Mountain Burmese vs Deutsch Drahthaar - Breed Comparison

Hailing from Germany in the 20th century, the Deutsch Drahthaar, also known as the German wirehaired Pointer, has always been a hunting dog. He was developed to take part in hunting in field or water.

Breeders of this dog were successful in developing a skilled and versatile hunting dog that took its traits from the best coarse haired dogs.

It was in 1902 that the German breed club for the Deutsch-Drahthaar was founded.

The Burmese Mountain Dog is quite often taken to be the Bernese Mountain Dog, a Swiss farm dog. However, the Burmese Mountain Dog comes not from Switzerland but from Myanmar and Burma. The Burmese was bred to hunt skunks and guard livestock for the northern tribesman of Myanmar. The way they hunted for the aggravating skunks was to hide themselves in the underbrush and wait for the skunk to go by. Their facial markings confuse skunks when they see him in the bush with a black and white face. At the same time, his rust color lets the hunter know he is the dog not the skunk.

The Mountain Burmese is an incredible athlete despite the size. They are agile. They are quick. They can climb trees – as many as fifty feet while chasing a skunk. They also make a great companion and love to be a family dog. They are calm and gentle as an adult and great with kids. They are easily trained but remember they can climb trees. However, they do not do well with cats that are black and white or solid black because they confuse them with the skunk prey.

The Deutsch-Drahthaar is a medium sized well muscled sporting dog standing at 61 to 68 cm and weighing 27-32kg.

He is very distinguishable with his wiry water-resistant coat which comes in different colors such as liver, grey or black patches with a speckled or ticked background.

He has strong, straight legs with rounded paws which are webbed for strong swimming abilities. He has dark eyes with floppy, high set ears and a long tail. Many people still want the dog to have that distinctive look and they opt to have the tail docked.

Temperament:

The Deutsch-Drahthaar is a fantastic hunting companion, loving nothing more than to be working at running across fields and plunging into water to retrieve prey.

Its the kind of dog that will fit well into family life but he will require exercise. Failing to give him exercise and attention will make him bored, frustrated and destructive.

He is a friendly, gentle dog yet he becomes protective when he feels his family is threatened. Training and socialization turn him into an excellent pet as he is a strong-willed dog that will take advantage of an owner who isn’t firm with him.

The Mountain Burmese Dog is a large, sturdy, well built and athletic canine. Strong and well balanced, he is agile and athletic when it comes to the work, he has to do in chasing skunks. He has a full body with a large head and dark, oval eyes. The Burmese has triangular ears close to his head and medium in size. With a flat, broad skull the muzzle is straight and strong. They have black noses and a scissors bite, on their muscular, strong neck. With a deep chest and broad back, they have strong ribs. Finally, the tail is bushy, long and hangs low.

The German Wirehaired Pointer is an active, energetic dog who is happiest when performing a task or getting some exercise in. He is also a social dog, who loves spending time with his human family. It is important for him to get noticed by his human family, and he is a dog that gets on well with children in the home as well as pets.

Never just put your Pointer in the back yard and expect him to entertain himself. He wants to be included in all your activities, whether you’re walking, jogging or cycling.

A happy Deutsch Drahthaar will make sure that he gives you your full quota of love, loyalty, protection and companionship.

Children friendliness

Yes, they are great with kids.

Special talents

Hunting skunks and climbing trees.

Adaptability

Yes, but they need a lot of space.

Learning

Ability is high. They are very intelligent and trainable.

When you start doing research on these German wirehairs, you see that they are far more prone to hip- and elbow dysplasia than the short-haired breed.

Also, von Willebrand’s blood-clotting disease is something that you should know about. Your German wirehair is a healthy, robust dog and is highly unlikely to get sick, but you need to be aware of these common dog ailments so that you can help him and know what to watch for.

This Von Willebrand’s disease for instance is a blood disease brought about by a deficiency of von Willebrand Factor (vWF). A lack of this vWF impairs platelet stickiness and clumping and can lead to excessive bleeding after an injury.

You may notice bleeding from the gums, bruising of skin, prolonged bleeding after an injury as well as blood in the urine for instance. Get your pet to the vet who will perform a physical exam on your dog.

The kind of health issues that most large or giant dogs have to deal with are some of the same things that this breed dealt with.

• Hip and Elbow Dysplasia – Can cause arthritis and lameness.
• Blood Disorders
• Cancers -various
• Progressive Retinal Atrophy – can cause blindness.
• Bloat - Fatal
• Heat Stroke – Can be fatal. Watch her in the heat.

Grooming:

Your Deutsch Drahthaar does shed, and because of his wiry coat, he won’t only require a brush twice a week, but also stripping by a professional doggy parlor.

There are several other grooming processes that are essential for your dog. The first is to check that his nails don’t get too long. This often happens when he spends all his time on soft grass. Running on a hard surface trims them down naturally.

Also, because he has floppy ears, they will need to be checked and cleaned regularly so he doesn’t get an ear infection. His teeth will also need to be brushed twice a week as tartar and plaque build-up can cause problems with the teeth but also with other areas of the body.

If in doubt about how to groom your pet the right way, speak to your vet or a dog expert.

Diet:

There is so much conflicting information on caring for dogs, even from so-called dog experts. While there are some excellent dog food manufacturers around, some experts will say that you should be feeding your dog based on what his digestive system was designed to eat and steer clear of these.

If you do feed your German wirehaired Pointer with manufactured dog food, make sure it is the very best one, because after all, nutrition plays a vital role in your pet’s health.

Try to include some cooked vegetables, brown rice and some chicken into his diet. These can be mixed into his kibble. It is expensive, but try to include some raw meat into your dog’s diet from time to time. Ensure a constant supply of cool, fresh water.

No more Puppies!

If your Deutsch Drahthaar isn’t going to be used for breeding, make sure that your have him or her neutered or spayed as this is advisable to promote good health. Not doing it can cause health issues later on.

Feeding the puppy

Feed a high quality dog food designed for large or giant puppies. Feed 3times a day 2.5 times for puppies and go easy on the treats

Feeding the adult

There is a definite tendency for these dogs to become obese. Don’t overfeed. Don’t free feed. Large breed high quality dog food should be fed 2 times a day and go easy on the treats. Watch his weight.

Points for Good Health

strength, stamina

Games and Exercises

The breed is definitely athletic and active. They love to chase and take long walks daily. They need a large yard but be careful as they can climb trees and your fence. They are great companions when backpacking and camping. If there are skunks in the area however watch out! These are hunting dogs despite their size and they would do very well in barn hunt and field trials.