ATS tess 10 months

American Tundra Shepherd Tess at 10 months of age

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• tess
• ats

[LTrainVanDolah]

She's beautiful! Thanks for sharing this video, my vet speaks

very highly of this breed. He stated they would be good for going into caves after terrorists, instead of the smaller Belgian Malinois.

[buffy1of5]

I have a short clip of her now (at 3 years of age) at a beginning agility class which will show you a more adult look. She is an amazing girl. Also, she has excellent hips, shoulders & elbows (hard to find in a GSD). She is quicker than she looks -caught, and ate, a squirrel yesterday!

[AdiF50Ronaldo7]

@buffy1of5 are these dogs similar to dog breeds like the tamaskan , czech wolfdog and are they breeds that can be companions

[buffy1of5]

@AdiF50Ronaldo7 I believe she is probably much larger thana czech wolfdog or  tamaskan. As for disposition - she is one of the sweetest dogs I've ever known. She is very "dog social", loves most women but can be a bit put off by some men. I will be running her in agility and rally obedience trials later this year. I plan to start her in tracking next year as she has great natural ability in that area. Very, very smart, trainable, lovely companion. She is not, however, the least bit aggressive.

[zut212]

Also, I've read that the creator of this breed spent 5 years from '68-'73 to develop this with funding from the US government. His efforts were unsuccessful.

Your dog walks a little like a lion! What is his personality like?

[buffy1of5]

@zut212 Tess is my second Tundra. Both were from Frank Catania, the man who developed the breed. I certainly would not call his efforts unsuccessful.

As for Tess walking like a lion - I find that fascinating! You might check out a short clip taken of her at a beginning agility class this summer. The title is Tessclass. She is now 3 years old and althought the video doesn't show it, amazingly athletic. BTW, she is registered UKC, AKC, NADAC and APDT.

[AdiF50Ronaldo7]

@buffy1of5 wow , ive always been told " cuz its part wolf it might bite you" , thanks for the answer , im probably gonna get a tamaskan dog because there is a breeder here in the uk

[AdiF50Ronaldo7]

im new to dog breeds , im sorta looking for a breed with great companionship - ive already looked at the belgian shepherd varieties , the german shepherd , saarloos and czech wolfdogs so what would you recommend , i also like dogs which are interesting and unique , thank you

[buffy1of5]

@zut212 Oh my, how do I even begin to answer your questions? Well, let me try. First, as regard to size - Tess is a bit over 29" at the shoulder and I keep her at a very lean 115 pounds as she is beginning agility training. Obviously, she is much bigger than a GSD, but I believe she is large even for an ATS.

Second, in my opinion, they are indeed more intelligent than a GSD (and I have owned both).

Third, as to personality, I believe much of that has to do with environment and training.

[zut212]

I've read a lot about American Tundra Shepherds. They are 75% German Shepherd Dogs (GSD) and 25% Tundra Wolf. Here are my questions for you:

1. Are they the same size or bigger than a GSD?

2. Do they possess the same or greater level of intelligence than a GSD?

3. How is their personality different from that of a GSD? I've read that wolf-dogs are less sociable, less trainable, and more nervous around people. Also, they have a propensity to "flip out" and rever to their wild-side.