Category archives: Breed of the Week

The American Staffordshire terrier (or Amstaff) has an interesting history that relates closely to the bulldog – in fact, the Amstaff more closely resembles the original bulldog than does today’s version of that breed.

In the 1800s the bulldog was taller and more athletic than today’s squat, smash-faced companion breed. It was used for bear and bull-baiting, where the dog would fight those animals prior to their being slaughtered for market. As the sport of baiting fell out of favor in the 1880s, the bulldog nearly went extinct. Aficionados of the breed revived it, breeding for the extremes of character and appearance in the breed that we see today.

The Amstaff split from the bulldog before the fall of the baiting practice and the selective breeding process for extremes was undertaken. At some point, probably in the early to mid-1800s, the bulldog was crossed with a terrier of some sort, which added even more tenacity to the willful bulldog. The Amstaff began to appear in the United States as early as the 1870s, and was used in both America and England, where it originated, to fight in pits with rats, as well as other dogs. In England the bulldog/terrier ...

The Cavalier King Charles spaniel, a toy breed best suited as a companion pet, has a very interesting history that perfectly – one that exemplifies how humans have manipulated canine genes through selective breeding.

The ancestry of toy spaniels, from which the Cavalier and closely related King Charles spaniel descend, can be traced to the Far East (likely Japan, which suggests a common ancestry with the Pekingese). It’s believed that these toy spaniels were given to European royalty as gifts.

History shows that the earliest recorded appearance of a toy spaniel in England was in a painting of Queen Mary I and King Philip in the early 1500s. However, it was during the reign of King Charles II (1649-1685) that the small spaniel breeds exploded in popularity – and from when they were first identified with the monarchy by name. So enamored with them was Charles, that the dogs reported had complete freedom within Whitehall Palace – and that Charles had a tendency to pay more mind to the dogs than visitors and state business.

The toy spaniels of Charles’ day were said to possess a flatter skull and short noses, which is the biggest distinction between the two breeds ...

When someone refers to a "collie," many people think of the iconic image of Lassie – the dog made popular by Eric Knight’s novel and the MGM television production. However, the term collie more broadly refers to a collective of dogs with similar traits – including the border collie, Australian collie, bearded collie and Shetland sheepdog.

The image of Lassie-type collie is actually what’s known as a "rough" collie or long-haired collie. They were originally bred for herding and driving livestock during the 1700s in Scotland and Wales. The dogs from the two areas had distinctly different characteristics – the Scottish version was large, strong and aggressive in order to herd highland sheep, while the Welsh variety was smaller, more nimble and was used to herd goats. The two were crossed and then likely mixed with Borzoi (which resulted in the long tapered head) to produce the foundation of today’s breed.

While a working dog in ancestry, the shift toward the conformation ring and companion pet exploded after Queen Victoria acquired one in the 1800s. The continued breeding for these purposes has reduced the herding instinct in many lines; the result being that today the instinct is very hit or miss ...

Perhaps no other breed epitomizes a show dog as much as a poodle in a Continental or Scandinavian clip, but lumping the poodle into a single venue would be to ignore more than 500 years of breeding and working history.

The poodle originated in Germany (where it was known as the pudelhund) and was popular throughout Europe – it’s even the national dog of France.  It became popular as a pet during the 18th Century, but has a storied history of service. From the battlefield to the duck marsh, the poodle has worked closely with man for hundreds of years – which is probably a reason why it often ranks as one of the most intelligent breeds.

Poodles were originally used for retrieving downed waterfowl for hunters. Their dense, tightly curled and water resistant coat helped keep them buoyant and insulated in the cold water. There are kennels throughout the country that are working to continue the hunting heritage of the poodle by training and testing them in hunting venues. Poodles have also been used since the 17th Century as war dogs, including during World War II as guard dogs. They also compete in obedience, agility, tracking and even ...

As entertaining, happy and hard-working dogs, golden retrievers have become one of the most popular breeds in the world. They consistently rank among the most-registered breeds in the U.S., U.K. and Australia, and serve many roles with an unrivaled eagerness to please.

Developed in Scotland in the 1800s as a water dog used to retrieve shot fowl, golden retrievers descend from a non-descript “yellow-colored” retriever, two extinct breeds (the St. Johns water dog and the Tweed water spaniel), Irish setters, the bloodhound and wavy-coated black retrievers. This combination of dogs set the stage for the modern golden’s characteristics: love of water, superb scenting ability, trainability, biddable disposition, desire to retrieve, soft mouth and intelligence. A well-balanced dog, golden retrievers possess soundness of body, character and intelligence (author Stanley Coren ranks them as the fourth most-intelligent dog).

While they were originally bred to retrieve waterfowl for hunters, and they still perform this duty today, golden retrievers have successfully crossed into all roles of canine athlete and assistance dog. Owners of golden retrievers compete in field trial and hunt tests, agility, flyball, obedience trials and the conformation ring. They are also used extensively in search and rescue, detection (from ...

One of the most easily recognized breeds throughout the world, German shepherd dogs have packed plenty of accomplishments, while garnering a storied reputation, into a very short history.

The modern German shepherd dog (GSD) dates to 1899 and descends from that country’s herding and guarding dogs. Through a strict breeding program grounded in working ability, the standardized GSD developed quickly; and while it continued to be used for herding and guarding sheep, the breed’s outstanding characteristics suited it for a wide array of working roles.

German shepherd dogs serve in military and police roles to track and detain criminals, as patrol and personal guard dogs and in scent detection – everything from tracking and narcotics work to mine, explosive and accelerant discovery. GSDs are also used in search and rescue operations and as guide dogs for the blind.

The GSD’s diversity of use stems from their inherent working abilities that include intelligence, courage, trainability, strength, a sensitive nose, obedience and loyalty. In fact, in the book The Intelligence of Dogs, author and psychologist Stanley Coren ranks GSDs as the third-most intelligent dog (behind the border collie and poodle).

German shepherds are intelligent and hard-working dogs who need daily stimulation and ...

A gentle giant, the Newfoundland likely descends from the mastiff, and possibly the Great Pyrenees, but beyond that, the history and dog or dogs to which it contributed to, or received DNA from, becomes a bit muddled. Undeniable, however, is the Newfoundland’s (affectionately known as the Newfie) work ethic – especially in water – and mild disposition.

In the late 1800s, fishermen from England and Ireland ventured to North America and, on what is now known as Newfoundland in Canada, discovered two dogs inhabiting the island. The smaller now-extinct dog had a smooth coat and medium build, and was known as the Lesser Newfoundland or St. John’s Dog – it became the foundation stock of many of today’s retrievers. The larger, long-haired dog was essentially today’s Newfoundland, which has contributed to the evolution of the Saint Bernard, Bernese Mountain Dog and Leonberger.

Both dogs were working dogs that were used to primarily haul nets for fishermen, but also as draft animals pulling carts and other labor-intensive duties. The necessary love of water influenced the evolution and use of both dogs. While the smaller version contributed to the genetics of several breeds of retrievers that were developed to pick up ...

Small and as full of energy as they are character, Jack Russell terriers possess intelligence and prey drive that allow them to serve in varied roles – from companion pet to tenacious hunter. The mostly white dog with brown and black markings comes in a trio of coat types – smooth, rough or broken-coated – and sizes, which leads to some confusion.

The standard Jack Russell remains much the same as the original breed that was established in the early 1800s. The Parson Russell terrier, closely related, is more of a conformation dog and has a more defined height of 12-14 inches at the withers (as compared to Jacks that range from 10-15 inches). Another closely related terrier, the Russell terrier or English Jack Russell terrier, is a smaller version, reaching only 8-12 inches in height.

The Jack Russell terrier was originally bred to hunt foxes. Its job was to flush or corner the animal in its den, giving the hunter a chance to kill it. They were later adapted to hunt badger, which required the dog to possess the courage to square-off with a dangerous foe in the confined space of its burrow and tunnels. This tight-spaced hunting helped necessitate the shorter-legged ...