Dogs are very smart animals that are capable of learning many words from ours, humans, vocabulary. But have you ever wondered how many words dogs actually understand? According to a new study made by Applied Animal Behaviour Science, on average dogs understand 89 words and phrases.
89 words is very specific number, so how was this number achieved? Scientists made this research on 165 dog owners, who were given a list of 172 words and phrases dog could understand. Then they would say, if the dog understand the words or not and they could also add some other words into the list.
When i saw that dogs understand 89 words on average, i was pretty surprised as the number seems quite high, but it is nothing in comparsion to the most talented dog from this research, who understands 200 words! That is impressive! And that is still nothing in comparsion to some of the most talented dogs in the world, who could understand approximately 1000 words! But those are dog geniuses, lets get back to the research and to ordinary normal dogs.
Because the research was made on a small sample, it was impossible to say which specific breeds are the most talented, but the researchers divided the dogs into six types, which you can see on the photo.
I think it is not shocking, that herding dogs understand a lot of words, as they belong into smartest dogs in the world. Toy companion dogs are probably bigger surprise, but again, i think there is easy explanation for it.
Toy dogs are very often all day with its owners and many owners talk to their dogs a lot, which is why they have larger vocabulary than some other working dogs, who probably understand certain commands much better, but they do not understand other words.
So the dog type does affect to some extent dogs ability to understand words. What does not affect this ability is age, sex or the social background of the owner.
The statistics also shown that service dogs and other dogs that are profesionally trained had much larger vocabulary than ordinary dogs. It is only logical that for example service dog for blind people must understand more words than ordinary pet, since it is necessary for its utilization.
Most dogs understand to different commands, names, food, toys and games and to certain phrases, such as good boy or lets go out. TOP 10 words, almost all dogs understand are according to the study these words: sit, come, good girl and good boy, down, stay, wait, no, ok and leave it. I am curious if your dog understand all these words as well! And also tell me in comments what is your dogs favourite word! Does your dog understand some words most of other dogs dont understand? I am curious, tell me in comments.
Of course, the research was made on a small sample of owners, so the number 89 is only indicative. Owners could also overestimate the abilities of their dogs, that would also be natural. But it does show us how much are dogs capable of understanding us, which is probably one of the reasons why they are the most popular animal companions in the world! And not only that they understand us verbally, they also got our non verbal comunnication and they understand our emotions as well. They are just amazing.  

1) Crossbreed
The Doberdane is a not a pure dog breed, but a designer dog breed, which is just another term for a crossbreed. The ancestors of the Doberdanes are two large and loyal dogs, the Doberman and Great Dane.
2) Origin
Just like majority of crossbreeds, even the Doberdane is rather newer creation. Since both of its parent breeds, the Doberman and Great Dane, have its roots in Germany, it is possible that unintentional crosses could have existed for decades, but it is believed that it was only approximately 20 or 30 years ago when these two dogs were crossed with the intention of creating a completely new breed.
3) Temperament
The Doberdane can look intimidating, but they are actually amazing companions, most often pretty gentle, loving and friendly towards itw own family. Since the Doberman is known as one of the best guarding dogs on this planet, many Doberdanes are alert and reserved with strangers they do not know, but this is vastly influenced by early socialization. Doberdanes can typically live with other dogs in the family and they can be good playful partners for older kids, but of course, you should never leave any dog breed with a very young child unsupervised.
4) Working dogs
Most of the Doberdanes are companion dogs, but with some training, they can serve as good guards as well. They are not as agile and athletic as pure Dobermans, but their larger size should be intimidating enough for any intruders. Some of them have some natural protective instints, but as i said, these dogs are most often used only as companions and family pets, rather than real guarding dogs.
5) Appearance
The appearance of most crossbreeds is pretty unpredictable and even one Doberdane can differ quite a lot from other Doberdane. But they should share some appearance characteristics, which are muscular and relatively long body, broad chest, long strong legs and heavy bones. The head is very often similar to Great Danes head, but longer and rectangular. The eyes should have dark color and the ears are most often flopped.
6) Size
The Great Dane is considered one of the two largest dog breeds on the planet, next to the Irish Wolfhound, so it should not be surprising, that even the Doberdane is very large, strong and powerful dog. Its height is typically around 30-32 inch, which is 76-81 cm and weight is usually between 100-140 lbs, which is 45-63 kg. Females tend to be slightly smaller than males.
7) Coat and color
The coat is usually short and straight with medium density and typically also smooth and glossy. Most often, you will find these dogs in black color, but they can be also found in brown, fawn, red and rarely even blue.
8) Maintenance
Speaking of the coat, it is important to mention the maintenance and grooming as well and luckily it is quite easy with the Doberdane. They do shed some deal of fur all year long, but it is nothing terrible and ocassional brushing is beneficial, as it will remove any loose hair and dirt from the coat. No other grooming is required and these dogs will keep its coat in great condition even by themselves. Just like with any other breed, you should regularly check their eyes, ears, nails and teeth and clip them or clean them if needed.
9) Warlock Doberman
Doberdanes are very often offered by some backyard breeders as large version of purebred Dobermans. They call these Doberdanes as Warlock, Goliath or King Dobermans, but you should never support these breeders. If you want to buy a Doberdane, you should buy it from a person who clearly say it is a Doberman and Great Dane mix, or they call them as Doberdanes.
10) Health
Sadly, just like almost all the giant breeds, even the Doberdanes are prone to some serious health issues and they have rather shorter lifespans, around 10 years. The biggest concerns are joint problems, such as hip dysplasia, eye conditions such as entropion and cherry eye or bloating, which is also very typical for large breeds. But the Doberdane should be a healthier dog than the purebred Great Dane.

Appearance
The Polish Hunting Spaniel is a compact dog of medium size, with strong and athletic body built for great mobility in harsh working conditions in fields, forrests and meadows, but also in water. Just like majority of Spaniels, even the Polish Hunting Spaniel has the great looking big hanging ears, gentle expression in their darker colored eyes and overall very noble and relatively large head.
The average height of Polski Spaniel Mysliwski is between 39-48 cm, which is 15-19 inch and weight is usually between 12-26 kg, which is 26-57 lbs. Females tend to be slightly smaller than males.
The coat of Polski Spaniel Mysliwski is in medium length, with longer fringes of hair on ears, back of the limbs, on the tail and on the belly. The coat is very often slightly wavy or curly. The most common colors is chocolate roan with patches of different shades, less often it is black roan. White tip of the tail is also quite common.
Temperament
The main utilization of the Polish Hunting Spaniel is, of course, hunting and their personality and character is excelent for it. They are known for their courage and intelligence, problem solving ability, determination for the hunt, stronger prey drive and extraordinary sense of smell, all very important traits for excellent hunter.
These dogs have high energy level and they can hunt tirelessly for hours, even in harsh terrain and in bad weather, without any problems. Because of that, they are best suited for active people who will provide them with enough outdoor exercise.
But of course, this is not only a hunter, but also loving, loyal and affectionate companion dogs. The Polski Spaniel Mysliwski is often times described as balanced and sociable companion that enjoys company of other people, including older kids. Of course, you should never leave any dog breed with a very young child unsupervised.
It is also important to mention that some of the Polish Hunting Spaniels are pretty alert and watchful and that they like to bark. Because of that, they might alert you when they will hear or see something suspicious around their home and around your property which can make them okay watchdogs.
History
First mentions about hunting Spaniel dogs in Poland comes from 19th century. It is believed that these spaniels are the ancestors of the Polski Spaniel Mysliwski and it could be different breeds of Spaniels brought from different part of Europe, very likely from England or France. Most likely it was mainly Cockers and Springer Spaniels, but possibly also Field and Sussex Spaniels.
At the beginning of the 20th century, most of these Spaniels were crossbred in Polish kennels, since they were bred for their purpose. And since all the Spaniels in Poland served the same purpose, hunting, there was nothing wrong in creating one universal merged breed. Probably the best known person who supported this breeding was princess Izabella Radziwiłłowa, who bred these dogs until the start of Second World War, which was absolutely devastating for Poland, so as for the dogs in Poland. Many of them died, some of them were brought to Russia and only few of them remained in Poland, espeially on its eastern borders.
In 1980s, a scientist and hunter, dr. Andrzej Krzywiński, who ran his own kennel, started to be interested in the remaining Spaniel population in Poland. And since there was a demand for smaller hunting dogs, he started re-developing the Polish Hunting Spaniel. He searched for remaining hunting Spaniels that matched the old description and bred them for their great working abilities, hunting passion and amazing temperament.
Health and grooming
The maintenance and grooming of this breed is not extremely hard, but they do need regular brushing to keep their beautiful coats in good condition, to remove dead and loose hair and dirt from it and to prevent tangling. You should take proper care about the longer feathering on the ears and other areas with longer fur, as they are more prone to tangling. You should also regularly check their eyes, ears, nails and teeth and clip them or clean them if needed.
This is still relatively young dog breed and there are no scientific studies about its health, but it seems that it is usually pretty healthy dog breed with average lifespan around 13 years. They might be prone to the same health issues as Springers or Cockers, which includes some eye problems such as entropion and cataracts, joint problems such as hip dysplasia, diabetes or skin dermatitis, but none of those is extremely common with the Polish Hunting Spaniel.

Appearance
The Old Danish Pointer is traditionally used as a pointing dog in Denmark and indeed, they do have the typical appearance of a pointing breed. It is medium sized dog with strong and quite muscular body, rounded and wide skull, rounded ears with pointed tips and medium sized eyes in dark brown color. Typical sign of this breed is loose skin around the neck.
Interesting fact about this breed is the big difference between males and females. While the males are extremely powerful and substantial, females tend to be lighter and smaller. On average, these dogs have height between 20-24 inch, which is 50-60 cm and weight is usually between 26-35 kg, which is 57-77 lbs.
The Old Danish Pointer has a short, but very dense coat that is somewhat hard to touch and you can find this breed in a great looking white coat with brown markings. The markings can be either very large, but also very small, which creates brown freckles.
Personality
The Old Danish Pointer has excellent reputation as a versatile hunter of all kinds of game, but especially as amazing bird hunter without disturbing the hunting grounds. It is a steady hunting dog which shows great determination and passion for the hunt, as well as courage, high prey drive and intelligence, all very important traits for a hunter. These dogs also have great stamina and they can hunt all day without problems.
But of course, this is not only a hunter, but also loyal and loving companion pet. When they are at home, they tend to be pretty calm and relaxed, but this is an energetic and adventurous breed that is always ready for a long walk, hike or jog and you must provide them with enough daily exercise, so they stay healthy and happy! These dogs are adaptable, but they will definitely prefer to live in a house with a big yard, where they can stretch their legs whenever they want to.
The Old Danish Pointer is a playful and pretty gentle companion for kids, but of course, you should never leave any dog breed with a very young child unsupervised. They can also live without any problems with other dogs in the family, but other household pets might be little bit problematic, because of the Pointers higher prey drive, but of course, this can be vastly influenced by early socialization.
Interesting Fact
Denmark is a home to interesting, but outside its borders, extremely rare breeds. The Old Danish Pointer is one of the three Danish breeds, next to Danish Mastiff, also known as Broholmer and Danish Swedish Farmdog.
History
The history and origin of the Old Danish Pointer starts in the 18th century, to be more specific, in 1710, when a man named Morten Bag, began crossbreeding local farm dogs with dogs brought to Denmark by gypsies from Spain.
After 8 generations of careful breeding a new, white and brown dog was created with a name Bakhound, or Old Danish Pointer. It is believed that the gypsy dogs from which Old Danish Pointer were developed were some kind of Spanish Pointing dogs developed from St. Huberts dog.
The breed was pretty popular in Denmark, but its numbers declined greatly during the world wars and the breed almost dissappeared. The breed was saved by group of enthusiasts and officially recognized by Danish Kennel Club in 1962. Today, this breed is quite popular in Denmark and its numbers are pretty high in this country, but outside Denmark, they are still extremely rare and it is almost impossible to find them in other countries.
Health and grooming
Great fact is, that the short and dense coat of the Old Danish Pointer is very easy to take care of. It does shed some deal all year long, but it is not terrible. Of course, regular brushing is beneficial as it will remove any loose hair and dirt from the coat and it will keep the coat in best possible condition, but even without any grooming at all, the coat will stays in good shape. Just like with all dogs, you should also regularly check their eyes, ears, nails and teeth and clip them or clean them if needed.
There is not enough studies and information about the breeds health, but it seems that this is usually very healthy dog breed with only limited health issues and with average lifespan around 13 years. Of course, they may suffer from some health issues, such as entropion, distiachiasis, some joint and eye problems, allergies or infections, but none of those are extremely common with this breed.

 The Balkan Peninsula is a home to many strong, courageous and loyal livestock protector dog breeds and in this video i will show you five of them.
Balkans have a long pastoral tradition, but it is also a home to some of the most dangerous predators for the livestock, such as wolves and bears. Because of that, there was always a need for reliable, strong, brave, devoted, alert and independent livestock guardian breeds. Most of them have very long ancient history and most of them are somehow related together. In this video i will show you 5 amazing Balkan livestock guardian breeds!
5) Sarplaninac
Probably the best known livestock guardian from Balkan is the Sarplaninac, also known as Illyrian Shepherd Dog. The breed is named after the place, where it was developed, the Shar mountains in the heart of Balkan peninsula. It is believed, that this is extremely old ancient breed, that is next to guarding the livestock also very often used for personal protection and they were even used by army. Sarplaninac is very intelligent and independent breed, that can decide independently how to protect the livestock and it is absolutely amazing at it. The height and weight can vary quite a bit, but it is typicaly around 60 cm and 40 kg, which is 23 inch and 88 lbs.
4) Kraški Ovčar
The Kraški Ovčar has the similar body type, coat and color as the Sarplaninac, but it is slightly smaller. And it is no coincidence, since they share similar ancestry and origin. For a long time, these two dogs were considered as type A and type B of Illyrian Shepherd dog and they were separated only in 1968.
3) Tornjak
The Tornjak comes from Bosnia and Herzegovina and they can be found in largest numbers in the area around Vlasic mountains. It is believed, that they, or their ancestors lived in this area since the Roman times and that even Romans used them as guardian and war dogs. Later, this old Tornjak breed almost dissapeared and it had to be saved and revived in 1970s by group of enthusiasts from remaining dogs which best corresponded to the old writings about the breed
2) Greek Shepherd
Another livestock guardian from Balkan, this time from Greece, is the Greek Shepherd. Again, it is believed that it is a very old breed and that even the famous Plato described dogs similar to today Greek Shepherds in his writings, that were working in the region of Epirus as early as 800 BC. The breed is mostly found in the north of Greece and again, it is believed that they are closely related to other breeds from this video.
1) Karakachan
The last dog in this video is Karakachan, which is a shepherd from Bulgaria, which can trace its history back to old nomadic tribe known as Karakachani, which is a tribe native to Greece, but that always had a presence in Bulgaria as well. We are not sure what is the exact date of origin nor what is the ancestry of Karakachan dog, but it is possible that they are descendants of some old Thracian livestock guardian dogs.
All the livestock guardian dogs share similar temperament, which is relatively calm and independent, but vigilant and alert when the situatian needs it. They have natural guarding instinct and they know even without training how to guard and protect properly. But with good early socialization, all of them can also be great loyal and loving family companions.
Even though all the dogs mentioned in this video are separate pure dogs, most of them migrated annually across national borders with the flocks they protect in search seasonal pastures. Because of that, it is very likely, that they often times crossbred with each other in the past and that they influenced each other during their development.
It is also worth mentioning Romanian livestock guardians, as Romania is also sometimes viewed as part of Balkan. The best known Romanian shepherds are definitely Romanian Mioritic Shepherd, Bucovina Shepherd and Carpathian Shepherd.

 We are all familiar with different shapes of dogs noses and snouts, such as flat faced Bulldogs, long snouted Greyhounds or uniquely shaped Bull Terriers snouts. But have you ever seen these double nosed dogs? There are at least three different breeds, the Catalburun, Andean Tiger Hound and Pachon Navarro, for which this kind of a nose is very typical and in this video i will show you all of them.


All of the double nosed dogs are extremely rare and they can be mostly found in their place of origin and even there it is very hard to find them. It is also important to say that not all members of these three breeds must have the double nose, but it is quite typical sign of all these breeds.


Another important thing to mention is, that the double nose is natural for these dogs, they are born with it, it is nothing caused by some accident or injury.


All the three dogs are hunters and it is believed that their unique nose is a reason why they are excellent at hunting, since it gives them superior sense of smell. But since these dogs are extremely rare and there are not scientific evidences about this claim, it is very hard to say if it is a reality or just a rumor.


The first double nosed dog i will talk about is the Pachon Navarro. It is one of the few Spanish Basque breeds and it is believed to be one of the oldest pointers of Iberian peninsula, with dogs similar to them painted in art since the Middle Ages. The breed can be almost exlusively found in Spain and its numbers are estimated on approximately 1000 specimen.


The second breed is the Double Nosed Andean Tiger Hound, a breed that was used by Bolivian hunters to track and hunt Jaguars in Amazon rainforests. For a long time, this breed was considered as a myth, as a legend, but that changed in mid 2000s with photographic evidences made by Colonel John Blashford-Snell. This Bolivian dog is believed to be related to the Pachon Navarro, which were most likely brought to the area of todays Bolivia with the Conquistadors and that over the time evolved into the Andean Tiger Hound we have today.


And the last dog in this video is the Tarsus Catalburun, also known as Turkish Pointer. It is extremely rare breed, originated in Mersin in the southern Tarsus province of Turkey. It is extremely rare breed and it is estimated that there is only about 200 of pure Catalburuns today. Just like the other two breeds in this video, even the Catalburun is excellent hunter, especially known to be amazing at hunting partridge, but it is also loyal, active and loving companion dog.

 Have you ever heard about Warlock Dobermans? Or maybe about King or Goliath Dobermans? All these names are used to describe a stronger and bigger, or better to say, oversized Doberman type. But is it really a thing? Is there really a large type of a purebred Doberman? Or is it just a myth or marketing term created by shady backyard breeders to have better sales? Well, in this video i will tell you all you need to know about the Warlock Doberman.

The term Warlock Doberman originated in 1960s. In this time, there was a famous Doberman named Borong the Warlock, who won the AKC championship several times. Borong had many offsprings and his bloodline, or „Warlock“ bloodline was quite popular as it was a guarantee of quality bloodline. But the term Warlock Doberman was quickly abused by backyard breeders who started falsely naming their own dogs as Warlock.

Since there was and still is a demand for very big, oversized dogs, many backyard breeders used the term Warlock Doberman for oversized Dobermans, mostly Great Dane or Rottweiler crosses. This way, they can sell their crossbreeds for much more money, as it seems it is some kind of a pure, large type of a Doberman. Sometimes, they also use the term King or Goliath Doberman, but most of the time, it is just a Great Dane – Doberman or Rottweiler - Doberman cross.

Funny thing is, that many people who want the Warlock Doberman thinks, that it is the better version of Doberman, stronger, more muscular guarding breed which is more valuable. And even though sometimes bigger things can be better, it is definitely not this case.

The classic Doberman is just perfectly size for its main utilization, which is guarding. They are the perfect balance of strength, but also athleticism and agility. The standard height of Doberman is up to 28 inch, which is 72 cm. When the dog exceeds this height, they begin to loose their great speed, athleticism and maneuverability, which are all as important traits as the strength. The standard Doberman is just one of the best guarding dog on the planet and adding size to it does not make it better, so there is actually no reason to breed larger version of this amazing breed.

I think it is better to stay away from puppies that are advertised as Warlock, King or Goliath Dobermans. If you want a Doberman, buy one from reputable breeder. If you want a Doberman Great Dane mix, buy one from someone, who clearly say, that it is a mix, or that calls his dogs Doberdanes, or something like that.
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Even the Doberman Pinscher Club of America literally states on its website, that Warlock Doberman is a gimmick used to sell puppies and no reputable breeder would ever advertise their Dobermans as Warlock.

1) Crossbreed
The Sprocker Spaniel is not a purebred dog, but a crossbreed, which means it is a mix of two purebred breeds, in this case of a English Springer Spaniel and a Cocker Spaniel. But unlike majority of crossbreeds, the Sprocker Spaniel has more predictable temperament and appearance as they evolved from two quite similar breeds.
2) Origin
Most crossbreeds were developed only recently, but it is believed that there were efforts of creating a new dog from Cockers and Springers for a long time. One theory say, that first crossing of these two different Spaniels with the intention of creating a new dog happened in the first half of the 20th century by Scottish gamekeepers, that wanted a new resistant and hardworking gundog. But the name Sprocker Spaniel started to be used only recently.
3) Appearance
Surprisingly for a crossbreed, the Sprocker Spaniel has quite unified appearance. They typically have well proportioned body, athletic figure, well sprung ribs and pretty muscular legs, relatively long and wide muzzle, strong jaws, long hanging ears, wide set eyes with alert and loving expression.
4) Size
The Sprocker Spaniel is a medium sized, strong and athletic dog, with average height between 40-50 cm, which is 15-20 inch and weight between 14-20 kg, which is 30-44 lbs. Females are naturally slightly smaller than males, but the difference is not extremely huge.
5) Working dog
Another difference from majority of mixed breeds is, that most of them are developed just as companion dogs, but the Sprocker Spaniel can actually make extraordinary working dog and it can be a real valuable asset for any hunter. Often times they were and still are used as gundogs and they have great qualities for this purpose as they are intelligent, but also independent problem solvers, they are pretty energetic dogs with good stamina, excellent sense of smell and hearing, great resistance, eagerness and determination for the work. Overall, they can be just amazing hunters.
6) Companions
But despite their history of hunters, these dogs make perfect family pets. They are absolutely devoted and loyal to its family and they create a very strong bond to it. They are also quite social dogs with outgoing and lively personality. They can be great playful partners for kids, but of course, you should never leave any dog with a very young child unsupervised. Sprockers can also live with other dogs in the family, especially if socialized together from the puppyhood.
7) Exercise
Sprockers have rather higher energy levels, which is why they are definitely much better suited for active people who will take them on daily longer walks, play different games with them and provide them with fun training sessions or just anything that will occupy these dogs physically, but also mentally. Sprockers will be always ready for any kind of outdoor adventure. Without enough exercise, they can develop some unwanted behaviour, such as destruction, which is why daily longer walks are a must with these dogs!
8) Coat
The coat length and structure can wary a bit, but most of the time, the Sprocker Spaniel has a smooth, slightly wavy coat, very often with feathering on the ears and on the back of the legs. These dogs can be found in variety of colors, but the most often are black, chocolate, black and white and liver and white.
9) Maintenance
The beautiful coats of Sprockers do require some maintenance and grooming. It is nothing terrible, but it is recommended to brush their coat regularly, with extra time spent on the area around ears, on the belly and legs. Regular brushing will prevent the coat from matting and tangling. Just like with any other dog, it is also very important to regularly check the dogs ears, eyes, nails and teeth and clean them or clip them if needed.
10) Health
Sprocker Spaniels are typically healthy and hardy dogs with average lifespan around 13 years. Of course, just like any other dog, even the Sprocker Spaniel can suffer from some health issues. The major concerns are hypothyroidism, hip dysplasia, some eye problems, allergies and rarely epilepsy or glaucoma.

Appearance
The Plummer Terrier is a breed originally developed to hunt rats and other vermin. To be good at job like that, the dog must be small, very agile and athletic, muscular and sturdy and that is exactly what Plummer Terrier is like.
According to the breed standard, the ideal height of Plummer Terrier is between 12-13 inch, which is 31-34 cm. Females tend to be slightly smaller than males. The weight is typically somewhere around 6 kg, which is 13 lbs.
The coat is short, lying close to the body and pretty dense. The dense coat does protect the breed from harsh weather and thanks to it, they can hunt outdoors for a long time without any problems. The Plummer Terrier comes in combination of great looking red and white.
The head is medium sized with dropped and round ears, dark and oval shaped eyes and strong jaws. The tail of the Plummer Terrier is carried high.
Personality
The Plummer Terrier was developed and used mostly for hunt, which is why they must have a temperament of a hunting dog. And indeed, the Plummer Terrier is a courageous dog with high prey drive and chasing instinct, that is willing to hunt above, but also below the ground. This is an active hard working dog with lively, alert, confident, spirited and fearless mind and great sense of smell and hearing, all very important characteristics for a hunter.
Of course, the Plummer Terrier is not only a hunter, but also loyal family pet. The Plummer Terrier creates a strong bond with its owners and is totally friendly towards its whole family. On the other hand, they tend to be alert and suspicious towards strangers and it can take a while before they accept a complete stranger as a friend. They are amazing playful and lively partners for kids, but of course, you should never leave any dog breed with a very young child unsupervised. They can also live with other dogs in the family, but other smaller household pets might be problematic due to the Plummers higher prey drive.
It is important to provide Plummer Terrier with enough daily physical, but also mental exercise, as this is rather high energy level dog breed. They will be always ready for any outdoor adventure and you must take them on daily longer walks accompanied with some playtime or fun training sessions. Without enough exercise, they will become bored and they might develop some unwanted behaviour, such as destruction.
History
The Plummer Terrier is still pretty young dog breed, developed only in the 1960s by Brian Plummer to hunt and carry out the role usually associated with any working breed of terrier. The breeds Brian Plummer used in the Plummer Terriers development were Jack Russell Terriers, Fell Terriers, Beagles and Bull Terriers.
Over the time, two distinct types of Plummer Terriers were developed, one smaller with snipe-nosed type and one larger with more bully like head. Plummer opted for the latter, and by the late 1990s decided that the breed needed a wider gene pool in order to reach its maximum potential. Bull Terrier blood of known ancestry was sought and outcrossed into the breed.
Health and grooming
The Plummer Terrier is usually pretty healthy dog breed and it is not unusual for them to live happy and active life well into their later teens. Average lifespan is somewhere around 14 or 15 years. Of course, they may suffer from some health issues, but none of the serious genetic health problems is very common in this breed. But ocassionally, they may suffer from for example heart and kidney problems, some eye problems, infections and allergies.
The maintenance and grooming is very simple with the Plummer Terrier. Even without any brushing, they will keep their coat in excellent condition. Of course, brushing them from time to time is only beneficial as it will minimize the shedding and remove loose hair and dirt from the coat, but no other grooming is necessary. Just like wiht all dogs, you should also regularly check their eyes, ears, nails and teeth and clip them or clean them if needed.

Appearance
The Levriero Sardo has the typical appearance and body type of a greyhound, which includes slim, but athletic body and fast long legs. Its body is lean, but quite muscular. The Levriero has relatively small head, with long muzzle, large eyes, well developed jaws and ears that are either erect or rosette.
The average height of this breed is typically between 60-70 cm, which is 23-28 inch and weight is usually between 17-25 kg, which is 37-55 lbs. Females are naturally slightly smaller than males.
The coat is short and lying close to the body and it is pretty soft to touch. The breed evolved and live in a warm region, so they do not need to have very dense and thick coat. The coat comes in several colors, commonly in sand, black, piebald, white, brindle in various shades and gray.
Temperament
The Levriero Sardo is a skilled hunting breed with well developed sight, but also other senses, such as smell and hearing. Back in the past, they were used as hunting dogs and they were a real asset to the hunter. Later, they were also used alongside the flock and they would deter and hunt foxes and other dangerous animals. And these dogs have great qualities for a hunter, they are strong and fast, independent and intelligent, they have strong prey drive and chasing instinct, great determination, courage and alertness, all very important traits for a hunter.
But of course, this is not only a hunter, but also pretty good family companion. These dogs tend to create a strong bond with its owner and family. The Levriero Sardo is very affectionate and loyal dog to its family, but they are known to be quite alert and suspicious towards strangers and it can take a while before they accept a complete stranger as a friend.
This breed is not recommended to complete novices, beucase of their strong hunting instinct and kind of independent mind. They definitely need an owner who will properly train them and socialize them from the puppyhood and who will also give them opportunities for daily exercise. It can be daily longer walks, some interactive playtime like nosework or fun training sessions. Without enough exercise, they can develop some unwanted behaviour, such as descruction.
Interesting Fact
The Levriero Sardo can also be named as a Sardinian Greyhound and locally they are also called as Vertreddru, which can be translated as a little hunting dog.
History
The history and ancestry of Levriero Sardo is not very well documented and it is surrounded by mystery. One theory claims, that they are descendants of some Greyhound-type dogs, that arrived to the island of Sardinia thousands years ago with the Phoenician traders. But it is unclear, if they are truly the ancestors of todays Levriero Sardo. The Levriero Sardo as we know it today has been documented on the island of Sardinia since the late 18th or early 19th century.
The breed is extremely rare and it is almost impossible to find it outside Italy and especially outside the island of Sardinia. Since 2011 there is an ongoing program, that is trying to preserve the breed, spread information about it and that will hopefully help the breed to raise its numbers soon. Because today, it is not recognized by any major kennel club around the world
Health and grooming
The Levriero Sardo is an easy keeper and their coat does not need almost any grooming at all and it will stay in great condition. They do shed some deal of fur all year long and the brushing is only beneficial as it will remove any dirt and loose hair from the coat, but it is not necessary. No other grooming is required. Just like with all dogs, you should regularly check their eyes, ears, nails and teeth and clip them or clean them if needed.
There is not much information about the Levriero Sardo health, but it seems that it is usually healthy and hardy dog with lifespan around 13 years. They should not suffer much from any genetic health issues, but of course, just like any other breed, they may suffer from the typical doggy issues, such as allergies, infections, some eye problems, joint problems or bloating.

 Lets start the breed comparsion with the appearance. Both breeds are small dogs, but Lhasa Apso is bigger, especially in terms of weight. The Lhasa Apso weighs approximatelly 14 lbs, which is 6 kg, while the Maltese only weighs arounds 6 lbs, which is 3 kg. Females tend to be slightly smaller than males. The difference in height is not so big and the average Lhasa Apso height is 25 cm and Maltese height is around 22 cm, which is 10 and 9 inches.
The size is not the only appearance difference. The most important is probably the coat and color. The Maltese has a silky and most importantly, pure white coat. The Lhasa Apso on the other hand has long and hard coat, which can be in many different colors, such as black, brownish, grizzle, golden, sandy, smoke or white.
Both breeds have very attractive and besides the color and size similar appearance. The main difference between them is in the temperament and to understand the temperament, we need to look at their history. The Maltese dog always was a very popular companion and lap dog, beloved by very old civilizations like Greeks or Romans. It was never used for any other purpose than companionship. One of the well-known duty of the Maltese was as a “comforter” to the sick people of Egypt and later, the Europeans, because people believed, that they have healing powers. On the other hand, the Lhasa Apso is not only a companion dog. While the Maltese comes from Mediterranean Basin, the Lhasa Apso is a dog from Tibet, where it was developed by the Buddhist monks in the mountains of Tibet to be a watchdog, which will be very alert and keen and that will let the monks know by barking, if they see or hear any intruders.
Even though today the Lhasa Apso is only rarely, almost never, for their original purpose as a watchdog, they still have it in them, which is creating quite a big difference in comparsion to completely affectionate and cuddly Maltese.
The Maltese is just the definition of an amazing companion and lap dog, with their fun loving, sociable, people oriented, intelligent, trainable and devoted personality. The Lhasa Apso on the other hand is perfect for people who are looking for a small dog with big dog personality. They are typically friendly with their people, around its family, but alert and suspicious towards strangers. They are alert, courageous and fearless, independent and sometimes quite bossy. On the other hand also clownish, loving, loyal and devoted. I am not going to say, which dog is better, that is impossible, because it really depends on what you expect from a dog.
Both breeds need daily exercise, but they are okay with few daily longer walks, accompanied with some playtime and fun training sessions. The exercise is not very challanging with these dogs, but what can be a little challenge is the grooming.
The continuously growing coat needs to be brushed daily to keep mats and tangles under control. Some owners choose to keep Maltese's and Lhasa Apso's hair short for easier maintenance and many owners choose services of professional groomers. If you choose one of these dogs prepare for extensive grooming. But good fact is, that both dogs are low shedding. Just like with any other breeds, you must also regularly check their eyes, ears, nails and teeth and clip them or clean them if needed.

Appearance
The Lupino del Gigante is a breed with well developed muscles, but which has quite athletic body, with strong back and long legs, deep chest and well sprung ribs. The average height of Luvin is between 48-62 cm, which is 19-24 inch and weight is usually between 20-30 kg, which is 44-66 lbs. Females are naturally slightly smaller than males.
This breed has a relatively small, almond shaped eyes, that are typically in brown color, but they can also have blue eyes and they can show heterochromia, which means, that each eye is in different color.
The Lupino del Gigante can be found in two coat varieties, short and long haired. Both coats are very dense. The short coat has rough texture and wooly undercoat. The long haired variety can have normal or bearded face. The breed can be in any possible color or color combination, but the most common color is the classic wolf gray or different shades of brown, reddish, copper, gray and black.
Temperament
The main utilization of Lupino del Gigante is working with livestock and they were used for this purpose for a long time, which formed their personality. To be good herders and livestock protectors, the breed must be smart, but also independent, quite lively, alert to its surroundings, loyal to the shepherd and determined to its work. And Lupino del Gigante is just like that. These dogs are also good adepts for personal protection or just as companions.
And they can make excellent companion dogs for active families who will take their dog on daily outdoor walks, hikes or jogs. The Lupino del Gigante is amazing playful and affectioante companion, that creates a very strong bond with its owners. They can live with kids in the family, but of course, you should never leave any dog breed with a very young child unsupervised. The Luvin dog can also live with other dogs in the family and they can be socialized with other household pets as well.
These dogs have rather higher energy level and it is extremely important to exercise them every single day, so they do not become bored and possibly develop some unwanted behaviour, such as destruction. Thanks to their intelligence and lively spirit, they can compete in various dog sports, such as agility. Dog sports, task oriented playtimes or fun training sessions are excellent way how to deal with the dogs physical, but also mental needs.
History
The exact origin and ancestry of Lupino del Gigante is unclear, as it is a very old and ancient dog breed. There are several theories about the breeds origin. One says, that it is a direct descendant of a primitive lupoid that lived in Secchia valley, Reggio Emilia.
A genetic study from 2018 shows, that Lupino del Gigante shares the same ancestor with other European herding dogs, such as Berger Picard, German Shepherd and other Italian herding breed, such as Bergamasco, Cane Paratore, Pastore di Oropa or Pastore della Lessinia e del Lagorai. This old ancestor was some kind of a common European herding dog, broadly distributed over the Europe.
For centuries, the Luvin was used to work with livestock in Italian mountains, especially in the Reggio Emilia province, but with the decline of farming, the popularity of Luvin declined a lot. With the income of foreign breeds, many remaining Lupino del Gigante dogs were crossbred with these new dogs, such as German Shepherd or Belgium Shepherd, which is a reason, why Luvin almost became extinct in the 20th century and it is extremely hard to find pure Luvin dog these days. During these days, one man, Cristian Ielli found approximately 30 pure specimen of Lupino del Gigante, which he used to recover the breed. Luckily, the breed survived and an association has been created which is looking to preserve the breed and increase its popularity and purity once again.
Health and grooming
No matter if the Luvin has short or long coat, it does shed some deal and regular brushing is always beneficial to remove loose hair and dirt from the coat. It will also remove any tangles or mats from the longer coat and keep it in best possible condition. No other grooming needs are necessary. Just like with any other breed, you should regularly check the dogs ears, eyes, nails and teeth and clip them or clean them if needed.
There are no scientific studies about the breeds health, but it seems, that this is rather healthy dog with no linked genetic health issues. Of course, they may suffer from some health problems, just like any other breed in the world and those may include allergies and infections, some joint problems like hip dysplasia or some eye problems, but none of those is extremely common within this breed.

Appearance
On the first sight, the Dogue Brasileiro looks like a Bull Terrier mix and it is no coincidence, because this breed was developed in the 20th century by crossing the Bull Terrier with the Boxer. And you can definitely see appearance traits of both breeds in the Dogue Brasileiro.
It is a very muscular dog with strong body and shorter legs. They are relatively massive, but they should never be too heavy or stocky. The breed has big head and jaws, medium sized floppy ears and deep snout.
The average height of Dogue Brasileiro is between 50-60 cm, which is 20-24 inch and weight is usually between 30-40 kg, which is 66-88 lbs. Females are naturally slightly smaller than males.
The coat of this breed is shiny, pretty dense and harsh. There are two coat types, short type and medium type, but the coat should never be too long. This breed can be found in almost any color or color combination, the most common are white, brown, tan, red, and black, or a combination of these colors.
Temperament
The main utilization of the Dogue Brasileiro is guarding and protection, which is why they just must have strong guarding instinct, fearless, alert and watchful temperament. They should never be agressive without a reason, but when they or their family is threatened, they should be vigorous and defend them. These dogs are typically not trustful towards complete strangers and it can take a while before they accept a stranger as a friend.
On the other hand, when these dogs are with its family, they are absolutely friendly, affectionate and gentle. The Dogue Brasileiro is known for its great devotion and loyalty to its owners. They are typically good gentle partners for kids, but of course, you should never leave any dog breed, with a very young child unsupervised. These dogs are intelligent and they get new commands fairly easily, but of course, they need experienced owner who will train them patiently and consistently.
The Dogue Brasileiro is quite active dog, who will need daily outdoor walks, hikes, fun training sessions or proper playtime to stay healthy and happy. Without enough exercise, they might develop some unwanted behaviour such as destruction.
History
This is still a new dog breed, developed at the end of 20th century by Pedro Pessoa Ribeiro Dantas, who was a Bull Terrier breeder and his neighbour who owned a Boxer. One of the offrspring of this mating was named Tigresa, who turned out to be very affectionate, obedient, strong and functional dog with excellent protection instincts. Which is why Pedro started breeding program and he developed a new breed from Bull Terriers and Boxers.
The Dogue Brasileiro club was found in 1986 and the breed was finally accepted by Brazilian kennel club in 1999.
Health and grooming
The Dogue Brasileiro is usually a pretty healthy dog breed that has no significant health issues and with average lifespan around 13 years. Of course, just like any other breed in the world, they may suffer from some health issues, such as bloating, skin and coat problems after the Bull Terrier and sadly, cancer after the Boxer heritage. But overall, none of these health issues is extremely common in this breed.
The maintenance and grooming is very simple and even without any brushing at all, these dogs will keep their coats in good condition. Of course, regular brushing is only beneficial, as it will remove any loose hair and dirt from the coat. These dogs do shed some deal of fur all year long, but it is nothing terrible. Just like with all breeds, you should also regularly check their eyes, ears, nails and teeth and clip them or clean them if needed.

1) Origin
The Japanese Spitz is a young breed from Japan, where it was developed from different white Spitz dogs, most likely from German Spitz, and probably from White Russian Spitz, American Eskimo and some other small Spitz dogs as well. This breeding started in 1920s and the breed was developed in the 1920s and 1930s and the first breed standard was written and accepted by Japan kennel club after the Second World War.
2) Size
This is a small dog breed, but different breed standards mention sightly different sizes. For example the Japanese standard say, that they should be between 30-38 cm tall, which is 12-15 inch, but for example the New Zealand Kennel Club say, that they can have height between 25-40 cm. But the average height is always somewhere around 33 cm, plus or minus few centimeters. Females tend to be slightly smaller than males, but the difference is rather small.
3) Temperament
I said in the beginning of the video, that this is a small breed with a big personality and that is certainly true, because this is quite active, bold, high spirited, bright and alert breed that can actually make very good watchdog. Of course, because of their small size, they are not good for real protection work, but they will most likely alert you when they will hear or see something suspicious around your home. But first and foremost, this is just excellent companion dog.
4) Companions
It is because the Japanese Spitz is a cheerful and affectionate dog that just loves human companionship and attention from their owners and family. They are also quite loyal and devoted to them. These little dogs are known to be pretty intelligent and eager to please, which is why they typically do very well in training and they learn new tricks quite fast. They are also good partners for older kids, but of course, the kid should be old enough to know how to treat smaller dogs properly. Overall, these dogs make excellent companion and apartment dogs, as long as their exercise needs are met.
5) Exercise
And these dogs are definitely not coach potatoes. They might be small, but they have pretty high energy, they are lively, playful and they are almost always ready for a walk. Thanks to their small size, it is not extremely hard to fulfull their exercise needs, but they do need few daily longer walks accompanied with some playtime, toy puzzles or fun training sessions. You can also try some dog sport with the Japanese Spitz, as they can compete in for example obedience trials or agility.
6) Coat and color
One of the reasons why this breed gained quite a lot of popularity, especially in showring, is its beautiful white fluffy coat. The doublecoat consists of a short, dense undercoat that is shot through with a straight outer layer that extends out from the body. The tail is typically well feathered and carried curled up over the body. The color should always be white.
7) Maintenance
Speaking of the coat, it is important to talk about the grooming and maintenance as well. When you see the Japanese Spitz, you probably think that the grooming is quite hard, but these dogs actually have rather low grooming needs. Their fur repels most debris and dirt, and they rarely need baths, because they do not have much of the typical doggy odor. You should brush their coat regularly, to prevent matting and tangling, but no other grooming is required. Just like with any other breed in the world, you should also regularly check their ears, eyes, nails and teeth and clip them or clean them if needed.
8) Popularity
For some time, the Japanese Spitz lived only in the isolation on Japanese islands, but that changed in 1960s, when few of them were exported to Sweden, from where they got into England and later to most of other countries around the world. Today, the breed is recognized by all the major kennel clubs.
9) Barking
Japanese Spitzes like to bark, and they have a bark that is louder than what you might expect from their size. They have tendencies to bark when they see something suspicious, when they want your attention or when they greet someone. Most of them just like to bark and you should be prepared for it.
10) Health
The Japanese Spitz is usually very heatlhy breed with only few genetic health problems. They can suffer from patellar luxation, which is the biggest health concern with this breed, also from runny eyes, ear infections and different allergies. The typical lifespan of Japanese Spitz is around 14 or 15 years.