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1) Origin
This is one of the oldest of all French dogs, with its history dating back to 13th century. In the past, these dogs were used by both, French nobility and peasants for various purposes, mainly for hunting wild boar. The ancestry of this breed is disputed. One theory claims, that they are descendants of Balkan Hounds, most notably of the Barak Hound, which is extremely similar. The Balkan Hounds were brought back to France by the Crusaders. The other theory claims that they might be descendants of the Gallic Hound, which existed during the ancient roman empire and that was brought to France by the Romans. The Griffon Nivernais was the favourite dog of the King Louis IX and it was very popular back in the days, especially in the Nivernais region. 2) Extinction Sadly, after the French Revolution at the end of 18th century, the Griffon Nivernais disappearaed. But only a century later, the Griffon Nivernais was re-created. The breed reconstruction was done based on the Grand Griffon Vendéen and later these dogs received blood of a Fox Hound and Otterhound. The breed club was formed in 1925 and the breed is slowly gaining its popularity back. The Griffon Nivernais we have today is very similar to the original Griffon Nivernais, but it is important to notice, that the original dog was bigger. 3) Hunter The Griffon Nivernais is a bold hunting breed, who is best known for its courage, excellent sense of smell and adaptability, which enables them to hunt in difficult terrains and in bad weather all day long. Its courage and initiative allow it to be used successfully in small packs for hunting wild boar. It is also intelligent and independent dog, another two extremely important traits for a hunting dog. So it is no wonder that even today, these dogs are very often used for this purpose. And most importatntly, they truly enjoy it and they love the hunt. 4) Companion But of course, the Griffon Nivernais is not only a hunter, but also excellent active companion dog. It is a happy and friendly dog, that is okay around other dogs, kids and it typically does not have big problems with strangers. Of course, all of this vastly depends on early socialization. As i already mentioned, this is independent thinker and willful dog, which is a reason why they are not for everyone. They will not always obey all the commands, but they are intelligent and they will learn all the basic commands very fast. 5) Exercise It is important to say, that this is rather active dog breed and they need plenty and plenty of exercise to stay healthy and happy. Daily long walks, jogs, hikes, vigorous playtime and fun training sessions are absolutely essential for Griffon Nivernais. You can also try some dog sport with Griffon Nivernais, which will not only exhaust them physically but also mentally. For example tracking should be a perfect sport for this breed. Without enough exercise, they might become very noisy or destructive. 6) Size This is a medium sized dog breed with average height between 55-60 cm, which is 21-23 inch and weight between 46-52 lbs, which is 19-24 kg. Females are naturally slightly smaller than males. 7) Coat and color The Griffon Nivernais has a long, shaggy coat that is rough in texture and the coat should never be wooly or curly. These dogs are known to have expressive eyebrows and slight moustache, which gives them, lets say, wise expression. They always look kind of unkept, it is they natural appearance. Their coat color is always grey, from light grey to boar grey and each hair is darker at the base than the tip. 8) Other Griffons The Griffon Nivernais is not the only Griffon breed. The word griffon is describing all the wiry coated hunting dogs of France, but it is also used in some other countries, such as Spain. There are many other Griffons, such as Griffon Vendéen, Wirehaired Pointing Griffon, Griffon Fauve de Bretagne, Griffon Bleu de Gascogne, Brussels Griffon or Griffon Astur Cantabro. 9) Maintenance The Griffon Nivernais always has the unique unkept like appearance. Even if you brush the coat, they will keep this kind of appearance, but you should still brush their coat regularly, lets say weekly, in order to keep it in good condition. Regular brushing will remove dead and loose hair. The coat itself is dirt repelling and it is not prone to tangling or matting, so the maintenance is not extremely hard. 10) Health And what about the health? Well, this is usually very healthy dog breed with average lifespan around 13 years. Of course, just like any other dog breed, they can suffer from some health issues, such as hip dysplasia, some eye problems, different allergies and infections or bloating. But none of these ilnesses should be very common in this breed and it should be pretty healthy and hardy dog breed. 1) Irish Setter
Irish Setter, or sometimes also called as Red Setter is easily recognizable thanks to its beautiful rich mahogany or chestnut red colored coat with flowing locks and feathering. They can have small white spot on the chest. The Irish Setter has a long, squarish muzzle and a distinct stop, which is the place between the eyes where the skull meets the nasal bone. The Irish Setter is known to be more exuberant than the rest of setters. 2) Irish Red and White Setter The Irish Setter might be more popular today, but the Irish Red and White Setter is the older of the two Irish setter breeds, with its history dating back to 17th century and it is actually one of the ancestors of the Irish Red Setter. This is the smallest setter, slightly smaller than its irish setter cousin, but with the same athleticism, durability and courage. The breed is easily recognizable thanks to its, well obviously, white coat with red patches. It has visible feathering along the ears, legs, body, and tail. 3) Gordon Setter Now lets move to Great Britain, to be more specific, to Scotland, which is a home to Gordon Setter. This is the least common setter and it is also the largest one, with males reaching up to 80 lbs, which is 36 kg. The Gordon Setter is on the first sight more heavily build in comparison to other setters, but it is still an athletic dog breed. It has easily recognizable black and tan coat, which is shiny and it is straight or slightly wavy with feathering on the ears, chest, legs, and tail. The Gordon Setter is known to be little bit more standoffish and alert around strangers, than the rest of Setters. 4) English Setter The lively English Setter is definitely the most popular of all Setters. It is known for being “the moderate setter”, the English Setter is a little less exuberant than the Irish Setter and is less standoffish around strangers than the Gordon Setter. The English Setter comes in several color combinations, known as belton. All of them have white base with either black, orange, lemon or liver markings. They can also be tricolor. 5) Llewellin Setter This is the only setter, that is not officially recognized. And it is because of the fact, that it is a variety of English Setter, rather than a separate breed. But fanciers of this breed very often consider them as a separate breed. Basically, the Llewellin Setters are special line of English Setters developed by Purcell Llewellin from stock obtained from the breeder who initially refined the English Setter, Edward Lavarack. But the Llewellin Setter is also believed to have some small infusion of Gordon Setter. Llewellin Setters are typically bred for hunting and by some people, they are the best hunters of all Setters, but they look almost identical to English Setters and even trained eye will have difficult time to recognize one from another. Today we will be comparing two hardworking herding dog breeds, the Australian Cattle Dog (also known as the Red or Blue Heeler) and the Australian Kelpie. These breeds share similar temperaments and personalities, and we'll explore their main differences and similarities.
Technically, the Australian Cattle Dog is primarily a cattle dog, while the Kelpie is a sheepdog. However, both breeds are versatile and capable of herding various farm animals. Their origins trace back to British dogs, loosely referred to as collies, which were brought to Australia by early settlers. These dogs faced challenges adapting to the harsh Australian climate. While the exact ancestry is uncertain, it's believed that both breeds may have been crossed with local dogs, and there have been theories about Dingo ancestry as well, but this theory is uncertain. As you can see, the history, purpose, temperament, and appearance of both breeds are remarkably similar, with more similarities than differences. They are hardworking, lively, somewhat independent, highly alert, loyal, and incredibly intelligent. Of course, when we talk about the temperament, it is always a big generalization, but on average, it is said, that the Australian Cattle Dog is slightly more independent and lets say stubborn. The Australian Cattle Dog also tends to have stronger guarding instincts and may be slightly more compatible with other household animals. However, early socialization plays a significant role in shaping their behavior. But this does not mean, that the Kelpie is better family dog. I would actually say, that the Australian Cattle dog is slightly better for companionship, as Kelpie is just too demanding in terms of exercise and working needs. Most of them would love to work all day every day. The Australian Cattle Dogs also needs plenty and plenty of physical exercise, but not to the extent of Kelpie. That said, both dogs will prefer to live in a house with large yard, where they can stretch their legs whenever they want to. Both are extremely active. Again, this is only a generalization and you will find dogs on both ends of the spectrum, However, Australian Cattle Dogs are generally considered to be slightly better with kids. They are outgoing, relatively gentle, and protective of little ones. Nonetheless, it's important to supervise interactions between any dog breed and very young children. Now, let's discuss their appearance. The main differences lie in size and coat color. Take a look at the size comparison on the screen. As you can see, the Australian Cattle Dog is generally slightly taller and more robust than the Kelpie. Both breeds have smooth, short, and dense double coats that shed quite a bit, so regular brushing is necessary. The difference in coat lies in coloration. Australian Cattle Dogs come in either red or blue, with mottled or speckled patterns, hence their nicknames, Red and Blue Heelers. On the other hand, Australian Kelpies come in a wider variety of colors. They can be single-colored or have tan markings. Colors range from black, red, chocolate, blue, fawn, and cream, and they can also have a black and tan combination. Kelpies are not mottled or speckled. It is important to say, that we are talking about breed standards. The working lines, particularly in Kelpies, may exhibit variations in coat, size, or facial features compared to the typical standardized Kelpie. 1) Parson Russell Terrier
Lets start with a breed that is almost identical with the JRT. The Parson Russell Terrier shares the same background as the Jack Russell, which can be traced to the first half of the 19th century and the breed creator Mr. Russell. When Reverend Russell passed on, other breeders continued developing the breed, but different lines were developed in different parts of the country. The main difference between Parson Russell and Jack Russell is, that on average, the Parson Russell Terrier is slightly taller dog with longer legs more squared body and they have slightly larger head. 2) Russell Terrier The Russell Terrier is another line of the original dogs of Reverend Russell, but in this case, the difference is quite clear. The Russell Terrier is a smaller version of the JRT and Parson Russell with shorter legs. This difference exists, because the Russell Terrier was further developed in Australia to dive straight into fox dens. The Russell Terrier height is only between 10-12 inch (25-30 cm). 3) Smooth Fox Terrier The Fox Terrier is another breed that shares close resemblence to the JRT, but unlike the first two breeds mentioned in this video, they are not directly related together. The similarities are mainly caused by the compact body type, coloration and coat, but also by their lively and energetic temperaments. The Smooth Fox Terrier resembles the smooth coated Jack Russell. 4) Wire Fox Terrier While the Wire Fox Terrier resembles the rough coated Jack Russell. 5) Miniature Fox Terrier There is also a small type of the Fox Terrier, known as Miniature Fox Terrier, which logically also resembles the JRT. 6) Toy Fox Terrier And we can not forget about the American version of Fox Terrier, the Toy Fox Terrier, which is also extremely similar in appearance and temperament to JRT. 7) Rat Terrier There are also many other terriers that are specialized on vermin hunt that looks extremely similar to the Jack Russell Terrier, especially due to their coloration, size and body type. The most popular one is definitely the Rat Terrier, but there are many many more almost identical dogs all over the world. 8) Brazilian Terrier Another one would definitely be the Brazilian Terrier. 9) Chilean Terrier In Chile you can find the Chilean Terrier. 10) Japanese Terrier And in Japan you will find the Japanese Terrier. 11) Ratonero Bodeguero Andaluz Vermin hunting is very popular in Spain and there are several vermin hunters that closely resembles the JRT. The first one is Ratonero Bodeguero Andaluz. 12) Ratonero Palmero The second one is the Ratonero Palmero. 13) Ratonero Valenciano Than there is the Ratonero Valenciano. 14) Ratonero Murciano And last but not least there is the Ratonero Murciano. 15) Tenterfield Terrier Especially in Australia, you can mistake the Jack Russell Terrier with the local Tenterfield Terrier, which is believed to be related to Fox and Rat Terrier. 16) Teddy Roosevelt Terrier Another close relative to Rat Terrier with appearance extremely similar to Jack Russell is from the USA and it is the Teddy Roosevelt Terrier. 17) Plummer Terrier Than we have the Plummer Terrier which actually is a direct descendant of Jack Russell Terrier mixed with the Beagle, Fell Terrier and Bull Terrier, hence the similarity. 18) Basenji Another breed worth mentioning on this is list is African Basenji. This breed is much larger than the Jack Russell, but especially on a photo, it can be sometimes tricky to distinguish them apart. 19) Mountain Feist And last dog on our list, number 19, is a Mountain Feist, which is another American breed developed in the 19th century by mixing various terriers and hounds and which is used for huning various small game. History
The Bullmastiff Brasileiro, also known as Brazilian Bandogge was developed in the late 1980s and 1990s in Brazilian state Minas Gerais with the goal of creating a strong, athletic and rustic breed that will be perfect as a farm and livestock protector. To achieve their goal, the founders of the breed Mr. Fernando Chaves and Marcos Rondon crossbred various very strong, athletic and fearless breeds, mainly the Brazilian Mastiff, American Pit Bull Terrier and English Bullmastiff. These three breeds are believed to be the main ancestors of the Bullmastiff Brasileiro, but some other breeds were used in the breeding process as well, such as Dogue de Bordeaux, Tosa Inu, Rotweiller, Cane Corso, American Bulldog or American Staffordshire Terrier. Appearance The appearance of the Brazilian Bullmastiff can vary quite a bit. Some are more Mastiff-type and others Bull-type, but in general, this is very very powerful and strong, yet athletic and agile dog breed. The breed should have broad and deep chest and overall impression of strength. The average height is between 50-70 cm which is 20-27 inch and weight between 40-60 kg, which is 88-132 lbs. There are quite big size differences between males and females. These dogs have short coat and as you probably know, these dogs are ranch guardians. That is a reason why brindle and black dogs are highly valuable for these kinds of work, because they are less visible at night. But the Bullmastiff Brasileiro can also come in blue, white, red, fawn, yellow or chocolate. The Bullmastiff Brasileiro has wide and robust head with wrinkles and the mask is very often black. They have slight undershot and strong and powerful jaws. The eyes are oval or almond shaped and they should be in similar color to the coat. Temperament The breed was developed to be a good cattle dog that drives cattle through the tropical mountains of Brazil and defends them from predators and thieves and thanks to their great strength, endurance and fearless, courageous and intelligent character they are very very good at this purpose. It is said, that these dogs are able to perform ranch duties without extensive training. It is just their natural behaviour to be guardians. But the Bullmastiff Brasileiro should not be agressive without a reason. On contrary, it should be friendly with other dogs or animals but fearless when provoked, when he sense a danger or on command. Of course, this is not only guardian, but also docile, loyal and loving family companion. This breed is strongly attached to its owner and typically it is quite obedient. This is also quite sensitive dog breed that does not handle well harsh handling. Kind, but firm handling is recommended. They can live with other kids in the household and they are typically quite gentle with them, but you should never leave any dog breed with a very young child unsupervised. Last but not least, lets say that this is quite energetic dog breed, that will love if you will provide him with daily longer walks, hikes, vigourous playtime or fun training sessionss. Without enough physical and mental activity, they might develop some problematic behaviour. Health and grooming Great fact is, that the maintenance and grooming of the short Brazilian Mastiffs coat is extremely easy. Even without any grooming at all, the dog will keep its coat in good condition. You can brush the coat from time to time to remove any dead hair and to redistribute natural oils all over the coat, no other grooming is needed. Just like with all dogs, you should regularly check their eyes, ears, nails and teeth and clip them or clean them if needed. The Bullmastiff Brasileiro is famous for its natural rusticity and health and their average lifespan should around 9 or 10 years. These dogs should not suffer much from any serious health issues, but just like other big dog breeds, they might ocassionally suffer from hip and elbow dysplasia, bloating, infections or allergies. But as i said, this is rather healthy dog breed. |