Petzlover
Sapsali is originated from North Korea but St. John's Water Dog is originated from Canada. Sapsali may grow 7 cm / 3 inches higher than St. John's Water Dog. Sapsali may weigh 14 kg / 30 pounds lesser than St. John's Water Dog. Both Sapsali and St. John's Water Dog has same life span. Both Sapsali and St. John's Water Dog has almost same litter size. Sapsali requires Moderate Maintenance. But St. John's Water Dog requires Low Maintenance
Early documentation of this dog tells us that it has been around for centuries and is therefore an ancient breed.
The Sapsali is a dog that comes from Korea and is also known as the Lion Dog, Sapsaree and Sapsal Gae. It is believed that these dogs were used to dispel evil spirits or ghosts.
The dog was given the status as National Treasure by the Korean Government in 1992 and is recognized by a number of local Korean dog societies. The dog isn’t however recognized by any of the major kennel clubs, but is affiliated with the Federation Cynologique Internationale (FCI).
When Korea was under Japanese rule, the dogs were slaughtered to make coats for its military and almost became extinct. Kennels were set up and the dog was revived again in the 1980s.
The breed known as the St. John’s water dog is an extinct landrace breed. They were domestic dogs found in Newfoundland and at times were called the lesser Newfoundland. There is not much information available about the other breeds that went into its development. Hypothetically it is believed they are a mix of the Irish, Old English and Portuguese dogs bred to work.
It is also thought that other breeds in their family tree, descending from them, include the Golden Retriever, the Flat-Coated Retriever, the Chesapeake Bay Retriever, the Labrador and the Curly-Coated Retriever. The Newfoundland is also related to the St. Johns Water Dog through the line of Rafeirio do Alenteios that Portuguese fisherman brought to the island.
The breed was exported to England in the 19th century and early 20th. There the breeds of retrievers were developed. In Canada during this time frame restrictions were placed on dog ownership in order to encourage people to raise sheep. At the same time England imposed a long quarantine on all animals coming into the country in order to get rid of rabies. These two factors contributed greatly to the extinction of the breed. It seems the last two dogs were seen in a remote area in the 1980’s. All attempts to save the breed failed.
The Sapsali is a medium sized sheepdog standing at between 48 and 60cm in height and weighing between 16 and 27kg. He is a strong looking dog with the coat being long and dense and coming in quite a few color varieties. The coat can be solid in color but it can also be a mixture of blonde, reddish, brown and black. The hair of the dog also falls over the eyes.
The dog has large eyes, the ears are also fairly large and the tail is long and held straight or down.
The dog is friendly, social and playful and also loving and loyal towards his human family. He is protective too and makes a good watchdog, but is never aggressive.
He gets on well with children as well as with other dogs. Training and socialization ensure obedience and good behavior and with a desire to please.
They’re intelligent dogs and training is easy. They’re gentle dogs too and this has made them a popular choice for therapy dogs. Their loving natures have been welcomed by patients suffering with trauma and the dog connects strongly with these people.
When back home he wants to be included in all the family activities. He is quite energetic and will require exercise every day – walks, hikes, frisbee, ball and rope games as well as more hectic hikes. He makes a good choice for the first time dog owner but is better suited to life in the suburbs or the countryside as opposed to being on a small property in the city.
St. John’s Water Dog is strong, medium sized and stocky. They looked more like English Labs than American Labs. They had a thick, short coat, loved swimming, had a lot of endurance and rudder tail. It was also described as a thin, black dog with short hair. They had white patches on their chest and feet. His nose was thin and tapered, his legs powerful, his chest muscular. The breed is quick, swims, runs quickly and is a fighter as well.
Never accepted by any major kennel club except as a foundation breed. They became extinct.
The beautiful Sapsali is a friendly, loving dog breed who is just a little bit wary around strangers.
If he senses his master is alright around strangers, he will accept them too.
He is both protector and guard dog and gets on well with all members of the household. Apart from the long coat which can be a bit of a handful, this dog ticks all the right boxes in terms of being a most splendid family pet.
3.Adaptability large need fence, they are not large dogs but they need outdoor space
The Sapsali can live to be between 10 and 12 years of age, being a healthy breed. Like all purebreds, the dog will experience some health concerns, among which are heart disease, obesity, bloat, hip dysplasia and skin problems among others.
Dogs get heart disease just like human beings. The most common form of heart disease in dogs is valvular disease. Essentially it affects small breed dogs. Heartworm disease and dilated cardiomyopathy are also common forms of heart disease.
Sometimes there are symptoms and sometimes there aren’t, but as heart disease progresses it turns to congestive heart failure – the heart not being able to meet the body’s demands. Signs of this can be fatigue, difficulty with breathing, loss of appetite and weight loss, coughing and a distended abdomen.
If you see these signs, your pet will need to get to the vet. There is no cure for congestive heart failure but there are medications which can help the heart work better.
There is no documented history of any genetic or hereditary illnesses in the breed. However, it seems rational to believe they suffered from ailments similar to Labradors and newfoundland though they are smaller dogs.
The Sapsali is covered in thick, long hair and the coat is going to require a lot of attention. It will be better to give the coat a brush every day as the coat can become very matted and tangled. The dog is also a heavy shedder so a regular brush will help to get rid of all that loose hair.
The Sapsali will need to have his ears, eyes and teeth regularly checked to ensure they are clear of any infection and to prevent any illnesses. A bad tooth can create many health issues throughout the dog’s body.
You can enhance your dog’s health by giving him good food. Commercially manufactured dog foods can be a good, convenient choice, more so if you choose the high quality ones known for their natural, quality ingredients.
To provide your dog with just a bit of variety in his diet, some home-made food added into the dry kibble from time to time will delight your pet. No need to make preparing the food a huge issue either. Boil brown rice and chicken in a pot and add in sweet potatoes, carrots and spinach.
Chop all this up and as a treat, add smaller portions of it into the dry kibble when you want to treat your dog. To avoid skin infections, try to include some raw meat into his diet occasionally. Never leave your pet without a constant source of fresh, cool water
1Feeding the puppy – Don’t overfeed – they have a propensity toward obesity. Feed high quality, high protein 3 x a day.
2.Feeding the adult – Don’t overfeed. Feed a high quality, high protein 1-2 x a day.
4. Games and Exercises – They need space to run and they love to explore. They would also love to be near water where they could swim. Good at dock diving, field trials, flyball and frisbee.