Tibetan Spaniel vs Moscow Water Dog - Breed Comparison

Tibetan Spaniel is originated from China but Moscow Water Dog is originated from Russia. Tibetan Spaniel may grow 46 cm / 18 inches shorter than Moscow Water Dog. Tibetan Spaniel may weigh 48 kg / 105 pounds lesser than Moscow Water Dog. Tibetan Spaniel may live 3 years more than Moscow Water Dog. Tibetan Spaniel may have less litter size than Moscow Water Dog. Both Tibetan Spaniel and Moscow Water Dog requires Moderate maintenance.

History

tibetan spaniel - historyKnown fondly as the Tibbie and being referred to as little lions’, the Tibetan Spaniel is an ancient dog breed.

They appear in ancient art dating way back to 1100BC. This tells you that this small dog has been around for a jolly long time.

When you look at him, you can see that his predecessors were the Pekingese and the Lhaso Apso. It’s odd actually that he is called spaniel, as he doesn’t look like a spaniel at all and he has certainly never been a gun dog. He is more of a companion breed.

Even today, you’ll find these dogs living with monks in monasteries. The American Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1984.

The Moscow Water Dog was developed in the Soviet Union around the same time as other classic Soviet dogs. The Moscow Watchdog and the Black Russian Terrier are a couple of these other dogs. The Water Dog came from crossing the Caucasian Oytcharka with the Newfoundland. The breed is known by many names including the Vodolaz which means “diver of deep Water”. The Moscow Water Dog was only bred in the Russian state’s Red Star Kennels as working dogs for the military.

Following the second World War, most of the working dogs had been destroyed during the war. Not enough dogs could be imported to begin a breeding program for any working breed. So, the Soviet Red Star Kennels began to create several working breeds. Included in this group with the Moscow Water Dog, were the Moscow Newfoundland, the Moscow Great Dane, the Black Russian Terrier, and the Brudasty Hound.

The only really successful breed coming from this program is the Russian Black Terrier. All the rest are either extinct or found only in Russia today. The Moscow Water Dog was supposed to be a life saver/water rescue dog, but the dogs they developed were too aggressive, and the program was scrapped. It seemed that the cross had bred a dog that had too much of the working water dog traits and not enough of the rescue dog traits. The military breeders tried to pass the dogs off as a Russian Newfoundland and sell it to the non-military.

These non-military owners of the few “Russian Newfoundland”, did not try to change the dogs through breeding. Instead over time they bred the Russian Newfoundland with pure bred Newfoundlands almost eliminating the “Russian” portion of the breed. By the early 1980’s the stock had been so diluted with the pure Newfoundland that the Russian Newfoundland was basically extinct.

The Red Army kennel had other breeds with some of the genes of this breed in their lines. This included the Brudasty Hound, the Moscow Great Dane, the Caucasian Oycharka, the Moscow Watchdog and the Russian Black Terrier. The Russian Navy was unhappy with the situation and never again let the army developed the Navy’s waterdog.

Basic Information

Group:
Non sporting dog
Working dog
Origin:
China
Russia
Height Male:
23 - 30 cm
9 - 12 inches
66 - 76 cm
25 - 30 inches
Height Female:
23 - 30 cm
9 - 12 inches
64 - 74 cm
25 - 30 inches
Weight Male:
4 - 7 kg
8 - 16 pounds
45 - 55 kg
99 - 122 pounds
Weight Female:
4 - 7 kg
8 - 16 pounds
40 - 50 kg
88 - 111 pounds
Life Span:
12 - 15 Years
8 - 12 Years
Litter Size:
3 - 6
5 - 12
Size:
Small dog
Giant dog
Other Names:
Tibbie
Moscow River Dog, Московский Водолаз, Moscow Vodolaz, Moskovsky Vodolaz, • Russian Newfoundland,Moscow Diver, Vodolaz, Moscow Retriever,
Colors Available:
cream, brown, Tan, black - mix of colors
dark brown to black, black
Coat:
Silky medium length, double coat
double coat
Shedding:
Moderate
Moderate
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Quiet, Responsive, Social, Stubborn, Sweet, Territorial
Aggressive, Alert, Courageous, Intelligent
Grooming:
Moderate maintenance
Moderate maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Moderate
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
No
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
No

Description

tibetan spaniel puppy - descriptionWeighing between 4 to 7kg and standing at 23 to 30cm, the silky, double coat is fairly long and it sheds throughout the year.

The coat can be any color really, from tan to cream to brown and black and even a mix of colors.

The eyes are dark brown, the ears medium length and feathery and the tail is long and feathery too. The nose is fairly short and blunt.

Temperament:

The Tibetan spaniel is a small, active dog breed but not known to be shy or timid. He is an assertive dog, and intelligent too.

He would be better off having training and socialization as he is strong willed, stubborn and independent. He is loving, sweet and devoted to his owners.

He makes a good watchdog dog and will adapt well to life in the city or in the countryside. He can be both social and aloof, enjoying having his human family around him even though he may not be interacting with them.

He is playful and gets on well with children in the home as well as with other pets. He makes an excellent pet for older people too – he just needs to get his regular exercise.

The Moscow Water Dog was intelligent, vigilant, an excellent swimmer, and great in artic waters. However, he was too aggressive and instead of saving the swimmer, they would attack them. The Moscow Water Dog is a tall, balanced and powerful dog. They have a wide muzzle and a square head like the Newfoundland. Their eyes are dark and small while the ears are triangular. The nose and lips are black. He has webbed feet of course and a hanging tail.

The coat on the Moscow Water Dog was of course waterproof and double. The top coat is very dense, straight and soft. It is usually a dark brown with some black and white.

Characteristics

tibetan spaniel dog - characteristicsThe Tibetan Spaniel dog is energetic and active, but doesn't require a lot of exercise. This makes him suitable for life in the city as well as the countryside.

He'll enjoy going on walks but he will also look forward to ball games.

They’re social dogs and will relish any interaction with their human family. Give him the love and care he deserves and you’ll be rewarded with a loyal, loving friend.

Children friendliness

yes

Special talents

Swimming and stamina

Adaptability

Yes but needed some land. Better in countryside.

Learning ability

This is an intelligent dog, but he could not be trained out of his aggressiveness.

Health Problems

tibetan spaniel puppies - health problemsTibetan Spaniels are generally healthy, especially if you provide them with good food and exercise.

Whenever you’re looking to buy a puppy, make sure that you do research on where the puppy comes from. You don’t want to bring your puppy home and find that you’re faced with a host of health problems.

Progressive Retinal Atrophy:

This eye problem effects photoreceptor cells which deteriorate over time and ultimately lead to blindness. It is an inherited disease that occurs in quite a few different breeds of dogs.

Dogs with this disease should never be bred. It isn’t a painful condition but you usually notice it when your dog has night blindness. Day blindness also occurs and later on cataracts can develop too.

Because the breed was around for such a short period there is not a lot of documentation or information regarding genetic or propensity health issues. There are however a few issues that just his heritage and Newfoundland blood would lend itself to.

  • Tendency toward obesity. Do not free feed.
  • Hip and elbow dysplasia – could lead to arthritis.
  • Bloat or gastric torsion – could be fatal.
  • Cardiovascular issues.
  • Addison’s Disease
  • Hypothyroidism

Caring The Pet

Exercise:

tibetan spaniel dogs - caringThe Tibetan Spaniel isn’t fixated on games and exercise like some other dog breeds are, but even so he isn’t a couch potato either. He will certainly require some moderate exercise such as a good walk every day.

Diet:

You canine friend relies on you to make good food choices for him. Just like human beings have to watch what they eat if they want to remain healthy, dogs can’t just eat anything.

Feeding him an inferior diet will allow sickness. Commercially manufactured dog foods should be chosen with care, and there is a lot of information on the packaging to guide you.

Getting enough minerals and vitamins is imperative for good health. You should also try to give him some simplistic home-made food, while steering clear of toxic foods that could give your pet a whole lot of digestive problems. These are things like chocolates, crisps, peanuts, grapes, onions and spicy, exotic foods.

Just stick to simple, nutritious foods such as boiled chicken, brown rice and vegetables.

General Care:

• Tibetan Spaniels will benefit from early socialization and training because then they become obedient and well mannered to have around with you wherever you go.

  • Provide a warm, dry, quiet sleeping space.

• Get your pet to the vet when he’s sick. As it is, he will need vaccines against serious pet illnesses as a puppy.

  • Have your pet spayed or neutered to prevent an unwanted litter.

• Provide general grooming – a brush twice a week, checking inside the ears for redness, checking the eyes and checking for any unusual lumps.

Feeding the puppy

Required high quality food made specifically for large or giant puppies. Feed 3-4 times a day a total of 21/2 -3 cups.

Feeding the adult

Required high quality food made for large or giant dog breeds. Feed twice a day a total of 2 cups.

Games and Exercises

The Moscow Water Dog did not need a high level of exercise, but they did have a lot of stamina. They loved to swim. Not overly active – more of a couch potato.

Comparison with other breeds

  1. Tibetan Spaniel vs Lhasa Apso - Breed Comparison
  2. Tibetan Spaniel vs Miniature Poodle - Breed Comparison
  3. Tibetan Spaniel vs Pomeranian - Breed Comparison
  4. Tibetan Spaniel vs Maltese - Breed Comparison
  5. Tibetan Spaniel vs Pug - Breed Comparison
  6. Tibetan Spaniel vs Boston Terrier - Breed Comparison
  7. Tibetan Spaniel vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  8. Tibetan Spaniel vs Maltipoo - Breed Comparison
  9. Tibetan Spaniel vs Cavalier King Charles Spaniel - Breed Comparison
  10. Tibetan Spaniel vs Bichon Frise - Breed Comparison
  11. Tibetan Spaniel vs Dachshund - Breed Comparison
  12. Tibetan Spaniel vs Jack Russell Terrier - Breed Comparison
  13. Tibetan Spaniel vs Cockapoo - Breed Comparison
  14. Tibetan Spaniel vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  15. Tibetan Spaniel vs Cavapoo - Breed Comparison
  16. Tibetan Spaniel vs Corgi - Breed Comparison
  17. Tibetan Spaniel vs Miniature Schnauzer - Breed Comparison
  18. Tibetan Spaniel vs Cavachon - Breed Comparison
  19. Tibetan Spaniel vs Mal-Shi - Breed Comparison
  20. Tibetan Spaniel vs American Eskimo Dog - Breed Comparison
  21. Tibetan Spaniel vs Papillon - Breed Comparison
  22. Tibetan Spaniel vs Miniature Australian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  23. Tibetan Spaniel vs Japanese Chin - Breed Comparison
  24. Tibetan Spaniel vs Miniature English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  25. Tibetan Spaniel vs Miniature Dachshund - Breed Comparison
  26. Pyrenean Mastiff vs Moscow Water Dog - Breed Comparison
  27. Spanish Mastiff vs Moscow Water Dog - Breed Comparison
  28. St. Bernard vs Moscow Water Dog - Breed Comparison
  29. Moscow Water Dog vs Bernese Mountain Dog - Breed Comparison
  30. Moscow Water Dog vs Newfoundland Dog - Breed Comparison
  31. Moscow Water Dog vs Anatolian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  32. Moscow Water Dog vs Leonberger - Breed Comparison
  33. Moscow Water Dog vs Alaunt - Breed Comparison
  34. Moscow Water Dog vs Alangu Mastiff - Breed Comparison
  35. Moscow Water Dog vs Bisben - Breed Comparison
  36. Moscow Water Dog vs Moscow Watchdog - Breed Comparison
  37. Moscow Water Dog vs Kars Dog - Breed Comparison
  38. Moscow Water Dog vs Ciobanesc de Bucovina - Breed Comparison
  39. Neapolitan Mastiff vs Moscow Water Dog - Breed Comparison
  40. Mountain Burmese vs Moscow Water Dog - Breed Comparison
  41. Nebolish Mastiff vs Moscow Water Dog - Breed Comparison
  42. Scottish Deerhound vs Moscow Water Dog - Breed Comparison
  43. Shiloh Shepherd vs Moscow Water Dog - Breed Comparison
  44. Moscow Water Dog vs Great Dane - Breed Comparison
  45. Moscow Water Dog vs English Mastiff - Breed Comparison

View/Compare Breeds

Popular Dog Breeds