair. He’ll thrive on the attention this grooming session gives him and its the time to check him over for ticks and fleas too.

Check the inside of his ears. Without even realizing it, dirt and wax can build up and result in an ear infection. His ear may be red and you’ll notice him shaking his head and scratching at his ears. Be very careful about cleaning his ears as going to deep can damage the ear.

Any grooming of your dog that you can’t manage can be attended to by professional dog groomers.