Friendly, playful and eager to please, the Beagle can be wilful. Possessed of great stamina, determination and a definite mind of his own, this picturesque and personality-plus little hound has a tendency to roam. He requires a well fenced yard and firm, patient handling.

The Beagle is lively, active and extremely intelligent, making a devoted friend and companion. Hardy and resilient, he can be happily kept as either a house or a kennel dog. His short, dense, weatherproof coat which comes in attractive colourings, requires very little grooming. He tends to keep himself extremely clean.

Good-natured and steady in temperament, the Beagle has an engaging demeanour which endears him to children and adults alike. A handy size for almost all households, with a handsome appearance and musical voice, the Beagle has something to offer just about everyone.

Ideal height 33-40cm
Weight 12-14kg

Originally of French lineage, the Basset is a scent-hound used for hunting on foot and tracking. His slow-moving ponderous ways and appealing clownish appearance belie his great intelligence.

Known to his fans as the armchair athlete because of his habit of lounging around the house, it is important that a pet Basset Hound be given sufficient exercise otherwise he can tend to put on weight.

The Basset is a hardy, extremely tolerant and devoted dog with a gentle disposition which makes him an excellent children’s pet.

Given the opportunity, the Basset Hound is a potential wanderer. One sniff at an interesting scent and away he goes, nose to the ground and tail aloft, apparently oblivious to anything or anybody. For this reason, it is essential that he lives in a home with a well-fenced yard. Because he does have a stubborn streak, the Basset requires firm but sympathetic handling. The Basset is a “big dog on short legs” and he is extremely strong and heavy for his height and should not be considered by owners who want a small dog.

With his guileless disposition, soulful eyes and comical ways, “Fred Basset”, as he is often affectionately nicknamed, is one of the real characters of the dog world. Bring him up with kindness, patience and affection and your world will be a brighter place because of him!

Ideal height 33 to 38 cm
Weight 23 to 28 kg

An intelligent and alert and attentive dog, the Belgian Shepherd originally was bred for his herding ability and was fairly common throughout most of Europe. Originally a mixture of types, colours and coat lengths, the breed gradually developed into four main types which are named after the districts to which they were native.

The Groenendael is perhaps the most commonly known of the four varieties. His colour is always black, with a small patch or strip of white allowed on the chest and the tips of the toes. His coat is of medium harshness, long, straight and abundant on the body, with shorter hair on the head, outside of ears and lower part of the legs. The hair is especially long and abundant on the neck forming a ruff, particularly in the males.

The Tervueren is identical in conformation and coat to the Groenendael, the difference being in colour. All shades of red, fawn, grey with a black overlay are allowed. A black mask on the face extending to the eyes and black ears make the Tervueren a striking dog.

The Malinois is identical in conformation and colouring to the Tervueren but has a short, thick coat.

The Laekenois is identical in conformation to the other three breeds but is a reddish fawn colour with a black overlay and a harsh, wiry coat.

During World War I, thousands of Belgian Shepherds were trained as messengers and many lost their lives. Today the Belgian Shepherd Dogs are used for police work in Europe.

A highly trainable dog, the Belgian Shepherd excels at obedience work and makes a loyal family companion. Socialization must begin at an early age and his protective instincts make it necessary to supervise him with visitors or visiting children.

Ideal height:

Dogs 62cm
Females 58cm
Weight 30- 36kg

Naturally suspicious of strangers, and retaining the protective instincts which made him such an invaluable guardian of the stockman and his herd, the Australian Cattle Dog is still very much a working dog, even when living in the suburbs. He likes to feel useful and is never happier than when he has a job to do, and requires physically and mentally challenging activities. Long walks, plenty of company, and an active lifestyle are necessary to keep this dog at his happiest. In a home where these needs are not met, the breed is likely to become destructive, noisy and dominant.

The Australian Cattle Dog’s natural herding, strong protective and territorial instincts require that this breed is supervised with children.

The Australian Cattle Dog comes in colorings of blue, or red speckle.

Ideal height:
Dogs 46 to 51cm
Females 43-38cm
Weight 23 to 27kg

]]> http://www.dogsranch.com/australian-cattle-dog.html/feed http://www.dogsranch.com/alaskan-malamute.html http://www.dogsranch.com/alaskan-malamute.html#comments Mon, 29 Sep 2008 20:28:01 +0000 Dogs http://www.dogsranch.com/?p=52

The draft horse of the Arctic, the Alaskan Malamute was developed by the Inuit Indians of Alaska to haul heavy loads at steady speeds over long distances.

Built for strength and endurance and the ability to survive harsh Arctic temperatures, the Malamute may appear “wolfish” but competent historic research indicates the Inuit breeders kept their dogs free from any wolf genes.

His attitude of interest, curiosity and activity coupled with his impressive size, strength, thick double coat and symmetrical markings make the Malamute most attractive. However, Malamutes were bred to pull sleds and if not given sufficient exercise to satisfy its abundant needs, or if given insufficient attention and companionship, they will become bored and destructive.

A devoted family dog and friendly with all humans, the Malamute is generally a poor guard dog. Independence and stubbornness are two of the traits of the Malamute and these, coupled with his immense strength, necessitate the Malamute receiving obedience training and discipline from the early age of 3 months.

Lack of confident, firm human domination can ruin an otherwise wonderful Malamute making it domineering over humans and unmanageably aggressive toward other dogs.

Ideal Height: Dogs 63.5cm
Females 58.5cm
Weight Dogs 38.5kg
Bitches 34kg

The National Dog of Japan, the Akita Inu is an immensely powerful and imposing animal with a massive chest and head, suggestive of a bear. Majestic in appearance, the Akita inspires immediate respect.

Dignified, aloof and with a fearless temperament the Akita is a no nonsense protector of family and home and must be supervised with visitors and visiting children

The most outstanding physical characteristics of the Akita are the uniquely positioned ears, rather small, erect and triangular, set to the side of the head and slanting forward, and the tail carried curled over the back.

The coat is coarse, harsh and dense and the Akita moults two or three times a year during which time owners may find it difficult to have him inside the house.

The colours of the Akita coat are brilliant and clear and markings are clearly defined.

The Akita must receive socialisation and training from a very early age if he is to make a satisfactory family pet. Training requires patience and understanding as the Akita Inu will not be forced to obey.

The Akita Inu is not the dog for everyone. Akitas tend to be aggressive with other dogs.

Height Dogs 66 -71 cm.
Dog females 61-66cm
Weight 40- 48kg

Keen of expression and with a swash-buckling attitude, the Airedale Terrier is the largest of the many terrier breeds and is often referred to as the “King of Terriers.”

He is also probably the most versatile of all terriers, having been bred to hunt fur and feather, retrieve over land and water, as well as being used as a pit fighter, ratter, herder, police dog, guide dog for the blind, plus messenger dog and sentry during the First World War.

It goes without saying that a dog with such multi skilled heritage excels at obedience, and is versatile in the extreme. The Airedale Terrier is noted for his courage, sportsman-like qualities and infinite patience, particularly with children. The correct temperament in puppyhood is one of discretion and, when mature, a certain dignified aloofness with strangers. With his own family, the Airedale is renowned for his deep-seated loyalty, engaging personality and sweetness of disposition. However it is not recommended that he be kept in the home with another dog of the same sex.

The Airedale enjoys exercise, requires combing on a regular basis, and will need his coat professionally trimmed every 4 to 5 months.

Ideal Height:
Dogs 58 to 61cm
Bitches 56 to 59cm
Weight: 20 - 26kg

Possessed of the ultimate in beauty and grace, the Afghan Hound is truly a king among dogs. A true aristocrat, the stylish Afghan is an elegant, strong, dignified dog combining great speed and power.

Originally bred for hunting, the Afghan Hound requires considerable exercise in order to maintain good physical condition, as well as a large yard in which to play.

His second important need is regular grooming and a glance at his long thick, silky coat will tell you that this is indeed a time-consuming job.

His aloof demeanour and independent spirit, which is so typical of this spectacular breed can mean that he may be a little more difficult to train than some other dogs. However, kindness and patient handling will quickly make the Afghan a loyal and loving companion. Provided that you can give him the conditions and care that he needs, there are few more rewarding dogs to own than the exotic and highly individualistic Afghan Hound.

Ideal height:
Dogs 68 to 74cm.
Dog females 5 to 8 cm smaller.
Weight 23 - 30kg

The Bullmastiff impressies by it`s stature and strength.It has a big and wide head and a massive body.Compact and strong,this dog is described like being noble and smart.

The fur is short and shiny,dense and most times brown,sometimes with stripes.An  Bullmastiff adult is around 63-69 cm high the male and 61-66 cm high the female,and a body weight of 50-60kg the male and 45-54 kg the female.

Even if it is a robust and strong dog, the  Bullmastiff is loyal to it`s family and even friendly.The  Bullmastiff`s are known by their intelligence,obedience,courage and loyalty.

Naturally the  Bullmastiff takes the role of the protective dog of the family,being devoted and tender even with kids.They feel great around houses with big yards,but can adapt to a life in an apartment if the master is able to take it for a walk pretty often.The medium life length of this dog is between 8 and 10 years.

The Anatolian  Shepard is a large dog,having a big head and big torso,being similar to a Pirine Shepard or a Kuvasz but more agile.It has a large rectangular muzzle,shorter than the head and usually black.The skull is wide and slightly round.The ears are triangular and small,usually black.

The dog has small eyes,well fit on the face that can have colors from gold to brown.The neck is thick and muscled.The torso reaches the elbows and the front members are straight and equal.When the dog is alerted it`s tail coils.It`s fur is dense and short,usually around 2-2.5cm.The fur can be brown,red,gray etc.

The Anatolian Shepard can reach 71-76cm in height(the male) and 66-71cm(the female) and can be arounnd 45-68km(male) and 41-59kg(female)