American foxhound

The American Foxhound is a breed of dog that is cousin to the English Foxhound. They are scent hounds, bred to hunt foxes by scent.

Appearance

While standards call for the American Foxhound to be about 21-25 inches (530–640 mm) tall to the withers, and weigh anywhere between 65-75 pounds (29–34 kg), many of them are larger in structure (especially the show strains), with males standing 26-29 inches (660–740 mm) and females 25-28 inches (640–710 mm) and smaller in weight, typically between 40-65 pounds (20–29 kg). Some breeders have theorized that this is due to the considerably improved diet the dogs receive. For years it was traditional to feed Foxhounds on a diet of "dog bread", a variation on cornbread. The legs of a Foxhound are very long and straight-boned. The foxhound's chest is rather narrow. It has a long muzzle, and a large, domed skull. The dog is a Virginia Common pet.The ears are wide and low-set. The eyes are hazel or brown, and are large and wide-set. The coat is short and harsh. Overall, they are very similar to the Beagle, only standing higher and being larger. Their coats come in four colors: red, tri, black and tan, and blue.

Temperament

An American Foxhound

Health

An alert American Foxhound

This breed is not generally a breed that carries genetic disorders. Overfeeding these dogs can easily cause them to gain weight. A minor health risk in American Foxhounds is thrombocytopathy, or platelet disease. While dysplasia was largely unknown in Foxhounds, it is beginning to crop up occasionally, along with some eye issues. It is not typical or customary for Foxhound breeders to screen for any hereditary disorders at this time.
The breed's lifespan is generally 10–12 years.
The American Foxhound is an energetic breed. According to some veterinarians and trainers, it needs plenty of exercise, for example, a fairly long walk followed by a game of fetch.

[edit] History

American Foxhound circa 1915.

In 1650, Robert Brooke sailed to Crown Colony in America with his pack of hunting dogs, which were the root of several strains of American Hounds. These dogs remained in the Brooke family for nearly 300 years.
George Washington received French Foxhounds, Grand Bleu de Gascogne, (which look much like an American Bluetick hound) as a gift from the Marquis de Lafayette. Many of the dogs Washington kept were descended from Brooke's, and when crossed with the French hounds, helped to create the present day American Foxhound.

Though there has long been a rumor that the new breed was originally used for hunting Indigenous peoples of the Americas, this is not true. The breed was developed by landed gentry purely for the sport of hunting foxes. With the importation (or migration) of the red fox, Irish Foxhounds were added to the lines, to increase speed and stamina in the dog, qualities still prevalent in today's dogs.

akbash dogs...!!!!

Akbash Dogs:                                                                                                                                                          It is a large dog, weighing from 90 to 130 pounds (40 to 60 kg), averaging 90 pounds for the female and 120 lb (55 kg) for the male, but it is leaner than other Turkish guard dog breeds, and has a distinct white coat, long legs, a feathered curved tail, and pink skin blotched with black. It possesses characteristics of both mastiffs and sight hounds. The breed is often referred to as a sheep dog, but it does not herd its charges. Instead, it is designed to live with the flock and act as a guardian.
It is supposed that the Akbash and the Kangal were originally distinct, natural and pure breeds and that they were combined to create the Anatolian Shepherd Dog.

Temperament

The Akbash is not shy. When used as a guard dog, it is not personable with humans, although the breed is not hostile by nature. The Akbash can be used as a companion dog, and if trained appropriately can be personable with any creature. The Akbash has been bred to be independent and dogs of this breed might think that they know better than their owners during training. The Akbash is a relatively low-energy breed. Because it is in their nature to lie with the flocks they guard most of the day, they do not possess tremendous endurance or energy. That does not mean that they can be confined to small spaces. It is still very much a working breed and is happiest when given a task to complete. These dogs are known for their intelligence, bravery, independence and loyalty.

Health

An 11 year-old Akbash

Cases of hip dysplasia and osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) have occurred with this dog; however, the breed as a whole does not seem to be afflicted with these conditions nearly as often as other large breeds^{[citation needed]}. Akbash dogs, like many large breeds, can be expected to live 10 to 11 years on average, with some living much longer. Akbash dogs are capable of bonding very closely with their owners and other animals and can display a range of emotion and sensitivity unlike many other breeds.

History

The Akbash Dog is thought to be the Turkish equivalent of other white guardian breeds found in and around the northern Mediterranean Basin. The Akbash Dog has its unique combination of molosser and sighthound qualities.
This breed was developed at least 3,000 years ago; their white color distinguishes them from predators.

Archeological evidence suggests that the earliest civilizations arose in the parts of the world currently occupied by Turkey 10,000 years ago and began to domesticate animals and cultivate (or domesticate) plants. In short order there would have been a need for livestock protection dogs to care for the livestock. The white breeds of livestock protection dogs include the Great Pyrenees of the Pyrenees Mountain area in France and Spain and the Maremma of the Maremma Mountains of Italy. See Mountain dog breeds.

German sheperd.....!!!!

The German Shepherd Dog (GSD, also known as an Alsatian), (German: Deutscher Schäferhund) is a breed of large-sized dog that originated in Germany.^[2] The German Shepherd is a relatively new breed of dog, with its origin dating to 1899. As part of the Herding group, the German Shepherd is a working dog developed originally for herding and guarding sheep. Because of its strength, intelligence and abilities in obedience training it is often employed in police and military roles around the world.^[3] Due to its loyal and protective nature, the German Shepherd is one of the most registered of breeds.

Popularity

When the UK Kennel Club first accepted registrations for the breed in 1919, fifty-four dogs were registered, and by 1926 this number had grown to over 8,000.^[5] The breed first gained international recognition at the decline of World War I after returning soldiers spoke highly of the breed, and animal actors Rin Tin Tin and Strongheart popularised the breed further.^[10] The first German Shepherd Dog registered in the United States was Queen of Switzerland; however, her offspring suffered from defects as the result of poor breeding, which caused the breed to suffer a decline in popularity during the late 1920s.^[10]

Popularity increased again after the German Shepherd Sieger Pfeffer von Bern became the 1937 and 1938 Grand Victor in American Kennel club dog shows, only to suffer another decline at the conclusion of World War II, due to anti-German sentiment of the time.^[10] As time progressed, their popularity increased gradually until 1993, when they became the third most popular breed in the United States. As of 2009, the breed was the second most popular in the US.^[10][11] Additionally, the breed is typically among the most popular in other registries.^[10] The German Shepherd Dog's physique is very well suited to athletic competition. They commonly compete in shows and competitions such as agility trials.

[edit] Name

The breed was named Deutscher Schäferhund by Von Stephanitz, literally translating to "German Shepherd Dog". The breed was so named due to its original purpose of assisting shepherds in herding and protecting sheep. At the time, all other herding dogs in Germany were referred to by this name; they thus became known as Altdeutsche Schäferhunde or Old German Shepherd Dogs. Shepherds were first exported to Britain in 1908, and the UK Kennel Club began to recognise the breed in 1919.

The direct translation of the name was adopted for use in the official breed registry; however, at the conclusion of World War I, it was believed that the inclusion of the word "German" would harm the breed's popularity,^[12] due to the anti-German sentiment of the era.^[13] The breed was officially renamed by the UK Kennel Club to "Alsatian Wolf Dog"^[12] which was also adopted by many other international kennel clubs. Eventually, the appendage "wolf dog" was dropped.^[12] The name Alsatian remained for five decades,^[12] until 1977, when successful campaigns by dog enthusiasts pressured the British kennel clubs to allow the breed to be registered again as German Shepherd Dogs.^[2] The word "Alsatian" still appeared in parentheses as part of the formal breed name and was only removed in 2010.^[14]

[edit] Modern breed

Intelligence

German Shepherds were bred specifically for their intelligence,^[22] a trait for which they are now renowned.^[3] They are considered to be the third most intelligent breed of dog, behind Border Collies and Poodles.^[23][24] In the book The Intelligence of Dogs, author Stanley Coren ranked the breed third for intelligence. He found that they had the ability to learn simple tasks after only five repetitions and obeyed the first command given 95% of the time.^[3] Coupled with their strength, this trait makes the breed desirable as police, guard, and search and rescue dogs, as they are able to quickly learn various tasks and interpret instructions better than other large breeds.

labradar.....!!!!

                                                                                                                                                                        The Labrador Retriever (also Labrador, or Lab for short) is one of several kinds of retriever, a type of gun dog. A breed characteristic is webbed paws for swimming, useful for the breed's original purpose of retrieving fishing nets. This and their subsequent use as hunting companions, gave them the name retriever. The dogs of this breed are very loving, kind and compassionate to their master. The Labrador is the most popular breed of dog by registered ownership in Canada,^[2] the United Kingdom.^[3] and the United States (since 1991),^[4] and It is also one of the most popular breed of assistance dog in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States and many other countries, as well as being widely used by police and other official bodies for their detection and working abilities. Typically, Labradors are athletic and love to swim, play catch and retrieve games, and are good with young children.

The modern Labrador's ancestors originated on the island of Newfoundland, now part of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.^[6] The founding breed of the Labrador was the St. John's Water Dog, (also a founding breed of the Newfoundland), a breed that emerged through ad-hoc breedings by early settlers of the island in the 16th century.^[6] The forebears of the St. John's Dog are not known, but were likely a random-bred mix of English, Irish, and Portuguese working breeds. The Newfoundland (known then as the Greater Newfoundland) is likely a result of the St. John's Dog breeding with mastiffs brought to the island by the generations of Portuguese fishermen who had been fishing offshore since the 16th century. The smaller short-coated St. John's Dog (also known then as the Lesser Newfoundland) was used for retrieval and pulling in nets from the water. These smaller dogs were the forebears of the Labrador Retriever. The white chest, feet, chin, and muzzle - known as tuxedo markings - characteristic of the St. John's Dog often appear in modern Lab mixes, and will occasionally manifest in Labradors as a small white spot on the chest (known as a medallion) or stray white hairs on the feet or muzzle.
The St. John's area of Newfoundland was settled mainly by the English and Irish. Local fishermen originally used the St. John's dog to assist in carrying ropes between boats, towing dories, and helping to retrieve fishnets in the water. The Labrador's loyalty and hard working behaviour were valuable assets for fishermen.^[7]

Famous labradors

Main article: List of Labradors

As both the most popular breed by registered ownership and also the most popular breed for assistance dogs in several countries, there have been many notable and famous labradors since the breed was recognised.
A selection of a few of the most famous labradors within various categories includes:

Endal wearing his PDSA Gold Medal.

Assistance dogs

• Endal, a service dog in Britain. Among other distinctions, "the most decorated dog in the world" (including "Dog of the Millennium"^[63] and the PDSA’s Gold Medal for Animal Gallantry and Devotion to Duty),^[64] the first dog to ride on the London Eye and the first dog known to work a 'chip and pin' ATM card. By Endal's death in March 2009, he and his owner/handler Allen Parton had been filmed almost 350 times by crews from several countries, and a film of a year in Endal's life was in production.^[65][66]

Police, military, rescue and detection dogs

• Zanjeer, a detection dog who detected arms and ammunition used in 1993 Mumbai (Bombay) serial explosions. During his service, his haul was excellent. He helped recover 57 country-made bombs, 175 petrol bombs, 11 military bombs, 242 grenades and 600 detonators. His biggest contribution to the police force and the city was the detection of 3,329 kg of RDX. He also helped detect 18 Type 56 rifles and five 9mm pistols.

• Lucky and Flo, twin Black Labrador counterfeit detection dogs who became famous in 2007 for "sniffing out nearly 2 million pirated counterfeit DVDs" on a six-month secondment to Malaysia in 2007.^[67] Following the multi-million dollar, 6-arrest Malaysian detection, they became the first dogs to be awarded Malaysia's, "outstanding service award",^[68] and software pirates were stated to have put a £30,000 contract out for their lives.^[69][70]

• Sabi, an Australian special forces explosives detection dog that spent almost 14 months missing in action (MIA) in Afghanistan before being recovered safe and well in 2009.^[71][72]

Pets

• Former President of the United States Bill Clinton's Labradors Buddy and Seamus.
• Former Russian President, and current Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's Labrador 'Koni'.

pomeranian dogs....!!!!

The Pomeranian (often known as a Pom, or more humorously, Pom Pom) is a breed of dog of the Spitz type, named for the Pomerania region in Central Europe (today part of eastern Germany and northern Poland). Classed as a toy dog breed because of its small size, the Pomeranian is descended from the larger Spitz type dogs, specifically the German Spitz. It has been determined by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale to be part of the German Spitz breed, and in many countries, they are known as the Zwergspitz (Dwarf Spitz).

Behavior

Pomeranians are typically a very friendly and lively breed of dog. They love to be around their owners and are known to be protective of them.^[8] They bond quickly with their owners, and can suffer from separation anxiety if not trained to spend time alone.^[9] Pomeranians are alert and aware of changes in their environment and barking at new stimuli can develop into a habit of barking excessively in any situation. They are somewhat defensive of their territory and will thus bark when they encounter any outside noises.^[9] Pomeranians are intelligent dogs, respond well to training, and can be very successful in getting what they want from their owners.^[8]

chihuahua pupies.....!!!!

The Chihuahua’s history is puzzling and there are many theories surrounding the origin of the breed. Chihuahuas were used in the sacred rituals as they were considered holy in pre-Columbian Indian nations.^{[citation needed]} They were also popular pets among the upper class. The breed draws its name from the Mexican state of Chihuahua, where the first of the breed were discovered.

Some historians believe that the Chihuahua came from the island of Malta in the Mediterranean.^[1] More evidence for this theory lies in European paintings of small dogs that resemble the Chihuahua. One of the most famous paintings is a fresco in the Sistine Chapel by Sandro Botticelli dated 1482. The painting, Scenes from the Life of Moses, shows a woman holding two tiny dogs with round heads, large eyes, big ears, and other characteristics similar to the Chihuahua. The painting was finished ten years before Columbus returned from the New World. It would have been impossible for Botticelli to have seen a Mexican dog, yet he depicted an animal strikingly similar to a Chihuahua.
Historical records indicate that the Techichi hunted in packs. They can only be traced as far back as the ninth century but it is highly likely that this is the Chihuahua's native Mexican ancestor^{[citation needed]}. Evidence of this is that the remains of dogs closely resembling, but slightly larger than the average Chihuahua have been found in such places as the Great Pyramid of Cholula, which dates back to the 2nd century BC and predates the 16th century. There is also evidence to suggest that the Techichi may predate the Mayans.^{[citation needed]}
The Toltecs were conquered by the Aztecs, who believed that the Techichi held mystical powers.^[2] In terms of size, the present day Chihuahua is much smaller than its ancestors, a change thought to be due to the introduction of miniaturized Chinese dogs, such as the Chinese crested dog, into South America by the Spanish.

A progenitor of the breed was reputedly found in 1850 in old ruins near Casas Grandes in the Mexican state of Chihuahua from which the breed gets its name.^[3] The state borders on Texas, Arizona and New Mexico in the United States, where Chihuahuas first rose to prominence and were further developed. Since that time, the Chihuahua has remained consistently popular as a breed, particularly in America when the breed was first recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1904. Genetic tests place the Chihuahua with other modern breeds originating in the 1800s.^[4]