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This breed of dog is a variety of huskies. The Finnish name of the breed sounds differently and is difficult for a Russian-speaking person to perceive - Karjalankarhukoira. Representatives of this breed are descendants of an old Finnish breed and Arkhangelsk husky brought to the territory of Karelia by local hunting lovers.
These large Spitz, with developed flair, are designed to search for animals. The breed was bred by the Finns hundreds of years ago, but their ancestors lived in the forested areas of the north for many years before the appearance of people there. Karelian bear dogs are quite bold and active animals.
During the hunt, they help hunters to chase prey. These animals help the Finns to chase moose and wild boars, while Karelian bear dogs are not particularly suitable for guard purposes.
Breed description
These are large enough animals, they measure about 60 cm in males at the withers and slightly less in females, and weigh about 25 kilograms.
Breed Standards:
- Torso. Has a stocky, slightly elongated shape, the withers are slightly raised. With a developed chest.
- Neck. Oval shape. Muscular It has an average length.
- Head. It has a neat triangular shape. In the occiput, flat. The forehead is wide, moderately convex.
- The nose is always flat. The tip is slightly narrowed and rounded. Small size. The nostrils are wide open.
- Bite. Necessarily correct.
- The ears. Small size. They look forward. Widely set. The tips are rounded.
- Eyes. Small size. Rather round than oval. Eyelids are black. The irises have an amber or darker brown tint. The look is meaningful, attentive and somewhat wary.
- Paws The muscles are well developed in the area of the shoulder blades and shoulders. Extremities of medium length with rounded, tightly assembled fingers. On the forefeet, the toes are shorter than on the hind legs. Due to the thick coat, they are visually more voluminous than they actually are.
- Tail. About 5 centimeters long. Most often bent in the shape of a ringlet.
- Wool. The outer hair is very thick and coarse, long enough. The undercoat is soft, thick and very dense. In the neck, hips, and spine, the coat is longer than on the rest of the body.
- Color. Black with a bronze tint. The presence of white spots on all parts of the body is characteristic. The main color of white with black spots is undesirable, but acceptable. The shade of black wool should be bronze, but not shine.
Character Features
This animal is not a sofa, apartment pet. They are strictly contraindicated in keeping in the same room with other animals, especially dogs. For all its good looks, it is a real hunter with very peculiar character traits. It cannot be called good or evil, in any case - aggressive, a completely different word - specific - approaches the character of the Karelians.
As a rule, they get along well with children. But they are not recommended to be left alone with the kids. The Karelians are tolerant and restrained to them. Prefer to stay away.
A painful problem for many owners are walking with a bear dog. This animal is inherently different in that it requires free walking. However, often after removing the leash it behaves quite unpredictably. After some time, his hunting instincts turn on, and the four-legged friend breaks off in pursuit of the prey that came into view.As a result, other representatives of the animal world, for example, cats or rabbits, can suffer. Yes, and the pet itself may be lost. For this reason, Karelians are not recommended to walk without a leash in the habitats of potential victims.
Puppies must be raised at a very young age. Even babies instinctively chase after a potential victim. Training requires utmost patience and it is better to entrust it to experienced professionals. But even with the right approach, this dog cannot be made a diligent student, humbly and restrained on his hind legs on the first command of the owner. The main task of education is to establish interpersonal contact between the animal and its owner.
This pet is not suitable as a guard. Moreover, he, of course, has the necessary qualities in terms of protecting the territory, but is prone to excessive aggression towards those who violate his own borders. For their training there is a specially designed system. For this reason, the trainer should be as experienced as possible in terms of training Karelian dogs.
Attention! The manifestation of human emotions of dogs of this breed is perceived as a sign of weakness and cowardice. Raising the voice or physical punishment is by no means permissible.
Hunting skills
Hunting is a natural vocation of a bear breed. As soon as the puppy independently paws, he considers himself an already established hunter from the tips of the ears to the tail. The best time to learn the skills necessary in the hunting process is from six months to a year. For about a year, you can begin to improve the knowledge gained in practice. If the pet is too aggressive towards four-legged brothers and people, then they should not be allowed to the hunting process.
Attention! Initially, puppies are taught to properly respond to loud sounds and other possible annoying moments. And only then they begin training. Individuals that do not respond correctly to commands are dangerous during hunting.
Features of care and maintenance
Representatives of this breed are in no way intended for maintenance in the house. An ideal place to live is a fenced area with a booth and an aviary. Urban conditions are not the best option for bear cubs. Since an animal that needs regular walking can create huge problems with its hunting instincts and excessive aggressiveness for the owner. In principle, keeping a pet in urban conditions is possible if there are places suitable for walking nearby without a large crowd of people nearby.
Fact! A distinctive feature of the representatives of this breed is the absence of a characteristic dog smell. Even after getting wet, the animal will not stink of dog.
Hair care
As a rule, it does not cause much trouble. However, during molting periods, due to a sufficiently thick undercoat, the owner of the Karelian may suffer from its excessive loss. In such periods, the animal must be combed daily with a special brush, removing the remaining wool with a damp towel.
Several times a week, it is necessary to examine the ears of the pet and eyes. After all, they primarily reflect the state of health of the dog. The same goes for teeth. In addition, teeth should be brushed regularly. At least 2 times a month to avoid caries and tartar. To do this, you need to start while the puppy is still very small, otherwise it can cause difficulties for owners of adult dogs.
Paw pads and claws do not require close attention. The only thing that paws should be treated with antiseptics, if mechanical damage is present on them, is necessary in order to avoid infection, due to the ingress of pathogens.
Nutrition
It is the main and most important aspect of keeping dogs of this breed. It must be of high quality and properly balanced. Given the fact that the bear cubs have a fairly active temperament, their nutrition should be high-calorie and easily digestible. By their nature, they are not subject to individual reactions to certain components of food, which gives owners complete freedom of choice between home-made food and special food. At the same time, the food must be high quality and perfectly balanced for dogs of large breeds that need a nutritious diet.
In principle, it is quite possible and even desirable to feed them with a natural and balanced meal. The basis of the animal's diet should be fresh and high-quality meat of low-fat varieties, preferably veal or rabbit. It is imperative to include cereals and vegetables that wild animals eat.
Mixed nutrition is acceptable when natural foods alternate with special foods. If dry food is used to feed puppies, they need to be given plenty of fluids.
When a pet is weakened or susceptible to frequent diseases, it is necessary to introduce specialized complex vitamins into its diet. As for which ones are best to choose, those recommended by the veterinarian are ideal.
During mating periods, animals can become more aggressive and focus more on the hosts. Most likely, their behavior during such periods depends on the individual characteristics of each particular dog.
Health
Karelian dogs are one of the healthiest members of the canine family. This is confirmed by statistics. The life expectancy of representatives of this breed is on average about 12 years.
Nevertheless, they are still susceptible to certain diseases characteristic of representatives of this particular breed, namely:
- A set of extra pounds and subsequent obesity.
- Endocrine disruption.
It is worth noting that even such good health and natural physical resistance to various possible influencing factors does not give any guarantees that the pet will not be able to suffer from infectious diseases dangerous for dogs.
To maximize the quality of life of the pet and increase its duration, the animal must be vaccinated according to the calendar. Regularly carry out preventive deworming (once a quarter) with the help of special drugs purchased at the pharmacy, in full compliance with the conditions of use and dosage. Otherwise, the animal may suffer.
Purchase
Each future owner of a bear cub must weigh the pros and cons in advance to such a serious step as buying a dog of this breed. It should be borne in mind that males are more suitable for hunting than females. The female can be excluded from professional activities for periods of estrus, pregnancy and feeding her babies for a long time. The male is always "ready for battle." In this case, the female may be more expensive.
It is advisable to ask when buying what kind of food the baby was fed, and what skills he was trained. This will make it possible to do without many unpleasant surprises and additional problems.
In Russia, this breed of dog is found, but rather rarely. You can find them by receiving recommendations from professional hunter clubs.
Together with the puppy, the new owner should receive all the necessary documents in his hands: passport, pedigree and veterinary passport. The price for puppies of a Karelian bear dog starts at $ 800 for a pet class pet and above.
Video: Karelian bear dog
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