Saint Bernard

To Mom

Saint Bernards take their name from Saint Bernard Hospice in the Swiss Alps, where Saint Bernards have been kept since the 17th century. There these massive dogs became famous for rescuing lost travelers or avalanche victims. Today the Saint is good natured, loves children, very protective, and a brilliant companion. But, his huge size can be a problem. This is a giant dog who simply just will not fit into very many peoples or families homes. He is expensive to feed, very messy (he sheds heavily and really knows how to drool), and like any other big-big dog, he needs plenty of training. The 1992 movie Beethoven, starring a cute Saint Bernard, tempted many families and people to buy a Saint without considering the commitment and jobs Saints need. This type of dog deserves better.
These dogs come in two coat varieties, rough and smooth. The first dogs had smooth coats, the rough coats were developed in the 19th century when a Newfoundland dog was introduced to combat in breeding.

Havanese

To Skyla

Barely known outside the place he originated, Cuba, until the 1990s, the Havanese is a wonderful companion with a silky, soft, coat and a sweet nature. An automatic companion breed, he is bright, affectionate, playful, friendly, and devoted to his family. Although a toy breed, he is far from fragile but sturdy enough to make a children's playmate. Havanese are sociable and outgoing. They like humans and get along well with other pets. Gentle, responsive, and willing to please, they are very sweet little characters. The downside is the heavy grooming job: the soft, long, silky, flowing, coat that gave them the earlier name of Havanese Silk Dog needs everyday attention.

A member of the Bichon family, the Havanese was taken to Cuba by Spanish settlers and developed there as a distinct breed. By the 1950s they had become rare but are now enjoying a well earned revival.

Labrador Retriever

To Christy, Chris, and Savannah

This amazing gundog is not only excellent in the shooting field but also as a guide dog, sniffer dog, life saving search and rescue dog, service dog,- and one of the most popular family dogs. However, those achievements depend upon good breeding and excellent training. Dependable breeders try to produce a good personality and shape. Even the best bred Labs can be real troublemakers left to make their own decisions. These are strong, active dogs whose intelligence needs training. Given sensible owners, Labs are great companions and reliable dogs, very trainable and adaptable.

This breed originated in Canada as a water dog. But it was in the 19th century in Britain that it's retrieving skills made it the sportsman's favorite.

Terrier, Gundog, or Herder?

Have you ever wondered if a dog is a terrier, gundog , or herder? (and so on) You know, their original purpose? I have. Sometimes if you watch them closely, you can tell. Such as:

TERRIER: Lively, bossy, willful, fun dogs with lots of character, strong hunting drive, can be fiery with other dogs, often great diggers and escape artists.

SIGHTHOUNDS: Gentle, affectionate, strong hunting and chasing drive, need opportunities to run, not particularly obedient and may not be trustworthy off leash, often escape artists.

SCENTHOUND: Friendly, stubborn, strong hunting drive, needs lots of exercise, not usually very obedient and usually hard to recall from a scent, often strong "houndy" smell.

GUNDOG: Good-natured, intelligent, highly trainable,needs lots of exercise, generally good with children, European all-around breeds generally are stronger-willed.

HERDER: Highly intelligent and needs lots of mental as well physical exercise,very trainable, strong chasing drive, often very sensitive and needs early socialization.

GUARD: Strong willed and confident, needs experienced owner, highly trainable in the right hands, protective drive that needs to be controlled.

TOY: Needs lots of love and cuddles, despite small size generally more of a "real dog" than reputation suggests, most Toys enjoy long walks, opportunity for training.

SPITZ: Active, energetic, often noisy, tend to be stubborn and independent, not one for obedient enthusiosts, needs close relatinship with owner, dislike being left alone.

SLED BREEDS: Active, not geared to obedience, needs lots of exersize, strong prey drive, rarely to be trsted off leash, destructive if bored, great escapologists.

BULL BREEDS: Strong-minded dogs of fighting ancestry but nowadays not generally aggresive- although most will not back down if challened, smarter than reputation suggests.

There. Now, just maybe, you can tell if a dog is a terrier, gundog, or herder!

Golden Retriever

To Christy, Chris, and Savannah

This beautiful and kind gundog is everywhere, a great working dog and a wonderful family pet, also used as a guide dog, service dog, therapy dog, and a sniffer dog. Intelligent, friendly, and cheerful, he is perfect for anyone who enjoys long walks and wants a loving companion to share in activities. He needs a lot of exercise. Owners should be prepared for an ecstatic dog with a sense of humour who loves retrieving, can't resist splashing about in water, and covers the house with mud and hairs.

The Goldie originated in Britain in the 1860s from yellow pups that cropped up accidentally in black retriever strains, receiving a breed standard in 1931. Since than he has become very popular.

Pugs

To the Marshall family:

Pugs are quite proper on the outside and a true clown on the inside. They are a great companion for less active owners. Pugs are very energetic and often busy and curious. They are low-maintenance and need quite little exercise or grooming. They will adapt to most lifestyles as long as they have their owners' company. Pugs are full of personality and loves to play and enjoys attention. They sociable and affectionate. They do have some health problems and needs to be watched in hot weather. Pugs were created in China in ancient times and reached the West by trade in the 16th or 17th century to become great favorites in Holland and England, than becoming popular in the 18th century.

Did you Know.......?

Did you know that..........................

1. The Keeshond will bark their heads off at suspicious sounds but is more likely to welcome a burglar in and show him around the house than to bite him.
2. The Greyhound is the fastest of dogs, with a top speed of 45 mph.
3. Confusingly, the Australian Shepherd is a American creation.
4. In the 17th century the Great Pyrenees imposing appearance attracted the attention of French nobility, and became known as "the Royal Dog of France".
5. Not just a sighthound,the Ibizan Hound was developed as an all-purpose hunting dog that works by sight, hearing, and smell.
6. The German Shepherd makes an ideal working companion, helping people in distress, assisting people with disabilities,working alongside the police and military, and proving itself as a vigilant guard dog.
Pretty cool stuff, huh?

Breeds of Dogs

I love dogs. I know the breeds,what they look like, if they are good or bad, etc. Here are just some of the breeds I know.
1. Australian Shepherd. 2. Beagle. 3. German Shepherd. 4. Keeshond. 5. Basenji. 6. Ibizan Hound. 7. Lhasa Apso. 8. Bichon Frise. 9. Bloodhound. 10. Great Pyrenees. 11.Greyhound. 12. Dalmatian. 13. Saint Bernard. 14. Husky. 15. Alaskan Malamute. 16.English Springer Spaniel. 17. Brittany. 18. Great Dane. 19. Basset hound. 20. Mastiff.

There are so many more dogs in the world, I would never be able to write them all or name them all. At least I wrote 20.