Sunday, November 16th, 2008
Herding Dog Breed. Alert, Busy And Determined. Clear The Way! Here Comes The Herding Dog”
by: John E Adams
The herding dog has a long history, tracing as far back as Neolithic times in Europe when early farmers and domesticators in lands that are now Britain needed a more efficient, quicker way to move livestock from one place to another.
These early herding dogs were very large and powerful dogs. They were generally rough with the livestock and could be quite hard to control for their owners, but had an uncanny ability to gather and herd livestock.
By the nineteenth century, it became apparent that a dog that was both more versatile and more gentle with the animals was needed. Farmers could not afford to feed multiple large dogs for their needs.
They required a single dog who could not only nimbly gather and keep an eye on sheep and other livestock, but also hunt game and sniff out sheep that might have been buried in snow.
With a bond so close that required the farmer to trust his dog explicitly, he also needed an animal that was more cooperative and affectionate. It needed to be sensitive to the human voice, a whistle and hand gestures as it would be working alone, far away from the farmer in the field.
For that reason, there were multiple breeds introduced into the early strain of herding dogs.
The Whippet was selected because it was both quiet and quick. Pointers and setters were used to provide a good nose and a keen eye. Eventually, the perfect breed of dog developed –one that had a superior athletic inclination, light and fast movement, unmistakable livestock sense, and a good temperament that easily matched its handler.
The first modern herding dog, the Border Collie was introduced in 1894 in Northumbria, along the English and Scottish Border.
In other countries, the same early ancestors of that first Border Collie began to spread out, taking on work in the growing expanse of the United States West. Cattle herding dogs soon became common and immigrants arrived with other livestock that could live comfortably off of the land, along with their herding dogs.
Today, there are many breeds of herding dogs, all developed in the same manner or from the same breeding as the Border Collie, with the goal of creating a breed that was both quick and quiet, but able to bond well with its owner and seek out livestock easily.
Various types of herding dogs included the German Shepherd, Shetland Sheepdog, Australian Cattle Dog, Bearded Collie, and many more.
Each breed has become well known in the years since those early breeds were developed as a loyal, intelligent and highly trainable breed of dog. Today, most herding dogs are kept as pets by families rather than used in the field to herd sheep.
Because they were bred to connect with their owners so well and be so sociable, herding dogs make ideal pets, both gentle and familiar with children and playful with adults.
Herding dogs have a vast supply of energy and a seemingly human-like intelligence at times, all hallmarks of their careful breeding.
About The Author
Copyright John Adams. Dog Breeds Explained The Herding breed of dog is hard working and devoted. But only for the right owner. Get the facts before you get the dog! http://www.dog-breeds-explained.com
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Posted in Choosing a Dog, Dog Breeds, Herding Group, History, Owning a Dog | No Comments »
Thursday, August 28th, 2008
“Step Aside For The Sight Hound Breed Of Dog!”
by: John E Adams
SightHounds: The History of the Sight Hound
Historically, sight hounds have often been called gaze hounds. In history, they have been working dogs and people were not so much worried about their appearance.
Once the 19th century approached, people began to breed them for appearance making them look like they do now; long, lean canines that almost look royal in appearance. They have even been known to be the favorite pet of many an Egyptian Pharaoh or world king or emperor.
Sight hounds are a breed of dog deeply rooted in history
Not only have they been used for a long time but many dogs could probably trace their roots back to the very first dogs that were domesticated for human use. That is quite a family tree.
Many people have heard of the notorious scent hound dog breed type. They are notorious for their great smellers, and for good reason; they have the ability to smell through thick grass, over a river, and for a very long time at that. A sight hound is the vision-worthy equivalent of a scent hound. While scent hounds are a type of hound with great noses, sight hounds are notorious for their impeccable sight.
SightHound Appearance
While scent hounds are notoriously short and stocky, sight hounds are just the opposite: long, elegant necks and legs, thin bodies, and strong muscles. They have high stamina levels for chasing and hunting and they must be exercised a lot, so they tend to be rather tight and muscular in appearance.
Sight Hounds in Your Community
While sight hounds are great hunting dogs, they make excellent family dogs as well as do other herding dog breeds. They are great for families with kids who can provide them with a great deal of exercise and attention. If you have ever seen a Whippet, a Borzoi, or a Saluki, [or Italian Greyhound] you have laid eyes on a sight hound without even knowing it!
Note how deep a Sighthounds chests is and how long their necks are; these features and traits allow them to see far and over things that other dogs may not be able to. This is what they are famous for, after all!
While sight hounds make awesome family dogs, they are great for sport as well. Outside of regular hunting sport, they are good in dog shows and races as well due to their speed and agility. If you see dog shows on Animal Planet or the Discovery channel or you have ever been able to attend one, chances are that a great majority of the dogs who were the strongest competitors were sighthounds!
These days they can be great guard dogs, family dogs, and even herding dogs as well and are infamous for having good temperaments as well. Whether you are a man or woman of sport, a pet lover, or just looking for a great breed of dog for your family it is hard to argue that sight hound dog breed types are excellent choices for any person.
Sighthound. Lovely, dependable, friendly and protective—what more could you ask for in a dog?
About The Author
Copyright John Adams. Dog Breeds Explained The Sighthound breed of dog is trustworthy and loyal. But only for the right owner. Get the facts before you get the dog! http://www.dog-breeds-explained.com
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Sunday, August 17th, 2008
The other day, two of our girls, Bean (9 yo whippet) and Sky (5 yo aussie) were mad-dashing it to the backyard.. inspecting a noisy neighbor barker. We think what happened is the two were side by side running… while Bean is faster, Sky is more muscle – and we think Sky bumped into Bean which sent Bean sideways into the wooden rainbow playset.
It did enough damage we feared broken ribs… so off to the vet. Bean was a trooper. They did a couple of xrays and found, surprisingly to us all, vets, techs, etc, no broken bones. But, the damage was deep.. Bean is suffering from some major bruising and muscle damage.. swelling, fluid build-up and lots and lots of pain.
We expect the pain to last several weeks, and the healing process to take a good 4-6 weeks. Bean is taking her anti-inflammatories and pain meds with cheese, her favorite – while she protests the pain, the cheese helps.
Periodically, she’ll start screaming in pain. She’s a tough dog, always has been. She’s not a whiner unless to tell you she needs to do business, then she’ll wake us in the middle of the night to make a potty run.. or she’ll whine to let us know there are a few spare chicken nuggets left in the happy meal bag, of which she’d happily eat them up to keep them from wasting… but pain.. no.. she’s not been a whiner.. so when she’s been screaming in pain, our hearts just broke for her. We were worried about her enough that we made another run to the vet to just make sure all was well.
The vet was awesome, rechecked her, had another vet do a check too and came to the same conclusions as above.. just massive soreness and time will heal.
In the meantime, we keep up with the meds and I just love on her and rub and hold her “owie” until the pain subsides. We think what is happening is when she’s awake, she is “bracing” the injury – in that her muscles are tightened around the injury to protect it… but when she falls asleep, her body relaxes.. so when she wakes, some times, she either does it so quickly, or she forgets, and moves the wrong way, or too fast, causing spasms of pain… leading to the heart-wrenching screams.
To see our babies in pain is just so hard… I’d take the pain from her if I could. 
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Monday, August 11th, 2008
Last year, in late September, we went into a pet store (I know.. I know.. really, I do..) and they happened to have 2 italian greyhounds (male and female).
I was proudly “owned” by an 8 year old whippet (Bean) and a 4 year old, recently adopted, australian shepherd (Sky).. but I’d recently been thinking the italian greyhound would be a nice dog.. small, small enough to snuggle on my lap, small enough to pick up and carry as well as being loving and attentive.. While both our older dogs love to be loved on, neither are much in the way of long-term couch (or bed) snuggling. At the same time, I was dealing with a life-long disease (crohn’s) and as a result dealing, with depression.. having a dog to snuggle with was therapy for me.
Back to the pet store visit… this little boy IG (I happened to be interested specifically in the boy, as I’d read how much more cuddly they were then female – though, now I’m not sure I agree with that assumption) stretched his skinny little blue and white body across one of our boys laps and my heart swelled.
Over the course of a week, my husband and I discussed whether adding another dog to our family, along with the source of the dog (pet store) was a good idea. In the end, the little blue won out and we went back to get him.
He’s a lovely “biggy” iggy – named Enzo, now over a year old and weighing around 16 pounds.. he’s shy around people, loving, playful, and such a little comedian. I cannot imagine life without my little guy. He’s brought so much energy to our doggy family, and while many IG’s tend to follow their person around – sometimes to the point of no privacy – my guy is a little more independent.. but he’s a good snuggler all the same.
This July, we found a breeder who had a lovely little fawn and white female IG… and, it was love at first site. When I picked our little girl up, she looked at me, as if to say “finally, there you are”… she immediately bonded to me – I am Mom. She loves everyone in our house (from the 4 & 7 year old boys, to the teen girls, the other dogs and dad too).. but I.am.Mom. My husband says how, with all the dogs we’ve ever owned, and while I’ve always been “mom” to them all, he’s never seen one bond to me as quickly and so completely, as our little Ella Roo did..
And.. if I thought Enzo was just the right dog breed for me.. I quickly found in Ella, the rest of the package.. I love how she follows me around, she’ll sit and watch me as I get ready for work, she bounds into the bed to dive under the covers for some warm snuggling.. she sassy and playful, a little love and won’t put up with anything from the other dogs, or the kids.
Ahhhh… life is sweet..
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Tuesday, August 7th, 2007
by Mitch Endick
The Whippet is a sensitive, intelligent and sweet dog. They make good watch dogs. They need plenty of exercise and a safe place to let them run would be ideal. They are generally not to be trusted with other pets as they may consider them fair game. They are said to do well with other canines and children, especially if well socialized when young. As a reminder, never leave a child unsupervised with a puppy or dog.
*Approximate Adult Size. The approximate adult size (two years old or older) of the Whippet is 17 to 20 inches to the withers (highest point of the shoulder) and 18 to 28 pounds.
*Special Health Considerations. Most dog breeds have certain inherited health problems associated with that specific breed and the Whippet is no exception. Be on the look out for skin problems, upset stomach, genetic eye disease and sunburn. This disease list is an informative guideline only. Other diseases may also be significant threats, please contact your veterinarian for a complete list.
She should visit the veterinarian several times in the first year for shots, boosters and check up. Then, as an adult, she should visit the veterinarian yearly for shots and check up. As she gets older, six years and on, she should visit the veterinarian twice a year for check ups and shots. Remember; avoid feeding your dog sweets.
*Grooming. The Whippet has a smooth, firm, short, close and easy to care for coat. She should be brushed and rubbed down with a damp chamois regularly. Brushing will help her maintain a clean and healthy coat, avoid mats, help you keep a closer eye on her health and strengthen your emotional bond with her.
Her teeth should be brushed at least twice a week with toothpaste and toothbrush designed for dogs. Brushing removes the accumulation of plaque and tartar which can cause cavities (rarely) and periodontal disease. Dog periodontal disease can lead to pain, loss of teeth, bad breath and other serious disease.
Her toenails may need to be examined for growth and clipped regularly. The toenails of the rear feet grow slower than the toenails of the front feet.
*Life Span. The Whippet can live between 12 and 15 years with proper nutrition, medical care and excellent living conditions.
*History. The Whippet comes from Great Britain where they were used for hunting fast small game and later racing. They were first registered by the American Kennel Association in 1888.
Some Registries:
*UKC United Kennel Club
*NKC National Kennel Club
*CKC Continental Kennel Club
*APRI Americas Pet Registry Inc.
*AKC American Kennel Club
*FCI Federation Cynologique Internationale
*NZKC New Zealand Kennel Club
*KCGB = Kennel Club of Great Britain
*ANKC = Australian National Kennel Club
*ACR =American Canine Registry
Litter Size: 4 to 8 Whippet puppies
Category: Hound
Terms To Describe: Elegant, fit, speed, power, strength, balance, affectionate, friendly, gentle,
*SPECIAL GOOD POINTS Pretty much odor free coat. Makes a good watch dog.
*SPECIAL BAD POINTS Does poorly in cold climates. Makes a poor guard dog.
*Every dog is an individual so not everything in this information may be correct for your dog. This information is meant as a good faith guideline only.
About the author:
Mitch Endick is a short article writer for the popular pet site:
http://www.petpages.com. He provides informative advice on all pets including dogs, puppies, cats, fish, reptiles, birds, ferrets, rabbits, mice and even pet bugs. Petpages.com also has an extensive pet classified ads section.
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Posted in Dog Breeds, Hound Group | No Comments »
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