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The largest breed of terriers, the Airedale was employed as one of the first police dogs in Germany and Great Britain. These terriers are born hunters. They love to chase vermin on dry land and in the water.
The Belgian Malinois is a medium sized dog that is often mistaken for a German Shepherd. On closer inspection though, you’ll notice that the Malinois is slightly smaller, and not quite as muscular. The Malinois stands 22 to 26 inches at the withers and weighs between 55 and 65 points. As the names suggests it originally comes from the city of Malinois, in Belguim.
There are, in fact, four closely related breeds of Belgian sheepdog. In addition to the Malinois you’ll find the Tervuren, Groenendal, and Laekenois. Different kennel clubs recognize these breeds differently, some consider them variants of a single breed, while others have accredited each as a breed in its own right.
Although Malinois still work as sheep herders, these days you are far more likely to see them as police dogs. Their intelligence and obedience makes them adept at all kinds of police work, including bomb detection, narcotics detection, search and rescue work, and guarding.
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These are smart dogs with a protective nature that can make them excellent pets, under the right conditions. The Malinios needs training, socialization and consistent pack leadership. You will also need to be prepared for long exercise sessions with your dog, every day. Dogs that become bored and frustrated due to lack of activity, often develop behavioral problems and this will almost certainly be the case with a Malinois.
Socialization is important, especially with children, other dogs and non-canine pets. But even a well socialized Malinois may try to be dominant with other dogs, so be sure to supervise situations where dominance may be an issue, like meal times.
You should also be aware that the herding instinct is still dominant in the breed, so they try to herd anyone in the immediate vicinity – usually by nipping at their ankles.
If you’re a first time dog owner you should think long and hard before taking on the responsibility of a Malinois as they can be a real handful. Speak to other owners, breeders and perhaps a dog trainer before making a decision. This is not an ideal breed for the inexperienced.
The Belgian Malinois is a generally healthy dog that suffers from few of the diseases that typically afflict purebred dogs. They are, however, prone to a number of less serious ailments including, epilepsy, thyroid problems, cataracts and progressive retinal atrophy. In terms of behavioral problems, you may see aggression, or shyness in dogs that have not been socialized.
This breed is a fairly easy keeper and only needs to be brushed down, with a bristle brush, every other day or so.
The Malinois is a working dog and not ideally suited to apartment living. They can however do okay in a smaller space provided they get rigorous daily exercise. They do like to be outdoors, but they are generally devoted to their families and would much rather live indoors among their human ‘pack’.
If you’re looking for dog names, for your Belgian Malinois, I’d recommend Puppy Names HQ, a site with an extensive database of dog names, including thousands of boy dog names.
Doberman Pinschers are a common sight in the movies. People are used to seeing people running for their lives as aggressive dogs lunge at them with demonic looking eyes. However, in real life, most Dobermans are actually loyal, intelligent family pets.
The American Kennel Club classifies the Doberman Pinscher as a member of its Working Group. These dogs were originally bred to be police dogs. They were also commonly used in the German military. The sight of one of these big, dangerous looking dogs coming toward them filled people with dread. After all, they are extremely powerful animals.
The Doberman Pinscher is a square dog with a powerful chest and a bullet shaped head. This breed weighs in at anywhere from 55 to 90 pounds and stands 24 to 28 inches tall. The Doberman’s short coat is black, red, blue, or fawn with tan markings. Occasionally, these dogs have a white spot on their chests. Its almond shaped eyes are dark in color. Most Dobermans have their tails docked. While this may sound cruel, a docked tail can prevent painful accidents in the future. More than one undocked Doberman has accidentally broken his tail.
Dobermans are not high energy dogs, but they have amazing endurance capabilities. These dogs do need exercise and do not do well in apartment settings. A fenced yard is a much better fit for them. Dobermans enjoy spending time with their owners, so even if you have a fenced yard, you should be prepared to take your dog for a daily walk.
Despite the bad publicity this breed receives, most Dobermans are great with children and other pets. These devoted family dogs will do anything to please their owners and are highly trainable. However, you do need to be careful if you have young children and a Doberman puppy. Puppies can accidentally knock your children down, since they do not realize their own strength and are very energetic.
You will need to begin training and socializing your Doberman as soon as you bring him home to avoid problem behaviors. Dobermans are very intelligent and can get into quite a lot of mischief if they are left to themselves. Puppy obedience classes are a good idea, since the classes will help you train and socialize your puppy while he is young and easy to control. After all, who wants to wait until their dog weighs almost as much as they do before they try to teach him to sit.
Dobermans are big, muscular dogs and need a substantial amount of dog food. Be sure to feed your dog a food formulated for large breeds to be sure he gets the nutrition he needs.
Doberman Pinschers are prone to hypothyroidism and a hereditary condition called von Willebrand’s disease. They also can develop heart problems. As they age, these oversized lap dogs are prone to becoming overweight, so you may want to check with your veterinarian to find out about special foods for older dogs.
It is easy to groom a Doberman. You may want to brush your dog once a week to remove dirt and loose hair and you should check his nails to be sure they are not too long, but they rarely need any further grooming.
Doberman Pinschers may look like hardened killers, but they are actually crème puffs around their family. If you want a dog that will protect your home but still loves to snuggle up beside you at night, then a Doberman may be the right breed for you.
If you want a dog that is a marshmallow with your children, but a strong deterrent to criminals, you may want to take a look at the Boxer. The Boxer gets its name from its habit of using its front legs to box when it is fighting. These powerful dogs were originally used as hunting dogs, although they quickly became popular as police and military dogs in Europe. As people began to discover how devoted and loving the Boxer was to its family, this dog breed turned into a companion dog, as well. Interestingly enough, the versatile Boxer didn’t become popular in the United States until men returning from fighting in World War II brought some of these dogs home with them.
Although Boxers are considered to be medium sized dogs, they have the strength of a big dog. A young, healthy Boxer is all muscle and energy and weighs in at fifty to eighty pounds. These dogs have a broad chest, a wide skull and a face similar to that of a Bulldog. Their big brown eyes are very expressive and these dogs are not above using a pitiful ‘poor me’ look to get their own way.
Boxers should be fawn or brindle with black mask like markings on their face. A dog with white markings is considered to be flashy. However, if a Boxer has more than one third of its body covered in white or is completely white, it will be unable to compete in the show ring. Also, white Boxers are prone to deafness, as well as other health problems.
If you live in an apartment, a Boxer may not be the right breed for you. These dogs are high energy animals and really need to be able to exercise frequently. A home with a securely fenced yard is ideal for a Boxer. You will need to be sure the fence is high enough and secure enough to prevent your dog from escaping, since a Boxer can easily jump over lower fences.
Although most Boxers get along well with other dogs, you may not want to buy a Boxer if you have a small dog or cat. If you do have other dogs, consider neutering your Boxer at six months to keep aggression toward other dogs in check. Small children and Boxers get along quite nicely, although your Boxer may be too energetic to play with toddlers until he matures. After all, a young, exuberant Boxer can easily knock an adult flat with an overly enthusiastic greeting.
Since Boxers are so high energy and so powerful, these dogs need to be enrolled in obedience training while they are still easy to control. Puppy classes can also help you socialize your Boxer and will teach him to play nicely with other dogs. These dogs are eager to please and should pick up basic obedience commands quickly. You may want to consider advanced obedience and agility training for your Boxer, as well.
Boxers require very little grooming. Simply brush through your dog’s sleek coat once a week to remove loose hair so you don’t have to vacuum it off of your floor. You should also clean your dog’s teeth and check his nails to see if they need to be trimmed.
Boxers are hearty eaters. You should consider feeding your dog a food formulated for large dogs, since Boxers are prone to hip dysplasia. These dogs have relatively few other serious health problems. You may want to check for a history of heart or thyroid disease before buying a puppy. Boxers also have a high rate of cancer as they age. Take your dog in for twice a year physical exams by your veterinarian to detect cancer early when it is easier to treat.
So, if you want a dog who will be a devoted friend and companion, then a Boxer may be the perfect choice for you.
