The Pekingese

 

The Pekingese is a toy breed originally from China. They were bred to have legs that were "knuckled over" so that they could not travel fast and therefore could not run away. The Chinese Buddhist Monks were especially fond of the Pekingese. Like other ancient dog breeds, they were a Chinese secret. They were a Chinese dog, and only a Chinese dog. Generally they were owned only by royalty and the monks, common folk did not have Pekingese. At some point the breed was stolen from China and spread like a wildfire. English royalty at the time loved the "Lion Dog" and treasured it.

The Pachón Navarro

 

I've had multiple requests from readers to please tell them who the other double-nosed breeds are. So, here you have it, the Pachón Navarro. This is a Spanish pointing breed that is very heavy set for a pointer, almost giving it a mastiff look. They are said to have fabulous hunting instinct and are generally bred for hunting ability alone, which makes them superb dogs in the field. I just found this fabulous blog (written by a Weimaraner enthusiast) that has very in depth articles about pointing breeds. Here is the article about the Pachón Navarro.  

The Berger des Pyrénées

The Berger des Pyrénées (pronounced ber-JAE day pyr-ray-NAE) is a rugged little herding dog bred for life in the Pyrenees mountain range. Also know as the Pyrenean Sheepdog, these are the smallest of the French shepherd dogs. The Berger des Pyrénées is a naturally independent dog, though, so they need plenty of socialization and time with the family. 

The Cane Corso Italiano

 

The Cane Corso Italiano (or just Cane Corso for short) is a very large Italian mastiff, known for his fabulous guarding instinct. They are good family dogs too, and great with children. They need extra socialization, especially in puppyhood, but it is recommended that one continues a good socialization plan throughout the Corso's life. Make sure you really research this breed before getting a pup! 

The Irish Red and White Setter

CLICK HERE TO GO TO QUIZ! Remember: I won't post the answer until at least one person has guessed in the comments! 

 

The Irish Red and White Setter was originally recognized as a color variation of the Irish Setter, but that was soon changed because they are two very different breeds. The Irish Red and White Setter is smaller than the Irish Setter, but said to be a fabulous hunter. They are exceptionally beautiful dogs, with flowing red and white fur. 

The Catalburun

CLICK HERE TO GO TO QUIZ! Remember: I won't post the answer until at least one person has guessed in the comments! 

The Catalburun is an extremely rare Turkish Pointer. It is estimated that about 200 of them are living today, practically all in their homeland of Turkey. They are one of only three breeds to have the distinctive "split nose" characteristic. The split, or double nose, could either be the result of severe inbreeding, or on purpose; it is unknown for sure.  

The French Bulldog (Quick Post!)

CLICK HERE TO GO TO QUIZ! Remember: I won't post the answer until at least one person has guessed in the comments!

 

These goofy companion dogs are known to be great pets, as well as good obedience and rally dogs. The Frenchie has many fans across the world, including many in the US. The French Bulldog is related to the English Bulldog and the American Bulldog.   

 

The Leonberger

CLICK HERE TO GO TO QUIZ! Remember: I won't post the answer until at least one person has guessed in the comments!

 

The Leonberger is a very large working breed. He is known as the "Loyal Leonberger", because he is extremely loyal to his family and especially children. This breed may look giant, but Leonbergers are gentle giants, who want nothing more than to be stroked and praised.   

Quiz Time!

 

Any idea what breed this is? I won't post the answer until I get at least one guess, hopefully more. Please guess in the comments! I'll give ya'll one hint, though: it's a terrier!

The Keeshond

 

The Keeshond is a sturdy, medium sized dog and is a great companion. They were first bred in Holland and were kept as watchdogs on farms, barges, and riverboats. Today they are considered as Non-sporting, or companion dogs. If you keep one, though, make sure you groom it at least twice weekly to avoid mats and tangles.

The Belgian Malinois

 

The Belgian Malinois (MAL-IN-WA) was originally bred as a shepherd dog in Belgium (hence the name). They are now creeping up on the German Shepherd Dog as most popular police dog. The police use them as drug sniffers and attack dogs. Though they are classified as Herding Dogs, and they were originally bred to be shepherds, the Belgian Malinois does the work of a Working Dog. They are highly intelligent and can make great pets if their leash is in the hands of an experienced dog handler. 

The Boxer

 

They are the seventh most popular dog in the US, and for good reason. They are in the Working group, and are built like light, athletic Mastiffs. The boxer is a very popular pet and is common in the obedience ring. Their jaws are strong, but almost all the viciousness has been bred out of these good dogs. They are generally very friendly and loving. Though don't get me wrong, there are mean boxers out there, they're just uncommon. 

The Papillon

 

Papillon means "butterfly" in French. You can certainly see why! Look at those ears! This little Toy breed is a very popular pet, and is commonly entered in agility trials. They are actually quite smart, but are known, as many toy breeds are, as yappers. So if you adopt one of these little balls of energy, make sure you keep tabs on his barking habit.  

Back to Normal

Tonik, the Human-faced Shih Tzu Poodle Cross  

OK, I think I'll go back to normal breeds now, but it was fun seeing all the poodle crosses people have come up with. The Roodle was the strangest in my opinion, followed by the Schnoodle (because of the name). Look above to see Tonik, he's the equivalent of Grumpy Cat in the dog world! And guess what? He's a designer dog too! ;D

Designer Dogs: The Golden Doodle

 

The Golden Doodle looks quite a bit like the Labradoodle. And they are kinda cute. You may be able to tell by the name, but the Golden Doodle is a cross between the Golden Retriever and the tandard Poodle. They are fun, happy family dogs, and maybe (just maybe) the poodle part of these dogs stuffed some brains into the golden part.

Designer Dogs: The Weimardoodle

 

OK, I'm sorry if  a weimardoodle fan is reading this and I offend you, but... YUCK! These are hideous dogs! I love weimaraners, you might know that, but weimardoodles are the ugliest things... They have the body of a weimaraner, with brown-gray curly fur and a weim's amber eyes.

Designer Dogs: The Roodle

 

A less-known designer dog is a the roodle, a rottweiler poodle cross. These dogs are huge and curly coated. They have the rottie's classic tan markings, but they are hardly visible through the thick curly coat. The fur looks brown, even though Rottweiler's have black and tan, it appears the poodle part of the roodle makes the fur brown. 

Designer Dogs: The Schnoodle

 

The Designer Dogs all have cutesie names, but none that would out-do the "Schnoodle". Yes, schnoodle. There are multiple sizes, Giant Schnoodles (Standard poodle x Giant Schnauzer), Standard Schnoodles (Miniature Poodle x Standard Schnauzer), and Mini Schnoodles (Toy Poodle x Miniature Schnauzer) to name a few. For their credit, though, I have met one and he was an fun and attractive little dog. If you get one though, you'll just have to hope it doesn't inherit the Schnauzer yappiness.       

Designer Dogs: The Puggle

 

I am personally not a big fan of the Puggle. I once heard a dog expert say "The puggle, a dog that runs away (Beagle) and has breathing problems (Pug)!" But some people are very fond of these dogs. They are fawn or black like pugs, with short muzzles (though not quite as short as a pug's), they have longer bodies (a Beagle attribute) and they have a sickle tail.   

Designer Dogs: The Labradoodle

 

The most popular designer breed: the Labradoodle. A cross between a Labrador Retriever, and a Standard Poodle, the Labradoodle is a large dog with a curly or wavy coat. They generally come in all the coat colors that poodles do. To learn more about these fun companion dogs, click here to go to Animal Planet's Dogs 101 channel and watch an episode about Labradoodles.  

Designer Dogs

Starting tomorrow, I will be doing a section on Designer Dog Breeds, but first, I think will define designer dogs to you. A Designer Dog is essentially a mutt, but a mutt bred on purpose. Most Designer Dogs are poodle crosses because people that are allergic to dogs want the poodle's allergy tolerant coat, but another breeds looks or personality. Some of the most common Designer Dogs are Labradoodles (Labrador Retriever x Poodle), Golden Doodles (Golden Retriever x Poodle), Puggles (Pug x Beagle), and Chiweenies (Dachshund x Chihuahua). Remember: these dogs aren't actually breeds because they were bred by crossing two different breeds, however, the Labradoodle may become a breed soon as some people are breeding Labradoodles to Labradoodles and getting Labradoodles instead of random looking puppies, so we'll see.  

The Coton de Tulear

 

The Coton de Tulear is a small dog from Madagascar. They are believed to be the descendants of some dogs that were in a shipwreck and who swam to Madagascar's shores. Today the Coton is the national dog of Madagascar. They are named for their cotton-like coat.     

The Central Asian Shepherd Dog

 

Central Asian Shepherd Dogs are very good guardian dogs, that will fight to protect their flock. They can be a variety of colors and have docked tails and often trimmed ears so that the predator has less to grab onto during a fight.

The Weimaraner

 

As a weimaraner enthusiast myself, I couldn't help but do a post about my favorite dog breed. I could write a whole essay on weims for you, but to keep it brief let me just say this: weimaraners (pronounced WHY-MER-AH-NER) were originally bred in Germany and were first called Weimar Pointers. They are happy dogs that really want to please, but they are extremely high energy and need acreage to run on. They are great family dogs, but not with very young children just because they move a lot and get excited and may hurt a young child accidentally. They are also fabulous pointers with very strong instinct, even young pups will point without encouragement. According to the American Kennel Club they must always be light grey with short fur and amber eyes. However, many breeders are now breeding blue, black, and brown weimaraners, as well as long coated weimaraners.    

The Chow Chow

 

Ah, the Chow Chow. Most dog people that are "in the know" have heard bad remarks about these fluffy "giant pomeranians". Originally bred in China, the Chow is known to be aggressive and independent. The Chow Chow is in the AKC Non-sporting Group, and is called a "Chow Chow" because he was originally bred for food; since the AKC has no Food Group, the Non-sporting Group is most fitting for this breed.

The Redbone Coonhound

 

Like all coonhounds, the Redbone Coonhound has a sweet face and big, floppy ears. They have beautiful red coats that are short and easy to care for. Redbones are trainable and want to please.

The German Shorthaired Pointer

 

A fairly common breed, the German Shorthaired Pointer is a great hunting companion or family pet. They are smart and loyal, but they are high energy and need plenty or exercise!

The Chinook

 

The Chinook is an American sled dog bred for "endurance, trainability, and a gentle nature" (akc.org) They are recognized in the AKC Working Group and are used for mushing, skijoring, and other sled dog events.   

The Silky Terrier

 

The Silky Terrier is a Toy breed from Australia that looks very much like a Yorkshire Terrier, though it's slightly larger. It is recognized by AKC. 

The Catahoula Leopard Dog

 

The Catahoula Leopard Dog (or the Catahoula Cur) is thought to be the first purebred dog to have originated in North America. It was first bred by Native Americans, and was named after a church in Louisiana. They are a working breed (they are not recognized by AKC), and they come in blue and red merle and occasionally solid colors.

The Azawakh

 

The Azawakh is a rare African sight hound that just got accepted into the AKC (American Kennel Club) Miscellaneous Class. They are described as affectionate and high-energy.