Edie MacKenzie

Edie MacKenzie is a published author, traveler, dog lover, and tortoise enthusiast. Passionate about what she does, her books provide peopel a firm grounding in the dog breed and their unique characteristics with a nice touch of humor.

Focus on the Bernese Mountain Dog

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The Bernese Mountain Dog originated in Switzerland, and is named after the Swiss capital city, Berne.

These large, friendly dogs were originally used as all-purpose farm dogs and excel at all kinds of jobs, including, guarding, herding sheep and cattle, and pulling heavy loads. Perhaps surprisingly, given their amiable personalities, the breed was also once used by the Romans as military dogs, accompanying their legions into battle.

The Berner Sennehund, as it is known in its native land, first came to America in 1926 and achieved AKC status in 1937.

With its striking tri-color coat, the Bernese is an easily recognizable dog. The coat is mainly black with rust coloration on the face and chest, as well as the lower legs and paws. The coat is thick and heavy, to withstand the freezing Alpine temperature, while the fluffy tail and folded ears also offer protection from the weather.

These are loyal, devoted and gentle pets who are exceptionally good with children and also get on well with other dogs and with non-canine pets. The Bernese is renowned for its happy disposition and kind nature.

The Bernese is a very playful dog which makes him an excellent choice for a family with kids. They are also very adaptable, meaning they’ll fit in to most living arrangements, as long as they are close to their human family.

The Bernese requires quite a lot of grooming. They are heavy shedders, with particularly heavy shedding occurring in the spring. Expect to brush your dog every day if you want to keep dog hair off your clothes and furnishings. When grooming your dog, pay special attention to cleaning the ears, which are susceptible to infections.

Bernese, unfortunately, have a very short lifespan, with a median 6-8 years. They are particularly prone to canine cancers, and also commonly suffer from a number of other serious health issues. Musculoskeletal ailments, like arthritis, hip dysplasia, and cruciate ligament rupture, are a particular problem with this breed. They are also prone eye and ear problems.

As with many large dogs, the Bernese can develop into a first class couch potato if it is allowed to. But the breed actually enjoys activity and is particularly fond of walking. You may even consider training your Bernese to pull a cart, as they were once bred to do.

A big plus point with this breed is their temperament. They are affectionate, loyal, friendly, balanced, and intelligent dogs with a genuine love of people. They respond well to reward based training, but can sometimes be a challenge to train because of their playfulness. It has been said that a Bernese remains a puppy throughout his life.

Good names for a Bernese Mountain Dog can be hard to find. The best advice is to search one of the online puppy names, sites, and my personal favorite is Puppy Names HQ. This site has thousands of excellent dog names, including a mega-database of male dog names to pick from.

Brittany All About The Breed

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The Brittany, sometimes referred to as the Brittany Spaniel, is a versatile sporting dog, that is also popular as a companion and family pet, due to its wonderful temperament. The name comes from the French province of Brittany where the breed originated. Unfortunately, much of the early breed records no longer exist, but what is clear is that the Brittany has always been used as a retriever and pointer by bird hunters.

The breed was first shown at the Paris Dog Show in 1900, and was introduced to the United States in the 1920’s. AKC recognition followed in 1934.These athletic, medium-sized dogs have a compact build, with long legs. The tailed is either naturally short, or may be docked, although docking is now outlawed in many countries. Acceptable coat colors are The coat can be orange and white coat, liver and white, orange roan, liver roan, or black and white. (NOTE: The AKC considers black and white coats a fault, although all other registries accept it).

These are wonderfully balanced dogs, energetic, intelligent and affectionate. They bond closely with their human ‘pack’, and are know to get on with everyone, and to have a special affinity with children.They are highly intelligent dogs, which makes training very easy. They are however, quite sensitive and don’t respond well to harsh words or rough treatment.

Brittanys are generous with their affection, although they often form a special attachment to a particular person. They also get on well with canine and non-canine pets, although you will have to watch them around pet birds.

Brittanys are generally healthy, robust dogs who suffer from few health problems. They may however be prone to ear infections, hip dysplasia and epilepsy. Average lifespan for the breed is 12 – 14 years. Grooming is easy, requiring only a brush down a few times per week to keep the coat looking its best. Dogs that spend time in open fields will need to be checked regularly for ticks, and you’ll also have to remove, grass seeds, burrs and mats from the coat.

A big plus with this breed is that they are single coated, and therefore shed very little.

These are active, energetic dogs who require a lot of exercise to keep them happy. With sufficient exercise, they can live in an apartment, although it is not really recommended. A much better living arrangement is a house with a large garden, or better still, the countryside. Dogs that lack physical and mental stimulation often develop behavioral problems, and the Brittany will be no different. However, for the right owner, this dog will be a wonderful pet.

Good dog names can be hard to find. The best advice is to try one of the online puppy names, sites. My personal favorite is Puppy Names HQ, a site that has tons of excellent dog names to pick from, including thousands of cute dog names.

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