MyDogBreeds
Huntaway is originated from New Zealand but Kyi-Leo is originated from United States. Huntaway may grow 36 cm / 15 inches higher than Kyi-Leo. Huntaway may weigh 40 kg / 89 pounds more than Kyi-Leo. Both Huntaway and Kyi-Leo has almost same life span. Both Huntaway and Kyi-Leo has almost same litter size. Huntaway requires Low maintenance. But Kyi-Leo requires Moderate maintenance
The Huntaway or New Zealand Huntaway is a herding dog that originated in the New Zealand sheep country. Their main purpose is to drive sheep and they are not an old breed. They were developed late in the 19th century for their working skills. The only real criteria was that they were black and tan. A dog must win a trial in order to be placed in the New Zealand Sheep Dog Trial Association studbook. They drive sheep mainly through their deep, loud voice.
In the New Zealand high country there was a need for a working dog with stamina, agility and intelligence to work the sheep as a drover (herder). The dog had to be able to handle rough, steep land and work with very large groups of sheep. The sheer area of land that the sheep graze and the dog would have to cover, demanded that this dog have stamina and strength to cover large pasture land and work for days if necessary. Before this the shepherds had used British sheepdogs but they preferred dogs that barked while working. So they bred the British Sheepdogs with Collies, Border Collies, Labrador, Rottweiler, Doberman and other barking sheepdogs to create the Huntaway. In addition to the bark, they bred for stamina and size.
They were participating in field trails in 1870 and ads for them were seen in newspapers by 1884. They became a separate breed in the 20th century. Today they are spreading around the world and are becoming very popular. It is not recommended that they be kept as pets however, since they are true working dogs.
The Kyi-Leo first came about in the 1950s in San Francisco, USA, with the crossing of two dog breeds – the Lhasa Apso and the Maltese.
Because this is a mixed-breed dog, it isn’t recognized by the American Kennel Club, but it is recognized by some of the other dog associations such as the American Rare Breed Association or ARBA as it is known. Today the dog is looked upon as a designer breed.
The Huntaway is a large dog with a deep chest and a black and tan coat. They are strong, big and muscular with voices to match. They herd, head, work the sheep in pastures and force them into pens. They are bred to have that big authoritative, deep bark. They do not yap. Their bodies are well proportioned but longer than high. They have well - padded feet and a deep chest for stamina, along with strong legs and body that allows them to run fast and change directions at will.
The tail of a Huntaway if long, while their heads are shaped like blocks while the muzzle is long and the nose is black. They have dark, round eyes and long ears. An unusually attractive dog, they have dense fur with fringe on the tail and chest. There is characteristics a very large variety in the in the way the breed looks from one dog to the next. Thus they do not participate in confirmation events, as the standard is based on working characteristics rather than appearance guidelines. They are more a “class” than a “breed”.
The Kyi-Leo is a small dog standing at 20 – 30cm in height and weighing in the region of 4 – 6kg.
He has a long, silky coat which is essentially black and white or grey/silver and white or even gold and white. He has frail legs which can become injured or broken in vigorous rough and tumble games.
You can certainly describe the Kyi-Leo as a sweet, quiet, non-aggessive playful dog, and for anyone who wants a splendid pet and companion, this dog makes a great family pet and he won’t cost you an arm and a leg to feed either.
He also has an acute sense of hearing and this turns him into an excellent ‘alarm’ watch-dog. It is also a dog, that while he will love to join you on a walk, he isn’t a dog that is going to demand a lot of exercise.
He responds well to his human family, is easy-going and gentle, tending to be cautious around strangers. You can trust him to be an awesome playmate for children. In this instance, it’s the children who should be warned when playing with a dog like this as, because of his fragile build, he could easily be injured by children who haven’t been taught to respect animals.
Even though he is such an amicable pet, it will still be of benefit to you and him to have him trained and socialized. Then he responds well to basic commands such as sit, stay and lie-down.
Dogs who spend time with their family, pick up on the ‘culture’ of the family and they learn how to behave. Dogs who are left on their own and never socialized can become nervous and aggressive towards people as they never got to learn how to behave – they weren’t socialized.
They are very good with children and love to play with them.
Stamina, speed and independence
Not really. Don’t do well in small spaces. Better off in the country.
Very intelligent, quick learner, loves learning new things.
The Kyi-Leo is everything you want in a family companion – active, playful, loving, gentle, happy and balanced.
He loves his human family but tends to be a little bit wary around strangers, gradually warming to them.
He may be small, but he is robust and alert, and he is also capable of making you a good watchdog.
The Kyi-Leo is an all-round great little pet to have.
The Huntaway is a pretty healthy breed, developed as it was from the sheepdogs and collies. They still face some inherited issues such as:
Your Kyi-Leo is such a feisty, robust little dog who is not likely to cost you much in terms of health care. With his frail legs, it is a good thing to know that you need to be careful with him in terms of back-and joint problems.
There are actually knee joint issues which are fairly common in small dogs, one of which is patellar luxation.
This is where the kneecap pops out of the thighbone, causing the dog to skip or hop. Some joint issues are genetic and may require surgery. Make sure to keep your pet’s weight under control to remove additional stress on the joints.
This is another dog illness you want to be careful with. Acute pancreatitis -inflammation - is when the condition comes on suddenly while chronic pancreatitis is when pancreatitis occurs over a period of time.
With acute pancreatitis in dogs you’ll see symptoms such as vomiting, abdominal pain, tremors and reluctance to eat. Pancreatitis can be brought on by too much fat, especially rancid fat, some anti-biotics, a low protein diet or a sickness such as diabetes.
If you suspect pancreatitis in your dog, get him as quickly as possible to the vet.
If you are not using your Huntaway to herd, then feed a medium formula not a high protein, high calorie formula. Feed 3-4 times a day and 1-2 cups.
3 cups per day feeding twice a day high quality medium calorie food.
Exceptional stamina
This herding breed has a great need of mental and physical stimulation. They were born to herd and to do so over vast tracts of land in challenging conditions. They need to be challenged. They need daily exercise at a very high level. A Run them every day or take them on a couple of long walks. They will excel in field trials, Barnhunt, agility and rescue. They love to learn.
The Kyi-Leo doesn’t require vigorous exercising. One walk a day will keep them happy. There are pet owners who believe dogs can be permanently outside dogs where they can do their own exercise.
Everybody who knows dogs, knows they are social creatures who will simply lie at your backdoor just waiting for some response from their beloved human family. Every dog, regardless of breed or size, needs exercise and interaction with their humans every day.
Dogs left alone in the yard day after day are loney, frustrated and bored, and when they start digging or barking, irresponsible owners will ill treat them. These kind of people should never own a dog.
The Kyi-Leo has a sensitive stomach so he’ll need good quality food to avoid digestive problems. Ideally home-cooked food such as softly boiled chicken, brown rice and raw or cooked vegetables added into top quality kibble is the preferred diet.
Fresh, cool water needs to be constantly available.
Brush the long, silky coat at least twice a week to ensure it remains free of knotting. Brushing keeps the coat shiny too.
As a long eared dog, ears should be checked and cleaned regularly too. Air doesn’t reach the inside of their ears and the warm dampness in the ears are a breeding place for infection.
Nails should also be trimmed when they become long because left uncut they can hook onto things causing injury ad pain.
Small dogs are more prone to tartar formation and loss of teeth. You’ll notice that something isn’t right because your lively little dog will be lethargic, he may not want to eat his food and his face may be swollen. When you suspect dental problems, get him to the vet.