Archive for July, 2006

Puggle Dogs and Designer Dog Facts - The Truth About Puggles

Puggle Dogs and Designer Dog Facts - The Truth About Puggles

By Jenny Smith

Puggle Dogs are a fairly new mixed breed. They’re a half breed combined with a pug and a beagle. They are one of the cutest mix breed dogs out there today. They have a very mellow, loving temperament. Puggles are ideal family pets, because they do so well with young children. They’re all around lovable, and not normally a one person dog as are pugs. Puggles become attached to anyone that will give them the time of day and feed them. This breed is also very easily trained. This makes it great for that always terrible training period in a young pups life.

Anyone that has experienced raising a dog from infancy knows that you go through a period of potty training. Some dogs are better than others during this stage. Some breeds are very easily trained and you never have much of a problem with them, while others are not always so. Puggles learn to obey commands well, while many breeds never seem to grasp this key concept. This makes the chewing stage a little more easy to cope with as well. They will most certainly go through that chewing stage like any puppy, but they seem to learn the word “no” very well, and obey commands earlier than most.

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Westie Puppies - Why Are They Sought After By Many Dog Lovers?

Westie Puppies - Why Are They Sought After By Many Dog Lovers?

By Jeff Cuckson

“Westies” or Westhighland Terriers are furry coated dogs, with dots for coal black eyes and button noses.

Why are Westie puppies sought after by many dog lovers? Because these friendly creatures are well-behaved, loyal and affectionate dogs, who may be pocket sized (average a 10-11 inches tall), but are highly intelligent animals.

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Standard Poodles - The People Pleaser

Standard Poodles - The People Pleaser

By Sandy Riordan

I did a lot of research before getting another dog after our English Cockers passed away. I was attracted to Standard Poodles because of their intelligence, temperament and ease of training. They are known to be good family dogs as well as a good watchdog. They also seem to get along very well with other animals as well, sometimes even to the point of being protective of smaller animals.

I have the honor of being owned by three Standard Poodles at the moment, Meg, Bob, and Charley. All three of them have excellent personalities, although they are three totally different personalities.

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Some History of Designer Breeds and The Problem

Some History of Designer Breeds and The Problem

By Steve Allison

Although the concept is by no means new; many people are discovering that some of the latest breeds of super dogs are not as great as their breeders would have you believe.

Of the “designer dog club” the ‘Labradoodle’ is probably the most well known. The ‘Labradoodle’ was originally bred for sight impaired individuals who had severe reactions to dog’s fur. This new hybrid aimed to combine the intelligence of the Labrador with a non-shedding poodle. However you may or may not have a puppy that will be non-shedding. Labradoodles have been around for over 20 years and are gaining recognition.

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History of the Neapolitan Mastiff

History of the Neapolitan Mastiff

By Peter Mangano

The Neapolitan mastiff has been recognized as a breed in the modern world only since 1949. However through bas reliefs, paintings and statues dating from 3000 years before Christ, we can trace his roots to the giant war dogs of Egypt, Persia, Mesopotamia, and Asia. Even as historical a figure as Alexander the Great (356-323 B.C.) was instrumental in creating the Neapolitan Mastiff. Alexander is known to have crossed the giant Macedonian and Epirian war dogs with the short-haired “Indian” dogs to create the Molossus. The Molossus was a dog characterized by having a wide, short muzzle and a heavy dewlap and was used to fight tigers, lions, elephants, and men in battle. This animal is easily recognized as the great forefather of the Neapolitan Mastiff.

When the Romans conquered Greece, they adopted the Molossus dogs and also used them in battle, in the hunt, and in the arena. The Roman invasion of England gave them access to the even larger giant Mastiff dogs there which the Romans crossed with their own now formidable war beasts. The several different breeds that are descended from these dogs have many traits in common: they are large powerful animals, are devoted to their masters, and are superior defenders of person and property.

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The Real Pit Bull Terrier Dog: Exposing the Myths

The Real Pit Bull Terrier Dog: Exposing the Myths

By Tim Amherst

When many people think of Pit Bulls, they automatically think of all the bad things they have heard about them. While Pit Bulls can be aggressive, they have great ability to be a loving, devoted pet to a caring owner. Caring owners should become familiar with their pets personality traits, and learn how to deal with them. Pit Bulls that are raised with owners who love them and give them the attention they crave, do very well at suppressing their aggressiveness and turn out to be very tame, loving dogs. Pit Bulls have a very deep need for attention, and if they don’t get it, sometimes they will indulge in destructive behaviors out of their disappointment and lonesomeness.

While having the ability to do very well with humans, Pit Bulls have a hard time controlling their aggressiveness around other dogs. This is due in part to the fact that at one time the sole purpose of breeding a Pit Bull was for it to fight other dogs. They usually behave worse around dogs that are of the same gender as they are.

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Pitbulls

Pitbulls

By Kent Pinkerton

Pit Bulls can be termed as America’s most-loved as well as most-feared dogs at the same time. American homes have always had pit bulls as worthy affectionate pets, but a series of mauling incidents over the years have created paranoia about this dog breed all over the nation.

The term ‘Pit Bull’ is a term referring to three breeds of dogs: the American Pit Bull Terrier, the American Staffordshire Terrier and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier. Their combinations are also called as Pit Bulls. Pit Bulls were originally from England. The American Pit Bull Terrier was imported to America from England in the 19th century. Out of all the Pit Bull breeds, the American Staffordshire Terrier, simply called as the AmStaff is a descendent of the English bulldog, which was specifically raised for fighting. All Pit Bulls are characterized by their short stocky but strong bodies. They have wide mouths with long hanging tongues.

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Pit Bull Terrier Myths: Not Really the Dog You’ve Heard Them to Be

Pit Bull Terrier Myths: Not Really the Dog You’ve Heard Them to Be

By Tim Amherst

Pit Bulls are undeniably the most controversial canine pet at the current time. They are the first to be pulled into the media limelight, as anything they are accused of makes headlines people eagerly wish to read. Sadly, the Pit Bulls who have actually harmed humans are dogs who have been neglected and not properly trained.

Along with unfit owners, the myths which are perpetuated by the unlearned about Pit Bulls give the dog an undue bad reputation. Some of the more popular myths concerning Pit Bulls are circulated continually on the internet via chain emails, which get passed to millions of people who’ve never spoken with an owner of, nor had the pleasure of having a Pit Bull in their family.

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The Chihuahua!

The Chihuahua!

By Connie Limon

The Chihuahua is one of the few breeds native to the Americans. Ancestors of the Chihuahua trace back to the early Olmec, Toletec and Aztec civilizations of Central American and Mexico.

It remains a secret, however, how the Chihuahua originated, how it interacted with its people and what became of its ancestors. Chihuahua history is put together from artifacts and occasional writings. Some breed experts think the Chihuahua is actually of European or Asian origin. The Chihuahua matured and prospered with the Americans. The Chihuahua will forever be identified with the land we know as Mexico.

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What Chihuahua Puppy Really Makes Your Heart Race?

What Chihuahua Puppy Really Makes Your Heart Race?

By Connie Limon

According to the AKC standard a Chihuahua should not exceed 6 pounds. In real life, however, they do. Some Chihuahuas weigh in at 10 pounds or more. Some Chihuahua have longer legs and are lighter boned that is described in the AKC standard. Their muzzles tend to be longer and they have a more “deerlike” look. This type of Chihuahua is labeled a “deer type Chihuahua.” The deer type Chihuahua may have some advantages as a pet. They tend to be better walking companion and they fare better in obedience trials. They are less susceptible to hypoglycemia. However, if you want a “true” Chihuahua you can show or breed, then you need to get one within the standard. If you want a “true” Chihuahua you can love, get whatever appeals to you the most.

Some Chihuahuas are at the other end of not so perfect according to the AKC standards weighing in at as little as 2 pounds. A 2 pound Chihuahua is unofficially named “teacup” or “pocket” Chihuahuas. They are not a separate type of Chihuahua but simply unusually small specimens of the breed. They are somewhat more fragile and vulnerable to hypoglycemia, but not at all “unhealthy” or full of health problems just because they are smaller.

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