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.
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We all know, that we should only buy dogs from reputable breeders. But how to actually recognize reputable and irresponsible dog breeder apart? In this video i will give you 11 red flags that you cant trust a dog breeder.
But before that, lets say what actually is ethical and responsible breeder. For me, it is such breeder, that is using everything in its powers and is using every available tool in order to breed dogs that will have the best chance to be healthy, to have correct temperament and instincts for the breed, to have correct appearance of the breed and he will make sure that these dogs are placed in correct homes, where they will have the best chance to have happy and healthy life. But how to recognize, that the breeder does not doing these things, that he is not ethical and responsible? 1) One of the most obvious red flag is, when the breeder will not let you to visit the dog beforhand. Not only, that you should see the dog, the breeder should also show you at least one of its parents. If the breeder will not let you see the dog beforhand, that is the most obvious red flag and you should never buy a dog from such owner. 2) This is connected to another red flag. You should always be able to visit the place, home or kennel, where the dogs and puppies live. If the breeder will not let you see where they keep their dogs, it is a clear sign of something nefarious. 3) Another obvious red flag is, when the breeder does not have knowledge of the breed. Feel free to ask the breeder any questions about the breed, about its history, temperament, appearance, health and grooming needs. Most breeders will love to talk to you about their dogs and the breed, because they should know everything about it. If they have struggle to answer your question, consider it as another red flag. 4) Dont only ask about the breed, but ask directly about the kennel. You should also ask about the breeder's history and experience. Good breeder will be more than happy to share their story, history and experiences with dogs. 5) Of course, another red flag is, if they have no evidence to show health checks. Most irresponsible breeders will tell you how healthy their dogs are, but when it comes to showing evidence about health testing, they have nothing to show. Good breeder will be able to show you evidence that both parents have had the the relevant health tests. 6) The breeder should not only be able to provide health checks, but he should be able to provide pedigree documentation if it is needed. Some unethical breeders will claim, that their dogs are pedigree, but you should always see appropriate documentation of the dog’s pedigree before buying the dog. 7) A less typical red flag might be a fact, that the breeder is not curious about you, about the buyer. All good breeders will want to make sure, that their puppies will be in good hands, which is why most good breeders will ask you questions like why do you want this specific breed? What is your experiences with dogs? Do you have other pets? One breeder asked me about my financial situation, which might be viewed as rude by some people, but it is legitimite question. Good breeder will always be curious, where their pups will end up! 8) Another red flag is, when the puppies are younger than eight weeks old, because puppies shouldn’t be taken away from their mothers until “at least eight weeks,” and good breeders will not separate the puppy from its mother before this age. 9) Be very suspicious, if the breeder does not specialize on one breed. Most breeders will be specialist on only one, maybe two, maximally three breeds. But if the breeder will offer you Labrador, Shih Tzu, Yorkie and Rottweiler puppies, it is guaranteed that this is not ethical breeder. Puppy mills will always have a lot of dogs available for sale. This is not true with reputable breeders, who will have between 4-10 dogs maximally to sell at a time. 10) And of course, good breeder will never push you to close the deal. Of course, breeding dogs is still a business, but good breeder will never push on you to buy the dog. A reputable breeder will respect the weight of your decision. Good breeder will love its dogs and he will want to make sure that they will end up in good family, which should be more important than making the money quickly. 11) And the last red flag is the marketing of the breeder. Most reputable breeders has a long waitlist for its puppies and they do not need to advertise their puppies on craiglist or facebook. Of course, this is not always a truth, but you should be cautious when the breeder has a lot of advertisements on such websites. In conclusion, all good breeders will show you their puppies in advance, they will show you their parents and the place where they keep the dogs. They will provide you with all the necessary documentation, such as health testing and pedigree, they will not push you into buying the dog, instead, they will question you if you are the right person for the dog. And of course, they will know everything about the breed and they will be happy to talk about their dogs, about their kennel and about the breed. I hope this video will help you to choose correct breeder and to make you a good decision. BTW, i would always recommend you to adopt a puppy rather than buy a cheap puppy from suspicious breeder. I always adopt and i truly believe, that if you are not looking for a dog for special utilization, than there is no reason why not to adopt! History
The Renascence Bulldog was developed in 1990s with the goal of re-creating the legendary working British Bulldogs breed of the 1800’s. To achieve this goal, several breeds were used in the process. Specifically it were American Bulldogs, Bullmastiffs, English Bulldogs, Hermes Bulldogs and Old Family Red Nosed Pitbulls. The creator of the breed also created a breed standard and formed Renascence Bulldogs Kennel Club. So all the pure Renascence Bulldogs have to be bred accordingly to this consistent breed standard and the breeding laws are quite strict. The Renascence Bulldogge remains very rare at the moment and you can find it almost exclusively in North America, but its popularity is slowly growing. Appearance On the first sight you can see that this is strong and muscular dog breed. They have big head with some wrinkles, very strong jaws, muscular neck, short and broad muzzle and large tusks. The average weight should be between 60-90 lbs, which is 27-40 kg and height between 17-22 inch, which is 43-56 cm. The Renascence Buldogge has a short, smooth and flat coat, which comes in variety of colors from white to fawn to black, with or without brindling and tan or white markings. Temperament The Renascence Bulldogge has the typical character of a real Bulldog. This means, that it is very friendly, playful and affectionate towards its own people and people he knows, but reserved and watchful around strangers. But they should never be agressive without a real reason. These dogs are naturally protective and territorial, which is a reason why they make perfect adepts for property protection or as personal guardians. Not only they have fearless temperament for this purpose, they are also very muscular and agile. This is also a reason, why proper early socialization and training is a must with this dog. On the other hand, when they are at home, they are absolutely loving. They are playful, docile and quite gentle. They can make good playful 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 or pets, but of course, this is vastly influenced by early socialization. It is also important to mention, that this is not a coach potatoe. The Renascence Bulldogge is powerful and active dog that enjoys active lifestyle. Daily longer walks, hikes, vigorous playtime or fun training sessions are essential to keep this breed happy and heatlhy. Health and grooming The Renascence Bulldog can still suffer from similar health issues as other Bulldog breeds, such as some skin problems, heat stroke or bloating, but it is important to say that this tends to be much healthier breed in comparison to other Bulldogs, especially in comparison with the English Bulldog. The average lifespan is somewhere around 13 years. Thanks to the short and smooth coat, it is not hard to maintain the Renascence Bulldogs coat in top condition. Just brush it from time to time to minimize the shedding and it should be enough. You should take proper care about the dogs wrinkles and wipe them, so they are dry and clean to prevent infections. Just like with all dogs you should regularly check the dogs ears, eyes and nails and clean them or clip them if needed. Have you ever wondered why the United Kingdom has been the breeding ground for so many dog breeds and their subsequent prominence? Whether it's terriers, herding dogs, foxhounds, or bird dogs, the UK has contributed significantly to the world of dog breeds by developing over 75 dog breeds, which i will show you in this video in alphabethical order. The answer to this phenomenon lies in the historical context of the country, particularly the impact of the Enclosure Movement. But before that, lets mention other factors, that helped United Kingdom to be home to so many dog breeds.
United Kingdom is old and isolated country, where landrace dogs were traditionally used for all kinds of purposes, from hunting, to herding, guarding, as drover dogs or as companions. The UK, historically, also avoided all the bad stuff, that would destroy cultural artifacts, like dog breeds. They avoided big land wars, they were never colonised and they maintained their identity for centuries. All these factors meant, that the United Kingdom always was a good place for various and diverse dog breed development. The United Kingdom was also the first country to create a breed kennel club with breeding rules, which prevented excessive inter-breeding, which could destroy a dog breed as fast as any war or other major catastrophe. Now lets talk about the enclosure movement i mentioned in the beginning of the video. The Enclosure Movement, which began in the 12th Century with the enclosure of royal lands, gained significant momentum in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. During this period, rural England underwent a transformation, with a substantial shift away from subsistence agriculture. Large forests were cleared, and the land was repurposed for sheep farming, surrounded by stone walls and dense hedges. This movement was a seismic shift in the economic and social fabric of the UK. Approximately one-quarter of cultivated acreage, or around 6 million acres, was enclosed through direct acts of Parliament, and an additional 4 to 7 million acres were privately enclosed by the wealthy. This "rich man's land grab" forced millions of poor tenant farmers and squatters off the land, pushing them into overcrowded cities and towns. The Enclosure Movement had both detrimental and beneficial consequences. While it led to immense suffering for people, it provided opportunities for dogs, especially foxhounds, collies, and terriers. Before the movement, squatters and inholders on common land made fox hunting with hounds challenging. However, after people were removed from the land and replaced by sheep and cattle, the number of free-ranging mounted hunts expanded rapidly. Additionally, the Enclosure Movement facilitated the rapid improvement of farm stock. In the 18th century, livestock breeding was largely random. Still, by the late 1700s, farmers like Robert Bakewell realized that by separating males from females, which was made easier by enclosed fields, they could selectively breed and improve the quality of their animals. This deliberate inbreeding of livestock and selection for desirable traits led to the creation of new and "improved" breeds of sheep and eventually extended to other farm animals and dogs. In 1859, the first formal dog show was held at Newcastle upon Tyne, sponsored by two shotgun makers, featuring Pointers and Setters exclusively. John Henry Walsh, the editor of The Field magazine and one of the judges at the show, later founded the Kennel Club. With the advent of dog shows, the creation of dog breeds proliferated. In 1800, there were only 15 designated dog breeds, but by 1865, that number had exceeded 50 and continued to grow, reaching triple digits after the establishment of the Kennel Club in 1873. The Kennel Club imposed stricter standards, segregating and cataloging breeds into specific categories. Dog shows became social events, attracting middle-class individuals seeking "purebred" puppies to enhance their social status. The differentiation between show dogs and working dogs became more pronounced over time. Dogs were judged on various criteria, including tail set, coat markings, eye color, and even their facial expression. The legacy of the Enclosure Movement continues to shape the world of dogs. In 2002, the Countryside Alliance organized a massive march in London, with 500,000 participants supporting hunting with dogs. Tony Blair used the Parliament Act to ban fox and hare hunting with dogs, despite opposition in the House of Lords. Political and economic forces that set British dogs on different paths two centuries ago still influence the dog world today, with debates over hunting and dog breeding regulations continuing. In conclusion, the history of dog breeds in the UK is intricately linked to the Enclosure Movement, the development of agriculture, and the emergence of dog shows. These historical events have left a lasting impact on the diversity and function of dog breeds, raising questions about the future of working dogs and the role of dogs in modern society. Thank you for watching, see you in the next video! History
The Pastore della Sila is believed to be one of the oldest Italian dog breeds, that have been bred in the mountainous regions of Calabrian Apennines for a long time. The breed is actually named after the La Sila plateau, where it is most widespread. We do not know exactly, how they got into Italy and what are they ancestors. It is very likely, that the ancestors of Pastore della Sila came to the Calabrian mountains as flock guardians, following nomadic greek shepherds to southern Italy. It is very likely, that they are related to Greek Sheepdog, which looks quite similar as Pastore della Sila. It is believed, that these dogs were crossed with local Calabrian breeds, which led to creation of new unique dog breed – Pastore della Sila. We do not know, if they are really related to Greek Shepherd, there are some theories, that they might be related to Bankhar dog, Romanian Raven Shepherd Dog or to Karaman Shepherd. The breed was always used to guard livestock from dangerous predators, especially from wolves. But during the 20th century, the old shepherding methods were not needed that much anymore and even the need for shepherd dogs declined, which led to almost extinction of the Pastore della Sila. Since the 1980s, there were efforts, to revive the breed. For several years the eminent cynologist Dr. Ferdinando Sala spent his time and money by reconstruction of this ancient breed, by breeding and selecting fitting dogs. Thanks to these efforts, Pastore della Sila is once again a reality in Italian mountains, where its serves as a skilled guardian once again. Appearance The Pastore della Sila is a large mountain dog with powerful but agile and athletic body, large and wolf-shaped head, strong neck, almond shaped eyes, triangular ears and pointed muzzle. The average height is between 60-70 cm, which is 23-27 inch and weight between 35-55 kg, which is 77-120 lbs. There is quite a big difference in size between males and females. The Pastore della Sila has a thick and abudant straight doublecoat. It can also be slightly wavy. The coat is very practical for mountainous weather and it protects the dog from all kinds of weather. The breed can be either black, black and tan or sable. White patches may be present on the chest, toes and tip of the tail. Temperament The character of the Pastore della Sila is mainly formed by its utilization, which is guarding. They have very balanced character and they know when it is time to be agressive, strong and couragous and when it is time to be calm and affectionate. When their flock is in danger and there is a potential predator, such as wolf, the Pastore della Sila will do anything in its power to deter the predator, typically by barking and chasing them away. These dogs can also be easily trained for property protection. On the other hand, they create extremely strong bond with its owner and they are very attached to him. They should never be agressive towards people, definitely not without a real reason. They are very docile, extremely loyal, loving and active. They are also very loving with children, but you should always supervise the interaction between any dog breed and a very young child. But they are also typicaly wary of strangers and they typically do not approach people they do not know. This is a watchful and attentive dog breed, equipped with excellent memory, whihc is a reason why they have great learning ability. They can learn all the basic obedience commands quite easily. In conclusion, this is a tireless, brave and courageous livestock and property guardian, but also a perfect loyal companion, playmate and a true friend. Health and grooming For such a big dog, this is rather healthy breed, with average lifespan around 13 or 14 years. There are no big health issues reported for this dog breed. This is very independent breed in terms of grooming and maintenance. Even with limited maintenance, the coat of Pastore della Sila stay in decent condition. But of course, regular brushing will help to remove all the dead and loose hair, to redistribute natural oils all over the coat and it will keep the coat in best possible condition. No other grooming is required. Just like with all dogs, you should regularly check their eyes, ears, nails and teeth and clean them or clip them if needed. We all want our dogs to be as healthy as possible and two main factors that affects the dogs health are food and exercise. In this video we will focus on the dog food. Most people want the best food for their dogs, but the market is filled with so many companies producing all kinds of dog food and many of them using shady and false marketing to promote their brand, so it might be very hard to recognize good and bad dog food apart. The package of dog food and even the commercials are often times a, which is why you should always look directly on the ingredient label and nutritions before purchasing dog food. In this video, i will show you 23 harmful ingerdients in dog food to avoid feeding your dog. Lets jump into it!
1) Gluten (Wheat, corn) People avoid gluten to improve their digestion or for loosing weight, but the reason for avoiding gluten for dogs is more compelling. Gluten is found in grain such as wheat or corn and it is used as binders to form the kibble. Gluten is not natural food for dogs and many many dogs develop allergies on gluten an suffer from digestive distress due to the unnecessarily high quantities of gluten in dog food. This can also cause other issues such as ear infections, hot spots or itching. 2) BHA/BHT If your dog food contains BHA or BHT food preservative, throw it away immediatelly. It is banned in many countries, but it can still be used in dog food even in some developed countries. BHA is considered as human carcinogen and it is linked with many health issues in dogs as well, such as cancer, liver damage or kidney damage. There are plenty of healthy preservatives, but BHA is just too cheap, so the producers use it a lot. 3) Ethoxyquin This is a dog food preservative, which prevents the oxidation of fats and oils. On one hand, the Ethoxyquin is considered as safe by regulatory agencies, on the other hand, many owners report bad effects of this preservative, such as liver and kidney damage, skin problems and other allergic reactions. 4) Corn syrup Corn syrup is used as a cheap sweetener in many kibble dog food and dog treats as well. Unfortunatelly, corn syrup, just like refined sugar, leads to weight gain and obesity, but it can also develop diabetes. 5) Artificial Colors This is a no-brainer. Dogs do not care about the color of the food. Artificial colors are added to dog food only to make the food look better for the dog owner. Artificial colors have zero nutritional value and it can cause allergies. There are literally no benefits of artificial colors, because dogs will prefer taste and smell and they do not care about the color and some artificial colors, such as Red 40 or Yellow 5 can be dangerous for pets. 6) Meat Meal Meat meal sounds as a good source of protein right? The problem is, that when you will see just meat, meat meal or meat and bone meal on the food label, you never know what this actually is. But i can tell you, that your dog will be fed with the worst source of leftover meat. It can even be meat from diseased or dead animals, from expired meat sections. If you are buying dog food from good brand, they will always specify the origin of the meat, such as turkey, chicken, salmon, etc. 7) Meat by-products Meat by-products refer to any part of the animal that is not considered as a meat. It can be kidneys, lungs, liver or intestines. And these parts are actually very good for dogs as they are rich source of protein, vitamins and minerals. Problem is, that again, we do not know what exactly was used as by-products, because it could also be hooves or hair and similar by-products, which is again, why i should advise you to avoid dog food with meat by-products. 8) Animal by-products Animal by-products are similar to meat by-products and the main issue with them is that they are nutritionally inconsistent when used in dry dog food. Unnamed animal by-products can be so heavily processed that little to no nutrition is left for the pet. 9) Animal Digest Animal digest is another non-specific protein source, basically, a mixed meat broth that is heavily processed and that is often times used in dog food to give the pet food a flavour. It is sprayed onto dog food to make up for a lack of actual meat flavour from meat. 10) Soy Soy is a source of protein, but it is a very bad and cheap source of protein. For dogs, you should also try to give them meat based protein. The soy protein is less usable for energy and body processes from immune response to muscle maintenance to metabolism. It can also be difficult for dogs to digest soy, causing bloating and gas. 11) Rendered fat Rendered fat is typically low quality fat of unknown origin. Fats in general are healthy in moderation, but again, the problem is, that rendered fat can be from any animal, even sick animal. You should always choose food, which has fats from named sources. Rendered fats can be a source of toxins and harmful microorganisms and can promote the growth of harmful bacteria and mold. 12) Propylene glycol Propylene glycol is used in anti-freeze, but it is also used in dog food to keep moisture in semi-moist canine foods. The problem is, that propylene glycol can be toxic in large amounts. 13) Cellulose The cellulose is rather new additive to dog food and it is used as a cheap binder, stabilizer and emulsifier. The problem with cellulose is that it is indigestible. 14) Artificial flavours There are plenty of natural delicious flavours, so why choosing a dog food with artificial flavours? The reason why producers are using artificial flavours is, that they do not use enough of the real flavour. Be skeptical about the quality of dog food ingredients when flavour needs to be added to anything because it's often a way to hide subpar ingredients. 15) Melamine Melamine is actually a plastic, that is used as a filler ingredient to reach the required protein content. It is a chemical compound and you can also find it in fertilizers or flame retardants. Melamine can be toxic to dogs and in large amounts it might cause kidney failure. 16) Nitrates Nitrates can be typically found in meat products such as sausages and they are used as preservatives to prolong the shelf life of food. Nitrates can be toxic and they can cause blood disorder called methemoglobin which might cause a death of a young puppy or senior dog. You should definitely avoid any dog food with nitrates or sodium nitrite in it. 17) White flour This is another filler with no nutrition value. It is a carbohydrate that can cause spike and then a drop in blood sugar, causing your pup to be hungry again soon after consuming it and it can cause obesity or diabetes. 18) Xylitol This is a suger substitute, but even though it has no calories, it can still be problematic to your dog. Xylitol can cause hypoglycemia, liver failure, seizures or cancer. 20) Rice Rice, or even worse, Brewers rice, is a low-quality carbohydrate source with almost no nutrients and it is used by dog food producers to save costs. Brewers rice are left overs after white rice has been processed. Rather than rice, look for whole vegetable or whole grain sources in dog food. 21) Sodium Sodium is often times used in dental care dog food as it may help reducing tartar. But it is also believed, that it can cause cancer and it can cause problems with digestion. You can always just brush your dogs teeth, rather than using sodium dental care treats. 22) Vegetable Oils Most vegetable are healthy for dogs, but we can not say it about vegetable oils. Vegetable oils typically contains high levels of omega-6 fatty acids, which are responsible for inflammation. 23) Salt There should be enough salt from the ingredients in the dog food already and i would be very cautious, if the producer would add extra salt into the dog food. Balanced diet can contain less than 1% of salt, so there really is not any need to add it in dog food. |