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posted by admin on Jul 20

The Italian Greyhound is a charming little dog of grace and beauty. They are usually jolly little guys. This is a breed that was kept in England as far back as the 17th century. They enjoyed the royal favor of many while in Prussia. The famous Frederick the Great simply adored his Greyhound pets and even left instructions in his will that his body should be buried among his pets in the Greyhound cemetery in the Park of Sans Souci.

The Italian Greyhound comes in colors of all shades of fawn, mouse, white and red. Of interesting note is that the old-time dogs were found in a variety of shades because at Hampton Court, in a painting of the Queen of James I., there are several greyhounds in the colors of fawn, blue, blue and white. So that even as far back as those days the Italian Greyhounds were of a variety of colors.

As with most of the toy breeds we find that they started out much larger in size, the original Italian Greyhound weighed somewhere around 14 pounds.

In appearance the Italian Greyhound of today should resemble the original version just in miniature size. Sometimes it is difficult to produce smaller versions without impairing their health. However, when discussing the point of elegance of the Italian Greyhound, there is virtually none who matches this beautiful creature, who’s every movement, indicates “grace personified,” and his peculiar prancing action is a distinct characteristic belonging only to the Italian Greyhound.

The Italian Greyhound should have the tulip or prick ears; these are considered “bad” faults, which should be very carefully avoided. He should not be compactly built as shown in his terrier crosses, which were sometimes used to reduce his size. The terrier crosses have also been known to create the bulging eye and the apple head, both of which are very undesirable.

There is further evidence of the terrier crosses to reduce size found in some puppies when first born. They will usually be a black and tan, while in purebred animals they are whole-colored or fawn-and-white.

The Italian Greyhound is gentle and affectionate and not quite a delicate as his fragile form suggests. In cold weather, you need to keep your Italian Greyhound in the house. He should sleep in an area free of drafts and when taken outside in cold weather dress your Italian Greyhound with a warm sweater or coat.

To keep your Italian Greyhound in good physical shape he requires a good deal of exercise. Take care not to over feed your Italian Greyhound. The Italian Greyhound must never be allowed to become “fat,” in order to retain their beautiful lines and graceful form.

Don’t expect your Italian Greyhound to serve as a domestic alarm or protector, although he is capable of being a very sharp watch-dog and hear the slightest of sound. He is more dedicated to the comforts of the tea table, the fireside carpet, and the luxurious indulgences of the sofa and a warm lap of his mistress or master.

The general appearance of an Italian Greyhound is that of ideal elegance and grace of shape, symmetry and action. He has a flat skull, long and narrow, muzzle very fine, nose dark in color, ears rose-shaped placed well back, soft and delicate and should touch or nearly so behind the head. His eyes are fairly large, bright and full of expression. His neck is long and gracefully arched. His thighs are muscular, feet are long with arched toes and well slit up. The Italian Greyhound has a tail that is rather long, fine with low carriage. His hair is thin and glossy like satin. One of the most prized colors of the Italian Greyhound is the golden fawn color, but he comes in all shades of fawn, red, mouse, blue, cream and white, blacks, and brindles. His weight today is around 8 pounds average and he prances about with a high and free step.

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Connie Limon Visit us at http://www.abouttoydogs.com and sign up for our FREE newsletters. About Toy Dogs is a toy dog breeder and article directory. Purchase ad space for your toy dog business at $25 per year.

posted by admin on Jul 14

The most common oral condition suffered by dogs is periodontal disease. This disease affects the tissues that surround and support the teeth. Plaque is the usual cause of periodontal disease. It gradually covers the teeth, quickly hardening into tartar.

The bacteria in plaque irritate the gums, causing them to swell. This swelling is called gingivitis. Each day the gums grow more inflamed, producing other damaging bacteria, causing the gums to recede. Over time the tooth becomes loose, followed by tooth loss.

Aside from being very painful, and the possible loss of teeth, periodontal disease can become a reservoir of infection and bacteria to the blood, and from the bloodstream, to the vital organs, such as heart, kidneys, lungs, and liver. Common symptoms of periodontal disease are consistently bad breath, yellow to brown masks on the teeth, reddened gums and exposed tooth roots, reluctance to eat, drooling, difficulty in chewing, and mouth pain, usually shown by pawing at the mouth, or rubbing his face against the ground.

All dogs are at risk, especially in dogs with small mouths, short muzzles and flat faces, as well as senior dogs. Tooth brushing on a regular basis can minimize plaque buildup, and regular visits to the vet can identify any hidden damage to the teeth and gums before it gets out of hand.

Treatment can range from tooth brushing, descaling, usually carried out by the vet with the patient under a general anesthetic, to advanced dental-surgery techniques. Early detection is the best treatment of all. Controlling your dog’s diet can have a big impact on his teeth. Dogs who are fed mostly soft foods suffer more periodontal disease than those who must chew.

Help your dog maintain his good health by frequent visits to the vet, regular tooth brushing, maintaining a healthy diet, and occasionally giving him a chew toy or bone. The benefits will last a lifetime.

Randy Jones and his partner Brent Jones have been in the pet industry for a long time. Recently they formed http://Joncopets.com. On the site, customers can shop for the latest dog collars, dog clothes, pet supplies and more. Visit the site at http://www.joncopets.com

posted by admin on Jul 9

For thousands of years now, dogs have been selectively bred to produce varieties with characteristics superior to their predecessors. At first, the breeding focused on the dog’s use, for example its hunting ability. This resulted in a vast diversity of dog breeds. But it did not stop there, later dogs were bred for more distinct and attractive forms.

A variety of dogs can be called a breed (distinct kind of family) on the condition that its parents have offspring of the same characteristics (e.g. behavior and characteristics). This is called true breeding.

Generally speaking, the majority of traditional breeds are termed “purebreds”. Domestic dogs in general are called Canis familiaries.

The following are the different classifications of dog breeds:

* Bulldogs
* Extinct dog breeds
* Cur
* Fighting dogs
* Gun dogs, including Pointers, Retrievers, and Spaniels
* Herding, including Sheepdogs
* Hounds, including Sight hounds and Scent hounds
* Sled dog
* Hunting
* Toy
* Terrier
* Working (or Utility)

However, these can be further classified into smaller but similar dog breeds, such as the Lurchers, Mastiff types, Pitbulls and Spitz types.

The herding breed is most commonly known as the sheepdogs. They have the ability to control the behavior (specifically the movements) of other animals. These are usually an intelligent type of dogs and are devoted to their owners, whom they consider partners, for they normally use their own judgement as well as their owner’s commands. Most forms of this breed have the tendency to drive and to gather the herd.

The examples of the herding type are Puli, Briard, German Shepherd, Collie, and Old English Sheep dog.

The oldest dog breeds is the hounds. They are differentiated into two categories:

* Sight hounds — which hunt by sight and include the greyhound build.
* Scent hounds — which hunt by scent and include the foxhound build.
* Some breeds have the combination of both and some don’t look like hound dogs at all.

The examples of which are the Basenji, Basset hound, English Foxhound, Saluki and the Beagle.

On the other hand, are the non-sporting dogs, also known as the companion dog breeds. This is the most diverse of all dog breeds and is sometimes considered the catchall for dog types that cannot be categorized elsewhere. The following are the examples of this dog breed: Bulldog, Boston terrier, Dalmatian, Chinese Shar-pei, French Bulldog, Standard and Miniature Poodle, and Tibetan Terrier.

The sporting breed are the modern hunters. In general, they work with hunters to complement the hunter’s abilities. Setting and pointing breeds work by locating game for the hunter. Spaniels are known for flushing out the game so the hunter may shoot the prey. The retrievers bring the game back to the hunter. Examples of this type are the Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever, Chesapeake Bay Retrievers, English Setter, Field Spaniel, Pointer and the Sussex Spaniel.

The terrier group includes the dogs that hunt for rodents and other vermin found near the ground. The term terrier actually originated with the word “terra,” which means earth. Some were later bred to fight against one another. Vermin-catching terriers are further classified into two types: the long-legged and the short-legged.

Examples of this dog breed are the Irish Terrier, Bull Terrier, Lakeland Terrier, and the Miniature Bull Terrier.

The toy dogs are usually comprised of the miniature version of the other groups of dogs. However, quite a number of these types are ancient in origin, which makes it difficult to trace them with other dog varieties. This group includes: Chihuahua, Papillion, Japanese Chin, Poodle, Pug, and the Toy Fox Terrier.

The working dogs on the other hand are known for their intelligence and hardiness. They are sub-divided into:

* Sledding breeds
* Protecting or guarding breeds
* Rescue breeds
* Carting breeds

Examples of this dog breed are the Boxer, Alaskan Malamute, Bull mastiff, Great Dane, Doberman, Newfoundland, and Rottweiler.

Patricia Johnson writes for several online magazines, including http://lajop.com and http://lotuv.com.

posted by admin on Jul 3

The Hound Group includes dog breeds with a wonderful sense of smell and/or great athleticism. These breeds were developed to follow game either by sight or by smell. Sighthounds include the fast and streamlined Afghans, Greyhounds and Salukis. Sighthounds need lots of exercise but some breeds like the Borzoi, the Greyhound, the Irish Wolfhound and the Saluki can adapt to being left alone during the day if they get lots of exercise before and after work. Scent hounds include the slower Bloodhounds, Bassets and Beagles. The dogs in this group have a great size variation and range from the tiny Miniature Dachshund to the extremely tall Irish Wolfhound. The top ten most popular hound dogs in the US are the following. The number in brackets is the rank of the breed out of 154 breeds registered by the American Kennel Club in 2005.

1. Beagle

The very popular (#5) Beagle is one of the oldest hound dog breeds. The small-sized Beagle is calm, loyal and excellent with children and other dogs. The breed is cheerful and happy and they make good family pets except for the nose. Once a Beagle picks up a scent it will follow it to the exclusion of everything else. Beagles are fairly difficult to obedience train because of their independent or stubborn streak.

2. Dachshund

Dachshunds are small dog breeds with a long body, short crooked legs and large floppy ears. The very popular (#6) Dachshund comes in two sizes – Miniature and Standard and three varieties of coat – Shorthaired, Longhaired and Wirehaired. Dachshunds or Doxies are playful, fun-loving and inquisitive. Doxies are fine with older children but do not like the rough handling they may receive from a toddler. Dachshunds can be independent and stubborn and are difficult to housebreak and train.

3. Basset Hound

The medium- to large-sized Basset Hound is a short legged, loose skinned and powerfully built dog with a great sense of smell. Bassets are one of the easiest-going and best-natured of all dog breeds. The popular (#27) Basset is very gentle, friendly and trustworthy. These hounds adore their masters and children and get along well with other animals and strangers. Bassets can be stubborn, especially when they are investigating an intriguing smell.

4. Bloodhound

The very large and powerful Bloodhound is known for its keen sense of smell which is the most acute of all dog breeds. The Bloodhound is a kind, gentle and loveable dog. The breed is fairly popular (#50) and is gentle and affectionate with his family and children. The Bloody should be supervised around small children and pets as he can be possessive of his food and toys. Bloodhounds are prodigious droolers.

5. Rhodesian Ridgeback

The Rhodesian Ridgeback is a lean, well muscled and magnificent, large dog breed. The Ridgeback gets its name from a characteristic ridge running down it’s back, where the stiff hair grows in the opposite direction from the rest of the coat. The Ridgeback is fairly popular (#54) and is dignified, trustworthy, loyal, intelligent and makes a great family pet. It is extremely protective of its immediate family and wary of strangers and other animals. Ridgebacks are good with children if raised with them but young Ridgebacks can be too rambunctious for small children and toddlers

6. Whippet

The Whippet (#61) is a medium-sized sight hound that looks very much like a small Greyhound. The Whippet gets along well with children and makes a good family dog. This breed is good natured, gentle and very playful. As well this dog can be easily trained, sheds very little and is a great size for an apartment. Although it is important to know that Whippets do like and even expect to sit on furniture – so that should not be a concern if you are considering this breed.

7. Basenji

The Basenji (#81) is an unusual small, elegant and athletic dog that trots like a horse and keeps itself clean by fastidious licking like a cat. Basenjis don’t bark but make other unusual sounds like a yodel, howl or chortle – depending on its mood. The Basenji is high spirited, affectionate, demanding and almost cat-like in its cleanliness, lack of bark, grace of movement and inexhaustible curiosity. This breed needs an experienced owner and lots of walks and playtime to prevent it from getting into trouble.

8. Irish Wolfhound

The Irish Wolfhound (#87) is the largest sighthound and one of the biggest and strongest of all giant dog breeds. This breed makes a wonderful family dog as it is reliable, patient, sweet-tempered, intelligent and good with older children. The Wolfhound adores its family and is not aggressive towards strangers or family pets. Toddlers must be supervised carefully around young Wolfhounds as they are in danger of being accidentally knocked over. Fully-grown Wolfhounds can be left alone during the day as long as they get some moderate exercise before and after work.

9. Borzoi

The Borzoi (#94) or Russian Wolfhound is a tall, lean and aristocratic looking large- to very large-sized dog that belongs to the group of sight hound dog breeds. Borzois are kind, gentle and well-behaved indoors. This breed likes lots of attention and loves to recline on a soft bed, a lap or even a couch. Borzois enjoy the company of other sighthounds but the breed is not good with small pets and young children unless raised with them. Borzois don’t need an excessive amount of exercise and should not be let off leash because they still retain a high prey drive.

10. Afghan Hound

The large Afghan Hound (#95) has a dignified and somewhat aloof disposition but is also very loyal and affectionate dog. Afghan puppies and adolescents require a lot of knowledge and patience to train and need firm and gentle handling. This breed can be difficult to housebreak and train – so professional training may be advisable. The Afghan needs a lot of exercise but still retains a high prey drive and will run off if you let it off leash. The Afghan is suspicious of strangers but can adapt to older children if raised with the family. However the Afghan should be watched around small children as this dog can have a bad temper in adolescence.

Mark Ransome is a contributing editor and writer for the popular new website http://www.dog-breed-facts.com. Visitors will have access to information about dog breeds, products like dog supplies and answers to dog health issues.