Abyssinian
Psychogenic alopecia and dermatitis
Follicular dysplasia
Afghan Hound
Hypothyroidism
Airedale Terrier
Flank alopecia
Akita
Hypothyroidism
Pemphigus
Post-clipping alopecia
Sebaceous adenitis
Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) (more…)
The Chinese Shar-pei, famous for its wrinkles, has gone from the rarest dog breed listed by the Guinness Book of World Records to its current status of popularity. This breed is famous for its aloof temperament and its medical issues; still, most Shar-pei owners would not trade their breed for any less controversial one.
The following discussion is meant to assist people who are considering adoption of a Shar-pei. The Shar-pei is a unique animal with unique needs and may not be suited for the first time dog owner or for a family that requires a low maintenance dog. The Shar-pei is not a breed to adopt lightly; one must be prepared for an extra time commitment and even extra veterinary expenses. (more…)
BACKGROUND
Man has used dogs to help him hunt for centuries and different types of hounds have evolved to deal with the various prey. Larger, heavier hounds would have been needed to deal with wolves and wild boar, but in areas where small deer, rabbits or hare were hunted, the speedier, more agile Greyhound type of dog would have been more suitable. The more enclosed area meant that a smaller hound would have been preferred over the Greyhound.
At the end of the eighteenth century, the medium-sized running dog appears to have acquired a name of its own - the "whippet" or "snap dog" - and was a popular breed among the working men in the north of the country. These dogs were used for rabbit hunting and later for racing. Whippets became known as "the poor man’’s Greyhound" and were highly prized possessions, living curled up by the fire and, it is said, often fed better than members of the family. They were expected to earn their keep at race meetings where betting took place, so a dog that lacked speed would not be considered of any value. Only the best bitches would be bred from, and only the fastest dogs used at stud, so once more, the Greyhound type of animal predominated and the Whippet quickly reverted to type.
AVERAGE LIFESPAN
Whippets live up to 14 years of age.
AVERAGE SIZE
44cm to 51cm
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BACKGROUND
Bred in the mountainous terrain of Tibet, this ancient breed of dog was originally used for herding flocks of goats and sheep. This sturdy animal was bred to survive the harsh climatic conditions of their homeland which can vary between raging blizzards and blasting sand storms. Their unique round, flat feet are specifically designed to act as snow-shoes to help it get about during the winter.
AVERAGE LIFESPAN
The Tibetan Terrier can live up to 18 years of age.
AVERAGE SIZE & WEIGHT
36cm to 41cm
8kg to 14kg
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BACKGROUND
The Schnauzer is an ancient breed. It is the original sheepdog of the Austrian Tyrol. Paintings and tapestries dating back to 1492 show dogs that are not unlike the modern Schnauzers.
The Schnauzer has also been found in statuary, one on a statue in Mecklenborg, Germany. This statue is dated 1620.
"Schnauzer" was the name of the first prize winning Wired-haired pinscher (the breed’s previous title) which was exhibited for the first time in 1879 in Hanover.
Because of its desire to work with the shepherds and guard the family home, the traveling merchants of the 15th and 16th centuries used the Schnauzer to guard their wagons as they traveled from village to village.
These dogs had to be of a size not to take up too much room when traveling on top of the wagon but fierce enough to repel possible thieves.
The Miniature and Giant Schnauzers were developed from the Standard Schnauzer.
AVERAGE LIFESPAN
The Schnauzer, in general, is a very healthy breed and has a long lifespan:
* The Standard - up to 13+ years
* The Mini - up to 15+ years
* The Giant - up to 12+ years.
AVERAGE SIZE & WEIGHT
There are three breeds of Schnauzer.
The original is commonly known as the Standard Schnauzer. It is the middle-sized Schnauzer and stands between 43 and 49 cms at the shoulders. The bitches being on the lower end of the scale and the dogs being on the upper end. This breed comes in two colours - pepper/salt (grey) and black. The pepper/salt being the most common colour.
The largest of the three breeds is the Giant Schnauzer. This dog was developed for guarding and is used overseas in police work. The Giant Schnauzer stands between 63 and 71 cms at the shoulder and is mainly black.
Possibly the most popular of the three Schnauzer breeds is the Miniature Schnauzer. This is a very spunky little dog that intensely dislikes being treated like the toy breeds. They are not a toy, and are often referred to as being the big dog in a small dog body. This breed was originally developed as a vermin hunter and efficiently carried out its duties. The Miniature Schnauzer also makes an excellent guard dog so don’t be put off by its size. The Miniature Schnauzer stands between 31 and 36 cms at the shoulder. They come in three colours - pepper/salt; black and silver; and black. Pepper/salt being the most common colour.
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