Wild canaries inhabit the Canary Islands – but were the birds named after the islands, or were the islands named after the birds? The origin of the name Canary Islands is uncertain, but the most likely explanation is that the Atlantic island now known as Gran Canaria was originally Insula Canaria – latin for Island of [more...]
A few days after the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939 when Britain went to war against Germany, the first casualty of war were thousands of animals destroyed by their owners. The fear of wide-spread and extremely destruction bombing raids and gas attacks immediately after the declaration of war was very prevalent in [more...]
Collies come in two types – rough coated and smooth coated. In the United States they are considered to be the same breed of dog. However, in Great Britain the two coats are considered to be two separate breeds. Collies are also known as the Scottish Collie. The Collie is very intelligent and beautiful, often described [more...]
Chihuahuas come in two types: short coat, (also called smooth coat), and long coat. They are identical except for coat length. The short coat is most popular. The Chihuahua is known by its small size, big ears, large and beautiful dark eyes. This is the smallest dog breed in the world and the oldest breed [more...]
The Labrador Retriever is one of the most popular dog breeds worldwide. According to American Kennel Club (AKC) dog registration statistics, the Labrador Retriever has been America’s top registered breed for the last 18 years. Ranking of the most popular dogs in the U.S. (2008) 1. Labrador Retriever 2. Yorkshire Terrier 3. German Shepherd Dog 4. Golden Retriever 5. Beagle 6. Boxer 7. Dachshund 8. [more...]
According to a 2007 Harris poll (1), 88% percent of pet owners consider their pets members of their family, and as family members they also receive holiday gifts and birthday presents. Sixty-five percent of pet owners have bought their pet a holiday present and thirty-seven percent have bought their pet a birthday present. Dogs – 71% of dog [more...]
According to the AVMA (1), there are more than 72 million pet dogs in the U.S. and nearly 82 million pet cats. Ownership A little more than 43 million households own dogs and nearly 37.5 million households own cats. The average number of dogs per household is 1.7. Cat owning households have an average of 2.2 cats. DOGS Percent of [more...]
Apparently so! Dogs and their efficient sense of smell have been used to sniff out drugs, bombs, and find missing persons for many years. Now the medical community is recognizing the value of trained sniffer dogs in detecting minute differences in the scent of cancer patients. Dogs do not have to be highly [more...]
Rumor has it that President Obama was considering a Labradoodle dog for their new home at the White House. The family decided on a Portuguese Water dog instead. The Labradoodle dog is a popular dog that is very intelligent and lovable, easy to train, has a low to non-shedding coat/ low allergy coat, and no doggie odor. The [more...]
The German Shepherd breed was standardized by Captain Max Emil Frederick von Stephanitz in 1899. His first German Shepherd, named Horand von Grafrath, is the genetic basis for the modern day German Shepherd. The temperament is loyal, courageous, confident and highly trainable. German Shepherds have a large head, ears which stand straight up, a wedge-shaped muzzle, and [more...]