PetzloverToy Mi-Ki is originated from United States but Tweed Water Spaniel is originated from United Kingdom. Toy Mi-Ki may grow 30 cm / 11 inches shorter than Tweed Water Spaniel. Toy Mi-Ki may weigh 27 kg / 59 pounds lesser than Tweed Water Spaniel. Both Toy Mi-Ki and Tweed Water Spaniel has almost same life span. Both Toy Mi-Ki and Tweed Water Spaniel has almost same litter size. Both Toy Mi-Ki and Tweed Water Spaniel requires Moderate Maintenance.
The Toy Mi-Ki is a sociable companion dog. He hasn’t got a long history, and the little bit of history there is, isn’t clear.
It is believed that the breed was bought about by Maureen Westburg. It was in the 1980s that she crossed several toy breeds to develop the Mi-Ki. It is thought that she gave the dog the name Mi-Ki because her name was Mikkie. It seems whe wanted a dog that came close to looking like a gremlin.
Some of the dogs used in the breeding program were the Japanese Chin, the Maltese, and the Papillon. The International Miki Registry is trying to get recognition with the United Kennel Club for this dog. There are other canine clubs and organizations that recognize the Mi-Ki Dog as a breed.
The Tweed Water Spaniel is extinct. Fortunately, we have some beautiful dogs that come from this dog. It is involved in bringing about the Golden Retriever. They were athletic dogs from Berwick-upon-Tweed.
It was in 1816 that Richard Lawrence wrote of the origins of the Tweed Water Spaniel which is thought to have come from the Newfoundland dog. It is believed that huntsmen used these dogs to retrieve the ducks and geese they shot. This purebred dog wasn’t recognized by the American Kennel Club or the FCI.
The small Toy Miki stands at between 25 cm – 30 cm in height and weighs between 2 – 5kg. You get two different coat types – long and short and the long-haired variety also has quite a bit of hair around the face.
His longish coat is low-shedding which makes him popular for people who battle with allergies. The Miki Dog will produce about 2 – 4 puppies.
As a toy dog, he has a domed head with large eyes. Their ears are feathered and are carried erect and the tail is long and feathered.
These little dogs are popular companion dogs and they’re intelligent and loving, making the ideal pet for anyone.
It’s a friendly dog and yet he will bark to alert you of an intruder. Youll take notice because he isn’t the kind of dog that just yaps away.
Children love them and they make great playmates for children who have been taught to be kind and gentle with animals.
Their small size and their adaptable nature make them suitable for city or country living. Sweet and amicable, the social purebred Toy Mi-Ki is everything you want in a companion.
He is loyal and devoted, calm and adaptable. They’re not the kind of dogs to go jogging with you, but nonetheless, he will still need his exercise – walks every day as well as ball games.
The Tweed Water Spaniel had a curly liver-colored coat with a long feathery tail and medium-sized floppy ears. It is thought that he was a large dog standing at between 50 to 60cm in height and weighing between 25 and 32kg.
The Tweed Water Spaniel, regarded as a moderate shedder, would have required being brushed from time to time.
The Tweed Water Spaniel had so many wonderful characteristics that made him a splendid family pet. He was smart and able to learn basic commands. He was also very playful and would have made a robust, playful friend for children.
They made gentle, loyal companions for their human family and wee able to get on well with other pets in the home. They would have got on well with other pets in the home too and it is believed that they were amicable enough to have been suited as a therapy dog.
They made good watchdogs too, being active and alert, just loving the outdoors. They’re well suited to life in the country or a home with a big garden and wouldn’t like to be cooped up on a small property in the city.
The Mi-Ki is calm and good-natured, and because of his cuteness, he can’t help but become a lap dog, if you allow him.
He is social and just loves human companionship. He is friendly too and will quite happily be friends with children and pets in the home.
Make sure he is trained and socialized so that you become one of the many people who have nothing but good things to say about this sweet little dog.
Intelligent, courageous and friendly, it seems such a pity that the Tweed Water Spaniel is extinct because he seemed to have been a super dog.
Luckily we have dogs such as the Golden Retriever that remind us of what a good family pet he was.
You just have to bear in mind, that because of his short muzzle, he is prone to respiratory problems. Too much exercise and you may find him huffing and puffing. Be careful on a hot day.
Also, little dogs like this often have all kinds of dental problems. When you brush him, check his teeth because he can’t tell you if he has a rotten tooth causing him a lot of pain and misery.
Check his eyes too that they are bright and clear and check the inside of his ears. Hypothyroidism and eye issues can also bother the Mi-ki.
Because this dog is extinct and because no health records were kept, it is assumed that he would have had the same health issues as a Golden Retriever. Typical health issues of this dog would include hip dysplasia, obesity, cardiomyopathy.
This is a preventable disease in dogs, and if dog owners only knew what damage they do by allowing their dogs to become obese. Certainly, obesity shortens a dog’s life.
It is mind-boggling to realize that scientific evidence tells us that fat tissue is biologically active, secreting inflammatory hormones and also putting stress on the dog’s joints. Obese dogs develop an increased risk for cancer, diabetes and heart disease.
Dilated cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle characterized by an enlarged heart. The heart doesn’t function properly with the ventricles becoming enlarged. The muscle wall of the heart becomes thinner and this causes the heart to lose the ability to pump blood to the rest of the body.
Fluid can accumulate in the lungs. This can all lead to congestive heart failure. Your dog will battle to breathe, be panting and coughing, have an extended abdomen and may even collapse.
Considered to be low-shedding, the Mi-Ki will benefit from a brush once or twice a week.
Some people take their Mi-Ki’s to have their hair professionally cut. This is a good move because then the ears, teeth, and nails are attended to as well.
You can do all of these things at home yourself, but sometimes, particularly with the long-haired Miki, the matting of the hair can make it that you rather send him to professional groomers.
Like all dogs, the Mi-Ki dog will need nutritious food if he is to stay healthy. He isn’t a big eater and you will find the perfect food for your small canine pet.
Read on the packaging to make sure you get high-quality dry food for small dogs. You want the ingredients to be as natural as possible without any toxic colorants and additives.
Meat and protein must always be the top ingredients. Try to provide some home-made food too. Boiled chicken, brown rice, spinach, and sweet potatoes can be chopped up finely and a small portion added occasionally to the dry kibble as a tasty treat.
The Tweed Water Spaniel had floppy ears and as a water dog, he may well have had ear infections in his day. One wonders if dog owners of that time were aware of the need to have the inside of the dog's ears clean and dry.
The Tweed Water Spaniel would have needed to have his eyes checked too. Pus in the eyes could indicate the dog wasn’t well.
The Tweed Water Spaniel would have required a lot of exercise and would have loved long walks and hikes. He wouldn’t need an invitation to go swimming and if you threw a stick or ball into the water, he’d be right there, jumping right in.
If you were a person that thrived on an active life this dog would have been for you.
Nobody really knows what the Tweed Water Spaniel would have eaten in the 19th century when he was around. He’s the kind of dog you’d have to be careful with as he could put on weight easily.
If he were around today, you’d give him a high quality commercially manufactured food that was designed for large, active dogs. No doubt in those days, the owners gave the dog scraps off the table.
Today if you wanted to give your dog home-made food, you’d stick to healthy foods such as boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and some healthy vegetables such as spinach, carrots and sweet potatoes.
Puppies would have required 4 bowls of food a day while the adult dog would require 2 meals a day.