Tell us something about your breed of dog..

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MrVelvet

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The other day I learnt where the lurcher originated from...

In the olden days it was illegal for a 'poor man' to own a greyhound. Greyhounds were bred with other breeds of dog to create the lurcher - this was so the 'poor man' could still have a relatively good dog on the hunting field! So there we are..

So it got me thinking.. Is there anything interesting about your breed of dog? :) just for fun!
 
Off the top of my head about GSDs....

There was a brindle GSD recorded, but the colour pattern 'died out'. You can still see the pattern in Belgian Shepherds and Dutch Herders.
The grandfather of the first registered GSD was a white dog but the founder of the breed disliked the colour as it made the dog too visible to predators and sheep rustlers. It is still a 'non-standard' colour.

There is NO difference between Alsatians (the name given to them to avoid anti-German feeling) and GSDs, leg length, coat type etc, and the Kennel Club has finally agreed to drop the name (Alsatian).

In Germany when the breed was 'created' there were no hedges or fences to separate livestock from crops. The purpose of the dog was to act as a flock guardian rather than a sheep dog, a moving fence to keep the sheep contained and keep predators away. Hence the long, low, ground-covering, economical gait of the dog. Schutzhund (now IPO) tracking/obedience/protection, came later, it was started as a breed selection tool for the GSD to identify the best type of working dog. It is more of a sport now.
 
I'd always wondered where the 'sheep dog' bit came from :)

I don't mean this to sound ignorant but... I don't like them to be called alsations. I think it makes them sound... Fierce, more like a status name. If that makes sense? Which it probably doesn't ! Lol.

Its weird to think that our dogs had proper jobs! I don't think Lola would have a clue what to do on the hunting field now!
 
Alaskan Malamute - largest of the Arctic breeds, bred by the Mahlemut tribe as a working and hunting dog and later used as a sled dog during the Goldrush- I have heard it said they are one of the oldest breeds of dog around

Frequently mistaken for the Siberian Husky. Very independent, but very loyal, rubbish watchdogs though and more likely to help a thief out the door with your gear and go with them than prevent a break in.

Can weigh about 80lbs when fully grown and require lots of exercise although you wouldn't know it if you met mine as he has to be dragged out the door for a walk and then lies down panting like you almost killed him when he comes home (drama queen that he is)

The breed served in WWII as search dogs and they are the official state dog of Alaska
 
My dogs mother was a gun dog Labrador.. she wasn't great at the job as she never really got the 'leave bit' sussed!! She loved carrying things, and that included rubbish out of the bin. Her best day for carrying things was when I went for a walk, she disappeared, found her an hour later looking mighty pleased she had THREE pheasants in her mouth = HOW?
Sadly she died only aged 9 last summer.
My dogs father was a Whippet... by all intense and purposes he wasn't bred for his brains... he never did anything right. But what he did do, was open doors ;) (twice!!). He was never meant to be a stud dog, he had the temperament of a grumpy old man, was kept like a spoilt child (hence he was entire), but without him, and his opening the door skill my unique ''Whippadore'' wouldn't be my side-kick!!

So, thanks to my stepmum and the late lovely Lark, and my Uncle with Cav - who all lived in a big house together in case you were wondering, I have Ebby!!
Recent Piccie...
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Scotties are not Westies and Westies are not Scotties. This drives me mad.
They are both totally different with different personalities.

Westies are only white hence West Highland White Terrier. They were used for hunting otters, badgers and foxes which is why they have a strong hunting instinct. They make brilliant house dogs as they love to guard but are very friendly.

Scotties on the other hand again bred for badger hunting (hence the massive paws) are loyal to one person, make very good guard dogs and do not like strangers.
 
Dobermans are very very rarely at all people aggressive unless trained to be so. They rarely have that 'look at me wrong and I'll have you with no warning' aspect.

However they are not easy to train unless you have them as a puppy and can be incredibly stubborn and almost autistic when told to do something.

They are rubbish guard dogs unless they have very good shelter as their coat is incredibly thin and they hate the cold and rain - get a long haired GSD or something if you want an outdoor guard dog.

They do believe that they are a small toy dog side and will try to sit on your knee. When faced with a tub chair that is too small for them, they WILL manage to curl up in it, even if they have to dislocate various limbs to do so.
 
MrVelvet said:
I'd always wondered where the 'sheep dog' bit came from :)

I don't mean this to sound ignorant but... I don't like them to be called alsations. I think it makes them sound... Fierce, more like a status name. If that makes sense? Which it probably doesn't ! Lol.

Its weird to think that our dogs had proper jobs! I don't think Lola would have a clue what to do on the hunting field now!
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Some of the first GSDs were imported by Major (Col?!) James Baldwin and Lord Brabazon of Tara who saw them aiding the Germans in WWI and admired them. To avoid the (lots of) anti-German feeling towards certain breeds of dog in the UK at that time they coined the name Alsatian Wolf Dog.
Thank goodness the wolf dog bit was dropped a long time ago :o as it did more damage than enough.
The Alsation bit came from Alsace Lorraine where a lot of the dogs were sourced for importation. The UK and UK colonies are the only place where you will hear them called that name, it is completely incorrect.
Oh and despite lots of snazzy sales pitches, these dogs were not very tall or 'big boned', they were medium sized, wiry and grey!

I absolutely believe in a dog having a job - I have worked one of mine and bought my current one specifically to work. He is a pet also but my main motivation was to compete with him.

And I have to disagree respectfully with Lachlanandmarcus - a true long-haired GSD is a terrible outdoor guard dog - their coats are not waterproof, they have no undercoat, which is why they are considered a fault. The rules have recently been relaxed and you can now show long coats in specific classes but they MUST have an undercoat.
 
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Tut , tut CC, "Alsation"! I realise its just a typo so will let you off:p
I actually got asked the old "is she a GSD or Alsatian" question yesterday when I was out with Freya, its ages since I've had to explain.
Was going to say as CC did re long coats, they get water logged in wet weather if they haven't an undercoat.
 
lachlanandmarcus said:
Dobermans are very very rarely at all people aggressive unless trained to be so. They rarely have that 'look at me wrong and I'll have you with no warning' aspect.

However they are not easy to train unless you have them as a puppy and can be incredibly stubborn and almost autistic when told to do something.

They are rubbish guard dogs unless they have very good shelter as their coat is incredibly thin and they hate the cold and rain - get a long haired GSD or something if you want an outdoor guard dog.

They do believe that they are a small toy dog side and will try to sit on your knee. When faced with a tub chair that is too small for them, they WILL manage to curl up in it, even if they have to dislocate various limbs to do so.
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That is Daisy to an absolute T!

She is a super guard dog when it gets dark and will patrol the boundaries until you drag her in- unless it is raining :)
 
Bul terriers were evolved by James Hinks around 1860 ish,purely as a "gentleman`s companion". Breeds used were the old staffie pit dog,the English White Terrier..now extinct ,but was a white Manchester terrier type..and the Dalmation to give better construction.The breed was never meant for use in fighting,the idea being to have a respectable but tough dog for middle class owners.
Consequently every bull terrier just says "Qui?" if you mention getting off the sofa/bed/driving seat it is snoring on,THEY know they are useless!:D
 
Weimaraner -

Originally bred for hunting wild boar in Germany. Back in the 1930's, long haired puppies were bred in Austria but it wasn't until 1935 that they (the LH) were officially recognised. As it is a recessive gene which causes the LH, puppies aren't guarenteed to be born with long hair. Herman had 11 other siblings in his litter, 11 were LH, 1 was SH.
 
I have only one source for this so it may be a complete fabrication but it's too fun not to believe...

Sibes are known for their gregarious, totally non-guarding nature; this came about because in their native Siberia they had to live and work in close proximity with other dogs and of course their human owners. Dogs would be piled in to the tents at night to keep the children warm. Apparently the temperature could be measured in terms of how many dogs were required that night - as in, "cor, last night was a three-dog night." :D
 
Border collies are not everyone's cup of tea . . . intense, too clever by half and bred to stalk/herd they can be a handful if not given appropriate exercise/jobs to do.

Their name is thought to be a derivative of "coley" from an old reference to the colour black, or from the type of animals they were bred to work, e.g., Coley sheep (although there's no reference to this breed anywhere) . . . but there is still dispute about this. My favourite explanation is that it comes from a Gaelic word meaning "useful."

P
 
Lancashire Heeler

I believe was a cross between the Manchester Terrier and Corgi. Bred for ratting and herding.

Correct me if I'm wrong.
 
Cockers and Springers were originally the same breed. The larger puppies in a litter would grow up to be used for springing game, so were called Springers, and the smaller ones were used for woodcock, so were called Cockers. Over time, the larger and smaller versions developed into the two separate breeds we have now.:)
 
Diddleydoo said:
Lancashire Heeler

I believe was a cross between the Manchester Terrier and Corgi. Bred for ratting and herding.

Correct me if I'm wrong.
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You have a heeler :D Welcome to AAD, thats 3 of us on here now with them (Dobiegirl and myself, or technically Murphy88 but I post more). Yes you are right with the origins, and we need pics of your heeler, pretty please.
 
Spudlet said:
Cockers and Springers were originally the same breed. The larger puppies in a litter would grow up to be used for springing game, so were called Springers, and the smaller ones were used for woodcock, so were called Cockers. Over time, the larger and smaller versions developed into the two separate breeds we have now.:)
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I swear springers were called that because they spring through the cover! One of mine bounces like Tigger.

Not everyone knows this, but springers are actually overgrown lap dogs. :)
 
MurphysMinder said:
You have a heeler :D Welcome to AAD, thats 3 of us on here now with them (Dobiegirl and myself, or technically Murphy88 but I post more). Yes you are right with the origins, and we need pics of your heeler, pretty please.
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Hello and thank you,

I do have a heeler, he's a very ancient 17 :eek: a bit slower than he used to be but still a very special boy.

I've no pictures on this computer but will post from home.
 
17 wow, what a great age. We lost our last girl at nearly 15, the current reprobate is nearly 13 months so a long way off slowing down :p

ETS Sorry for hijacking your thread Mr Velvet.
 
Don't know a huge amount about bullmastiffs other than in Victorian times they were still mastiffs and then crossed with the british bulldog as a dog designed to be strong and stealthy enough to bring poachers down.
 
Border terrier,a tough quiet little chap evolved on the Scottish borders,hence name. His purpose is to accompany hounds and when the quarry went to ground either bolt him out again,or dispose of below ground. Much the same job as the working Lakie and Patterdale/Fell terrier, but with a less reckless approach and somewhat slower to rise to the task ("enter") Great little dogs ,wonderful natures and make truly great country companions and "lorry dogs". Not nearly so hot headed as Lakies and so an easy "first dog" for a country family,but fences are essential.The hunting gene is still there and he enjoys nothing more than a bit of ratting or bunnie chasing.
 
A) Greyhounds can pee for over a minute! And walk around while they are doing it.


This is not good news for wooden floors.

B) My greyhound is also the stupidest dog I have ever met. He may be one of the fastest creatures on the planet but he is far too stupid to work out why he is running. He stands in the loop of his lead EVERY single day and yelps when trying to walk with his foot stuck in it.

Hmmmmm you may note he is currently out of my good books. If I could refer you to fact A
 
I guess you would`nt need much brain to chase a stuffed rabbit round a circuit ...and still do it even when you`ve found out it is`nt alive.:) Their pee is qute remarkable with it`s incredibly strong stink,much more than other dogs.

"this is`nt ordinary pee..THIS is greyhound pee". Wonder if M@S would be interested in me using their ad phrase??:D:D
 
Hevs said:
Alaskan Malamute - largest of the Arctic breeds, bred by the Mahlemut tribe as a working and hunting dog and later used as a sled dog during the Goldrush- I have heard it said they are one of the oldest breeds of dog around

Frequently mistaken for the Siberian Husky. Very independent, but very loyal, rubbish watchdogs though and more likely to help a thief out the door with your gear and go with them than prevent a break in.

Can weigh about 80lbs when fully grown and require lots of exercise although you wouldn't know it if you met mine as he has to be dragged out the door for a walk and then lies down panting like you almost killed him when he comes home (drama queen that he is)

The breed served in WWII as search dogs and they are the official state dog of Alaska
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They are incredably stubborn, and very determined dogs - but fantastic workers, focused, and quick to learn (both good and bad habits lol).
The breed has a high adrenaline level, and that has to be born in mind when dealing with them.

They have a very high prey drive and shouldn't be allowed off lead - lots and lots of walking for me then!

If you want to hear a lovely wolfy howl - go and see a pack of mallies! No barking, just singing in gorgeous harmony!

Samoyeds, my other breed, are fantastic dogs; originally bred by the Samoyede people of the Archangel area of Siberia, to herd reindeer, pull heavy loads, warn of wolves (they are known for their voice!), and keep everyone warm.

In Europe they are known as Bjelkier dogs, and are one of the listed 14 ancient dog breeds, along with Alaskan Malamutes.

They are wonderfully natured dogs, and like the malamutes, will point out the biscuit tin to all intruders, and ask them to share! So family orientated, great with kids, and easy to train, without that stubborn streak.

They do need a lot of grooming; I do mine 2-3 times aweek (every day when I used to show them), but they have no 'doggy' odour when wet. People mix samoyed fur with other wools to spin, mainly alpaca.

However many malamutes we have (and trust me, they are addictive!) I will always have sammies :D
 
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