The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a small breed of Spaniel-type dog, and is classed as a toy dog by most kennel clubs. It is one of the most popular breeds in the United Kingdom. Since 2000, it has been growing in popularity in the United States. It is a smaller breed of spaniel, and Cavalier adults are often the same size as adolescent dogs of other spaniel breeds. It has a silky coat and commonly an undocked tail. The breed standard recognizes four colours (Blenheim, Tricolour [black/white/tan], Black and Tan, and Ruby). The breed is generally friendly, affectionate and good with both children and other animals.

The King Charles changed drastically in the late 17th century, when it was interbred with flat-nosed breeds. Until the 1920s, the Cavalier shared the same history as the smaller King Charles Spaniel. Breeders attempted to recreate what they considered to be the original configuration of the breed, a dog resembling Charles II‘s King Charles Spaniel of the Restoration.

Various health issues affect this particular breed, most notably mitral valve disease, which leads to heart failure. This will appear in most Cavaliers at some point in their lives and is the most common cause of death. The breed may also suffer from Syringomyelia, in which cavities are formed in the spinal cord, possibly associated with malformation of the skull that reduces the space available for the brain. Cavaliers are also affected by ear problems, a common health problem among spaniels of various types, and they can suffer from such other general maladies as hip dysplasia, which are common across many types of dog breeds.

During the 16th century, a small type of spaniel was popular among the nobility in England. The people of the time believed that these dogs could keep fleas away, and some even believed that they could prevent forms of stomach illnesses.^[2] These dogs were sometimes called the “Spaniel Gentle” or “Comforter”, as ladies taking a carriage ride would take a spaniel on their laps to keep them warm during the winter.^[3] Charles I kept a spaniel named Rogue while residing at Carisbrooke Castle; however, it is with Charles II that this breed is closely associated and it was said of him that “His Majesty was seldom seen without his little dogs”.^[2] There is a myth that he even issued an edict that no spaniels of this type could be denied entry to any public place.^[2]

During the reign of King William III and Queen Mary II, the long nosed style of spaniel went out of fashion. The Pug was the favoured dog at the time in the Netherlands, and with William’s Dutch origin, they became popular in England too. At this time interbreeding may have occurred with the Pug, or other flat nosed breeds, as the King Charles took on some Pug-like characteristics, but in any event the modern King Charles Spaniel emerged.^[4] In The Dog in 1852, William Youatt was critical of the change in the breed:

The King Charles’s breed of the present day is materially altered for the worse. The muzzle is almost as short, and the forehead as ugly and prominent, as the veriest bull-dog. The eye is increased to double its former size, and has an expression of stupidity with which the character of the dog too accurately corresponds. Still there is the long ear, and the silky coat, and the beautiful colour of the hair, and for these the dealers do not scruple to ask twenty, thirty, and even fifty guineas.^[5]

During the early part of the 18th century, John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, kept red and white King Charles type spaniels for hunting. The duke recorded that they were able to keep up with a trotting horse. His estate was named Blenheim in honour of his victory at the Battle of Blenheim. Because of this influence, the red and white variety of the King Charles Spaniel and thus the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel became known as the Blenheim.^[4]

Attempts were made to recreate the original King Charles Spaniel as early as the turn of the 20th century, using the now extinct Toy Trawler Spaniels. These attempts were documented by Judith Blunt-Lytton, 16th Baroness Wentworth, in the book “Toy Dogs and Their Ancestors Including the History And Management of Toy Spaniels, Pekingese, Japanese and Pomeranians” published under the name of the “Hon. Mrs Neville Lytton” in 1911.^[6]

Divergence from King Charles Spaniel

Two Cavalier King Charles Spaniels on Great South Bay, Long Island

In 1926, American Roswell Eldridge offered a dog show class prize of twenty-five pounds each as a prize for the best male and females of “Blenheim Spaniels of the old type, as shown in pictures of Charles II of England‘s time, long face, no stop, flat skull, not inclined to be domed, with spot in centre of skull.”^[7] The breeders of the era were appalled, although several entered what they considered to be sub-par King Charles Spaniels in the competition. Eldridge died before seeing his plan come to fruition, but several breeders believed in what he said and in 1928 the first Cavalier club was formed.^[7] The first standard was created, based on a dog named “Ann’s Son” owned by Mostyn Walker,^[8] and the The Kennel Club recognised the breed as “King Charles Spaniels, Cavalier type”.^[7]

World War II caused a drastic setback to the breed, with the vast majority of breeding stock destroyed because of the hardship. For instance, in the Ttiweh Cavalier Kennel, the population of sixty dropped to three during the 1940s.^[9] Following the war, just six dogs would be the starting block from which all Cavaliers descend.^[7] These dogs were Ann’s Son, his litter brother Wizbang Timothy, Carlo of Ttiweh, Duce of Braemore, Kobba of Kuranda and Aristide of Ttiweh.^[10] The numbers increased gradually, and in 1945 The Kennel Club first recognised the breed in its own right as the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.^[7]

The history of the breed in America is relatively recent. The first recorded Cavalier living in the United States was brought from the United Kingdom in 1956 by W. Lyon Brown, together with Elizabeth Spalding and other enthusiasts, she founded the Cavalier King Charles Club USA which continues to the present day. In 1994, the American Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club was created by a group of breeders to apply for recognition by the American Kennel Club. The Cavalier would go on to be recognised in 1997, and the ACKCSC became the parent club for Cavaliers.^[11]

Description

Cavalier King Charles Spaniels traditionally come in four colours. Blenheim, Tricolour and Ruby are shown here, respectively. See below for Black and Tan.

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is one of the largest toy breeds. Historically it was a lap dog, and modern day adults can fill a lap easily. Nonetheless, it is small for a spaniel, with fully grown adults comparable in size to adolescents of other larger spaniel breeds. Breed standards state that height of a Cavalier should be between 12 to 13 inches (30 to 33 cm) with a proportionate weight between 10 to 18 pounds (4.5 to 8.2 kg). The tail is usually not docked,^[12] and the Cavalier should have a silky coat of moderate length. Standards state that it should be free from curl, although a slight wave is allowed. Feathering can grow on their ears, feet, legs and tail in adulthood. Standards require this be kept long, with the feathering on the feet a particularly important aspect of the breed’s features.^[12]

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and the English Toy Spaniel can be often confused with each other. In the United Kingdom, the English Toy Spaniel is called the King Charles Spaniel while in the United States, one of the colours of the Toy Spaniel is known as King Charles. The two breeds share similar history and only diverged from each other about 100 years ago. There are several major differences between the two breeds, with the primary difference being the size. While the Cavalier weighs on average between 10 to 18 pounds (4.5 to 8.2 kg), the King Charles is smaller at 9 to 12 pounds (4.1 to 5.4 kg). In addition their facial features while similar, are different; the Cavalier’s ears are set higher and its skull is flat while the King Charles’s is domed. Finally the muzzle length of the Cavalier tends to be longer than that of its King Charles cousin.^[7]

Colour

The fourth colour, Black and Tan is seen on this dog.

The breed has four recognized colours. Cavaliers which have rich chestnut markings on a pearly white background are known as Blenheim in honour of Blenheim Palace, where John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, raised the predecessors to the Cavalier breed in this particular colour.^[13] In some dogs there is a chestnut spot in the middle of the forehead: this is called the “blenheim” spot.^[14] Black and Tan are dogs with black bodies with tan highlights, particularly eyebrows, cheeks, legs and beneath the tail.^[15] Black and Tan is referred to as “King Charles” in the King Charles Spaniel.^[7] Ruby Cavaliers should be entirely chestnut all over,^[1] although some can have some white in their coats which is considered a fault under American Kennel Club conformation show rules.^[16] The fourth colour is known as Tricolour, which is black and white with tan markings on cheeks, inside ears, on eyebrows, inside legs, and on underside of tail.^[15] This colour is referred to as “Prince Charles” in the King Charles Spaniel.^[7]

Popularity

According to statistics released by The Kennel Club, Cavaliers were the sixth most popular dog in the United Kingdom in 2007 with 11,422 registrations in a single year. Labrador Retrievers were the most popular with 45,079 registrations in that year.^[17] Their popularity is on the rise in America; in 1998 they were the 56th most popular breed but in both 2007 and 2008 they were the 25th most popular.^[18] They ranked higher in some individual US cities in the 2008 statistics, being eighth in both Nashville and Minneapolis-St.Paul,^[19] seventh in Boston, Atlanta^[20] and Washington D.C.,^[21] and sixth in both New York City^[19] and San Francisco.^[21] In 2009, the Cavalier was the fourth most popular breed in Australia with 3,196 registrations behind only Labrador Retrievers, German Shepherd Dogs and Staffordshire Bull Terriers.^[22] In addition, there are also national breed clubs in Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, Spain and Sweden.^[23]

Temperament

The breed is highly affectionate, playful, extremely patient and eager to please. As such, dogs of the breed are good with children and other dogs. Cavaliers are not shy about socialising with much larger dogs.^[24] They will adapt quickly to almost any environment, family, and location. Their ability to bond with larger and smaller dogs make them ideal in houses with more than one breed of dog as long as the other dog is trained. The breed is great with people of all ages, from children to seniors, making them a very versatile dog. Cavaliers rank 44th in Stanley Coren‘s The Intelligence of Dogs, being of average intelligence in working or obedience. Cavaliers are naturally curious and playful, but also enjoy simply cuddling up on a cushion or lap.^[25]

Cavaliers are active and sporting. They have an instinct to chase most things that move including while on busy streets, and so most Cavaliers will never become “street-wise”.^[26] As they tend to regard all strangers as friends, members of the breed will usually never make good guard dogs. Spaniels have a strong hunting instinct and may endanger birds and small animals. However, owners have reported that through training their Cavaliers live happily with a variety of small animals including hamsters and gerbils.^[25]

Health

A ruby Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy.

The Shetland Sheepdog, often known as the Sheltie, is a breed of herding dog.They are small to medium dogs, and come in a variety of colors, such as sable/white, tri-color, and blue merle. They are vocal, excitable, energetic dogs who are always willing to please and work hard. They are partly derived from dogs used in the Shetland Isles for herding and protecting sheep.The breed was formally recognized by the Kennel Club in 1909.^[1]

The Shetland Sheepdog’s early history is not well known. They were originally a small mixed-breed dog, often 10–13 inches (250–330 mm) in height and it is thought that the original Shetland herding dogs were of Spitz type, and were crossed with collie-type sheepdogs from mainland Britain.^[2] In the early 20th century, James Loggie added a small Rough Collie to the breeding stock, and helped establish what would become the modern Shetland sheepdog.^[3] The original name of the breed was “Shetland Collie”, but this caused controversy among Rough Collie breeders at the time, so the breed’s name was formally changed to Shetland Sheepdog.

Unlike many miniature breeds that resemble their larger counterparts, this breed was not developed simply by selectively breeding the Rough Collie for smaller and smaller size. The original sheepdog of Shetland was a Spitz-type dog, probably similar to the modern Icelandic sheepdog. This dog was crossed with mainland working collies brought to the islands,^[4] and then after being brought to England, it was further extensively crossed with the Rough Collie, and other breeds including some or all of the extinct Greenland Yakki, the King Charles Spaniel (not the Cavalier), the Pomeranian,^[2] and possibly the Border Collie. The original Spitz-type working sheepdog of Shetland is now extinct, having been replaced for herding there by the Border Collie. The Shetland Sheepdog in its modern form has never been used as a working dog on Shetland, and ironically it is uncommon there.^{[citation needed]}

When the breed was originally introduced breeders called them Shetland Collies, which upset Rough Collie breeders, so the name was changed to Shetland Sheepdog.^[2][5] During the early 20th century (up until the 1940s), additional crosses were made to Rough Collies to help retain the desired Rough Collie type – in fact, the first AKC Sheltie champion’s dam was a purebred rough Collie bitch.^{[citation needed]}

The year 1909 marked the initial recognition of the Sheltie by the English Kennel Club, with the first registered Sheltie being a female called Badenock Rose. The first Sheltie to be registered by the American Kennel Club was “Lord Scott” in 1911.

Description

The general appearance of the Sheltie is that of a miniature Rough Collie. They are a small, double coated, working dog, agile and sturdy. Blue merle and the undesirable white Shelties may have blue eyes, but all others have dark coloured eyes. Their expression should be that of alertness with a gentle and sometimes reserved nature. They carry their tail down low, only lifted when alert and never carried over the back. They are an intensly loyal breed, sometimes reserved with strangers but should not be shy or showing timidness as per the AKC breed standard.

Coat and colors

12-week-old bi-blue

Shelties have a double coat, which means that they have two layers of fur that make up their coat. The long, rough guard hairs lie on top of the thick, soft undercoat. The guard hairs are water-repellent, while the undercoat provides relief from both high and low temperatures.

The American Kennel Club describes three different colors: “black, blue merle, and sable (ranging from golden through mahogany), marked with varying amounts of white and/or tan.”^[7] Essentially, however, a blue merle dog is a genetically black dog, either black, white, and tan (tricolor) or black and white (bi-black) carrying a color modification gene that causes merling. In the show ring, blue merles may have blue eyes; all other colors must have brown eyes.

Basic Coat Colors

11 year-old sable & white Sheltie.

• Sable and white–Sable is dominant over other colors. May be pure for sable (two sable genes) or may be tri-factored or bi-factored (carrying one sable gene and one tricolor or bicolor gene). “Tri-factored” sable and “shaded” sable are NOT interchangeable terms. A shaded dog (one with a lot of black overlay on a sable coat) may or may not be tri-factored or bi-factored.^[8]

• Tricolor–black, white, and tan. Tricolor is dominant over bi-black. May be pure for tricolor (2 tri genes) or may be bi-factored (carrying one tricolor gene and one bicolor gene).

• Bi-black–black and white. Bi-black is recessive. A bi-black Sheltie carries 2 bi-black genes; thus, any dog of any other color with a bi-black parent is also bi-factored.

“Modified” Coat Colors

Any of the above colors may also have a color modification gene. The color modification genes are merling and white factoring. Merling dilutes the base color (sable, tricolor, or bi-black) causing a black dog’s coat to show a mix of black, white, and gray hairs, often with black patches.

• Blue merle—blue, white, and tan. A tricolor with the merling gene. May have blue eyes.

• Bi-blue—blue and white. A bi-black with the merling gene. May have blue eyes.

• Sable merle—faded or mottled sable and white. Often born with a mottled coat of darker brown over lighter brown, they usually present as a faded or lighter sable or can appear as a washed out blue-merle. Sable merles are shown in the breed ring as sables; therefore, blue eyes are a disqualifying fault.

White factoring affects the amount of white on the dog. It is hard to tell, without actually breeding, whether a dog is white-factored or not, though dogs with white going up the stifle (the front of the hind leg) are usually assumed to be white-factored. Breeding two white-factored dogs can result in color-headed whites–Shelties with colored heads (sable, tricolor, bi-black, or blue or sable merle) and white bodies. Since dogs with more than 50% white are heavily penalized, they are not shown in the breed ring, but are perfectly normal in every other way.

Double merles, a product of breeding two merle Shelties together, have a very high incidence of deafness and/or blindness.^[9] There have been reports of a brindle Sheltie^[10] but many Sheltie enthusiasts agree that a cross sometime in the ancestry of that specific Sheltie could have produced a brindle. Unacceptable colors in the show ring are a rustiness in a blue or black coat. Colors may not be faded, no conspicuous white spots, and the color cannot be over 50% white.

3 tri-colour shelties

Height and weight

Shelties normally weigh around 5–14 kilograms (11–31 lb)^{[citation needed]}. In general males are taller and heavier than females. Accepted height ranges may differ depending on country and standard used. In the USA and Canada, breed standards state that males and females can be between 33–41 centimetres (13–16 in), all other standards (Australia, New Zealand and U.K.) specify Males: 37 cm ± 2½ cm, Females: 35.5 cm ± 2½ cm except F.C.I. which specifies Females: 36 cm ± 2½ cm at the shoulder (withers), however, some shelties can be found outside of these ranges but are not considered truly representative of the breed. Variation can be found within litters, and height (in the 18-20 in. range) is above the breed standard in some lines.

Ears

Shelties are significantly smaller than Rough Collies

To conform to the breed standards, the Shelties’ ears should bend slightly or “tip”, this contributes to the “proper Sheltie expression”^{[citation needed]}. The ear is to have the top third to a quarter of the ear tipped. If a dog’s ears are not bent (referred to as prick ears) some owners brace them into the correct position for several weeks to several months.^[11] Wide-set (too much distance between) ears are also not a desired trait, nor are ears which tip too low down (referred to as ‘hound’ ears).

Grooming

Shelties have a double coat. The topcoat consists of long, straight, water-repellent hair, which provides protection from cold and the elements. The undercoat is short, furry, and very dense and helps to keep the dog warm. Mats can be commonly found behind the ears, under the elbow on each front leg, and in the fluffy fur on the hind legs (the “skirts”), as well as around the collar (if worn). The coat is usually shed twice a year, often at spring and autumn.^[12] Females will also shed right before or right after giving birth.^[13] Shaving these dogs is very bad for their skin and some do not regrow any significant amount of hair after being shaved, a condition known as alopecia.^[14] Spaying or neutering can alter coat texture, making it softer, more prone to matting and even more profuse.^{[citation needed]} It should be noted that Shelties shed in clumps which can be pulled or brushed out of the main coat, rather than individual hair. This makes them much easier to groom and clean-up after than many smooth-haired dogs, which leave loose fur in their space.

Temperament

The Shetland sheepdog is lively, intelligent, playful, trainable, and willing to please and obey. They are loving, loyal, and affectionate with their family, but are naturally aloof with strangers; for this reason Shelties must be socialized. The Shetland Sheepdog Standard from the AKC allows them to be reserved to strangers, but they should not show fear. Shelties do well with children if they are reared with them from an early age; however, their small size makes it easy for a child to accidentally injure them, so supervision is necessary. Shelties are vocal dogs.The average Sheltie is an excellent watch dog.

The herding instinct is strong in many Shelties. They love to chase and herd things, including squirrels, ducks, children, and if an owner is not watchful, cars. Shelties love to run in wide-open areas. They do well with a sensitive, attentive owner. Neglecting a Sheltie’s need for exercise and intellectual stimulation can result in undesirable behaviors, including excessive barking, phobias, and nervousness. Fortunately, the reverse is also true; annoying behaviors can be lessened greatly by an hour of exercise that engages the dog with its owner.

Shelties have a high level of intelligence. According to Dr. Stanley Coren, an expert on animal intelligence, the Shetland sheepdog is one of the brightest dogs, ranking 6th out of 132 breeds tested. His research found that an average Sheltie could understand a new command in less than 5 repetitions and would obey a command the first time it was given 95% of the time or better.^[15]

Health

For the most part, Shelties are athletic and healthy. Like the Rough Collie, there is a tendency toward inherited malformation and disease of the eyes. Each individual puppy should have his eyes examined by a qualified veterinary ophthalmologist. Some lines may be susceptible to hypothyroidism, epilepsy, hip dysplasia, or skin allergies. The usual life span for Shelties is between 10 and 15 years.^{[citation needed]}

Shelties are also highly susceptible to Transitional Cell Carcinoma (TCC). TCC is a cancer of the bladder, and can be diagnosed early by regular urinalysis from a normal veterinarian. Causes are debated between breed susceptibility and female gender and exposure to insecticides.^[16]

Dermatomyositis may occur at the age of 4 to 6 months, and is frequently misdiagnosed by general practice veterinarians as sarcoptic or demodectic mange. The disease manifests itself as alopecia on the top of the head, supra- and suborbital area and forearms as well as the tip of the tail. If the disease progresses to its more damaging form, it could affect the autonomic nervous system and the dog may have to be euthanised. This disease is generation-skipping and genetically transmitted, with breeders having no clear methodology for screening except clear bloodline records. Deep tissue biopsies are required to definitively diagnose dermatomyositis.^[17]

Von Willebrand disease is an inherited bleeding disorder. In Shelties, affected dogs as a general rule are not viable and do not live long. The Sheltie carries type III of von Willebrands, which is the most severe of the three levels. There are DNA tests that were developed to find von Willebrands in Shelties. It can be done at any age, and it will give three results: affected, carrier and non-affected.^[18][19] Shelties may also suffer from hypothyroidism, which is the under-functioning thyroid gland. It is an Autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks the thyroid gland. Clinical symptoms include hair loss or lack of coat, over or under-weight, and listlessness.^[20]

Facial profile of a sable-coloured Shetland sheepdog

Although small breed dogs are not usually plagued by hip dysplasia, it has been identified in Shelties. Hip dysplasia occurs when the head of the femur and the acetabulum do not fit together correctly, frequently causing pain and/or lameness.^[21] Hip dysplasia is thought to be genetic.^[22] Many breeders will have their dogs’ hips x-rayed and certified by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals.

Eyes

The two basic forms of inherited eye diseases/defects in Shelties are Collie eye anomaly (CEA) and progressive retinal atrophy (PRA).

CEA can be detected in young puppies by a veterinary ophthalmologist.^[23] The disease involves the retina. It is always bilateral although the severity may be disparate (unequal) between eyes. Other accompanying defects (ophthalmic anomalies) may wrongly indicate a more severe manifestation of CEA. CEA is present at birth and although it cannot be cured, it doesn’t progress. Signs of CEA in shelties are small, or deepset eyes. That is, the severity of the disease at birth will not change throughout the dog’s life. CEA is scored similar to the way hips are.

CEA is genetic, inheritance is autosomal recessive, this means that even a dog that shows no phenotypic signs of the condition may be a carrier. Breeders should actively try to breed this disease out by only breeding with dogs that have “clear” eyes or very low scoring eyes.^[24] A CEA score considered too high to breed with may still be low enough not to affect the dog’s life. These dogs live happy and healthy lives as pets but should be not used for breeding.

PRA can be detected at any time but usually does not show up until the dog is around two years of age. Breeding dogs should be tested for genotype for this condition before breeding and only animals found “clear” should be used for breeding. PRA can occur in most breeds of dog including mix breeds. In Most breeds it is also an autosomal recessive condition, however it has been found in other breeds to be autosomal dominant and sex-linked in others.^[25] As the name suggests, it is a progressive disease which will eventually result in total blindness.^[26] Like CEA, an affected dog should not be bred with but these dogs can live happily as pets. Currently there is no treatment for either disease, but as both diseases (CEA and PRA) are hereditary it is possible to eliminate them using selective breeding.

This mostly white Sheltie has several conformational faults, such as pricked ears, too much white coloration, pigment other than black on the nose, and blue eyes. This dog would not be considered breeding stock.

Breeding

As with any dog, Shelties should be screened for inheritable genetic diseases before breeding. Both male and female should be tested for thyroid problems, von Willebrands disease and brucellosis, as well as have hip x-rays cleared by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals and eyes cleared by CERF.

Breeding colours is also a problem for many beginner breeders. Certain colour combinations can produce unwanted or potentially harmful results, such as mating blue merle to blue merle. Blue merle to blue merle crosses can produce what is called a “double merle” the result of which can be deaf and/or blind.^[27] By mating a sable and white to a blue merle can produce a sable merle which is undesirable for the show ring. A tri-colour to a pure-for-sable (a sable and white which can produce only other sable and whites), will produce only sable and whites, but they will be tri-factored sable and whites (which means they have the tri-gene.) There are many more examples of breeding for color, so a good breeder will research color genetics prior to breeding. There are many different genes contributing to the different colors of the Sheltie, including the bi gene, the merling gene, the sable gene, and the tricolour gene.

source: wikipedia/ youtube

The Siberian Husky (Russian: Сибирский хаски, Sibirskiy haski, “Siberian husky”) is a medium-size, dense-coat working dog breed that originated in north-eastern Siberia. The breed belongs to the Spitz genetic family. It is recognisable by its thickly furred double coat, sickle tail, erect triangular ears, and distinctive markings.

Huskies are an active, energetic, and resilient breed whose ancestors came from the extremely cold and harsh environment of the Siberian Arctic. Siberian Huskies were bred by the Chukchi of Northeastern Asia to pull heavy loads long distances through difficult conditions. The dogs were imported into Alaska during the Nome Gold Rush and later spread into the United States and Canada. They were initially sent to Alaska and Canada as sled dogs but rapidly acquired the status of family pets and show dogs.

The Siberian Husky, Samoyed, and Alaskan Malamute are all breeds directly descended from the original “sled dog.”^[2] Recent DNA analysis confirms that this is one of the oldest breeds of dog.^{[3] [4]} The term “husky” is a corruption of the nickname “Esky” once applied to the Eskimos and subsequently to their dogs.^[5]

Breeds descending from the Eskimo dog or Qimmiq ^[6] were once found throughout the Northern Hemisphere from Siberia to Canada, Alaska, Greenland, Labrador, and Baffin Island.^[2]

With the help of Siberian Huskies, entire tribes of people were able not only to survive, but to push forth into terra incognita. Admiral Robert Peary of the United States Navy was aided by this breed during his expeditions in search of the North Pole.^[2]

Dogs from the Anadyr River and surrounding regions were imported into Alaska from 1908 (and for the next two decades) during the gold rush for use as sled dogs, especially in the “All-Alaska Sweepstakes,” a 408-mile (657-km) distance dog sled race from Nome, to Candle, and back. Smaller, faster and more enduring than the 100- to 120-pound (45- to 54-kg) freighting dogs then in general use, they immediately dominated the Nome Sweepstakes. Leonhard Seppala, the foremost breeder of Siberian Huskies of the time, participated in competitions from 1909 to the mid 1920s.^[2]

Gunnar Kaasen and Balto.

On February 3, 1925, Gunnar Kaasen was first in the 1925 serum run to Nome to deliver diphtheria serum from Nenana, over 600 miles to Nome. This was a group effort by several sled-dog teams and mushers, with most of the run covered by Leonhard Seppala. The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race commemorates this famous delivery. The event is also loosely depicted in the 1995 animated film Balto, as the name of Gunnar Kaasen’s lead dog in his sled team was Balto, although unlike the real dog, Balto the character was portrayed as half wolf in the film. In honor of this lead dog, a bronze statue was erected at Central Park in New York City. The plaque upon it is inscribed,

Dedicated to the indomitable spirit of the sled dogs that relayed antitoxin six hundred miles over rough ice, across treacherous waters, through Arctic blizzards from Nenana to the relief of stricken Nome in the winter of 1925. Endurance · Fidelity · Intelligence^[2]

In 1930 the last Siberians were exported as the Soviet government closed the borders of Siberia to external trade. The same year saw recognition of the Siberian Husky by the American Kennel Club. Nine years later, the breed was first registered in Canada. Today’s Siberian Huskies registered in North America are largely the descendants of the 1930 Siberia imports and of Leonhard Seppala’s dogs. Seppala owned a kennel in Nenana before moving to New England, where he became partners with Elizabeth Ricker. The two co-owned the Poland Springs kennel and began to race and exhibit their dogs all over the Northeast.

As the breed was beginning to come to prominence, in 1933 Navy Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd brought about 50 Siberian Huskies with him on an expedition in which he hoped to journey around the 16,000-mile coast of Antarctica. Many of the dogs were trained at Chinook Kennels in New Hampshire. Called Operation Highjump, the historic trek proved the worth of the Siberian Husky due to its compact size and greater speeds.^[2] Siberian Huskies also served in the United States Army‘s Arctic Search and Rescue Unit of the Air Transport Command during World War II

Siberian Huskies share many outward similarities with the Alaskan Malamute as well as with many other spitz breeds such as the Samoyed, which has a comparable history to the Huskies. They come in a variety of colors and patterns, usually with white paws and legs, facial markings, and tail tip. The most common coats are black and white, then less common copper-red and white, gray and white, pure white, and the rare “Agouti” coat, though many individuals have blondish or piebald spotting. Striking masks, spectacles, and other facial markings occur in wide variety. They tend to have a wolf-like appearance.

Facial marking is common in the husky.

Eyes

A red/white colored Siberian Husky with heterochromia, a trait which is unusual in most dogs, but common among Siberian Huskies.

The American Kennel Club describes the Husky’s eyes as “an almond shape, moderately spaced and set slightly obliquely.” The eyes of a Siberian Husky are ice-blue, dark blue, amber, or brown. In some individual dogs, one eye may be brown and the other blue (complete heterochromia), or one or both eyes may be “parti-colored,” that is, half brown and half blue (partial heterochromia). All of these eye-color combinations are considered acceptable by the American Kennel Club.

A female Siberian Husky in the snow

Coat

The Siberian Husky’s coat is thicker than that of most breeds of dogs,^[8] comprising two layers: a dense undercoat and a longer topcoat of short, straight guard hairs. It protects the dogs effectively against harsh Arctic winters, but the coat also reflects heat in the summer. It is able to withstand temperatures as low as −50 °C to −60 °C.^[9] The undercoat is often absent during shedding. Their thick coats require weekly grooming.^[8] Long guard hair is not desirable and is considered a fault.

Siberian Husky puppy (one and a half month old).

Nose

Show-quality dogs are preferred to have neither pointed nor square noses. The nose is black in gray dogs, tan in black dogs, liver in copper-colored dogs, and may be flesh-colored in white dogs. In some instances, Siberian Huskies can exhibit what is called “snow nose” or “winter nose.” This condition is called hypopigmentation in animals. “Snow nose” is acceptable in the show ring.^[8][10]

During cold weather, huskies sometimes cover their noses with their tails when resting or sleeping.

Tail

Husky tails are furry and fluffy in order to provide warmth for their face and nose during cold winter nights. Huskies are also known for their uniquely identifiable “curled” or “sickle” tails.^[8]

Size

The breed standard indicates that the males of the breed are ideally between 21 and 23.5 inches (53 and 60 cm) tall at the withers and weighing between 45 and 60 pounds (20 and 27 kg). Females are smaller, growing to between 20 to 22 inches (51 to 56 cm) tall at the withers and weighing between 35 to 55 pounds (16 to 25 kg).^[8]

Siberian Husky playing in the snow and exhibiting a “curled” tail.

Behavior

The Siberian Husky has been described as a behavioral representative of the domestic dog’s forebear, the wolf, exhibiting a wide range of its ancestors’ behavior.^[11] They are known to howl rather than bark.^[12] If the dog is well trained, it can make a great family pet. The frequency of kenneled Siberian Huskies, especially for racing purposes, is rather high, as attributed through the history of the breed in North America. They are affectionate with people, but independent. A fifteen-minute daily obedience training class will serve well for Siberian Huskies.^[13] Siberians need consistent training and do well with a positive reinforcement training program. They rank 45th in Stanley Coren‘s The Intelligence of Dogs, being of average working/obedience intelligence. They tend to run because they were at first bred to be sled dogs. Owners are advised to exercise caution when letting their Siberian Husky off the leash, as the dog could be miles away before looking around and realizing its owner is nowhere in sight. They are excellent “escape artists” as well, and have been known to climb chain-link fences and find other ways of escaping a confined area. They also get bored easily, so playing with toys or throwing a ball at least once a day is essential. Failure to give them the attention or proper exercise they need can result in unwanted behavior, such as excessive howling, marking, chewing on furniture, or crying.^[14]

Intelligence

Siberian Huskies are highly intelligent, which allows them to excel in obedience trials, though many clubs would like to keep the Husky’s instinct by doing sled-racing.^[15] However, because of their intelligence, they can easily become bored and may stop listening to commands. Many dog trainers usually attempt to avoid this behavior by keeping them busy with new activities. Also due in part to their intelligence, Huskies tend to be very observant of the actions of people around them and have been known to mimic common household activities such as turning on lights with their paws and opening doors with their canines. Some undesirable behaviors they can exhibit include opening refrigerators (and eat the food inside), climbing fences or digging tunnels in the backyard to escape.^[16] These behaviors can be prevented if the dog is given enough activity to occupy it. Huskies require both mental and physical stimulation for optimum health.

source: wikipedia

The Doberman Pinscher (alternatively spelled Dobermann in many countries) or simply Doberman, is a breed of domestic dog originally developed around 1890 by Karl Friedrich Louis Dobermann. Doberman Pinschers are among the most common of pet breeds, and the breed is well known as an intelligent, alert, and loyal companion dog. Although once commonly used as guard dogs or police dogs, this is less common today.^{[citation needed]}

In many countries, Doberman Pinschers are one of the most recognizable breeds, in part because of their actual roles in society, and in part because of media attention (see temperament). Careful breeding has improved the disposition of this breed, and the modern Doberman Pinscher is an energetic and lively breed suitable for companionship and family life.

Appearance

Kennel club standards describe Doberman Pinschers as dogs of medium-large size with a square build and short coat. They are compactly built and athletic with endurance and speed. The Doberman Pinscher should have a proud, watchful, determined, and obedient temperament.^[1] The dog was originally intended as a guard dog,^[1][2] so males should have a masculine, muscular, noble appearance.^[1][2] Females are thinner, but should not be spindly.^[1]

Size and proportions

The Doberman is a dog of medium size. Although the breed standards vary among kennel and breed clubs, the dog typically stands between 26 to 28 inches 27.5 being ideal (66 to 72 cm), the female is typically somewhere between 24 to 26 inches, 25.5 being ideal (61 to 68 cm).^[1][3] The Doberman has a square frame: its length should equal its height to the withers, and the length of its head, neck and legs should be in proportion to its body.^[1]

There are no standards for the weight of the Doberman Pinscher. The ideal dog must have sufficient size for an optimal combination of strength, endurance and agility.^[3] The male generally weighs between 75 and 100 pounds (34 and 45 kg) and the female between 60 and 90 pounds (27 and 41 kg).

Color

Two different color genes exist in the Doberman, one for black (B) and one for color dilution (D). There are nine possible combinations of these allelles (BBDD, BBDd BbDD BbDd, BBdd, Bbdd, bbDD, bbDd, bbdd), which result in four different color phenotypes: black, red, blue, and fawn (Isabella).^[4] The traditional and most common color occurs when both the color and dilution genes have at least one dominant allele (i.e., BBDD, BBDd, BbDD or BbDd), and is commonly referred to as black or black and rust (also called black and tan). The red, red rust or brown coloration occurs when the black gene has two recessive alleles but the dilution gene has at least one dominant allele (i.e., bbDD, bbDd). “Blue” and “fawn” are controlled by the color dilution gene. The blue Doberman has the color gene with at least one dominant allele and the dilution gene with both recessive alleles (i.e., BBdd or Bbdd). The fawn (Isabella) coloration is the least common, occurring only when both the color and dilution genes have two recessive alleles (i.e., bbdd). Thus, the blue color is a diluted black, and the fawn color is a diluted red.

Expression of the color dilution gene is a disorder called Color Dilution Alopecia. Although not life threatening, these dogs can develop skin problems.^[5]

In 1976, a “white” Doberman Pinscher was whelped,^[6] and was subsequently bred to her son, who was also bred to his litter sisters. This tight inbreeding continued for some time to allow the breeders to “fix” the mutation. White dobermans are a cream color with pure white markings and icy blue eyes. Although this is consistent with albinism, the proper characterization of the mutation is currently unknown. The animals are commonly known as tyrosinase-positive albinoids, lacking melanin in oculocutaneous structures,^[7] but no known mutation has been identified.

The Doberman Pinscher’s natural tail is fairly long, but individual dogs often have a short tail as a result of docking, a procedure in which the majority of the tail is surgically removed shortly after birth.

The practice of docking has been around for centuries, and is older than the Doberman as a breed.^[8] The putative reason for docking is to ensure that the tail does not get in the way of the dog’s work.^[8] Docking has always been controversial.^[9] The American Kennel Club standard for Doberman Pinschers includes a tail docked near the 2nd vertebra.^[1] Docking is a common practice in North America, Russia and Japan (as well as a number of other countries with Doberman populations), where it is legal. In many European countries, docking has been made illegal, and in others it is limited.

Ears

Doberman Pinschers often have their ears cropped, as do many other breeds, a procedure that is functionally related to breed type for both the traditional guard duty and effective sound localization. Like tail docking, ear cropping is illegal in some countries,^[specify] and in these pictures Doberman Pinschers have natural ears. Doberman Pinscher ear cropping is usually done between 7 and 9 weeks of age. Cropping done after 12 weeks has a low rate of success in getting the ears to stand. Some Doberman Pinscher owners prefer not to have their pet’s ears cropped because they are concerned the procedure is painful for the animal.

The process involves trimming off part of the animal’s ears while the animal is anesthetized and propping them up with posts and tape bandages, which allows the cartilage to develop into an upright position as the puppy grows. The incision scabs fall off within a week and stitches are removed a week after that. The puppy still has the ability to lay the ears back or down. The process of posting the ears generally takes about a month, but longer show crops can take several months. Posting techniques and the associated discomfort vary from one posting technique to the next, but aside from the actual time spent posting the puppies do not seem to feel any discomfort and frequently play with each others ears, stopping the play only rarely.

In some countries’ conformation shows,^[specify] Doberman Pinschers are allowed to compete with either cropped or natural ears. In Germany a cropped or docked dog cannot be shown regardless of country of origin. Special written exception to this policy does occur when Germany is the location for international events. Doberman puppy, Before and After Ear cropping (VIDEO)

Temperament

Although they are considered to be working dogs, Doberman Pinschers are often stereotyped as being ferocious and aggressive.^[10][11] As a personal protection dog, the Doberman was originally bred for these traits:^[11] it had to be large and intimidating, fearless, and willing to defend its owner, but sufficiently obedient and restrained to only do so on command.^[11] These traits served the dog well in its role as a personal defense dog, police dog, or war dog, but were not ideally adapted to a companionship role. In recent decades, the Doberman Pinscher’s size, short coat, and intelligence made it a desirable house dog. Their aggression has been toned down by modern breeders over the years, and today’s Dobermans are known for a much more even and good natured temperament, extreme loyalty, high intelligence, and great trainability.

They can easily learn to ‘Respect and Protect’ their owners, and are therefore considered to be excellent guard dogs that protect their loved ones. They are generally sociable toward humans and can be with other dogs. However, Dobermans rank among the more-likely breeds to show aggressive behaviour toward strangers and other dogs, but not among the most likely to do so. They are very unlikely to show aggressive behaviour toward their owners. ^{[10][11][12][13]}

There is evidence that Doberman Pinschers in North America have a calmer and more even temperament than their European counterparts because of the breeding strategies employed by American breeders.^[14] Because of these differences in breeding strategies, different lines of Doberman Pinschers have developed different traits. Although many contemporary Doberman Pinschers in North America are gentle and friendly to strangers, some lines are bred more true to the original personality standard.^[15]

Although the aggressiveness stereotype is less true today, the personality of the Doberman Pinscher is unique. There is a great deal of scientific evidence that Doberman Pinschers have a number of stable psychological traits, such as certain personality factors and intelligence. As early as 1965, studies have shown that there are several broad behavioral traits that significantly predict behavior and are genetically determined.^[16] Subsequently, there have been numerous scientific attempts to quantify canine personality or temperament by using statistical techniques for assessing personality traits in humans. These studies often vary in terms of the personality factors they focus on, and in terms of ranking breeds differently along these dimensions. One such study found that Doberman Pinschers, compared to other breeds, rank high in playfulness, average in curiosity/fearlessness, low on aggressiveness, and low on sociability.^[17] Another such study ranked Doberman Pinschers low on reactivity/surgence, and high on aggression/disagreeableness and openness/trainability.^[18]

Intelligence

Doberman Pinscher in a dog park in Hod Hasharon, Israel

Canine intelligence is an umbrella term that encompasses the faculties involved in a wide range of mental tasks, such as learning, problem-solving, and communication. The Doberman Pinscher has ranked amongst the most intelligent of dog breeds in experimental studies and expert evaluations. For instance, Psychologist Stanley Coren ranks the Doberman as the 5th most intelligent dog in the category of obedience command training, based on the selective surveys he performed of some trainers (as documented in his book The Intelligence of Dogs). Additionally, in two studies, Hart and Hart (1985) ranked the Doberman Pinscher first in this category.^[19] and Tortora (1980) gave the Doberman the highest rank in trainability,.^[20] Although the methods of evaluation differ, these studies consistently show that the Doberman Pinscher, along with the Border Collie, German Shepherd and Standard Poodle, is one of the most trainable breeds of dog.

Aggression

In addition to the studies of canine personality, there has been some research to determine whether there are breed differences in aggression. In a recent study, aggression was divided into four categories: aggression directed at strangers, owner, other strange dogs and rivalry with other household dogs.^[12] This study found that the Doberman Pinscher ranked relatively high on stranger-directed aggression, but extremely low on owner-directed aggression. The Doberman Pinscher ranked as average on dog-directed aggression and dog rivalry. Looking only at bites and attempted bites, Doberman Pinschers rank as far less aggressive towards humans, and show less aggression than many breeds without a reputation (e.g., Cocker Spaniel, Border Collie and Great Dane). This study concluded that aggression has a genetic basis, that the Doberman shows a distinctive pattern of aggression depending on the situation, and that contemporary Doberman Pinschers are not an aggressive breed overall.^[12]

Although recent studies do not rank Doberman Pinschers as the most aggressive breed, their size, strength and aggression towards strangers makes them potentially dangerous. ^[21]

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, between 1979 and 1998, the Doberman Pinscher was involved in attacks on humans resulting in fatalities less frequently than several other dog breeds such as pit bull–type dogs, German Shepherd Dogs, Rottweilers, Husky-type, Wolf-dog hybrids and Alaskan Malamutes.^[21][22] According to this Center for Disease Control and Prevention study, one of the most important factors contributing to dog bites are related to the level of responsibility exercised by dog owners.^[23]

source: Wikipedia

When you first bring home your puppy he may be excited or frightened by the new surroundings. Of course you’ll want to cuddle and play and get to know each other. But it’s important not to allow the puppy to chew on your fingers or bite you. If you let the puppy think it’s OK to do so now then it will just be harder to break him of it when he gets older.

Here are some puppy training tip you might find useful.

Some people like to begin their puppy training with a dog crate. This is because it’s unlikely that the puppy will willingly soil his immediate area. This technique of housebreaking a dog is only effective though when the puppy is old enough to control his bladder and bowels.

Another method of housebreaking is to show the dog to the door when he begins to sniff around. Keep at it and he’ll make the connection sooner than you might think.

Puppies do love to chew so it’s a good idea to provide a few toys to chew on while teething. Dogs respond better to reward than to punishment. So if pup starts chewing on furniture legs or ripping up the couch, stop him immediately with a stern no. Then take him to his designated area and offer him a chew toy. When he begins to chew on one of these, praise him for doing so. This will reinforce in his mind which things are his and which things are off-limits.

To prevent dog fights in the future it’s important to introduce your puppy to other dogs as soon as possible. Training your puppy now on how to get along will save frustration later on. Just make sure that neither dog is allowed to establish dominance. That place is reserved for humans.

Barking and whining are hard habits to control in a dog. Of course it would be completely unfair to expect your dog to never bark. But you can train him to bark only when it’s appropriate to do so. When is it ok for a dog to bark?

1. When he’s frightened. People scream or cry and a dog will naturally bark.

2. When he’s happy to see you he may bark a little out of excitement.

3. When someone enters your property or knocks on the door. Praise him for doing his job of guarding your home and family but don’t allow the barking to persist. It may be necessary to put him in another room or in his crate.

4. It’s only natural for dogs around the neighborhood to communicate with one another. That doesn’t mean though that you have to allow your puppy to bark all night long. If you’re training your puppy to be an outside dog you may want to put him in the garage at night.

Puppy training can be challenging yet fun. There are times when your puppy will test his limits and try your patience. But if you keep your cool and a positive outlook, the dog will pick up on your attitude towards training and begin to look forward to spending this time with you.

the Techichi Dog

The Techichi is probably known as one only a couple indigenous breeds in the western hemisphere. It evolved into the Chihuahua dog  and was present in the early civilizations of Central America and Mexico. It is believed the Techichi, which did not bark, were used in temples and cared for by priests.  Common belief was the Techichi Dog had mystical powers and could heal human illness and see into the future. Sacrifices were commonly associated to this breed. The red Techichi could guide souls to the underworld, which is proven since many graves have been excavated in Mexico containing the skeletons of these small dogs.

Christopher Columbus reported of small dogs “which were mute and did not bark, as usual, but were domesticated.

Though the Techichi was larger than the present day Chihuahua, as the size decreased, the courage increased and this mighty little dog found its voice.  These tiny dogs are driven by their loyal, underlying love of their owners, and without regard to difference in size will defend home and master without thought of consequence.

The Chihuahua is popular with apartment dwellers and elderly owners. With its big eyes, oversized ears, and bigger-than-life attitude, the Chihuahua is an excellent example of a canine who rules.

Chihuahuas tend to be very possessive and protective with little tolerance for intrusion. There is a story of an elderly woman who admitted a meter-reader without checking ID. Her pregnant Chihuahua followed. She led the uniformed man to the meter, where he attacked her, her Chihuahua promptly attacked and managed to bite the jugular vein. When everything settled after this incident, the woman advertised the courage of her Chihuahua and that this trait is in her puppies.

The Chihuahua’s loyalty is unquestionable, yet it is important to properly train and socialize. The Chihuahua does not adapt to change easily. Although often seen in travel cases, carried in someone’s arms or attached via leash, the Chihuahua is happiest with the stable environment where it can exhibit its playful, mischievous temperament. Because children under 12 move and interact rapidly, it is recommended that Chihuahuas do not be introduced into a family of young children

Every one of us will always love our puppies, primarily when they are being cute and also perfectly behaved. We as well adore these animals even when they act out in bad ways, with bad habits. These kinds of annoying habits, however, might be based on our standards of how we think they should behave.

In the mind of the puppies, they are only acting much like a dog would, imagine that!

But a good way to keep your home a secure and calm place to enjoy, they need to figure out how to behave within the human world, and it is your responsibility as the puppy owner to make that happen.

By using sufficient and practical dog training techniques, almost any puppy can learn how to stop these types of objectionable habits including the ones discussed on the following paragraphs:

The Nipping Habit:

Nipping throughout playtime will be normal for more or less all puppies, primarily if they get excited. Yet, despite how cute any puppy looks or how harmless it may seem to be, nipping is a unfavorable and dangerous habit that should be ceased quickly. Each puppy dog has to learn that, even in play, his teeth shouldn’t contact human skin.

Curbing this behavior now would certainly lower the chances of your pup growing up and biting another person in the future.

The moment your new puppy begins to nip, convert this biting habit into a focused image on his or her playthings, instead of your hands. Provide toys which are tempting to your puppies mouth such as rubber toys that are chewable, spefically those that will have dog goodies inside or the capability to re-load new treats.

In addition suppy soft, multicolored plushtoys that can peak his or her attention.

You should not have to wait for your puppy dog to be older so that you can start to train. Actually, puppies as new as 8 weeks will be able figure out and understand that nipping isn’t permitted. If he or she commences to bite in the course of play, tell him or her “NO” or “OUCH” and back away for a short period of time.

In the event he or she starts to bite again, wander away, visit a separate room and shut the door. But remember, don’t allow the puppy to be on it’s own for any longer than 1 minute. Walking away and leaving your pup, in addition to going to another room with the door closed, teaches him that biting hard will make the “good time” and entertainment go away.

The puppy will ultimately figure out how to restrain the pressure of the nipping. As soon as he or she learns to nip lightly, elevate the bar and say “OUCH” or “NO” once again when the mild bites occurs until your puppy learns to quit entirely.

The Chewing Habit: Another infuriating habit which frustrates puppy owners is undoubtedly when these cute little animals chew on our favorite stuff, especially those brand new expensive shoes. Understand that puppies come with an insatiable urge to chew, mostly in order to soothe their own aching gums when they go through their own teething stage.

It might seem to you to be cruel to stop your new puppy from trying to soothe his pain. However, you should certainly refocus his or her chewing habit to their toys rather than your shoes or boots, clothing, books, and so on.

Always have numerous toys available for them to gnaw on. Get the pup accustomed to chewing on these types of toys by placing them close to him constantly while he’s still young. Ensure that you place these toys in the confined place together with any puppy so that he or she doesn’t concentrate his attention on some other things lying around at home.

When you notice him or her chewing on items they are not supposed to have, say “NO CHEW” in a firm tone and immediately substitute the forbidden object with his or her chew toy. Always, always reward him or her any time he or she starts to chew on the toy.

Don’t hold back the praise. The more, the better!

1: Like I said earlier, the dog will try to be the boss of the house. It’s in their nature to do this. You have to set an example and show that you, in fact, is the dominant one. If your dog is taking your seat on the couch or maybe destroying things in the house, then it probably isn’t because he’s a bad dog or doesn’t love you. It’s most likely because he feel as if he owns the house because nobody has shown him the opposite.

2: A dog needs to explore its surroundings and get exercise. Some people loves their dogs, but doesn’t like walking with them. This will become a problem. Dogs need to go out in fresh air, mark their territory and exercise. If you’re not a fan of walking, tie the collar of your dog to your bike and let him drag you. This is free horsepower and is enjoyable for both you and your dog.

3: Dogs need love too. Cuddling or playing with your dog makes the dog feel loved. And like us, when your dog feel loved it will act more respectful against you. A dog that doesn’t get any attention will probably act out more than a dog that gets the attention it needs.

4: Try to interpret the signs your dog is sending. Not only does a dog need attention, but it also need for you to understand it needs. Being understood makes a huge difference in any social creatures life. Just think about how frustrating it is when you try to get a point across to someone and they have no idea of what you’re really talking about.

5: The dog isn’t human. Dogs are dogs and unfortunately (or fortunately) they are not smart enough to always understand what you are trying to make them do, or not do. Therefore it’s important that you try to associate rules with different sounds, actions or other forms of expression. Dogs are great learners and it is a known fact that dogs are able to do tricks and simple gestures.

Also if you want to know more on how to train your dog I advice you to go online and find some guides on how to do this the best way.

So just follow these easy steps and you might see a difference in your dogs behavior

http://www.squidoo.com/5waystotrainyourdog

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Aksel_Hundstuen

The St. Bernard Dog is a very large breed of dog, a working dog from the Swiss Alps, originally bred for rescue. The breed has become famous through tales of alpine rescues, as well as for its enormous size.

Appearance

The St. Bernard is a very large dog with a large head. A full-grown male can weigh between 160 and 260 lb (73–117 kg) or more and the approximate height at the withers is 27½ inches to 35½ inches (70 to 90 cm).^[1] The coat can be either smooth or rough, with the smooth coat close and flat. The rough coat is dense but flat, and more profuse around the neck and legs. The coat is typically a red colour with white, or sometimes a mahogany brindle with white. Black shading is usually found on the face and ears. The tail is long and heavy, hanging low with the end turned up slightly. The dark eyes should have naturally tight lids, with “haws only slightly visible”.

[edit] History

Painting by John Emms portraying St. Bernards as rescue dogs with brandy barrels around their neck. According to legend, the brandy was used to warm the bodies of trapped people in avalanches or snow before help came.

The ancestors of the St. Bernard share a history with the Sennenhunds, also called Swiss Mountain Dogs or Swiss Cattle Dogs, the large farm dogs of the farmers and dairymen of the Swiss Alps, which were livestock guardians, herding dogs, and draft dogs as well as hunting dogs, search and rescue dogs and watchdogs. These dogs are thought to be descendants of molosser type dogs brought into the Alps by the ancient Romans, and the St. Bernard is recognized internationally today as one of the Molossoid breeds.^[2]

The earliest written records of the St. Bernard breed are from monks at the hospice at the Great St. Bernard Pass in 1707, with paintings and drawings of the dog dating even earlier.^[3]

The most famous St. Bernard to save people at the pass was Barry (sometimes spelled Berry), who reportedly saved somewhere between 40 and 100 lives. There is a monument to Barry in the Cimetière des Chiens, and his body was preserved in the Natural History Museum in Berne.^[4]

The classic Saint Bernard looked very different from the St. Bernard of today, because avalanches killed off many of the dogs used for breeding between 1816 and 1818.^[5] Severe weather during this period led to an increased number of avalanches that killed many St. Bernards while performing rescue work.^[6] In an attempt to preserve the breed, the remaining St. Bernards were crossed with Newfoundlands in the 1850s, and so lost much of their use as rescue dogs in the snowy climate of the alps because the long fur they inherited would freeze and weigh them down.^[7]

The Swiss St. Bernard Club was founded in Basel on March 15 1884. The St. Bernard was the very first breed entered into the Swiss Stud Book in 1884, and the breed standard was finally approved in 1888. “Since that time the St. Bernard has been a Swiss national dog.”^[3]

[edit] Naming

The name “St. Bernard” originates from traveler’s hospice on the often treacherous St. Bernard Pass in the Western Alps between Switzerland and Italy, where the name was passed to the local dogs. The pass, the lodge, and the dogs are named for Bernard of Menthon, the 11th century monk who established the station.^[8]

“St. Bernard” wasn’t in widespread use until the middle of the 19th century. The dogs were called “Saint Dogs”,”Noble Steeds”, “Alpenmastiff”, or “Barry Dogs” before that time.

[edit] Related breeds

The breed is strikingly similar to that of the English Mastiff. This can be attributed to a common shared ancestry with the Alpine Mastiff. It is suspected that St. Bernards were used to redevelop this breed to combat the threat of their extinction after World War II.^[9]

The four Sennenhund breeds, the Grosser Schweizer Sennenhund (Greater Swiss Mountain Dog), the Berner Sennenhund, (Bernese Mountain Dog), the Appenzeller Sennenhund, (Appenzeller), and the Entlebucher Sennenhund (Entlebucher Mountain Dog) are similar in appearance and share the same location and history, but are tricolour rather than red and white.

[edit] Kennel Club recognition

The St. Bernard is recognised internationally by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale as a Molosser in Group 2, Section 2. The breed is recognised by The Kennel Club (UK), the Canadian Kennel Club, and the American Kennel Club in the Working Dog breed group. The United Kennel Club (US) places the breed in the Guardian Dog Group. The New Zealand Kennel Club and the Australian National Kennel Council place the breed in the Utility Group

[edit] Activities

St. Bernard demonstrating its strength

St. Bernard dogs are no longer used for alpine rescues, but do participate in a variety of dog sports including carting and weight pulling. A St. Bernard holds the world record in strength: in 2008, a St. Bernard was recorded to pull over 2 tons.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Health

The very fast growth rate and the weight of a St. Bernard can lead to very serious deterioration of the bones if the dog does not get proper food and exercise. Many dogs are affected by hip dysplasia or elbow dysplasia. Osteosarcoma (bone cancer) has been shown to be hereditary in the breed.^[10]

St. Bernards are susceptible to eye disorders called entropion and ectropion, in which the eyelid turns in or out. The breed standard indicates that this is a major fault.

The breed is also susceptible to epilepsy and seizures, a heart disease called dilated cardiomyopathy, and eczema.

Due to the likelihood of health problems in later years, the average lifespan for a Saint Bernard is around 7–10 years. In Norway and Sweden the average life span of Saint Bernard is about 8 years according to the data from Agria, a pet insurance company.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Temperament

St. Bernard puppy

This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (April 2009)

St. Bernards, like all very large dogs, must be well socialized with people and other dogs while young if they are to be safely kept as a pet. A St. Bernard not properly introduced to and socialized with children from a young age poses a threat, not having learned to distinguish between a child and other, smaller animals. Nonetheless, St. Bernards are very friendly.

Extremely loyal, the St. Bernard is eager to please its owners. Due to its large adult size, it is essential that proper training and socialization begin while the St. Bernard is still a puppy, so as to avoid the difficulties that normally accompany training large animals. An unruly St. Bernard may present problems for even a strong adult, so control needs to be asserted from the beginning of the dog’s training. While generally not as aggressive as dogs bred for protection, a St. Bernard will bark at strangers and their size makes them good deterrents against possible intruders.

[edit] Notability

[edit] Record size

St. Bernards were exported to England in the mid 1800s, where they were bred with mastiffs to create an ever larger dog. Plinlimmon, a famous St. Bernard of the time, was measured at 95 kg (210lbs) and 87.5 cm (24 1/2ins), and was sold to an American for $7000.^[7] Commercial pressure encouraged carelessly breeding ever larger dogs until “the dogs became so gross that they had difficulties in getting from one end of a show ring to another”.^[7]

The world’s heaviest and largest dog in known history is claimed to be a Saint Bernard named Benedictine, which weighed 162 kg (357 lbs). Benedictine surpassed Zorba, the largest English mastiff on record, which measured 8 feet, 3 inches long and weighed 343 lb. Benedictine currently holds the world record for the heaviest dog that ever lived. This weight was provided, by direct measurement.

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