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Golden Retriever

The Golden Retriever is a large-sized breed of dog. They were bred as gun dogs to retrieve shot waterfow such as ducks and upland game birds during hunting and shooting parties, and were named retriever because of their ability to retrieve shot game undamaged.  Golden Retrievers have an instinctive love of water, and are easy to train to basic or advanced obedience standards. They are a long-coated breed, with a dense inner coat that provides them with adequate warmth in the outdoors, and an outer coat that lies flat against their bodies and repels water. Golden Retrievers are well suited to residency in suburban or country environments. Although they need substantial outdoor exercise, they should be housed in a fenced area because of their instinctual tendency to roam. The dog sheds copiously, particularly at the change of seasons, and requires fairly regular grooming. The breed is a prominent participant in conformation shows for purebred dogs. The Golden Retrievers' ...

Lion dog: Shih Tzu

The name comes from the Chinese word for "lion dog" because this kind of dog was bred to resemble "the lion as depicted in traditional oriental art," such as the Chinese guardian lions.  (The Pekingese breed is also called "lion dog" in Chinese) "Shih Tzu" is the Wade-Giles romanization of the Chinese characters 獅子, meaning lion; Wade-Giles romanization was in use when the breed was first introduced in America, but in modern times Pinyin romanization is used, rendering it shīzi. The Mandarin Chinese pronunciation is approximately SHIRR-dzə.  The Shih Tzu is also known as the "Xi Shi dog" because Xi Shi was regarded as one of the most beautiful women of ancient China. Shih Tzu were nicknamed the Chrysanthemum Dog in England in the 1930s.  The dog may also be called the Tibetan Lion Dog, but whether or not the breed should be referred to as a "Tibetan" or "Chinese" breed is a source of argument, the absolute...

Dogs Shih Tzu

The Shih Tzu comes in a range of colours that include various shades of gold, white, brown, red, and blue.  Other colours include black mask gold, black and white, solid black, solid liver, liver and white, brindle and white and grey and white. Though not as common there are also solid blue Shih Tzu.  An interesting point (and often a point of confusion) is that while the coat color of those with black pigmented skin (nose, lips, pads, also referred to as "leather") is determined by the color of the coat itself; the coat color on dogs with either liver or blue pigment is categorized by the color of the pigment.  Thus a parti colored (white and another shade) Shih Tzu with blue pigment is a "blue and white" regardless of the tint of the hair which might very well appear similar to a gold and white or other colors. The same principle applies to solid blue, liver and liver and white. Sometimes you might see dark brown pigments near the shoulders and betw...

Kitten or Kitty

A feline litter usually consists of two to five kittens. The kits are born after a gestation that lasts between 64 and 67 days, with an average length of 66 days. Kittens emerge in a sac called the amnion which is bitten off and eaten by the mother cat. For the first several weeks, kittens are unable to urinate or defecate without being stimulated by their mother.  They are also unable to regulate their body temperature for the first three weeks, so kittens born in temperatures less than 27 °C can die from hypothermia if they are not kept warm by their mother. The mother's milk is very important for the kittens' nutrition and proper growth. This milk transfers antibodies to the kittens, which helps protect them against infectious disease. Newborn kittens are also unable to produce concentrated urine, and so have a very high requirement for fluids. Kittens open their eyes about seven to ten days after birth. At first, the retina is poorly developed and vision is p...

Yorkshire Terrier

The Yorkshire Terrier is a small dog breed of terrier type, developed in the 19th century in the county of Yorkshire, England, to catch rats in clothing mills, also used for rat-baiting. The defining features of the breed are its maximum size of 7 pounds and its gray, black, and tan coat.  The breed is nicknamed Yorkie and is placed in the Toy Terrier section of the Terrier Group by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale and in the Toy Group or Companion Group by other kennel clubs, although all agree that the breed is a terrier. A popular companion dog, the Yorkshire Terrier has also been part of the development of other breeds, such as the Australian Silky Terrier. For Yorkshire Terriers, importance is placed on coat colour, quality, and texture. The hair must be glossy, fine, straight, and silky. Traditionally the coat is grown out long and is parted down the middle of the back, but "must never impede movement." A newborn Yorkshire Terrier puppy is born b...

Labrador Retriever

The Labrador Retriever (simply Labrador, or Lab for short) is one of several kinds of retriever, a type of gun dog. Even-tempered and well-behaved around young children and the elderly, Labradors are athletic and playful, and are the most popular breed of dog by registered ownership in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.  A favorite assistance dog breed in these and other countries, Labradors are frequently trained to aid blind and autistic people, act as therapy dogs, and perform screening and detection work for law enforcement and other official agencies. The modern Labrador's ancestors originated on the island of Newfoundland, now part of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The founding breed of the Labrador was the St. John's water dog, a breed that emerged through ad-hoc breedings by early settlers of the island in the 16th century. The forebears of the St. John's Dog are not known but were likely a random-...

German Shepherd

German Shepherds are large sized dogs. The breed standard height at the withers is 60–65 cm for males and 55–60 cm for females.  The weight standard is 30–40 kilograms for males and 22–32 kilograms for females.  They have a domed forehead, a long square-cut muzzle and a black nose. The jaws are strong, with a scissor-like bite.  The eyes are medium-sized and brown with a lively, intelligent and self-assured look.  The ears are large and stand erect, open at the front and parallel, but they often are pulled back during movement. They have a long neck, which is raised when excited and lowered when moving at a fast pace. The tail is bushy and reaches to the hock. German Shepherds can be a variety of colors, the most common of which are tan/black and red/black. Most color varieties have black masks and black body markings which can range from a classic "saddle" to an over-all "blanket." Rarer colour variations include the sable, all-black, all-white, ...

French Bulldog

The French Bulldog is a small breed of domestic dog. "Frenchies" were bred in the 1800s by lace makers first in England then in France when displaced by the Industrial Revolution. Frenchies are playful and affectionate. Their loyal, loving nature makes them a wonderful companion dog. French Bulldogs are an intelligent breed, however their willful, stubborn nature can make them more challenging to train. They require patience, repetition and early socialization. The French Bulldog should have the appearance of an active, intelligent, muscular dog, of heavy bone, smooth coat, compactly built, and of medium or small structure. The points should be well distributed and bear good relation one to the other, no feature being in such prominence from either excess or lack of quality that the animal appears deformed or poorly proportioned. In comparison to specimens of different gender, due allowance should be made in favor of the female dogs, which do not bear the character...

Pomeranian

The Pomeranian (often known as a Pom or Pom Pom) is a breed of dog of the Spitz type, named for the Pomerania region in Central Europe. Classed as a toy dog breed because of its small size, the Pomeranian is descended from the larger Spitz type dogs, specifically the German Spitz. It has been determined by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale to be part of the German Spitz breed, and in many countries, they are known as the Zwergspitz (Dwarf Spitz). The breed has been made popular by a number of royal owners since the 17th century. Queen Victoria owned a particularly small Pomeranian and consequently the smaller variety became universally popular. During Queen Victoria's lifetime alone, the size of the breed decreased by 50%. Overall, the Pomeranian is a sturdy, healthy dog. The most common health issue is Luxating patella.  Tracheal collapse can also be an issue. More rarely, the breed can suffer from a skin condition colloquially known as "black skin disease...

American Cocker Spaniel

The American Cocker Spaniel is a medium sized, sturdy dog. The head is rounded with a pronounced stop. The muzzle is broad and deep with square, even jaws. The teeth meet in a scissors bite.  The eyeballs are dark, very round with slight almond shaped eye rims.  The hairs are medium length on the body but short and fine on the head. There is feathering on the ears, chest, abdomen and legs. The coat comes in any solid color, black with tan points, merle, solid color with tan points and parti-color.  Examples of parti color combinations are white with buff or red, white with black, b or white with black and tan points.  Bold and keen to work, the American Cocker Spaniel is equally suited to life as a gundog or as a household pet. Cheerful, gentle and sweet, this breed is of average intelligence and is respectful of its master's authority. Amusing, trustworthy and charming with an ever-wagging tail, it is active, playful and devoted, but should be sociali...

Labradoodle

A Labradoodle is a crossbred dog created by crossing the Labrador Retriever and the Standard, Miniature or Toy Poodle. The term first appeared in 1955, but was not popularized until 1988, when the mix began to be used as an allergen-free guide dog. Currently, they are not considered a breed by any major fancier and breeder organization. Not all Labradoodles are hypoallergenic, but it is a quality that many look for and appreciate in this breed of dog. Since there is no real hypoallergenic dog, the term is often used loosely. Because the Labradoodle is a hybrid and not a breed, puppies do not have consistently predictable characteristics. While most Labradoodles have some common traits, their appearance and behavioral characteristics remain, to some extent, unpredictable.  As such, Labradoodles' hair can be anywhere from wiry to soft, and may be straight, wavy, or curly.Straight-coated Labradoodles are said to have "hair" coats, wavy-coated dogs have "fleec...

Rottweiler

The Rottweiler is a medium to large size breed of domestic dog. The dogs were known as "Rottweil butchers' dogs" because they were used to herd livestock and pull carts laden with butchered meat and other products to market. The Rottweiler was employed in its traditional roles until the mid-19th century when railways replaced droving for herding livestock to market. While still used in herding, Rottweilers are now also used as search and rescue dogs, as guide dogs for the blind, as guard dogs or police dogs, and in other roles. Rottweiler is good-natured, placid in basic disposition, very devoted, obedient, biddable and eager to work. Their appearance is natural and rustic, their behaviour self-assured, steady and fearless. They react to their surroundings with great alertness. The American Kennel Club says it is basically a calm, confident and courageous dog with a self-assured aloofness that does not lend itself to immediate and indiscriminate friendships. A ...

Bull Terrier

The Bull Terrier is a breed of dog in the terrier family. They have large, egg-shaped heads, and small triangular eyes. There is also a miniature version of this breed which is officially known as the Miniature Bull Terrier. The Bull Terrier's most recognizable feature is its head, described as 'egg shaped' when viewed from the front, the top of the skull is almost flat from ear to ear.  Profile curves gently downwards from top of skull to tip of nose which should be black and bent downwards at tip. Nostrils are well developed and under-jaw deep and strong snout. The unique triangle-shaped eyes are small, dark, and deep-set. The body is full and round, while the shoulders are robust and very muscular and the tail is carried horizontally. They are generally white in colour, walk with a jaunty gait, and are popularly known as the 'gladiator of the canine race'. Bull Terriers are known to be courageous and active. They enjoy being around people but are s...