Tamaskan vs Tahltan Bear Dog - Breed Comparison | PetzLover

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.

These dogs have been recognized by the American Kennel Club.

It is believed that the Tamaskan has been specifically bred to resemble a wolf, and he does too.

They aren’t recognized by the Federation Cynologique Internationale as they aren’t purebred. In fact they aren’t recognized by any kennel club, being crossbred with other dog breeds such as the German Shepherd, Siberian Husky and Alaskan Malamute.

These dogs only started emerging in the 1980s so they have a short history.

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.

Temperament:

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 beautiful Tamaskan dog is large, standing at between 61 and 71cm in height and weighing between 23 and 45 kg.

It is a mix between several sled dogs – Siberian Husky and Alaskan Malamute. The thick double coat is coarse and can be grey, cream, black or reddish and the tail of the Tamaskan is wolf-like too – thick and bushy.

His ears are erect and alert and he has sharp hearing. His almond shaped eyes can be yellow or brown and they are alert and bright and don’t miss a thing.

Temperament:

The Tamaskan is capable of becoming a good family pet, being gentle with children and accepting of other dogs. His high intelligence makes it that he can learn a lot of simple commands.

Because he has been a pack dog, he doesn’t like to be left alone. He is social and as a pet he will want to be an interactive part of his human family. Leaving him unsupervised for days on end will see him getting up to mischief.

He will die of depression, boredom and loneliness if he is put into the back yard and ignored.

They are certainly not recommended for life in the city but will need to have a large space to run and play.

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 Tamaskan may look like a wolf but he isn’t aggressive. He’s looks can be to your advantage because intruders think twice before confronting a ‘wolf’.

Little do they know that this is a loving, loyal dog that makes an excellent playmate for children. They’re social too and want to be with their family a lot of the time.

They’re dogs so devoted to their human family that they can even suffer with separation anxiety.

Give him the love and exercise he craves and you’ll find in him the most awesome canine friend.

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.

Kennel Cough:

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.

Rabies:

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.

Your healthy Tamaskan, even though he isn’t prone to common genetic health problems, can get any one of the many dog illnesses there are, although this is highly unlikely.

In general, these attractive dogs are very healthy.

However without good food, exercise, love and care, he can also be susceptible to parasites, rabies, parvovirus, hip dysplasia, bloat, skin infections and cancer.

Grooming:

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.

Exercise:

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.

Diet:

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.

Ensure that a constant supply of fresh, cool water is available to him.

The Tamaskan Dog is very active. He just loves activity - long walks and hikes and lots of running off a leash. He’ll love ball games too – anything that keeps him mentally and physically active.

Diet:

Provide your beautiful, active Tamaskan dog with top quality food that is rich in protein. You can give him one of the quality commercially manufactured foods – just check out the ingredients on the packaging and go for the dog foods with wholesome, natural ingredients in them.

Your Tamaskan is part of the family and deserves some home-made food. Nothing spicey and exotic as you’ll sit with stomach problems. Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots are a super healthy choice and food like this won’t play havoc with your dog’s digestion.

This food can all be chopped up and small portions added into the dry kibble twice a week.

Ensure there is always a bowl of fresh, cool water within his reach.

●This is a fairly low maintenance dog. He does shed so a good brush twice a week will be sufficient for him.

●When you brush him, check him over for unusual lumps. Look inside his eyes and inside his mouth as he can’t tell you about a bad tooth that could be causing him pain. Check inside his ears too for signs of redness. If you don’t want to do these things, at least send him to a professional groomer who will do it all for you.

●Have your pet neutered or spayed if you want to avoid puppies. This can be beneficial for your pet’s health too.

●Get him to the vet if he shows any sign of illness.