Hey from Sydney, Australia

[maraach]

Hi All,

Well, first I have to say I don't own a Tamaskan but I hope to one day. Currently my pets consist of a very energetic Chocolate Burmese cat who likes to think himself a dog (with leash and all), and a large, emotional and much less active Russian Blue cat, which is very much a cat.

I got interested in the Tamaskan after a trip to Croatia in 2010. At the time (visiting the village my parents are from) I saw someone walking what I then thought was a wolf. Although im still not 100% what type of dog it was (my Croatian was limited to me understanding that the owner knew that it was a dog - very helpful) I have a feeling it may have been a Utonagan.

After a few days of internet searching I traced the lineage down from the Northern Inuit and then became interested in the Tamaskan as seemingly the pick of the bunch of the 'wolf like' dogs. From my very limited understanding they currently have the strictest breeding standards and the least behavioural issues out of the three (I know of). Information is hard to come by though and it being the internet, and full of opinions often contradicts other things I have read. Any good sources of info would be highly appreciated.

My last dog was a German Shepherd who I got to spend a short but enjoyable time with as a child. I have always been convinced on getting another one, but the Tamaskan is kind of my first real alternative. I guess the questions im still unsure about (and would love some info on) is if they are ok with other pets (namely cats) and small children? I know some of the mixes are known to have a strong prey drive and I am kind of hoping to avoid this. Also, if anyone has had experience with them and a German Shepherd I would love to hear about your comparisons between the two (yes i know all dog's are individual and different, just curious to know of any specific personality traits).

And, finally, just like everyone else im awaiting news on a breeder becoming available in Australia.

[AZDehlin]

I have owned both I will PM you Welcome to the forum.

[issylupus]

A warm welcome from Scotland.
Check out my video's and you will see what a Tamaskan can be like with cat's and other animals.
http://www.youtube.com/user/issylupus?feature=mhee

[HiTenshi16]

Hello and welcome to the forum
Tamaskans are very good with small animals like cats and rabbits and are also very good with children

[Booma]

G'day from Perth. It's always exciting when a new Aussie pops up. My tam is being sent over later this yr, and I do hope to breed from him if his tes results are good ( and when I can afford a female)
Please make sure you read the "Aussie buyers beware" thread in the scams section.

[Rahne]

Welcome

[Gabriele58]

Hello and welcome to the forum

[Blustag]

Welcome to the forum. I bred German Shepherds for many years before I specialised in the arcticbreeds. I certainly wouldnt go back to the GSD now

[Tiantai]

Hello there, welcome to the forum. You came to the right place to learn about the breed

[maraach]

A warm welcome from Scotland.
Check out my video's and you will see what a Tamaskan can be like with cat's and other animals.
http://www.youtube.com/user/issylupus?feature=mhee

Ahh Scotland, another wonderful place I was recently (my wife's family was from there).

We spent a week in the Isle of Skye in October last year. Definitely felt like the kind of climate I imagine a Tamaskan might enjoy...

Speaking of which, do the Tamaskan's have problems with temperature? I know my friend Malamute doesnt particularly like Sydney summer, nor the fact that he will be shaved each summer... Would the Tamaskan be similar?

[Booma]

Tams shed in summer and have a shorter coat. There are Many people here who live where there are hot summers.
Btw hopefully the first Aussie tam meet up will happen next yr, so if you want to meet us, let me know (will probably be in vic)

[Canadia]

Hi and welcome to the forum! My Tam's best friend was a female GSD when we lived in the UK - they were quite similar in their style of play - running through the park and jumping into every mud puddle they could find, stopping to say hello to other dogs before they shot off again (sometimes the other dogs would follow - to their owners' dismay! ) I did find that the GSD had much better recall than my Tam, but that just meant I needed to work harder on training my boy. He also gets along well with my sister's two cats - he is curious and likes to sniff them and I can tell he wants them to play but they'll have none of it! He also does REALLY well with small kids, though I never leave him unsupervised with them. He likes to give a couple of licks and then rolls onto his back, ready to receive belly rubs. Just be careful - once you get a tam you'll want another...and another...

[maraach]

G'day from Perth. It's always exciting when a new Aussie pops up. My tam is being sent over later this yr, and I do hope to breed from him if his tes results are good ( and when I can afford a female)
Please make sure you read the "Aussie buyers beware" thread in the scams section.

Late this year? That must be very exciting for you. Im curious to see how the process goes actually. I know how intensive Australian customs and quarantine is. I was actually due to move to Germany last year to work for 12 months, but when i realised it would take another 6 months of that to get my cats back to Australia (plus the cost of their flights.. which were more than mine) I decided against it for the present time.

I will await news to see how it all pans out.

[Booma]

Yes, he should get out of quarantine around the beginning of December. I'm incredibly excited and can't wait to meet him!! A couple in Melbs are getting a boy at the same time too and it's really good for both of us that we have someone to talk to about it all, because all my friends and family are sick of hearing about him :p

[Blustag]

All being well I should have them out to you by October and then they need their 30 days in Quarantine so should in your home
November Thats your summer isnt it?

[Booma]

Yes that's just before summer starts here. I'll be sure to have a furminator ready for him to help him shed
*dying of excitement*

[Sylvaen]

Welcome to the forum!

I got interested in the Tamaskan after a trip to Croatia in 2010. At the time (visiting the village my parents are from) I saw someone walking what I then thought was a wolf. Although im still not 100% what type of dog it was (my Croatian was limited to me understanding that the owner knew that it was a dog - very helpful) I have a feeling it may have been a Utonagan.

Hmmm... interesting!! At the moment there are only a few Tams here in Croatia (in and around Zagreb) so it probably wasn't one but which village was it?

After a few days of internet searching I traced the lineage down from the Northern Inuit and then became interested in the Tamaskan as seemingly the pick of the bunch of the 'wolf like' dogs. From my very limited understanding they currently have the strictest breeding standards and the least behavioural issues out of the three (I know of). Information is hard to come by though and it being the internet, and full of opinions often contradicts other things I have read. Any good sources of info would be highly appreciated.

You came to the right place then!
This forum is a really good source of info because members here include owners and breeders from all over the world so there is plenty of info about the breed (as well as photos and advice, etc).

My last dog was a German Shepherd who I got to spend a short but enjoyable time with as a child. I have always been convinced on getting another one, but the Tamaskan is kind of my first real alternative. I guess the questions im still unsure about (and would love some info on) is if they are ok with other pets (namely cats) and small children?

Tamaskan Dogs are great with other pets and children!

Tamaskans and cats living together

Tamaskan Aggression? (about Tams with children)

I know some of the mixes are known to have a strong prey drive and I am kind of hoping to avoid this. Also, if anyone has had experience with them and a German Shepherd I would love to hear about your comparisons between the two (yes i know all dog's are individual and different, just curious to know of any specific personality traits).

Andrija (QuickSilver) has a female German Shepherd (Lara) and a female Tamaskan (Vega) - you can really see the difference in the two breeds! Lara is quite dominant and has a very high prey drive (she has killed several of the neighbor's chickens and two neighborhood cats) while Vega is very submissive and is fine around small animals (she once hunted / pounced on a frog while we were on a walk through the countryside, but that's it). Lara is also much more focused on Andrija: never far from his side and a really good guard dog (she barks all the time) while Vega is more chilled out, quiet and independent - when she's walking off leash she'll stay nearby (sniffing and playing) but not RIGHT next to him all the time. You can also send him a PM if you have more questions about the differences between the two breeds, he usually visits the forum every couple of days.

Speaking of which, do the Tamaskan's have problems with temperature? I know my friend Malamute doesnt particularly like Sydney summer, nor the fact that he will be shaved each summer... Would the Tamaskan be similar?

I think this forum topic will answer those questions...

Tamaskan Climate

[QuickSilver]

Hello there,

nice to hear that there exists awareness of the connection between Croatia and breeding of Tamaskans. On the topic of comparing GSD and the Tam:
Here is one more difference between GSD and Tamaskan: the speed of respons. I always expected that GSDs, being a high prey dogs used for defence, as gurad dogs, police dogs etc, would be more rapidly responding than Tamaskans. However, I soon came to found out that it is not the case at all. Though it may depend on individual case ot case situation, i believe that the general conclusion also holds. Anyway, whenever i was throwing fresh meat or a bone over the fence of the box where my GSD, Lara, and my Tam, Vega, are kept together, Lara was never able to snatch anything because Vega would be much faster in cathcing these treats.

Then, Lara is always "bossy" in average everyday life situations. But once, when Vega caught a rabbit (it must have been the ill or injured one, usually young dogs cannot follow the rabit in full speed of retreat), Lara tried to have a bite, but Vega defended here prey so fearsfully that Lara ended up crying and I had to comfort her! It was scary experience for both Lara and me... Rgds from Croatia

[Nikola1985Ghaeltacht]

Hello and welcome to the forum

[Sylvaen]

But once, when Vega caught a rabbit (it must have been the ill or injured one, usually young dogs cannot follow the rabit in full speed of retreat), Lara tried to have a bite, but Vega defended here prey so fearsfully that Lara ended up crying and I had to comfort her! It was scary experience for both Lara and me... Rgds from Croatia

Did Vega try to kill and eat the rabbit? or was she just guarding it from Lara?

[wicca1]

Hi welcome

[Ciaobella]

Welcome

[QuickSilver]

Yes, she somehow hunted it down. It was the winter of 2011, in the nearby forest. This is just the thing, when she caught the rabbit, it was HERS. And ofcourse, she ate it soon after it. I couldnt stop her even if I wanted to, because Lara and me were equally scared at the time . Vega was displaying her teeth in the intimidating way (as huskies typically do when they are angry) if everyone tried to come close to her prey.

Did Vega try to kill and eat the rabbit? or was she just guarding it from Lara?

[maraach]

Hmmm... interesting!! At the moment there are only a few Tams here in Croatia (in and around Zagreb) so it probably wasn't one but which village was it?

It was actually in Viganj (near Orebic and Korcula). The owner wasnt from there, was definitely a northerner but im not sure where from. As i said, my Croatian is mildly passable.. but that is all.

still reading the rest of the post

edit : you were right, they were very useful posts.

[JulieSmith]

Welcome

[TerriHolt]

Hi and a slightly belated welcome