St. John's Water Dog vs Aussie Poo - Breed Comparison

Aussiepoo is a hybrid breed mix of purebred Poodle and Australian shepherd. If one of the parents is miniature Poodle, the Aussiepoo will be smaller than usual - mini Aussiepoo. We do not know precisely their origin, but we know that this beautiful mix is originating from USA, Australia and Canada.

Breeders can't really know how pups are going to look like until they are born. No one actually can control the combination of the genes. Usually, Aussiepoo is silky-fur playable and friendly dog, and that is always more than enough for Aussiepoo lovers.

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.

Every Aussiepoo depends on the size of the Poodle that was bred. If the parents are smaller than usual, the puppies will be smaller. Their colour also depends on the colour of the parents, and a litter can have puppies of a different colour. Their bodies are usually very muscled, with strong bones, but if you are not an outdoor type, there is a chance that your Aussiepoo will be obese. They are very active and they need a well-balanced diet.

These dogs are easy to train since they are intelligent and people oriented and you can train them while they are still puppies. Aussiepoo is generally friendly with strangers, always ready to play with children and they get along with other pets and animals. This breed is very affectionate and they like their humans to be close so it’s not recommendable to raise them to be loners.

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.

Children friendliness

Aussiepoo is a friendly kind. They are always ready to run and play with children, and they will tend to keep the children together (genes of the Australian shepherd). They are so playful that they will see no difference between an infant and a five-year-old, so be present if there are small children unstable to walk alone.

Special talent

Except the fact that they love water and that they are great swimmers, they have many agility talents.

Adaptability

Since Aussiepoo is a loving, caring and sweet kind of dog, they will fit in anywhere you take them.

They are super friendly with strangers, and that can be an issue if you don’t keep an eye on them. But, they should never be left alone, or leash free outdoors. They are not so good as a guard dog, so if you tend to keep him inside with stay-at-home family member, this breed if no a good choice.

Learning ability

They generally learn quickly. Therefore, they are easy to train. They respond better to the prize training methods.

Characteristics

1.Children friendliness - yes they are good with children.

2.Special talents swimming is their best talent

3.Adaptability large need fence, they are not large dogs but they need outdoor space

4.Learning ability – very smart and eager to learn

Risk of: eye cataracts, hip dysplasia (malformation of the ball and socket joint), epilepsy, progressive retinal atrophy (degeneration of the retina cusing progressive vision loss culminating in blindness), sebaceous sdenitis (an inflammatory skin disease that affects the skin glands), bloat, nasal solar dermatitis (sun sensitivity).

Pelger - Huet syndrome (abnormalities in blood cells. PHA testing is advised with this dog breed. PHA is inherited and dangerous only if both parents carry this abnormality.)

Von Willebrand's Disease (inherited bleeding disorder caused by a deficiency in the amount of a specific protein needed for blood clotting. It can be detected by buccal mucosal screening.)

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.

No history like Labs and Newfoundlands .

• Hip and elbow dysplasia – can cause lameness and arthritis.
• PRA – progressive retinal atrophy – can cause blindness.
• Cancer – in their later years.
• Infectious diseases – not as serious as prior to vaccinations.
• Myopathy hereditary – affects the muscles.
• Ear infections.

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Feeding the puppy

It would be great to establish a feeding routine while the Aussiepoo is still a puppy. The best advice is to feed them three times a day, with the last meal around 5 p.m. After they finish their meal, leave them for a while. Make sure to feed your puppy with high-quality food rich in nutrients, and follow the recommendation of the dosage of the food. Avoid cheap dog food and addition meals.

Feeding the adult

Once you made a healthy feeding habit and your Aussiepoo is 6 months old, they won’t need three meals per a day. Leave the meal set for the morning and the one set for the evening. Avoiding night meals is a must. Don’t start any activity with the dog right after the meal. Make sure your dog has plenty of fresh water.

Points for Good Health

Activity, outdoor games, nutritional and balanced meals are the key for an Aussiepoo.

Games and Exercises

This breed is extremely intelligent. Since they are easy to train, you will be able to take them with you anywhere you go. They love to play in the water, but make sure they are not exposed to the sun for too long. They like smart games, mentally challenging, and they will be very playful with other dogs.

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.

3.Points for Good Health - stamina

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.