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The Rottweiler is a medium to large breed. The dogs were known as “Rottweil butchers’ dogs” because they were used to herd livestock and pull carts laden with butchered meat and other products to market. It’s a versatile breed used in recent times for many purposes, the Rottweiler is primarily one of the oldest, if not the oldest of herding breeds. A multi-faceted herding and stock protection dog, they are now also used as search and rescue dogs, as guide dogs for the blind, as guard dogs or police dogs, and in other roles.
Rotties make loyal and quite undemanding pets, but crave human affection and to be a dependable pet, need to be treated as being part of their family, just like any other dog.
The breed’s history likely dates to the Roman Empire. In those times, the Roman legion traveled with working dogs to herd the cattle needed to feed the army. One route the army traveled was through Württemberg and on to the small market town of Rottweil. The principal ancestors of the first Rottweilers during this time are believed to be the Roman droving dog, local dogs the army met on its travels, and dogs with molosser (mastiff) appearance coming from England and the Netherlands.
The Rottweiler, which first appeared in Britain in 1936 and was shown at Crufts the following year, is medium to large, very agile, black-and-tan dog. Extremely strong and imposing, Rotties are easily obedience trained and enjoys working, but it in obedience, learning tricks or in a more traditional role; rotties love to please their family. Rotties are naturally protective, but they are not aggressive by nature. However like any other trait, in a dog eager to please this instinct can be increased with training. The rottie expression is tranquil and kind, but when aroused, it can hold its own with any opponent.
The West Highland White Terrier, fondly known as the Westie, is a Scottish breed with a distinctive white coat. He makes a merry energetic companion, is a handy size, and is a courageous and self reliant dog.
The modern breed is descended from a number of breeding programmes of white terriers in Scotland prior to the 20th century. Edward Donald Malcolm, 16th Laird of Poltalloch, is credited with the creation of the modern breed from his Poltalloch Terrier, but did not want to be known as such. Other related breeds included George Campbell, 8th Duke of Argyll’s Roseneath Terrier and Dr. Americ Edwin Flaxman’s Pittenweem Terriers. The breeds of small white Scottish terriers were given its modern name for the first time in 1908, with recognition by major kennel clubs occurring around the same time. The breed remains popular in the UK and is in the top third of all breeds in the USA since the 1960s.
The breed is a medium-sized terrier, although with longer legs than other Scottish breeds of terrier. It has a white double coat of fur which fills out the dog’s face giving it a rounded appearance.
Over the coming months we shall be covering everything you need to know about owning a new dog including selecting the right breed for you and your family.
If you currently own a puppy or are indeed contemplating getting one, we would love to hear from you – we want to be both informative and fun!
For our first edition, we thought it would be a good idea to make a list of questions prospective dog owners should ask themselves before taking on the responsibility and commitment of ownership.
Owning a dog is a privilege, not a right and it comes with a great deal of responsibility. If you are considering adding a dog to your life, you need to think seriously about the commitment that dog ownership entails. If you already have a dog, you need to continue to consider if you are fulfilling your obligations as a dog owner.
Being a responsible dog owner isn’t just about feeding it properly or walking it or taking it to a vet if it needs it. It’s also about fulfilling your obligations to the other people in your area, that means keeping your pet under control at all times. Making sure it doesn’t disturb other people, either by fouling or being noisy. Some people simply don’t like dogs, its not their fault, but they should be disturbed by your choice to keep one. Your pet must wear a collar and ID tag, at all times, and should be microchipped – with your contact details kept up to date – and is vaccinated annually.
Oldest Breed
The world’s oldest known breed of domesticated dog is the saluki, believed to have emerged in 329 BC. Saluki dogs were revered in ancient Egypt, being kept as royal pets and being mummified after death. There are carvings found in Sumer (present-day southern Iraq) which represent a dog, closely resembling a saluki, which date back to 7000 BC.
If you are thinking of going out for the day or even just going to the shops then think very carefully about whether you take your dog as they should never be left alone in a car.
It is the time of year when many of us are looking forward to a well-earned holiday. Whether or not you take your pet depends on the destination, the species and personality of your pet and what other options you have.
Sir Henry Snugglesworth ……………………………. A True Story about owning a Shar Pei
We decided to get a Shar Pei as they are couch potatoes, likes short walks, are medium sized dogs, with little moulting and grooming required. Henry was the compromise dog between a Japanese Akita and a French Bulldog!!!We viewed him with his mother and his litter mates at home when he was 8 weeks old. He picked us as he made a beeline for Tim’s shoe laces and seemed quiet happy chewing the furniture. We instantly fell in love with him and collected him week later.We were warned of all the negatives to having a Shar Pei, entropian,allergies, temperament, familial Shar Pei fever, swollen hock syndrome and amyloidosis. We never thought that Henry would have the problems he has, coming from a home breeder that is KC registered, and having the pedigree he has.Henry isn’t the most wrinkly of Shar Pei but, to date, he has had 3 entropian correction operations on both his eyes, a hernia operation, has food allergies so he cant be fed commercial dog food so we have to make his food from scratch. He is on 1 Atopica tablet and 4 Piriton tablets daily to help with his allergies. He has to wear a cone when left on his own as he scratches himself so badly that he breaks his skin and, because he’s allergic to the bacteria and yeast naturally present on his skin, he flairs up dreadfully. When we walk him, he is often attacked by other dogs as they can’t read him because his face is wrinkly. The tail, which is carried high, makes dogs think that he is agressive and he also makes grunting noises which people think is him growling. All that said, Henry is a character of his own. He is stubborn, has selective hearing(like most men!), loves to be pampered, play, cuddle loads and is a great house dog. He is the most clumsy dog you could ever meet and has even been know to walk into patio doors!!!
We will update you on Sir Henry’s progress..
Dogs and the Law
There are a wide variety of canine laws currently applicable to dogs and their owners. As a responsible dog owner, you need to know about dog laws – your rights and responsibilities, in order to protect yourself, other people your dog and other dogs.
Do you know about which laws affect you as a dog owner? Here we take a look at some, but not all, of those currently in force in England & Wales and how they affect dog owners. Some laws are a little different in Scotland and northern Ireland, but it is sensible to check for yourself if in doubt.