Shetland Sheepdog

The floppy ears of newborn Shetland sheepdog puppies eventually prick up. (A weight is sometimes used to break the tips of the ears forward.)

The United Kingdom’s northern most islands-the original home of their nameshake dogs, located beyond the Orkney islands, north of Scotland-are known for their harsh natural environment, which has produce unusually small but sturdy flora and fauna, including the famous Shetland ponies.

Shelties, which need lots of exercise, resemble miniature collies, but they have a very long and markedly different heritage. Undersized like the sheep they traditionally herded, they were once called dwarf Scotch shepherds or Shetland collies. Despite their diminutive size, they are excellent sheepdogs, tough and hardworking; they herd sheep by nipping the tips of their charges’legs. One owner says, “They are sensitive to what the owner feels and thinks. They try to read my mind, to pick up what I feel.”

The Sheltie’s long coat requires a good brushing, especially during the shedding season.

Origin : United Kingdom
Size : (male/female) Height 13-16 inches ; weight 20 pounds
Coat : Long and harsh; undercoat is short, soft, and dense. Fur is feathered around neck, chest, legs, and tail. Colors include sable and white, tricolor (black,white, and tan), and bicolor (black and white).

Pembroke Welsh Corgi

The Pembroke Welsh Corgi puppy’s drooping ears prick up whitin its first 6 months. One owner says, “Most of the puppies are cheerful, but as they grow, they begin to show different characthers. Some become gloomy, and shyness and aggressiveness or bitting can be corrected by 7 months if they owner deals with them propely.”

The Pembroke is distinguished from the Cardigan primarily by its almost nonexistent tail; it must balance with its high end, producting an endearing wiggling walk. They are slightly smaller than the Cardigan and have a shorter coat, and their triangular ears are slightly sharper looking.

These dogs were originally cattle herders on the farm of Pembrokeshire. Like the Cardigan, the breed gained popularity after the British royal family acquired one during the early 20th century.

This small breed is rather quiet, but its voice is unexpectedly deep and loud. Very intelligent and independent. It is a natural guard dog. Pembroke needs to be trained strictly and given structure and lots of exercise; they enjoy running and are surprisingly fast. Their coat needs to be brushed only occasionally.

Origin : United Kingdom
Size : (male) Height 10-12 inches ; weight 24-30 pounds
(female) Height 10-12 inches ; weight 22-28 pounds
Coat : Harsh; undercoat is soft and dense. Colors include red, sable, fawn, and black and tan, with white markings on legs, chest, and neck.

Old English Sheepdog

At birth, Old English sheepdogs tip the scale at 13-14 ounces-typical for puppies- but their weight will increase 100-fold within a year. Within 6 months, the typical shaggy old English sheepdog hair will hide their lovely round eyes, and, after about 1 year, the fluffy puppy coat gives way to the mature dog’s longer, stronger double coat. Even as puppies, they are intelligent and intuitive. One owner says, “When I am busy, he stays quiet. But when he sees I have time to play, he comes to me joyously.” As the name implies, Old English sheepdogs have long worked as herding dogs in the United Kingdom, although they were originally cattle-herding dogs. The characteristic bob-tail (docked tail) is said to have distinguished tax-exempt cattle dogs.

Cheerful and affectionate, Old English sheepdogs are instinctively protective and take good care of their owners, as well as their own puppies and even other dogs. This breed is gentle and quiet but can also be very expressive. When they’re happy, for example, they violently wag their hips, and, to show affection, they may lean on you, oblivious of the force of their weight. Also, although their bark is low and forceful (dogs with protruding muzzles, however, tend to bark at a higher pitch), they do not bark unnecessarily.

Very careful an frequent brushing is required so that the hair does not become entangled or felted, and the coat should be clipped in the summer.

Origin : United Kingdom
Size : (male) Height 24-25 inches ; weight 66-91 pounds
(female) Height 21-23 inches ; weight 66-91 pounds
Coat : Harsh and shaggy; undercoat is waterproof. Color include blue, gray, and blue merle, with white markings, or in reverse.

German Shepherd

Most German shepherd pups, born with black coats, become primarily tan in 2-3 weeks, but their coat color continues to change throughout their mature, except for those of dogs with black coats. Their floppy puppy ears will stand erect at 1-2 month.

German shepherd dogs were originally used to herd sheep in mountainous regions of their place of origin, where they were bred from wolflike sheepdogs. During World War I, They gained recognition for their outstanding performances in delivering medicine and military supplies, watching prisoners, finding wounded soldiers, and delivering messages for the German army.

These brave, calm, active, and very loyal dogs rise to all kinds of challenges and given the right training, can excel in a variety of tasks. Intelligent and amenable to various types of training, they work as police dogs, military dogs, drug-sniffing dogs, disaster-relief dogs, and seeing eye dogs, and in other helpful capacities.

Though they have good qualities, German shepherd dogs can be difficult. It is especially important to subject them to obedience training and to socialize them. The dogs also have a sensitive side, however. According to one owner, “The German shepherd dog may be more delicate than the Labrador retriever and the golden retriever. When he is taken to a place that is new to him, he burns out for half a day.” German shepherd dogs require much exercise, needing a large space in which to run freely, or lots of running on a leash.

Because these dogs shed a lot of hair, they require frequent and thorough brushing to maintain their coats.

Origin : German
Size : (male) Height 24-26 inches ; weight 75-90 pounds
(female) Height 22-24 inches ; weight 60-70 pounds
Coat : Straight and smooth; undercoat is soft and dense. Color include black and tan, wolf, black, other solid colors, and black-tipped colors.

Collie

As collie puppies mature, their muzzles grow longer, giving them the distinct collie look, and the coat color gradually become more intense.

Collie were long renowned as sheepdogs in Scotland, but their origin and lineage are a bit of a mystery. According to one theory, the sheepdogs that herded “collie” sheep, those with black faces and black legs, themselves came to be called “colly dogs,” after a word meaning “black with soot.” At the time, many of the sheepdogs were also black. Later, their coat color was primarily tricolor, and blue merle also became more common. There are now two varieties, the rough (long-haired) and the smooth (short-haired).

In 1860, when Queen Victoria returned from a visit to Scotland, a collie she brought back attracted much attention. Soon after, the sable and white coat color caught on, and the collie gained popularity. The breed later became world famous after publication of the book Lassie, Come Home, and subsequent film adaptations and television series. With their slender grace and elegant, long-haired coats, these dogs are loved world-wide. They are intelligent and cheerful and make good household pets as well as excellent guard dogs.

These dogs, rather shy and nervous toward strangers but obedient to their families, make good playmates for children as well as ideal house-hold pets if they are trained properly. As they are talented dogs, it is a good idea to challenge them with agility and obedience sports, and they should be kept calm and trained to refrain from barking. Ideally, these dogs should have a big yard where they can run to their heart’s content. Otherwise, running and long-distance walking is necessary.

The rough collie loses a lot of hair during the shedding period, thus requiring frequent and thorough brushing.

Origin : United Kingdom
Size : (male) Height 24-26 inches ; weight 60-76 pounds
(female) Height 22-24 inches ; weight 51-67 pounds
Coat : Long (rough) or short (smooth). Colors include sable and white, tricolor (in which black is dominant), blue merle, or white (white sable or blue merle markings).

Cardigan Welsh Corgi

In the small corgi family, the one with the distinctive tail, which sways as it walks, and the flowing coat is the Cardigan. (This breed and its cousin, the Pembroke, otherwise look alike, though their ancestral breeds are different). Otherwise, another unusual feature is the “corgi carpet,” in which they lie flat on their stomachs with their short legs and tail spayed.

This breed is said to have come to the Welsh country of Cardiganshire from central Europe with the Celts more than 3,000 years ago. The Welsh found their short stature, courage, and alertness to be advantageous for working amid cattle. They were also useful as guard dogs and for keeping rodents and small animals under control.

This highly intelligent dogs love to be around people and to be kept busy, a bored corgi will be a stressed corgi, and they should be allowed to run around as much as they like. Occasional brushing is enough to keep the coat beautiful.

Origin : United Kingdom
Size : (male) Height 11-13 inches ; Weight 30-39 pounds
(female) Height 11-13 inches ; Weight 24-34 pounds
Coat : Long and harsh, undercoat is soft and dense. Colors include red, sable, fawn, black and tan, and blue merle, with white marking on legs, chest, and neck.

Bouvier des Flandres

Bouvier des Flandres puppies may take more than 2 years to mature. And, as one owner says, “They are very independent. Even if the mother is not nearby, they sleep at ease. They are low maintenance.”

The gentle, peaceful, and graceful Bouvier des Flandres originally lived and worked as cattle dogs and pack dogs. Brave and highly trainable, they were used as military and spy dogs and for smuggling. Today, after rebounding from near extinction after World War 1, they work as police dogs and Seeing Eye dogs. The large-boned, solid, reliable Bouvier des Flandres are calm and very faithful to their owners, but they are wary of other people, though they don’t bark without reason. “They don’t flirt with people,” one owner says. “They never come running to you and lick your face. They behave like big cats.” This breed is also intelligent and athletic.

Despite its rough appereance, the coat of the Bouvier des Flanders tangles easily and requires thorough grooming with a metal brush and comb. Also their ears should be cleaned regularly.

Origin : France, Belgium, and Netherlands
Size : (male) Height 25-28 inches ; Weight 76-96 pounds
(female) Height 24-27 inches ; Weight 76-96 pounds
Coat : Coarse, harsh, and dense, with eyebrows, a beard, and whiskers. Color ranges from black to fawn, plus salt and paper.