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Formosan Mountain Dog is originated from Taiwan but Spanish Pointer is originated from Spain. Formosan Mountain Dog may grow 15 cm / 5 inches shorter than Spanish Pointer. Formosan Mountain Dog may weigh 12 kg / 26 pounds lesser than Spanish Pointer. Formosan Mountain Dog may live 3 years less than Spanish Pointer. Formosan Mountain Dog may have more litter size than Spanish Pointer. Both Formosan Mountain Dog and Spanish Pointer 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 Spanish Pointer is a large hunting breed. The dog hails from Spain and it is believed that the dog was used to develop other pointing breeds.
It is popular in Spain but fairly unknown beyond Spanish borders. Known as the Burgos Pointer, the official name for the dog is Perdiguero de Burgos.
It is thought that the dog comes from mixing the Pachon Navarra and the Sabueso Espanol. The dog was developed to point out game so they have the typical longish head with the pointing tail.
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 body of this dog is true to the Pointer type of dog with the body being muscular and lean.
He stands at between 62 to 67cm in height and weighs about 25 to 30kg. The ears are quite long and floppy and the tail is usually docked to a third of its length.
The coat which is mostly short can be whitish with tan or brown markings with freckling or it can be a brownish shade with darker brown markings.
The Spanish Pointer is a quiet, calm, gentle dog and not at all aggressive. They’re able to get on well with children and other pets.
They’re dogs that love the great outdoors and aren’t suited to city living. They’re dogs that need a good deal of exercise too. Being intelligent the pointer dog will benefit from training and socialization.
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.
Your attractive Spanish Pointer is such an amicable dog that it is a pleasure to have him around you.
He makes such a splendid pet, but only if their intense exercise needs are catered to. He can’t possibly be expected to spend days in a tiny yard with nothing to do. It would be cruel.
Their top priority is to be out in the fields hunting. Nonetheless he gets on well with children and other dogs, and with the right home and environment you’ll be so glad you chose one of these beautiful dogs as your 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.
The Spanish Pointer is a healthy dog breed that can live to be as old as 15 if he gets the right care.
Like other dogs, they can develop certain health problems, and you want to be aware of cherry eye, ear infections, hip dysplasia and allergies.
These dogs just love to swim, and it can be difficult to keep the inside of his ears from moisture.
Unfortunately wax, dirt and moisture can all cause an ear infection. Ear infections can be extremely painful. You’ll see your dog shaking his head and pawing at his ears. There will be redness inside the ear and possibly a discharge too. He will need to see the vet.
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.
As a hunting dog, the Spanish Pointer has always been used to a lot of exercise. If you don’t use him for hunting, you will need to take him on long walks. They just love sniffing around and following a scent. Ball and frisbee games where you get him running will be excellent for him.
The Spanish Pointer is a large hunting dog, so when you choose commercially manufactured dog food, make sure it’s for large breed dogs. Also make sure the food is for active dogs too.
The manufacturers of these dog foods know what vitamins and minerals to include for active dogs like these. Read the packaging carefully and avoid the inferior dog foods as they are full of ingredients that can make your dog sick.
Try and feed your Spanish Pointer some home-made food too. Make sure it isn’t spicy, exotic foods as these can cause digestive problems.
Food such as boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta, sweet potatoes, spinach and carrots are superb, simple food choices for your canine friend. You can chop it up and add some of this to the dry kibble twice a week as a treat for your pet.
Try and add some raw meat to the diet occasionally as this can be helpful in preventing skin infections.
The coat of your dog is short so a good brush twice a week will keep it in tip top condition. If he is super active, with a mitt or damp cloth you can wipe down his fur if it has mud stuck to it. It’s your time to check him over for ticks and fleas as well.