Bloodhound
2007-03-29 17:36:45
The Bloodhound
was much used in olden times in hunting and in the pursuit of fugitives; two services for which his remarkable acuteness of smell, his ability to keep to the particular scent on which he is first laid, and the intelligence and pertinacity with which he follows up the trail, admirably fit him. The use and employment of these dogs date back into remote antiquity. We have it on the authority of Strabo that they were used against the Gauls, and we have certain knowledge that they were employed not only in the frequent feuds of the Scottish clans, and in the continuous border forays of those days, but also during the ever-recurring hostilities between England and Scotland.
Indeed, the very name of the dog calls up visions of feudal castles, with their trains of knights and warriors and all the stirring panorama of these brave days of old, when the only tenure of life, property, or goods was by the strong hand.
This feudal dog is frequently pictured by the poet in his ballads
Exercising Your Dog
2007-03-28 04:17:25
The importance of exercise for the maintenance of the general well being and happiness of the dog has been highly overrated. The complexity of modern civilization has imposed such severe restrictions on the exercising of dogs that it is often quite impractical or totally impossible to give the dog the amount of exercise that, according to its natural attributes, it would seem to require. In spite of this, the adjustment of these animals has been so remarkable that they seem not to have suffered any substantial loss of vitality, nor has their longevity been materially effected.
From the standpoint of the dog’s natural inheritance and physical attributes, its exercise requirements would seem to be prodigious. When sporting or working dogs are on the job, they may run as many as fifty to a hundred miles a day almost effortlessly, and they would seem to require fifteen to twenty miles of daily exercise solely to keep their muscles in a proper state of vigor.
Even the terriers and non
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Schipperke
2007-03-19 18:32:39
The Schipperke may fitly be described as the Paul Pry of canine society. His insatiate inquisitiveness induces him to poke his nose into everything; every strange object excites his curiosity, and he will, if possible, look behind it; the slightest noise arouses his attention, and he wants to investigate its cause. There is no end to his liveliness, but he moves about with almost catlike agility without upsetting any objects in a room, and when he hops he has a curious way of catching up his hind legs. The Schipperke’s disposition is most affectionate, tinged with a good deal of jealousy, and even when made one of the household he generally attaches himself more particularly to one person, whom he “owns,” and whose protection he deems his special duty.
These qualities endear the Schipperke as a canine companion, with a quaint and lovable character; and he is also a capital vermin dog. When properly entered he cannot be surpassed as a “ratter.”
Schipperkes have always been k
New Puppy
2007-03-14 05:44:47
Most newly acquired puppies are not housebroken. When the animal is first brought into the home it should therefore be taken to a room such as the kitchen where it can do the least amount of damage. Several thicknesses of newspaper should be spread on the floor, and the animal should be left to its own resources for a while.
The pup will make a thorough inspection of its new surroundings. At this time the animal is quite scared and uncertain of its new situation. Therefore it is better not to feed it anything for a couple of hours, because eating at this stage might lead to an upset stomach. Speak to the animal in a soothing voice and pet it occasionally to reassure it. Do not permit any excessive fondling at this time, especially by children, and do not try to put a collar, harness, or leash on the animal. Nor should any efforts at grooming or bathing be made at this early stage.
If, at the end of the two-hour waiting period, it is plain that the animal has acquired a certain amount o
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Poodle
2007-03-14 05:37:01
The Poodle
is commonly acknowledged to be the most wisely intelligent of all members of the canine race. He is a scholar and a gentleman; but, in spite of his claims of long descent and his extraordinary natural cleverness, he has never been widely popular in this country as the Collie and the Fox-Terrier are popular. There is a general belief that he is a fop, whose time is largely occupied in personal embellishment, and that he requires a great deal of individual attention in the matter of his toilet. It may be true that to keep him in exhibition order and perfect cleanliness his owner has need to devote more consideration to him than is necessary in the case of many breeds; but in other respects he gives very little trouble, and all who are attached to him are consistent in their opinion that there is no dog so intensely interesting and responsive as a companion.
His qualities of mind and his acute powers of reasoning are indeed so great that there is something almost human in his a
Advantages of Self-Training Your Dog
2007-03-31 08:15:19
Who Should Train Your Dog?
It is an undisputed fact that training your dog is a necessary requirement for her proper socialization and installing good habits in her. However, it has always been a point of debate as to who should be in-charge of training your dog. There are various methods for training your dog. You can train her on your own, take her to classroom training sessions or hire a professional trainer to train your dog.
All the aforementioned methods of training have their advantages and disadvantages. People supporting any of the methods have a strong case to support their preferred method. It is true that formal and classroom training methods have some advantages because of the involvement of trained and experienced professionals. However, nothing beats the joy and pleasure of training your dog on your own.
Moreover, it is not possible to take your dog to formal training classes and dog socials until she gets all of her shots. This means that she cannot attend the formal tr
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, Training
Dog Obedience Training Video
2007-03-30 20:10:11
This is a great video only about four minutes long about puppy training.
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, Obedience
, Dog Obedience
When to Start Dog Training
2007-03-30 20:07:26
Dog training is a kind of insurance whereby you can have a well-adjusted and well-behaved dog when she grows up. The most important dog-training question is when to start training. There are no set rules that define an appropriate age for dog training. Dog training is an ongoing and continuous process. Dog training begins from the day you bring her home and will continue as long as she lives with you.
The best age to train your puppy is when she is young. Research has revealed that dog’s brain develops adequately at the age of seven weeks. The age of 7 weeks is ideal for commencing dog training. By this age, the dog’s brain is capable of understanding and responding to training commands.
The age of 7 weeks until 16 weeks is the Critical Socialization or Learning stage for your dog. Habits that your dog picks up at this age are going to stay with her all though her life. This age is the cradle for basic behavior patterns in your dog.
Some breeders believe that training should comme
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, Start
Dog That Can Dance
2007-03-30 18:54:44
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Otterhound
2007-03-30 18:36:45
The Otterhound is a descendant of the old Southern Hound, and there is reason to believe that all hounds hunting their quarry by nose had a similar source. Why the breed was first called the Southern Hound, or when his use became practical in Great Britain, must be subjects of conjecture; but that there was a hound good enough to hold a line for many hours is accredited in history that goes very far back into past centuries. The hound required three centuries ago even was all the better esteemed for being slow and unswerving on a line of scent, and in many parts of the Kingdom, up to within half that period, the so called Southern Hound had been especially employed. In Devonshire and Wales the last sign of him in his purity was perhaps when Captain Hopwood hunted a small pack of hounds very similar in character on the fitch or pole cat; the modus operandi being to find the foraging grounds of the animal, and then on a line that might be two days old hunt him to his lair, often enough t
Advantages of Self-Training Your Puppy
2007-03-31 19:55:59
Who Should Train Your Puppy
It is an undisputed fact that training your puppy is a necessary requirement for her proper socialization and installing good habits in her. However, it has always been a point of debate as to who should be in-charge of training your puppy. There are various methods for training your puppy. You can train her on your own, take her to classroom training sessions or hire a professional trainer to train your puppy.
All the aforementioned methods of training have their advantages and disadvantages. People supporting any of the methods have a strong case to support their preferred method. It is true that formal and classroom training methods have some advantages because of the involvement of trained and experienced professionals. However, nothing beats the joy and pleasure of training your puppy on your own.
Moreover, it is not possible to take your puppy to formal training classes and puppy socials until she gets all of her shots. This means that she cannot atten
Read more: Advantages
, Training
Deerhound
2007-03-31 19:48:22
It is now some thirty years since an important controversy was carried on in the columns of The Live Stock Journal on the nature and history of the great Irish Wolfhound. The chief disputants in the discussion were Captain G. A. Graham, of Dursley, Mr. G. W. Hickman, Mr. F. Adcock, and the Rev. M. B. Wynn, and the main point as issue was whether the dog then imperfectly known as the Irish Wolfdog was a true descendant of the ancient Canis graius Hibernicus, or whether it was a mere manufactured mongrel, owing its origin to an admixture of the Great Dane and the dog of the Pyrenees, modified and brought to type by a cross with the Highland Deerhound.
It was not doubted indeed, history and tradition clearly attested that there had existed in early times in Ireland a very large and rugged hound of Greyhound form, whose vocation it was to hunt the wolf, the red deer, and the fox.
It was assuredly known to the Romans, and there can be little doubt that the huge dog Samr, which Jarl Gunnar g
Irish Wolfhound
2007-03-31 19:04:41
It seems extraordinary that so little should have been accurately known and recorded of a dog which at one time must have been a familiar figure in the halls of the Irish
kings. It was no mere mythical animal like the heraldic griffin, but an actual sporting dog which was accepted as a national emblem of the Emerald Isle, associated with the harp and the shamrock.
As regards the origin of the Irish Wolfhound, more than one theory is advanced. By some authorities it is suggested that it was the dog which we now know as the Great Dane. Others hold that as there were rough-coated Greyhounds in Ireland, it is this dog, under another name, which is now accepted.
But probably the late Captain Graham was nearer the truth when he gave the opinion that the Irish hound that was kept to hunt wolves has never become extinct at all, but is now represented in the Scottish Deerhound, only altered a little in size and strength to suit the easier work required of it that of hunting the deer. This is t
Greyhound
2007-04-02 15:17:21
The Greyhound
is the oldest and most conservative of all dogs, and his type has altered singularly little during the seven thousand years in which he is known to have been cherished for his speed, and kept by men for running down the gazelle or coursing the hare. The earliest references to him are far back in the primitive ages, long before he was beautifully depicted by Assyrian artists, straining at the leash or racing after his prey across the desert sands. The Egyptians loved him and appreciated him centuries before the pyramids were built. In those days he wore a feathered tail, and his ears were heavy with a silken fringe of hair. His type was that of the modern Arabian Slughi, who is the direct and unaltered descendant of the ancient hound. The glorious King Solomon referred to him (Proverbs xxx. 31) as being one of the four things which "go well and are comely in going—a lion, which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away from any; a Greyhound; an he goat also; and
Borzoi or Russian Wolfhound
2007-04-02 15:06:21
Of the many foreign varieties of the dog that have been introduced into this country within recent years, there is not one among the larger breeds that has made greater headway in the public favour than the Borzoi, or Russian
Wolfhound. Nor is this to be wondered at. The most graceful and elegant of all breeds, combining symmetry with strength, the wearer of a lovely silky coat that a toy dog might envy, the length of head, possessed by no other breed all go to make the Borzoi the favourite he has become.
He is essentially what our American cousins would call a "spectacular" dog. Given, for example, the best team of terriers and a fifth-rate team of Borzois, which attracts the more attention and admiration from the man in the street? Which does he turn again to look at? Not the terriers!
Add to this that the Borzoi makes a capital house dog, is, as a rule, affectionate and a good companion, it is not to be wondered at that he has attained the dignified position in the canine world
Pointer
2007-04-04 16:11:06
It has never been made quite clear in history why the Spaniards had a dog that was very remarkable for pointing all kinds of game. They have always been a pleasure-loving people, certainly, but more inclined to bull-fighting than field-craft, and yet as early as 1600 they must have had a better dog for game-finding than could have been found in any other part of the world. Singularly enough, too, the most esteemed breeds in many countries can be traced from the same source, such as the Russian Pointer
, the German Pointer, the French double-nosed Griffon, and, far more important still, the English Pointer.
A view has been taken that the Spanish double-nosed Pointer was introduced into England about two hundred years ago, when fire-arms were beginning to be popular for fowling purposes. Setters and Spaniels had been used to find and drive birds into nets, but as the Spanish Pointer became known it was apparently considered that he alone had the capacity to find game for the gun.
This mus
Beagle
2007-04-04 15:39:32
The Harrier is a distinct breed of hound used for hunting the hare—or rather it should be said the Association of Masters of Harriers are doing their utmost to perpetuate this breed; the Harrier Stud Book bearing witness thereto: and it is to be deplored that so many Masters of Harriers ignore this fact, and are content to go solely to Foxhound kennels to start their packs of Harriers, choosing, maybe, 20 inch to 22 inch Foxhounds, and thenceforth calling them Harriers. It is, indeed, a common belief that the modern Harrier is but a smaller edition of the Foxhound, employed for hunting the hare instead of the fox, and it is almost useless to reiterate that it is a distinct breed of hound that can boast of possibly greater antiquity than any other, or to insist upon the fact that Xenophon himself kept a pack of Harriers over two thousands years ago. Nevertheless, in general appearance the Harrier and the Foxhound are very much alike, the one obvious distinction being that of size.
Opi
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Foxhound
2007-04-03 16:16:41
There is plenty of proof that Foxhounds were the very first of the canine races in Great Britain to come under the domination of scientific breeding. There had been hounds of more ancient origin, such as the Southern Hound and the Bloodhound; but something different was wanted towards the end of the seventeenth century to hunt the wild deer that had become somewhat scattered after Cromwell’s civil war. The demand was consequently for a quicker hound than those hitherto known, and people devoted to the chase began to breed it. Whether there were crosses at first remains in dispute, but there is more probability that the policy adopted was one of selection; those exceptionally fast were bred with the same, until the slow, steady line hunter was improved out of his very character and shape. At any rate, there are proofs that in 1710 hounds were to be found in packs, carefully bred, and that at that time some of the hunts in question devoted attention to the fox.
The first known kenn
Come Command
2007-04-03 14:16:05
When teaching the come command to your dog use the word “come (dogs name)” and the sign slapping knee with both hands.
The dog is lying down some little distance away, and at the command COME he approaches his guide at a fast pace and stops in front of him in sitting position. Then commanded HEEL, he swings around and sits at the left side of his guide.
In the preceding lesson the dog has learned to DOWN. He is now unleashed but the guide is not certain he is under full control. If perchance a safely enclosed area is not available, it will be wise to practise this lesson with a leash of about ten yards in length. After tying the leash to a post, give the command STAY and walk away from the dog to a distance of, say, eight yards thus allowing a play of about two yards.
Before this exercise is begun, carefully measure off the eight-yard distance in order that the space between dog and guide shall not exceed the length of the leash. This is so the dog will not be brought up wi
Your Dogs Nature and Temperament
2007-04-03 13:50:37
Before you begin to train your dog, it is necessary to establish well-defined and clear-cut training goals and objectives. Training your dog will be a tough task in absence of clear-cut training goals and without proper analysis of her temperament.
Every dog is unique and has a distinct personality. How often do you see a dog that fails to demonstrate desired behaviors despite the best training efforts? This is mainly because of an absence of adequate training goals in line with the dog’s nature and temperament. An understanding of her personality is helpful in defining her training needs. When you know her nature and temperament you know the reasons for most of her behavior patterns.
By understanding the root of the problem, you will be in a better position to chalk out a training program that addresses those problems effectively. Thereafter you can easily set up training goals and objectives in-line with her nature and temperament. Moreover, having an insight into your dog&
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Weaning Puppies
2007-04-04 16:25:06
At twelve months the puppy becomes an adult in an official sense. Between the ages of six and twelve months he may be entered as a puppy in the various shows, but after twelve months he must take his chance with the grown dogs though he will not yet have attained his full growth.
The time when full height and weight are reached varies with the breed. The larger the dog, the longer time he will take. He will reach his matured height first, possibly as early as nine months, but he is still a gangling youngster that will not come to the top of his form until he is around two years of age.
Small breeds may do so at fifteen months. Once the full height has been reached, there will be no more development in this direction. The weight will change, but once the skeleton is completely formed, there will be no variation in the height of any dog.
Young puppies, and grown dogs for that matter, derive great enjoyment from chewing anything they can get hold of. This should be kept in mind, and woo
English Setter
2007-04-06 18:21:05
In some form or other Setter
s are to be found wherever guns are in frequent use and irrespective of the precise class of work they have to perform; but their proper sphere is either on the moors, when the red grouse are in quest, or on the stubbles and amongst the root crops, when September comes in, and the partridge season commences.
Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, is supposed to have been the first person to train setting dogs in the manner which has been commonly adopted by his successors. His lordship lived in the middle of the sixteenth century, and was therefore a contemporary of Dr. Caius, who may possibly have been indebted to the Earl for information when, in his work on English
Dogges, he wrote of the Setter under the name of the Index.
Though Setters are divided into three distinct varieties, The English, the Irish and the Gordon, or Black and Tan there can be no doubt that all have a common origin, though it is scarcely probable, in view of their dissimilarity, that the
Retrievers - Golden Retriever
2007-04-09 19:59:51
From the first, sportsmen recognised the extreme value of the new retrieving dog. Strengthened and improved by the Labrador blood, he had lost little if any of the Setter beauty of form. He was a dignified, substantial, intelligent, good-tempered, affectionate companion, faithful, talented, highly cultivated, and esteemed, in the season and out of it, for his mind as well as his beauty.
It is only comparatively recently that we have realised how excellent an all-around sporting dog the Retriever
has become. In many cases, indeed, where grouse and partridge are driven or walked-up a well-broken, soft-mouthed Retriever is unquestionably superior to Pointer, Setter, or Spaniel, and for general work in the field he is the best companion that a shooting man can possess.
Doubtless in earlier days, when the art of training was less thoroughly understood, the breaking of a dog was a matter of infinite trouble to breeders. Most of the gun dogs could be taught by patience and practice to retriev
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, Golden Retriever
Black and Tan Setter
2007-04-09 19:43:26
Originally this variety was known as the Gordon Setter
, but this title was only partly correct, as the particular dogs first favoured by the Duke of Gordon, from whom they took the name, were black, tan, and white, heavily built, and somewhat clumsy in appearance. But the introduction of the Irish blood had the effect of making a racier-looking dog more fashionable, the presence of white on the chest was looked upon with disfavour, and the Kennel Club settled the difficulty of name by abolishing the term “Gordon” altogether.
Very few of this variety have appeared at field trials for several years past, but that cannot be considered a valid reason for stigmatising them as “old-men’s dogs,” as some narrow-minded faddists delight in calling them. On the few occasions when the opportunity has been presented they have acquitted themselves at least as well as, and on some occasions better than, their rivals of other varieties, proving to be as fast, as staunch, and as obedient as a
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Irish Setter
2007-04-09 19:35:02
Though this variety has not attained such popularity as its English cousin, it is not because it is regarded as being less pleasing to the eye, for in general appearance of style and outline there is very little difference; in fact, none, if the chiselling of the head and colour of the coat be excepted. The beautiful rich golden, chestnut colour which predominates in all well-bred specimens is in itself sufficient to account for the great favour in which they are regarded generally, while their disposition is sufficiently engaging to attract the attention of those who desire to have a moderate-sized dog as a companion, rather than either a very large or very small one.
Probably this accounts for so many lady exhibitors in England preferring them to the other varieties of Setter
s. We have to go over to its native country, however, to find the breed most highly esteemed as a sporting dog for actual work, and there it is naturally first favourite; in fact, very few of either of the other
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Essentials of Puppy Training
2007-04-11 06:16:44
Puppy training is a fun and enjoyable experience for you and your puppy. Puppies are not human and they do not necessarily understand your language and mannerisms. You have to be very careful during every step of the puppy training because even a minor mistake during the training program could be counterproductive.
These mistakes could delay or even derail the training process and lead to development of strange behavior and responses in your puppy. The worst part is that most of the puppy trainers keep on committing these mistakes due to ignorance. Each repetition reinforces the undesired behavior and ultimately the puppy becomes incorrigible.
Most of the puppy owners commit these training mistakes because of carelessness or excessive love and affection for the puppy. For example, the most common complaint of puppy owners is that their puppy does not come when called. The harder they try to correct this behavioral disorder, the more she refuses to come.
The development of this di
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, Puppy
, Training
Curly Coated Retriever
2007-04-19 16:40:08
The curly-coated Retriever
is commonly believed to be of earlier origin than his flat-coated relative, and he is of less pure descent. He probably owes ancestral tribute to the Poodle. Such a cross may conceivably have been resorted to by the early Retriever breeders, and there was little to lose from a merely sporting point of view from this alien introduction, for the Poodle is well known to be by nature, if not by systematic training, an excellent water dog, capable of being taught anything that the canine mind can comprehend. During the early years of the nineteenth century the Poodle was fairly plentiful in England, and we had no other curly-coated dog of similar size and type apart from the Irish Water Spaniel, who may himself lay claim to Poodle relationship; while as to the Retriever, either curly or flat coated, he can in no sense be assigned to any country outside of Great Britain.
The presumption is strong that the “gentleman from France” was largely instrumental in th
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Sporting Spaniel
2007-04-20 15:50:53
The Spaniel
family is without any doubt one of the most important of the many groups which are included in the canine race, not only on account of its undoubted antiquity, and, compared with other families, its well authenticated lineage, but also because of its many branches and subdivisions, ranging in size from the majestic and massive Clumbers to the diminutive toys which we are accustomed to associate with fair ladies’ laps and gaily decked pens at our big dog shows.
Moreover, the different varieties of Setters undoubtedly derive their origin from the same parent stock, since we find them described by the earlier sporting writers as “setting” or “crouching” Spaniels, in contradistinction to the “finding” or “springing” Spaniel, who flushed the game he found without setting or pointing it. As time went on, the setting variety was, no doubt, bred larger and longer in the leg, with a view to increased pace; but the Spaniel like head and coat still remain to prove th
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Tips for Selecting a Puppy
2007-04-28 16:35:02
You should select a puppy depending upon the purpose for which you would like to have one. The subject matter of this book is not to provide insights for selecting a puppy. However, this information is pertinent and it is better to have an overview of the factors that you must consider before selecting a puppy for your home.
Selection of a puppy should never be on the grounds of the popularity of a particular breed or fashion. Puppies are living beings and require proper care, training and grooming. Moreover, puppies are very friendly and soon acquire the status of a family member and a friend. A faulty selection is harmful not only for the puppy’s health and wellness but can cause an emotionally shattering event for you as well. When you select a puppy that is not appropriate for your personality, home and environment, she may develop undesirable behavior patterns. Discrepancies in expectations and reality are a major reason why many puppies and dogs end up in dog shelters.
Yo
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English Water Spaniel
2007-04-28 16:25:34
In the Kennel Club’s Register of Breeds no place is allotted to this variety, all Water Spaniel
s other than Irish being classed together. Despite this absence of official recognition there is abundant evidence that a breed of Spaniels legitimately entitled to the designation of English
Water Spaniels has been in existence for many years, in all probability a descendant of the old “Water-Dogge,” an animal closely resembling the French “Barbet,” the ancestor of the modern Poodle.
They were even trimmed at times much in the same way as a Poodle is nowadays, as Markham gives precise directions for “the cutting or shearing him from the nauill downeward or backeward.” The opinion expressed by the writer of The Sportsman’s Cabinet, 1803, is that the breed originated from a cross between the large water dog and the Springing Spaniel, and this is probably correct, though Youatt, a notable authority, thinks that the cross was with an English Setter. Possibly some strains may have
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