Santal Hound vs Askal - Breed Comparison | PetzLover

The Askal is a native dog of the Philippines where until fairly recently it was viewed condescendingly. As strays they have been slaughtered and dished up at the dinner table. Fortunately, campaigns have been launched to protect the dogs. The Askal has existed in the Philippines for centuries but the actual origin of the dogs is unknown. Some people speculate about the dogs, saying they look like the Dingo and must have descended from Australia’s native dog.

PAWS which is an animal Rescue and Re-homing, non-profit group encourages the use of the term Aspin for the dog as opposed to Askal and has had campaigns to promote the Aspin as a wonderful, local pet – loyal, robust and intelligent. In fact the Aspin Club has now been formed to give the dogs a club of their own and to promote the local breed.

The Santal Hound has always been used for hunting and these Indian pariah dogs haven’t changed much over the years.

It is a small red Indian indigenous dog. It is named after the Santal tribe who used the dog for hunting. They sometimes refer to the dog as Seuta and Kukur.

When you do research on the Santal Hound, you will mostly find it among indigenous peoples. It isn’t only found in India but in Africa, being found among the different nomadic  hunting tribes in East Africa.

Breed Description

Askals make awesome companions – intelligent and loving and their status is improving.

Smart to Train

Askals are now being trained to be bomb and narcotics sniffing dogs and it seems as though there are talks about making the Askal the national dog of the Philippines. They’re smart enough to train and socialize if you train them with patience and kindness.

General Appearance

They are medium-sized, feisty dogs with fairly long thin legs with short dense coats of many different colours. With their long, pointed muzzles and good, strong teeth, their ear shapes vary too, as some have pricked ears, while others have one pricked and one floppy ear.

Loyal to Family and Good with Kids

The Askal will make a good watch dogs and he is protective with hisr human family, getting on well with children in the home, loving their energy and games.

The Santal is considered a small to medium sized dog standing at between 40 and 45cm in height and weighing between 9 and 12 kilograms.

It is also slightly built with fine bones. The coat of the dog is reddish brown or yellow-brown, the eyes are almond shaped and brown and the muzzle is pointed. The ears of the dog are erect and point forward. The tail of this dog is usually curled over the dog’s back. The dog doesn’t really bark as such but howls instead. It has small paws and walks with a high-stepping style like a prancing horse.

Temperament:

These dogs are calm, independent, loving and loyal and also affectionate with their human family. He is cool with strangers.

They are alert, intelligent dogs and you certainly won’t have any trouble teaching him a few simple commands. He cleans himself like a cat. He seems to understand what you say as he always cocks his head to one side when you talk to him. He is a playful dog and will love to be involved with games with the children.

He can also get on well with other dogs in the family. He is capable of adapting to life in the city or the countryside just so long as his exercise needs are met.

The Askal is an independent canine, street-smart and intelligent. He is a great pet for anyone who hasn't owned a pet before as he is low maintenance and undemanding.

Just your Regular Dog-Next Door

The Askal is intelligent and you won't have trouble teaching him some tricks and socializing him. He gets on well with children in the home as well as with other pets and his loyalty and devotion will ensure that he makes one hang of a companion.

He is just your 'dog next door', has no hang-ups and is simple to please. Be patient and kind to him and you'll be rewarded by having an awesome best friend.

Unconditional Friendship

Your Askal is wanting to be your unconditional friend through thick and thin. His undemanding, low maintenance character will mean that you won't be running to the vet with him all the time. Look after him well, include him as a member of the family and in exchange you'll have a wonderful best friend.

The Santal dog is an unusual dog with some unique characteristics. He hasn’t got any particularly exceptional characteristics either, but he promises to make you a good pet.

He is capable of providing you with lots of love, and on top of that he is a low maintenance dog too.

When you bring him into your home, you’re going to get yourself a loyal, loving pet and companion.

Fewer Genes in Common - Healthier Pets

Askals are healthy dogs because they are a mixed breed. The parents of a mongrel puppy have fewer genes in common than would be with a pure-bred mating. This is a distinct health advantage and mongrels are healthier and live longer than pure bred dogs. Street dogs have greater generic diversity and this gives them high resistance to many common dog illnesses.

Vaccinations Imperative for Askal Puppy

The Askal is a tough, low maintenance dog that won’t cost you a lot of money in veterinary bills. Every Askal puppy will have to be taken to the vet to get his must-have vaccinations to protect him from killer dog diseases.

Dogs stand a better chance of avoiding sickness if they are fed well and they get a fair amount of exercise. But our fur kids can get sick anytime really, and it pays to know about some of the dangerous diseases they can succumb to -

Canine parvovirus:

Your dog will have a fever, he will be lethargic and have diarrhea with vomiting. It is a contagious virus affecting dogs that come into contact with the feces of an ill dog. It attacks a dog’s internal organs, and although the vet will do everything possible to help your dog, parvo is often fatal.

There are vaccines to prevent your dog getting this terrible disease.

Heartworm:

Your dog will be coughing, have respiratory problems, lethargy and weight loss. These parasites are found in your dog’s heart and are spread by mosquitoes. Check with your vet about treatments to prevent this horrible illness.

Rabies:

Have your pet vaccinated against rabies, a deadly diseases spread by saliva and a bite from an infected animal. It is fatal and once your dog has this disease, there is no treatment.

Grooming

the Askal is a low shedder and to keep him in tip-top condition will require you brushing his shor-haired coat twice a week.

Feeding

Askals dogs are native Philippine dogs and aren’t difficult to feed. While you want to give your Askal the best quality food possible, they are unlike pure breed pedigrees and their stomachs are far more resilient to disease causing organisms that may upset the stomach. Having such a robust dog as a pet will cost you less in dog food as they can tolerate cheaper quality foods and left over scraps from the family table. Make sure the food you toss to him is fresh as you don’t want to take his strong stomach for granted and risk him getting sick. If you’re able to provide your Askal with hone cooked food, rice, vegetables and meat will be perfect for this wonderful pet of yours. Feeding your Askal will depend on your budget, but that’s the beauty with the Askal – it’s a dog that every dog-lover can own because this isn’t an exotic, expensive dog. Make sure he always has access to a bowl of clean, cool water.

Exercise

The Askal has always roamed the Phillipine streets. Every dog will require some form of exercising and the Askal is no different. Take him for walks or play ball games with him to ensure he is stimulated and made to feel part of the family.

Diet:

Provide your Santal Hound with top quality food to ensure his health. While there are some excellent commercially manufactured foods on the market, it is important to choose the high quality ones that have natural, good ingredients in them.

Try to include some home-made food for him which can be simply mixed into the dry kibble twice a week. Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots are super tasty and nutritious. Your dog will love such simple, good food as it doesn’t upset his stomach.

If you can, try and include a little bit of raw meat to his diet occasionally as this can go towards ensuring he doesn’t get skin diseases.

Trim your dogs nails, check his eyes and ears for infection and check his teeth too.

Provide your dog with a warm, dry place to sleep.

Don’t allow your Santal Hound to have puppies. There are so many unwanted puppies all over the world. Rather have him or her spayed or neutered to avoid puppies that nobody wants. It is beneficial for his health too.