American Shorthair Cats

The American Shorthair has been nicknamed the "All-American" breed. Its origins follow the line of many American purebreds, which first arrived in America aboard the boats of Pilgrims from Europe in the early 17th century. The American Shorthair was originally bred to rid the vessels of rats, which plagued the passengers with diseases, and ate the ship's stored food.

An excellent hunter, the cunning, intelligent, American Shorthair is as affectionate as it is active, adapting well to other pets and getting along very well with children and large families. The American Shorthair is known for its robust constitution, keen intelligence and kind, adaptable disposition. Easily disciplined and trainable, it is a quiet, easy-going and loving breed, the ideal all-around indoor or outdoor pet, adapting well to any given living conditions or environment. They purr loudly when they are content. They are fine looking felines who will be eager to become an active part of the family. Overall, they are rather low maintenance, healthy, and pleasant cats. They have an average life span of about 15 years.

American Shorthairs are medium to large cats, generally averaging nine to 12 pounds, with a powerful and rather muscular build that is sturdy and solid, yet lithe, graceful and extremely athletic. The males are generally larger than the females, weighing up to 15 pounds. Both males and females achieve their full growth generally between three to four years of age. Their chest is wide and hind legs are thick, ending in a tail of medium length and width. The face of the American Shorthair is wide and full in the cheek area, set off by large, rounded eyes which vary in color from gold to copper, green to hazel, blue or even bi-colored, with each eye bearing a completely different color. The coat is short and dense, thickening slightly in winter, and ranges dramatically in color and pattern. This popularly rated cat's most common coat is the classic tabby pattern in red, brown, and even silver. Sometimes the coat can be black and silver.

Miniature Pinscher

Country of Origin: The Miniature Pinscher (also known as the ‘MinPin’ or ‘MiniPin’) is a German breed; ‘Pinscher’ is German for ‘Terrier’. The Miniature Pinscher does not descend from the Doberman Pinscher; this is a common mistake because the Doberman was introduced first to the U.S. The Miniature Pinscher is actually the older of the two breeds and is the likely source breed for the Doberman. The Miniature Pinscher descends from the German Pinscher, from whom it derives its black and tan coloring, the Dachshund, from whom it derives its courage and red coloration, and the Italian Greyhound, from whom it derives its playful demeanor and graceful gait. The earliest evidence of the Miniature Pinscher is a painting from the 1600’s of a small red dog similar in appearance to the MiniPin. The Miniature Pinscher was originally bred for small size, which resulted in a less appealing appearance than today’s dogs. The Miniature Pinscher’s popularity in its native Germany dipped in the early 1900’s; its survival was mostly due to Miniature Pinschers which had been exported to the U.S. prior to World War I. The Miniature Pinscher was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1929 and is today one of the most popular toy show dogs.



Size: The Miniature Pinscher has a shoulder height of 25-30 cm (10-12.5 in) and weighs 4-6 kg (9-13 lbs). Miniature Pinschers have a wide muzzle, narrow head, and erect ears, which may be cropped. They have small, round ‘cat feet’ and an erect tail which is usually docked. The Miniature Pinscher has a smooth, graceful gait.



Coat: The Miniature Pinscher has a smooth, short, lustrous coat which can be red, stag red, chocolate with tan markings, or black with tan markings. Some standards allow blue and fawn.



Character: Miniature Pinschers are alert, bold, spirited and lively. They are extremely energetic; some consider them to be the most energetic of all breeds. Miniature Pinschers are known to act far larger than they really are. They are eternal puppies. The Miniature Pinscher is fearless and loyal, with strong guard and protection instincts. The Miniature Pinscher prefers to let its owner know when it wants to be handled; if it feels pestered it may bite.

Temperament: The Miniature Pinscher gets along fine with children, provided it is not pestered by them, in which case it may bite. Small children should be cautioned and supervised to protect the dog from injury. Some Miniature Pinschers are aggressive with other dogs and strangers, but this behavior is not common if proper socialization has taken place.



Care: The Miniature Pinscher is easy to groom; it requires only a periodic brushing to remove dead hair. Miniature Pinschers are not well insulated against the cold. Due to the MinPin’s vermin hunting instincts, small objects such as bottle caps can present choking hazards. Miniature Pinschers are prone to obesity; proper nutrition and exercise are important. The Miniature Pinscher has a lifespan of 12-14 years.

Maltese

Size: about 9" tall (shoulder)

Weight: usually 4-7 pounds

Color: white, sometimes with lemon or tan.

Origin: debatable. See below

Modern Purpose: companion

Historical Purpose: mouser





The Maltese is a breed whose origins are shrouded in antiquity. There are several different versions of their history. One thing is for sure, they have been popular for millennia! Art objects dating back as far as 5000 to 10 000 years show similar dogs. They may have originated in Asia, or perhaps the ancient Egyptians bred the ancestors of the Maltese. It is believed that the Phoenicians introduced the breed to the island of Malta around 500 B.C. and the breed derives its name from this island. Malta provided an environment relatively free of outside influences, allowing the Maltese to retain their unique characteristics. The Maltese were favourites of the Greeks and Romans and were carried everywhere their human companions went (little has changed since!) Renaissance paintings show that the Maltese were popular in Italy. They were known in Britain in the 16th century and may have been brought there by invading Romans or returning Crusaders. Maltese are possibly the oldest of Europe's toy breeds and are widespread throughout the continent (It is no wonder that the breed travelled so far and wide, as CoCo can't walk around the block without drawing admirers!). Maltese have always been lap dogs, favoured by the nobility across time and cultures, but some historians say that Maltese were also once renowned for their rat-catching abilities!



There is some debate whether they are of terrier, bichon, or spaniel stock, but the Maltese have also been known as the Maltese Terrier and the Bichon Maltaise. The American Kennel Club began registering Maltese in 1888 and by 1994 the American Maltese Association, the parent club for the breed in the U.S., had over 500 members. Maltese also remain popular in Europe, as well as in Canada and Japan.



Maltese are small dogs, usually 25 cm (10 in) tall and weighing 1.8 - 2.7 kg (4 - 6 lb). They have a long, straight, silky white coat which can reach all the way to the ground. Small areas of lemon coloured or light tan markings are also common, especially on the head. Their hair is parted down the centre from their nose to their tail. The tail is a long-haired plume carried gracefully over the back. When they wag their tails, Maltese look like they are waving a fan! Their eyes are dark brown, and they have a black nose, black eye rims, and black lips. These dark features contrast with their white fur to give Maltese the appearance of stuffed animals! Their toe pads are also black.



There is a slight difference between American and English Maltese. American Maltese tend to be smaller and finer boned, with shorter muzzles and a different coat texture.



Maltese are among the gentlest mannered of all little dogs. They are affectionate and form very strong bonds with their owners. CoCo comes to kiss me goodnight every night before he goes to sleep! Maltese are also intelligent and alert. CoCo uses growls, snorts, yips, and barks to get my attention and communicate with me. He can be very stubborn and insists on getting his own way! Maltese are very clean animals and are easily trained. CoCo wipes his face after every meal (on the furniture if I fail to provide him with a tissue!) and cleans his paws like a cat every day.



Like all toy dogs, Maltese are lively and playful. They are sturdy, strong little dogs and seem to be without fear, but children need to take care not to injure them. Maltese are undaunted by larger dogs and may get themselves (and you) into trouble! CoCo's favourite games are hide-and-seek and tug-o'war. He also very much enjoys tearing up and chewing paper. He enjoys a wide variety of chew-toys, including rawhide, beef chews, pig ears, and the occasional item of clothing (usually just to get attention!).



Maltese are a fine pet for those with limited accommodations because their exercise needs are minimal. CoCo spends most of his time in my condo, but loves to go out and play.



Maltese can also be quite choosy about their food and may prefer their owner's food to their own. CoCo will only eat one brand of wet food and two kinds of dry food, although he will eat just about anything that I do! He of course eats chicken and meat, but he is also very fond of fruit and vegetables. His favourite treat seems to be gruyere cheese! He only eats dry food just before he goes to bed, and always carries it around the house to eat it in front of me! CoCo has a preference for cold, fresh water. When a Maltese drinks, a great deal of water ends up in his or her beard, and this can be quite a shock when they come to kiss you right after drinking!



Maltese require frequent grooming, but usually become accustomed to it as puppies and learn to enjoy it because of their desire for companionship. They need to be combed at least once a day. Their long hair can get tangled into very tenacious mats, especially if they have been playing. These require patience to untangle with fingers, comb, and scissors. Their head hair can be tied in single or double topknots, but it is best if this is done right from puppyhood or they may find the bows annoying.



Show dogs have long hair reaching right down to the ground, but this can be too much work for most owners. Maltese often have short or semi-short ("puppycut") hair to make grooming easier. The hair on the bottom of their paws must be trimmed or else they will slip on it (and it can also get very dirty). The long hair inside their ears must be pulled out regularly or the ears will become dirty and infected. They should also have their teeth brushed regularly with dog toothpaste. CoCo quite enjoys the taste of the toothpaste, if not the brushing itself!



Maltese require bathing every two to four weeks to keep their coats bright. Their long hair must be dried thoroughly afterwards or they could get quite ill. Maltese are subject to "eyestains" due to their white fur. Tearing caused by dust and pollen stains the fur around their eyes. Females sometimes stain more when in season. This is not a health problem, but it can look messy. Commercial preparations such as Diamond Eye can be used to clean the fur. Alternatively, the eyes can be washed with a commercial preparation or warm water to soothe them (although perhaps not the dog!).



All in all, the Maltese makes a lively and personable companion that's always fun to be around.





Note: the above article was originally submitted to NetPets for their breed info library in 1996 by Jessica Lee.


Japanese Chin

Family: companion

Place of Origin: Japan

Date of Origin: ancient times

Avg Size of Male: Height: 8-11 inches, Weight: 4-7 pounds

Avg Size of Female: Height: 8-11 inches, Weight: 4-7 pounds

Original Function: lap dog

Primary Current Function: companion

Other Name: Japanese spaniel



The Japanese Spaniel is a dainty, fine-boned breed with a square shape. It has a short muzzle and wide nostrils. Its wide-set, protruding eyes are almond-shaped and dark with a touch of white, giving the impression of surprise. The Chin has a questioning expression with an Oriental appearance.This aristocratic pup has folded v-shaped ears, and its tail curls over its back.Both its ears and tail are feathered. Its gait is elegant, lively, and high-stepping.The Japanese Chin’s thick coat is long, straight, and silky. Its fur forms a thick ruff around the neck and chest. The fine coat sticks out from its body and is usually colored in white with patches of black, red, yellow, orange, sable or brindle. The breed typically has a white spot on its forehead known as Buddha’s Thumbprint, due to the Buddhist Emperor Ming of Han China who owned many Chin’s.

Jack Russell Terrier

Breed Group: Terrier

Weight: 13-17 lbs

Height: 12-14 inches

Color(s): predominantly white with tan, black, or brown markings



Coat: The Jack Russell Terrier has a dense double-coat that comes in three varieties:

smooth, rough, and broken. The smooth coat has an outer-coat that is short and stiff.

In the rough coat the outer-coat is longer. The broken variety is used to describe both dogs with outer-coats of

different lengths or dogs that have longer hair on specific parts of the body.

The Jack Russell Terrier is primarily white with black, tan, or tri-color markings. They shed constantly.



Overview: The Jack Russell Terrier or Parson Jack Russell Terrier originated in England in the 19th century.

Their name derived from the Reverend John Russell, a hunting enthusiast, who was the first person to breed them for fox hunting.

The Jack Russell Terrier is exceedingly adept at digging and burrowing into foxholes and dens.



Character: The Jack Russell Terrier is sturdy, hardy, and robust in appearance. They are outgoing with a keen expression.

They have an inquisitive nature. This compact breed is very vocal but is never "yappy". They are fearless and are completely unaware of their small stature.



Temperament: The Jack Russell Terrier is a loving and devoted breed. They are spirited, lively, amusing, and energetic. They get along with older, well-behaved, considerate children. They are not recommended for children under eight years of age. They do not get along with other pets.

Their natural hunting instinct brings out their aggressive nature. They are highly intelligent and bold. Their courage often leads them into dangerous situations that may lead to fatal results. The Jack Russell Terrier requires an extraordinary amount of human attention. They are not well suited for a two career family.

Dachshund

Overview: The Dachshund was originally developed in German hundreds of years ago. They were originally bred for hunting Badger, hence the name Dachshund. "Dachs" is the German word for Bader. The elongated body and the shortened legs were bred into this dog to dig the prey out and go inside their burrows forcing them to leave their dens. The Miniature variety was bred to hunt hare and stoat. This breed has also been known to hunt foxes and otters along with the badger.



Character: Dachshunds are a very clownish breed and can be very mischievous at times. A very intuitive dog, the Dachshund is now most commonly seen as a companion rather than a hunter. This breed loves to be around people and should never exhibit signs of aggression or timidity. The Dachshund is an all around friendly dog, is very outgoing, and is sure to steal the hearts of everyone he meets.



The Dachshund is a fun loving dog, tenacious, and lively, but can become jealous and be very irritable. This breed does not do well with smaller children, but can do very well with older and more considerate children. Due to his small size and tiny legs, this breed should not be placed in a home with larger dogs unless they were raised around each other. The Dachshund has the tendency to become jealous, however can do very well with many other toy breeds in the home providing they are not snippy.



Weight: 11-32 lbs



Height: 5-9 inches



Color(s): solid red, sable, or cream; black and tan, chocolate and tan, wild boar and tan, gray and tan, or fawn and tan, brindle

Chihuahua

The Chihuahua takes its name from the state of Chihuahua in Mexico. Most folk pronounce the name, "Chee wa wa." It is an ancient breed. Images of dogs that look like Chihuahuas have been found carved on stone in the Huejotzingo Monastery between Mexico City and Pueblo. It's possible that the monks kept dogs to keep rats away.



It is thought that the breed occurred naturally and was not the result of man deliberately trying to reduce the size of the dogs by selective breeding.



These pocket-sized dogs make great pets for small houses & small gardens. They can live in a flat and use a cat litter tray. They prefer to be indoors in cold weather. They can be carried around, but that is not good for a dog! Some children are too rough to play with such a tiny dog.



Small dogs can yap a lot, so it's important to let the dog get used to strangers and strange noises while young. It's sometimes the smallest dogs that kick up the most noise if an intruder comes!



Chihuahuas can have short, smooth coats, or long coats. They can be any colour, or mixed colours. The long-haired Chihuahua has a wavy coat with a mane around the neck. The hair on the tail is long and the tail is held high, curling proudly over his back. The short-haired Chihuahua is short-haired all over, and needs no grooming.



Weight: 2 to 6 pounds (2.7 kg or less.)



Height: 5 inches



Class: Toy

Brussels Griffon

Description :

The distinctive feature of a Griffon is its pug like face. The nose is quite short and turned up, diminishing the muzzle almost entirely. Large, prominent eyes are another pug-like feature as is the undershot jaw. The head should be large, round and have a domed forehead. If cropped, the ears are pricked but if natural, the ears are semi-erect. It should be noted that ear cropping is not carried out in Great Britain. The ears should be small and high set. Wide set eyes should be dark in colour and have black rims and long lashes. The nose is also of black pigmentation, as are the lips. Being undershot, the jaw causes the lower incisors to cover the upper incisors. It is a large jaw and the lower half is broad. Neither the tongue nor teeth should show, as the lips should form a clean, close finish. Thick set and short, the body begins with a broad, deep brisket and should have a level back. The neck is of a medium length and is arched. Straight boned and of medium length, the legs are moderately widely set and muscular with short pasterns. In the hind leg, the hocks are let down and do not turn in or out. Round and compact, the feet should have black pads and nails. If docked, the tail is docked short and should be high set emerging at right angles from the topline. If undocked, the same and of moderate length, curving gently over the back in movement.

Beagle

Description :

A hardy, sturdy squarely-built, small hound. The Beagle has a sleek, easy-care, short coat, which can come in any hound color, for example, tri-color, black and tan, red and white, orange and white, or lemon and white. The coat is close, hard and of medium length. The beagle looks like a small English Foxhound. The skull is broad and slightly rounded, and the muzzle is straight and square. The feet are round and strong. The black nose has full nostrils for scenting. The long, wide ears are pendant. The brown or hazel eyes have a characteristic pleading expression. The tail is carried gaily, but never curled over the back. Beagles have a distinct howl / bay of a bark when they are on the hunt.