DogLvr.com

The Toy Manchester Terrier

By Sandra Oberreuter

The Toy Manchester Terrier is also called the “Black and Tan Toy Terrier” and the “English Toy Terrier.”

This sturdy little dog is highly intelligent and loves human companionship. He loves to be petted! He usually attaches himself firmly with his family.

He is well balanced, elegant and sleek looking. He have a long, graceful and compact body. His neck is graceful with a black nose, dark to black, small, almond shaped eyes and high ears that are at the back of his skull which are proportionated and close together.

More →

Welcome New Visitor!

Miniature Yorkshire Terriers

By Elizabeth Morgan

The Yorkshire terrier is a breed of dogs that originally hailed from Yorkshire. These toy dogs are popularly known as Yorkies, and are very small. There are different types of Yorkshire terrier, and miniature Yorkshire terriers are among the most popular. They generally live up to 15 years if given proper care. Be sure to consult with an established veterinarian to make sure you are giving all the proper care to your miniature Yorkshire terrier.

Generally speaking, there are two types of Yorkshire terriers: standard and miniature. But many experts feel that they are not separate breeds, but the same breed coming in different sizes. This means that an underdeveloped Yorkie will be classified as miniature, but will be re-classified as standard if he grows. So the only way to know that you are getting a miniature Yorkshire terrier is by asking whether he or she is fully grown before acquiring the dog.

More →

The Staffordshire Bull Terrier - Little Dog with a Lot of Heart

By Carol Stack

A family was at the local animal shelter to put a hold on a pug for the pug rescue when they met and fell in love with Bonnie, a brindle-colored Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

The shelter’s assistant told them that this little dog had been scheduled to be euthanized that morning but the administrator really wanted to see this dog get a home so they had postponed her death sentence.

More →

The Golden Retriever, A Heart Of Gold

By Ruth Bird

Goldens, they just melt my heart. Any Golden Retriever just needs look at me with those expressive eyes and I go all soft inside. It’s true, I do.

The Golden Retriever stands tall and proud in its golden hue. When you see a Golden outside, in the fall, among the trees and the leaves it is a scene of beauty and elegance.

More →

The Royal Pug

By Mike Mathews

People love Pugs! There is something about that rogue-like face that tugs at your heart strings. This dignified toy breed is loved by royalty and commoners alike. These loving, intelligent, little clowns are extremely popular and ranked 12th out of 154 dog breeds registered by the American Kennel Club in 2005. The Pug is the largest of the Toy Dog Group weighing in a whopping 14 to 18 pounds.

The Pug has a fascinating history and one that is somewhat controversial. No one disputes that the English painter William Hogarth owned Pugs and portrayed them many times in his paintings. For example, Hogarth’s 1730 painting shows a black pug in “House of Cards”. Similarly everyone agrees that the Pug became the official dog of the House of Orange after saving the life of the Prince of Orange, by giving alarm at the approach of the Spaniards in 1572. Later when William of Orange went to England in 1688 to be crowned King William III, he took along several Pugs. So we know how the Pugs got from Holland to England but the controversy arises over how the breed got to Holland in the 16th century. One group of historians thinks the Pug was developed as a result of crossing several small Bulldogs. Another group thinks it is a miniature form of the rare French mastiff called the Dogue de Bordeaux. However the majority of historians think that the Pug originated in China and was brought back to 16th century Holland by the Dutch East India Company traders. This is the history that we will assume is true. The Pug is of Chinese origin and its development seems to pre-date the Christian era. Early records indicate that there were three types of short-nosed dogs bred by the Chinese. They were the Lion Dog (probably the Shih Tzu), The Pekingese and the Foo Dog or Pug. These dogs became very popular with Chinese royalty and the Pug breed was highly prized by the Emperors of China and lived a pampered existence. In fact, ordinary citizens were not allowed to own them. However, European traders managed to obtain some Pugs and introduce them to Europe - particularly Portugal, Spain, Holland and England which were the home countries of the traders. There, these adorable little animals became the pampered favourites of many royal families. We mentioned earlier that William III and Mary introduced Pugs to Britain from Holland when they became King and Queen in 1688 and the little dogs became a favourite at the royal court. This small dog breed was also extremely popular in the European courts and was a favourite of Napoleon’s wife, Queen Josephine of France. Later Queen Victoria of England succumbed to the Pugs charm and introduced several Pugs into her household. This British royalty love of Pugs continued down the line into the 20th century with the Duke of Windsor becoming a Pug owner. However by the time of Queen Victoria and her descendants, Pugs were no longer restricted to royalty. Members of the aristocracy became enamoured with Pugs as well.

More →

The Pumi

By Michael Russell

The Pumi is a cattle drover that is used extensively in Hungary and is native to that country. He is prized for his abilities to drive cattle without spooking the herd and to round them up effortlessly, employing techniques similar to that of the Border Collie. Unlike the Border collie he is not a quiet dog and will bark when performing his herding functions and will also bark when alerting against intruders and is valued for this behavior also. The Pumi is a useful and versatile farm dog . With his high spirit and an unquenchable activity level, the Pumi is not a dog for the elderly apartment dweller in any respect. He is a long lived and active dog and seeks to find trouble if he isn’t given a job to do. As a farm dog he will make work for himself rather than just lie about the yard in the sun. If kept in the city he is friendly and personable but does need regular exercise and the family who owns one in the city will find themselves going on long walks twice a day. He is playful and good with children and that is a bonus.

The Pumi is believed to be descended from crosses with the original native Puli and the Hutespitz and Pomeranian dogs that were brought to Hungary during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries by traders. Barter was a common form of commerce and good farm dogs held as much value as the sheep and cattle themselves and were often exchanged as much as the livestock. The Hungarian, German and French Spitz breeds were numerous and had considerable impact on the development of the Pumi. The Pumi has always been used as an extension of the shepherd and has always worked with mankind rather than independently. Consequently he is a willing worker , learning quickly and is easy to train.

More →

The Pudelpointer: Outstanding Achiever

By Michael Russell

The Pudelpointer is a breed established in the late nineteenth century in Germany. At that time it was a common practice for the landed gentry to have large kennels of more than a hundred dogs and several different breeds and it was within this type of kennel that true experimental breeding programs could flourish. The Pudelpointer is the result of just such experimentation. The breed was born out of a desire on the part of the German Baron von Sedlitz to produce the perfect “all round” gundog. The Baron used nearly 100 different pointers of Continental and English bloodlines and several different poodles to achieve his goal. The breed was not established overnight, but in the end the result was very close to the perfection the Baron desired.

The Pudelpointer possesses intelligence, an excellent nose, persistence and stamina, water working ability and a weather and bramble resistant coat. In Germany the majority of the Parent breed clubs maintain a very strict breeding program and this is the case with the Pudelpointer. Stud dogs and bitches all must pass a rigorous field trial test which includes tracking a wounded animal, giving chase and putting to flight smaller game, retrieving both wounded and dead game, pointing and obedience in a variety of circumstances. Furthermore, health clearances and a “good” rating in conformation must be obtained before they can be used for breeding and the parent club also has the power to determine which stud may be bred to which bitch. All of this regulation assures that the breed will remain true to type and function.

More →

Dalmatian: The Popular Working Dog

By Michael Russell

A Dalmatian is a breed of dog known for its black spots which cover its white coat. In the United States, Dalmatians are often portrayed as firehouse dogs.

A popular breed, Dalmatians are midsized, muscular and have great endurance. Dalmatians’ coats are dense, short and very fine. The base color of this breed is white, with round spots in black or brown. A Dalmatians feet are small and round and their nails are either the same color of their spots or white. The color of their nose also depends on the color of the spots that they have. The eyes of a Dalmatian share an intelligent expression and are either brown or blue. The ears are high and thin and are close to the dog’s head. Spots on Dalmatians come later, as Dalmatian puppies are born fully white.

More →

The Bichon Frise: The French Lap Dog

By Michael Russell

The Bichon Frise is a small breed of dog, similar in size to a large cat, which in French means “curly lap dog”. They are called this because in the past they were lap dogs for French royalty. Often devoted to their masters, Bichons are popular pets and are fairly similar to poodles.

Originating in the Mediterranean region and in existence since the Middle Ages, Bichons eventually ended up on the streets after the French Revolution in which their royal masters were dethroned. The dogs were then caught and trained to do tricks so that they would become dogs in the circus. Despite often being used as a dog for companionship, Bichons are also versatile and smart. Recently farmers in Norway have even used Bichons for rounding up sheep.

More →

Dog Breed Directory - Miniature Dachshund

By Stephanie Bayliss

History of the Miniature Dachshund

The history of these Miniature Dachshunds mirrors that of their larger relatives; Dachshunds can be traced back to Germany for many years, back to around the 15th Century, athough many believe that ancient Egyptian art depicts images of dogs similar to Dachshunds; perhaps their ancestors.

Dachshunds were bred to hunt badgers (”Dachs” means Badger). Badgers were a formidable prey and Dachshunds were bred to have courage and bravery bordering on the reckless! Their size and shape makes them perfect for hunting both above and below ground.

More →