MyDogBreeds
Tahltan Bear Dog is originated from Canada but Estonian Hound is originated from Estonia. Tahltan Bear Dog may grow 9 cm / 3 inches shorter than Estonian Hound. Tahltan Bear Dog may weigh 11 kg / 24 pounds lesser than Estonian Hound. Both Tahltan Bear Dog and Estonian Hound has almost same life span. Tahltan Bear Dog may have less litter size than Estonian Hound. Tahltan Bear Dog requires Low maintenance. But Estonian Hound requires Moderate maintenance
The primitive Tahltan Bear Dog comes from Canada. The dog was developed by the Tahltan people to hunt bears, so you can imagine he was a strong, brave dog.
They also had fox-like yaps that confused bears until the hunter could come and kill the bear. These dogs are descended from pariah-type dogs with their diet being birds and fish.
It was in 1988 that the Canadian Post Office honoured the Tahltan Bear Dog by having a picture of it appearing on a stamp.
Some people claim that after the 1960s there are no longer any living descendants while others say that breeding projects were established and that there are still a few of these dogs around today. There are records on the other hand that claim the dog became extinct in the 1970s.
In 1947, the Estonian Hound was developed and remains today the only pure breed ever developed in Estonia. At that time the national economic minister of the Soviet Union declared that every country in the USSR must have a national dog breed. Thus, the Estonian Hound and the Estonian Kennel Union were born. The Kennel Union is currently seeking breed recognition from the Federation Cynoloqique Internationale.
The Estonian Hound came from breeding local Estonian hunting dogs with several different breeds of foreign dogs. The Soviet decree also established that hunting dogs had to be no more than 17 inches high. This result in a hunting dog with great agility and drive that is extremely popular in now inependent Estonia. It is the national dog.
Not like a bear, but more foxy in appearance or even more like a husky, the Tahltan Bear dog is medium sized, standing at between 36 – 43cm in height and weighing between 6 – 9 kg.
It is believed that they were similar to spitz and pariah type dogs, and were athletic. The short to medium length coat of the dog was mainly black or brown with some white.
He had fairly large pointed, erect ears and also a fairly pointed muzzle. The tail was interesting and was short and furry and always carried erect.
The Tahltan Bear Dog is fearless, not being deterred when meeting large bear. It's why the dog has been valued by hunters – their bravery and fearlessness.
They’re great family dogs too and will get on well with children. He is intelligent and easy to train if you want to give him training and socialization.
The Estonian Hound is a strong, muscular body of medium size, with well-developed muscles and strong bones. It has a straight muzzle and skull with defined eyebrows and long drop ears. They have black noses and dark eyes. Their back is wide and straight, and their chest is deep and wide. They have skin that is tight with no wrinkles or folds anywhere.
The Estonian Hound is double coated, but the undercoat is not well developed. The top coat is rough, short and shiny. The tail has a thick covering of hair. The color is usually white with red patches, black or brown patches or yellow patches.
Because some claim that this dog is extinct, there are only a few accounts of what he is actually like.
Even though they were hunting dogs, they were devoted pets and companions of the people of the Yukon.
If these dogs are still to be found today, you will find them to be easy going, protective, loyal, intelligent, playful, alert, watchful and energetic. Just don’t allow them to get too hot as they prefer cooler climates.
The Estonian Hound is a happy dog and loves to play with children. He was bred to hunt though and he can get fixated on a scent and knock over a small child.
He is a hunting dog with great agility and drive.
He has had to be adaptable through his short history and is now more a companion than a hunting dog. He can live in the city or country.
He is intelligent and trainable. He is lively and energetic and the challenge might be keeping his attention long enough to train.
Healthy dogs are unlikely to pick up any of the many common dog illnesses there are. There are many – cancer, diabetes, bloat, hip dysplasia, ear infections, dental disease and many more.
This is a contagious and infectious disease known as canine tracheobronchitis and which is transmitted through the air. Treatment is usually administered as a nasal spray, but your dog will need to get to the vet because of his dry, honking cough and lack of appetite.
This is a viral disease which in most instances is fatal. It is mostly transmitted when an animal that carries the disease bites the dog. Your dog develops behavior which is totally uncharacteristic of him. He'll also froth at the mouth and become aggressive. Death is nearly always guaranteed.
With such a young breed there have not been any studies done on their health or genetic issues. It seems the breed is fairly healthy but there is too little information to really say. Being confined to Estonia there has been little commercial or backyard breeding. He is less likely than most pure breeds to have genetic issues.
It is likely that dogs of his type are at risk for:
Caused by excessive exercise before or after having eaten a large meal. It is suggested that you feed your English Setter twice a day, smaller meals and not right before or after strenuous exercise.
This double coated hunting dog’s thick coarse coat will require brushing at least twice a week to free the dog of loose hair. He is regarded as a low mainenance dog.
During brushing, you would check inside his ears and make sure there are no signs of redness. Eyes of the dog should be bright, eager and free of discharge.Always keep the nails of the dog trimmed.
If you keep your pet outside for any lengths of time it is imperative that this dog has shade to lie down in as he doesn’t do well in too much heat.
Because he is a hunting dog, he is used to being outdoors and being active. He wont be content to lie around inactive for too long. He’ll want at least a walk every day and some ball games.
A pet dog can’t choose his own food so they depend on us to make the right choices for them. It’s always convenient to have a packet of commercially manufactured dog food available, but who knows if this dog, which some claim is extinct, ever ate commercially manufactured food.
If he did, you would want to mix it every now and again with home made food - boiled chicken, sweet potatoes, brown rice or pasta, carrots and spinach. This food could be chopped up and added to the dog’s kibble.
Feed a high quality dry food made for puppies. Feed ¼ to ½ cup per day in 2-3 meals for the first six months.
Feed 1 to 2 cups in two meals from 6 months to a year or so.
Feed about 2 to 3 cups in two meals.
As previously mentioned this seems to be a fairly healthy breed.
Be careful not to feed a large meal before or after exercise due to possibility of bloat.
Check their ears and clean them periodically.
The Estonian Hound is a hunting dog and needs a good deal of exercise – at least an hour and a half every day or a long walk if not used for hunting. He is a working dog with a lot of energy and stamina. Don’t let him off leash though or he will follow his nose and take off. He is usually calm and quiet indoors if he gets enough physical and mental stimulation outdoors. He can be destructive and loud, nervous and hyper if he doesn’t. They enjoy Frisbee, agility, tracking and of course hunting.