Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Dog Breed Comparison - Do Your Research Beforehand to Ensure Compatability with Family and Other Pet

There are hundreds of different dog breeds to choose from. Before selecting a puppy or dog to adopt be sure to do some research on the breed to ensure compatibility with your family, children and other pets. Here we have outlined a few common breeds to help you in your search for the perfect dog.

Sussex Spaniel

The Sussex Spaniel is a British sporting dog that was originally used to hunt partridge. This breed most likely was developed by crossing the Bloodhound with the Clumber Spaniel. It is a smaller dog that only stands between 15 and 16 inches tall and weighs between 40 and 50 pounds. They have a typical long wavy spaniel coat that comes in shades of gold, liver, and puce. They are a very friendly dog that makes a great companion and a great family dog, especially if they are properly trained and socialized.

Kerry Blue Terrier

The Kerry Blue Terrier, also called the Irish Blue Terrier, is an Irish breed that was created in the 18th century. It was originally used as a herding dog, vermin catcher, and waterfowl retriever. Today this breed is used as a guard dog and as a pet.

The Kerry Blue Terrier usually stands between 18 and 19 inches tall and weighs between 33 and 37 pounds. Their coat is soft and wavy and comes in shades of blue with black points, blue without black points, and small white patches on their chest is also common. The Kerry Blue Terrier is great with kids. They are happiest when kept as the only pet, as they may show male dog aggression. It you have a cat then you will need to socialize your Kerry from a young age with the cats, otherwise you could have trouble.

Giant Schnauzer

The Giant Schnauzer, also referred to as a Riesenschnauzer, is a German breed that was developed to be a cattle dog. It is suspected that this breed was created by crossing rough-coated shepherd, Bouvier des Flandres, smooth-coated drover dogs, and Great Danes. Today this breed is used as a guard dog, as a watch dog and as a family dog.

This impressive breed stands between 23.5 and 27.5 inches tall and weighs between 70 and 77 pounds. Their coat is short and wiry and it comes in solid black or salt and pepper variations. This is a very loyal and protective breed that can fit into just about any type of family as long as they are socialized properly. To keep the Giant Schnauzer happy and healthy you will need to provide it with plenty of exercise and mental stimulation.

Cockapoo

The Cockapoo is a popular mixed breed that developed in the United States. This breed was created by crossing the Miniature Poodle and the American Cocker Spaniel. The size of this dog is going to depend on the size of their parents, however, they tend to be between 9 and 13 inches tall and weigh between 6 and 19 pounds. The advantage of this breed is that they are a low shedder, which makes them a great pet option for people with allergies.

To care for this mixed breed you will need to brush their coats on a regular basis. This will help to prevent matting and skin problems. They don’t need a lot of exercise but a nightly walk will help keep them healthy. While both the poodle and the cocker spaniel have health problems, the crossing of these two breeds seems to cancel out most of these problems. Cockapoos are generally a very healthy breed, however, fatty tumors and hip problems can sometimes develop.

Bulldog

The Bulldog, also referred to as the English Bulldog, is the national symbol for Great Britain. Originally this breed was used to manage oxen, to guard property, to hunt, and to bait large game. Today this breed is mostly a fun-loving family dog.

The Bulldog is a small dog that only stands about 12 to 14 inches tall. However, even though they are short they are a relatively heavy set dog weighing in around 55 pounds when fully grown. They have a short smooth coat that comes in both solid colors and variegated color patterns. The most common colors found in this breed include black, red, brown, brindles, and piebald. Because of the build of this breed they have a tendency to over heat, have problems breathing, and have a difficult time whelping.

Redbone Coonhound

The Redbone Coonhound is a Georgia creation that developed by crossing the Bloodhound with the Foxhound. The males of this breed are larger than the females. They stand between 22 and 27 inches tall and weigh between 45 and 65 pounds. The females stand between 21 and 25 inches tall and weigh between 45 and 65 pounds. They have short shiny coats that are very fine. They have a solid red coat with small traces of white near their chests and feet. This is a loyal and loving breed that will do what ever it can to make you happy.

Shiba Inu

The Shiba Inu, also called the Japanese Small-Size Dog and the Brushwood Dog, is a Japanese non-sporting dog. This breed was almost wiped out in the 1950s because of a distemper outbreak. The Shiba Inui is a medium sized dog that stands between 13.5 and 16.5 pounds and weighs between 18 and 25 pounds. It has a straight, harsh coat that comes in salt and pepper, black, black and tan, red, and black and white color variations. As far as their temperament goes they get along with kids if they are raised around kids, however, they tend to have same sex dog aggression that you will need to watch out for if you have other pets.

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