dog breeds

The Lowchen or Little Lion Dog is a breed of dog. A small dog, they are considered by some registries as a toy dog and by the American Kennel Club as a non-sporting dog. The Lowchen once had the dubious distinction, like the Portuguese Water Dog and the Havanese, of being the rarest dog in the world. In 1973 there were only 65 registered examples of the breed. Even today, the breed generally has fewer than a few hundred new registrations each year worldwide. The Lowchen's coat is long and flowing and comes in many colours. The coat should not be thin and fluffy like a Bichon Frise, but wavy with a mix of thicker hairs amongst the fine ones. This allows for a flowing coat that is not frizzy or fly-away, and a Lowchen coat should not be harsh like many terriers. The Lowchen does not shed, and this breed has very low allergic effects, and are considered hypoallergenic. The head of the Lowchen is one of its most important features, with its relatively short, wide muzzle, broad skull, lively round eyes, and pendulant ears. They can come in all colours, including brown, that allow for dark eyes and nose. The head, when in proportion to the body, is neither too big nor too small, but helps to emphasize the friendly, regal, and leonine personality of the Lowchen. The litter size is usually between three and six puppies. The Lowchen's life span is around 12?14 years. Lion cut

The Maltese is a small breed of dog in the Toy Group. It descends from dogs originating in the Central Mediterranean Area. The breed name and origins are generally understood to derive from the Mediterranean island nation of Malta; however, the name is sometimes described with reference to the distinct Adriatic island of Mljet, or a defunct Sicilian town called Melita. The Maltese had been recognized as a FCI breed under the patronage of Italy in 1954, at the annual meeting in Interlaken, Switzerland. The current FCI standard is dated November 27, 1989, and the latest translation from Italian to English is dated April 6, 1998. The American Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1888, its latest standard being from March 10, 1964. Characteristics include slightly rounded skulls, with a finger-wide dome, a black button nose and brown eyes. The body is compact with the length equaling the height. The drop ears with (sometimes) long hair, and surrounded by darker skin pigmentation (called a halo), gives Maltese their expressive look. Lacking exposure to sunlight, their noses can fade and become pink or light brown in color. This is often referred to as a winter nose and many times will become black again with increased exposure to the sun.

The Toy Manchester Terrier is a breed of dog, categorized as a terrier. The breed was bred down in size in North America from the Manchester Terrier, and is placed in the Toy Group by the American Kennel Club and the Canadian Kennel Club (the Manchester Terrier is placed in the Terrier Group.) Neither the F?d?ration Cynologique Internationale nor the The Kennel Club recognize a Toy variety of the Manchester Terrier. The Toy Manchester Terrier in North America is a small, long legged dog with a short coat marked with tan, a long tail and ears which stand upright. In color and general conformation the Toy Manchester Terrier follows the standard for the Manchester Terrier. However, the Toy Manchester Terrier cannot exceed 12 pounds (5.4 kg) in weight; and, unlike the larger Manchester Terrier, for the Toy Manchester Terrier, cropped ears are a disqualification. Ears should be wide at the base and pointed at the tip. Flaring bell ears are a serious fault, meaning that it is undesirable to breed a dog with such ears; it does not mean that the dog has any disadvantages as a companion.

The English Mastiff, referred to by most Kennel Clubs simply as the Mastiff, is a breed of large dog perhaps descended from the ancient Alaunt and Pugnaces Britanniae, with a significant input from the Alpine Mastiff in the 19th century. Distinguishable by enormous size, massive head, and a limited range of colours, but always displaying a black mask, the Mastiff is noted for its gentle temperament. The lineage of modern dogs can be traced back to the early 19th century, and the modern type was stabilised in the 1880s. Following a period of sharp decline, the Mastiff has increased its worldwide popularity.

The miniature pinscher (zwergpinscher, min pin) is a small breed of dog, originating from Germany. The breed's earliest ancestors may have included the German Pinscher mixed with Italian greyhounds and dachshunds.The international kennel club, the F?d?ration Cynologique Internationale, lists the miniature pinscher in Group 2, Section 1.1 Pinscher, along with the Dobermann, the German Pinscher, the Austrian Pinscher, and the other toy pinscher, the affenpinscher.[2] Other kennel clubs list the miniature pinscher in the Toy Group or Companion Group. The miniature pinscher is colloquially known as the King of the Toys. Any group of three or more miniature pinscher dogs together are considered a gang. The miniature pinscher is structurally a well balanced, sturdy, compact, short-coupled, smooth-coated dog. They are naturally well groomed, proud, vigorous and alert. Characteristic traits are his hackney-like action, fearless animation, complete self-possession, and his spirited presence. Legs should be straight with no bending in or out.The miniature pinscher frequently has a docked tail and cropped ears, though the AKC no longer requires ear cropping for shows.

The poodle is a group of formal dog breeds, the Standard Poodle, Miniature Poodle and Toy Poodle (one registry organisation also recognizes a Medium Poodle variety, between Standard and Miniature), with many coat colors. Originally bred in Germany as a type of water dog, the breed was standardized in France. The poodle is skillful in many dog sports, including agility, obedience, tracking, and even herding. Poodles have taken top honors in many conformation shows, including Best in Show at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in 1991 and 2002, and at the World Dog Show in 2007 and 2010. Toy Poodles won Best in Show at Crufts in 1966 and 1982. Standard Poodles achieved the award in 1955, 1985, 2002 and 2014. The 2002 winner came from Norway and was the first overseas exhibit to win the Crufts best in show award.

The Miniature Schnauzer is a breed of small dog of the Schnauzer type that originated in Germany in the mid-to-late 19th century. Miniature Schnauzers developed from crosses between the Standard Schnauzer and one or more smaller breeds such as the Poodle and Affenpinscher, as farmers bred a small dog that was an efficient ratting dog. They are described as spunky but aloof dogs, with good guarding tendencies without some guard dogs' predisposition to bite. Miniature Schnauzers are recognized in three colors internationally: solid black, black and silver, and a color known as 'salt and pepper'. There is a controversial fourth color variant in Miniature Schnauzers, pure white, which is not recognized universally. The breed remains one of the most popular world wide, primarily for its temperament and relatively small size. As of 2008 it is the 11th most popular breed in the U.S.

The Romanian Mioritic Shepherd Dog is a large breed of livestock guardian dog that originated in the Carpathian Mountains of Romania. The Mioritic stands about 65?85 centimetres (26?33 in) tall at the withers and weighs 50?65 kilograms (110?143 lb). This massive dog is covered in thick fluffy hair. It may be white, with or without pale grey or cream patches, or cream or pale grey all over.[1] The dog should have a vigorous appearance. Sexual dimorphism is evident in this breed, with males being significantly larger than females.

The Neapolitan Mastiff or Italian Mastiff, (Italian: Mastino Napoletano) is a large, ancient dog breed. This massive breed is often used as a guard and defender of family and property due to their protective instincts and their fearsome appearance. According to American Kennel Club (AKC) standards, male Neapolitan Mastiffs should measure 26?31 inches (66?79 cm) at the withers, weigh 130?155 pounds (60-70 kg), while females should measure 24?29 inches (61?74 cm) and weigh 110?130pounds (50?60 kg). Body length should be 10?15% greater than height. The Neapolitan Mastiff is not a breed for most people, and certainly not a dog for beginners. Neapolitans must be well socialized with people, especially children, as Neos are large, powerful dogs and do not always know their own strength. Additionally, young children have young friends, and even with extensive socialization and training, Neapolitans will be wary of strangers and protective of their family, which can be disastrous for small children. Most of the time, they will protect their owners with their lives. Additional protection training is unnecessary because they are natural guard dogs and always have been. As with every breed, obedience training is very important. The Neo is very tolerant of pain due to the breed's early fighting background and the fact the skin is loose on the body, so it is important to routinely check for health problems, as a Neo may not behave differently when injured or ill. They also are renowned for drooling especially after drinking or if they get excited.

The Norfolk Terrier is a British breed of dog. Prior to gaining recognition as an independent breed in 1960, it was a variety of the Norwich Terrier, distinguished from the prick eared Norwich by its drop ears (or folded ears). Together, the Norfolk and Norwich Terriers are the smallest of the working terriers. The Norfolk Terrier has a wire-haired coat which, according to the various national kennel clubs' breed standards, can be all shades of red, wheaten, black and tan, or grizzle. They are the smallest of the working terriers. They are active and compact, free moving, with good substance and bone. Good substance means good spring of rib and bone that matches the body such that the dog can be a very agile ratter or earth-dog. Norfolk terriers are moderately proportioned dogs. A too heavy dog would not be agile. A too refined dog would make it a toy breed. Norfolks generally have more reach and drive and a stronger rear angulation, hence cover more ground than their Norwich cousins. Norfolk have good side gait owed to their balanced angulation front and rear and their slightly longer length of back.