July 12th, 2009 by admin

History and origin:

An ancient Siberian breed, the Samoyed is a beautiful Spitz-type that takes his name from the Siberian tribe of the Samoyedes.  He was used by the nomadic peoples of the same name as the breed to guard herds of reindeer and as a sled dog.  This hardy breed has remained relatively pure for centuries.

Description:

The Samoyed stands 19 to 23.5 inches at the shoulder and weighs between 45 and 65 pounds.  He has a strong medium-size body that is graceful and athletic and a face that always seems to be smiling.  The undercoat is thick, soft, and insulating; the harder, straight outer coat grows through the undercoat.  Shedding is year-round, particularly in early summer.  Regular brushing and combing is required.  If this breed is left outside, his coat may become matted and odorous.  The color is white or off-white.

About the breed:

This is a very hardy dog who is intelligent, alert, and highly independent  that, although obedient and friendly, can be a challenge to train.  He has a sassy, impetuous side to his personality that is endearing yet troublesome.  He is by nature a dominant, controlling breed that may become pushy and if not given proper leadership. Training can be difficult due to his independent, stubborn nature and therefore must begin early and must be firm and consistent.  The Samoyed will resist surrendering control and is capable of showing aggression toward his owners, particularly if they have been too lenient.  Establishing dominance is the key to owning a Samoyed.  Any spoiling will increase the chances of dominance aggression.  He is capable of taking over as the leader of the pack, using bites, barking, and tantrums to get his way.  The most difficult command to teach this breed is the “Come.”  In addition, handling must occur every day so as to facilitate conflict-free grooming.  If you wait too long, this breed will learn to be intolerant of brushing and may bite in protest.  The Samoyed can be a good watchdog and barks more than most breeds, often to the point of irritation.  He will bark, dig, and become a matted mess if left in the yard all day.  This breed needs daily exercise or he may become restless, destructive, and loud.  He is susceptible to hip dysplasia and does not do well in warm climates.

Feeding:

Recommended feeding for the Samoyed is 1 ½ – 2 ½ cans (13.3oz) of high-quality meat product with added biscuit is same amount or 5 cupfuls of a complete dry food.

Ideal home:

This breed loves the snow and is happiest in wide, open spaces.  A house with a fenced yard is important, though this breed should not be left in a yard all day.  The owner of a Samoyed must be an active, strong, dominant leader and must enjoy a breed that is intelligent and a challenge.  Time to train, socialize, and groom the dog must be available daily.  Passive owners will have control problems with this breed, resulting in a dominant, pushy dog capable of biting friends or family.  This breed is not recommended for those with small children.  Older children must not be allowed to roughhouse or to play chase games with this dog, and they should be capable of working with the dog in obedience.  The elderly and the disabled may have trouble establishing dominance over this breed and should consider one only if they are physically capable of training, exercising, and grooming it every day.

June 25th, 2009 by admin

It is not uncommon to find the older dog less adaptable to changes in diet, routine, or environment. For example, my dog always loved riding in the car, bouncing about with a sense of excitement. He never missed a thing that passed by; now that he is older he prefers to lie quietly on the seat snuggled up against me or else on the floor. He may even get an occasional upset stomach and throw up while riding. And he steps in and out of the car with considerably greater care!

In the past it never seemed to bother him if I occasionally got home late for his supper. He’d jovially greet me at the door with little more than a “Hey, what’s up?” and race you for the food dish. Now I find that he has thrown up small amounts of yellowish-green stomach fluid due to the increased acidity of a stomach which contains no food.

I have found that leaving a small amount of dry food when I go out may solve this upset. Speaking of stomach upset, whenever I had parties, he always joined in the fun and most of the time survived the party foods given him by my well-meaning guests. Now he shows less interest in the goings-on, preferring to be by himself in a quieter part of the house. If he does indulge in any party food, he almost always has some digestive disturbance.

June 24th, 2009 by admin

Pharaoh Hound

History and origin:

An ancient breed, it is believed that the Phoenicians took these hounds with them when they settled on Malta and Gozo.  This medium-sized sight hound was used by Egyptian nobility to hunt rabbits and gazelles.

Description:

The Pharaoh Hound stands 21 to 25 inches at the shoulder and weighs between 45 and 60 pounds.  He has a lithe, athletic, graceful body and a short, smooth,silky, and shedding coat that needs very little grooming.  The color may be tan or red.  The Pharaoh Hound has amber eyes similar in color to those of the Weimaraner.

About the breed:

The Pharaoh Hound is the oldest domesticated dog in recorded history.  He played an important role in the daily life of kings and nobles in Ancient Egypt.  He is an elegant, intelligent, swift, and powerful breed that is affectionate to his owners but reserved and cautious with strangers as the Greyhound or Saluki.   He is quiet, clean, and easygoing in the home.  Though tolerant of older children, he will not appreciate a hectic environment or any kind of roughhousing.  The Pharaoh Hound will not make a good watch dog and must be watched around small animals because of his high prey drive.  Similar to all sight hounds, the Pharaoh Hound needs daily exercise to remain happy and fit.  Training can take longer than normal with this breed.  No rushed or overbearing techniques should be used.  Patience and precision are needed because of the slow speed at which all sight hounds learn.  If pushed, the dog may panic and become passive-resistant.  The “Sit” and “Come” commands are the most challenging to teach.  Socialization from puppy hood will help reduce this breed’s natural timidity.

Feeding:

Recommended feeding for the Pharaoh Hound is1-1 ½ cans of a branded meaty product (13.3oz) with added biscuit in same amount or 3 cupfuls of a complete dry food.

Ideal home:

The Pharaoh Hound can live in an apartment provided he is getting enough exercise everyday. Keep in mind that this breed can jump a six-foot fence.  The environment should be quiet, predictable, and free of hectic activity. The Pharaoh Hound will not tolerate roughhousing and may snap in protest.  The owner of a Pharaoh Hound should be easygoing and respectful of this breed’s need for space.  Provide a place for the dog to call his own, perhaps a bed in the corner of the living room.  Overbearing, loud people should avoid this breed.  Because of their natural instinct to hunt, most sight hounds do not do well with small pets, particularly rabbits or rodents.