German Shepherds are athletic, energetic animals that can be a good choice of pet for people prepared to invest the time and effort involved in training and looking after them. They are very popular dogs because of their personalities; among their positive qualities are intelligence, protectiveness, and loyalty. Without the correct care and training, however,…
What dogs do when their owners are away varies, but most end up playing, investigating, observing, guarding, eating and drinking, and resting. Like people, they often establish a daily routine with these activities. Depending on factors like the animal’s age, size, individual temperament, and breed, people sometimes have to adjust what they leave their pets…
Millions of people have welcomed four legged friends into the family, in particular, the cuddly mutt. While a lot can be said for a purebred’s beauty and grace, mutts are often healthier overall with fewer temperamental problems. This desirable tendency results from breeding within a larger genetic pool where there are fewer chances for unfavorable genes…
The French Bulldog is a breed licensed by the American Kennel Club (AKC) as a non-sporting breed. Descended from English Bulldogs, the “Frenchies” were brought to France in the 19th century by English lace makers working in Normandy, France. These Englishmen prized the smaller bulldogs for their companionship more than the fighting skills of the bigger…
A gun dog is a dog which has been trained to assist hunters. There are several different types of gun dog, trained to perform a variety of tasks ranging from flushing out game to fetching downed birds. A high-quality fully trained gun dog can be very expensive, reflecting the work which went into the training…
A hearing dog is a service dog which has been trained to assist a handler who is deaf or hard of hearing. Hearing dogs are trained to offer “sound alerts” to their handlers to indicate that a noise of interest or concern is occurring, ranging from a fire alarm to a friend shouting out a…
A lap dog is a small pet dog that can fit on a person’s lap. It is a general term that can be applied to several dog breeds. The most common group of bred lap dogs is called the toy dog group. It includes popular small dogs like Yorkshire terriers, chihuahuas and toy poodles. Lap…
A luxury dog house is an outdoor dog shelter that is more elaborately built than a standard dog house. These fancy dog houses may match the pet owner’s home in style. Luxury dog houses often look decorative, but also have features designed with the dog’s comfort and health in mind. A luxury dog house may…
A police dog is a dog which has been trained to assist police with law enforcement tasks. There are a number of different specialized tasks which can be performed by police dogs, ranging from assistance with apprehending suspects to sniffing out hazardous materials. As a general rule, police dogs are treated legally much like police officers, which…
In the United States, The American Kennel Club (AKC) recognizes 21 canine Toy breeds, or breeds of diminutive stature. The term “teacup dog” is not a breed, but slang for an undersized dog from one of these groups, most commonly the Chihuahua. Such dogs are small enough to fit in a teacup, giving rise to…