Miniature Poodle vs Bakharwal Dog - Breed Comparison

The Poodle is no stranger to the dog world and has been a familiar face in Western Europe for hundreds of years. Though they have lived in Europe for centuries, their origins are unsure, with some saying they hail from Germany and others say France.

The Miniature Poodles have been used in both countries as gundogs for water birds.

They have always been admired for their intelligence, and Miniature Poodles are believed to have been bred from Standard Poodles. It is interesting to note the 3 official sizes of the Poodle are Toy, Miniature and Standard – all considered one breed and judged according to the same written standard, just with different size requirements.

The precise origin of the large Bakharwal Dog is undocumented. It is believed the breed originated from the Tibetan Mastiff, the Molosser, the Tuvan Sheepdog and others. It is an ancient working breed where it has been bred for many centuries by the Bakarwal and Guijar tribes. The dog is thought to be the rarest of all the ancient herding breeds.

The Bakharwal is an indigenous breed of Himalayan origin, being bred exclusively by those wanting a strong, brave dog to protect their livestock. Today Jammu and Kashmir in North India is predominantly the stronghold of this breed.

The Bakharwal dog today as we know it is a muscular dog, tall and powerful and with a thick, fluffy coat. He has remained a livestock guardian or herding dog for the people occupying the Pir Panjal mountain ranges for centuries.

Unfortunately the breed’s rarity as well as his lack of recognition has put this attractive dog in danger of becoming extinct, and in fact steps have been taken to have the dog listed as an endangered species. The females only produce small litters of between 1 to 3 puppies. There are currently no breeding clubs for the Bakharwal Dog and the other sad aspect is that the breed isn’t recognized by any of the major kennel clubs.

With good care the lifespan of the Miniature Poodle is 14 – 16 years of age. This purebreed dog is small, standing at 28 – 38cm in height and weighing 7 – 8kg.

The coat is typically curly, springy and dense. Colors of the coat can be cream, beige, silver, black, brown or apricot. They are low shedding dogs and are regarded as being hypoallergenic. The ears are floppy and the tail is usually docked to give the dog a nice, compact look.

Temperament:

The Miniature Poodle is intelligent and learns easily, so you won’t have any trouble with training him and having him socialized.

He is a lively dog and loves a game and a walk, loving as much time as possible spent with his human family. He gets on well with other pets in the home as well as with children who have been taught to be kind and gentle with animals.

They are not overly-friendly with strangers, and therefore make excellent watchdogs. They’re the kind of dogs who need both physical and mental stimulation though, and he won’t be content to be left and ignored – after all he counts himself as a member of your family! They make wonderful pets, being playful and energetic and loving water, always ready to swim with you.

This dog is large, heavily boned, muscular and with a deep chest. They’ve got large heads and a thick, muscular neck. The nose is black, the almond-shaped brown or amber eyes gentle while the ears are medium sized and drooping. The tail is long and bushy and mostly curls over the back of the dog. Their thick coats are available in a number of colours such as cream, tan, white, black and piebald.

The Kashmiri Sheepdog has long legs and although a number of sizes exist, the regular height of the dog is roughly 61 to 76 cm.

Excellent Guard Dog

Known also by several other names such as the Kashmir Mastiff, Kashmir Sheepdog or Bakarwal Mastiff, this dog is well known for his ferociousness, and guarding his human family is taken seriously. His courage knows know limits and he is both protector and friend, a loyal and devoted companion.

Devoted to his Human Family

He forms a strong bond with his human family and is good natured with well behaved children who have been taught to treat animals with kindness. Caution should always be practised with small children as this is a large dog. He is playful, social and adaptable with his human family but won’t take kindly to other pets. Socialization and training are important for this strong-willed dog.

When you take a Miniature Poodle into your home and your heart, there are many wonderful positive aspects that come with him.

You won’t have any trouble training him as he is clever and bright. He is such a loving, loyal pet and he takes his job of guarding you seriously too.

Because they aren’t aggressive, they're easy to keep in the city or the countryside, so long as he receives plenty of love, companionship and exercise. Perhaps the only thing that may require a little bit of effort on your part is the fact that his coat will require quite a bit of upkeep to keep it looking good and healthy.

In exchange for looking after him, you’re going to benefit from having a wonderful canine friend and family pet in your life for many years.

Bred exclusively as a livestock guardian dog, the large Bakharwal is a steadfast, loving, brave guardian. He is good with people of all ages and will protect his human family with his life.

To this day the breed has a strong herding and guarding instinct, and because he is a large breed with herding instincts, he won’t be suited to apartment living. He needs a good sized garden to run in and will require exercising to stave off frustration and boredom.

Look after your Bakharwal well, especially as there aren’t many of them left. Loved, nourished and cared for, he’s just waiting to make you part of his ‘flock’ and in exchange he’ll be your loyal and devoted friend who will protect you with his life.

Dog’s thrive on good nutrition and exercise, and if your Miniature Poodle gets both of these combined with plenty of love, he can live to be up to 16 years of age and even older.

They are robust little dogs, but even so, they can get sick. Ear infections, joint diseases, obesity, dental disease and bloat are common dog diseases to look out for -

Bloat:

This is a life-threatening condition where your pet’s stomach fills with gas. The swollen stomach puts pressure on the diaphragm and the dog battles to breathe. The dog could also vomit, be drooling and lethargic.

The stomach can also twist putting the dog in shock. This bloating can occur with any dog breed and efforts can be made to avoid it by feeding the dog smaller more frequent meals as opposed to one larger meal which he gobbles up.

The dog shouldn’t exercise immediately after a meal either. You also want to avoid obesity at all costs.

Mitral Valve Disease:

When the mitral valve malfunctions, blood isn’t being pumped out of the heart to the rest of the body. If the mitral valve weakens or leaks it can lead to endocarditis.

Quite a number of dogs develop some form of heart disease during their lifetime, with a high percentage being due to mitral valve insufficiency, which is more common in smaller dogs.

Your dog may have a cough, be lethargic and lose weight. The first signs of a leaking mitral valve is a heart murmur. At first MVI doesn’t have obvious clinical signs, but with time the efficiency of the heart is reduced and congestive heart failure develops. Your veterinarian will evaluate your pet and suggest treatment.

Sebaceous Adenitis:

A skin problem sounds fairly mild but it can cause havoc in your pet’s life, causing him to be constantly licking and scratching himself. The hair becomes dull and brittle, and breaking the skin from continuous scratching invites bacterial infection. These skin infections will require veterinary intervention.

Vaccinations

Your Bakharwal puppy will need to see the vet for a complete check up and to receive his puppy vaccinations. These innoculations immunize your puppy from hepatitis, distemper, leptospirosis, parvovirus and parainfluenza.

As he grows older, you’ll need to keep his teeth free from dental plaque by using a special dog toothbrush and toothpaste.

Your Bakharwal dog is generally a health breed but keep an eye on

Ticks and fleas – speak to your vet about the most effective way to treat these parasites. heartworm – this is important if your dog is exposed to lots of mosquitoes. Heartworm infestations are potentially deadly. spaying and neutering is important at 6 months of age to protect your pet from unwanted puppies and disease.

Grooming:

If you opt to keep your Miniature Poodle’s coat long, it will actually require regular brushing – every day in fact, if you want to avoid matting and tangling. Most people don’t like the work this involves and they have their Poodle’s hair cut short all over, then he only needs a brush once or twice a week. Your Miniature Poodle just loves the time you spend with him grooming him. It’s your time to feel for any unusual lumps and to also check for fleas and ticks. Some people take their pet to the doggy parlor to have the coat clipped.

The dog’s nails should also be trimmed regularly, and their ears also need to be checked for wax buildup and debris which can lead to an ear infection.

Teeth need to be checked over too because dental disease won’t only lead to loss of teeth but it could be toxic for important body organs too.

Wipe around your pet’s eyes as tear stains can form under the eyes.

Make sure to feed your pet a top quality diet full of vitamins and minerals. Get to know the foods which can be toxic for your pet and cause stomach upsets. Dogs appreciate simplicity and consistency with their diets, and apart from dry kibble, home-made food such as boiled chicken, brown rice and vegetables can be excellent for your pet.

Grooming the Dense Coat

The coat of the Bakharwal Dog is thick, flat and of medium length and he is a relatively low maintenance dog. Brushing the dog’s coat twice a week will be adequate to remove loose hairs, although professional grooming can be a good thing as the density of the coat makes trimming the coat a necessity. The eyes, ears, teeth, and nails of the Bakharwal Dog should also be examined regularly just to ensure no health problems develop.

Feeding

Bakharwal puppies from 8 to 12 weeks will require meals 4x a day. From 6 months on he can start having 2 meals a day. Top-quality dry- or wet dogfoods will guarantees balanced nutrition, and speaking to your veterinarian will give you an idea of what is best for your canine friend. To ensure your dog doesn’t suffer with a dry, scratchy skin, remember to include raw- and cook meat into his food. Protein is an essential ingredient for the health of your dog. Always ensure clean, cool water is available and wash food- and water bowls regularly.

Exercise to Prevent Boredom and Weight Gain

Make sure your Bakharwal Dog gets plenty of exercise every day to maintain good health. Take him for walks to give him new sounds, smells and sights.