Yo-Chon vs Schweizer Niederlaufhund - Breed Comparison

The Yorkie Bichon or Yo-Chon as he is fondly referred to as a designer crossbreed hailing from the United States.

Information isn’t readily available on the origins of this cute little dog, but the dog is believed to be a cross between a Bichon Frise and Yorkshire Terrier.

It is thought that the dog was developed in the United States from about 1998 to 2001. As a hybrid, the Yorkie Bichon isn’t recognized by the American Kennel Club.

Originating in Switzerland, the Schweizer Niederlaufhund was established around 1900, when hunting became restricted to districts. The Swiss hunter needed a slower dog for the limited territory they could hunt in. Crossing selected Schweizer Laufhunds with Basset Hounds and other selected smaller, short legged hounds developed the Schweizer Niederlaufhund. By 1905 there was already a Schweizer Niederlaufhund Club.

The Niederlaufhund became one of the best hunting dogs in the world, with its powerful body and ability to outhunt the Laufhund in tracking big game. Slower of course than the Laufhund it has a great sense of smell and an ability to easily find wounded animals. There are a few varieties, just like with the Swiss Hound again mostly because of their coloring. The Luzerner Niederlaufhund, the Jura Neiderlaufhund, and the Schwyzerlaufhund. They have musical voices that they use to communicate with the hunters and each other as well as that amazing sense of smell. They can hunt for hours without tiring and without much information from the hunter.

They are a cross breed not recognized by the larger kennel club such as the AKC and the UKC. They are recognized by the Dog Registry of America, Inc. (DRA), the American Canine Association Inc. (ACA) and most importantly by the Federation Cynologique Internationale (FCI). This last one is important because it could lead to recognition as a new breed by the UKC and the AKC.

The Yo-Chon stands between 25 and 30cm and weighs in the region of 2 to 4kg. He can be like a teddy-bear this little dog and the coat can be either silky and straight or wavy. It is medium length and some people have the coat professionally trimmed.

The low shedding coat comes in a variety of colors – cream, grey, tan, white, black or bi-colored.

Temperament:

Your Yorkie Bichon will no doubt have some habits that come from both parent breeds. Your dog is likely to be independent, social, friendly, social and loving, wanting to spend lots of time with you.

They’re small but they make good watchdogs with their high-pitch bark. Your Yo-Chon is an intelligent little dog too and by having him trained and socialized he is well behaved and pleasant to have around. You can tell him to lie down, sit or stay which is useful when you have visitors.

He gets on well with children, but the puppies particularly are tiny and fragile and they can easily get hurt by untrained and undisciplined children.

The Schweizer Niederlaufhund is a medium size, short dog. They look like their cousins, the Schweizer Laufhund but smaller. Their body is just slightly longer than it is tall, so you are left with the impression of a mostly square dog. The Niederlaufhund is well put together, with strong legs, a noble head, long droopy ears, broad chest, and a low held tail.

The Small Lucerne Hound has a white cote with smooth speckles of black or gray making them appear to be blue.

The Small Bernese Hound has a tricolor coat of white, tan and black. There are tan marks on the eyebrows. There is a wire haired Small Bernese as well. He has a short beard.

The Small Schwyz Hound is smooth coated in white with orange or yellow-red patches. The wired haired version is extinct.

The Small Jura Hound is a single coated dog with a black coat and tan marking above his eyes as eyebrows as well. He might have some white as well.

The Yo-Chon is an independent, happy dog who loves nothing more than to be surrounded by all his favorite human beings.

They are loving, loyal and gentle dogs and are good playmates for children who have been taught how to handle them with care and kindness.

He is smart and has an amicable nature and will take kindly to being trained and socialized.

With the Yo-Chon in your life, you can be sure you’re going to benefit from having a splendid family pet and companion.

Children friendliness – yes, they are but use caution around small children and small prey.

2. Special talents – the breed exhibits and amazing sense of smell.

3. Adaptability - needs room to run and explore – is very frustrated when confined.

4. Learning ability – highly intelligent and eager to learn.

Both the Yorkie and Bichon Frise are dog breeds that are prone to Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease. This is when there is insufficient blood supply to the hind thigh bone, so the dog becomes lame.

Surgical correction is necessary. Like small dogs in general, the Yochon might have dental issues. Slipped kneecaps, hypothyroidism and eye problems might affect the Yochon as well.

If otherwise healthy, expect your Yochon to live well into his teens.

The Niederlaufhund Is prone to a very medical issues to keep an eye on. They include:

• Hip Dysplasia – This comes from hip joints that are not well formed and cause reduced mobility and pain. Parents can be tested before the dogs are bred to make sure their hips are good, and that dysplasia will not be passed to puppies. This dysplasia can cause arthritis and even lameness.

• Ear Infections – With long drooping ears it is easy for the dog to acquire ear infections. This is even more so for a hunting dog like the Niederlafhund. It is important to clean the dog’s ears on a regular basis.

Exercise:

Everybody is busy and they don’t always have time to exercise their pets. As a human being, your health relies heavily on the exercise you get so you and your dog can exercise together.

These days if you seriously don’t have time and you have money to spare, there are excellent doggy daycare centers where your dog can have fun playtimes with other dogs and people.

Dog exercises will change over time with age but at least try to get used to giving your pet a walk every day as this kind of exercise can extend into old age with both you and your pet.

Swimming, ball games, fetch games and walks or hikes are all great forms of exercise.

Diet:

Good nutrition ensures your Yorkie Bichon has a good chance to be healthy and energetic. Some of the commercially manufactured dog foods you get are made with bad ingredients and they can make your dog sick.

The good quality ones can be nutritious for your dog and also wonderfully convenient. Always read the packaging labels so you know what your dog’s getting.

Cooked vegetables, boiled chicken and brown rice, nicely chopped up and added to the dry kibble can add variety to your pet’s diet while remaining deliciously nutritious and tasty as well.

Always make sure your pet has a constant supply of fresh, cool water.

Grooming:

Brush your Yo-Chon at least twice a week to keep the hair silky and shiny. Clip your dog’s nails when they get long.

Check inside his ears for signs of redness and the possibility of an infection. Try and look inside his mouth too for bad teeth as this can cause lots of health problems for your pet.

If you don’t have the time to do all these things, there are professional pet groomers who will do all these grooming chores for you.

1Feeding the puppy - give 1 cup per day of high quality dog food divided into 3 meals.

2.Feeding the adult – give one and one half cups of high quality dog food divided into 2 meals.

3.Points for Good Health - Stamina

4. Games and Exercises – needs a lot of daily exercise and loves field trials, running and activities like barn hunt.