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1) Origin
The Pandikona is a very old dog breed from Andra Pradesh. The breed is named after the village Pandikona. Just like with most of the ancient breeds, the history or ancestry of this breed is unknown and it is very likely that they evolved naturally, by natural selecition. They are similar to other primite breeds like Indian Pariah dog or African Basenji. 2) Protector One of the main purposes of Pandikona dogs is to guard and protect. They are naturally very territorial and they are used to guard property, villages or livestock. These dogs are also quite sharp, brave and alert. They are very focused and confident in their protection abilities. On the other hand, they should never show any signs of agression towards people they live with. 3) Independent dogs All the ancient primitive dog breeds must be independent, they must be able to survive on their own. And the Pandikona is no different. These dogs need to know how to get food or shelter by themselves. And indeed, the Pandikona likes to be independent and free ranging. 4) Hunters The Pandikona is not only a great protector, they are also commonly used to hunt prey. They typically hunt in a pack and they are able to hunt smaller prey such as rabbit, but also larger and more dangerous animals like wild boars. They are natural hunters and they can hunt naturally even without training. 5) Size The Pandikona is athletic, well muscled and powerfully built dog breed with average height between 46-52 cm, which is 18-21 inch, and weight is typically between 22-25 kg, which is 48-55 lbs. 6) Rarity Sadly, the Pandikona is very rare and critically endangered dog breed. Even today, they can be mostly found around the Pandikona village near Kurnool district in Andra Pradesh. It is impossible to find them outside the India and their numbers are very low. 7) Maintenance The Pandikona breed is very easy to maintain. They are very adaptable and they can live in harsh climatic conditions. Their coat does not require any grooming to remain in great condition. Overall this breed is very self reliant and they do not need almost no maintance to stay healthy and fit. 8) Primitive breed Throughout the video i said several times, that this is a primitive breed. For some poeple it might suggesting that they are not very bright or clever, but it is quite the opposite. Primitive breeds are typically very intelligent and the Pandikona is no different. Primitive breeds are simply those dogs who still behave and react according to their ancestral nature, because it has not been significantly diminished over time. 9) Health Great fact about the Pandikona is, that it is a very healthy and hardy dog that does not suffer much from any health issues. Because a lot of Pandikonas are not vaccinated, they can suffer from rabies, or some of them can have itchy skin. But unlike most of the modern dogs who suffer from bloating, hip dysplasia or cancer, these are not widely spread in the Pandikona breed. 10) Appearance The Pandikona has large and pointy ears, medium sized muzzle and long curly tails. You can find this breed in any color with or without white patches. Fawn and black are quite common. The legs are long and muscular which helped them to run fast.
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Appearance
The Presa Canario is a robust and big mossoid type of a dog, with a lot of muscles. The average height of Presa Canario is between 56-66 cm, which is 22-26 inches and weight is usually between 40-65 kg, which is 88-145 pounds. The females are naturally little bit smaller than males. The Presa Canario comes in two colors. The first one is brindle and they can be in all shades of brindle, varying from dark brown to almost blonde. The second color is fawn. They can have white marks on the chest, base of the neck or feet. The mask must always be black. The Presa Canario has massive head, medium to large sized oval shaped and dark eyes, the ears are often times cropped, but if they are left natural, they hang down closely fitting to the head. Temperament The Presa Canario has very intimidating appearance, but it is quite calm dog breed. Of course, the temperament is vastly influenced by training and early socialization, but when the Presa Canario is around its owner and family, they tend to be calm and extremely devoted and docile. They also tend to be quite active and playful, especiall when they are younger. On the other hand, this is a strong willed dog who is naturally cautious, suspicious and alert around strangers. They can be easily trained to be good territorial protectors. Early proper socialization is definitely needed with the Presa Canario, especially if you want to have obedient companion by your side. Even though, the Presa Canario is very smart dog, that is capable of getting new commands fairly quickly, they are not total pushovers to train. It is because of their independent, self confident and strong willed temperament. Because of this, and their incredible strength, this is a bad choice for a novice or unexperienced dog owner. Another important thing to consider when buying a Presa Canario is their higher energy. They definitely need daily outdoor exercise, longer walks, interactive playtime or jogs. Otherwise, they will become bored and can develop problematic behaviour like destruction. Overall, the Presa Canario is a great livestock guardion and amazing companion for active and experienced dog owners who know how to proplerly socialize and train dog from younger age. History It is believed, tha the Presa Canario origin dates back to 15th or 16th century and that its ancestors are very old indigenous Canarian dogs called Bardino Majorero and other mastiff like dogs brought to Canary Islands by spanish conquistadores. During the 17th century, the popularity of this new breed raised rapidly and the Presa Canario was used as a livestock guardian dog and to guard the farm from predators and they were great at it. Sadly, the Presa Canario was also used for dog fighting until the prohibition of dogs fights in 1940s. After that, the number of dog fights has been reduced to minimum, but there were still some illegal fights. But since than, the Presa Canario became not only a great livestock protector, but also a popular companion dog. In the second half of the 20th century, the Presa Canario numbers declined quite a lot. It was because they were no longer needed that much for working on farms and because of further import of other European dogs, such as German Shepherds or Dobermans. Luckily, in 1970s, people started to revive the breed and in 1982 the The Perro De Presa Canario breed club was formed. Today, the Presa Canario is not on verge of extinction, but it is still a rare breed, especially outside Canary Islands. Health and grooming For a large dog breed, the Presa Canario is quite healthy, with average lifespan between 10-12 years. Just like majority of larger breeds, they can be suffer from hip dysplasia. Other health issues, that can offer less often and mostly in older age includes panosteitis, entropion, hypothyroidism, bloating or demodectic mange. The Presa Canario is easy breed to maintaing and groom. Their short coat does shed, so if you want to minimize the shedding to minimum, weekly brushing is recomended. They can drool after drinking and eating, but again, it is nothing terrible, especially in comparsion to other mastiffs breeds. Just like with all dogs, you should regularly check their eyes, ears and nails and clip them or clean them if needed. 1) History
Belgium was always a big producer of milk and milk chocolate, so it is no wonder that Belgium farmers needed a lot of skilled sheepdogs. In 1800s, there was a lot of different herding dogs, whose type was varied and whose coats were extremely dissimilar. That changed in 1890s, when group of enthusiasts formed the Belgian Shepherd Club and the first written breed standard was written in 1892. 2) Black and Longhaired The Belgian Shepherd breed was determined by their typical triangular ears, squared and medium sized body and some other distinctive feature, but they still differ in the texture, color and length of the hair. That is why there were, and still are four varieties of Belgian Shepherd – the Groenendael, Malinois, Lakenois and Tervuren. The Groenendael is the black long haired type. 3) Belgian Sheepdog In most countries in the world, the Groenendael is recognized as one of the four varieties of Belgian Shepherd, but in the USA, they are recognized as a separate breed known as Belgian Sheepdog. The Lakenois, Malinois and Tervuren kept their original name and are recognized as separate breeds as well, the only variety whose name was changed was the Groenendael. So in the USA – Groenendael is the name as Belgian Sheepdog. 4) Worker The original purpose of Groenendael is herding, but over the time this dog served for many more purposes, this is very versatile breed. They are used for protection and law enforcement, tracking, drug and bomb detection, for search and rescue and lately also sometimes as therapy dogs. This breed also excell at various dog sports, for example in agility, obedience and herding events. 5) Smart and active Everyone who is describing the Groenendael temperament use the words intelligent and energetic and indeed, the Belgian Sheepdog is not a breed that enjoys lazing around the house. This is a worker and they need something that will occupy them physically but also mentally. They will always be ready for long outdoor adventures, as well as for interactive and task oriented playtimes and training sessions. This dog is capable of learning new commands very quickly. 6) Companion This is a great companion dog, but they are not for everyone. First of all, they need an active owner who will provide enough exercise. If so, than they can live happily live even in smaller apartments, these dogs will be happiest if they can live around their people, around their pack. They truly thrive for companionship. This is loyal, affectionate dog that bonds deeply with its owner. 7) Strangers This breed is naturally protective and they are typically alert and wary of strangers. Of course, this can be vastly influenced by early socialization, but the dog should never be agressive without a reason. But they can be easily trained to become excellent watchdogs and guards, who will protect its people and territory. 8) Size This is well proportioned, athletic and squared built medium-large sized dog breed with average height between 56-66 cm, which is 22-26 inch and weight is typically between 20-30 kg, which is 44-66 pounds. Females are little bit smaller than males. 9) Maintenance Groenendael has a thick double coat that sheds all year long and it sheds quite a lot. Because of that, they require a lot of brushing to minimize the shedding and to keep the coat in good condition. Once or twice a year they will shed extremely heavily and you will have to brush their coat every day. But they do not need any other special grooming or maintenance. Just like with all dogs, you should regularly check their eyes, ears and nails and clip them or clean them if needed. 10) Health The average lifespan of Groenendael is between 11-13 years. They are relatively healthy dogs, but they do suffer from some health issues like hip dysplasia, hypothyroidism, progressive retinal atrophy, cancer, cataracts or epilepsy. Appearance
The Silken Windhound is a medium sized dog breed with the typical sighthound elegance and beautiful silky coat. Overall, the Silken Windhound looks like a small Borzoi and it is not a coincidence, because the Borzoi is a direct ancestor of this breed. The Silken Windhound has an athletic and balanced, but also very graceful body. Just like all the sighthounds, their body is aerodynamical and made for running. The Silken Windhound average height should be between 18-24 inches, which is 45-60 cm. You can find this breed in all possible colors and color combinations. The coat is silky and very soft to touch and moderately long. The coat can be wavy, curly but also straight and this dog has naturally short coat on its face and head, hock and feet. On the other hand, there is typically a longer feathering on the back of the forelegs and on the ears. Temperament This breed is an excellent companion. They are very playful, affectionate and friendly. They are also pretty gentle, which is why they are good partners for kids, but of course you should always supervise the situation between any dog breed and very young child. On the other hand, you should never forget, that this breed has the ancestry of a hunter. They do have excellent vision and strong prey drive and they might try to hunt down smaller animals, especially when they are trying to run away from them. Because of that, smaller household pets might be problematic, just as walks without a leash in unfenced or unknown areas. On the other hand they typically do not have problems with other dogs in the family and if they are raised with other pets, for example with cats, from their puppyhood, they can live with them as well. Even though this is pretty alert dog, they should never be shy or agressive towards strangers. This is definitely not a watchdog or a guard, they are just too friendly for this purpose and it is possible they would invite the burglar into your home rather than deter it. Great fact about the Silken Windhounds temperament is its high intelligence and trainability. They are pretty eager to please its owners and they do like interactive playtime or training sessions. The Silken Windhound is a runner and athlete, but they are not hyperactive dogs. On the other hand, they are not coach potatoes as well and they want to strech their fast legs on daily basis. They all love coursing and off leash runs, but as i mentioned earlier, they have higher prey drive and you should let them off leash only in fenced areas or if you are 100% sure about their recall. They all like longer walks and they can also succesfully compete in various dog sports like agility, flyball or rally. History This is still a young dog breed and as i mentioned earlier in this video, they have Borzoi ancestry. And the person, who founded and developed the Silken Windhound breed was a succesfull Borzoi breeder Francie Stull from the USA. She decided to develop a new breed in the 1970s and she used her Borzoi dogs and crossed them with some smaller, probably Whippet based Lurchers. The first litter of Silken Windhounds was born in 1985 and in 1998 they got its official name. A year later, the International Silken Windhound Society was formed and the breed was officially recognized by the UKC in 2011. Health and Grooming This is usually a healthy dog breed with great lifespan around 14 years, but it is not uncommon for them to live into their late teens. Just like all dog breeds, they can be prone to some health issues. For example, some Silken Windhounds carry the MDR1 gene, which makes them sensitive to certain drugs and all Silken Windhounds should be tested for this before receiving medication, as a bad reaction can be fatal. Other health issues include lotus syndrome and collie eye anomaly. Even though this breed has moderately long and elengant coat, it is not extremely hard to groom them. They do require regular brushing to preven tangling and matting, especially behind the ears. Just like with all dogs you should regularly check the dogs ears, eyes and nails and clip them or clean them if needed. 1) Origin
The Skye Terrier is one of the oldest of all Scottish breeds and also one of the oldest of all Terriers. Those dogs originated in the northwestern islands of Scotland and they are named after the Island of Skye. It is believed, that dogs similar to Skye Terriers live in this area at least for the last four centuries, but nobody really knows, what is the certain ancestry of this breed nor what is the exact time or place of origin. 2) Greyfriars Bobby One of the most famed Skye Terriers of all time is definitely the Greyfriars Bobby who lived in 19th century in Edinburgh. I mentioned in the beginning of the video that the Skye Terrier is loyal and no one proves that more than the Greyfriards Bobby, who spent 14 years guarding the grave of his owner until he died himself on 14 January 1872. Today, you can find his statue near the graves and his story is well known in Scotland. 3) Workers This is one of the most elegant terriers of all, but do not be fooled by that, the Skye Terrier is a brave, tough and courageous worker, that was primarily used to protect farms from badgers, otters or foxes. They do have higher prey drive and are known as skilled hunters. And the elegant Skyes coat helped to protect them from those animals and their bites. 4) Noble dogs But not all the Skyes worked on farms. These little dogs were favourite breed of English royalty. Mary, the Queen of Scotts owned a Skye Terrier and also the big dog lover Queen Victoria owned few of them and made them very popular. It is safe to say, that the Victorian era was the time, when Skye Terriers had the biggest popularity and they were the darlings of Victorian society. 5) Rare dogs Sadly, since the Victorian era, numbers of those dogs dropped drastically, so as their popularity. There are big concerns about the future of the breed, with only few dozens of Skyes born each year in the UK. They are the most endangered native breed of Great Britain and according to the AKC, they are ranking 146th among the 155 in the USA. 6) Ears The Skye Terrier comes in two varieties. The only difference between those two types are their ears, because they can be either pricked or dropped. The prick ears are set high on the skull and point upward, while the dropped ears are somewhat larger, set lower, and point downward. The rest of the appearance is same for both varieties, just as their temperament. 7) Temperament Talking about the temperament and personality, this is very loyal, calm and dignified dog breed that bonds very closely to its owner. On the other hand, they are quite alert and suspicious when they see new people or animals, which is why extensive early socialization is essential for this breed. This dog can also be quite independent, which is why they are not total pushovers to train. Firm and patient training is required. 8) Living with Skye Terriers love outdoors. They love exploring, chasing and sniffing as you would expect from a breed that was used for hunting for a long time. They do need at least few daily walks to stay healthy and happy. If you will provide them with enough outdoor activities, they will love to live indoors, next to their people. These dogs will be happiest around its family, around its pack. If they do not get enough attention and exercise, they are known for being very loud and vocal. You should also be prepared to brush their coat once or twice a week to prevent tangles and minimize the shedding. 9) Size The Skye Terrier has relatively large body and head in comparsion with its short legs. The average height is around 10 inches, which is 25 cm and weight is typically between 25-40 pounds, which is 11-18 kg. There are no extremely big size differences between males and females. 10) Health The Skye Terrier is considered as a very healthy breed with average lifespan between 12-15 years. The biggest health concerns are orthopedic problems that could occur during growth, like puppy limping, which is why you should not overdo it with the exercise until the Skye is at least one year old. Puppies should not jump up and down or climb over objects and even very long walks should be avoided for the first 8 to 10 months to prevent later problems. |