Tamaskan Dog - A Wolf Like Dog With A Gentle Heart

March 19, 2020

Tamaskan Dog breed was particularly developed to have a dog of wolf like appearance. The dog is a jack of all trade. It is versatile in many fields like agility, obedience, pulling carts/ sleds, search and rescue mission and dog’s sports. The dog looks like a wolf but behaves like a dog. It craves for constant companionship of human and goes into depression if left alone.

It is a highly social dog because of which it doesn’t make good watchdog. It gets excited when it sees new human face and greets that individual with kisses and hugs. Around children they are patient like a saint. They adore children and cheerful and playful with them.

The most bizarre fact about this breed is that even though it looks like wolf it has no wolf ancestry. It was developed by cross mating varieties of sled dogs and wolf dog.

Their name has been taken from Native American language “Tamaskan” which means mighty wolf. Today approximately 400 Tamaskans are registered every year. It is quite a rare breed but is highly prized for its ability to assist humans in myriads of tasks.

Tamaskan Dog Origin

The dog belongs to Finland. Dogs of husky origin were imported from America in 1980s. Breeders wanted a dog that looks like wolf but has temperament of dog. In order to achieve this objective, they cross mated huskies type dogs with Siberian husky, Alaskan malamute and German shepherd.

To improve the dog’s appearance several wolf dogs were also included in the breeding program. As the gene pool extended breeders started mating Tamaskan to Tamaskan in order to create a new breed of dog. This breed’s popularity is increasing in European countries and steps are being taken to safeguard the breed.

Tamaskan Dog Characteristics

The breed belongs to Finland and is a working class breed.
They are larger than German shepherd but slightly smaller than malamute.
Life span of this breed is 14 to 16 years.
They are social, agile and affectionate
Height of the breed is approximately 63-71 cm.
Weight of the breed is 30-45 kg.
They are available in three colors - black, grey and red.
Average cost of the puppy is $600 - $800 USD.
They should not be confined to apartment. They need free space to run and wander.
They bark occasionally.
They are known to be playful and energetic around kids.
They are active breeds and needs great deal of exercise.
It is not a hypoallergenic breed
They shed moderately. It is important to brush its coat every alternate day to reduce amount of dead hair.

Appearance

It is a large working dog with athletic body shape. The dog looks like a grey wolf. It is larger than Siberian husky but smaller than malamute. Its skull is wedged shape and muzzle is pointed. Its eyes should be almond shape and amber/brown color.

Light color eyes are rare and unacceptable. Tail should be thick, bushy but shouldn’t have feather like hair. Tail should be carried low and should not get curved. Its ears are erect and triangular in shape.

Size and Weight

Height of the female should be 61–66 cm and male should be 63–71 cm tall. Female should weigh around 23–38 kg and male should weigh around 30–45 kg.

Coat and Color

They have a thick and straight coat. The topcoat should be coarse and it should form a mane around its neck. During winter the dog grows profuse undercoat which gives it protection from extreme cold climates. They come in black, grey and red color.

Temperament

Personality - “Appearance of a wolf and temperament of a dog”- this phrases has vividly explained the personality of the dog. The dog makes greatly family dog. It has remarkable working skills. It excels in agility, obedience and dog sports equally well. The dog has a pack mentality which means it always needs companionship. They form strong bonds with other animals and in fact crave for another dog at home. As it is a working group dog so it gets bored easily, so it should be involved into some activity.
Behavior - The dog is gentle with everyone. It obeys command of master and is a human pleasure. It doesn’t make effective guard dog and watchdog because of over friendly nature. The dog is highly intelligent and it wouldn’t mind running away from the house if enough love and attention is not given to it. They also make great therapy dog to lonely and depressed person. The dog exhibits good mannerism and knows how to behave inside home. However, it will be cruelty to restrain the dog’s movement. It should be given open and free space to roam and run.
Trainability - The main aim to train this dog is to establish leadership over it. It should be taught that humans are always the pack leader; then only beautiful relationship between dog and master can be established. Be gentle and consistent in training them. If trained properly they make mesmerizing addition to family.
Activities Requirement - The dog thrives in an open area. If it remains too much inside home, it will become bore and destructive. Along with physical stimulation, mental stimulation is also must for the dog. Nothing can make the dog happier than giving it opportunity to work.

Feeding

As it is a highly energetic and working class dog breed, it needs food that is rich in calories and proteins. You need to feed this dog barf diet. Barf is an acronym of biological appropriate raw food.

You can give raw ham and egg to this dog. Deer meet provides a good supplement of minerals and vitamins to this dog. You should keep in mind that dogs are carnivorous animals and they love bones and meat. You can also give them fresh chicken and grains to eat. This breed loves fruits, cottage cheese and boiled eggs.

Lifespan

The dog lives up to 14 to 16 years.

Health Issues

It is not a hypoallergenic breed. The dog is a healthy and hearty breed. It doesn’t suffer from any notable health issues. Common health problems related to dogs are - hip dysplasia, epilepsy, bloat, liver failure, degenerative myelopathy etc.

Grooming

Grooming needs of the dog is low as it is a naturally clean dog. The dog sheds moderately. Every alternate day brushing followed by combing is essential to keep the coat dirt and mat free.

It does not contain dog’s odor, so bath only when required. When the nails start hitting the floor, it is time to trim its nails. Check it ears and clean the wax formed with the help solution given by vet. Brushing its teeth is mandatory so that it doesn’t develop dental issues.