Dog Articles Blog

The Lhasa Apso has a long and low sturdy body. He has a short muzzle and a long, straight, and absorbent coat that sheds and has a tendency to get malodorous unless it is kept dry. Like the Tibetan Terrier and Tibetan Spaniel, the Lhasa Apso originated from the mountains of Tibet. He is a small and shaggy dog that slightly resembles a miniature Old English Sheepdog. He is affectionate, assertive, confident, hardy, an excellent show dog, and a wonderful pet. He is good with children, though he does not like roughhousing and will not tolerate those whom he sees as competitors for attention. He is a willful, independent, and often discriminating breed that is a skilled watchdog and naturally suspicious of strangers. Because he has been pampered for centuries, this dog has developed a dominant and narcissistic attitude that sometimes makes him diffucult to train. As an owner, you must clearly establish yourself as the leader of the pack to be able to gain control of this breed. Training technique should be firm, consistent and patient from the start. Tantrum and aggressive faints are common tactics that this breed uses to avoid learning or obeying a command. If you spoil a Lhasa Apso, he will take over the household and becomes nippy, bossy, and extremely antisocial. This breed has been known to bond closely on just 1 or 2 persons and gets extremely possessive of his owner. Socialization is very important from puppy hood to prevent territorial aggression.

Size: The Lhasa Apso stands at about 9-11 inches at the shoulder and weighs between 12-15lb, with the female slightly smaller than the male.

History and origin: He is an ancient Tibetan breed and was first used as a watchdog. He was first known as a Bark Lion Sentinel Dog. His job was to alert the large mastiff-type dogs whenever strangers approached. The Dalai Lama of Tibet offered this dog to the Chinese emperors. This breed existed for centuries in the Tibetan mountains until he was brought to Europe and other parts of the world by early explorers and missionaries. The word lhasa apso mean “goat-like” and was perhaps named as such because he used to guard and protect the wild goats of Tibet. He was first seen at a European show in 1929.

Feeding: The recommended feeding for this breed is ½ -1can (13.3oz size) of high-quality meat product with equivalent amount of biscuit added with each meal or 1 ½ cupfuls of complete dry food.

Exercise: The Lhasa Apso is an energetic breed that requires plenty of exercise.

Grooming: His long coat was developed to help insulate him against the cold Tibetan weather. He requires daily brushing and combing to prevent his coat from matting. A shorter pet clip is easier to keep and is popular among Lhasa owners.

by, Dog Articles

The Japanese Chin (also known as Japanese Spaniel) has a small and square body with a face that is pushed-in and puggish and protruding eyes. This breed can be easily mistaken for the Pekingese, and some believed that the 2 breeds may have evolved from a common stock. What makes the Japanese Chin different from the Pekingese is his more graceful movement that is taller on the leg and has a much lighter body. This breed is a spaniel and shares common traits with the King Charles Spaniel that also originated in Japan. However, he has more of a perky confidence than the slower-moving spaniel. He is full of life but a very dignified little oriental that enjoys being the center of attention. He is happy, affectionate, hardy, playful, easy going, and a loyal family pet. He is wary of strangers and can be mildly stubborn, but he usually responds to patient and persistent training. He needs to be socialized at an early stage in order to help build his confidence. He is usually good with children, although he may not tolerate their commotion and roughhousing. Spoiling this breed creates a controlling, nippy, and insecure dog. He can be difficult to housebreak and can easily damage his protruding eyes on a leash or a door.

Size: This breed stands about 8-9in at the shoulder and weighs approximately 4-8lb.

History and origin: The Japanese Chin was developed in China and introduced into Japan centuries ago. For over 1000 years, he was a favorite of the Japanese emperors that one of them even decreed that all Japanese Chins should be worshipped. Some tiny varieties were even kept in hanging cages in the same manner as small oriental birds. The breed eventually found his way to Europe with returning seamen during the 19th century. However, the Japanese Chin did not make his appearance in the British show ring until 1862 and is not recorded as being shown in the United States until 20 years later. A couple of Japanese Chins were presented to Queen Victoria by Commodore Perry on his return from the Far East in 1853, which contributed to the popularity of the breed.

Feeding: Recommended feeding for this breed is 6-8oz of cooked mince beef or ½ can (13.3oz size) of high-quality brand of dog food with plenty of dog biscuits. He also enjoys lean meat scraps and occasional non-splintery bones.

Exercise: This is an easygoing breed that is ideal for apartment living provided he is walked once or twice a day. He likes to climb and would need extra care to make sure he does not fall off from high places.

Grooming: His long, straight, and silky coat sheds and requires daily brushing with a pure bristle brush. He also needs an occasional trim to keep his coat in good condition.

The Chinese Crested dog has a delicate and fine-boned body. The breed comes in two types- the hairless and powder puff. The hairless variety has no coat aside from the silky tufts on his head, tail, and feet – which means no hairs on carpet. Unlike all other breeds, he is hairless and has sweat glands on his body. The powder puff variety has a medium-length, silky, soft, and shedding coat. Although still very apparent, the powder puffs have been excluded from selective breeding over a period of years. Many believe that the powder puffs are nature’s way of keeping these hairless breeds warm. This dog is handy sized, clean, odorless, and is great a pet dog as well as a show dog. He is intelligent, alert, inquisitive, courageous, gentle, devoted to his owners, and gets along well with children. He is sometimes timid with strangers and other dogs. Training should be precise and patient. Socialization is crucial from puppy hood to help boost the confidence of this sensitive toy breed. This dog can be difficult to housebreak and can be noisy at times. Spoiling may result to a pushy and nippy dog that lacks confidence. He seldom requires veterinary care and is a free whelper. He has the ability to grip his paws in a charming and almost human fashion. This breed is allergic to wool.

Size: The Chinese Crest stands between 11-13in at the shoulder and weighs between 6-10lb.

History and origin: Though the age of this breed is not clear, it is believed to have been developed by the Chinese in the 17th century from the bloodlines of African Hairless dogs. Up until 1966, an elderly lady in the United States, Mrs. Ruth Harris owned the only examples of this breed in the world. She introduced 4 of these to the United Kingdom. Nowadays, the Chinese Crested is becoming more and more popular and is being included in an increasing number of dog shows. The breed is also recognized by the British Kennel Club.

Feeding: Recommended feeding for this breed is ½ -3/4 can of high-quality brand dog food (13.3oz size) or the fresh meat equivalent with a cupful of small dog biscuits. You may want to keep a bowl of biscuits handy so that the dog may help himself when puckish, but remove them if you think he is becoming overweight. This breed lack premolar teeth, and thus it is inadvisable to give them bones.

Exercise: An apartment is fine for this small breed provided he gets a brisk walk or 2 each day.

Grooming: This breed requires frequent bathing. The skin should be regularly rubbed with baby oil to prevent cracking and to keep it smooth to the touch. Extra care must be taken to prevent sunburn and to maintain the skin free of blackheads to which they are prone to during adolescence.

The Brussels Griffon (also known as Griffon Bruxellois for those with rough coat and Griffon Brabancon for those with smooth coat) has a sturdy terrier-like body similar to the Affenpinscher with a docked tail and a face that somewhat resembles a cute, little monkey. His coat can be smooth or rough; the smooth coat is short, glossy, and straight while the rough coat is wiry, hard, and also short. He has a terrier-like behavior, though he is not as stubborn or high-strung. He is an attractive and happy dog that is very affectionate with his owner. In addition, he is hardy, intelligent, obedient, and long-lived.

The Brussels Griffon was originally used as a guard dog in his native land in Belgium. He was also used to catch vermin in stable yards until eventually catching the eye of the royalty and became a fashionable house dog. He is a good watch dog and a little reserve with strangers. He could be aggressive toward other dogs and smaller animals; therefore, socialization should begin early on in puppy hood. Training should also begin early and needs to be consistent and precise. As an owner of his breed, you need to be a patient and precise leader who enjoys a busy and energetic dog.

Size: The Brussels Griffon stands approximately 9-10in at the shoulder and weighs between 9-12lb.

History and origin: This breed was developed in Belgium in the 18th and 19th centuries and was first exhibited at the Brussels Exhibition in 1880. He is a mixture of Affenpinscher to which he bears a facial similarity and the Pug which many believe is responsible for the smooth-coat type. The first known enthusiastic Griffon owner was Queen Astrid of the Belgians. This breed was very popular in his native land during the beginning of Word War I, but the breeding was severely affected when the war broke out. The Brussels Griffon eventually found his way to most countries all over the world with a slight variation. He is mostly recognized with cropped ears in his native land.

Feeding: Recommended feeding for this breed is about ½ can of quality meat product with added biscuit of the same amount or 1-1 ½ cupfuls of dry food.

Exercise: Similar to most toy breeds, the Brussels Griffon adapts very well to an apartment life provided he gets enough walk on a regular basis.

Grooming: Whether his coat is smooth or rough; both types shed little and need periodic brushing and a clip every 3-4 months. Show dogs needs to be hand-stripped in order to preserve the texture and luster of the coat. His nails should also be trimmed on a regular basis.

The Pomeranian is a happy and active little dog that can adapt cheerfully to life in a one bedroom apartment or a spacious home, loving the role of a lap dog or enjoying walks with its owner. Alternatively, he will amuse himself adequately in the yard. He makes a faithful and devoted addition to the family.

Size: The average size of the Pomeranian male is 4-41/2 lbs while the average size of the female is 41/2-51/2 lbs.

History and origin: The Pomeranian takes his name from Pomerania in Germany and is generally thought to be mid-European origin. However, it is a member of the Spitz family, which could mean that its history started in the Arctic Circle. The known history of the breed dates back from the mid-18th century when it was introduced to several European countries. The dog became very popular until following the raiding of the Summer Palace in Peking in 1860 and the appearance of the Imperial Pekingese, some of its popularity was usurped by that breed. The Pomeranian in those early times was a very much larger dog which weighs up to 30lb and was bred down until by 1896, show classes for Pomeranians were divided into those for exhibits over and under 8lb. The British Kennel Club withdrew challenge certificates for the over 8lb variety in 1915. The American Pomeranian club was formed in New York in 1900.

Feeding: Recommended feeding for the Pomeranian is 1/3-1/2 can (13.3oz size) of a branded meaty product, with biscuits added in equal part by volume or 1-11/2 cups of dry food.

Exercise: Although Pomeranians love to be pampered and petted on their owner’s lap, they are also lively little dogs who can walk as far as their owner would wish and often farther. They get plenty of enough exercise by themselves running around inside the house.

Grooming: This is not the dog for those with a busy lifestyle and cannot spare the time for daily grooming. The Pomeranian has two coats to care for; a short fluffy undercoat and a long straight topcoat covering his entire body. Daily brushing with a stiff brush is required. The coat should be damped with cold water and the moisture rubbed in with the fingertips. Finally, the dog is rubbed down with a towel. Working from the head, part the coat and brush it forward from roots to tips. Make a further parting and repeat the procedure until the whole body has been covered. In addition, regular trimming is also necessary to keep his coat in good condition.