Hovawart vs Mackenzie River Husky - Breed Comparison

Hovawart vs Mackenzie River Husky - Breed ComparisonMackenzie River Husky is originated from United States but Hovawart is originated from Germany. Both Mackenzie River Husky and Hovawart are having almost same height. Both Mackenzie River Husky and Hovawart are having almost same weight. Both Mackenzie River Husky and Hovawart has same life span. Both Mackenzie River Husky and Hovawart has almost same litter size. Mackenzie River Husky requires Moderate Maintenance. But Hovawart requires Low Maintenance

Basic Information

Group:
Working dog
Working dog
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United States
Germany
Height Male:
66 - 74 cm
25 - 30 inches
58 - 70 cm
22 - 28 inches
Height Female:
66 - 74 cm
25 - 30 inches
51 - 68 cm
20 - 27 inches
Weight Male:
29 - 47 kg
63 - 104 pounds
25 - 51 kg
55 - 113 pounds
Weight Female:
29 - 47 kg
63 - 104 pounds
22 - 49 kg
48 - 109 pounds
Life Span:
10 - 14 Years
10 - 14 Years
Litter Size:
4 - 10
6 - 8
Size:
Large
Large
Other Names:
None
Hovie
Colors Available:
White, tan, cream, black, blonde and red.
gold and black, gold, blonde
Coat:
Medium Length to Long - dense
long dense
Shedding:
Moderate
Moderate
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Responsive, Social, Stubborn, Territorial
Affectionate, Alert, Courageous, Independent, Intelligent, Loyal, Protective, Territorial
Grooming:
Moderate Maintenance
Low Maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Moderate
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
No
No

History

mackenzie river huskyThe name Mackenzie River Husky was given to these huskies by those wanting to name the freight huskies of a certain area. The name took hold in the 1960’s, but the dog began to disappear with the introduction of snow machines.

They’re a mixture of native sled dogs - Newfoundlands, St. Bernards, Staghounds and Wolf. As a mixed breed, they have always been regarded as classic sled dogs.

hovawartThe Hovawart, is a German Black Forest breed developed as a guard dog for large estates in the medieval era. They first appeared in history in the early 13th century as heroes who saved the German son of a castle lord, despite being injured themselves. The boy they saved grew up to be a German legend. He wrote the oldest German code of law that remained from medieval times. In it he names the Hovawarts as a dog that if you are responsible for hurting, stealing or killing it, you must pay for it or replace it. No other dog had this protection.

In the late fifteenth century Hovawarts were featured in Heinrich Mynsinger’s “The Five Noble Breeds”. This guard dog breed was esteemed on a level with the hunting dogs – their health a question of life or death for their owner. In the 1500’s the popularity of the breed began to fade. The GSD or German Shepard Dog began to replace the Hovawarts as the preferred guard dog.

By the early 20th century the breed had almost disappeared but were saved by breed enthusiasts in the early 1900’s. Zoologist Kurt Konig was prominent in this effort and went looking in the Black Forest area for dogs working on farms. Using the dogs, he found on these farms, Konig began a breeding program crossing the them with Newfoundland’s, Kuvazoks, Leonbergers, GSD, an African hunting dogs and Bernese Mountain Dogs.

By 1922 the first litter of these pups was entered officially into the German Breeding Registry. In 1937 the Hovawart was recognized by the German Kennel Club. However, many members of the breed died in World War II as they were used widely by the military and not many were left by 1945. Once again breed enthusiasts came to the rescue forming a Coburg Hovawart club. This club still exists and in 1964, for the second time, the breed was recognized by the German Kennel Club. Other countries also began to take notice of this working breed.

The Hovawart has many skills in addition hunting and guarding. The Hovawart does not work for people, he works with them as he is a very independent thinker. He is also good at search and rescue and tracking. An owner of this breed must be stronger, smarter, more alert, intentional and consistent than his Hovawart. These are not dogs for the faint of heart or first-timers.

Description

mackenzie river husky puppy - descriptionThe beautiful Mackenzie River Husky stands at 66 to 74cm in height and weighs between 29 and 47kg.

This deep chested dog has a long, straight coat with the colors being typically wolf-like – white, cream, black, tan, blonde and red. He has erect ears, long legs and a long, bushy tail.

Temperament:

This wolf-type dog is strong willed and independent and was always a pack dog. They wouldn’t be described as a good choice for the first time dog owner as they do seem to have some wolf traits and will require a strong, firm, level headed owner.

hovawart puppy - descriptionThe Hovawart is a proud and majestic dog and his looks match his character. He looks a bit like the Golden Retriever with a powerful and broad forehead. His skull and muzzle are the same length and his nose is black. His oval eyes are a medium to dark brown and his ears are high set and triangular.

Their chests are strong, broad and deep. The breed has strong legs straight in front with round, strong and compact feet. They are heavy boned with dense, long coats that lie flat and have a slight wave to them. The coat can be black and gold, blond or black.

Characteristics

mackenzie river husky dog - characteristicsYour MacKenzie River Husky is such a likeable pet to have. True, he does tend to be a bit stubborn and independent but there is nothing that training and socialization won’t do for him. You’ll find him much more obedient and amicable, and he gets on well with children and pets in the home.

He is an intelligent dog too and very energetic so will require an owner who is active, firm and consistent. He thrives on human company and just wants to be around his owner all the time, ready to join in with any activity happening in his life.

He is therefore far more suited to life in the countryside than to the city. Loyal, devoted and loving, a MacKenzie River Husky isn’t only a beautiful dog to own, he promises to offer everything you want in a 4-legged friend.

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

Special talents

hovawart dog - characteristicsThey have a great sense of smell and a well-balanced personality.

Adaptability

They are not indoor dogs and should have a yard to run in. They do not tolerate hot weather well. They do great out in the country.

Learning ability

They are intelligent independent thinkers. They lengths well with positive reinforcement.

Health Problems

mackenzie river husky puppies - health problemsYour MacKenzie River Husky, regardless of how healthy he is, can suffer with some common health problems that all dogs are prone to.

Perhaps one of the more common health problems that this particular dog breed has to contend with is cataracts, hip dyslasia and hypothyroidism.

Cataracts:

Many people associate cataracts in dogs with age, little realizing that there are many medical reasons as to why our pets develop cataracts. Cataracts can start as early as 6 months of age, although this is unlikely. They come about because of a disease which affects the lens of the eye, causing the lens to lose its transparency.

You’ll notice a whitish/grey shade in your dog’s eye and this can actually impair vision. Cataracts are particularly the lot of diabetic dogs. It can certainly help to have your dog’s eyes checked by a vet regularly.

Hip Dysplasia:

This is another fairly common problem with Huskies. It’s almost like a death sentence if your MacKenzie is a working dog because it can lead to lameness. The disease can lead to problems in the hip joint which cab be debilitating ad give your dog a lot of pain.

It doesn’t strike old dogs only, but can be the lot of young dogs too. Sometimes treatment will require surgery but there are non-invasive options too. You want to make sure that you don’t allow your pet to become overweight as this can contribute to developing hip dysplasia.

hovawart puppies - health problemsThough their isolation protected them from genetic health issues for centuries, once they were being rejuvenated and mixed with other breeds some common issues began to show up. These include:

  • Underactive thyroid
  • Hip Dysplasia – can cause arthritis or lameness
  • Osteochondritis – causes joint pain in shoulders mostly
  • Liver Shunts

Caring The Pet

Exercise:

mackenzie river husky dogs - caringHuskies like this one will require a good deal of exercise every single day. These are working dogs who have always had a job to do and you can certainly count him in when you do your hiking walks, swimming – you name it. The only thing he will object to is that he doesn’t do well in hot weather. Strong-willed, you’ll want your MacKenzie River Husky trained and socialized if you want him to be a companionable dog.

Diet:

Dogs need to be fed according to the size, their age and their lifestyle. If your MacKenzie River Husky is an active working dog, his food must be the very best and contain enough calories to cover the daily caloric expenses.

Quality and the amount of vitamins and minerals in the food is most important for a dog like this. If you feed him commercially manufactured food, make sure its high quality and not made up of fillers, and other bad stuff. Read the label and understand exactly what’s going into your dog’s stomach.

Simplicity with feeding is best for your pet. Treat him occasionally to cooked chicken, brown rice, pasta and cooked or raw vegetables which can be added into his dry kibble. A dog like this will require some raw meat as well to ensure his coat and eyes are always shiny and bright.

Grooming:

Grooming of the MacKenzie River Husky must be done at least twice a week to get rid of loose hairs.

Feeding the puppy

hovawart dogs - caringFeed breed specific high quality dry food for puppies. Feed 1-2 cups in 3-4 meals per day

Feeding the adult

Again Feed breed specific high quality dry food for adults. Feed 2-3 cups per day in 1-2 meals per day.

Points for Good Health

Points for Good Health – Stamina

Games and Exercises

The Hovawart needs plenty of exercise. Remember this is a mountain farm dog used to working all the time. Walk or jog with them daily. They can excel at field trials, obedience, search and rescue, agility, flyball, therapy dog, and service dog.

Comparison with other breeds

  1. Hovawart vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
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  3. Hovawart vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
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  5. Hovawart vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  6. Hovawart vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  7. Hovawart vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  8. Hovawart vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  9. Hovawart vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  10. Hovawart vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  11. Hovawart vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  12. Hovawart vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  13. Hovawart vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  14. Hovawart vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
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  16. Hovawart vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  17. Hovawart vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
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  23. Hovawart vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  24. Hovawart vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  25. Hovawart vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison
  26. Mackenzie River Husky vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  27. Mackenzie River Husky vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  28. Mackenzie River Husky vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  29. Mackenzie River Husky vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  30. Mackenzie River Husky vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  31. Mackenzie River Husky vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  32. Mackenzie River Husky vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  33. Mackenzie River Husky vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  34. Mackenzie River Husky vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  35. Mackenzie River Husky vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  36. Mackenzie River Husky vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  37. Mackenzie River Husky vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  38. Mackenzie River Husky vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  39. Mackenzie River Husky vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  40. Mackenzie River Husky vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  41. Mackenzie River Husky vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  42. Mackenzie River Husky vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  43. Mackenzie River Husky vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  44. Mackenzie River Husky vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  45. Mackenzie River Husky vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  46. Mackenzie River Husky vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  47. Mackenzie River Husky vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  48. Mackenzie River Husky vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  49. Mackenzie River Husky vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  50. Mackenzie River Husky vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison