Kerry Beagle is originated from Ireland but St. John's Water Dog is originated from Canada. Kerry Beagle may grow 8 cm / 4 inches higher than St. John's Water Dog. Kerry Beagle may weigh 14 kg / 30 pounds lesser than St. John's Water Dog. Both Kerry Beagle and St. John's Water Dog has almost same life span. Kerry Beagle may have more litter size than St. John's Water Dog. Both Kerry Beagle and St. John's Water Dog requires Low Maintenance.
The Kerry Beagle is an ancient dog breed, thought to go back as far as the 16th century and looked upon as one of the oldest of all the Irish dog breeds. The dog was introduced to Ireland by the Celts.
It is believed to have descended from the Old Southern Hound or Celtic Hounds.The Kerry Beagle was taken by Irish immigrants to America and is a foundation breed in the development of the Coonhound for hunting and scenting.
The Kerry Beagle isn't recognized by the AKC but has been recognized by the Irish Kennel Club in 1991. It is still rare outside of Ireland and it hasn't been recognized by major kennel clubs.
The breed known as the St. John’s water dog is an extinct landrace breed. They were domestic dogs found in Newfoundland and at times were called the lesser Newfoundland. There is not much information available about the other breeds that went into its development. Hypothetically it is believed they are a mix of the Irish, Old English and Portuguese dogs bred to work.
It is also thought that other breeds in their family tree, descending from them, include the Golden Retriever, the Flat-Coated Retriever, the Chesapeake Bay Retriever, the Labrador and the Curly-Coated Retriever. The Newfoundland is also related to the St. Johns Water Dog through the line of Rafeirio do Alenteios that Portuguese fisherman brought to the island.
The breed was exported to England in the 19th century and early 20th. There the breeds of retrievers were developed. In Canada during this time frame restrictions were placed on dog ownership in order to encourage people to raise sheep. At the same time England imposed a long quarantine on all animals coming into the country in order to get rid of rabies. These two factors contributed greatly to the extinction of the breed. It seems the last two dogs were seen in a remote area in the 1980’s. All attempts to save the breed failed.
The Kerry Beagle is a medium sized dog with a solid physique. He stands at about 56 – 61cm and weighs between 22 and 27kg. He has a broad head with drop ears. His eyes are large and deep set and are a yellow to brownish color, giving the dog an intelligent expression.
His coat is short and the most common color for this dog is black and tan, but you can also find tan and white or some blue mottling as well. He is a lean, muscled dog with a deep chest and legs which are slim and long, providing the dog with the ability to pick up speed on a hunt. The tail of the dog is long and slightly curved and carried level.
As a packhound this dog is a serious hunter. He may look aggressive as he goes after his prey but he is actually a calm, well-balanced, friendly dog who forms a strong, loving relationship with his human family.
He is also gentle and playful with children in the home and also gets on well with other dogs too. He is intelligent and will readily respond to training and socialization. It's a dog that just loves being outside, especially when there is something to do, such as playing ball games or going on a long walk.
He is alert and inquisitive and makes an excellent watchdog. A home with a good sized garden will be ideal for the Kerry Beagle, though it can be kept in small gardens in the city too, just so long as he is given the opportunity for daily exercise.
St. John’s Water Dog is strong, medium sized and stocky. They looked more like English Labs than American Labs. They had a thick, short coat, loved swimming, had a lot of endurance and rudder tail. It was also described as a thin, black dog with short hair. They had white patches on their chest and feet. His nose was thin and tapered, his legs powerful, his chest muscular. The breed is quick, swims, runs quickly and is a fighter as well.
Never accepted by any major kennel club except as a foundation breed. They became extinct.
The Kerry Beagle may well be quite an aggressive dog when showing off his hunting skills, but when it comes to being around his human family, he softens up and becomes a gentle, loving friend.
He is an affectionate playmate for children and also gets on well with other dogs you may have in the home.
Your Kerry Beagle is alert, intelligent and active, and when you have one of them as a 4-legged family member, you'll discover what a wonderful, devoted companion he can be.
If your Kerry Beagle is ill or injured you need to get him to the vet for a full assessment. As a puppy he will also need certain vaccinations to protect him from some life-threatening illnesses as well as getting de-wormed.
Bad smelling breath is a symptom that your pet's teeth need checking. If you're not sure how to maintain his teeth, make sure your Kerry Beagle has professional dental cleaning to ensure his gums and teeth are kept in a healthy state. Your vet will give you advise on how to watch for periodontal disease.
In hot weather particularly, check your dog over for fleas and ticks and remove them.
Heartworm is a fatal disease which which can affect your dog. Speak to your vet about treatments as living in a hot, wet area opens you pet up to bites from infected mosquitoes.
There is no documented history of any genetic or hereditary illnesses in the breed. However, it seems rational to believe they suffered from ailments similar to Labradors and newfoundland though they are smaller dogs.
Because of the short coat of the Kerry Beagle, he is looked upon as a low maintenance dog. He doesn't shed very much, and simple grooming is required such as brushing the coat twice a week.
His nails will also need to be clipped, as left long, they can hook on things and rip your pet's flesh.
You will need to check his teeth and also check inside his ears. Dogs with floppy ears are more prone to infection in the ears and this can cause terrible pain for your pet.
If you keep your Kerry Beagle as a hunting dog, you will know that active dogs like these have different dietary requirements to companion dogs.
All that activity requires top quality nutrition and a certain amount of calories. If you're buying dry kibble, make sure its the highest quality so that he doesn't require huge portions to satisfy him. Leading canine nutritionists recommend a hunting dog like this be fed a large meal once a day and preferably in the evening, after all the hunting action.
1Feeding the puppy – Don’t overfeed – they have a propensity toward obesity. Feed high quality, high protein 3 x a day.
2.Feeding the adult – Don’t overfeed. Feed a high quality, high protein 1-2 x a day.
4. Games and Exercises – They need space to run and they love to explore. They would also love to be near water where they could swim. Good at dock diving, field trials, flyball and frisbee.