Other names/Nicknames:

• Grosser Schweizer Sennenhund
• Greater Swiss
  

Country/Date of origin:

• Switzerland
• 100 BC

Height:

• Females:  23-1/2 to 27 inches
• Males:  25-1/2 to 28-1/2 inches
  

Weight:

• 130 to 135 pounds

Personality:

• A very dominant, take-charge animal, but pleasant to be around.
• Cautious with strangers.
• Loyal and steadfast.
• A serious nature is innate.
• Does not fawn.
• Learns slowly but it retains what it is taught.

History:

One of four tri-colored dogs from the Swiss mountains, the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is the largest of the quartet.  It was first a soldiers’ dog, then a butchers’ dog, doing whatever was needed at the time.  This dog, of the mastiff family, has a short but heavy coat which is well suited to its mountain home.  It is a descendant of the dogs that invading Roman soldiers brought north as livestock guards and drovers 2,000 years ago.  Popular as a drover and draft dog, the Greater Swiss fell out of favor and was almost lost in the mid 1800’s.  By crossing the remnants of the breed with Smooth Saint Bernards, the Greater Swiss was resuscitated.  Breed type was firmly fixed again by the turn of the century.  Introduced to the United States in 1968, it was recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 1995.

Body Type:

• A heavyset, tri-color dog with a distinct mastiff build.
• The distinctively long tail is carried low.  It is not altered.
• The ears hang slightly forward and are held next to the face.  They are not altered.

Coat:

• Short coat is a double one.  The outercoat is dense and shiny and the undercoat is thick.
• Color is very important.  There is only one permissible:  jet-black, with deep tan or rust markings on all legs.
• A white blaze on the head, extending between the eyes, and a white chest marking (known as a cross) are essential.
• White paws and a white tip on the tail are essential.
• Minimal grooming needed.

Health and Wellness:

• Hip dysplasia.
• Elbow dysplasia.

What you should know:

• If used to guard cattle, the Greater Swiss is a tyrant.  Keeping all its charges in line with a firm paw.
• It is said that it can recognize every one of the cattle in its charge and cut them out of a mixed herd.
• A remarkable memory.
• This is a shorthaired dog that can take the cold weather.

Other names/Nicknames:

• Barb

Country/Date of Origin:

• Australia
• 1800’s

Height:

• 17 to 20 inches

Weight:

• 25 to 45 pounds

Personality:

• A sheepdog’s intelligence.
• The Kelpie is more difficult to control than the other English sheepdog breeds.
• A strong, eye herder, the Kelpie almost hypnotizes the sheep into doing what it wants.
• Does not make a good house dog.  This animal has too much energy to be cooped up.
• It is a country dog.

History:

The Kelpie is named for the foundation bitch of the breed, an animal of English bloodlines that was sent to Australia.  There is no doubt an infusion of other working stock dog blood and perhaps a bit of Dingo created a dog that was perfectly suited to the harsh, dry conditions of Australia and mountainous, wet climate of New Zealand.  The breed was first exhibited in 1908.  It has been shown sparingly in the United States, although it has not achieved full recognition by the American Kennel Club (AKC).  It can be shown in the Miscellaneous class, but not for championship points.

Body Type:

• A lean, compact, herding dog of medium size with a fox-like face.
• The medium-length tail is set low.  It is not altered.
• The ears are naturally erect.

Coat:

• Tough, weather-resistant outercoat and a short, dense undercoat that lies close to the body.
• Permissible colors are red, red-and-tan, black, black-and-tan, chocolate, fawn, and smoke blue.
• Moderate grooming required.

Health and Wellness:

• Generally robust, as are most working stock dogs that have not been bred for show purposes.

What you should know:

• A rare breed in the United States.
• Puppies will be very difficult, if not impossible, to find.

Other names:

• Coquetdale Terrier
• Reedwater Terrier

Country/Date of origin:

• Border country between England and Scotland
• 19th century

Height:

• 12 to 13 inches at shoulder

Weight:

• 12 to 15 pounds

Personality:

• Unspoiled in looks and personality.
• Gets along well with other pets.
• Plucky and courageous, although not as argumentative as some other terriers.
• Very upbeat and willing to please.
• Can be strong willed.

History:

The Border Terrier, which had no particular name until the 1860’s, was bred by farmers in the hill country that makes up the border between Scotland and England.  Strangely enough, the terrier did not get its name from the border country but from a pack of foxhounds called the Border Hunt.  The little go-to-ground terriers, which followed the hunters, were used to roust the fox from its lair.  Working ability was favored above all, and to this day the rough-and-ready Borders retain the pluck and spirit necessary to go after a fox, badger or otter.  Fearful that acceptance into the show world would diminish the supremely important working abilities, Border breeders did not join the English Kennel Club until 1920.  Membership into the American Kennel Club (AKC) came even later, with the first dog registered in the 1927 Stud Book.

Body Type:

• This no-frills working terrier has a compact body and a head that is similar to that of an otter.
• Drop ears are not altered.
• Tail is not altered.

Coat:

• Harsh, wiry, double coat is very weather resistant.
• Needs little grooming.  Even shown in natural state.
• Red, wheaten, grizzle and tan, and blue and tan are the allowed colors.

Health and Wellness:

• Ventricular septal defects.
• Cushing’s syndrome (PDH and AT).

What you should know:

• Unspoiled in looks and personality, the Border Terrier has never been a faddish breed and consequently has kept its true working ability.
• Thick skinned (literally) to protect from the bites of fox, badger and otter.
• Needs plenty of exercise.

Other names/Nicknames:

• Fell Terrier
• Black Fell Terrier

Country/Date of origin:

• Great Britain
• 1700’s

Height:

• 12 inches

Weight:

• 11 to 13 pounds

Personality:

• Enthusiastic worker.
• Full of fire.
• Can be quarrelsome with other dogs.

History:

This breed originated in the north of England and is named for a village there.  A hardy dog, it is able to get over the rough terrain known as fells, as well as go-to-ground.  It will first try to get its quarry to bolt from its burrow by barking, but will go in after it if necessary.  A no-frills, working dog, the Patterdale is game and hardy as any terrier going.  Most of the Patterdales are kept by masters of fox hunts or used as vermin exterminators.

Body Type:

• A compact go-to-ground terrier that has a Staffordshire Bull Terrier type head.
• The short tail is not altered.
• The folded, triangular ears are not altered.

Coat:

• Short, coarse, and weatherproof.
• Allowed colors are black, red, chocolate, or black-and-tan.
• Black is by far the most common color.
• Moderate grooming required.

Health and Wellness:

• Generally very hardy.

What you should know:

• It is said that this dog is willing to hunt anything with fur.
• As with all the terriers, be sure to get the upper-hand with this dog from the beginning.
• High-energy level.
• Can be destructive or noisy if not given proper exercise.

Other names/Nicknames:

• Old English Terrier
• Black and Tan Wire Haired Terrier

Country/Date of origin:

• Wales
• 1500’s

Height:

• 14 to 15 inches

Weight:

• 20 to 21 pounds

Personality:

• Active and playful, the Welsh Terrier is a charmer.
• Very much a one-family dog.
• Less volatile than the Lakeland or the Wire Haired Fox Terrier.  The Welsh will not back down from trouble if he finds it.

History:

The recorded history of the Welsh Terrier goes back to the 1500’s.  By the 1700’s, it was customarily used with fox hunting packs in the northern part of Wales.  The long-legged terrier was able to keep up with the horses but was still small enough to go after fox or badger below the ground.  Show classes were offered for the Welsh Terrier at English shows in the 1880’s.  By 1901 there were enough of the breed in America to offer classes for them at American Kennel Club (AKC) shows.

Body Type:

• A medium-sized, rough-coated terrier with a distinctive patterning of the coat.
• Often confused with the Lakeland Terrier, the Welsh can be distinguished by its broader head and sparser facial hair.
• Button ears are not altered.
• Erect tail is docked.

Coat:

• The workman-like coat is weather resistant and double.  The outer hairs are hard and wiry and the undercoat soft.
• The preferred color is black and tan but black, grizzle and tan is also permitted.
• Requires professional grooming.

Health and Wellness:

• Generally hardy.
• Lens luxation.

What you should know:

• Puppies are usually born solid black. The dark color recedes quickly and the blanketed, black and tan pattern should be visible by the time the pup is three or four months old.
• More level-headed than most terriers.
• Welsh Terriers are excellent outfielders in a ball game.
• Relative rarity of the Welsh Terrier may make a puppy hard to find in some parts of the country.

Other names/Nicknames:

• Samoyedskaja
• Smiling Dog
  

Country/Date of origin:

• Russia
• 1600’s

Height:

• Females:  19 to 21 inches
• Males:  21 to 23-1/2 inches

Weight:

• 50 to 65 pounds

Personality:

• Intelligent and eager to please.
• Friendly but conservative.
• Aggressiveness is to be severely penalized in a Samoyed.
• Prefers to be outdoors.
• High energy.

History:

This is the herding dog of the once nomadic Samoyed people, who roamed across Arctic Asia and now live in the regions of Siberia east of the Ural Mountains.  For centuries, the big, white dogs guarded and herded the reindeer, which were the lifeblood of the tribes.  Occasionally, they pulled sleds, but this job usually was relegated to the reindeer.  Most of the modern Samoyeds are descendants of just 12 animals brought out of Russia in the 19th century.  Still used as a sled dog, the Samoyed can withstand the most extreme weather.  The story of the first Samoyed in the United States is a romantic one.  Princess Mercy de Montyglyon was showing some of her collies at a dog show in St. Petersburg when she noticed a Samoyed following her.  She dragged him back to his bench, but the next day he followed her again.  It turns out that he was the favorite of the Grand Duke and no amount of money was enough to purchase him.  However, the heir to the Russian throne was so taken by the dog’s attachment to the Princess that he gave the dog to her.  In 1906, he became the first of his breed to be shown in the United States.

Body Type:

• A medium-sized, sled dog of the Spitz family.
• Compact and muscular with a smiling expression.
• The tail is carried over the back and to one side.  It is never altered.
• The ears are erect, set far apart, and are not altered.  The ears are small and heavily furred.

Coat:

• Coat is so thick that is almost impossible to see the skin when it is parted.  Even the bottoms of the feet are cushioned with fur
• Coat is very long.
• The outer coat is coarse and the undercoat is oily and woolly.  It should stand out from the body.
• White or an off-white is the only color allowed.
• The tips of the hairs are silver and glint in the sun.
• Sheds heavily in the spring.  At other times, grooming needs are moderate.
• Males carry much more coat than females.

Health and Wellness:

• Usually very hardy.
• Possible hip dysplasia.
• Skin diseases if kept in a heated house.
• Serious eye problems.

What you should know:

• Fridtjof Nansen first brought the Samoyed to the attention of the public through his polar expeditions.  Later, Scott and Amundsen used Samoyeds in Antarctica.
• Often called the smiling dog for its amused expression.  It reflects the happy heart of the Samoyed, which not only smiles but chortles.
• A real sense of humor.
• If you can stand the shedding, this is a fine pet.
• Can take rough-and-tumble play.

Other names/Nicknames:

• Cao de Agua
• Portuguese Fishing Dog
• Diving Dog
• Sea Dog

Country/Date of origin:

• Portugal
• 1400’s

Height:

• Females:  17 to 21 inches (ideal is 19 inches)
• Males:  20 to 23 inches (ideal is 22 inches)

Weight

• Females:  35 to 50 pounds
• Males:  42 to 60 pounds

Personality:

• Willingness to work is inbred, and making itself useful obviously gives the dog great pleasure.
• Loyal and attentive to its chosen person.
• Alert and watches strangers for any sign of bad intentions.

History:

Fisherman along the Algarve coast of Portugal relied on a remarkable dog to help them in their difficult trade.  Their seafaring dogs carried messages between ships and ship-to-shore.  Indispensable crewmen, they retrieved lost tackle, herded fish into nets, grabbed those fish that leaped out, and in bad weather acted as living foghorns.  The Portuguese Water Dog is also a fine hunting retriever.  Needless to say, these dogs were closely guarded.  They were little known outside of Portugal until the 20th century, although the breed is more than seven hundred years old. They were not very well known in Portugal either. In 1972, it was thought that there were less than 25 purebred dogs left.  Fanciers around the world rallied and today the cheerful sea sprites have the popularity they deserve.  In 1981, the Portuguese was admitted to the Miscellaneous classes of the American Kennel Club (AKC).  In 1984, the numbers were high enough to allow a full membership in the Working Group.

Body Type:

• Bears a resemblance to the large-size Poodle.
• The medium-length, natural tail loops over the back when the dog is at attention.  It is not altered because it is used as a rudder when the dog is swimming.
• The long ears hang close to the head and are not altered.
• Feet are webbed to aid in swimming.

Coat:

• Two coats allowed: curly and wavy.  An undercoat is not present in either variety.
• Wavy coats are fairly long with a slight sheen.
• The hair in curly coats forms compact, cylindrical curls that are somewhat lusterless.
• The hair on the ears has less curl than elsewhere on the body.
• Permissible colors are solid black, white or brown; also accepted are combinations of black or brown with white.
• Two grooming styles.  Lion clip where the face, middle and hindquarters are shaved.  The tail is also shaved at the base end, and a lion-like tassel is left at the tip end. This clip requires professional grooming.  The working-retriever clip has the hair scissored to one-inch in length following the outline of the body.  Hair on the end of the tail is left long to emulate a lion’s tassel.

Health and Wellness:

• Hip dysplasia.
• Lysosomal storage disease.
• Puppy eye syndrome.
• Congenital renal disease.
• Addison’s disease.
• Follicular dysplasia.
• Progressive retinal atrophy.

What you should know:

• Pronounce it Kown-d -ahgwa (Cao de Agua) as the Portuguese do.  It means Dog of the Water or Sea Dog.
• It is impossible to keep this dog out of water.  Some will even want to play in puddles.
• Good choice as a family dog.

Other names/Nicknames:

• Norsk Elghund

Country/Date of origin:

• Norway
• 11th century

Height:

• 19-1/2 to 20-1/2 inches

Weight:

• 48 to 55 pounds

Personality:

• Naturally protective, and friendly to strangers.
• Very intelligent, although notoriously hardheaded and stubborn.
• Tends to be a one-person or one-family dog.
• This is not a frivolous, fun-loving dog.  Elkhounds have a very serious outlook on life.
• Bark is high pitched and piercing.

History:

This is the dog of the Vikings.  It has existed almost unchanged since the Stone Age.  The Norwegian Elkhound is a specialist hunter of the largest member of the deer family—the moose.  A member of the spitz group of dogs, they are versatile animals, hunting, guarding, and even pulling sleds.  The Elkhound’s powers of scent are legendary.  They can detect a moose from five or six miles and will whimper to alert the accompanying hunter.  Also of mythic proportions is its endurance in subfreezing weather.  In 1913, the first Norwegian Elkhounds were registered in the American Kennel Club (AKC) Stud Book.

Body Type:

• Looks like a stocky, medium-sized sled dog.
• Erect ears are not altered.
• Tail is carried tightly curled over the back and is not altered.

Coat:

• The flat, double coat is extremely dense.
• Permissible colors are any shade of gray with black-tipped outer hairs.
• Muzzle, tail tip, and ears are black.
• Requires extensive brushing.
• Sheds excessively.

Health Concerns:

• Hip dysplasia.
• Renal dysplasia.
• Progressive retinal atrophy.
• Pyoderma.
• Glaucoma.
• Fanconi’s syndrome.
• Skin tumors.
• Keratoacanthoma.

What you should know:

• The Elk in the name of this breed refers to what Americans call a moose.  The animal we call elk (wapiti) is not native to Norway.
• Puppies are born black and turn gray in about a week.
• Do not choose a puppy older than a few weeks that has so many black-tipped outer hairs that it appears to be black rather than gray.

Other names/Nicknames:

• Cumberland Terrier
• Patterdale Terrier (although there is another by that name now)
• Lakies
  

Country/Date of origin:

• England
• 1700’s

Height:

• Female:  13-1/2 inches
• Male:  14-1/2 inches
  

Weight:

• 15 to 17 pounds

Personality:

• A friendly, cock-of-the walk attitude.
• Alert nature makes the Lakeland a good watchdog.
• Typical terrier stubbornness may make him difficult to housebreak.
• Tends to bark excessively.
• Active and requires a great deal of exercise.
• Argumentative with other dogs, and death to cats and other small, furry critters.

History:

Developed in the lake district of the north England, the Lakeland has strong working roots.  Farmers trained the little terriers to attack foxes, which raided their sheep.  Fox hunts often carried Lakeland Terriers to use as the go-to-ground terrier to root the fox out of its lair.  In the early 20th century, the breed was standardized.  In 1921,  it began to be shown as the Lakeland Terrier in England.  Known for their courage and endurance, the Lakies were recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 1934.  It remains relatively unspoiled, never having achieved great popularity.

Body Type:

• A medium-sized, rough-coated terrier with lavish eyebrows and beard.
• Erect tail is docked.
• Ears are folded forward and not altered.

Coat:

• The workman-like, weatherproof coat is double,  with the outer hard and wiry and the undercoat soft.
• Allowed colors are blue and tan, wheaten, and red (the most commonly seen color).
• Requires professional grooming.

Health and Wellness:

• Lens luxation of the eye.
• Dry skin problems if kept indoors.

What you should know:

• In 1967, Stingray of Derrybah (a champion Lakeland) won both Crufts (England’s most prestigious show) and Westminster (America’s top show).  He is the only dog, any breed, to have ever won the double crown.
• One of the champions of this seldom seen breed is the entertainer Bill Cosby.
• Puppies often have a soft, curly coat.  This disappears by the time the dog matures.

Other names/Nicknames:

• None

Country/Date of origin:

• Hungary
• 1200’s

Height:

• Females:  26 to 28 inches
  
• Males: 28 to 30 inches
  

Weight:

• Females:  70 to 90 pounds
• Males:  100 to 115 pounds
  

Personality:

• Highly intelligent and easily trained for guard duties, which is the breed’s natural bent.
• Loyal to owner but hostile to strangers.
• If mistreated or if a warning is ignored, this breed can be ferocious and uncontrollable.
• Territorial and not inclined to roam.

History:

The Kuvasz and the Komondor, the two large white sheep dogs of Hungary, were first used by the nomadic Magyars to protect their herds from thieves and wild animals.  While the Komondor is unique, breeds related to the Kuvasz can be found all over the world.  In all these breeds, the color of the dogs is either yellowish white or cream.  This enabled the shepherd to tell his guard dogs from the wolves, which were darker in color.  It is difficult, even for experienced dog people to tell the Hungarian Kuvasz from the Italian Maremma and the Polish Owczarek Podhalanski at a glance.  The white, herd guardian is both strong and agile, as befits a dog designed to kill wolves.  The various strains of the working dogs, which were passed from father to son and rarely left the villages where they were born, were registered beginning in 1905.  At first, the breed underwent a surge in popularity but it barely managed to survive the storm of World War II.  Dedicated dog lovers searched the country for the few surviving Kuvasz and started breeding efforts again in the late 1940’s.  In 1960, a standard was finally drawn up and it was accepted by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) in 1963.

Body Type:

• Very large dog of sturdy, muscular build.
• The tail is long and carried low.  It is never altered.
• The drop ears hang slightly forward and close to the head.  They are not altered.
• Eyes are almond shaped, giving the dog an oriental expression.

Coat:

• Thick, double coat is longer on the neck, legs, and tail.
• May be slightly wavy.
• Color is pure white or ivory.
• Sheds heavily in warm weather.
• Needs moderate grooming.
• The coat does not mat without attention.

Health and Wellness:

• Generally quite healthy.
• Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD).
• Congenital deafness.

What you should know:

• In Turkish, kuvasz means protector.
• Kuvasz are incredibly agile for such a big dog.
• Not recommended as a breed for the first-time dog owner.
• The bark is deep and menacing.  Often, this is enough to frighten a thief away.
• In olden times, the Kuvasz wore a leather collar that had nails protruding from it to protect their neck from wolf bites.
• Kuvasz do not tolerate unjust or undeserved punishment.
• It is not wise to interfere with their possessions.