Petzlover
Formosan Mountain Dog is originated from Taiwan but Pharaoh Hound is originated from Malta. Formosan Mountain Dog may grow 11 cm / 4 inches shorter than Pharaoh Hound. Formosan Mountain Dog may weigh 9 kg / 19 pounds lesser than Pharaoh Hound. Both Formosan Mountain Dog and Pharaoh Hound has almost same life span. Formosan Mountain Dog may have more litter size than Pharaoh Hound. Both Formosan Mountain Dog and Pharaoh Hound requires Low Maintenance.
The Formosan Mountain Dog is most often known as the Taiwan dog and it is a landrace indigenous to Taiwan. It is a small to medium breed of dog that was semi-wild at one time. The colonialization of Taiwan and other foreigners help to fully domesticate the Formosan Mountain Dog. They were found to be very trainable and uniquely suited for the terrain around Taiwan. The dogs were easy to train and now serve as hunting dogs, stunt dogs, guard dogs, rescue dogs, therapy dog and personal companions. There are three types of Formosans two smaller types and one medium. However, the original pure Formosan Mountain Dog is getting close to extinction again because the government and people have provided no protection or conservation efforts for them. These dogs have been living in Taiwan in the mountains and were called Formosan Mountain Dogs when Taiwan was known as Formosa. They come from a line of Southeast Asian hunting/gun dogs and they are considered ‘rare’ now.
According to historian Dr. Sung Yung-yi, the breed went through 4 major catastrophes that affected their development. The first of these was the Dutch Establishment in 1624. The Dutch colonized Taiwan and imported both people and dogs. The dog they brought in was called the Flying Dog and was either Greyhound or Pointer. Eventually, the Flying Dog bred with the Formosan Mountain Dog. This along with the slaughter of dogs belonging to the indigenous people by the government, starting the decline of the original Taiwan dog.
In 1895, it was the Japanese acquiring Taiwan following the First Sino-Japanese War. The Japanese bred the Formosan Mountain Dog extensively with the own Japanese dogs. This further diluted the line and authenticity of Taiwan dogs.
This was followed by World War II when German Shepherds traveled with the US Army and they cross-bred with the Formosan. This was the third major dilution of the Formosan Mountain dog line. At the same time, the Japanese government considered the Formosan Mountain Dog a sanitation threat and barbaric. They massacred them in large numbers in the name of sanitation.
The fourth and final dilution took place during the Kuomintang Era beginning in 1945 with the arrival of the Chinese Nationalist Party. They brought with them the culture of eating dogs. During this time the economy of Taiwan took off and business people began to import their own foreign dogs that were high priced purebreds. These dogs bred with the Formosan and other Formosans were just abandoned to die. The ranks of the breed became very thin indeed. Today’s pure Formosan is highly valuable and extremely rare. Because of all the crossbreeding over the centuries, today’s purebred Formosan Mountain Dog is very different from the Taiwan dog of old. Today’s Formosan is loved all over the island and is a companion and watchdog.
Today there is an effort by Taiwanese ecologists to put together a research project that would study and preserve the Formosan in its indigenous form. Dr. Yung-yi led this effort. He located only 46 dogs with a pure pedigree, 21 females and 25 males. They let the Food and Agricultural of the United Nations know and the dogs were labeled close to extinction. Reproducing from the indigenous dogs to purify and increase the breed was the goal. The government was not very supportive.
Today the Royal Air Force is looking at the Formosan Dog to use for military security. They are currently only using German Shepherds and needed another choice. It was decided that the Formosan Mountain Dog had a better sense of smell, dexterity, alertness, and hearing as well as better padding on their paws.
Through these efforts and those of foundation stock breeders and owners, the Formosan Mountain Dog in its indigenous form was brought back. Some call this dog a purebred Formosan while others consider it a new type. Standards were presented to the FCI for registrations as a purebred. This debate continues today
The Pharaoh Hound hails from Malta and is the national dog there. These dogs are rare and are looked upon as endangered. Because they are a primitive type dog, they enjoy good health.
It has always been used as a hunting dog for rabbits. The dog has been recreated from mixing a combination of other breeds. It certainly seems to be an ancient dog breed, having existed for more than 2 000 years.
It is thought that the dog was imported to Malta by Phoenician traders. The dog has been classified as a member of the sighthound group, and arrived in England in the 1930s and to the USA in 1967. The breed was also officially recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1984.
The Formosan Mountain Dog that was seen during Dr. Sung Yung-yi’s research is a medium-sized dog, athletic and fit. It has a deep chest and a slim waist. The ears are half-covered, the nose is black and there is a coating of black on the tongue. This black tongue is the most distinguishing attribute of the Formosan Mountain Dog. The breed has a strong jaw, the skull that is just slightly longer than the muzzle, which is flat and tapered, triangle face and almond eyes. They have a thick coat and upright, curved tail.
The dogs are known to be extremely agile with an ability to hop that is rare in dogs but helps when hunting animals like rats. The Formosan Mountain Dogs hunted in packs with each dog attacking the prey with one bite until it was too exhausted to fight them off any longer.
The Pharoah Hound is an elegant looking dog standing at roughly between 53 and 63cm and weighing 18 to 27kg.
They are sleek dogs without any bulkiness about them and the coat is tight fitting with short smooth hair. The coat is a tan or red color, the eyes bright and the color of amber. The ears are fairly large and erect and the long tail slim with sometimes a white tip. The skin can be thin so the dog can be sensitive to the cold.
The neck of the dog is long and lean, as are the legs. An interesting aspect with this dog is that when the dog becomes excited its ears and nose become bright pink.
Pharoah Hounds are calm dogs and they can live in the city or in the countryside. They love kids and will be a wonderful playmate for them. Once he has had a lot of exercise and play, he is the kind of dog that will settle down happily with his human family for some quiet time.
Just as with any other dog, he will require training and socialization to make him obedient and better behaved.
The Formosan Mountain Dog is very child-friendly. He is affectionate and loyal to his family and protective of his children.
He is intelligent and has exceptional hunting skills. He is a good guard dog due to his alertness, but they can be fear-aggressive.
He is very adaptable to living in any location as long as there is somewhere for him to get adequate exercise. He is friendly to people and animals.
He is intelligent and learns quickly.
The Pharaoh Hound is quite interesting in a number of ways and he is independent, strong-willed and able to entertain and amuse himself.
He loves to join in with the children and be part of their games. He’s intelligent and easily trained and he is also low maintenance.
While he’s not the most attractive dog to many people, others look at him as a true beauty. Whatever your opinion is, he will still make you a good family friend.
Because there have not been any studies done on the health of the Formosan Mountain Dog, there is not a lot known about any inherent or genetic health issues. It would seem that some bloodlines are healthy, and others have some serious issues. Especially because there are no studies, it is important for breeders to test for eye issues and skeletal issues through the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals and the Canine Eye Registration Foundation.
Pharaoh Hounds are uncommon outside of the Maltese Islands and with very little irresponsible breeding, these dogs are virtually free of genetic diseases. A common dog illness to look out for includes -
Your Pharaoh Hound can suffer from patella luxation, and in more severe cases it can be painful and even be disabling for a dog. This ailment comes about when the kneecap is dislocated from its normal position. You’ll find your dog lifting his hind leg quite a bit. Unfortunately this problem can lead to arthritis developing.
Other illnesses to look out for are bloat, cancer, skin allergies and ear infections.
Feed a high-quality puppy food for medium size dogs at the rate of a ¼ cup twice a day until 8 months then ½ to ¾ twice a day until 12-16 months.
1 to 2 cups of high-quality dry food split into 2 meals per day.
Generally healthy breed. Keep clean and watch for mites.
This is an energetic breed and he needs a lot of exercise. He must have at least an hour of exercise daily but the more, the better. He loves swimming and jogging with his people. He’s athletic, smart and agile. He does well with field trials, tracking, agility, and obedience.
The Pharaoh Hound’s short coat is easy to groom and it will require a brushing at least twice a week just to get rid of loose hairs.
At the same time trim his nails, check inside his ears for infection and look inside his mouth for any rotting teeth.
Your Pharaoh Hound is an active, energetic dog and he will need a good dose of exercise every day. Take him with you on your walks or allow him to join you with your hikes, jogging or cycling. At home involve him in some ball games.
How much any adult dog eats will depend on a number of factors such as size of dog, age and his activity levels.
You get some excellent dog kibble these days on the market but the idea is to choose one of the high quality ones which have minerals and vitamins in them. Home-made food is also good for your pet and this should be kept simple, consistent and nutritious.
Every now and then you can add in some boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and sweet potato, carrots and spinach to the kibble. Some raw meat added in can also be of benefit to your dog’s health.
Stay away from spicy, exotic foods and keep your dog's food easy like suggested so as to avoid digestive problems