Dog Breed Blog

Border Collie Appearance: The Border Collie is a medium sized dog, a bit longer than it is tall with a height range of 18 to 23 inches. This breed is very athletic, energetic, intelligent and is typically used to herd livestock. The coat of the Border Collie is either rough or smooth and normally black and white in color. Other colors include red and white, tan, black, white, merle, black and gray and sable to name a few. They may also be found in a variety of these colors. They have a weatherproof double coat. Their eyes are brown or blue and sometimes each eye is a different color. Their muzzle tapers to a black nose and their ears are medium sized - usually folded over a bit but sometimes erect. Their tail is medium to long in length and usually stays low unless excited. They shed on an average basis. Overall, Border Collies have been bred for working and appearance is considered a secondary concern.

Border Collie Temperament: The Border Collie is a very high energy, intelligent dog breed that loves to work. You could say this is a high maintenance dog, as they thrive on human companionship and need regular exercise and preferably a job to do. This is not a good breed if you have a two career household or if you think you want to take your Border Collie out for play or exercise when you’re in the mood for it. The Border Collie is best suited for the person or family that has the time to give it plenty of attention. A good example is if you are a farmer and need a dog to herd your livestock, or if you are interested in having a dog to train for competitions such as frisbee. They are easily trained and desire praise in return. Border Collies get along with other dogs but may display aggressive behavior with dogs of the same sex. They have been known to get along with cats. They are not recommended for children - unless they are supervised or well behaved, older children. They make great watchdogs. If you let them get bored and don’t give them enough attention, they will find something to do on their own…something that could be destructive. I think you get the point now - the Border Collie is best suited for someone who has the time, energy and desire to provide them with the attention, exercise, work and praise they desire. Are you up for the challenge?

Border Collie Health: The Border Collie has a weight range from 27 to 45 pounds and has a life expectancy of 10 to 15 years. Border Collies are considered to be one of the healthier dog breeds, but no dog is immune from health problems, so the concerns of this dog breed include deafness (in elderly dogs), hip dysplasia, PRA, CHD, epilepsy and eye disorders.

History of the Border Collie: The Border Collie originated on the border of Scotland and England, and because of this, this is where the Border part of its name came from.  The breed is believed to come from British droving breeds in the 19th century.

Border Collie Breed Group: Herding,  AKC Herding, Working

Video: Two very energetic Border Collies playing in Madison, Wisconsin.

Are you the proud owner of a Border Collie? Please leave a comment below to add your thoughts about this dog breed. Also, if you have a web site or video featuring your Border Collie, leave that as well.

Golden Retriever Appearance: The Golden Retriever is beautiful, athletic, graceful and friendly. This medium to large sized dog stands solidly at a height of 20 to 24 inches, has a wide chest and long tail. The Golden Retriever has a medium length coat and can have a color of blond, cream, golden, dark golden and butterscotch that is feathered or straight and is weatherproof. The undercoat is thick and soft. They have a wide head that tapers with soft and medium sized ears that flop over. They have brown eyes and dark rims and a black nose. You might say the main attention getter of the Golden Retriever is its beautiful coat - and with that comes a lot of shedding. But..no dog is perfect, right? Read on and see…

Golden Retriever Temperament: Not only do Golden Retrievers have a beautiful appearance, they also have a beautiful personality. This loyal dog breed is full of energy and desires to please its owner. Golden Retrievers are very smart and easy to train. Ever wonder why they are called Retrievers? Well, they love to retrieve, fetch and play. They also enjoy swimming and make a great companion for hunting or similar outdoor activites. They love companionship, so it is best not to leave them alone - otherwise they may get a bit nutty. On one hand they can make a good watchdog as they will bark when a stranger comes near. On the other hand, they are so friendly they will rarely attack. This sweet dog breed does very well with children and is also used often as a service dog for the handicapped. They also do well with other dogs. Golden Retrievers have so many great qualities, it is likely to be a very loved member of your family and a dog you will enjoy for years.

Golden Retriever Health: Golden Retrievers typically weigh between 55 to 80 pounds and have a life span of 10 to 13 years. Some health concerns include skin allergies, heart problems, hip dysplasia, cataracts, epilepsy, arthritis and thyroid problems. They should be checked for Von Willebrand’s disease. As with all dog breeds, take your Golden Retriever to the vet on a regular basis to maintain optimum health.

History of the Golden Retriever: Unlike other breeds, the origin of the Golden Retriever is more well known. The Golden Retriever was developed in Scotland by Lord Tweedmouth in the 1800’s. He kept very good breeding records and it is believed the breed came from crossing a Tweed Water Spaniel and a Yellow Retriever. He wanted a dog breed that could endure extreme weather conditions and one that could retrieve for hunting purposes. The breed was introduced to the U.S. in the early 1900’s as a Retriever, and later the name was officially changed to Golden Retriever. It is now considered one of the most popular breeds in the United States and because of its great learning abilities is a favored breed to help the handicapped.

Golden Retriever Breed Group: Retriever, gundog, sporting

Video: A touching tribute to Rookie and Carolyn Scott, Canine Freestyle dance partners. A very, very well done tribute…

Are you the proud owner of a Golden Retriever? Please leave a comment below to add your thoughts about this dog breed. Also, if you have a web site or video featuring your Golden Retriever, leave that as well.

Dalmation Appearance: The Dalmation is a popular and well known dog breed, that probably requires no description, but I’ll go ahead anyway. The Dalmation is a medium sized, muscular dog breed which has an average height range of 19 - 24 inches. If you plan on having your Dalmation as a show dog, over 24 inches will be disqualified. Just like in the movie 101 Dalmations, the Dalmation has a solid white coat usually with black spots. The spots may also be brown, sable, tricolored, dark blue, brindle or lemon. The more the spots are round and defined, the higher value of the breed. Dalmation puppies are born completely white and develop spots later.

Their coat is short and smooth and easy to maintain, although they do tend to shed quite a bit. Their toes are arched and nails usually the same color as their spots or white. The Dalmation’s nose is typically black, blue, brown or dark gray. Eyes are dark brown, amber or blue with an expression of intelligence. Their tail tapers at the end and curves up a bit. They have soft ears which kind of flop over a bit to give them an extra cuteness factor.

Dalmation Temperament: The Dalmation is a friendly, outgoing, intelligent and sensitive dog that loves attention. They will bond very closely with their owner - so much so that they may get anxious when you have to leave them from time to time. This loyal dog loves human companionship, so don’t leave them alone too often or let them get bored or they will get depressed.

Dalmations were originally bred to work with carriages and because of this are very energetic. Give them plenty of exercise, play with them and your Dalmation will be a happy one. It is best to train them in a laid back yet steady sort of way.

They are only recommended with older kids or teenagers. With young kids or toddlers they may be overbearing. They do well with other pets, but may be unfriendly do dogs they do not know. Sometimes males tend to not like other males. Dalmations make great watchdogs and only bark when something is worth barking for.

Dalmation Health: Dalmations have a weight range from 40 to 60 pounds and a life expectancy of 10 to 14 years. One of the biggest concerns is with deafness, as it can affect up to 1/3 of all Dalmations. If you don’t want yours to be deaf, you should purchase puppies from a breeder that does a BAER test for deafness. Blue eyes may be a red flag indicating deafness. Other health concerns include hyperuricemia, allergies, epilepsy, kidney stones and hip dysplasia.

History of the Dalmation: Like many dog breeds, the history of the Dalmation is slightly fuzzy. Hints of the breed have been found in Egypt, so the breed may have existed for quite awhile. It is unclear if these traces are related to the Dalmation we know of today. One of the most popular theories is that the Dalmation originated from Dalmatia, a part of the country Croatia. This obviously gives you an idea of where their name came from as well.

In the 1800’s Dalmations gained their popularity when they were used as carriage dogs. They would run beside the horses, and would also guard the horses and carriage when left unoccupied. They not only helped with regular carriages, but carriage fire engines as well. They also guarded early firehouses, and this is where the American association of Dalmations with firemen came from. What other kind of carriages did they help out? Beer carriages! Budweiser carriages to be precise. They helped guard the carriage while the beer was being delivered.

Dalmation Breed Group: Non-Sporting, Scenthound, Companion

Video: Check out this hilarious video of a Dalmation riding a bike!

Are you the proud owner of a Dalmation? Please leave a comment below to add your thoughts about this dog breed. Also, if you have a web site or video featuring your Dalmation, leave that as well.

Jack Russell Terrier Appearance: The Jack Russell Terrier is a small dog that has a height range of 10 to 15 inches. Their coat is weatherproof and either smooth, broken or rough and is mostly white with black, brown or tan markings usually on the tail or head. They have a black nose and dark eyes. Their ears fold over and they have a straight tail about six to eight inches long. The Jack Russell Terrier does tend to shed quite a bit.

Jack Russell Terrier Temperament: The Jack Russell Terrier is an intelligent, friendly, and energetic dog breed that loves to play. They are hunters by nature and it isn’t recommended if you have other small pets. They do bark, but not without a good reason. Jack Russell Terriers are ok with well behaved children over eight years of age. Be sure to teach your kids to be kind and gentle and not to tease or hit them, as they will not put up with it. Along with their high energy, they can also climb fences and jump five feet or more. They require plenty of exercise and attention to keep them occupied and manageable. They may be aggressive towards dogs of the same sex. They are fearless and tend to think they are bigger than they actually are, so keep this in mind when they are around bigger animals. The Jack Russell Terrier is only recommended for experienced dog owners. Obedience training is also advised.

Jack Russell Terrier Health: Jack Russell Terriers have a weight range of 13 to 18 pounds and a life expectancy of 13 to 15 years or more if taken care of properly. The main health concern is with their eyes - cataracts, glaucoma and other eye diseases. Other concerns include patellar luxation, deafness, epilepsy, allergies, Legg-Calve-Perthes disease.

History of the Jack Russell Terrier: The Jack Russell Terrier originated from England in the late ninteenth century. The name came from reverend John Russell, who was a parson and an avid hunter. He used his terriers for fox hunting, as they are good at digging and driving the foxes out of their dens. In 2003, their name was officially changed to Parson Russell Terrier - which I think is too bad…to me, Jack is a better first name.

Jack Russell Terrier Breed Group: Terrier

Video: Check out this one that can do math!

Are you the proud owner of a Jack Russell Terrier? Please leave a comment below to add your thoughts about this dog breed. Also, if you have a web site or video featuring your Jack Russell Terrier, leave that as well.