I nearly got into an argument today with a friend over what the best breed of dog is. So, we’ll let you, the readers, decide. Listed below are the 9 most popular breeds, according to 2008 AKC registrations, as well as the ever-popular “mutt-i-gree”. I had to narrow it down somehow, so AKC rankings seemed like an easy way to do it.
Continue reading Survey Saturday: What’s Your Favorite Breed of Dog?
The first Friday of each month, downtown Canton holds a “First Friday” event to draw people to the downtown area. Sometimes it’s a concert, sometimes a wine tasting, sometimes an art show – whatever. This month, the big feature was the Budweiser beer wagon, pulled by a team of 8 Clydesdale horses. Boy, were they beautiful!
How does this tie to a dog blog? Did you know that the wagon also carries a Dalmation, just like a fire truck? I sure didn’t, but I guess it makes sense historically. The Dalmations were originally used to keep stray dogs away from the horses used to pull fire trucks, so it follows that other industries that relied on horse-drawn wagons would use them, too.
Just a little history lesson for you!
Until next time,
Good day, and good dog!
The picture of the horses didn’t turn out as well due to the crowd, but thought you’d like to see the horses, too!
Thanks to friend-of-the-blogger Wendy for sending me the finalists from the Extreme Grooming Contest. Don’t forget to look at the people in the background, as well as the dogs. No doubt, there are those of you who will think this is cruel and demeaning to the dogs. Feel free to let me know. My personal feeling is that they are works of art, and assuming that the paint comes off fairly easily and does not harm the dogs, why not?
We’ve talked about this before, how people blame the dog for how his owners train him. Now, no less of an authority than the United States Marine Corps has joined the fray.
OK, so I’m not sure funnest is even a word, and there is no science to this list – it is simply the dog breeds I have known that I have had fun with. This topic came to mind because my dogs are having some serious playtime in my office – running all over the place and play-biting each other.
Some dogs, like the Basset Hound, turn into doorstops soon after leaving puppyhood, so they’re not what I would call fun. Other dogs, like German Shepherds, are too serious about being a guard dog, so I’ve never seen one having fun. (OK, the address is “[email protected], for all of you Basset and German Shepherd owners!)
Continuing on from yesterday, here are the final three group winners, followed by the Best in Show.
4th Place: Ch Beechcroft Study’s Top Secret Breed: Retriever (Labrador)
3rd Place: Ch Chebaco Blames It On Trabeiz Breed: Setter (English)
2nd Place: Ch Toasty’s Treasure Island Breed: Retriever (Golden)
1st Place: Ch Clussexx Three D Grinchy Glee Breed: Spaniel (Sussex)
4th Place: Ch Drakyi Gold Standard Breed: Tibetan Mastiff
3rd Place: Ch Nanuke’s Still The One Breed: Alaskan Malamute
2nd Place: Ch Winfall Brookwood Styled Dream Breed: Boxer
1st Place: Ch Galilee’s Pure Of Spirit Breed: Giant Schnauzer
4th Place: Ch Velocity’s Shake Ur Bon Bon Breed: Pomeranian
3rd Place: Ch Pequest Match Point Breed: Pekingese
2nd Place: Ch Tupelo Shoboat Tu China Tu Breed: Pug
1st Place: Ch Cilleine Masquerade Breed: Brussels Griffon
Congratulations and a wag of the doggies.com tail to all of the contestants!
Until next time,
Good day, and good dog!
I received the following e-mail from Minjae Ormes at the National Geographic Channel:
I wanted to send you a brief video clip from this Friday’s new episode of Dog Whisperer. I sure wouldn’t want to mess with these guys. 🙂
Apparently, the Obamas have narrowed their choices for a new first dog to either a Labradoodle (shown above, on the chair) or a Portuguese Water Dog (shown above, on the lawn).
Everyone has an opinion on which they should choose. Even Senator Edward Kennedy, who lives with three Portuguese water dogs, released a statement advocating the breed after President-elect Obama announced his family had narrowed its choice down to just two breeds.
Many people have expressed concern that neither of these breeds is likely to be found in a shelter. Not so for Labradoodles, says Stephanie Shain, of the Humane Society of the United States. “Sadly, every time (and I mean EVERY time) we see a kind of dog become suddenly popular we see a huge growth in the production of those animals in puppy mills (mass breeding operations – awful places), a huge increase in the number of people buying them, and a spike in the number of that kind of dog in shelters and resuces.
It happened decades ago to Cocker Spaniels (circa lady and the Tramp) and more recently with Dalmatians (101 of course).
Labradoodles came on the scene a few years ago. Shelters are likely to classify them as a “poodle mix”, not necessarily a “Labradoodle”, although some will mark them as such.
They are out there in need of homes…loads of them. ”
See the rest of Ms. Shain’s comments here, in a transcript of an online public chat held on January 15th.
And don’t forget to vote for name here.
Until next time,
Good day, and good dog!
I guess I’m not the only one excited about the release of “Marley and Me”. I plan on seeing in Tuesday night, so I’ll let you know on Wednesday what I thought. (Although I’m not particularly fond of Owen Wilson, the male lead – hope that doesn’t ruin it for me.)
My kids went to see Beverly Hills Chihuahua the other day – they absolutely loved it! The movie features the voices of Hollywood heavyweights Drew Barrymore, Jamie Lee Curtis, Andy Garcia, and Edward James Olmos – remember him from “Miami Vice”?