Smalandsstovare vs Eurasier - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

The Eurasier is a dog which hails from Germany and is a cross between the Wolf Spitz, the Chow Chow and the Samoyed.

The puppies of the dog could reproduce themselves, so that a new breed was recognized by the German Kennel Club as well as the Federation Cynologique Internationale.

It is believed that the name was chosen as a referral to the dog’s European and Asian background. Today the Eurasier is found in most European Union countries as well as in Canada and the United States, but still the breed’s population is low, with efforts in place to raise its numbers.

The Smålandsstövare has got quite a long history and dates back to the 1600s. He is the smallest of the Swedish hound breeds. This is a scenthound.

Hounds similar to the Smålandsstövare were bred with European hounds and then brought to Småland and bred with local spitz-type farm dogs to create the foundation stock for the Smålandsstövare.

The dog was used to hunt but nearly died out in the 20th century, but breeders restored it and the first official standard emerged by the Swedish Kennel Club in 1921.

The Smålandsstövare is a rare dog breed but it is recognized by the American Rare Breed Association as well as other major kennel clubs, one of which is the Federation Cynologique Internationale as well as the United Kennel Club.

The Eurasier is a medium-sized dog, standing at roughly 48cm to 60cm in height and weighing 18kg to 32kg. He has a medium to long length coat in a range of different colors – fawn, black and tan as well as a mix of colors such as silver and black.

He has medium-sized, erect ears and the tail is always held over the back. The nose is black and the eyes are also medium in size and dark and should never be obscured by the dog’s hair.

Temperament:

Confident while being reserved around strangers, the calm Eurasier isn’t an aggressive dog.Bred as a companion animal, he is tolerant of other pets in the house as well as with children, and having him socialized and trained will ensure that he is obedient, relaxed and amicable. He is an intelligent dog and responds well to training.

He loves to be with his human family and will adapt happily to city- or country life. He doesn’t have high activity levels so daily walks and ball games will be sufficient for him.

He isn’t the kind of dog that you can keep in your backyard as a watchdog and then just neglect him. He’ll become bored and destructive through no fault of his own.

The Smålandsstövare is a muscled, compact looking dog. The double coat is shortish to medium length and is thick and quite coarse to the touch. He sheds seasonally. The coat is usually black with tan markings.

The high set ears are medium length and floppy, the head is slim and the tail can be naturally short. Sometimes the tail is long and can be slightly curved in the spitz-like sabre fashion.

The eyes are brown and friendly. The height of these dogs is about 46 to 54cm and he weighs anything from 15 to 18kg.

Temperament:

Usually a well behaved, quiet, calm, gentle dog, the Smålandsstövare takes his role as guard dog seriously, wanting to protect his family.

His good temperament ensures he gets on well with all members of the family. He is full of energy and will need to be exercised well, whether it be ball games in the garden, a walk around the block, a run in the park or joining his family on hikes and camping trips.

It is why he won’t settle down well on a small property in the city. He needs larger premises to expend his energy, and if in cramped premises without exercise, he may resort to barking and whining and this may well drive your neighbors bats.

Training and socializing your Smålandsstövare will be necessary and it should be easy as he is intelligent.

You can just see on the face of the Eurasier that he is a loving, gentle dog who wants to be part of a loving human family.

As a companion dog he makes a splendidly devoted and loyal pet, wanting to be involved in everything his human ‘pack members’ are doing. He is healthy, intelligent, playful and loving and when you invest in such a pet, you’re investing in a close, loving relationship for many years.

The Smålandsstövare is a robust dog with a lot of stamina. He will be wanting a lot of exercise and is ideal as a pet in the suburbs or the countryside but not ideal for city living.

He makes a wonderful family pet, forming strong bonds with his owners. He makes an excellent watchdog too wanting to protect his family, and with this amicable, calm dog, you’re going to have a true friend.

To a large extent, we have the health of our pets in our hands. The way we treat them – the food we give, the activities he takes part in, his sleeping facilities and the attention we give him all contribute to whether he will be healthy or not.

Nonetheless there are dogs who enjoy the best life and yet they still get sick. The Eurasier is a healthy dog breed who can push 12, 13 or 14 years, but still there are some common dog diseases to look out for.

Problems which are of concern are hip- and elbow dysplasia and patellar Luxation. Patellar luxation is when the dog's kneecap becomes dislocated and you see your pet holding up his hind leg for a while. These dislocated kneecaps are quite common in dogs and can lead to arthritis and even lameness.

Your vet can diagnose this problem through different means to help your pet.

The Smålandsstövare is a rare dog breed and not much is known about congenital conditions to which he may be particularly prone.

With good care he can reach 14 or 15 years of age. The floppy ears put him at risk for ear infections, while other conditions to watch for include hip dysplasia, cancer, bloat and obesity.

Ear Infections:

If you see your dog shaking his head or pawing at his ears, look inside because the ears may be red and inflamed. It is important to get help quickly for ear problems in dogs.

Ear canals are sensitive so if you don’t want to clean the ear and work on it yourself it is important to get your pet to the vet. The vet will clean your dog’s ears and also prescribe antibiotics.

For future treatment, you will need to clean your dog’s ears and keep them dry. If you don’t want to do this yourself, make sure to get him to professional groomers who will do this for you.

Diet:

The Eurasier, just like any other dog, requires high quality food. Luckily, as far as convenience goes, there are some excellent commercially manufactured foods, but you still need to check out the ingredients on the packaging as you want to avoid some of the dog foods high in chemicals and fillers.

The best pet foods are the ones that are high in protein, and meat sources such as chicken, beef or salmon for instance should show up among the top 5 ingredients.

Your Eurasier won’t want to eat kibble every day of his life so add in your own homemade cooked brown rice, vegetables and chicken from time to time. Also, every now and again, it will be of tremendous value to your pet’s immune system to include some raw meat.

Grooming:

Brush your Eurasier twice a week to keep his coat shiny and healthy. Grooming your pet has a number of benefits apart from making him look good. It infuses him with a healthy glow – he literally glows with a sense of wellbeing and confidence because you care for him.

The benefits of brushing your pet include better blood circulation and a shinier, healthier coat. Also check your dog’s nails, check his ears inside and out and make sure to attend to his teeth 2 or 3x a week. There are special toothbrush and toothpaste designed specifically for dogs.

Choosing a good diet is imperative for the Smålandsstövare. Choose a commercially manufactured dog food high in vitamins and minerals.

Give your dog a treat by providing him with some home-made food. It can be added into the dry kibble about twice a week as a treat. Boil brown rice and chicken in a pot and add in sweet potatoes, carrots and spinach. Chop all this up and give it to your dog in small portions. Also try to include some raw meat into the diet.

Never leave your pet without a constant source of fresh, cool water.

Exercise:

The Smålandsstövare is a very energetic breed and he is going to require some vigorous exercise every day. Take him for walks, allow him to run with you when you cycle or jog or take him swimming.