Petzlover
Moscow Watchdog is originated from Russia but Tibetan Kyi Apso is originated from China. Both Moscow Watchdog and Tibetan Kyi Apso are having almost same height. Moscow Watchdog may weigh 23 kg / 51 pounds more than Tibetan Kyi Apso. Moscow Watchdog may live 3 years less than Tibetan Kyi Apso. Moscow Watchdog may have more litter size than Tibetan Kyi Apso. Both Moscow Watchdog and Tibetan Kyi Apso requires Moderate Maintenance.
The Moscow Watchdog is a cross between the Caucasian Oytcharka, the St. Bernard and other Russian hound dogs. This large breed dog was developed in the Soviet Union for the purpose of being guard dogs. It had the awareness and assertiveness of the Oytcharka and the size, intelligence and attractiveness of the St. Bernard. The breed is common in Russia today but hardly seen anywhere else even though they were exported to the United States and Europe. The breed had the first U.S. born litter in 2015 and it is not AKC recognized.
Following the second world war crime was on the rise in the Soviet Union and a new breed of dog was needed to counter this trend. The dog had to be adaptable to very cold temperatures, snowy weather and have a guard dog personality and ability. The breed was called on to guard such locations as railroads, government offices, warehouses, infrastructure and labor camps.
The project to develop this breed was led by General Medvedev beginning in 1946 at the Central School of Military Kynology – which was a department of the Soviet Ministry of Defense. It took many years to develop the Moscow Watchdog which then became a very successful breed.
It took until 1985 for the breed to be “officially” recognized in the Soviet Union and until 1992 to be recognized by the Federation of Dog Breeders in Russia and until 1997 for the standard to be approved by the Russian Kennel Club. They are still working with the FCI to gain international recognition for the breed. At the moment they are considered a part of the Molosser group and shown in the “Special Show” in Russia.
Committed breeders brought the Moscow Watchdog to Hungary in 1986 in order to make the breed more popular. In addition to this there were many breeders from previous Soviet States that wanted to preserve the breed as well. There were about 500 Moscow Watchdogs in Hungary around then. Currently there are about 27 Moscow Watchdogs in the United States. The breed is known to be a gentle giant and very much a family dog these days.
The Tibetan Kyi Apso is an ancient rare breed. In fact, it is one of the rarest breeds on earth. Coming from Tibet, the Kyi Apso guarded livestock and homes for the nomads of the “rooftop of the world”. Apso means bearded and Kyi meand dog thus the Kyi Apso is a bearded dog.
This breed is very intelligent with a great personality and charm. In Western countries the breed is called Apso Do-Kyi or the Tibetan Collie. The first time these dogs are mentioned in any kind of documents was the late 19th and early 20th centuries in writings about Central Asian dogs. The Kyi Apso is related to the Tibetan Mastiff.
The breed is known to have been imported by Captain George Augustus Graham as a Tibetan wolf dog. The dog was also known to be owned by the 13th Dali Lama. There have not been many exported to Europe or North America, with the first coming to North America in the 1970’s.
There have been no registered litters since 2000 and the Tibetan Kyi Apso Club closed in 1999.
The Moscow Watchdog is related to the mountain dogs and is a very large breed. They are sturdy, muscular and powerful. They have big heads and a thick double coat that sheds profusely four times a year. They have a long tail, an arched chest and an air of confidence.
He is in the Mastiff family and is smart and trainable. He is not clumsy but has big bones. He is surprisingly agile and active for a dog his size. Unlike the St. Bernard he is not a couch potato. He is also differentiated from the St. Bernard because he does not drool.
These dogs are large but they’ve got a gentle temperament and are good with kids, being playful and energetic with them.
Even though he is a docile dog, you want him trained and socialized, and then he gets along well with other pets too. His sheer size makes it that it is best to supervise him when he’s around small children. He is also a protective dog breed, willing to bond closely to, and protect his human family.
The Tibetan Kyi Apso is a large dog with a bearded face, full coat and curled tail. They have longer hair than the Mastiff and of course the shaggy, bearded muzzle. It is not as hefty as the Mastiff of course, and he is more athletic. Like many primitive dogs before them, the Kyi Apso comes into heat only one time a year, contributing to the rareness of the breed.
With their bearded face, the breed’s head appears bigger than it is. The ears are shaped as a V and skull is flat with the eyes on the outside of it. Their muzzle looks larger than it is due to the beard. Nose and lips are black, eyes are amber and almond shaped.
The coat is double, sheds odors and molts once a year. The coat can be black and tan, shades of red, blue-gray with white and solid black.
This is a large dog who likes to be involved and busy, even though he is so big. He isn’t suited to city life and being confined to a tiny garden as he needs space.
They’re independent dogs too and you can leave them alone during the day. He is social, so while you can leave them during the day while you’re at work, he’ll want your attention when you get back. They're such loving, loyal family pets that you owe it to him to make this gentle giant of a dog as happy as can be.
Moscow Watchdog is looked upon as a fairly healthy dog breed but there are some risks such as hip dysplasia as well as some other large breed problems.
With big dogs like this, hip dysplasia is a threat. Its an hereditary condition where the parent dogs pass down the problematic genes. Hip dysplasia results in inflammation and pain for your pet, and where once he loved to play, he is reluctant to and battles to get up after lying down.
Bloat: Fatal unless treated immediately by a vet. Common to this size dog and can be controlled by eating habits.
Other than these the Tibetan Kyi Apso is an ancient dog and very healthy as they were mostly isolated and did not interbreed. No genetic predetermined health problems.
The Moscow Watchdog is a giant sized dog and will require a lot of regular exercise, and apart from a fairly brisk daily walk, will also need games and a run in the park.
As a large dog requiring a regular dose of physical exercise as well as mental stimulation, he is better suited to life in the country or at least where there is a large garden.
The Moscow Watchdog has a medium length coat, and as a moderate shedder, you will need to simply brush his coat twice a week to remove loose hair. There is no professional grooming required for these dogs.
Homemade food is always a treat for a dog, but if you’re feeding your Moscow Watchdog commercially manufactured food because of the sheer convenience it provides, make sure the packaging says 'large- or giant dog breed' food. This way you know your pet is getting the right amount of minerals and vitamins for his size.
Always buy the best quality food to avoid giving your pet an overdose of colorants and preservatives. Try and give your pet some home-made food such as boiled chicken, some brown rice or pasta and some cooked vegetables such as sweet potatoes, carrots and spinach. These can be added to his kibble every now and again.
A simple diet like this agrees with your pet and he will be healthy and happy with his lot.
1Feeding the puppy – grow quickly don’t overfeed. High quality large breed puppy food and feed 4 small meals a day.
2.Feeding the adult – don’t over feed and don’t feed right before or after exercise due to the possibility of bloat. Feed high quality adult large breed dog food 2 x day in smaller meals.