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Appearance
The Shih Tzu nickname is a Chrysanthemum Dog, which is thanks to their unique facial fur, which has the appearance of flower petals. They have heavily furred ears, that typically hangs down like pendants, the head is broad and round and wide between the eyes. The dark brown eyes are pretty large and expressive. Typical feature of this breed is the underbite, which is required by the breed standard. This underbite creates the cute and unique Shih Tzu smile. The Shih Tzu is a small and sturdy dog breed with average height between 20-28 cm, which is 8-11 inches and weight is typically between 4-8 kg, which is 9-18 pounds. There are no big size differences between males and females. The hallmark of this breed is definitely its coat. The traditional coat which can be seen on dog shows is long and flowing, but i would say that most Shih Tzus have shorter coat, that can be wavy or curly. The coat type is purely a choice made by the owners and since the shorter coat is easier to maintain, you will most likely see more Shih Tzus with shorter coat. You can find this breed in almost all colors. Temperament The breeds name Shih Tzu can be translated as a little lion, but there is nothing fierce about this breed. The Shih Tzu is amazing playful, affectionate and loyal family companion. This is a very social dog who thrives for attention from its family, but they are typically alert around strangers and it is not uncommon for them to bark on strangers who are approaching their territory. But of course, this is not a protector or guard dog. The Shih Tzu is an intelligent and bright dog, but they are also independent and they are known for being little bit stubborn, which is why they are not total pushovers to train. Early patient training and socialization is essential to raise an obedient Shih Tzu. The housetraining can be also little bit challenging. Great fact about the Shih Tzu is their adaptability. They will happily live in large estate, but also in small apartments. They make great companions for children, but also for seniors, for singles but also for large families. They can also live with other dogs and pets in the family without any problems. This breed is not extremely active, but they are definitely not total coach potatoes. They like good playtime and outdoor walks. But thanks to their small size, its not very hard to deal with their energy level. History The Shih Tzu has old history, this is an ancient breed from Tibet. We are not sure about the breeds ancestry and exact date of origin, but there are some theories about it. One of them says that they were developed in Tibet back around the 7th century and that their main ancestor is the Lhasa Apso. Another theory suggest, that they are crosses of Lhasa Apso and Pekingese. It is almost certain, that the Lhasa Apso and Shih Tzu are relatives, they look almost the same. If you would like to find out what are the differences between them, i am giving you link to Rocadog comparsion video between those two breeds in description. The Shih Tzu was favourite dog of Chinese royalty and they were kept at court as far back as the Tang dynasty in the 9th century. When the China became a republic, these little dogs were imported to the Western countries as well Health and Grooming The appearance of the Shih Tzu shouts out “high maintenance”, and it’s definitely true that they demand their fair share of grooming. They need regular almost daily brushing, frequent bathing and combing to keep the coat in top condition. Because of that many owners choose to have a professional clip and shape their dog’s fur into a shorter cut. Great fact is that the Shih Tzu is a low shedding breed. Just like with all dogs, you should regularly check the dogs ears, eyes, teeth and nails and clip them or clean them if needed. The average lifespan of Shih Tzu is between 12-14 years and just like all dogs, they suffer from some health issues. Due to the shorter muzzle, these dogs suffer from brachycephalic syndrom which is causing breathing issues and they can overheat easily. Other health concerns include intevertebral disc disease, hypothyroidism, eye problems and otitis externa.
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AppearanceThe Porcelaine dog is very elegant, unique and athletic dog breed, showing top quality in all details of its structure. The average height should be between 21-23 inch, which is 54-58 cm and weight is typically between 55-62 pounds, which is 25-28 kg. The female tend to be slightly smaller than males.
The breeds hallmark is definitely the shiny, almost luminescent white coat. The base color is white with roundish orange spots on his body and ears. Orange ticking on the ears is highly characteristic of the breed. The coat is very short and fine. The Porcelaine has black nose with pretty wide nostrils and round black eyes, which gives expression of intelligence and sweetness. Ears are settled slighlty below the line of their eyes, long, rotated inward and pointed at the ends. Temperament The Porcelaine was bred for hunt and even today, they are still sometimes used for this purpose. And they are great at it! These dogs are highly energetic, brave, independent and they have very strong nose and are able to easily pick up the scent of prey and track it over rough terrain. But when they are not hunting, they are very social dogs who love their family, their pack. They thrive for our attention, are very affectionate and playful, they can live with other dogs and they are good playful partners for older kids. But of course, you should never leave any dog breed alone with a very young child. Because of their hunting heritage, they have higher prey drive, so smaller household pets like rabbits or hamsters might be problematic. It is also important to mention that these dogs are quite vocal, but their voice is pretty melodious and musical. Just like most of hunting dog breeds they have higher energy level and need daily physical exercise. They enjoy outdoors, exploring and sniffing and daily longer walks are must to satisfy this breeds exercise needs. On the other hand, they tend to be pretty calm indoors These dogs are bright, intelligent and eager to please their owners, which makes them fairly easily trainable. fOverall, the Porcelaine is a great family companion for active people who like outdoors and know how to properly train and socialize the dog. Interesting fact The breeds name is derived from white shiny coats, through which their skin, marbled with numerous black spots, is faintly visible, which is similar as if you would put porcelaine plate against the source of light and put the hand in between the source of light and the plate. You will be able to see the hand through the Porcelaine plate. Sometimes they are also named as Chien de Franche-Comté, which is after a French region next to Swiss borders, which played an important role in the breeds history. History It is believed, that the Porcelaine is the oldest of all French hound breeds in existence. Just like with all old breeds, it is hard to say what are the exact ancestors or exact place and time of origin of this breed. First mentions about this French breeds are from 1600s. They were developed for flushing and hunting hare, deer, and wild boar. These dogs were quite popular hunting companions in these days, but they were associated with French aristocracy and after the French Revolution, their numbers declined a lot. The breed almost dissapeared after the Revolution, but the breed was revived. The major role in the breeds reestablishment was played by monks from the French-Comté area. Today, the breed is not on the verge of extinction anymore, but it is still rare, especially outside France. Their popularity is slowly raising and today they can be found in Italy, UK, Poland and some other European countries and USA. Health and grooming The Porcelaine is usually a very healthy dog breed with average lifespan between 12-13 years. Just like all dogs, they can suffer from some typical dog health issues, especially at older age. These include hip dysplasia or infections, but they do not suffer from any of these as much as other dog breeds. The Porcelaine has a short single coat which is very easy to maintain. The grooming needs are minimal and even without any brushing, the coat will remain in good condition. You can brush them once in a while to remove the dead hair and dirt. The bathing is also needed only when its really necessary. Just like with all dogs, you should regularly check the dogs eyes, ears, teeth and nails and clip them or clean them if needed. it. 1) Origin
The Borzoi is a dog breed developed in Russia and their history can be traced back to 15th or 16th century and it is closely related to the previous Mongol invasion. Mongols typically used sighthounds of Arabic type called Koutsi. Those dogs were crossbred with Russian hunting dog called Loshaya. Loshaya dogs were not sighthounds, but they were extremel strong and it is said that they were able to kill an adult elk. The result of this cross, was the beginning of the Borzoi breed. Later these dogs were also crossed with some other breeds, most likely with Russian laika, Hortaya or Tazi 2) Aristocracy The Borzoi was beloved dog of Russian aristocracy who used them for coursing. Additionally, hunting with borzoi became a favourite sport of Russian royalty. But because of that, after the Russian communist revolution in 1917, everything what was associated with royalty became unpopular and the Borzoi popularity declined. But the breed survived and today it is part of the Russian cultural heritage. 3) Hunters Today, majority of Borzois are companion dogs, but they still have their amazing hunting skills. They are known as Russian Wolfhound and indeed, these dogs were used to hunt running game such as wolves, but also hare or foxes in open ground, where they use their high speed, endurance, strength and agility to defeat the prey. Borzoi love running and chasing and because of that, they are perfect adepts for a dog sport called lure coursing. 4) Eyes The Borzoi is a typical sighthounds with extremely good eyes. Their eyes are frontally placed on the head, giving them a 270-degree field of sight, which is why they have amazingly wide field of vision. And not only that their eyes serves the purpose great, they also look great. The Borzoi have pretty large, almond shaped brown eyes. 5) Size The Borzoi is not extremely heavy, actually it is quite slim and athletic breed and their weight is typically between 25-48 kg, which is 55-105 pounds. On the other hand, they are very very tall. They are definitely giant dog breeds and their height is between 68-85 cm, which is 27-33 inches. The females are normally little bit smaller than males. 6) Famous dogs The Borzoi became very popular in the western world during the 20th century, especially in the USA. They were part of many silent movies with actors such as Jean Harlow or Hope Hampton, they were subject of many arts and often times they appeared in the front pages of magazines. They also had famous owners, for example Picasso or Marilyn Monroe. 7) Coat One of the breeds hallmark, next to their large body, is their coat. They have long and silky coat and the long top-coat is quite flat, with varying degrees of waviness or curling. This is doublecoated dog and the thick doublecoat is helping the Borzoi to live in very cold areas. You can find this breed in almost any color and color combination. 8) Companions Borzois tend to be very loyal and devoted and they tend to be great companions. Becauce of their hunting heritage, they are not the best fit for families with other household pets, or they need to be extensively socialized with them from their puppyhood. They are known to be very smart, quiet, sensitive and calm. On the other hand, they are also pretty independent, so they are not total pushovers to train. Because of that, their independent and sensitive nature, they need patient and firm, but not harsh trainer. If you will provide them with enough exercise, the Borzoi is extremely good indoor pet, which is calm and quiet. 9) Escaping The Borzoi is a dog bred for hunt. They are driven by their sight and nose and when they will see something they will consider as a prey in the distance, they will most likely try to chase it. That is why you should only leave these dogs off leash in fenced or well known areas. When they start the hunt, it is almost impossible to recall them. 10) Health The Borzoi is usually a healthy dog breed with average lifespan around 10 or 11 years, which is pretty good for dog of this size. Most giant dog breeds suffer from hip dysplasia and other joint and bones problems, but these are not that common in Borzoi. The most common health issues, due to the Borzoi deep chest, is bloating. They also suffer from cardiomyopathy. 1) Ancestry
The Galgo Espanol is a very old ancient dog breed from Spain. They are named Galgos after Celtic Tribe Gauls who lived in the area of today Spain, on Iberian peninsula in the 6th century. The uncestry is unclear, but it is believed that these Celtic Gauls bought some sighthounds from Phoenician traders. Later, when Moors conquered Spain, these sighthounds were bred with some North African Sighthound dogs, for example with Sloughi. And most Galgos were also most likely interbred with fast Irish greyhounds, to improve their speed and hunting abilities. 2) Hunters For a long time, Spanish Greyhounds were highly valued for their hunting abilities. They even symbolized a high social and economic status and only the nobility owned them. When they are hunting, they are using their sight and speed. They are mostly used to hunt hare in open fields in fast pursuit, but they can also hunt rabbits, foxes or even boars. 3) Today situation Even today, the Galgo Espanol is used for hunting and they are still great at it. What changed is, that they are not highly valued for it and very often they are not treated well. They are used for hunting on Spanish countryside and often times they are just viewed as hunting tools, rather than actual living creatures. It is common that they live in groups in small spaces without windows and when they are injured or too old for hunting they are abandoned or just killed. From symbol of nobility, they are now symbol of animal cruelty. 4) Rescue Luckily, not all Spanish people view them as hunting tools, of course there are many good people and those are saving the abandoned and mistreated dogs. And those rescue stations are not only in Spain, because there is just too many abandoned Galgos and Spanish shelters could not handle the situation. You can find Galgo rescue stations all over the Europe. They are in Czech republic, Netherlands, Germany, UK and i believe in many many other contries as well. So if you are thinking about getting a sighthound, you can try to search for Galgo rescue station in you area first and make a good deed. 5) Companions So what can you expect if you decide to rescue a Spanish Greyhound? Well, some of them might have some temperamental problems, because they were mistreated badly, but majority of Galgos are calm, quite, docile and well behaved dogs. They tend to get along well with people and other dogs, and they can be well-behaved around cats if properly socialized. Overall, they are affectionate towards their whole family, but can be reserved and alert around strangers. 6) Speed The Galgo Espanol is extremely fast and they just love running, its their passion. They have perfect aerodynamic slender body and long legs, which enables them to run up to 40 miles per hour, which is 65 kmh. When running they spend 75% of the time in the air and their tail works as a rudder when running. They also have higher amount of red blood cells, in comparsion to other breeds, which helps them to send more oxygen to their muscles and run faster. 7) Coat The Spanish Greyhound can be found in variety of colors and coat textures, ranging from smooth to flat coat to rough coat. They can be found in almost all the colors, but the most common would be cinnamon, yellow, white, red, dark brindle. 8) Jumpers Not only that Galgos are extremely fast, they are also excellent jumpers. If you dont want them to access some rooms or areas, baby gates or smaller or even medium fences are not enough. Galgos are known for jumping higher than 7 metres. 9) Size The Galgo Espanol is a very athletic, slender, yet elegant dog breed with average height around 25 or 26 inches, which is 64-66 cm and weight is typically between 50-65 pounds, which is 23-29 kg. Females tend to be slightly smaller than males. 10) Health Galgos are usually very healthy dogs with average lifespan between 12-15 years. Just like many other sighthounds, they can be sensitive to anesthesia and ocassionaly they can suffer from hip dysplasia or gastric torsion 1) Designer dog breed
The Beaglier is a so called designer dog breed, which basically means, that they are intentional crosses between two purebred dogs, in this case a Beagle and a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Of course, random natural crosses of these two purebred dogs may have existed for decades, but it was not until 1990s, when these two breeds were mixed intentionally. 2) Purpose The Beaglier was developed in 1990s in Australia. The breeders wanted to develop a new dog, that will be as enthusiastic, playful and energetic as Beagle, but will have lower prey drive and hunting instinct and also will be less independent and stubborn than purebred Beagle. They thought that if they mix the Beagle it with the affectionate Cavalier, they will create the perfect companion dog. 3) Companion And the purpose of creating an amazing companion dog was succesfull. Of course, the temperament of all crossbreeds can vary quite a lot, because they can inherit personality traits from two different breeds, but most Beaglier owners describe the breed as loyal, affectionate and playful. Some of them can have higher prey drive, but it seems that most of them does not have that high prey drive as purebred beagles, so they can happily live with other household pets, especially if they are raised together from the puppyhood. They can also live with children, but just like with all the breeds, you should never leave a young child with a any dog unsupervised. 4) Activity level Beagle is a lively and very playful breed, while the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is one of the most laid back breeds of all. The Beaglier is somewhere in the middle. Not a total coach potatoe, but not a totally hyperactive dog as well. Some of them will prefer long cuddling sessions, while others will enjoy long walks more, but most of them will enjoy both. Beagliers love to join in with family outdoor activities and most of them will love activities such as fetch, longer walks or even jogs. They love to be around their families and want to join them wherever they go. 5) Size Well both Cavalier and Beagler are smaller dog breeds, so the Beaglier tend to be on the small size. You can expect them to have height between 12-16 inches which is 30-40 cm and weight between 10-20 pounds which is 4-9 kg. 6) Coat Most of the Beagliers have shorter coat, that can be slightly wavy, but some of them can have longer coats, which resemble the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Most often you can find them in combination of brown, black, white and cream, rarely they can be in solid color as well. The grooming really depends on the coat they inherit, but as i said, most of them have shorter coat, which makes the grooming very easy and only occasional brush is needed. 7) Intelligent watchdog Beagliers tend to be bright and intelligent and they respond very well to obedience training. They do get new tricks and commands very quickly. Most of them also make good watchdogs, because they will bark when they will hear or see something suspicious. And their bark tend to be very loud and distinctive. But of course, because of their small size, they are not suitable to guard and protect. 8) Digging Most of the Beagliers just love to explore and to dig, especially if their exercise needs are not met, they might try to burn off their energy by digging. They can also easily dig their way out under the fence if the fence is not burried seveal inches bellow the ground. But with enough exercise, this shouldnt be a big problem. Exhausted dog is a good dog. 9) Maintenance As i said earlier, the grooming is not very hard, especially if the Beaglier has shorter coat. Longer coats require more regular brushing to keep it tangle free. You should always take care about their floppy ears, which can be prone to infections and you should clean the ears if needed. Just like with all dogs you should always regularly check their eyes, nails and teeth and clean them or clip them if needed. 10) Health The Beaglier can suffer from the same health issues as its parent breeds, but as a mixed breed with larger gene pool, they typically do not suffer from these health problems that often. The major health concerns include ear infections and hearing problems, patellar luxation, progressive retinal atrophy and sometimes hip dysplasia. |