Tip #7

                                 

Do you walk your dog or does your dog walk you? If you have an issue with your dog walking you then I have a tip. One way to train a dog to walk at your side is too use food is a motivator.

Take a treat in your hand and keep it about waist level on the side that your dog is walking on.  Do this for a couple of weeks and most dogs will be walking with you instead of dragging you.  It’s called bribery. Just don’t try this with public officials.  

Aye Chipit

                                                

 A Chipit is a cross between a Chihuahua and a Pit-Bull. There is archeological evidence that the first Chihuahua’s were bred by the Aztec and Toltec Indians. The first Chihuahua’s came from the Mexican state of Chihuahua. This is where the breed gets its name. Chihuahua’s descended from a dog called Techichi around 300 years B.C.

    Around the turn of the 20^th century, Pit Bulls were bred from a combination of an Old English Terrier and English bulldog.  This became a separate purebred dog.

   In the twentieth century Chihuahua’s were crossed with Pit Bulls to create Chipits (also known as Pithuahua’s).  These are not considered purebred so there is no AKC breeding standard at this time.

Chipit’s have a variety of behaviors.  Since genetics’ is not an exact science, you can get very tiny dogs that are aggressive to the point of comedy.  You also could get Chipit with powerful jaws that recognize that they physically inferior to fight most creatures.  Usually you get something in between.

Rottweilers

In Ancient times a dog called a Droving dog marched with the legions of Rome.  It was a herding dog that kept the sheep and cows close to the Roman army with minimal supervision.  After the fall of the Roman Empire this animal was adopted by the town of Rottwell.  Its modern name was derived from the town.

   Rottweilers are good at tracking humans.  For some unknown reason, they have little interest in tracking non-humans.  They are good at being guide dogs, guard dogs, search and rescue dogs. They are agile, strong, territorial and very wary of strangers.

 Rottweiler’s are usually between 24 and 27 inches high and weigh up to 59 pounds.  This medium size breed is very muscular.  It has a smooth coat that comes in black, orange and tan markings.  Rottweiler’s have a good temperament and are compatible with children and family members.  Rottweilers are every burglar’s nightmare. A complete stranger invading the house will likely face a very powerful and determined animal. The determination of a threat to the family, leads the dog to be immune to all but the most extreme pain. This is why your guests should first meet your Rottweiler.  It’s better to be on the right side of a Rottweiler then in its path.

 Rottweiler’s need socialization early and often.

The Long sausage

Dachshund is German for badger hound. Dachshunds were bred in Germany in the 15th century to hunt badgers, rabbits and other small game.  This breed is built low to the ground which makes it easy to follow small game through the brush and down into rabbit/badger holes.  Sometimes the hunters pull out the Dachshund by its hind legs with the badger in its mouth. These are scent hounds that primarily hunt via the smell of their prey.

   Today Dachshunds are bred both for hunting and show. Dachshunds come in three types. There is a standard, miniature and a toy size. There are also three coat types; smooth, long and wired haired. This makes for nine different possible variations of the Dachshund.  

   Dachshunds come in a large variety of colors.

The Toy Dachshund is up to 12 inches in height. It weighs a maximum 8lbs.

The Miniature Dachshund is up to 14 inches in height and to 11lbs.

The Standard Dachshund is between 14 and 18 inches in height. On average the Standard Dachshund weighs above 11 lbs.

The Dachshund is a popular breed. It is also suited to apartment living or a house with a small yard. Dachshunds need to be regularly exercised.  They make good lapdogs.

Dachshunds have feisty personalities.  They make good watch dogs and have no qualms barking at intruders. This breed is known to take on animals of bigger size.

If you plan to get a Dachshund, remember that they are prone to back problems.



The seven year scratch

There is a myth that goes around the world that, one year in the life of a human is strictly equivalent to, seven years of a dog’s life.  It sounds educated and simple, but this rule of thumb is more often inaccurate.  The reality is much more complicated.  The first eighteen months chronologically of a dog’s life, are approximately the first eighteen years in human maturity.  That’s more like a 12 to 1 ratio. 

Dog life expectancy is tied to several factors; Breed type, weight, diet, exercise and physical stature.  On the average, small dogs live the longest and age the slowest. Large dog’s age faster and usually are the first to go to the great dog park in the sky.

   A major factor is weight and anatomy.  A Great Dane has more weight and volume than a Yorkshire Terrier, so its cardiovascular system must work harder. This leads to heart problems that are more severe and occur earlier.

 A study of 250 dogs indicates that, seven dog years per human year is not valid.

 The first chronological year in a dog’s life approximates twelve years of a human’s life. When a dog is about three and a half years chronologically aged, it is equivalent of a 30 year old person.

After three years (see chart above), the curves diverge from each other.  The graph indicates that dogs greater than 90Ibs age at a rate of 7.8 years of life for every chronological year.  Dogs between 21-90lbs age at the rate between 5.2 and 5.5 years/year. The dogs that are below 21lbs tend, to age at the slowest statistical rate (4.7Human yr/Dog yr).

  Life expectancy can be improved my exercise and proper nutrition.

Butterfly Dogs

Marco Polo brought back a little dog from China in the eleventh century.  The dog was named a Continental Toy Spaniel and was very popular in Europe for centuries. The ears of a Continental Toy Spaniel appear like butterfly wings.  Papillion is French word for butterfly, hence the French changed the name.  Papillion dogs were a favorite of Marie Antoinette (Queen of France) before the French revolution.

Papillion are a member of the Toy Dog group. These dog measure eight to nine inches in height.  Its average weight is between three to nine pounds.   The Papillion has a very good temperament and makes a good house pet, but they need a moderate amount of exercise.  Their coats should be brushed ounce a week.

Papillion’s are feisty and intelligent. They are physically a very fragile dog due to their bone structure. A potential owner needs to be wary of their tendency to take on animals much bigger them themselves. Life Expectancy is about 13-14 years.

Taking in on the Chin

The Japanese Chin is a dog that was developed either in Mainland or Korean. The first mention in Japanese history is about 732AD. The Japanese Chin is a member of the Toy family of dogs.  A genetic study of Japanese Chin indicates that two breeds have been crossed to get the basic Japanese Chin.  Chins are cross between a Tibetan spaniel and a Pekinese.  The breed was very popular among the royalty and was bred all over Japan.  It was considered a breed apart from other dogs by the Japanese.

Later the breed was introduced to the world by Portuguese sailors and Captain Mathew Perry during the late 19^th century.  Mathew Perry brought several home to the United States.

The Japanese Chin is between 7 and 11 inches tall.  Standard weight is between one to seven pounds for small Chins and large Chins range between seven and fifteen pounds.

Chins are very family friendly breed. Chins play well with children.  They are very intelligent and tend to take on the moods of their owner.

Is it Flash or a Grayhound

The Greyhound is a sleek member of the hound family that is used for hunting, racing and being domesticated pet.  The history of greyhounds is very controversial.   There apparently was a greyhound- like animal in the Middle East about 4000BC. A grey hound creature is described in Homer’s Odyssey. Testing of the modern day greyhounds genetic structure, suggests this breed is related to herding dogs.

 These dogs are visual hunters, known as Sight Hounds. They originally were bred to hunt small animals. The name is not related to their color.  The Greyhound is also one of the faster animals on the planet. Speeds of up to 40 miles per hour have been recorded.  Greyhounds were used as racing dogs. They would race on courses and tracks while the customers would place bets.  This often shortened the Greyhounds lifespan.  

     Greyhounds are very friendly dogs. They respond best to a light touch while training. This is a breed that is very gentle and sweet as they make excellent family pets. Grey hounds are slow learners as it takes time to teach proper behaviors.  This breed has problems learning the sit command.

   Greyhounds have a big prey drive. They usually do not play well with cats, hamsters or other types of animals.

Comments and questions are solicited (No rotten tomato’s please)

Water dog Supreme

In 1807, an English brig shipwrecked off the coast of Maryland and two Newfoundland dogs were rescued from the cargo.  When bred to local retrievers, including the English Otter Hound, Flat-Coat and Curly-Coated Retriever, the Chesapeake Retriever developed.  Bred to work on land and water, the Chesapeake Bay Retriever originally hunted waterfowl in rough and icy waters of the Chesapeake Bay.

The Chesapeake Bay Retriever became the ultimate water dog.  It is an all weather dog, bred to retrieve ducks in the cold turbulent waters of Chesapeake Bay.  The breed’s weight averages between 80 and 100 pounds. The Chesapeake averages between 21 and 26 inches in height and has a wavy coat.  Its coat is uniquely water repellant and is actually two coats in one.  The outer coat is very wavy, while the inner coat is smooth like wool.  The oil in the coats has a limited but impressive ability to repel water.  While literally being a good bird dog, the Chesapeake Bay Retriever is not the best house pet.  They tend to be domineering dogs, leading to be a poor match with children, disabled and elderly people.  Chesapeake Bay Retrievers need a large living area because they are a high energy canine. If they do not get enough exercise they may bark excessively out of frustration.

   This dog is best suited for hunting families and people pursuing outdoor lifestyles.

Tip #6

   A dog park is a great place for the average dog to play. It is not a place to bring aggressive or overly shy dogs.  In a dog park, the owner must be present to intervene if necessary.  Dropping off your dog and going shopping at the mall is irresponsible.  Pay close attention to the dog park entrance before you enter.  If you sense any hostility at the entrance, then defer entry into the park.  Either wait until the situation calms down or take your dog elsewhere.  Pay close attention to your dog’s playing style.  If your dog is aggressive or afraid of another dog’s behavior, remove your dog.  Your dog’s favorite toys should be left at home to avoid unnecessary territorial conflicts.

   Be prepared to separate your dog if it conflicts with another.  Leaving dogs to resolve the situation on their own, can risk serious canine injury.

  The nice thing about dog parks is the space for the dogs to run free and frolic, as they are leash free.  Some dog parks have ponds or lakes to paddle in.   Some play Frisbee catch with their dogs, while other dogs just romp with each other.

Feedback on this blog is welcome.

Rin Tin Tin and other German Sheappard's

    The German Sheppard is a recent new comer to the Dog world.  In 1891 a breeder named Max Von Stephanitz bought a herding dog. This dog was the product of several generations of selective breeding. Stephanitz brought the dog home and renamed the breed, German Sheppard.  The dog was from a group of working dogs that was used to heard sheep and other animals. These dogs were often called Sheppard Dogs;    because they were used by Sheppard’s to keep the sheep in the heard. The dogs were bred in Germany so the breeder decided to affix the name German to the front of the dog’s nickname.  Since the owner also authored a dog registry, he entered the dog name into the registry. Eighteen years later the AKC followed suit and started their own registry for dogs.

   German Sheppard’s are big, agile, aloof and very loyal. This breed averages between 22 and 26 inches in height, with a usual black and tan color.  German Sheppard’s have excellent patrol skills.  They are very intelligent, trainable and have become the predominant breed of dogs used to guard people and places.

   The adventures of Rin Tin Tin was a TV show in the fifties that stared several German Sheppard’s. The film’s  narrator told the story of a German Sheppard’s travels around the country.

Tip #5

        For energetic dogs, a harness connected to a leash maybe more appropriate for walking.  A harness distributes the load over the dog’s body, making it less likely that the dog’s back or neck will be injured. The dog will continue to pull against the leash, but there is less likelihood of injury. Orthopedic problems that are common to the breed may be deferred for a while.

Ain’t Nothing but a Hound Dog

Blood Hounds make their living mainly tracking people. sometimes these people are lost or trying to lose their persuers

  This breed was originally developed in a French Abbey of Saint Hubert around 1000AD.  Dogs that had exceptional ability to scent hunt were cross bred, leading to a breed that was highly specialized in tracking scents.   A pack of Bloodhounds were given to English Monarch, James I by French King, Henry IV.  These dogs were then introduced to most of Europe.  In England, Bloodhounds were used by hunters and law enforcement personnel.  In medieval times, it was rumored that Robert the Bruce and William Wallace were hunted by the king’s Bloodhounds.

     During the 19^th century, Bloodhounds were introduced from England to America.  The Bloodhounds were used for finding lost people, tracking escaped slaves and ferreting out criminals.

   Today the bloodhounds have a niche in society, tracking people who need to be found for one reason or another.

    Blood Hounds come in Black, Liver, Red and Tan colors. The breed ranges from 23 to 27 inches in height. These dogs weigh on average between 80 and 100lbs.  Average lifespan is about 6.75 years.  This is a breed that is extremely affectionate and makes a good pet.

      The olfactory glands on a Bloodhound are hypersensitive.  The average human being has 4 million olfactory receptors, while the average Bloodhound has about a billion receptors.  This gives a Bloodhound the ability to process  smell with just a few molecules.

     The name Bloodhound comes from the dogs use by  English aristocracy. They were considered dogs owned and used by royal blood.

   

Dogo Argintino

Pit Bull

Dogo Argintino

Arguably the most physical dog breed in the world, is the  Dogo Argintino. Dogo Argintino’s descended from a breed named Cordoba, that originated in Argentina. Cordoba’s were bred for hunting and dog fighting. They were exported to several different countries to dog fight. Since 1931, it was crossed with Spanish Mastiff’s, Bulldog’s, Great Dane’s, Boxer’s, Irish Wolf Hound’s, Pointer’s, Pyrenean Mountain Dog’s, Doberman Pincher’s and old style Bull Terrier’s.  The result of this massive cross breeding experiment was the Dogo Argentino. These dogs resemble a Pit Bull on steroids.  Dogo’s can weigh  between eighty and one hundred pounds.  Dogo’s can grow up to twenty seven inches in height. They are temper mental working dogs, bred to hunt Bear and Puma. These dogs had to be aggressive, big and powerful to encounter large carnivores.  As a result they do not play well with children, other dogs and strangers.  Several countries and states ban this breed of dog.

  New York State passed a law banning this breed. A woman was killed by a Dogo Argentino that she adopted from a local pound. The investigation concluded that she tried to remove the dog from her bed and the dog killed her.

         It is recommended that potential Dogo Argentino owners buy a puppy and socialize it early. Having a relationship with this dog is very important when it becomes mature enough to hold its own with a puma.