Category archives: Breed of the Week

Breed of the Week: Deutscher Wachtelhund

Breed of the Week: Deutscher Wachtelhund

The Deutscher wachtelhund, or German spaniel, is a medium-sized, thick-boned, muscular gun dog with a thick wavy coat that protects it from briars and cold water. While they’ve been around since the 1700s, they’re a little-known versatile gun dog in both the United States and its home country of Germany.

In the U.S., the wachtelhund was recognized by the UKC in 1996, and the breed standard was published in 2004. The AKC is currently accepting applications for its Foundation Stock Service, which requires acceptance from a domestic or foreign registry. In the case of the wachtelhund, that registration comes from the German Wachtelhund Club, which oversees the Deutscher Wachtelhund of North America, and has very strict criteria for acceptance. In Germany, the wachtelhund has only been allowed to be owned by hunters, gamekeepers and foresters – few citizens even know of the breed.  

While the wachtelhund has a spaniel look (in both size and appearance), and they do flush feathered game, they are a versatile breed that is expected to hunt not just birds but also furred game such as rabbits and foxes – and even bigger game like stag and wild boar. They tend to air scent ...

Breed of the Week: Brittany

Breed of the Week: Brittany

The Brittany is a medium-sized bird dog that originated in France in the 17th Century. They were an all-purpose game dog in Europe, and were expected to hunt, point and then retrieve game – everything from feathered prey to furred game such as rabbits.

Once known as the only pointing spaniel, the term ‘spaniel’ was dropped from its name in 1982 because of such conspicuous differences in hunting styles; Brittanys point, while spaniels such as the cocker and English springer flush game.

Topping out at 20-1/2 inches and 50 pounds, the Brittany comes in several coat colors – orange and white or liver and white in either clear or roan patterns. The coat is a single coat, as opposed to a double coat like spaniels or retrievers (dense, insulating undercoat and weather-resistant outer coat), which makes it easy to maintain, and it’s usually dense and either flat or wavy. The tail of the Britt is short; if puppies are born with a long tail, it’s usually docked to the appropriate length – especially if it’s meant to work in the field.

Brittanys are an energetic, athletic dog that are rockets in the field – they’ll work tirelessly in ...

Breed of the Week: Pug

Breed of the Week: Pug

One the oldest breeds known, the pug has always been a companion animal that has wanted to be around people. It dates to at least 400 B.C., and likely served as a foundation for several other breeds – including the bulldog, Pekinese and King Charles spaniel.

The pug is believed to have originated in Asia, likely China. Buddhist monks in Tibet were among the first to keep pugs as pets. Pugs were then taken to Japan, followed by Europe in the 16th Century. They were imported by the Dutch East India company and quickly became a favorite to royalty – including House of Orange (legend has it that a pug saved the life of the prince by alerting him to assassins), William III and Mary II, as well as Napoleon Bonaparte’s wife, Joséphine, and Queen Victoria and her grandson (King George V) and great grandson (King Edward VIII). The pug made its way into the homes and hearts of Americans in the 19th Century and was recognized by the AKC in 1885.

Ever a people-dog, pugs have been depicted in paintings and writings throughout history as accompanying their owners on travels, at parties, sitting in portraits and ...

Breed of the Week: Rhodesian Ridgeback

Breed of the Week: Rhodesian Ridgeback

Large, muscular dogs, Rhodesian ridgebacks trace their ancestry to southern Africa, and it includes hunting dogs, guard dogs and semi-domesticated tribal dogs. The ridgeback is notorious for two things: first, as an athletic lion-hunting dog that could chase down and keep lions at bay until hunters showed up to make the kill, and second for the ridge of hair on their back that runs counter to the rest of the dog’s hair.

With roots that begin in present-day South Africa and Rhodesia, the ridgeback descends from semi-domesticated hunting dogs of the Khoikhoi people. These dogs possessed a line of hair that ran against the direction of the rest of their hair, creating a “ridge” along their backs. These fierce dogs were noted for their guarding abilities. Dutch settlers eventually brought European dogs with them – including greyhounds, bloodhounds and great Danes – which were bred with these indigenous dogs of South Africa. This crossing resulted in the Boer hunting dog, which continued to possess the ridge of hair along its back, and which was eventually taken to neighboring Rhodesia, where it was bred with other hunting dogs. The results of these pairing established the foundation for the ridgebacks – athletic ...

Breed of the Week: Great Dane

Breed of the Week: Great Dane

Truly great, as much in majesty as in size, the Great Dane is one of the largest dog’s in existence. A gentle giant, the Great Dane possesses a friendly and playful disposition. It’s an ancient breed, with similar-type dogs appearing in frescoes and other artwork from Greece and Egypt dating to more than 5,000 years ago! A 5th Century Danish coin depicts a large hunting dog believe to be a Great Dane.

The most striking feature of the Great Dane is their massive size. Minimum standards dictate that male Danes are not less than 30 inches tall – 32 inches and above is preferable (females can be slightly smaller, standing only 28 inches or more). Their weight ranges from 100 pounds for females to 120 pounds for males – while the AKC no longer states a minimum weight, those are generally accepted standards, however, the tall dogs should appear well muscled and proportionate to its great height.

Their large size makes Great Danes easily identified, and their presence will draw attention from everyone in the immediate vicinity. The largest living dogs are usually Danes – currently the Guinness Book of World’s Records recognizes a black Great Dane named Zeus ...

Breed of the Week: Maltese

Breed of the Week: Maltese

An ancient breed with a somewhat muddled history, the modern Maltese is a companion dog that has maintained its regal appearance and lovability.

The small, long-haired white dog weighs less than seven pounds (ideally four-to-six pounds) and stands seven-to-12 inches at the withers. Their long hair is silky white and lacks an undercoat. Regular grooming is required to keep it from matting, but by keeping the small dogs’ hair clipped in a “puppy cut” the maintenance can be reduced.

While the Mediterranean island of Malta is the origin of the dog’s name, the breed’s exact origin is somewhat in lost. Popular belief is that it originated in the central Mediterranean area, but there is some evidence to suggest that it came from Asia and made its way to Europe with nomadic traders.

A very old breed, Maltese-like dogs have been cited in writings since 500 B.C. Throughout history, Maltese have been linked to royalty and the affluent, including the philosophers such as Aristotle, Pliny the Elder and Strabo, the Roman Governor Publius of Malta and Queen Elizabeth I. The AKC says that even in the 1500s, the little white dogs sold for as much as $2,000!

Maltese have ...

Breed of the Week: Labrador Retriever

Breed of the Week: Labrador Retriever

The quintessential hunting, service and family dog, the Labrador retriever has been the most popular dog in the United States since 1991, according to AKC registration statistics. It’s also the most registered breed of dog in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

The affable and even-tempered Labrador is an intelligent dog that’s quick to mature – in the sense that it can begin advanced training and understand concepts at a fairly young age – and willing to please its owner.

Originating on the island of Newfoundland in Canada, modern-day Labs descend from a now-extinct breed known as the St. John’s water dog; similar to but smaller and with shorter hair than the Newfoundland breed of dog. St. John’s water dogs were used by fishermen to retrieve nets and haul lines between vessels, as well as for waterfowl hunting. The dogs were brought back to Poole, England, then a hub of new-world fishing and were developed into the modern Labrador. They were then returned to North America and have been a mainstay ever since.

Medium to large in size, weighing between 60 and 80 pounds on average, Labs should have a broad, somewhat blocky head with hazel or brown ...

Breed of the Week: Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever

Breed of the Week: Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever

A medium-sized retriever, the Nova Scotia duck tolling retriever is a hunting dog that is used in a most unique manner. Instead of sitting steady in the duck blind and waiting for the gunner to drop birds, the toller is an active participant in the hunt.

While the hunter remains hidden in the blind, tollers work the shoreline, darting in and out of the brush. Waterfowl, their curiosity piqued by the motion and the flashing white patches on the toller’s reddish coat, come closer to investigate. At that point, the hunter rises from his hiding spot, causing the ducks to flush. After the gunner drops the birds, the toller swims out and retrieves the waterfowl and delivers them to the hunter’s hand.

Originating, not surprisingly, in Nova Scotia, Canada, the toller was developed in the early 19th Century. It’s the smallest of the retriever breeds and is often mistaken for the more common golden retriever. The origins are unknown, but likely consist of a red decoy dog of some sort brought to the new world by settlers and then mixed with spaniel, setter and retrievers, as well as perhaps some type of collie, according to the AKC. It was originally known ...

Breed of the Week: Chesapeake Bay Retriever

Breed of the Week: Chesapeake Bay Retriever

The only retriever developed exclusively in the United States, the Chesapeake Bay retriever embodies the work ethic and hardiness of the American spirit at a time when the new country was first being settled.

Developed from two Newfoundlands (or perhaps St. Johns water dogs) rescued from a sinking brigantine off the coast of Maryland, Chessie ancestry likely includes flat- and curly-coated retrievers, perhaps spaniels and probably hounds from the local area. This combination of water-loving breeds with strong scenting ability produced a thick-coated and persistent working dog. And work they did.

The Chessie’s primary duty in the early 1800s was that of waterfowl retriever – which remains true today. They were used extensively by market hunters, who with their large punt guns could decimate flocks of ducks and geese, which the retrievers picked up – sometimes hundreds in a single day. Legend has it that Chesapeake Bay retrievers were dual-use dogs – they retrieved waterfowl by day and guarded the boats, guns and day’s haul at night while the market hunters caroused in waterfront saloons – and this is what has led to stereotyped traits in the modern breed (one-man dogs, strong guarding instincts, apt to bite, etc.). While market ...

Breed of the Week: English Springer Spaniel

Breed of the Week: English Springer Spaniel

A medium-sized gun dog that is affectionate and eager to please, the English springer spaniel was the foundation stock for several other spaniel breeds, including the clumber, Welsh, Irish water and field spaniels. However, the breed it is most closely related to is the English cocker spaniel.

At one time, both springers and cockers were born in the same litter, the main difference being size – larger springers were used to flush (or “spring”) and retrieve all manner of game birds while the smaller cockers were used primarily for woodcock hunting (both breed names were derived from their hunting styles). As the two breeds developed, the differences became more pronounced, and in 1902 the springer was recognized as its own breed in England and in America in 1910.

The breed standard dictates that springers stand approximately 20 inches in height and weigh between 40 and 50 pounds. As with many breeds, a split has occurred that has created differences in those dogs used for working in the field and those shown in the conformation ring. This split is perhaps the most evident of all breeds and has been evident for at least 70 years. Working field dogs tend to be ...