Collie Archives - Edie MacKenzie

The Borzoi

February 17, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

Borzoi History and origin:

Once known as Russian Wolfhounds, this Russian sight hound was developed by crossing the extinct Lapp sled dog with the Collie. The Borzoi was used as coursing hounds to chase rabbits, foxes, and wolves in packs. His speed, agility, and strength allowed him to range far ahead of the mounted hunter, acquire the prey by sight, run it down, and hold it at bay until the hunter arrived. The first Borzoi was brought to the U.S. from England in 1889.

Description:
The Borzoi stands 26 to 28 inches at the shoulder and weighs 65 to 100 pounds. He has a lean, leggy, athletic body and a long, silky, shedding coat that requires medium maintenance. The coat is usually white with black, tan, or lemon markings. It was developed to protect the breed from the cruel Russian winter.

About the Borzoi:

This breed was once a favorite among the Russian aristocrats and admired by the Russian czar’s court. He has the beauty, elegance, carriage, and personality to match his regal heritage. The Borzoi is fast, agile, aloof, and very clean. He is faithful to his owners but cautious with strangers. He is normally intolerant of unpredictable young children and may bite without warning. The Borzoi needs early training and socialization. The training should not be overbearing because this breed processes information slowly and will shut down if pushed. Patience and consistency are important. The “Sit” command is difficult to teach because of the Borzoi’s bony, lanky structure and lack of body padding. The “Come” command is crucial and must be perfected because his great speed enables him to disappear from sight in seconds. The Borzoi has a high prey drive and will seize and kill small animals before his owner can react. He can also be very dog-aggressive. Similar to all sight hounds, the Borzoi must often be allowed time to be by himself. Do not expect him to be as affectionate as a Golden Retriever. Owners who are used to the mind-set of cats will appreciate this breed, though it would be a mistake to own a cat along with a Borzoi. He needs a bed or a thick blanket to lie on because he does not have much muscle or fat on his body and can get pressure sores if his sleeping area is not cushioned properly.

Feeding:
Recommended feeding for this breed is 1 ½ – 2 ½ cans (13.3oz) of branded meaty with biscuit added in same amount or 5 cupfuls of complete dry food.

Ideal home:
The Borzoi is not suitable to live in an apartment, although he can adapt to one as long as he is getting plenty of space and exercise. A quiet environment free of unpredictable events and young children is preferred. Small animals may pose a problem due to this breed’s high prey drive. He needs to run, and activity that is possible only if you have properly trained him to come when called and if you have socialized him among other dogs and people. Borzoi owners should be calm, easygoing leaders who do not necessarily want a dog that is too affectionate. Nervous, hyperactive, and pampering types should avoid this breed. The elderly and disabled may have trouble training and exercising this breed. A Borzoi should not be left alone in a yard because can easily jump a six-foot fence.

The Bearded Collie

February 11, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

Bearded Collie History and origin:

Believed to be one of the oldest herding dog in Scotland, the Bearded Collie was developed in 17^th and 18^th century England and Scotland. This breed was used for herding and cattle droving. His weather- resistant coat enables him to withstand harsh, wet climates.

Description:

The Bearded Collie stands 20 to 22 inches at the shoulder and weighs between 45 and 55 pounds. He has an athletic medium-size body and a long, flat, shaggy, shedding coat that mats easily and absorbs odors. Daily brushing and combing as well as regular bathing are essential for this breed. His coat can be kept in a shorter clip to reduce maintenance. His coat may be black or blue-gray with or without white, or it may be fawn or brown, both with or without white. The color may lighten or darken as the dog ages.

About the Bearded Collie:

A natural herder, this beautiful dog is a devoted pet who is friendly, playful and good with children. He is intelligent, active, easily trained, and makes a great show dog. The Bearded Collie is initially reserved with strangers but comes around quickly. This is a sensitive and mildly stubborn breed that responds well to consistent training if the technique is firm but not overbearing. The “Come” command can be the hardest to teach. The Bearded Collie, like most other herding breeds, has a tendency to chase moving objects such as cars, bikes, and joggers. Though reliable with children, he likes to chase them and nip at their heels. Children should not be allowed to play chase games with this breed. The Bearded Collie needs regular exercise. He can excel at competition obedience, agility work, and herding.

Feeding:

Recommended feeding for the Bearded Collie is 1 to 1 ½ cans (13.3oz) of a branded meaty product with biscuit added in the same amount or 3 cupfuls of a complete dry food.

Ideal home:

This breed needs plenty of exercise. A house with a fenced yard is essential. The owner of a Bearded Collie should be a consistent leader who wants an enthusiastic, friendly family dog that can excel in obedience work. Children are fine, provided no chasing or roughhousing is permitted. Spoilers and nervous owners may reduce the dog’s confidence and promote timidity and fear-biting. The elderly and the disabled may have trouble owning this active breed. Time to train, exercise, socialize, and groom the Bearded Collie is important.

The Airedale

February 8, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

Airedale History and origin:

Developed by crossing old English black and tan terrier with Otterhound bloodlines, the Airedale was first used in 19^th century England for big game hunting, vermin killing, and police and military work. The breed is named after the valley of Aire in Yorkshire.

Description:

The tallest of the terriers, the Airedale stands 22 to 23 inches at the shoulder and weighing between 50 and 60 pounds. He has a strong, muscular, sturdy body and a wiry, non-shedding coat that requires daily grooming with a stiff brush and periodic clipping. Show dogs, however, need hand-stripping, a process that involves pulling dead hair out by hand to preserve the luster and hard texture of the coat. Color is normally black-and-tan, with some red and, less often, white markings.

About the Airedale:

This beautiful, strong, athletic breed exhibits all the tenacity and determination of a terrier, only in a larger package. The Airedale is stubborn and is often difficult to train. He learns slowly, so do not expect one to pick up on things as quickly as a German Shepherd or a Border Collie. The Airedale is active, sometimes flighty, and often sensitive to the demands of training. If an Airedale resists learning a certain command, the last thing you should do is get firmer with the dog. His resistance will only increase and could accelerate into panic. He should not be spoiled, either; a concise, incremental training technique needs to be implemented from puppy hood. Though affectionate with his owners, the Airedale tends to be suspicious of strangers and can show aggression toward people and dogs. He makes a great watchdog because of his territorial instinct. The Airedale cannot always discriminate between a friend and a stranger, however, and he may give your friends and your children’s friends a hard time. This breed is not recommended for families with young children. Early obedience training and lots of socialization with people and other dogs from an early age is mandatory.

Feeding Your Airedale

Recommended feeding for the Airedale is at least 1-1 ½ cans (13.3oz) of high-quality dog food or the fresh meat equivalent everyday with biscuit added.

Ideal home:

A house with a fenced yard is essential for this breed. The owner of an Airedale should be a strong, confident leader who combines firm discipline with patience and precision. Persons considering this breed should desire a dog that has an active, tenacious temperament and is reserved with strangers. Nervous persons will create a pushy, obnoxious dog that lacks confidence. Overbearing types may bring out fear-aggressive behavior. The Airedale needs daily exercise and makes a good jogging partner because of his athletic physique. If left alone for long periods, he might become destructive and noisy. This breed has a high prey drive, so be careful around small animals. He may not tolerate the hectic, unpredictable behavior of young children. Older children are okay, provided they can gain the animal’s respect by working him in obedience. The elderly and the disabled may have trouble controlling this energetic, driven Airedale.

Dog Food & Supplements: An In Depth Look At Nutrition And Dog Health (7)

August 8, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

According to the canine nutritional experts, a ninety pound adult German Shepherd can require up to seven cans of dog food per day for proper dog health.

A sixty pound Collie can require five cans per day. For the average household and overall dog health, this can become an expensive choice.

Dry dog foods, on the other hand, contain only about ten percent moisture – the other sixty five percent having been removed intentionally during the dehydration process.

The dog owner is expected to replace the moisture for better dog health either by providing the dog with ample amounts of water alongside the feeding dish, or by adding it directly to the dry food.

Feeding directions on labels of dry dog food are very explicit about this.

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The drawback in feeding dry dog food usually has been caused by the dog owner having allowed the family pooch to enjoy table scraps. Eating people-food accomplishes absolutely nothing for Sparky’s nutritional needs or dog health and simply creates the problem of the finicky eater.

Under the mistaken belief that he’s doing the dog a favor, the dog owner is really robbing the animal of nutrients that are rightfully his – taking food right out of his mouth, so to speak.

In the middle of the scale are the “soft-moist” products which contain more moisture content than dry foods, but considerably less than the canned foods. They are the easiest of all three types to prepare, but are far and away the most expensive. Probably, they are economically most suitable for the small dog.

A compromise solution for the family with the finicky eater as well as the family with a limited dog food budget might be a combination of both canned and dry. Mixing two types – each balanced nutritionally – does nothing to upset the interrelationships of the nutrients.

It’s much easier to control the weight of the family dog when this combination is used. Rather than cut down on the volume intake of the obese dog, a decrease in the amount of dry food, with corresponding increase in canned food will accomplish this without having a constantly hungry dog begging for handouts.

On the other hand, increasing the amount of dry food, with a corresponding decrease in canned, may help to bring the weight up and improve the dog health on the dog that has a tendency to be skinny.

The diet of today’s pet dog has come quite a long way from the old days of being fed whale blubber, potatoes and cornbread. Now if manufacturers would take just as much interest in human foods… but for now, if your dog’s choice between caviar or a commercially prepared, balanced dog food, he’d be wise to select the dog food. Pound for pound – and dollar for dollar – the dog and his owner would be way ahead.

Dog health is important so pay extra attention to what your dog hoovers.

The Dangers Of “Protection-Training” The Family Pet

May 27, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

Dogs can be trained to be a dangerous threat and they can be trained to bark bite and attack. Some breeds adapt more readily to such dog protection training than others, but all dogs with vocal chords and teeth have the potential for threatening behavior.

First of all, it is not advocated to administer protection dog training a family pet. There have been too many unfortunate incidents involving people who have been talked into this type of training by the local guard dog trainer. Veterinarians have encountered an endless number of dogs who had to be euthanized because they had become vicious. Not all of these dogs had protection training, but a great many had. Some guard dog trainers will argue that if the right dog is properly protection trained, he will never become vicious and randomly bite.

While this may be true, the bottom line is that the average family cannot handle an attack trained dog. Most people find it difficult enough to get their dog to come when called and not drag them down the street at the end of the leash. Attack-trained dogs are very useful; to the police and military, and in most cases that’s where they belong. The average family certainly does not need a dog who has been conditioned to attack and bite on command.

Most dogs are instinctively protective. Rarely does a dog need protection training to be wary of intruders. This is particularly true of dogs who have been selectively bred to guard, herd, or protect.

Examples of such breeds are the German shepherd, border collie, and Rottweiler. In the wild, canines naturally protect territory and fellow pack members. The protective instinct is further strengthened when the individual feels that he is an integral part of the pack.

Keep in mind that your domestic dog views your family as his pack. If he lives in your home and is part of your family, chances are good that his protective instincts will emerge.

The instinct to protect territory and fellow pack members develops with age. Many people are dismayed that their five-month-old dog is not the least bit protective.

It is not a puppy’s job to be protective! A well-adjusted puppy of any breed should be friendly and love everybody. It is the role of adult pack members to be protective. The puppy instinctively expects you to protect him.

With most dogs, the sense of responsibility for being protective of the pack begins at around one year old, give or take a couple of months depending on the breed and the individual dog. At maturity – eighteen months to two years old – the dog should show even stronger signs of the protective instinct and not need any protection training.