Sarplaninac vs Cyprus Poodle - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

Unfortunately the Island of Cyprus may well be beautiful and have a wonderful climate, but when you take a deeper look, the island has a serious problem with feral cats and stray dogs.

The many sanctuaries battle to keep up with the volume of neglected and abandoned animals on the island. One of the dogs found on the Island of Cyprus is the Cyprus Poodle. Some people say that the Cyprus Poodle is a cross between a poodle and a terrier.

Today this small dog is sought after in other countries for his loving personality and attractive looks.

Hailing from Macedonia, the beautiful Sarplaninac dog was developed as a guardian of livestock and is large enough to fight off large predators like bears and wolves.

Nobody is too sure of the breeds exact origins, though it is thought that its ancestors came to the Balkan Peninsula with people migrating from ancient Asia.

This huge dog is one of the oldest native breeds from ancient Molosser breeds. The dog was recognized in 1939, and in 1954 it became known as the Yugoslav Shepherd Dog. Later the name changed and the dog was recognized by the United Kennel Club in 1995.

The Cyprus Poodle is such an attractive little dog with his jaunty personality and his dense, curly hair.

He stands in the region of 20 to 30cm and can weigh roughly 3 to 6kg. His hair is essentially cream or white with orangey tips and some people claim he is a cross between a poodle and a terrier.

He is a small dog. His curly coat is woolly and can be in a number of different colors such as white, ivory or apricot or even other colors.

The curly haired Cyprus Poodle isn’t a huge shedder but regular clipping keeps him looking nice and makes sure the coat doesn’t matt.

He has floppy ears, a long tail and brown eyes. He loves to go for a swim and then to dart around the place so he may require a bath every now and again to keep his beautiful coat clean and free of matting.

Temperament:

The Cyprus Poodle is an even tempered dog and he makes the perfect family pet, forming close bonds with his human family members.

He is playful, social and friendly and gets on well with children in the home as well as any other pets. He may be a small, friendly dog, but he will need training and socialization if you want him to be obedient and relaxed around other people.

The Sarplaninac is a large, strong, fluffy dog standing at between 54 and 62cm in height and weighing between 30 and 45kg.

The coat of the dog is dense, coarse and of medium length. Colors are different shades of grey, white, tan and black. The head is large, the ears are fairly short but are floppy and covered with short hair. The dog is deep chested and the tail is long, often held high and covered with thick, feathery hair.

Temperament:

Protective, reliable, reserved, stubborn and gentle, this intelligent dog is fairly serious, and while he makes a devoted family pet, he is cool and wary of strangers.

Excellent training and socialization makes him well mannered, balanced and obedient around different people. He will tolerate children but won’t take easily to other pets in the house, capable of becoming aggressive with them.

Your Cyprus Poodle is just dying to be a member of a human family because he has a lot of love and friendliness to give.

He wants lots of love and attention in return though. He doesn’t like to be put out in the garden and forgotten about. Make sure that he is a fully involved family member.

He is such a friendly, loving, social little dog and in exchange for your love and care, he is guaranteed to make you a most wonderful and loyal friend.

These dogs are protective, but they’re not vicious. When properly raised they are wonderful family pets.

True, it’s a large, strong willed dog that isn’t a good choice for the first-time dog owner. They are good with children, but only children who have been taught how to treat animals with care and patience.

This dog is a powerful guardian type of dog, imposing in size, but it’s all about upbringing, and if you bring him up well then he can make a tremendous pet and companion.

Because the Cyprus Poodle is a cross-breed, he is a robust, long-life dog and not likely to get ill very easily.

Your Cyprus Poodle can have between 1 to 6 puppies but there are tremendous health benefits waiting for your pet when you ensure that he is rather neutered or spayed in the case of a female. Make sure too that he has all his vaccinations up to date. Make sure he has an excellent diet, a warm, dry place to sleep, he is exercised and that he gets regular check-ups from the vet.

There are some common dog illnesses that you want to look out for. When he is a puppy make sure that he gets the necessary vaccination against life threatening illnesses such as parvovirus, distemper and rabies.

There are some diseases that do affect poodles a little more than with other breeds, and one of these is Cushing’s Disease.

Cushing's Disease:

This is an illness that comes about when the body of your dogs makes too much cortisol. It is difficult for you to see symptoms of this disease in your pet, but if he is displaying unusual behavior, then you want to get him to the vet who can decide on treatment for him.

The Sarplaninac dog is a robust dog but he can suffer from health issues such as hip dysplasia, obesity, bloat, ear infections and skin allergies.

Obesity:

When your dog gazes up at you with such love in his eyes, don’t be tempted to pop some chocolate into his mouth or let him finish off your ice-cream. Treats like this can damage your pet’s health and give him heat intolerance, breathing difficulties, hypertension, liver disease and diabetes.

Diet:

A cyprus poodle makes such a good pet and you will want to ensure that you feed your one an excellent diet so that he remains healthy and content.

Some people are overwhelmed at the sheer variety of commercially manufactured dog foods today, but the choice can be made a lot simpler by sticking to the better quality ones where protein is at the top of the ingredients list.

Home made food such as cooked brown rice, vegetables and cooked chicken will be excellent for your Cyprus Poodle as well as including some raw meat in the diet. Make sure he always has access to cool, clean water as this water is essential to his health, making it possible for all his bodily functions.

Grooming:

Brush his hair regularly and brush his teeth 2 or 3 times a week. Make sure to use toothpaste and toothbrush specially designed for dogs.

Exercise:

Your poodle will happily slot into life with you in the city or the country, but even if you have a garden, you can’t expect your dog to always find his own entertainment. Take your poodle for walks and play games with him so that he remains healthy and content.

Every dog needs care from puppyhood through to old age.

Šarplaninacs are looked upon as medium maintenance dogs. The coat is long and thick and requires a firm bristle brush to get their hair brushed.These dogs are moderate shedders so a brush twice a week will do the trick to keep the hair free of loose hair and matting.

Because these dogs have floppy ears, they will need to be checked and cleaned. Floppy eared dogs battle with moisture and wax build-up that increases the likelihood of ear infections.

Check the eyes that they are clear and free of discharge. Eyes with a lot of discharge can be indicative of health problems.

Check for any unusual lumps as cancer often starts with a new lump.

Provide your pet with a nice warm, dry place to sleep.

Keep his vaccines up to date to prevent deadly canine diseases.

Have him or her spayed or neutered if you don’t want puppies. These are regular procedures for a vet and offers health benefits for the dog. Neutering a male improves his character and keeps him from roaming. These dogs are capable of having 3 – 8 puppies.

The Sarplaninac requires decent food if he is to remain healthy. Dog’s stomachs can become upset if they eat all kinds of sweet and spicy human foods.

Commercially manufactured dog food is a good backup food to have because of its convenience. Try to include some home-made food. Simply add into one big pot chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots. This food can all be chopped up and added in to the dry kibble twice a week. Give this to your pet twice a week and see how his tails wags when he smells it.

Also try to add in some raw meat to his food occasionally.

Ensure there is always a bowl of fresh, cool water within his reach.