Picture of a Foxy Barker Finnish Spitz

The Foxy Barker: Finnish Spitz

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Country of Origin

These beautiful dogs, also known as the Finnish Barking Bird Dog, originated from Finland and were bred for hunting, usually barking and pointing when they?ve located game. They also bark as a form of distraction. The Finnish Spitz is now known as the national dog of Finland, and can only enter the show ring once they?ve completed a series of hunting trials. They are quite rare in the United States, but there is an American Breed standard for them that was formed in 1976.

Size

Usually 15 to 20 inches in height and 14 to 16 kilograms in weight, these medium sized dogs are very fox-like in appearance with a pointed muzzle, high ears, and thick, curled tails. The nose and eyes are always black.

Coat

These spitzes have dense double coats, with the males having longer strands as compared to the females. They usually come in fawn, gold, reddish brown, or honey, and is never solid (certain parts are usually darker than others). Sometimes they have white markings on their feet and on their chests.

Character

Finnish Spitz2                  These energetic dogs can be great family pets as they love children and are very tolerant of them. They enjoy playing with kids, but as with all dogs, must be supervised in case things get too rough. They can be quite dominant and need to know their place in the pack, otherwise they can develop overprotectiveness that can be a gateway to aggression towards people they find suspicious. They are very loyal and prefer being in close quarters with their family. Leaving them outside, caged or tied up will certainly cause chaos because they are prone to separation anxiety and they are heavy barkers. They were bred to bark, and it is instinctual to them to bark at anything they perceive as out of the ordinary.

Temperament

This breed needs plenty of exercise and training in order to be manageable. Failure to give this dog what he needs will cause boredom that will lead to destructive behavior. They need proper socialization with people, other dogs, and must be used to being touched (associating this with positive things like food will help) so that trips to the vet will not be a problem. They can be independent and a bit stubborn, but training, although challenging, is not impossible. Being pretty dominant, they don?t really do well with other dogs of the same gender, or dogs that are overly dominant. Do not expect this breed to be nice and quiet, as they are very alert dogs that bark a lot to warn their owners of anything suspicious, making them excellent guard dogs.

Care

This Spitz sheds quite a lot and needs regular brushing. They would do okay indoors, as they love being with their owners and they prefer cool environments, but this would only work if they are given enough exercise. If they are needed to be kept outside, then they need high fences as they are very quick and agile and can most probably jump over a low fence.

Training

These dogs need consistent training so that the owners can remind them that they are not in the alpha position and cannot be dominant. Positive reinforcement will do well with them, and also plenty of patience and good timing, because they can be pretty manipulative.

Activity

Daily walks and runs will do them good, and if you succeed in training these clever dogs, then they can also be great for dog agility as they are very quick on their feet.

Fila Brasileiro: The Ultimate Guard Dog

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Country of Origin

The Fila Brasileiro is a Molosser that originated from Brazil. It is related to the Bloodhound, English Mastiff, Bulldog and Rafeiro do Alentejo, which gives it its large and loose-skinned appearance. They were once used to guard properties and estates, especially farms, where they would track and hold down intruders and wild animals by the neck until their owners arrive. These abilities, in addition to an excellent sense of smell inherited from the Bloodhound, also make them effective trackers and hunters, and their instinctual protectiveness make them a great choice for protecting and controlling livestock.

Size

These massive dogs are usually 25 to 29 inches in height, and 40 to 50 kilograms in weight. They are big, muscular dogs with large heads, large ears, droopy upper lips, broad chests, thick and wrinkled necks, and powerful bones.

Coat

This breed has a very short coat with a variety of colors such as black, fawn, black and tan, or brindle, and they sometimes come with black masks.

Character

Fila Brasileiro2                  The Fila Brasileiro is a strong, courageous dog that is very suspicious of strangers, making it an excellent guard dog. Although they could be aggressive towards people they do not know, they are very family oriented dogs who would do anything to keep their human pack safe. They do not need to be taught to protect, as this comes naturally to them. These dogs are very dominant and must therefore have owners who know how to take the alpha position. This can be achieved through proper training that is firm and consistent.

Temperament

This breed is highly loyal and obedient to an owner that has strong skills as a handler. They are not recommended for first time dog owners and inexperienced handlers as they are very demanding in terms of socialization, exercise and training. Failure to live up to the breed?s needs will cause problems such as frustration, destructive behavior, and aggression. Although they are great family pets that are very tolerant of children, these dogs are very anti-social towards other people, and are not recommended for homes with multiple pets as they have high prey drive and might see small animals as prey. In order to have a calm and reasonably friendly Fila, the owners must be dedicated to socializing this dog starting from a very early age and all throughout its life.

Care

The Fila is very easy to groom because of its smooth, short coat. Since they are working dogs that need lots of exercise and mental stimulation, they would not do well in small quarters like apartments. They need plenty of space to run, and need daily walks and training. Being big strong dogs that are wary of strangers, they need a home with huge, sturdy fences that they cannot jump over or destroy.

Training

This breed must be trained early during puppyhood, especially when they are still manageable in size. Allowing a Fila puppy to run your household and dominate over you will cause problems in the future, especially when he reaches maturity and is too big for you to control. Consistent and firm reward-based training would be good for this dog, and other activities like tracking or searching would be beneficial psychologically, and would help beat boredom.

Activity

These dogs are perfect protection dogs and can track, guard and hunt.

Welsh Terrier

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welsh_terrierCountry of origin:

The Welsh terriers were originally from the Wales. And that?s actually where the breed got its name. Just like other dogs, the Welsh terriers have also been used for hunting hundreds of years ago before they became a man?s best friend. On the year 1984, the Welsh terrier breed got its first break on a dog show. Initially, the breed was named according to his physical appearance and color such as the ?Old Reddish Wire haired terrier?.

 

 Size:

Dogs coming from the Welsh terrier breed are usually medium in terms of size with their weights ranging from 20 to 22 pounds for both male and female dogs. However, male Welsh terriers tend to be ?taller? than females as their heights can reach 15 to 15.5 inches. Female terriers on the other hand just reach the height of less than 15 inches.

 

 Coat:

These dogs have super cute thick, wirelike and fluffy coat. I can definitely say, ?It?s so fluffy I?m gonna die!? The coat of a Welshie is double-layered. The top layer is the coarse fur which is the protective layer of the coat; protecting the dog from getting wet on the skin. The undercoat is the one which is responsible for insulating the dog during very cold weather. The head, body and legs of the dog usually have colors which range from tan to reddish brown to black. The coat of the dog, on the other hand is colored black but sometimes it could also be grizzle.

 

Character:

Welsh terriers are usually cheerful, very alert and hyperactive. If your family is into an active lifestyle and you are planning to get a dog, the Welsh terrier will be a great pick for you! These dogs can withstand playing hard and even harsh sometimes and they are also totally patient with kids, so you can have another fun loving, spontaneous, and energetic member of your family! What?s more? Terriers are also intelligent and are fast learners; so your good old book of dog tricks will definitely be useful!

 

Temperament:

Just like other breeds, Welsh terriers are also very territorial. They like creating their own conventions especially when it comes to territories, since these dogs are just so hard headed and stubborn. So you need not worry if your Welshie is gonna go berserk barking at other dogs since that is completely normal. But still, Welsh terriers can learn how to be friendly to other dogs; if and only if they had been trained at a young age.

 

 Care:

You?re gonna need to brush your Welsh terrier?s coat at least thrice every week to make sure that their fur won?t mat and tangle. They also need plucking in their coat for at least twice in a year, or say, depending how messy their coats are. Shedding is not actually a problem for your Welshie since the breed shed very little. The life expectancy of a Welshie is 10 to 14 years; that is, of course if you can keep your beloved dog healthy and fit.

 Training:

With their activeness and curiosity, Welsh terriers will definitely go for different kinds of activities and tricks. You can introduce your terrier to dog sports for fun. Also, bear in mind that trying to discipline and train your Welsh terrier will only work if you, the trainer, are authoritative and calm. You just have to be cool; there is no need to be hard on your terrier, you know. Your pet is smart enough to understand what you?re trying to say; you don?t have to act all tough and harsh. That will just lead to failure of the training. Also, repeating the trainings will just bore your dog so try teaching it different tricks.

 Activity:

Since Welsh terriers have so much energy in them, it would be great to let your Weshie spend its energy on different activities such as walking, jogging, or playing with toys like a ball. Your Welshie will definitely follow that ball around! Welsh terriers also love digging on the yard, so just be cool if your dog does dig up your yard. You can also take your Welshie out for a swim since that is something that they like.

Welsh Springer Spaniel

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Welsh_Springer_Spaniel3Origin

The Welsh Springer Spaniel dog breed originated in Great Britain and is a cousin of Cocker Spaniel and English Springer Spaniel. These breeds are regarded as the founding members of all of the hunting spaniels of England. There was a time when the Cocker Spaniel and English Spaniel were both born in the same litter. Dog breeds such as Field and the Irish Water, Sussex, the Climber and the Welsh Springer, all started to develop from the Cocker and English Springer in Wales at around 1300 AD.

Once, all of these dog breeds were classified as ?Cocking Spaniels? or ?Cockers? and used to interbred. Shortly afterwards, English hunters proceeded in the division of all these dogs into one categories and thus, the Water Spaniels and Welsh Spaniels and the Land Spaniels were all tagged in as the Land Spaniels. As the 18th century was coming near to its end, the Welsh Springer spaniel was commonly known and given the name of ?Welsh Cocker? and finally separated from the English Springer.

Throughout its evolution, and specially after being classified in its own class, the Welsh Springer was usually bred to spring and find the game. Welsh Springer?s are quite a hardy breed since they can actively work in almost all weather conditions and plains, having strong stamina in the hunting game, and can end up working for hours and hours without taking any rest.

Size

Welsh Springer Spaniel is actually a medium-sized, compact, working canine fellow. Welsh Springer Spaniel?s somewhat rounded head perfectly fits with his body and a vaguely doomed cranium. The square muzzle just is suitably long as the skull and never more huge then that. The nose of Welsh Springer Spaniel is usually black or shaded in light brown with quite visible nostrils.

The teethes are quite sharp like razors and the oval shaped eyes, which are from medium to dark brown, gives the Welsh Springer a great facial features and look. The height for male Welsh Springer Spaniel is probably about 17 to 19 inches, that is roughly 43 to 48 cm and for a female dog is about 16 to 18 inches, 41 to 46 cm. A normal weight for male Welsh Springer Spaniels is about 40 to 45 pounds that is 18 to 20 Kg and females are 35 to 45 pounds, 16 to 20 kg.

Coat

The Welsh Springer Spaniel breed has a soft, flat and a naturally straighten-up coat that never goes wavy or wiry. Additionally, it is that much opaque enough to keep the mutt off from becoming wet, and from rough countryside season and extreme cold weathers. Welsh Springer has have some sensible amount of feathers at the back of their forelegs, above the hocks, hind legs, belly and their chest with slight feathers on tails and ears as well. The coat color ranges from white, dark and rich red.

Character

Welsh Springer Spaniels have a very lively, trainable, pleasant and quite eager personality. Indeed, Welsh Springer Spaniels are packed with immense enthusiasm and often times become determined or impetuous. However, these dogs are not so outgoing as compared to the English Springer Spaniels and like to stay independent. It is recommended for Welsh Springer Spaniels, to prevent shyness in between the mob of people, an early socialization that includes introducing them to different sights, sounds and peoples is indeed crucial to avert coyness.

Temperament

A Welsh Springer Spaniel is family buddy, loyal and one who likes to please others in his environment. Dogs from this breed are especially happy to be with children?s and enjoy any activity scope they can get into. Although, its much tinier then its ancestral English Springer in physique and power, but this breed requires a committed master who show good skills in training him otherwise, he will not act on known commands and can turned out to be quite domineering.

On the other hand, Welsh Springer Spaniels are quite sensitive towards a stronger tone that unusually sounds stronger than their possessors do. Welsh Springer owners should need to be quite coolly, but also with an eye of the tiger. Breeders and owners should train their Welsh Springer Spaniels for hunting in earlier stages of their life in order to mend their manners in a positive direction, obeying to the commands and avoiding to go just wandering.

Care

A Welsh Springer Spaniel can be considered to keep outside of the house, but with ample covering from the winters and summers seasons. However, since Welsh Springer Spaniels are so great a family-compatible canine, people usually prefer to keep them inside with the family. Welsh Springer Spaniels are mostly active indoors and can be of a little bit aid in indoor works (of course, if trained) and can live with comfy in apartments located in the midst of the metropolis (give that properly exercised) and even in the country.

A standard sized ranch or yard would be a great place for them to be humming and running around. No matter where you keep a Welsh Springer Spaniel, they are very lively and needs a lot of exercise and activities to keep them on their feet and alert always and to avoid them becoming bored lazy or fat.

Training

Welsh Springer Spaniel is one of those dog breeds that are far easier to train as compared to other dog breeds. They are highly clever and blooms on satisfying and entertaining folks around them. In order to effectively train a Welsh Springer Spaniel, keep the training periods shorter but much interesting for the canine. The only obvious problem with training Welsh Springer Spaniels is that they have a very short span of concentration when it comes to training sessions. To deal with this, be ready to have lots of lip-smacking treats for the dog ready so that he or she can keep focusing on training. Another thing, only patient and easy trainers can go a long way with Welsh Springer Spaniels instead of the ones who are loud and possessive.

Activity

For some owners of Welsh Springer Spaniel, keeping up with their adventurous and high level of activity zeal will both be a fun and challenge. Welsh Springer just love to run free around an open area and likes to play games that release their energy out of the body and relieve their pressure. Introducing your Welsh Springer Spaniel to exercise in the earliest periods of his life will ensure a greater health and development for mind and body overall, but it is essential to keep running activities to a moderate level since too much free running can cause structural glitches.

Wirehaired Pointing Griffon

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Wirehaired Pointing Griffon

Country of Origin:

The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon is a hunting dog that originated from the Netherlands and France, bred and perfected by a Dutch man named Eduard Karel Korthals in the 1870?s, who wanted to develop an active, flexible and loyal gundog. This determined breed enters undergrowth and all kinds of terrain with full eagerness during a hunt, led by its good nose and well protected by its harsh and wiry coat. The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon hunts small game like rabbits and birds by pointing, flushing and retrieving them. Their versatility has made them successful in all types of work, as well as in dog sports like agility. This breed was officially recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1887.

Size:

The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon usually stands at around 20-24 inches with the average weight of twenty-three to twenty-seven kilograms. These dogs fall under the medium-sized category, but are not recommended for apartment living because of their high energy and hunting instincts.

Coat:

This breed?s medium length coat is perfect for hunting, as it is rough and double-layered. Their thick undercoat not only protects them from the underbrush, it also insulates them from cold weather and when they are in the water. They are usually steel gray in color, with brown markings, and have eyebrows and a moustache. Although Wirehaired Pointing Griffons shed very little, their fur must be brushed at least once or twice a week.

Character:

The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon is an excellent at hunting, but can also be a great family dog. They are alert dogs who bark at strangers, but once properly introduced can get along with pretty much anyone. These intelligent dogs have a great sense of humor and are willing to please their owners, making them quite easy to train. These dogs are very puppy-like and retain this characteristic well into their adult years. The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon loves being around humans and should not be isolated in a kennel or indoors for long periods of time without proper exercise, as this can lead to excessive barking and destructive behavior.

Temperament:

This wonderful breed is generally very friendly when well socialized. If exposed to different places, people, and other dogs, The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon will become a balanced dog with no insecurities. Failure to do so may produce nervousness in the dog when put in an uncomfortable situation or when meeting strangers. Although good with kids, these dogs prefer to interact with children who know how to properly pet or handle dogs.

Care:

Wirehaired Pointing Griffons are quite healthy but in some cases can develop conditions like eye problems or hip dysplasia. A way to avoid this is to pick a reputable breeder and choose a healthy-looking, active puppy. Their coats need to be brushed once or twice a week, and they mustn?t be bathed excessively, as this can cause them to lose the roughness in their coats. Their ears must be regularly cleaned as they can easily collect dirt. Remember not to overfeed, as this can hinder them from performing their tasks and could also cause medical problems.

Training:

As with any dogs, this breed responds well to positive reinforcement, which is a reward-based method. The handler must be firm with his commands and must know what he is doing. With all these in mind, it will be very easy to train the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon as these dogs are very enthusiastic and are eager to please.

Activity:

These high energy dogs, aside from hunting partners, are great exercise companions. Daily runs and play would be beneficial to them, as well as regular training in order to contribute to their mental stimulation. They can perform in dog sports such as agility and fly ball, and most excel in Obedience.