Tamaskan vs Pugnaces Britanniae - Breed Comparison

Pugnaces Britanniae is a dog which is now extinct. There isn't certainty surrounding the origins of the dog but it is thought they descended from dogs brought to Britain way back in the 6th century BC already.

These are ancient dogs, and when you do research you find references dating back to centuries ago. In fact when you read of the Roman conquest of Britain you read of huge dogs, which the Romans referred to as Pugnaces Britanniae.

It is believed that the English Mastiff descended from the ancient Alaunt and Pugnaces Britanniae and that the dog was used as a war dog.

It is believed that the Tamaskan has been specifically bred to resemble a wolf, and he does too.

They aren’t recognized by the Federation Cynologique Internationale as they aren’t purebred. In fact they aren’t recognized by any kennel club, being crossbred with other dog breeds such as the German Shepherd, Siberian Husky and Alaskan Malamute.

These dogs only started emerging in the 1980s so they have a short history.

The Pugnaces Britanniae was a huge dog standing at roughly 67 to 75cm and weighing 52 to 110kg.

He was a heavily built dog, a Mastiff type dog that had a large head, broad muzzle with fairly loose skin around the mouth, brown eyes, a broad back and rump, muscular legs and floppy ears with a long tail. In fact the Mastiff, thought to have descended from the ancient Alaunt and Pugnaces Britanniae, gives you an idea of what the dog looked like. He no doubt has a short, smooth coat available in fawn, tan or brindle and with the black mask.

Temperament:

The Pugnaces Britannia was a naturally aggressive dog so it is to be expected that he wouldn’t automatically have been a good family dog, possibly being aggressive around children and other dogs. They were intelligent and were no doubt taught some simple commands.

They were also very territorial dogs, wanting to instinctively chase and attack unknown people and animals. They were strong minded, confident, loyal ad loving dogs towards their owners, being protective of them, wanting to please them.

The beautiful Tamaskan dog is large, standing at between 61 and 71cm in height and weighing between 23 and 45 kg.

It is a mix between several sled dogs – Siberian Husky and Alaskan Malamute. The thick double coat is coarse and can be grey, cream, black or reddish and the tail of the Tamaskan is wolf-like too – thick and bushy.

His ears are erect and alert and he has sharp hearing. His almond shaped eyes can be yellow or brown and they are alert and bright and don’t miss a thing.

Temperament:

The Tamaskan is capable of becoming a good family pet, being gentle with children and accepting of other dogs. His high intelligence makes it that he can learn a lot of simple commands.

Because he has been a pack dog, he doesn’t like to be left alone. He is social and as a pet he will want to be an interactive part of his human family. Leaving him unsupervised for days on end will see him getting up to mischief.

He will die of depression, boredom and loneliness if he is put into the back yard and ignored.

They are certainly not recommended for life in the city but will need to have a large space to run and play.

The Pugnaces Britanniae may well have been a large dog and quite imposing to look at but he was in all likelihood a good-natured pet who got on well with his family members, being loyal and loving if brought up correctly.

Long ago dog training and socialization didn’t exist but a large dog like this would have to be socialized and trained to become obedient and an amicable all-rounder.

The Tamaskan may look like a wolf but he isn’t aggressive. He’s looks can be to your advantage because intruders think twice before confronting a ‘wolf’.

Little do they know that this is a loving, loyal dog that makes an excellent playmate for children. They’re social too and want to be with their family a lot of the time.

They’re dogs so devoted to their human family that they can even suffer with separation anxiety.

Give him the love and exercise he craves and you’ll find in him the most awesome canine friend.

The Pugnaces Britanniae could live to 10, 11 or 12 years of age with good care. Large Mastiff type dogs like this would have had to watch out for common canine diseases such as hip dysplasia, cancer and bloat.

In those days, no screening tests were available for health problems like this. Gastric dilatation volvulus or bloat is a common health issue with large, deep chested dogs where the stomach fills with gas and the stomach twists. Its a life threatening disease.

Canine heart disease is another serious health issue with these mastiff type dogs. Early stages with heart disease show there may well be no symptoms at all. However, as the heart disease progresses towards congestive heart failure, the dog will have symptoms such as fatigue, difficulty with breathing, weight loss, a distended abdomen and coughing.

A dog with symptoms like this would have to see a vet immediately.

Your healthy Tamaskan, even though he isn’t prone to common genetic health problems, can get any one of the many dog illnesses there are, although this is highly unlikely.

In general, these attractive dogs are very healthy.

However without good food, exercise, love and care, he can also be susceptible to parasites, rabies, parvovirus, hip dysplasia, bloat, skin infections and cancer.

Diet:

The diets of ancient dogs were different to what they are today, as in those days there were no commercially manufactured dog foods. Dog owners in all likelihood tossed scraps to them which included starch.

Today a large dog such as the extinct Pugnaces Britannia would have no doubt been fed a high quality kibble from a leading brand and packed with minerals and vitamins specially formulated for a large dog breed.

Homemade food is also important, but not any kind of food – it has to be food which doesn’t upset the dog’s digestive system. Simple but nutritious food such as boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta, sweet potatoes, carrots and spinach is ideal for a dog, and when it is chopped up can be added twice a week to the dry kibble for a tasty, healthy treat.

Raw meat added in occasionally is also hugely beneficial. No dog should ever be without fresh, cool water constantly available.

Grooming:

As a short haired dog, the Pugnaces Britanniae would have required a brushing twice a week to rid the dog of loose hairs. Maybe in those days they didn’t check their dogs over to see that all was well, but today you would need to check the inside of the ears. If the insides were red, it could be a sign of an ear infection brought on by dampness, excess wax and dirt.

The eyes would need to be checked for discharge and the teeth checked a well. One rotten tooth can cause a lot of havoc. The nails of the dog would have had to be checked and clipped as well.

Exercise:

As a war dog, the Pugnaces Britanniae would have been fit. He is a big dog and while they require exercise such as walks and hide-and-seek type of games, he isn’t the kind of dog that would go running with you on a jog, as large, heavy dogs can overheat easily.

The Tamaskan Dog is very active. He just loves activity - long walks and hikes and lots of running off a leash. He’ll love ball games too – anything that keeps him mentally and physically active.

Diet:

Provide your beautiful, active Tamaskan dog with top quality food that is rich in protein. You can give him one of the quality commercially manufactured foods – just check out the ingredients on the packaging and go for the dog foods with wholesome, natural ingredients in them.

Your Tamaskan is part of the family and deserves some home-made food. Nothing spicey and exotic as you’ll sit with stomach problems. Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots are a super healthy choice and food like this won’t play havoc with your dog’s digestion.

This food can all be chopped up and small portions added into the dry kibble twice a week.

Ensure there is always a bowl of fresh, cool water within his reach.

●This is a fairly low maintenance dog. He does shed so a good brush twice a week will be sufficient for him.

●When you brush him, check him over for unusual lumps. Look inside his eyes and inside his mouth as he can’t tell you about a bad tooth that could be causing him pain. Check inside his ears too for signs of redness. If you don’t want to do these things, at least send him to a professional groomer who will do it all for you.

●Have your pet neutered or spayed if you want to avoid puppies. This can be beneficial for your pet’s health too.

●Get him to the vet if he shows any sign of illness.