Tag archives: guard

Early July is one of my favorite times of the year in the great and beautiful United States of America. Seeing our flag and colors displayed in so many different applications during this patriotic season always causes me to pause and reflect on the men, women and four-legged creatures whose hard work and bravery has gotten us to where we are today.

I grew up watching “Rin-Tin-Tin: K-9 Cop” religiously and was fascinated by the relationship that the German shepherd “Rinty” and his handler, Officer Hank Katts, shared as working partners and friends. The thrill of seeing them overtake the bad guys in every pursuit was highly appreciated by a budding animal lover. I’m sure at some point, when asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I answered, “A K-9 cop!” as I frolicked around with the family standard poodle, pretending he was a police dog.

Fast forward 20-plus years. I did not become a K-9 cop, but I do work for a company whose mission is to help all dogs, including those in uniform, achieve optimal genetic health through our DNA testing process. Paw Print Genetics is currently working on a research study involving police ...

An old breed, with records of the Celtics using them dating to 1200 BC, which makes it one of the earliest-known herding dogs, the Cardigan Welsh corgi is one of two corgi breeds – the other being the Pembroke Welsh corgi. The short legs and long, low-slung body of the corgi, along with ample energy, drive and endurance, has served it well in roles as a farm-guard dog, cattle driver and herder, and now commonly as companion animal.

Its small size allowed it to nip the heels of cattle and to drive them further out to pasture, while also keeping it out of harm’s way of kicking bovine. Today, their small size still serves them if employed for farm work, but it also makes them good candidates to live in apartments or houses with small yards. They readily bark at approaching strangers, so make good guard dogs; training can help reduce the barking in apartments where strange noises and passing people are regular occurrences. Because of their working background, they do require daily exercise, and many owners enter their dogs in trials that include sheepdog, agility, obedience and rally obedience, as well as herding events, flyball, tracking and, of course ...

Athletic and intelligent, the boxer has perhaps one of the most malleable of personalities and range of inherent traits, allowing it to perform in a wide array of roles. From companion and competitor to guard and war dog, the boxer is as fierce and intimidating as he is lovable and laughable.

Good with children, being both affectionate and patient, boxers do best when companions are near – be them human or canine. They enjoy a group setting, and will engage in cuddling, playing or working. They have a protective streak, which in combination with their affectionate nature makes them a popular choice among families. The breed holds strong in the top ten of breeds registered with the AKC, typically averaging as the seventh-most registered dog.

The boxer can trace its origin to 1890s Germany and the now extinct Bullenbeisser dog – a mixture of mastiff and bulldog. Directly descended from these dogs, which were used for fighting and hunting, the boxer was at first employed in a similar manner but performed the duties with more athleticism. While at first used as catch dogs on the hunt, boxers were later used as military dogs during World War I – performing as ...

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 ...