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Breed History – The Bulldog, or to use its other titles the British Bulldog or English Bulldog, is, as its name suggests, a distinctly British breed of dog. Whilst there are American and French variants, it is the British Bulldog which has garnered the most fame the world over. Originally bred for bearbaiting, over the years the breed has mellowed into the gentle family companion it is today. Read the rest of this entry »
Choosing a Bulldog as a pet
February 8th, 2010Choosing a Doberman Pinscher as a pet
February 1st, 2010
Breed History – Doberman Pinscher’s come from a working background, and have primarily been used as a guard dog and a police dog in the past. They were first bred in Germany in the late 1800s to help protect a tax collector called Karl Dobermann going about his day to day duties. The dog was so successful that quickly its popularity rose and soon it was used as a guard dog all across the world. Read the rest of this entry »
Choosing a Bull Terrier as a pet
January 25th, 2010
Breed History – An old breed of dog, Bull Terriers were originally conceived in the mid-1800s to help control vermin levels and fight in blood sports. They were a cross between Bulldogs and English Terriers. Their popularity grew as the years past, and with it their once aggressive temperament was slowly replaced by a friendly, family-oriented personality. Read the rest of this entry »
Choosing a Weimaraner as a pet
January 15th, 2010
Breed History – The weimaraner was originally conceived as a game dog, and was used in the 1800s to hunt a variety of large animals, including foxes, boars, deer and bears. Over the years, the breed has also been used to hunt smaller animals, including rabbits and vermin. Today, weimaraners are still used to hunt, although the vast majority are far more likely to be family pets than working dogs. Read the rest of this entry »
Choosing a Pug as a pet
January 15th, 2010
Breed History – Originally from ancient China, Pugs are a very old breed of dog, whose popularity has spread over the world. They are notable for being associated with royalty of all colours and creeds, with many kings and queens selecting a pug as their dog of choice. Read the rest of this entry »
Choosing a Whippet as a pet
January 15th, 2010
Breed History – An ancient breed, whippets were originally conceived as a hunting dog, trained to chase down their prey at speed. When it comes to speed, as with their larger greyhound cousins, they are used in a wide variety of running sports, including lure coursing and track racing across the world. Read the rest of this entry »
Choosing a French Mastiff as a pet
January 15th, 2010
Breed History – French Mastiffs (otherwise known as Dogue de Bordeaux or Bordeaux Mastiff) are, like all mastiffs, strong and powerful dogs. A guard dog that was used to protect European noblemen and kings, they have also been utilised to protect livestock and even used to pull farmers carts in the past.
Choosing a Bichon Frise as a pet
January 15th, 2010
Breed History – Bichon Frise, for all intents and purposes, appear to be a larger version of the Maltese. Like its smaller counterpart Bichon Frise’s are known to have originated from the Mediterranean area. They spread thanks to Spanish and Italian sailors adopting them and introducing them to new continents and countries as they travelled around in the 1300s.
Henry III was one of the first owners who caused its popularity to surge, and this was later followed by Napoleon III. Since the 1800s it was most widely known as a circus dog, and was trained to perform tricks by street entertainers of the time.
The dog was first recognised in France in 1933 by the Societe Centrale Canine, and at the time TinTin featured a similar dog called Snowy. It wasn’t until some years later that the American Kennel Club recognised the breed in the 1970s. Read the rest of this entry »
Choosing a Border Collie as a pet
January 15th, 2010
Breed History – Originally bred as a herding dog employed by farmers to help control their sheep and other livestock, the Border Collie can, appropriately enough, be traced back to the borders of Scotland, England and Wales. The Collie was first known to be mentioned at the tail end of the nineteenth century, and all stock can be traced back to one dog called Old Hemp. This father of all Border Collies was used for stud with many farmers, and it is from here that the breed became increasingly popular on farms across the world. Unlike many working dogs though, the Collie makes for an excellent pet, and will integrate well into a family, as its protective yet friendly nature will appeal to all.
Choosing a Siberian Husky as a pet
November 25th, 2009
Breed History – An ancient breed of dog, the Siberian Husky, originating from the freezing wastes of eastern Siberia, is primarily a working dog use for sledging, but they can also make for excellent pets in the right hands. Bred to survive in Arctic conditions, many families adopted these sled dogs as their pets as they started to be imported around the world, particularly in parts of North America and Canada.
There are many tales of how these dogs have helped man brave the cold climates of the north; they are often involved in expeditions to the North Pole as a pack animal pulling sledges in the harsh environment. The Siberian Husky was first recognised by the American Kennel Club in 1930, and the Canadian Kennel Club in 1939. Shortly after, the Siberian Husky was used to great effect in World War 2 working in the US Army’s Arctic Search and Rescue Unit. To this day, the Husky remains predominantly a working dog. Read the rest of this entry »
