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.

Bichon Frise Breed Focus

by Leave a Comment

Developed solely to be a companion dog, the Bichon Frise is a friendly, happy little dog. These delightful little characters have a long and interesting history.

The breed originated in Spain during the 13th century, and is thought to have been created by crossing Poodles and Barbet Water Spaniels. They were used as an item of trade by Spanish sailors and as a result reached many European countries. In France, they became a particular favorite of the aristocracy, and by the 16th century, the Bichon was entrenched as the favorite dog of the French royal court.

In addition, Bichons found their way into circuses and performing troupes due to their remarkable ability to learn and perform tricks.

The Bichon Frise is a small dog that is classified in the Toy or Companion Group by most registries. They are sturdy little dogs, weighing up to 12 pounds and standing between 9 and 12 inches tall. The coat is soft and silky and is considered hypoallergenic, making the Bichon an ideal pet for someone with allergies. Coat color is always white, although there may be apricot or cream shading on the ears.

As a dog bred to be a human companion it’s no surprise that the Bichon has a wonderfully balanced personality. They are friendly, outgoing and affectionate, forming close bonds with those they love. They are good with children and other pets, and generally just a joy to have around.

These intelligent and attentive little dogs are easy to train, except in one area – they can be a real hassle to housetrain.

In common with many small breeds, Bichons enjoy a relatively long lifespan, and quite commonly live for 15 years or more. Common health problems include canine cancers (especially in older dogs), cataracts, epilepsy, and fleabite allergies. Bichons may also suffer from a condition known as liver shunts, which needs to be corrected surgically.

As you’d imagine with that luxuriant, white coat, grooming can be a challenge. Your Bichon will require brushing every day, and the coat will also have to be trimmed regularly to keep it in shape. You can also bathe the dog once a month, but don’t overdo it as the dog has sensitive skin. Also be sure to use a mild, dog shampoo.

It goes without saying that this is an indoor dog. The Bichon is perfect for apartment living and needs to always be close to his human family. They are quite prone to separation anxiety, and should therefore not be left unattended for long periods. As with all dogs, the Bichon needs regular exercise, and while much of this can be met with indoor games, you’ll still need to get your dog outdoors for a short walk daily.

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

What Does A Dalmatian Look Like?

by Leave a Comment

The Dalmatian is a breed of balance and moderation.  You do not want a big head on a little dog or a small head on a big dog.  Similarly, you do not want an extremely elegant head on a male dog or a very “doggy” head on a female dog.  The females are generally more feminine versions of the males and this male/female difference should be quite apparent.  The head should have clean lines and the Dalmatian should have a clean mouth, not drooling or loose-lipped. The standard does a good job of describing eyes, ears, stop, muzzle, nose, lips and scissors bite; and it also notes appropriate size and angle relationships.

————————————————————–

Click Here Now – -and watch Chet’s Free Dog Training Video.

————————————————————–

With regard to eyes, the major faults of ectropion and entropion eyelids refer to lids that turn into (entropion) or out/row, (ectropion) the eye.  Trichiasis is a condition of one or more misdirected eyelashes, causing corneal or conjunctival irritation.  These conditions are extremely rare to find in the show ring, but the fact that they have been carried forward in our breed standard indicates that these conditions have caused trouble in the past.  Also, they are serious enough to be used as screening factors when making current breeding program selections.

The important thing to keep in mind is that the more you deviate from what the breed standard describes, the more you move away from symmetry, balance and intelligent expression.  Picture a Dalmatian with close-set, yellow eyes, no stop between the forehead and top of muzzle, and uneven planes between the top of the skull and his pointy-nosed muzzle when viewed from the side.  If, for example, a line drawn across the top of the skull was parallel to the ground and another line drawn across the top of the muzzle pointed more toward the ground, the dog would be “down-faced” and less intelligent looking than one with parallel planes.  Such a dog does not have the intelligent expression desired in a Dalmatian.  Not even perfect spotting could save the conformation standard shortcomings of a head like this.

The neck, top line, body segment calls for a smooth throat with no excess skin folds and a nicely arched, fairly long neck.  The word “arched” denotes a curved structure.  The top line should be smooth, without a dip or break between the withers and the back.  The chest, back, loin and croup descriptions are clear. Tail docking refers to removing any portion of the tail, whether it is done at birth or later for any reason, through surgery.  The front legs are to come straight down from the elbows to the pasterns, whether looking at the dog from the side or the front.  Cow-hocks occur when the points of the hocks are closer together than the heels of the pads in normal standing position.  The feet, coat and color and markings sections of the Dalmatian are reasonably clear.

Examples Of Terriers (Part 1)

by 1 Comment

Airedale Terrier: The Airedale terrier is a large dog with tremendous play drive. Exercise is imperative for this breed. Should you attempt to cheat your Airedale out of running, he will climb the walls. Airedale terriers have been found by trainers to be comical, energetic, easy to train. This breed is also very capable of protection or police work. Airedales require regular professional grooming, and many are actually plucked instead of cut. A well-groomed Airedale is a happy Airedale.

American Staffordshire Terrier: The American Staffordshire terrier is a close relative to the English Staffordshire bull terrier. Similar to the American pit bull terrier in appearance, this breed is AKC registered. The American pit bull terrier is still often bred for its fighting drive. The American Staffordshire terrier is more commonly bred for the show ring. As with all dogs, there are exceptions. We do not mean to imply that every American Staffordshire terrier will be gentle and that all pit bull terriers will be aggressive. Everything considered, many people recommend this breed for its loyalty toward family and its desire to comply.

Australian Terrier: The Australian terrier is a spunky little guy that is lively, stubborn, smart, adorable, and often slow to housebreak. It takes an assertive owner to command the respect of an Australian terrier. You would be marveled at the fine performances offered by this breed at obedience matches. Once you have earned his respect, you have gained a great little dog.

Bedlington Terrier: The Bedlington terrier resembles a lamb, is as stubborn as a mule, and is as cute as a bunny. Trainers who work with the lovely Bedlingtons claim that they can be trained like a dream and capture their hearts. She was great with the family and possessed the uncanny ability to read their minds. Some have a genetic predisposition to liver disease, but it is important to know that diagnostic tests are available in order to rule out this problem in your potential puppy.

Bull Terrier: The bull terrier is generally recognized as the dog of General George Patton or as Spuds McKenzie. This breed is known for its aggression toward other dogs and small animals. They do however tend to have good relationships with children because they perceive the youngsters’ vulnerability as part of the pack they should protect. Many trainers have trained bull terriers in obedience with good success. Unfortunately, obsessive-compulsive behaviors have been noted in this breed, which can be exhibited as tail chasing, obsessive licking, and self-mutilation.

Recent Blog Posts