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.

Useful Facts About Breeds of Dogs

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When it comes to diversity, no species on earth rivals the dog. Our canine friends come in a vast array of sizes, shapes and colors. Not only that, but they also display vastly different character traits from one breed to another.

Much of this is down to human meddling. For centuries we have bred dogs to meet our needs, so that over time we’ve developed over 600 distinct dog breeds.

However, recent studies suggest that many of the physical changes in dogs may have occurred spontaneously. So as amazing as it is, it seems dogs have actually evolved along the lines they believe we expect of them. Now that’s what I call devotion!

Fascinating stuff, but there’s also a practical purpose to all this.

Let’s say you are interested in buying or adopting a purebred dog. I’m sure you’d want one that is a good fit for your life style. It would be foolish for example to adopt a Husky, if your idea of fun is flopping down in front of the TV with with a bowl of popcorn. Before you know it you’ll have an extremely frustrated dog, most likely with behavioral problems.

By the same token, an active person who gets a Bulldog and expects him to join in the Sunday morning jog is bound to be disappointed.

And it doesn’t stop at activity level either, name any trait you find particularly desirable in a canine companion, and you’ll find a dog breed that meets your requirements. Some breeds are more affectionate, others more independent, some are protective, others timid, some are known to be yappers, others hardly bark at all.

Then there are physical characteristics. You may prefer a larger or a smaller dog. Well, it’s hard to imagine a greater discrepancy than between a Great Dane and a Chihuahua. It’s almost difficult to believe that they belong to the same species!

Another factor you need to take into account is the amount of hair the dog sheds. Some dogs shed enough hair to make another dog, while others hardly shed at all. And if shedding is really an issue there are hairless dogs, like the Xoloitzcuintle.

And what about training? You are going to train your dog aren’t you? Well then you should know that not all dogs are equally easy to train. With some it’s a piece of cake, with others more like talking to a brick wall.

So if trainability is an important factor you’ll want a dog that is a quick learner with an eagerness to please. Dogs that fall into this group include the Poodle, Papillon and Golden Retriever.

The breeds you’ll want to avoid are most of the Hound Group, including Bassets, Beagles, and Bloodhounds. Some breeds, like the Dachshund, are known for being particularly obstinate, while certain toy dogs will ignore you as a matter of principal.

And then there are the so-called designer dogs, as well as mixed breed dogs, which we haven’t even spoken about here.

Fact is, there really is a dog breed to suit just about everybody’s lifestyle. Which is yours?

Visit www.dogsanddogtraining.com to learnmore about types of dogs, dog care, dog training and other interesting dog info.

Description Of A Labrador Retriever: Part 3

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A Labrador Retriever is either a solid black, a solid yellow, or a solid chocolate. A white spot on the chest is permissible. All the colors should have the correct double coat. The thick undercoat lies under the topcoat. The topcoat should be a bit rough to the touch and does not have to lie flat. In fact, if the coat is too slick, the dog  probably does not have a good undercoat and would not be useful as a retriever in cold waters.

The Labrador Retriever undercoat acts as insulation and, working in conjunction with the coat’s natural oil, helps to repel water. The Labrador Retriever does not feel the cold the way a single-coated dog does. Another aspect of this coat is the special look that it gives the breed.

All four legs should have good, thick bone, the front legs coming straight down from the shoulders.  The rear legs should be well bent at the knee or stifle. The hind quarters should be thick with well-muscled thighs.  The hocks should not be too long and should also be well bent and well let down (not one continuous line from buttocks to the foot). Picture about a six-inch section from the foot to the hock joint and then a little jog, toward the front, and on up to the stifle. The view from behind the dog should not be narrow but rather hefty.

The tail should be set right off the back. In other words, you should see one straight line from the withers to the tip of the tail. If the tail is set too low or if the tail is set too high, the picture will be spoiled.  As a Labrador Retriever moves, the tail usually wags happily from side to side. It should never be carried curled up over the back like a hound’s tail. A tail that is carried too low or between the legs will give the appearance of timidity.

Timidity is a word that is not in the Labrador dictionary.  This very important tail, which should not be too long (not below the hock), acts like a rudder when the dog is swimming. It is sometimes called an otter tail because it is thick at the base and tapers down to a tip, like the tail of an otter. The tail should be well covered with a very distinctive short, dense coat. The underside of the Labrador Retriever tail should never have any long feathery hair on it.

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