My Friendly Pets

Many of us love dogs…no matter what kind….even if they are mixed together as a “mutt”. The breeds that we think are our dog, may not necessarily be what we think. The dog in the photo above is what Wil Colosimo believed to be a Basenji. From www.basenji.org comes the following. “The African Barkless Dog is a well-defined breed created by Nature in one of her happier epochs. The basenji has associated with man long before the building of the Pyramids. This fascinating hound is still used as a hunting dog by primitive tribes in Africa to this day.” However, this isn’t the dog that Colosimo thought it was. Colosimo sent away for a dog DNA test and discovered that his dog was really a combination of german shepard and dachshund. Wow…was he surprised?!

There are two types of DNA tests available for canines. One is relatively simple and the sample can be gathered with a quick swab from the inside of your dog’s cheek. The sample is then sent away to a lab to determine the true breed(s) of your beloved mutt. The second is a blood test which must be done by a veterinarian, but the results will be the same. According to the article, “DNA is DNA, no matter how it is gathered.”

For most, finding out the hidden breed in your dog is interesting and entertaining. However, it can also be beneficial because as you learn about the breeds within your dog, their behaviors and origin of those behaviors will become more clear. This is great for training issues as well as understanding certain breed characteristics.

I’m sure whatever kind of dog you find yours to be a mixture of, you’ll love him/her just the same!!!

Yes, it is March…finally….the promise of spring is just around the corner. But March is famous for another reason. It is the month of St. Patrick’s Day, a traditionally Irish holiday!!! In celebration of this holiday I thought it would be great to give you information on the Irish Wolfhound, known as the world’s tallest breed of dog.

Historically, this dog was orignally known as a war dog but was also used for hunting or as a guard. The breed almost died out in Ireland a couple of hundred years ago, when wolves and oversized elk dwindled to few numbers because of the wonderful hunting prowess of this dog. Thankfully, through the efforts of a gentleman named Capt. George Augustus Graham, the breed was resuscitated by breeding the dog with
Deerhounds, Great Danes, and a Borzoi and Tibetan Mastiff. This was done to regain the size and type of the original dog.

Although a great hunter, this dog is also known as a gentle giant and is often a family favorite breed. They seem to have an even and friendly temperament and are extremely good with children. However, because this dog is a hunter by nature, they do not always get along with other animals especially smaller ones, who they consider as prey.

The dogs come in all different colors from cream to black and everything in between. Because of their size, they are not the type of dog you want to keep in an apartment. They need room to roam and room to run. As mentioned, they love being part of a family and is not the breed of dog to keep isolated (is any breed?). They need consistent exercise and should be brushed and groomed consistently.

Many people are turned away by the size of this dog, but the breed is one that could grow in your heart as much as in your home!!