Sapsali is originated from North Korea but Styrian Coarse Haired Hound is originated from Austria. Sapsali may grow 7 cm / 3 inches higher than Styrian Coarse Haired Hound. Sapsali may weigh 9 kg / 20 pounds more than Styrian Coarse Haired Hound. Both Sapsali and Styrian Coarse Haired Hound has almost same life span. Both Sapsali and Styrian Coarse Haired Hound has same litter size. Sapsali requires Moderate Maintenance. But Styrian Coarse Haired Hound requires High 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 Styrian Coarse Haired Hound is a German hound, a medium sized breed that was found to originate in Styria in Austria. It was bred to be a boar hunting scent hound in the mountains. The breed is an Austrian Bracke and one of the largest. In the 1870’s the breed was developed by Karl Peintinger to get a hardy, rough coated hunting dog. Peintinger took the Istrian Hound and an old type scent hound of Hanoverian and continued selective breeding until he got the dog he wanted.
The breed is still used to hunt boar and track wounded animals. They work in high altitudes and rough terrains. They were not created to be companion animals and most of them are still working dogs. They do not make great house or family pets. Because of these circumstances, the breed is rare today.
Sometimes you will see the breed called the Peintinger Bracke after its developer. The Austrian Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1889 and the Federation Cynologique Internationale as a scent hound. The Styrian Coarse Haired Hounds were next recognized in 2006 by the United Kennel Club in North America, but not the AKC – American Kennel Club. There are many smaller kennel clubs and organizations for the breed as well many hunting clubs.
As mentioned, the breed is the largest of the Austrian Brackes. They are one of the three breeds included in the Grand Brackes. The name comes from the fact that all these dogs were developed for hunting in the Austrian mountains. They are pretty much unknown in the rest of the world. They thrive in the harsh climates of the Austrian mountains.
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.
The Styrian Coarse haired Hound is well muscled, medium sized and lithe. They run easily on all types and levels of terrain. Their coat is rough and harsh, giving the breed part of its name. They can tolerate both extremes of the climate temperatures. They are strong and confident dogs wearing a very serious facial expression. These guys are all about the job – the hunt. Their prey drive is extremely high.
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.
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.
The breed is fairly healthy and isolated from crossbreeding. They are susceptible to several major conditions.
• PRA or Progressive Retinal Atrophy = a group of degenerative, genetic eye diseases the cause blindness over time.
• Bloat – most large dogs suffer from this and not so much a medium breed like this one, but it is a condition that their energy levels and work ethics could lead to. Fatal if not treated immediately.
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 – Feed this very active breed a high quality dog food for medium sized dogs. Feed puppies 3-4 times a day a total of ¾ to 1 cup.
2.Feeding the adult - feed this very active breed a high quality, high protein diet. Feed the adult 1-2 times a day a total of 1.6 cups of dry food.
4. Games and Exercises They are energetic, athletic and extremely agile. They are muscular and lithe and need a lot of exercise. The is a dog that can travel across rough terrain for hours at a time. They are tenacious hunters and need an outlet for that prey drive.
They need space and time to run. A large yard is great because you don’t want to take them to a dog park. Give them a lot of toys and puzzles. They excel at lure coursing, field trials and hunting trials. Their sense of smell makes them great at nose work and they like agility, tracking and rally obedience.