All About Dogs

The Pomeranian is a small toy sized dog. The head is wedge-shaped and in proportion with the body. The short muzzle is straight and fine. The stop is well pronounced. The color of the nose varies with coat color. The teeth meet in a scissors bite. The almond shaped eyes are dark and medium in size. The small, erect ears are set high. The feathered tail lies straight and flat over the back. Dewclaws are sometimes removed. The Pom has a thick, double coat. The outer coat is long straight, and harsh in texture while the undercoat is soft, thick and short. The coat is longer around the neck and chest area. Comes in a variety of coat colors and patterns including red, orange, white, cream, blue, brown, black, black and tan, wolf sable, orange sable, brindle and parti-color, which is white with colored markings.

Height: 7-12 inches (18-30 cm.)

Weight: 3-7 pounds (1-3 kg.)

The Pomeranian is good for apartment living. They are very active indoors and will do okay without a yard. Be careful they do not overheat in hot weather.

Poms need a daily walk. Play will take care of a lot of their exercise needs, however, as with all breeds, play will not fulfill their primal instinct to walk. Dogs who do not get to go on daily walks are more likely to display behavior problems. They will also enjoy a good romp in a safe open area off lead, such as a large fenced in yard.

About 15 years.

The Doberman Pinscher is a medium sized, squarely built dog with a compact muscular body. The head is long and when viewed from the side looks like a blunt wedge. The top of the skull is flat, and turns into the muzzle with a slight stop. The color of the nose depends on the color of the dog's coat, black on black dogs, dark brown on red dogs, dark gray on blue dogs, dark tan on fawn dogs and pink on white dogs. The teeth meet in a scissors bite. The color of the almond shaped eyes is various shades of brown, depending on the coat color of the dog. The ears are usually cropped to stand erect (cut at the age of about 12 weeks). The pup's ears have to be taped for a couple of months to make them stand up. A lot of breeders are starting to leave the pup's ears natural. If left natural they develop ears somewhat like a hound. The tail is usually docked at the age of 3 days. If the tail is not docked it grows a tail somewhat like a hound. Note: cropping ears and docking tails is illegal in Europe. The chest is broad and the legs are perfectly straight. Dewclaws are sometimes removed. The short, hard, thick coat lies flat. Sometimes there is an invisible gray undercoat on the neck. The coat comes in black, black with tan markings, blue-gray, red, fawn and white. When markings appear they are above each eye, on the muzzle, throat, forechest, legs, feet and on the tail. There is also a solid white color. While white markings are considered a fault in some clubs, in others it is accepted.

Height: Dogs 26-28 inches (66-71cm.), Bitches 24-26 inches (61-66cm.)

Weight: 66-88 pounds (30-40kg.)

Will do okay in an apartment if sufficiently exercised, but does best with at least an average-sized yard. Dobes are very cold sensitive and are not an outside dog. That is why police in areas where it gets cold are not able to use them.

The Doberman is very energetic, with great stamina. They need to be taken on a daily, long walk or jog, and need to be made to heel beside or behind the human holding the lead, as in a dog's mind the leader leads the way and that leader needs to be the humans.

Up to 13 years.

The Rottweiler has a muscular, massive, powerful body. The head is broad with a rounded forehead. The muzzle is well-developed. The teeth meet in a scissors bite. The wide nose is black. The lips are black and inside the mouth dark. The medium sized eyes are dark and almond-shaped. Some Rottweilers have been known to have blue eyes or one blue and one brown eye. This trait is not recognized in the show world and does not meet the breeds written standard. The ears are triangular, carried forward. The tail is customarily docked. Note: docking tails is illegal in most parts of Europe. Rear dewclaws are often removed. The chest is broad and deep. The coat is short, hard and thick. It is black with rust to mahogany markings on the cheeks and muzzle, paws and legs. A red color with brown markings also exists. There is a deficiency in the hair gene making the coloring a lighter red.

German Rottweiler vs. American Rottweiler - some claim there are variations of Rotties, the German Rottweiler and the American Rottweiler. German Rotties are said to be shorter, stockier and have a bigger blockier head, and American Rotties are said to be taller and leggier without as blocky a head. Others claim a Rottweiler is a Rottweiler and there is no such thing as a German Rottie. Some who have stated this argument have said, "a German Rottweiler is one born in Germany and an American Rottweiler is born in America." In any case, there are breeders breeding for the German Rottweiler look, which goes outside the AKC standard, while others are breeding for the American Rottweiler look, sticking to, or closer to, the AKC standard.

Height: 24-27 inches (61-69 cm.) Bitches 22-25 inches (56-63 cm.)

Weight: Dogs 95-130 pounds (43-59 kg.) Bitches 85-115 pounds (38-52 kg.)

The Rottie will do okay in an apartment if it is sufficiently exercised. They are relatively inactive indoors and a small yard will be sufficient.

The Rottweiler needs plenty of exercise. You can't give these robust dogs too much work or exercise; they thrive on it. They need to be taken on a daily walk or jog. Running in the woods and in open country makes them very happy and they have no desire to wander from you. Swimming or running beside a bicycle are perfect activities for this dog and it also loves retrieving a ball.

About 10-12 years.

The German Shepherd Dog is well proportioned and very strong. The GSD has a sturdy, muscular, slightly elongated body with a light, solid bone structure. The head should be in proportion to its body, and the forehead a little rounded. The nose is most often black however, blue or liver still do sometimes occur, but is considered a fault and can not be shown. The teeth meet in a strong scissors bite. The dark eyes are almond-shaped, and never protruding. The ears are wide at the base, pointed, upright, and turned forward. The ears of puppies under six months may droop slightly. The bushy tail reaches almost to its hocks and hangs down when the dog is at rest. The front legs and shoulders are muscular and the thighs are thick and sturdy. The round feet have very hard soles. There are three varieties of the German Shepherd: rough-coated, long rough-coated, and the long-haired. The coat most often comes in black with tan, sable or all black, but also can come in blue, liver and white, but those colors are considered a fault according to most standards. White is not an acceptable color for the German Shepherd, however they are now being recognized as a separate breed, called the American White Shepherd. A piebald color has also occured in a single GSD bloodline which are now being called Panda Shepherds. A Panda is 35% white, the remainder of color is black and tan, and has no white German Shepherds in its ancestry.

Height: Dogs 24-26 inches (60-65cm.) Females 22-24 inches (55-60cm.)

Weight: 77-85 pounds (35-40kg.)

The German Shepherd will do okay in an apartment if sufficiently exercised. They are relatively inactive indoors and do best with at least a large yard.

German Shepherd Dogs love strenuous activity, preferably combined with training of some kind, for these dogs are very intelligent and crave a good challenge. They need to be taken on a daily, brisk, long walk, jog or run alongside you when you bicycle. While out on the walk the dog must be made to heel beside or behind the person holding the lead, as in a dog's mind the leader leads the way, and that leader needs to be the human. Most shepherds love to play ball or Frisbee. Ten to fifteen minutes of fetching along with daily pack walks will tire your dog out quite nicely as well as give him a sense of purpose. Whether it is ball chasing, frisbee catching, obedience training, participation in a canine playgroup or just taking long walks/jogs, you must be willing to provide some form of daily, constructive exercise. The daily exercise must always include daily walks/jogs to satisfy the dogs migration instinct. If under-exercised and or mentally challenged, this breed can become restless and destructive. Does best with a job to do.

Around 13 years.

The English Bulldog is a wide, medium sized, compact dog, with short legs. The body and head are massive with extra skin on both the skull and forehead falling in folds. The cheeks extend to the sides of the eyes. The muzzle is wide, short and pug with a broad, deep stop. The black nose is broad with large nostrils. The dark eyes are deep set. The rose ears are small, thin and set high on the head. The jaws are massive, very broad, and square with hanging upper lips. The teeth should have an under bite. The tail is either straight or screwed and carried low. The short, flat coat is straight, smooth and glossy. Coat colors include red brindle, and other shades of brindle, solid white, solid red, fawn, fallow, piebald, pale yellow or washed-out red or white or a combination of these colors.

Height: about 12-16 inches (31-40 cm.) (there is no prescribed height, but shorter Bulldogs are more prized when being shown)

Weight: Dogs 53-55 pounds (24-25kg.) Bitches 49-51 pounds (22-23kg.)

The English Bulldog is good for apartment life. They are very inactive indoors and will do okay without a yard. This breed is an indoor dog. Bulldogs do best in temperate climates as the breed can chill easily in cold weather and have trouble cooling off in very hot weather.

The English Bulldog needs to be taken on a daily walk to fulfill their primal canine instinct to migrate. Those individuals who do not get this need met are more likely to have behavior issues. While out on the walk the dog must be made to heel beside or behind the person holding the lead, as in a dog's mind the leader leads the way, and that leader needs to be the human. Teach them to enter and exit all door and gateways after the human. English Bulldogs who are in good shape are capable of moving very quickly for short periods of time.

An average of 8 years. Some live longer while others live shorter lives.

The Pointer, also known as the English Pointer, is a powerful, hunting dog. The head is about as wide as the muzzle is long. The neck is long. The muzzle is deep. The stop is well-defined. The nose is black or brown in color in the darker coated dogs and may be lighter or flesh in the lighter dogs. The teeth should meet in a level or scissors bite. The round eyes are dark in contrast with the markings on the coat. The hanging ears are somewhat pointed at the end. The front legs are straight. The tail is larger at the root, tapering to a point. The coat is short, smooth and dense. Coat colors include primarily white with liver, lemon, black, and or orange markings either solid, patched or speckled or can be solid in color. May be tri-colored.

Height: Dogs 22-24 inches (55-62cm.) Bitches 21-24 inches (54-60cm.)

Weight: 44-66 pounds (20-30kg)

These dogs are not recommended for apartment life. They are moderately active indoors and do best with acreage.

This dog is extremely energetic and tireless. It is very important that it gets daily vigorous exercise to prevent extreme indoor restlessness. This breed is more than a match for even the most active family and they should not be taken on as a family pet unless they can guarantee plenty of vigorous exercise. They need to be taken on a daily, brisk, long walk, jog or run alongside you when you bicycle. They are excellent jogging companions and love to swim and retrieve. While out on the walk the dog must be made to heel beside or behind the person holding the lead, as instinct tells a dog the leader leads the way, and that leader needs to be the human. Teach them to enter and exit door and gateways after the humans.

About 13-14 years.

The Boxer's body is compact and powerful. The head is in proportion with the body. The muzzle is short and blunt with a distinct stop. The nose is large and black with very open nostrils. The jaw has an under bite. The eyes are dark brown. The ears are set high, either cropped or kept natural. When cropped they are trained to stand up on the head, tapering to a point. When left natural the ears are thin, falling forward, laying close to the head. The neck should be round, strong, and muscular, a without dewlap. The muscular, front legs are straight and parallel when viewed from the front. The back legs are well muscled. The tail is set high and usually docked. The AKC severely penalizes a natural tail, while most of Europe has outlawed this practice. Dewclaws are usually removed. The short, smooth, close-fitting coat comes in, fawn, brindle, tan, mahogany, black often with white markings. Boxers also come in a white coat that cannot be registered with some clubs.

Height: Dogs 22-25 inches (56-63 cm.) Bitches 21-24 inches (53-61 cm)

Weight: Dog 60-70 pounds (27-32 kg.) Bitches 53-65 pounds (24-29 kg.)

Boxers will do okay in an apartment if sufficiently exercised. They are fairly active indoors and do best with at least an average-sized yard. Boxers are temperature sensitive, getting easily over heated and chilling very quickly.

An active, athletic breed, Boxers need daily work or exercise, as well as a long brisk, daily walk. They also enjoy fetching a ball or other sessions of play.

About 11-14 years

The Pug is a small, stocky, square, thickset dog. The round head is massive with a short, blunt, square shaped muzzle. Moles on the cheeks are considered beauty spots. The teeth meet in a slight undershot bite. The very large, prominent eyes are dark. The small, thin ears are either rose or button shaped. The face has large, deep wrinkles. The high set tail is curled over the back and a double curl is preferred in the show ring. Dewclaws are usually removed. The short coat is soft, fine and smooth. Coat colors come in apricot, fawn, black and silver.

It's important to start your labrador puppy training as early as possible (it's never too late to start though!). Your cute little lab puppy will quickly grow to be a big powerful and excitable dog, which will be hard to control without somebasic obedience training.

Labrador Retrievers respond best to positive, non violent, reward based training methods. All they require are some guidelines and boundaries to be set in order to become well respected and trusted members of society. Your Lab will do his/her best for you when training, there's no need for harsh "yank n crank" type training methods. They thrive on the physical and mental stimulation which obedience training provides - plus it is time spent with you which is a bonus.

Early puppy socialization is vital for your Labrador. It helps them to be comfortable around all types of people, animals and our human world in general.

All the basic dog obedience training commands such as sit, down, stay and heel will be enthusiastically and easily learned by your Lab puppy. Anybody who has had the pleasure of living with a Labrador puppy will acknowledge the importance of these two puppy training commands - Training your Labrador towalk nicely on a loose leash and also to stop jumping up on people. This is because of their size, strength and excitable nature - the good thing is they are quick learners.

If you plan to train your Labrador puppy (or older dog!) yourself at home, I'd recommend you follow this comprehensive Labrador training tool - Dog Training Membership Site. This is a huge community of dog lovers who all share the common goal of wanting to raise, train and care for their dogs in a positive, non-violent yet highly effective manner. It's a fantastic community to be involved in.

We see them on TV, in the aisles at the grocery stores and signs all over our favorite pet store. But how do you know what is really the best diet that meets your Labradors nutritional needs? Before you go out and buy the most expensive bag of dog food on the shelf just because someone else uses it, get the facts about exactly what you need to know about your Labradors care.

There are certain things that you must consider in Labrador care if you want a healthy Labrador down the road. Many vets recommend vitamin E to help combat dry, itchy skin that is so prevalent in Labradors. If you can’t find dog food that has vitamin e included, though there are a few brands out there that do add it specifically for this reason, you can buy it at your local drug store and simply squeeze the capsule onto the food. One capsule a day should be enough but always check with your vet before changing anything to do with your Labradors diet and nutrition.

When it comes to Labrador care most know that protein is essential when it comes to ensuring your Labradors health; however all proteins are not made alike. When reading the ingredients, find out where the protein comes from. If the protein is from soy it is not going to have the same benefits as protein from meat and the body will not store unneeded protein as it might do with other nutrients. If a dog food claims a rather high level of protein don’t get suckered as your Labrador will expel what his body doesn’t need. Look for something that has somewhere around 22 to 25 per cent protein and be sure that protein comes from meat.

While just as we worry about our own weight we also worry about too much fat when it comes to our Labradors diet and nutrition. While you don’t want a great deal of fat, a minimum of 5 per cent fat is important in a Labradors diet. The average dog food has around 10 per cent which is still within an acceptable range but still be aware that you don’t want to be giving your Labrador too much fat either. Labradors have a very healthy appetite and if you give them a lot of fat, they will eat a lot of fat.

Always make sure that any food you consider in your Labradors care has vitamins and minerals included. Talk with your vet to find out what is most essential in your Labrador’s dietary and nutritional needs.

Knowing how much food to put out is essential in Labrador care. Puppies can be rather gluttonous and many will eat until they fall over if the food is there in front of them. A puppy over the age of four months will get plenty of nutrition with about 1 ½ cups of food at each feeding. Remember, a puppy is like an infant and can’t be fed once in the morning and be good for the rest of the day. Feeding about four times a day is usually adequate when it comes to Labrador diet and nutrition care. You can add a little more if your puppy still seems to be hungry but do not give them the entire days food at once as they will often eat the whole food in one sitting! But don’t worry, with time, you will know what is the right diet to feed your Labrador.