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Recent Pet News, Tips & Info...

Choose the Airedale Terrier as a Pet and Say Good-Bye to Boredom
“The King of the Terriers”, the Airedale terrier comes from Airedale, Yorkshire, England, and it is the largest of the terrier breeds. It comes from crossing the old and vanished breeds of the Black-and-Tan terrier with the Otterhound. It is also said that they have the Manchester terrier in their blood. They were initially bred to hunt otters (reason for which they are also called the Waterside Terrier) and hares in the valley of the Aire river - that also gave its name to the breed - and to herd sheep, being both shepherd and hunting dogs.

The Africanis Dog From the South African Plains to Your Home
Dog breeders do not officially recognize Africanis as a breed. Also known as the Bantu Dog or the Zulu Dog, the breed developed in South Africa and it is basically comprised of similar breeds that are originally from the area. However, dog historians have acquired enough evidence to conclude that, originally, the breed lived in the East and Middle East and migrated to Africa in ancient times. The Zulu Dog is a perfect companion for people, whether we are talking about more traditional activities like hunting or herding, or simply about the pleasure of having a dog companion.

The Afghan Hound Elegance and Distinction
If the old saying that claims that dogs and masters resemble each other is true, then the Afghan hound is surely the dog most likely to be seen in the presence of an aristocrat. Its silky, thick coat will match any of its masters' designer dresses or elegant suits. Distinguished in looks and personality, this is one of the breeds that you can't stop looking at when seeing on the street and that you are very likely to see at a dog show.

The Aidi Dog A Perfect Watchdog
Of Moroccan origin, the Aidi dog evolved as a watchdog for herds of goats and sheep. For this reason, it has heightened senses that are very good at detecting threats and its instincts are perfectly in tune, resulting in a speedy and efficient reaction. These characteristics are also perfect for a hunting dog - so it is also very good at filling that role. Very courageous, this breed has evolved in the Morrocan mountains, protecting itself and its owners from many vicious predators like wildcats, but also from strangers. Also called the Berber (it was commonly used by Berber tribes), this breed is very similar to Pariah dogs - to which it is believed to be related.


Pet Tips

Dog Breeds and Breed Groups

Your dog’s ancestry will come into play in your life together, whether you choose a purebred or a random-bred dog. There are certain traits representative of your dog’s breed that will most likely show up in your pet, although every dog exhibits a variety of qualities. When a dog has several breeds in his mix, he may show traits from just one or all of them, although one breed usually tends to dominate. Spend some time looking at breed descriptions before choosing a breed for you. Before making your decision, consider exercise needs, kid appropriateness, size and best family situation for each of the breeds you are looking at. Don’t base your choice on the looks of the breed alone. Make sure you have a full understanding of the temperament and characteristics that come with the particular breed.

When you are adopting a dog from a shelter, it’s difficult to determine what breeds are dominant in an individual, there are many dogs that are so randomly bred. Ask shelter workers or volunteers for help. Ask them to steer you toward the right dog for your lifestyle by describing what you want in a dog. Even if the workers don’t know the exact breed of the dog, they probably can tell you quite a bit about the dog and his personality and needs. A good shelter will try to determine dominant breeds in each mixed dog, but puppy looks can be deceptive and there are no guarantees.

Generally, smaller dogs are bred to be companions, but that is not always the case. A Chihuahua is a great apartment dog with few exercise needs, a terrier is super active and intelligent. If you don’t give a terrier a job, he will usually find one on his own, and it may be something that you will not appreciate, like chewing up shoes, digging holes in the carpet, or making mad dashes out the front door. So what if we have a Chihuahua/Norwich terrier mix? You need to be prepared for traits from either breed, because there’s no telling which personality traits will dominate as an adult.

You can follow some general rules with most dog breeds. It’s also helpful to determine the group that a breed is part of. Every breed registry categorizes breeds by a number of groups. Even though the group names of the American Kennel Club (AKC), United Kennel Club (UKC), and Federation Cynologique Internationale (FCI) differ, they follow similar lines and they can tell you a lot about the breeds that are included within them.

UKC group guidelines are used here—companion dogs, gun dogs, scenthounds, sighthounds and pariahs, herding dogs, guardian dogs, terriers, and northern dogs. There are general descriptions of every breed, but as usual, there are exceptions within individual breeds and dogs. One dog never has every trait of a particular breed. There are Velcrolike Siberian huskies and independent golden retrievers, aggressive Labrador retrievers and mellow Norwich terriers.

Match your interests with the dog’s needs when looking at the different groups and breeds. Make a list of what you a looking for in a dog. You may think you want an Australian shepherd, but after comparing your list and the dog’s description, you may realize that an Alaskan malamute is more what you are

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Animal Shelter Facts
Did you know that the average number of animals in an average canine litter is six to ten?

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