Afghan Hound Dog Breed
The Afghan Hound has its origins from Middle Eastern Sighthounds, with roots that date back to the Egyptian Pharaohs. Nomadic tribes used most of these dogs in order to hunt the ground for gazelles, hare and other small animals to bring back for food. For centuries, the Afghan Hound breed remained isolated in the Afghanistan Mountains. These mountains were practically impenetrable.
Afghan Hounds often hunted with the partnership of falcons, which were trained to swoop at the quarry. These dogs spent generation after generation, hunting through rough conditions in harsh mountains.
They developed great stamina, strength and speed from such hard labor. The Afghan Hound’s most striking physical capabilities were its leaping distance and nimbleness. These great hunting dogs were able to work with great success in the frigid mountain climate by the aid of their thick, long coat.
It wasn’t until sometime during the early 1900s that the very first Afghan Hound made its way to England. At that time these dogs were referred to as “Barukhzy Hounds”. Others called them “Persian Greyhounds”.
The Afghan Hound was quite a diverse breed, so in order to draw up a breed standard that was based on perfection, a model dog was used that best illustrated the elegant look of today’s Afghan Hound. That dog was named Zardin.
The breed’s popularity grew at a snail’s pace, but eventually made a name in the show ring. In fact, the Afghan Hound quickly made a name for itself as one of the most glamorous, yet competitive dogs in the rings. The 1970s proved to be a booming time for the breed amongst the public, but since then their status as a common household pet has dwindled.
Personality
By viewing the glamorous, striking look of the Afghan Hound, people unfamiliar with its history would never guess at how skillful its hunting abilities are. This dog is a hunter at heart, capable of finding its prey through rough terrain, yet is peaceful and gentle, especially with children. It needs exercise on a daily basis and can be somewhat shy and reserved around strangers.
Taking Care Of Your Afghan Hound
Daily stimulation, both mentally and physically, will keep the Afghan Hound in a happy state of mind. This dog loves the opportunity to run at full speed if you can do so in a safe area. They should live indoors with the rest of the family, but have access to an enclosed, outside area during the day. Grooming does take a little extra work with the Afghan Hound. Its coat is long and may need to be brushed thoroughly every other day.
Health Information
The average lifespan of a healthy Afghan Hound is between 12 and 15 years. These dogs are considered to be very healthy with absolutely no major health issues, and the only minor concerns that may spring up are cataracts. Occasionally seen are CHD and necrotic myelopathy, but these health problems are extremely rare.
Doberman Pinscher Dog Breed
Many years ago, during the 1800s, a man named Louis Doberman from Thuringen in Germany, had a career of collecting taxes. Every day he would set out on foot and literally walk door-to-door asking people to pay their overdue taxes.
Needless to say, this job was obviously quite rough and Mr. Doberman needed an excellent guard dog to accompany him on his rounds. He then set out with the goal of creating such a breed. The most likely mix came from the old German Shepherd and the German Pinscher, with later crosses using the Greyhound, Weimaraner and the Black & Tan Manchester Terrier.
Soon enough Mr. Doberman gathered the perfect prototype of the breed which today bears his own name. The original Doberman dogs looked a little different than today’s Doberman Pinschers, with rounder heads and a thicker bone structure, which in time was bred to have a narrower race-like look. By the year 1900, the Doberman Pinscher became so popular that it had its own breed club.
The first Doberman Pinscher found its way to the United States in the early 1900s. Both the US and European nation took to this breed for a perfect police and guard dog. In time, it was also used as a war dog. These valuable functions became the desire of many household families, in addition to the sleek, defined appearance of the animal. By the year 1977, the Doberman Pinscher was the second most popular dog breed in the United States.
Personality
The Doberman Pinscher is a highly intelligent animal that is one of the most capable guard and watchdogs a family could own. Not only is it a highly dependable family protector, but also Doberman Pinscher dogs are one of the easiest breeds to train. They are alert and always ready to serve. These dogs are quite sensitive, obedient, reserved with strangers and are committed to loyalty.
Taking Care Of Your Doberman Pinscher
Upkeep of the Doberman Pinscher takes more than average daily exercise. Bundled with enormous pockets of energy, this dog can become very frustrated and even destructive when kept indoors too long without physical and mental stimulation. Families considering owning a Doberman Pinscher should be prepared for a lifelong commitment of daily brisk walks and plenty of vigorous dog games to play outside. Dobermans can live outside in both hot and cold temperatures, but is more comfortable when inside with its family.
Health Information
The Doberman Pinscher has a lifespan of up to 12 years, with 11 being the average. Veterinarians suggest that these dogs get specifically tested for hip dysplasia, eye problems, cardiac issues and DNA for vWD. Major health concerns that may arise are gastric torsion, demodicosis, vWD and osteosarcoma. Occasionally, minor health problems sometimes include PRA, albinism, narcolepsy and hypothyroidism.
Dog Breeding Is Not For Amateurs
Are you tempted to start breeding dogs in the hope of adding a couple of new puppies to the family and/or making a few extra dollars by selling the other pups? I think everyone who owns a dog has thought about it at some time or another. Unfortunately, there are some downsides to breeding dogs that you may not feel comfortable with.
Dog breeding is considered to be a “way of life” for those professionals that are passionate about their animals. These people live, eat and breathe dog breeding. However, the same is not true for 99% of the other people out there that just decided to have puppies for the fun of it, or for the possibility of smalltime profits.
Here are a few reasons why you might want to reconsider dog breeding, unless you are 100% committed to the process and to the health of the new puppies:
1. Breeding can be expensive. For starters, the costs that you will have to absorb can get a little pricey with veterinarian checkups and care for all of the puppies, which include prevention of heartworm, fleas and regular worms. In addition, you need to budget enough money to advertise the new puppies once they are born. For most people that are not professional breeders, you may barely make enough money back to cover your investment.
2. Breeding puppies yourself can also be emotionally heartbreaking. This is one downside of breeding that most people do not expect. For example, it is not unusual for the mother to die due to whelping complications. What is even more depressing is that many times one or more puppies from the litter will pass away as well. These circumstances are not something that every family can handle, so please keep these possibilities in mind should you begin to breed dogs.
3. A third downside to breeding dogs is that the entire process is a huge responsibility. This should be quite obvious with just the above examples given in terms of your investment and emotional participation. Once you decide to breed your dogs and bring new life into this world, you are now entirely responsible to ensure that those puppies are given the utmost in high quality attention and health care. Breeding new puppies is not a hobby and therefore you must understand that your time and energy must be devoted to the process 100%.
German Shorthaired Pointer Dog Breed
The German Shorthaired Pointer is probably the most skilled hunter of all dog breeds. It is versatile and has the ability to trail, retrieve, point and even kill game if necessary. These attributes are the result of specific blending of breeds during the 17th century.
The first mixes produced a large hound-like dog from combining the Spanish Pointer with the Hannover Hound. The dogs that came from this mixture had the natural ability to trail and point at the same time. They also showed a heavy interest in birds and various mammals. When trailing, the dogs would bay and dispatch wounded prey (and fox).
Early breeders all had one thing in common: they wanted to create a Pointer that could be an “all purpose hunter”. However, not everyone agreed on the best way to do it. Many crosses were made with the English Pointer, although controversial and it bestowed very stylish physical characteristics into the breed, which also hunted nose-up.
One of the downsides to this mix was that the dogs had a dislike of water and avoided attacking quarry. In time, however, further breeding of the dogs help eliminate these unwanted characteristics in the Pointer.
Sometime during the early 1800′s, at the German Derby, there were two specific Deutsch Kurzhaars (the name that the Pointer was originally called) that had distinguished themselves from all of the other pointing breeds. Their names were Treff and Nero. These two Pointers are said to be the parents of today’s German Shorthaired Pointer. Their descendants helped get the breed recognized in Germany in the late 1800s.
The first German Shorthaired Pointers started to show up in the United States sometime in the 1920s. The breed gained recognition by the AKC in 1930. Soon enough, the dog’s reputation as being the ideal hunting dog grew in popularity. Due to its hunting skills, combined with its aesthetic look, this dog has become quite popular.
Personality
The German Shorthaired Pointer is one dog that could live its entire life, day in and day out, simply running around hunting in the field. The temperament of this animal makes an excellent watchdog, but it has an abundance of energy and requires heavy exercise. It is a devoted and loyal family pet that may prove to be a little too boisterous for small children. Because of its genetic design for hunting, the German Shorthaired Pointer may get a bit aggressive with other household pets, especially those that are smaller in size.
Taking Care Of Your German Shorthaired Pointer
Upkeep and maintenance of the German Shorthaired Pointer requires lots of exercise on a daily basis. This dog thrives on mental stimulation as much as it does physical exertion. You can achieve these things by taking your Pointer hunting, running, hiking; anything that gets the animal to play outdoors with its owner. This is one dog that is not suited for small apartment living. The ideal situation would be access to a fenced-in yard at all times.
Health Information
German Shorthaired Pointers have an average lifespan of 13 years, with some living as high as 15 to 16 years. Major health concerns to lookout for with the Pointer is lymphedema. Minor issues include pannus, vWD, CHD, gastric torsion, OCD, entropion and hypothyroidism. Very rare health problems that are occasionally seen include thyroid issues, cardiac problems and hip dysplasia.
Bullmastiff Dog Breed
The Bullmastiff is mistakenly thought of as one of Britain’s oldest dog breeds. However, it is actually the Mastiff that is the oldest breed. The Bullmastiff, on the other hand, is a fairly new breed that has recently developed. History does show a few crosses between these two dogs as early as the 1790s, but there is no direct evidence that suggests these two strains were used to breed.
The definitive documentation of the Bullmastiff started towards the end of the 19th century. Their function at the time was to protect large estates from poachers who were causing huge problems with gamekeepers.
In order to stop the poachers and protect the gamekeepers’ livelihoods, Bullmastiff dogs were used for guarding and protection. These dogs were tough, courageous and would wait quietly until a poacher arrived, then attack on command.
Before Bullmastiffs were created, the only dogs available for protection abilities were the Bulldog and the regular Mastiff. The problem was that the Bulldog was not big enough and the Mastiff was not fast enough. By mixing these two breeds together, the Bullmastiff was created and made the perfect land guardian.
In time, many breeders decided to stop mixing the two strains and started breeding Bullmastiffs to be totally pure. The result was the ideal dog that is approximately 60% to 70% Mastiff and the rest Bulldog. The pure breeding attempt was successful and by the early 1920s the English Kennel Club officially recognized the Bullmastiff. The AKC followed with their official recognition of the breed in 1933.
Personality
The temperament of the average healthy Bullmastiff is one that is quiet, gentle and very laid-back. In fact, these dogs do not arouse easily, but once startled and focused on an aggressor, they are fearless and can be quite a threat. Needless to say, Bullmastiff dogs are rated as one of the best dog breeds to have for watchdog and protection ability. They are great with children, but it is highly recommended that they be raised with them, instead of bringing home an adult Bullmastiff to a home with children. These dogs can also be a bit aggressive towards strange dogs and other animals.
Taking Care Of Your Bullmastiff
Bullmastiff dogs are fairly large and need daily exercise to keep them in top shape. Like other large dogs, if there is not enough exercise and too much food, obesity can become a problem. However, a few long walks on the leash each day should do just fine. This is one dog that does not fare well in hot weather. They are generally indoor dogs and will need a large bed to stretch out in. Bullmastiffs also tend to drool a lot, as well as snore. Grooming is minimal, with the occasional brushing to remove dead hair.
Health Information
The average lifespan of a Bullmastiff is approximately 10 years. Veterinarians suggest that all Bullmastiff dogs get tested specifically for hip and elbow problems, as well as potential eye issues. Major health concerns that seem to be common among this breed are CHD, gastric torsion, and elbow dysplasia. Minor issues that may pop up are mast cell tumors, hemangiosarcoma, lymphosarcoma, SAS, hypothyroidism and osteosarcoma
