PetzloverSantal Hound is originated from India but Vikhan Sheepdog is originated from Pakistan. Santal Hound may grow 23 cm / 9 inches shorter than Vikhan Sheepdog. Santal Hound may weigh 35 kg / 77 pounds lesser than Vikhan Sheepdog. Santal Hound may live 6 years more than Vikhan Sheepdog. Both Santal Hound and Vikhan Sheepdog has almost same litter size. Santal Hound requires Low Maintenance. But Vikhan Sheepdog requires High Maintenance
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.
The Vikhan Dog is a rare breed that very little is known about. It is not sanctioned by any breed club or kennel club. The breed originally came from Pakistan in the North-west Frontier Province near the Indian border, in the Chitral region and the state of Himacchal Pradesh. For the most part Pakistan is credited with the development of the breed. They originally guarded livestock and hunting leopard. He is fast and fierce. The breed is bonded to the livestock when they are very young and instinctually guard them for the rest of their life. They do not herd them, they blend into the flock and watch for outsiders.
They confront strangers and predators with aggressive displays and vocal intimidation. If this does not work, it will attack and drive them off. They are even known for luring coyotes into a trap with food so that they can hunt them.
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.
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 Vikhan Sheepdog is a large working breed that is lean, muscular and aggressive. He is immensely intelligent and fearless. He has a thick coat in solid brown, red, fawn or black. There are also multi-colored and spotted versions as well. They are related to the other regional Molossers and are sometimes called the giant Rough Collie. They are faster than they are strong. All Molossers are solid, large and share the same ancestor.
They typically have short, muscular necks and broad but short muzzles. They have heavy bones, wrinkles and pendant ears. With well-muscled legs and wide chests, the Molossers include the mastiffs and bully breeds and all other breeds that come from those groups. Molossers are either flock guardians or home guardians. The Vikhan Sheepdog is a flock guardian
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.
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 -
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.
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.
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.
Because this is a rare breed having lived in isolation for centuries, little is known or documented about their health issues. However being a large Molosser, they face some of the same health challenges as all large dogs. These include
• Bloat – when the internal organs of the intestinal system are knotted or inverted. Without immediate attention it causes death under all circumstances. You need to get the dog to a vet as soon as possible.
• Hip Dysplasia – Can cause lameness in hind legs and/or arthritis. Can be treated.
• Elbow Dysplasia – Can cause lameness in the front legs and/or arthritis. Can be treated.
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.
1Feeding the puppy – due to the risk of bloat, don’t overfeed and don’t feed large meals before or after exercise. Also don’t feed too high protein since the puppies grow so fast and it can cause bone injuries. Feed 3-4 x day.
2.Feeding the adult - due to the risk of bloat, don’t overfeed and don’t feed large meals before or after exercise. feed 2 X day
4. Games and Exercises Although large dogs they are surprisingly good at agility, they need a lot of exercise and long walks.