Appearance
The Taigan looks like a typical sighthound with slender, but strong body and dignified appearance. The minimal height of the Taigan male should be 65 cms which is 25 inches, for females it is 60 cms or 23 inches. This body type helps them to run very fast, up to 60 km/h, or 37 mph.

The Taigan has large wedge shaped head, which is supported by strong and long neck. The eyes are pretty large and they are in hazel or brown color. Overall, they have noble and calm face expression, which fits to their dignified look.

The one thing that is unique for Taigans is their coat. Its long, soft and very thick with a very dense undercoat during the winter. The most common color is black with white markings, but you can also find Taigans in brown, grey, black, white and yellow.

You can totally see, that Taigans are dogs from a harsh region with rough terrain and high altitudes. Not only they are strong, fast and they have thick coat, which helps them to easily hunt in this terrain, they also have very large lung capacity, which enables them to work in these high altitudes.


Personality
The Taigan is a hunter by heart, but they do have some kind of an off switch. When they are hunting, they are extremely energetic, totally concentrated and independent dogs who want to make their own decisions. And unlike some other breeds, Taigan really hunts to kill.

But when they are at home with its family, its completely different story. They are loyal, calm, friendly and absolutely devoted to their owners. Sometimes they are little bit aloof around strangers, but they are almost never agressive towards people.

And even though it is true, that they are, lets say, agressive hunters, they typically do not have problems around other dogs. And if they are socialized from the puppy, there should not be any problems with having second dog with a Taigan.

For sighthounds, its typical to have well developed sight, which is their main sense on hunt, but Taigan use all senses, so they have much more developed hearing and smelling than other sighthounds.

When training a Taigan, it is recommended to not use harsh methods. This dog really likes to be treated kindly and nicely and you will get nowhere with rough handling.


Interesting Fact
The word Taigan is not a random at all and it has its meaning. Taigans name means imperishable or undying and i think the name fits perfectly for this dog breed.


History
The legend says that a puppy hatched out of an egg from the nest of Kumai mountain grew up to become a Taigan. Later, this puppy saved one whole tribe by saving their cattle from pack of wolves.

But that is only a legend, so what is the true origin of the Taigan dog breed? It can be traced back to indigenous people of Kyrgyzstan, who used them for, well you guessed it, for hunting. But sometimes, also for guarding.

Sadly, the exact origins and pedigree of the Taigan is rather unknown, but it is believed that they share similar heritage with other Eastern Sighthounds like Saluki, Sloughi, Afghan Hound or Azawakh.

Because the Kyrgyz people were living the nomadic life and they were traveling all the time, its extremely unlikely to trace the Taigan origin to a single ancestor. The first breed standard was written in the 1964.


Health and Grooming
The Taigan is strong, tough and very healthy dog breed, but they can be affected by typical dog problems like hip dysplasia, patellar luxation and skin allergies. And because of their deep chest, the Taigan is also prone to bloating.

The average Taigans lifespan is between 11 to 13 years.

If you want to have a happy and healthy Taigan in your home, it is important to exercise them properly. Daily long walks where they can burn off their energy are necessary. They will be very happy if they have the possibility to run around on a large area.

The Taigan coat is beautiful, but to keep it in good condition, you will have to brush it regularly. The coat is very self cleaning, so bathing is needed only rarely. Other than that, you should regularly check the dogs big feets, clip the nails if needed and check the ears for possible infections.

Appearance
The Gaddi Kutta is often times confused with similarly looking breed – the Tibetan Mastiff, but they are quite different. They are less bulky and they have big mane, like a lion. I just said that they are less bulky than the Tibetan Mastiff, but this is still very large, huge and incredibly strong dog breed.

The average height of Gaddi Kutta is between 26-34 inches, which is 66-86 cm. The average female weighs around 90 pounds which is 40 kgs and males around 100 pounds, which is 45 kgs. But the alrgest Gaddi Kuttas can weigh up to incredible 80 kgs, which is 175 pounds. As you can see, this is really a giant and robust dog breed. But even with body this big, this is very athletic dog with amazing speed and stamina.

The Gaddi Kutta has large head and skull, straight back and deep chest. The tail is typically curled over their tail. And then we have the beautiful dense coat. They have wooly thick undercoat and medium length outercoat, which helps them to live in harsh mountainous climate. The coat is longer on the chest, legs, and tail. The most common color is dark brown or black overcoat and lighter tan or brown patches on their face and underside.


Personality
Thanks to their size, this dog can easily scare many people away, even when they are trying to be affectionate. And indeed, this is easy going, calm and affectionate breed. On the other hand, they are also very protective over their owners, and territorial over their home.

They were initially bred for hunting purposes, but they are more used by shepherds to guard the goats and sheeps.. Gaddi Kuttas are especially known for being strong enough to protect the cattle from larger predatros, like snow leopards. And they are not only guarding the sheeps, they have high intelligence and they are capable of herd the lost sheeps or goats back to their pens.

Just like other intelligent working dogs, even the Gaddi Kutta needs daily stimulation of their bodies and minds. They are much more active than the similar Tibetan Mastiff. They will love if they have access to a big yard or garden, because they were bred as outdoor dogs and they still love it this way.

I said that this is very gentle and affectionate dog towards its owners and family. And if they are well socialized, they can make good companions for children. But i would always supervise them with younger kids, because they can eventually harm them without even realizing it.


Intereting Fact
The Gaddi Kutta is known under many other names. You can know them as Indian Panther Hound, Himalayan Sheepdog, Mahidan Mastiff or Bhutia. So the correct answer to our quiz is A) Alangu Mastiff, which is a name for another well known Indian dog breed – the Bully Kutta.


History
We dont know much about the origin of the Gaddi Kutta, but it is believed that they have ancient history in the North India regions. The legend say, that they were developed when Indian king Mahidant of Meerut crossed local wild Mastiffs with Tibetan Mastiffs that were already an established hunting breed at the time.

We can not say if this story is even partially true. They were definitely used by local Northern Indian tribes as guard and herding dogs and they were amazing at this job. You can hardly find any better flock or cattle protector.

Another legend say, that they were developed by crossing local mastiff dogs with tigers. Today, we know that this would be impossible, but i am not surprised that people believe this legend, when they saw the Gaddi Kutta for the first time.



Health and Grooming
Just look at the Gaddi Kutta coat. They shed a lot. Especially during the autumn and spring, they will leave long dark hairs all over the place. If you want to keep their coat in best shape and minimize the shedding, daily brushing is recommended.

They also need a lot of space, as i already said, they were bred as outdoor dogs and they like it this way. I mean they are adaptable and they can live happily indoors if you will provide, but still, you must provide them with a lot of outdoor activity and exercise. Otherwise, they will be bored and unhappy.

The health of the Gaddi Kutta is relatively healthy. The lifespan is around 10 years, which is pretty average for dog of this size. If they live actively and have good diet, they dont suffer from any major health concerns, but just like all dogs, there can be some problems. The most common are hip and elbow dysplasia, patellar luxation and arthritis.

This dog was never the victim of overbreeding, which is the main reason of their good health. It is because only the strongest dogs can survive in the harsh himalayan climate. And the Gaddi Kutta is definitely a strong dog.

1) Origin

Just like most of the popular crossbreeds, the Yorkipoo is a new dog, which is only existing for about a decade. The breeding reason was to develop the prefect toy sized healthy companion dog with hypoallergenic coat. But just like with all crossbreeds, they can inherit the traits from either parent, there is no standardized version of the Yorkiepoo.

2) Temperament

But even though it is true, that there is no breed standard of Yorkipoo and when you are getting a puppy it is little bit a gamble, on average, they are intelligent and gentle dogs that make extraordinary family companions. But dont expect the typical lap dog, both Yorkie and Poodle are quite active and they definitely have the big dog temperament in their small body.

3) Exercise

The exercise is important. But since it is pretty small breed, they do not need tons of it and you can deal with it even indoors with vigourous playtime. But you should go for a longer walk every day. They do have great stamina and they make good partners for shorter jogs as well. And dont be surprised by their speed, for such a small body, they can run very fast.

4) Barking

Oh the barking, Yorkipoos love it. Maybe little bit too much. But it makes them a good watchdogs, because they will alert you when something suspicious is going on around you, although they might have different opinion on whats suspicious than you do.

5) Coat

Even though it is no guarantee that your Yorkipoo will be completely non shedding, they are never big shedders and normally, they make good companions for people with dog allergies. They can have the straight, long and silky coat like Yorkies, but also the wooly Poodle coat. But in both cases, if you want to keep the coat in good shape, regular brushing is a must. They can be in many different colors, including black, cream, white, apricot, chocolate or silver.

6) Training

The Yorkipoo, especially if they inherit more from the Poodle temperament, are very intelligent and eager to please dogs, which makes them highly trainable. They are pretty enthusiastic about it and they love to learn new tricks and commands. You might be surprised how smart these little dogs can actually be.

7) Around kids

Even though they are too small and fragile to be alone around small kids. It is because those children can be little bit too rough, since they dont know how to act properly towards dogs. On the other hand, they are excellent gentle, patient and loving companions for older children,

8) Size

Just like with all crossbreeds, the size can vary a lot. The height should be between 6-15 inches, which is 15-38 cm and the weight should be between 4-14 pounds which is 2-6 kgs. The size mostly depends on the Poodle type who was used for the breeding. There are three Poodle varieties, the Miniature, Toy and Standard.

9) Breeder

It is sad, but i think it is safe to say that all the popular crossbreeds are victims of bad breeders who dont care about the dogs but only about the profit. If you really want to buy a Yorkipoo, you should at least see the parents and check out their health. Also speak with the breeder and ask a lot of questions about the dog and about its parents, the breeder should know everything about the breeds he is breeding.

10) Health

Yorkipoo is quite a healthy crossbreed, but just like all dogs, even them suffer from some health issues. The most common would be hip and elbow dysplasia, von Willerbrands disease, patellar luxation and epilepsy.

1) Origin

The history of the saint bernard is kinda a mystery. It is believed, that they were developed from mastiff like dogs that were brought to switzerland by the romas approximately 2000 years ago. They crossed with local mountain dogs, which was the begining of the Saint Bernard.

2) Keg of Whiskey

Saint Bernards are famous as a rescue dog with a tiny keg of whiskey around their neck. But the truth is, that the st. Bernard were never armed with this keg on their neck, it is a big myth. This myth started because of the famous St. Bernard which was drawn with the keg.

3) Purpose

They might not have the keg of whiskey, but they were really working in the harsh terrain of swiss alps. Their original purpose was to guard and be a companions for monks in the Alps, but after a while they became the most famous rescue dogs. And not only they are great at finding human bodies under the snow, it is believed that they could predict incoming avalanches and they are definitely good at clearing snowy paths.

4) Barry

There was one Saint Bernard that was especially good at rescuing. His name was Barry and it is believed that he saved approximately 100 people. Once he found dying 12 years old boy and he carryied him back to safety. Sadly, he was probably killed by a soldier who mistaken him with a wolf.

5) Fast growth

When the St. Bernard puppy is born, they are between 1 – 2 pounds heavy and they have a lot of growing ahead, since the adult dog might weight up to 180 pounds. And the growth is very quick, when they are 3 months old, they already weigh around 40 pounds. After that they are gaining up to 5 pounds every single week.

6) Gentle Giants

Dont be fooled by the large size of the Saint Bernard, this dog is very gentle, calm and patient. That is why they are often times nicknamed as gentle giants. Thanks to this, they make wonderful companions for families, even with children.

7) Beethoven

There are many famous Saint Bernards, but the most popular is definitely the movie star Beethoven. It is a movie from the 1992 and it tells a story about a family which adopted an active and mischevious St. Bernard.

8) Drooling

Saint Bernard has loose skin hanging down from their lips. This is causing, that they are drooling much more than an average dog. Of course, this gets even worse, when they are hungry or when they drink.

9) Napoleon Bonaparte

Saint Bernards were not only rescue and guard dogs. In their interesting history, they also helped the famous Napoleon when he was crossing a mountain pass in the Alps. They were supported in this task by a group fo dedicated Saint Bernard dogs. And thanks to this support, Napoleon could cross the Alps without any bigger danger.
10) Health

As with almost all giant dog breeds, St. Bernards are very prone to some health problems. The most common is the deterioration of bones, which is caused by the rapid growth we talked earlier. They are also prone to hip and elbow dysplasia, some eye disorders, skin allergies and epilepsy.