dog breeds

The Norwegian Elkhound is one of the ancient Northern Spitz-type breed of dog and is the National Dog of Norway. The Elkhound has served as a hunter, guardian, herder, and defender. It is known for its courage in tracking and hunting moose (or elk) and other large game, such as bear or wolf. The Norwegian Elkhound was first presented at a dog exhibition in Norway in 1877. The AKC breed name Norwegian Elkhound is a direct translation from its original Norwegian name Norsk Elghund, meaning Norwegian moose dog. The breed's object in the hunt is to independently track down and hold the moose at bay

The Norwich Terrier is a breed of dog. It originates in the United Kingdom and was bred to hunt small vermin or rodents. With a friendly personality, Norwich Terriers are today mostly a companion dog breed. One of the smallest terriers, these dogs are generally healthy, but are relatively rare, due in part to their low litter size and the common need for caesarian sections. These terriers are one of the smallest terriers (11-12 lb, 5-5.4 kg; 9-10 inches (24-25.5 cm) at the withers), with prick ears and a double coat, which come in red, tan, wheaten, black and tan, and grizzle

he Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, or Toller for short, is a medium-sized breed of gundog bred primarily for hunting. It is the smallest of the retrievers, and is often mistaken for a small Golden Retriever. Tollers are known to be intelligent, alert, high-energy dogs. Tollers get their name because of their ability to lure waterfowl within gunshot range. The breed originated in southwestern Nova Scotia, Canada, where they were used for tolling and retrieving ducks Tollers are often mistaken for small Golden Retrievers, but the Toller is more active, both physically and mentally. According to the breed standards, the Toller should be athletic, well-muscled, compact, medium boned, balanced and powerful. The chest is deep. Conformation judges require Tollers to be capable of tolling, and physical faults that inhibit working ability are heavily penalized. They should be of moderate build

The Old English Sheepdog (OES) is a large breed of dog which was developed in England from early herding types of dog. The Old English Sheepdog can grow a very long coat, with fur covering the face and eyes. Obsolete names of the breed include Shepherd's Dog[1] and bob-tailed sheep-dog. It is still nicknamed Bob-tail (or Bobtail) because historically, the tail was traditionally docked in this breed. The Old English Sheepdog is a large dog, immediately recognizable by its long, thick, shaggy grey and white coat, with fur covering their face and eyes. The ears lie flat to the head. Historically, the breed's tail was commonly docked (resulting in a panda bear-like rear end), but tailed Old English sheepdogs are now common, as many countries have outlawed cosmetic docking. When the dog has a tail, it has long fur (feathering), is low set, and normally hangs down.[3] The Old English Sheepdog stands lower at the shoulder than at the loin, and walks with a bear-like roll from the rear. Height at the withers is at least 61 cm (24 in), with females slightly smaller than males. The body is short and compact, and ideal weights are not specified, but may be as much as 46 kg (101 lb) for large males. Colour of the double coat may be any shade of grey, grizzle, black, blue, or blue merle, with optional white markings. The undercoat is water resistant. Puppies are born with a black and white coat, and it is only after the puppy coat has been shed that the more common grey or silver shaggy hair appears.

The Papillon (from the French word for butterfly, also called the Continental Toy Spaniel, is a breed of dog of the Spaniel type. One of the oldest of the toy spaniels, it derives its name from it's characteristic butterfly like look of the long and fringed hair on the ears. A Papillon with dropped ears is called a Phal

The Parson Russell Terrier is a breed of small white terrier that was the original Fox Terriers of the 18th century. The breed is named after the person credited with the creation of this type of dog, the Reverend John Jack Russell. It is the recognised conformation show variety of the Jack Russell Terrier and was first recognised in 1990 in the United Kingdom as the Parson Jack Russell Terrier. In America, it was first recognised as the Jack Russell Terrier in 1997. The name was changed to its current form in 1999 in the UK and by 2008 all international kennel clubs recognised it under the new name. A mostly white breed with either a smooth, rough or broken coat, it conforms to a narrower range of sizes than the Jack Russell. It is a feisty, energetic terrier, suited to sports and able to get along with children and other animals. It has a range of breed related health issues, mainly relating to eye disorders. The Parson Russell Terrier is bred to conform to a conformation show standard.[9] Unlike its close relative, the Jack Russell Terrier, Parson Russell Terriers have noticeably longer legs that are about as tall as the length of the Terrier's body. It is a predominantly white breed with black, tan or tricolour markings and an easy to groom coat which is either smooth or broken (similar to a smooth coat, but with some longer hair on the head, face, legs or body). The breed standard does not recognise a Parson Russell with a curly or rough coat. There is a clear outline with only a hint of eyebrows and beard should the dog be broken coated. They possess moderately thick small V shaped drop ears with the tip pointed towards the eyes. The nose of the dog should be black. The normal range of sizes is between 13?14 inches (33?36 cm) tall at the withers, with a weight around 13?17 pounds (5.9?7.7 kg).

The Pekingese (also known as the Lion-Dog, Pekingese Lion-Dog, Pelchie Dog, or Peke) is an ancient breed of toy dog, originating in China. They are called Lion-Dogs due to their resemblance to Chinese guardian lions (the Shih Tzu is also known as a Lion-Dog in Chinese). The breed was favored by royalty of the Chinese Imperial court as both a lap dog and companion dog, and its name refers to the city of Peking (Beijing) where the Forbidden City resides. The breed has several characteristics and health issues related to its unique appearance. Because of its desirable characteristics, the Pekingese has been part of the development of designer crossbreeds, such as the Peke-a-tese (crossed with Maltese). The Pekingese, originating from Western China, were proud companions of the Chinese Buddhist Monks. These dogs are also found to be owned by Chinese princes. The Pekingese breed is over 2000 years old and has hardly changed in all that time. One exception is that modern breeders and dog-show judges seem to prefer the long-haired type over the more-traditional spaniel-type coat. They can also live up to 12?15 years. The Pekingese's flat face and large eyes are some of the breed's most obvious characteristics. The body is compact and low to the ground. Pekingese also have a muscular and durable body. The legs are noticeably bowed and restrict the Pekingese's movement. The breed's unusual rolling gait may have been deliberately developed by breeding to prevent the court dogs from wandering in ancient times.

The Petit Basset Griffon Vend?en or dog, is a breed of dog of the scent hound type, bred to trail hares in bramble-filled terrain of the Vend?e district of France. Both, males and females should be of similar size, range between 12.5 and 15.5 inches (32 to 40 cm) at the withers and between 25 and 40 pounds (15 to 20 kilograms). Like the other 3 Griffon Vend?en breeds: the Grand Griffon Vend?en, Briquet Griffon Vend?en, and the Grand Basset Griffon Vend?en; they are solid dogs that appear rough and unrefined yet casual. They have short legs, a sturdy bone structure, and a body that is only slightly longer than it is tall at the withers. The body length is not as extreme as that of a basset hound or dachshund. The dogs have a tousled appearance, with a harsh double coat that is both long and rough.The hair on the face and legs may be softer than body hair. The fur on the face resembles a beard and moustache. They usually have very long eyelashes. The skull is domed, with drop, oval ears like many hounds share, though dogs tend to have higher domes than bitches. The ears are set low and hanging, and if stretched out should reach the tip of the nose. The tail is usually held upright, and is long and tapered to the end, similar in shape to a saber. The coloring is primarily white with spots of orange, lemon, black, grizzle (gray-and-white hairs), or sable, sometimes with tan accents. They may be bicolor, tricolor, or have grizzling.

The Pharaoh Hound is a breed of dog and the national hound of the Mediterranean nation of Malta. Its native name is Kelb tal-Fenek in Maltese, which means Rabbit dog. The dog is traditionally used by some Maltese men for hunting. Based on DNA analysis, the breed has no link with Ancient Egypt. However, a popular myth holds that the breed is descended from the Tesem, one of the ancient Egyptian hunting dogs. Some believe the there are similarities between the breed and images of dogs found on the walls of ancient Egyptian tombs. This myth proposes that the Pharaoh Hound was brought by the Phoenicians to Malta, where it has existed for over 2,000 years. The breed has variously been classified as a member of the sighthound group

The Plott Hound is a large scent hound, originally bred for hunting boar. The Plott Hound should be athletic, muscular, and agile in appearance. It should be neither low-set and heavy, nor leggy and light: it has medium build. Its expression should be one of intelligence, confidence, and determination. Its skin should not be baggy like that of a Bloodhound. The Plott is a strongly built yet moderate hound, with a distinct brindle-colored coat. Their appearance suggests the capacity for speed, stamina and endurance. The Plott may have an identification mark on the hound used to identify the dog when out hunting. Such a mark is not penalized in conformation shows.