Getting to know your Jack Russell

One of my favourite dogs is the Jack Russell Terrier. They have lots of energy and drive, and can tend to be a bit on the hyperactive side sometimes. They epitomize the idea of dynamite coming in small packages, which can sometimes lead to problems with bigger dogs because Jack Russells never seem to register just how small they actually are! Because they come from a large gene pool, Jack Russells tend to live a long time and are mostly very healthy dogs. The typical lifespan of a Jack Russell is between twelve and nineteen years. In 2007, a Jack Russell named George saved five children from an attack by two pit bulls in New Zealand. The Jack Russell charged at the dogs just long enough for the children to escape. The dog was subsequently killed by the pit bulls but was awarding a gold medal for his bravery.

Getting to know the Borzoi

Finally, there is the Russian Wolfhound, also known as the Borzoi. The Borzoi keeps itself very clean by preening itself constantly. It doesn’t really feel the need to please its master in the same way that so many other dogs do. And although this makes it a harder dog to train, the Borzoi compensates for this by being very affectionate and loyal with the people it knows and trusts. Borzois can suffer from certain stomach ailments, which is why their meals should ideally be divided into two or three portions during day, consisting of plenty of meat. The Borzoi may have a magnificent coat, but this coat requires regular and thorough brushings every day. The average lifespan of a Borzoi is between ten and twelve years. Genetically, the Borzoi can suffer from leg fractures and may require calcium supplements given that they grow so quickly into adulthood.

Breed Profile: Chow Chow

The Chow Chow is mostly kept as an indoor companion. Chow Chows are considered to be very loyal and devoted to their family, and if visitors come to their master’s home they can get quite jealous. Because Chow Chows have a naturally dominant nature, they need a strong-willed owner - otherwise they will quickly run amok. Chow Chows do not train very easily; they are relatively friendly with others pets but, as mentioned already, rather suspicious of other humans. Their average lifespan ranges from nine to twelve years. One of the most common genetic disorders of this pet is something called Redundant Forehead Skin. Excess forehead skin can droop over the eye and lead to eye disease and even blindness. Also, because the Chow Chow is susceptible to eczema, its coat and skin hygiene must be monitored very carefully. Grooming, in fact, with a steel brush is recommended every day.

Gentle Giants: the bulldog

The Bulldog is the third least intelligent dog. Bulldogs are considered one of the most gentle breeds of dogs around - very affectionate and excellent with children. The Bulldog, however, is a classic drooler. Its head is shorter than that of others dogs, and this shortens the passages of their salivary glands. When a Bulldog wants something, it drools very easily. Even though the Bulldog looks menacing, it is in fact a rather ineffective watchdog. It is quite friendly to strangers and other pets, and does not require much exercise. The average lifespan of a Bulldog is between eight and ten years. Genetically, Bulldogs run the risk of developing mitral valve defects, which can create a leakage of blood into the heart. This will cause the Bulldog to tire easily and even faint. Although there is no cure for this condition, it can be managed with a special diet and exercise restrictions.

Basenji: breed profile

The Basenji, as the second most unintelligent dog, is famous for its unique bark, which is said to sound like a human cry or laugh. Basenjis tend to be very active and temperamental, though a lot of human contact as a puppy can help to offset this trait. Basenjis will often groom themselves for hours in a day and just stare out the window. On average, they live between fourteen and sixteen years. Basenji’s tend not to be very friendly with other pets and, because of the “least intelligent” moniker, they are not very trainable at least when it comes to advanced skills. This is not to say that Basenjis are completely un-trainable. Rather, they require a lot of more work from a dedicated owner, one who is prepared to patiently teach the dog whatever he needs to be taught. But if you want your dog to be able to do somersaults and back-flips, you should look elsewhere.

What about the least intelligent?

What about those dogs considered the least intelligent? I earlier mentioned the top five intelligent dogs: Border Collie, Poodle, German Shepherd, Golden Retriever and Doberman Pinscher. Taking first place for the least intelligent dog is the Afghan Hound, followed by the Basenji, then the Bulldog, the Chow Chow, and finally the Russian Wolfhound. I’ll be expanding on these dogs later, but for now let’s start with the Afghan Hound. Afghans are considered to be sweet and sensitive, having a very low dominance level. In this sense, they’re considered to depart from what are traditionally thought of as dog traits. Afghans are thought of as noble, and courageous when called for. They are one of the most ancient breeds of dogs, and some even consider them the “king of dogs”. For this reason, intelligence should not necessarily be the decisive factor in what dog you choose to own.

Doberman Pinscher

Finally, the Doberman Pinscher. Dobermans are utterly loyal dogs to their owners. They are assertive and fearless, and have incredible stamina. Generally, they are quite a dominant breed, though this is not absolutely true, and some Dobermans can even be quite docile. Although they are not vicious, a Doberman will very aggressively protect its master if he or she is threatened. At a young age, Dobermans can be susceptible to a certain skin parasite called demodectic mange, a disease that should be treated by a veterinarian. Dobermans are highly affectionate to their owners and generally quite amiable to other pets and other people. They have moderate exercise requirements. They live on average between nine and fifteen years. The area in which a Doberman shines the most is as a watchdog. It is categorically considered one of the best guard dogs available.

The perfect family pup: Golden Retrievers

After the German Shepherd, comes the Golden Retriever. Golden Retrievers are loyal, loving, perfect with children and very keen to please their masters. Apart from being on the list of the top ten most affectionate dogs, Golden Retrievers are also one of the most intelligent. Initially, they were bred to retrieve waterfowl, and they had a reputation as a superior hunting dog. Golden Retrievers have a highly developed sense of smell. They love carrying and fetching things, which is why they are your classic “throw the ball” dog. Golden Retrievers have an almost infinite patience with children, and will play with them for hours on end. They have a quite generous lifespan of around twelve to fifteen years. They are exceptionally friendly to strangers and other pets, so they are probably not the greatest watchdogs, but what they lack in guarding ability they make up for in a plethora of other ways.

Intelligent pups: The German Shepherd

The German Shepherd ranks just behind the Poodle in terms of intelligence. Considered one of the best guard dogs available, German Shepherds have a range of uses for home protection and in the police service. If raised with a loving but firm hand, they are excellent with children. They are moderately friendly with other pets, but can tend to be rather suspicious of strangers. They have quite high exercise requirements - not as high those of the Border Collie, but high enough to warrant it being exercised every day. Perhaps one of the biggest genetic weaknesses in the German Shepherd is hip dysplasia, which occurs when the hip joint is badly formed and which leads to arthritis. In humans, a total hip replacement with an artificial hip is a very successful procedure, and the same procedure can be used on dogs. However, the results are not as successful as in humans, and it tends to be quite expensive.

Breed Profile: Poodle

Next to the Border Collie, the Poodle is considered the next most intelligent dog. Like Border Collies, Poodles hate to be left alone and love being around people as much as possible. Poodles generally have a long life expectancy, from thirteen to fifteen years. While they don’t have enormous exercise requirements (certainly nothing compared to the Border Collie), Poodles need company and companionship. They are moderately friendly with other pets, and are very amiable to strangers. Later on in life, many Poodles can suffer from disorders of the eyes, skin and heart. It should be noted that there are some small differences between the Toy Poodle and the standard Poodle. Generally, Toy Poodles require less exercise and are slightly more affectionate. But both can be trained just as easily, and both are considered to be equally as intelligent.

Breed Profile: Border Collie

Did you know that the Border Collie is considered the most intelligent breed of dog? Border Collies insist on having some kind purpose or job to do. It’s why they’re so ideal for herding sheep. If you aren’t able to spend a lot of quality time playing with your dog, then a Border Collie is definitely not the dog for you, because without a job to do, or at least a way to exert their enormous superabundance of energy, Border Collies can quickly become destructive. Border Collies have a very good tolerance for cold and rain, but never for too much heat and inactivity. They tend not to be too friendly with other pets, and can quickly become neurotic. But because of their superior cognition and trainability, Border Collies really do set the benchmark for skills such as agility and obedience. In this arena, they leave most other dogs wanting.

Thinking About: Lassie Dogs

Who can forget that adorable dog who delighted our television screens so many years ago? Lassie was made popular by author Albert Payson Terhune in 1938, and has been the world's best loved pooch ever since! Lassie is better known in the dog world as a Rough Collie, and is considered to be one of the best family dogs. Rough Collies have a fantastic temperament, and are excellent companions for other dogs and even small children. They are said to have no fear, which is why they are fiercely protective of their owners and will always rush in to save them from any danger.

Rough Collies come in four beautiful colours that range from a beautiful caramel colour to a sleek black-and-white. Their faces are always lighter than the rest of their bodies, and are favoured by breeders for their particular shapes – the Rough Collie facial profile is long and neatly rounded, running from its cute ears to its little black nose.

Collies are very active dogs and so they need a lot of attention and exercise. It is advisable to never leave a collie unattended outside as they will become easily bored and will bark a lot which will annoy neighbours. If you are thinking about owning a collie then you should be sure that you could walk your Collie every day for at least 45 minutes. You might also consider getting your collie a furry friend so that they can entertain each other when you are at work and your children are at school.

Breed Profile: The Seal Point Siamese

Marked by their seal brown and near black extremities (that is their noses, paws, ears and tails) and their light fawn velvety soft bodies, the Seal Point Siamese is a cat that looks regal in both colour and physical structure. As kittens these beautiful cats are as adorable as they are elegant as fully grown cats.

Their deep blue, perfectly shaped almond eyes are also one of their most noted and most striking features. It is also not unusual for Siamese cats to live well into their teens and are even known to live into their twenties! Siamese cats really enjoy company and if you are going to be out of the home regularly it is a good idea to have more than one cat – and it is best to get them both as kittens so that they can grow up with each other.

As kittens these beautiful cats may look a little more like aliens than cats, but as they grow up they blossom into elegant, sleek and velvety furred animals that are also one of the most recognizable and oldest cat breeds of all time! From the age of twelve weeks these kittens are ready to enter a new environment as the kittens will have their basic inoculations and will be sufficiently physically and socially developed to adapt to a new home and family.

Breed profile: Turkish Angora

The Turkish Angora must be one of the must regal looking and all round gorgeous cats! So if you are looking into kitten adoption sometime in the future take a look around and speak to a breeder or two and consider taking home this beautiful cat! With its long coat of snow white fur and its huge sparkling eyes, the white Turkish Angora is an animal that commands attention is sure to stand out as a top breed during your adoption scouting.

One strong character trait of the Turkish Angora is what often leads to them being referred to as “dog like” as they tend to welcome visitors as the front door and take over visits as they inspect and steal the attention of your guests – this means that through adoption of a Turkish Angora you may feel like you were the one adopted and chosen by the cat rather than the other way around!

The white furred variety is extremely beautiful and make very popular show cats but when you are considering adoption be sure to also take a look at the just as gorgeous shaded, black, smoke, tabby, bi-color and parti-color Turkish Angora varieties. All of which share the elegance and great character traits of their snow white counterparts.

Breed Profile: Irish Wolfhound

One of the most beautiful and also one of the largest dogs in the world is the Irish Wolfhound. This large animal is most noted for good nature and for its incredible size which generally reaches up to 90cm in height for males and about 80cm for females. When standing upright on their two hind legs these magnificent animals have been known to reach heights of 7 feet and even slightly taller, making them the tallest dog breed – even exceeding heights of Great Danes. With a mildly dishevelled look the Irish Wolfhound is surprisingly easy to groom and does not require vast amounts of animal grooming.

Categorised in the dog breed of sight hounds these are animals that are stimulated by what they see and enjoy playing and chasing playfully around gardens, because of their lively spirits and sheer size they do need to be kept in homes with gardens large enough to suit their own size. Unfortunately these gorgeous animals do not live very long and have a generally estimated life span of between 5-9 years. Despite their size and weight which, can reach up to well over 50 kilograms, Irish Wolfhounds are fast runners and make wonderful animals for competitive coursing.

Breed Spotlight: Transylvanian Hound

There are certain dog breeds that we love and cherish because they hold their own very unique and very special qualities. One dog breed that is revered and regarded as one of the most beautiful dog breeds is the Transylvanian Hound. Regarded as easily trainable this beautiful and lesser known dog breed is great for home and professional dog training.
Originating from Hungary the dog training that the earlier Transylvanian Hound’s underwent was to properly prepare them for hunting and retrieving.

With two varieties: the short-legged and the long-legged, each variant went through specific dog training to make them most effective in their hunting specialties. The shorter-legged dog was trained for hunting hares and smaller animals while the longer-legged dog went through dog training that prepared them to hunt slightly larger animals.

Although not used for hunting today these beautiful Transylvanian Hounds still maintain their ancestral good dog training and training abilities.
Hence they are known to be extremely good natured as well as obedient and they take very quickly to any good dog training.

The sad thing about these gorgeous Transylvanian Hounds is that they are hardly found outside of Hungary and are dwindling in numbers. So if you are looking for a great family dog that is great in dog training, why not take a serious look at the Transylvanian Hound?

Breed Spotlight: Chinese Crested Dog

It may at first glimpse appear to be more of a pet accident than an actual specially bred lovable dog breed, but the Chinese Crested Dog is certainly no pet accident! First bred in China the early Chinese Crested Dogs were used to on ships to chase down and kill rats. Defiantly not pet accidents these dogs were given a specific purpose and with their small bodies and fast little legs the Chinese Crested Dogs were able to maneuver and scurry around the ships with considerable finding rats that were very unwelcome stowaways on the Chinese ships.

Looking a little unusual and looking strikingly like an animal breed pet accident these very cute little Chinese Crested Dogs come in two slightly differing types: the Hairless version and the Powder Puff type.
Interestingly the perception of an odd sort of pet accident perpetuates through the two differing types as they can both appear in the same littler of puppies! Classified as a Toy breed the Chinese Crested Dog is an adorable and small dog that reaches 4.5 kilograms in weight and up 30 centimeters in height.This is one dog that is sure to attract attention wherever it goes with its vibrancy and adorable crest and furry paws.

Labrador Breed Profile

Labrador Breed profile

Looking for a new pet and that extra special addition to the family means that you will take a few things into consideration before you choose your new dog. Along with the practical side of your available home space and the time you can spend with the dog you could also be quite particular about the type or breed of dog that you choose to take home with you. Labrador Retrievers make the ideal dog for home and family life – they are playful as puppies and tend to keep their sprightly exuberance right through into their older age.

Labrador Retriever puppies come in two breeds – the English Labrador, which is heavier and thicker and the American Labrador which is tall and lanky. Labs – as they are more affectionately referred to – also come in a few colour varieties. The best known of which is probably the golden colour, but there are also solid black and chocolate varieties. The Labrador Retrievers are well known for their amazing swimming capabilities, their strong muscular bodies and thick otter-like tails and larger feet all add to their attributes as good swimmers and energetic dogs that enjoy a range of good physical activity.

Kittens: the Rex Breed profile

Rex Breed profile

Known to be very affectionate cats the Rexes are typically also known to show certain dog-like qualities in their affection towards their owners, they will follow you around and even go after to retrieve toys. Distinctively elegant their strongest features are their long and elegant looking paws and toes which also serves to help make them the extremely playful and agile cats that they are. Along with their agility they are very active and playful cats from their young days as kittens right into their older ages.

Within the Rex breed of cats there are also more specific cat types – some of these are the Cornish Rex, the Devon Rex and the Selkirk Rex. All of which share the trait of short and luxurious fur. Their fur is short, soft and curly and their fragile and soft exterior belies there muscular build and innate strength. The fur is extraordinarily soft and luxurious to the touch, and touching the fur of Rex has even been described as feeling like touching crushed velvet. From early on in life as kittens the Rex is a cat that seeks out constant companionship and playmates. As an owner you will get hours of affection and playtime from a loyal and loving breed.

Breed Profile: the Ragdoll cat

The Ragdoll cat is a short little creature on low legs, and has the remarkable ability to relax all of its muscles and go completely limp in your arms – hence the name ‘ragdoll’. These little kitties attach strongly to their owners, and it is essential that you take care of their cat health needs because they will always rely on you. This is the perfect cat for children or older adults who enjoy the love and affection of a dog, but don’t want all of the doggy hassles.

Ragdolls came from the cat breeder Ann Baker in the 1960s in California. They became a recognized breed in 1965. All ragdolls tend to have blue eyes, and can get very large so you have to watch out for cat health issues. They have medium to long length fur which doesn’t matt – this makes grooming an easy task. The only downside to this docile and affectionate kitty is that they have a no-fight attitude and thus cannot be left unattended, and especially cannot be left to go outside alone – they also don’t hunt so be sure to provide your kitty with plenty of healthy treats.

For more history on Ann Baker’s exact breeding of the ragdoll cat, be sure to check out Wikipedia’s reference at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ragdoll. That is also where these pictures are from. There are also a number of beautiful pictures available from championship breeders across the country. If you are interested in adding one of these gorgeous cats to your family, be sure to check out the local breeder Raglin Ragdolls at http://www.ragdoll.co.za/ for more information on purchasing, ragdoll cat health, and ragdoll cat history.