Archive for November, 2009
Dog of the Week. The Pug
November 29, 2009This is truly an Amazing Small Breed. Can we give you A little info about this Amazing breed !
Description
The Pug is a small, stocky, square, thickset dog. The round head is massive with a short, blunt, square shaped muzzle. Moles on the cheeks are considered beauty spots. The teeth meet in a slight undershot bite. The very large, prominent eyes are dark. The small, thin ears are either rose or button shaped. The face has large, deep wrinkles. The high set tail is curled over the back and a double curl is preferred in the show ring. Dewclaws are usually removed. The short coat is soft, fine and smooth. Coat colors come in apricot, fawn, black and silver
Temperament
The Pug is keen, with a happy-go-lucky attitude. Animated, peppy and spirited, they are loyal, loving and affectionate with their families. Playful, lively and rambunctious, they are sure to keep you laughing. Highly intelligent, it bores easily without variety in their training. They can be a bit willful if they sense they are stronger minded than the humans around them. Pugs are sensitive to the tone of your voice, so harsh punishment is unnecessary. They need an owner who is calm, yet firm, confident and consistent with the rules. The dog is neither excitable nor dull. They are good watchdogs, very devoted and are not yappers. Pugs get along well with other dogs and pets, and they behave impeccably with both children and visitors. Be sure to be your Pug’s pack leader. Pugs who do not have strong human leaders can become jealous, and begin to display guarding behaviors, such as guarding furniture, food, toys, or other spots in the house. This behavior only happens when dogs are allowed to take over. These behaviors can be corrected when the owners start displaying the proper leadership. Dogs who feel they need to run the home are not as happy as dogs who know they are human followers, as it is very stressful for a dog to need to keep “their” humans in line.
The Pug is one of the oldest breeds known today, believed to have originated before 400 BC. There is somewhat of a debate over the origin of the Pug. Most researchers agree that the Pug originated from Asia descended from a short-haired Pekingese. Another theory is, it is the result of crossing a small Bulldog, while other speculate that it is a miniature form of the French Mastiff ( Dogue de Bordeaux). The artist Hogarth had a Pug named “Trump” who he often depicted in his works. The breed became popular during Victorian times in the 16th century. Tibetan monasteries kept Pugs as pets. The breed made its way to Japan and Europe where it not only became a pet of royalty but the official dog of the House of Orange in Holland. Prince William II owned Pugs. One dog in particular was said to have saved his life in 1572 at Hermingny, when the dog barked at approaching Spaniards alerting him of their presents. In France Napoleon’s wife, Josephine had a Pug named “Fortune”. On their wedding night when Napoleon refused to allow the dog to sleep in their bed Josephine told him, “If the Pug does not sleep in our bed, neither do I!” When Josephine was sent to prison she used the little dog to send secret messages to her husband by placing a note under the collar of her Pug. In 1860 when the British took over the Chinese Imperial Palace, they discovered several Pugs and Pekinese, and the dogs were brought back to England with them. The AKC recognized the Pug in 1885. Some of the Pug’s talents include: watchdog and performing tricks.
A Walk Down Dog Memory Lane with Beethoven.
November 28, 2009
Families everywhere have fallen in love with the big-hearted, wet-nosed star of this outrageous comedy hit from producer Ivan Reitman. When an adorable yet disaster-prone puppy adopts the Newton family, their lives are turned upside down.
If you love funny animal films, you will laugh till you cry at the antics of Beethoven and his human companions. The scene where the children are trying to find a name for the dog is cute and if you like classical music you will appreciate the humor behind how the name is finally derived.
Put Charles Grodin together with a 200-pound Saint Bernard and you’re likely to come up with some good laughs. In this popular family comedy from 1992 Grodin plays a beleaguered dad who reluctantly lets his kids keep the lost puppy they’ve adopted. The dog quickly grows into the huge and clever hound named Beethoven. In a marked departure from his nice-guy roles in several Disney comedies from the 1960s and ’70s, Dean Jones plays the villainous veterinarian who abducts Beethoven to be a subject in his sadistic animal experiments. The kidnapping sets the stage for a raucous rescue and, of course, an inevitable sequel. Innocuous but harmlessly entertaining, Beethoven is one of those movies that some kids can’t get enough of.
As much of a Dog lover that I am, I think A Dog Statue in this breed would be much easier to handle.
Dachshunds Have a Proud Heritage
November 24, 2009
Known for their diminutive height, angular face and sensitive noses, dachshunds were originally bred to be effective hunters. Their small stature and ranginess made them the ideally suited for pursuing badgers, rabbits and other burrowing animals. These days, it’s much more common for dachshunds to be kept as household pets. Although they have been given affectionate nicknames like wiener dog, the breed is a proud one with a rich hunting heritage.
This past Halloween, my husband and I couldn’t help but have some fun creating a costume for our dachshund Charlie. We built a cardboard hot dog bun and attached the pieces to either side of his body, then topped it off with a stripe of yellow “mustard.” He was the star of the show at all the Halloween parties. Our obsession with Charlie and other dachshunds knows no bounds; we even bought a few dachshund figurines online.
Dog of the Week The Beagle
November 22, 2009Description
The Beagle is a sturdy, hardy little hound dog which looks like a miniature Foxhound. The body is squarely-built and the skull is fairly long and slightly domed. The square muzzle is straight and medium in length. The large eyes are brown or hazel and are set well apart. The wide, pendant ears are low set and long. The black nose is broad with full nostrils. The feet are round and firm. The tail is set moderately high and never curled over the back. The coat is of medium length, close, hard, sleek and easy to care for as of corse dog decor.. Any hound-type of coloring is acceptable including lemon, tri-color, black and tan, red and white, orange and white, or lemon and white. Beagles have a distinct howl / bay of a bark when they are on the hunt
Temperament
The Beagle is loving, sweet and gentle. Happy to see everyone, greeting them with a wagging tail. Sociable, brave and intelligent. Excellent with children and generally good with other dogs, but because of their hunting instincts, they should not be trusted with non-canine pets, unless they are socialized with cats and other household animals when they are young. Beagles have minds of their own. They are determined and watchful and require patient, firm training. It is important you are this dog’s pack leader and that you provide the proper amount of mental and physical exercise including daily pack walks, to avoid separation anxiety. With enough exercise they will be calm. You can also purchase animal scents and play tracking games with your beagle to help satisfy their instinct to track. The Beagle does not have a normal sounding bark, but rather a loud bay cry, that almost sounds like a short howl. Beagles are curious and have a tendency to follow their own noses. If they pick up a scent they may wander off and not even hear you calling them back, or not care to listen, as they will be too busy trying to find the critter at the other end. Take care when letting them off leash that you are in a safe area. Beagles who are allowed to be pack leaders over their humans can develop a varying degree of behavior issues, including, but not limited to, guarding, obsessive barking, snapping, biting, and destructive behaviors when left alone. These are not Beagle traits, but rather behaviors brought on by lack of leadership and or exercise, from their humans. The behaviors can be corrected when the dogs instincts are met.
Origin
The first Beagles date back to the 1500s. English hunters would take packs of these dogs out on the hunt tracking rabbits, hare, pheasant, quail and other small animals. The breed probably originated as a cross between the Harrier and other types of English hounds. The dogs have since become one of the most popular breeds in the USA. The breed can hunt alone, in pairs or in packs. The name “Beagle” may have come from the French term “be’geule,” which means “gape throat,” referring to the dogs baying voice. The name may also have come from the dog’s size, stemming from the French word “beigh”, the Old English word “begele”, or perhaps the Celtic word “beag”, which all mean “small”. He has also served as an excellent narcotics detection dog and makes a fine family companion. They were first recognized by the AKC in 1885.









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