Tag Archives: dog breeds

Dog Breed: German Shepherd

Considering I share my home with a dog that’s mostly German shepherd, I’m surprised it’s taken me this long to take a look at the breed! I happened to turn on Animal Planet this weekend just as the German shepherd was awarded first place in the herding group at the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship. These dogs are generally strong, agile, and alert. They are often used as police dogs, service dogs, and guard dogs. In personality, they are generally direct and fearless without being hostile. Many German shepherds are known for being smart and easy to train… though I wouldn’t necessarily … Continue reading →

Figuring Out What Fido Is: Doggie DNA Tests

About a month ago Murph and I ran into a neighbor, Marlene, and her dog Zeus. Zeus is a very big dog (I want to say in the 100 pound range) and a mix of some sort. Maybe Saint Bernard, maybe Newfoundland, maybe even Lab. Marlene’s not quite sure…but she now has a way to find out. Unlocking The Genetic Safe to Determine a Dog’s Breed She told me about a company called MetaMorphix that sells a DNA testing kit specifically designed to determine a dog’s breed. It’s called the Canine Heritage Breed Test. You order the kit online (costs … Continue reading →

Dog Breed: Bullmastiff

The bullmastiff was — as you might guess — bred from the Old English Mastiff as a watchdog. The breed is 60% Mastiff and 40% bulldog. The breed was developed in the late 1800s specifically by gamekeepers to protect game on reserves and large estates from poachers. The Mastiff wasn’t aggressive enough or fast enough; the bulldog was a little too small and ferocious — gamekeepers needed a fearless dog that would attack on command. The cross was perfect for catching and holding poachers without mauling them. The bullmastiff — nicknamed the Gamekeeper’s Night Dog — is known to this … Continue reading →

Dog Breed: Mastiff

The Mastiff — also known as the Old English Mastiff — is an old breed. In England alone, the breed has been around for more than two thousand years as a watchdog. But the history of the Mastiff goes back farther than that! The breed is thought to come from Asia. Mastiffs are depicted on Egyptian monuments from around 3000 BC — which means that these dogs have a history that may be more than five thousand years long! In literature, the breed first appears in 1121 BC. When Caesar invaded Britain in 55 BC, he wrote of courageous dogs … Continue reading →

American Staffordshire Terrier

The American Staffordshire terrier is one of several breeds known as pit bulls. These dogs are known for being muscular and strong, courageous and alert, agile and graceful. Physical characteristics of the breed include: A broad skull with pronounced cheek muscles. Ears set high, and they may be cropped (upright) or uncropped (floppy). A strong underjaw. Deep, broad chest. Tail that tapers to a point — a docked tail is not a standard for this breed. A short, stiff, glossy coat. Males are slightly larger than females, reaching an average of 18 or 19 inches at the shoulders. Females reach … Continue reading →

Dog Breeds: Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen

You can tell a lot about a dog from its name — at least this dog. Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen translates from the French thusly: Petit = small, Basset = low to the ground (like a Bassett Hound!), Griffon = rough coated or wire coated, and Vendeen = the region of France that gives us the breed. The breed can be traced back to the sixteenth century, and the larger Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen. Both dogs were developed to hunt by scent over the rough terrain of the western coast of France; the Vendeen region is full of rocks, thorns, … Continue reading →

Love For The Ugly

There was a headline on the news this morning: who wants to save an ugly animal? There are two ways you can read that: as a call for volunteers or as who wants to bother saving them because they’re ugly? Ugly (and beauty) is in the eye of the beholder. Is a dog who has lost a leg to a car accident ugly? A cat who lost part of an ear in a fight? A pet who carries the scars of past abuses? We each have our own set of aesthetics. Some people find the smashed-in faces of pugs and … Continue reading →

Poodles

Two out of the seven competitors in this year’s Westminster Kennel Club Best in Show were poodles! Standard, Miniature, and Toy poodles are different sizes in the same breed and are all held to the same standards. Standard poodle sizes: Fifteen inches or more at the shoulder. Miniature poodle sizes: Between ten and fifteen inches at the shoulder. Toy poodle sizes: Ten inches at the shoulder and smaller. The poodle is said to have originated in Germany, though the breed is strongly associated with France. In fact, the poodle is the national dog of France! The Standard poodle is most … Continue reading →

Bouviers des Flandres

Best in Group from the Herding Group at the Westminster Kennel Club show was the Bouvier des Flandres. This breed originated in southwest Flanders (hence the name) and on the northern plains of France, and was nearly wiped out during World War I. Most of the early breeders were farmers, butchers, and cattle merchants. The Bouvier des Flandres is a natural cattle driver and helpful herding dog. In 1910, the breed began making show appearances. When World War I broke out, the areas where the Bouvier was bred were hard-hit and nearly destroyed. Most people left the area, leaving their … Continue reading →

Dandie Dinmont Terrier

The Westminster Kennel Club’s Best in Group for the terriers this year was the Dandie Dinmont Terrier — owned by none other than Doctor William H. Cosby! This terrier is a long, low dog, bred for going to ground and rooting prey like badgers and otters out of their holes. The breed takes its name from a character in an 1814 book by Sir Walter Scott named Dandie Dinmont who kept six of these hunting dogs. The Dandie Dinmont Terrier was first recognized as a distinct breed of terrier around 1700, developed as a cross between native terriers in the … Continue reading →