Tag archives: Breed of the Week

Truly great, as much in majesty as in size, the Great Dane is one of the largest dog’s in existence. A gentle giant, the Great Dane possesses a friendly and playful disposition. It’s an ancient breed, with similar-type dogs appearing in frescoes and other artwork from Greece and Egypt dating to more than 5,000 years ago! A 5th Century Danish coin depicts a large hunting dog believe to be a Great Dane.

The most striking feature of the Great Dane is their massive size. Minimum standards dictate that male Danes are not less than 30 inches tall – 32 inches and above is preferable (females can be slightly smaller, standing only 28 inches or more). Their weight ranges from 100 pounds for females to 120 pounds for males – while the AKC no longer states a minimum weight, those are generally accepted standards, however, the tall dogs should appear well muscled and proportionate to its great height.

Their large size makes Great Danes easily identified, and their presence will draw attention from everyone in the immediate vicinity. The largest living dogs are usually Danes – currently the Guinness Book of World’s Records recognizes a black Great Dane named Zeus ...

An ancient breed with a somewhat muddled history, the modern Maltese is a companion dog that has maintained its regal appearance and lovability.

The small, long-haired white dog weighs less than seven pounds (ideally four-to-six pounds) and stands seven-to-12 inches at the withers. Their long hair is silky white and lacks an undercoat. Regular grooming is required to keep it from matting, but by keeping the small dogs’ hair clipped in a “puppy cut” the maintenance can be reduced.

While the Mediterranean island of Malta is the origin of the dog’s name, the breed’s exact origin is somewhat in lost. Popular belief is that it originated in the central Mediterranean area, but there is some evidence to suggest that it came from Asia and made its way to Europe with nomadic traders.

A very old breed, Maltese-like dogs have been cited in writings since 500 B.C. Throughout history, Maltese have been linked to royalty and the affluent, including the philosophers such as Aristotle, Pliny the Elder and Strabo, the Roman Governor Publius of Malta and Queen Elizabeth I. The AKC says that even in the 1500s, the little white dogs sold for as much as $2,000!

Maltese have ...

The quintessential hunting, service and family dog, the Labrador retriever has been the most popular dog in the United States since 1991, according to AKC registration statistics. It’s also the most registered breed of dog in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

The affable and even-tempered Labrador is an intelligent dog that’s quick to mature – in the sense that it can begin advanced training and understand concepts at a fairly young age – and willing to please its owner.

Originating on the island of Newfoundland in Canada, modern-day Labs descend from a now-extinct breed known as the St. John’s water dog; similar to but smaller and with shorter hair than the Newfoundland breed of dog. St. John’s water dogs were used by fishermen to retrieve nets and haul lines between vessels, as well as for waterfowl hunting. The dogs were brought back to Poole, England, then a hub of new-world fishing and were developed into the modern Labrador. They were then returned to North America and have been a mainstay ever since.

Medium to large in size, weighing between 60 and 80 pounds on average, Labs should have a broad, somewhat blocky head with hazel or brown ...

A medium-sized retriever, the Nova Scotia duck tolling retriever is a hunting dog that is used in a most unique manner. Instead of sitting steady in the duck blind and waiting for the gunner to drop birds, the toller is an active participant in the hunt.

While the hunter remains hidden in the blind, tollers work the shoreline, darting in and out of the brush. Waterfowl, their curiosity piqued by the motion and the flashing white patches on the toller’s reddish coat, come closer to investigate. At that point, the hunter rises from his hiding spot, causing the ducks to flush. After the gunner drops the birds, the toller swims out and retrieves the waterfowl and delivers them to the hunter’s hand.

Originating, not surprisingly, in Nova Scotia, Canada, the toller was developed in the early 19^th Century. It’s the smallest of the retriever breeds and is often mistaken for the more common golden retriever. The origins are unknown, but likely consist of a red decoy dog of some sort brought to the new world by settlers and then mixed with spaniel, setter and retrievers, as well as perhaps some type of collie, according to the AKC. It was originally known ...

The only retriever developed exclusively in the United States, the Chesapeake Bay retriever embodies the work ethic and hardiness of the American spirit at a time when the new country was first being settled.

Developed from two Newfoundlands (or perhaps St. Johns water dogs) rescued from a sinking brigantine off the coast of Maryland, Chessie ancestry likely includes flat- and curly-coated retrievers, perhaps spaniels and probably hounds from the local area. This combination of water-loving breeds with strong scenting ability produced a thick-coated and persistent working dog. And work they did.

The Chessie’s primary duty in the early 1800s was that of waterfowl retriever – which remains true today. They were used extensively by market hunters, who with their large punt guns could decimate flocks of ducks and geese, which the retrievers picked up – sometimes hundreds in a single day. Legend has it that Chesapeake Bay retrievers were dual-use dogs – they retrieved waterfowl by day and guarded the boats, guns and day’s haul at night while the market hunters caroused in waterfront saloons – and this is what has led to stereotyped traits in the modern breed (one-man dogs, strong guarding instincts, apt to bite, etc.). While market ...

A medium-sized gun dog that is affectionate and eager to please, the English springer spaniel was the foundation stock for several other spaniel breeds, including the clumber, Welsh, Irish water and field spaniels. However, the breed it is most closely related to is the English cocker spaniel.

At one time, both springers and cockers were born in the same litter, the main difference being size – larger springers were used to flush (or “spring”) and retrieve all manner of game birds while the smaller cockers were used primarily for woodcock hunting (both breed names were derived from their hunting styles). As the two breeds developed, the differences became more pronounced, and in 1902 the springer was recognized as its own breed in England and in America in 1910.

The breed standard dictates that springers stand approximately 20 inches in height and weigh between 40 and 50 pounds. As with many breeds, a split has occurred that has created differences in those dogs used for working in the field and those shown in the conformation ring. This split is perhaps the most evident of all breeds and has been evident for at least 70 years. Working field dogs tend to be ...

A versatile hunting dog originally bred to hunt everything from big game, such as deer, to small game like birds, raccoons and opossums, German shorthair pointers (GSP) are used primarily as a bird dog in the U.S. They remain one of the versatile breeds, however – those used to do it all; point, retrieve and track both furred and feathered game on land and water. Their hunting ability and affectionate nature make them popular as both bird dog and pet – for the last decade they’ve ranked in the top-25 of the AKC’s most-registered breeds.

The athletic, streamlined body of the GSP contains energy galore and an incredible prey drive for birds – they are hunting machines that will tirelessly pursue game through the harshest of terrain. As affectionate, friendly and trainable as they are energetic, the GSP is also a great family dog and pet – provided you give it adequate exercise and mental stimulation. Their intelligence, which allows them to be trained easily, can become a detriment if ignored; like other hunting dogs, they enjoy working and need stimulation and a physical outlet or else they will engage in destructive behavior. They make suitable guard dogs and ...

Beautiful and graceful, Irish setters have a silky, feathered coat that is deep chestnut or red in color. Their regal looks have made them popular in the hunting field, show ring and homes of people since the early 1700s.

Developed, according to the AKC, by crossing Irish water spaniel, Irish terrier, English setter, spaniel, pointer, and Gordon setter, and then selectively bred for their hallmark coloring, Irish setters were used for hunting of game birds. Their popularity in the field boomed in the 19^th Century, which made them popular in the conformation ring, too. By 1948, the breed had come to dominate the conformation ring, but had slipped in status in the field.

The dramatic split led to not only two lines of Irish setters, but to the creation of the red setter, which was the result of outcrossing some of the remaining working Irish setter lines to red and white field champion English setters. The inclusion of fresh field-line blood has invigorated and resurrected the hunting prowess of the beautiful dog – albeit with much controversy.

Show-bred dogs range between 60 and 70 pounds and stand approximately 27 inches tall, while field-bred red setters tend to be smaller ...

Affectionately known as the wiener dog, the short-legged, long-bodied dachshund is consistently one of the top 10 most-registered dogs in the country. It seems the dachshund has always been popular, with kings and queens of Europe in the distant past, as well as with the likes of artists such Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol, Presidents John F. Kennedy and Grover Cleveland, writer E.B. White, newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst and singer Adele in more recent times.  

The popular dachshund originated in Germany and was bred to track badgers, enter their den and fight them to the death. The modern dachshund is much smaller than the badger-fighting ancestor, which weighed between 30 and 40 pounds, and is usually bred for the conformation ring and as a companion animal. However, there are lines, especially in its native Germany, that are still bred for hunting purposes.

The history of the dachshund is somewhat muddled, with some groups claiming it was developed in the 18^th and 19^th centuries, others claim the 15^th Century and still others cite drawings and mummies of dachshund-like dogs that were popular with ancient Egyptians. The modern-day incantation was developed in Germany, but was also ...

The Shetland sheepdog is not just a collie in miniature form, but rather its own breed that has been crossed extensively with the long-haired, or rough, collie. Together they, and other similar breeds, are collectively referred to as collie, but make no mistake; the Sheltie is its own dog that has had many distinct (and extinct) breeds have contributed to its genetic makeup.

Placed in the herding group, Shelties in their modern form are more of a companion and show dog than working animal, however, they still retain many herding instincts and the intelligence associated with the group. It was developed from spitz-type dogs found on the islands of Shetland, which are northeast of England, and that were used for herding the smaller sheep and other livestock that developed there.

The rough collie obviously played a large role in the conformation and appearance of the Sheltie, but in addition to it and the Shetland spitz dog, the King Charles spaniel, Pomeranian, possibly the border collie and the extinct Greenland yakki all played a role in the smaller body and disposition of the breed.

The rough collie factors into the Shetland’s makeup with crosses taking place between the two breeds until ...