Pets

The nomadic tribes of Central Asia have used the Central Asian Shepherd Dog for a long time. These working dogs protect the tribes’ animals and land from predators and thieves. They are now found in quite large numbers...

The Vizsla dog breed is from Hungary and goes by several other names. They can be called the Hungarian Vizsla, the Magyar Vizsla, or the Hungarian Pointer. Vizsla dogs are very popular as a sporting breed. In fact, they...

This dog is recognised in three different colours. These are black, yellow, and chocolate. The popular Golden Labrador is actually a yellow variant and simply incorrectly labelled. They shed their hair twice annually...

This is a large Setter breed that originated in England. Called the Black and Tan Setter until 1924, it was given its modern name by the UK Kennel Club who wanted to give a definite identity to the breed. The name was...

The Norwegian Elkhound is best known for its hunting capabilities. It is such a popular dog in Norway that it has become the official dog of the country. It is known by many names. For instance, native Norwegians call...

The Azawakh is a dog that is indigenous to Africa. This particular dog is from the sight-hound breed. Other names for the Azawakh include: Idi, Hanshee, Oska, Tuareg Sloughi, Rawondu, Bareeru and the Wulo. The Azawakh...

This is a Spitz breed native to Japan. Other names include the Seta, Shita and DoKen. It is quite possibly the only canine to have been made a national monument. It is named after the Hokkaido region where it originated...

The Newfoundland dog breed, originating from the Canadian island of Newfoundland, is often known as the ‘Gentle Giant’. This is a very accurate way to describe the dog. It is very large in size, but is also...

The Scottish Deerhound is named as such because the dog breed originated in Scotland. While it can’t be verified, some people believe that the Scottish Deerhound is one of the oldest dog breeds that still exists...

The Tricolore is one of the three variants of the Grand Anglo-Français breed, which was developed in the early 19th century for large game hunting. The dog originated from the large French scenthounds such as the...

Smålandsstövare is also known in English as the Smalands Hound. It takes its name from the Smaland area of southern Sweden. While its history is hard to trace, the Smålandsstövare dog breed has been around since at...

This is a modern dog, created in the 1990s by two American breeders, Shelly Watts-Cross and David Turkheimer. It is a large breed that was developed by crossing German Shepherds, Alaskan Malamutes and Great Pyrenees...

The Miniature Australian Shepherd is a sporting and herding dog that is native to Australia. It was created by selecting small standard Australian Shepherd dogs and breeding from them. Australian farm breeds tend to be...

An American hunting dog of some ancestry, the Mountain Cur was bred specifically for wild boar hunting in the mountains of HYPERLINK “; o “Kentucky” Kentucky, HYPERLINK “; o...

The Shetland Sheepdog is better known by its popular nickname, the Sheltie. They are also known as the Miniature Collie and the Mini Lassie. They are descended from the Border Collie, although a lot of people believe...

The Brazilian Terrier originated in Brazil. This is one of only two dog breeds native to Brazil. The other is the Fila Brasileiro. It is believed that the breed is a cross between a Jack Russell Terrier, Miniature...

The history of the South Russian Ovcharka, sometimes referred to as the South Russian Sheepdog, is long and mysterious. While historians have their theories about the ancestry of this dog breed, they tend to differ and...

Known in English as the Istrian Short-haired Hound, this is a scent hound breed originating from Croatia. It is the smaller, short haired version of two closely related breeds, the other being the Istarski Ostrodlaki...

The Lhasa Apso dog originates from Tibet. For centuries it was considered sacred and was used as a watchdog in many of the holy places such as temples. The ancient Tibetans believed that when a dog’s owner died, his...

The Chinese Crested Dog originated in China. However, it is believed to be a descendant of some hairless breeds from Africa, although this has not been formally substantiated. There are two distinct types of Chinese...