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Dog Hobbyist News
The newsletter of DogHobbyist.com
September 11, 2002
Message From the Alpha Dog
Here we are in our new home at PetHobbyist.com. Please come by DogHobbyist.com and check us out! All the boxes aren't unpacked yet, but I hope everyone will feel at home.
The chat rooms are shiny and new, with comfortable couches, pillows and blankets for your seating pleasure. The Dog Photo Gallery has a great array of dog photos already, plus places for you to upload your photos and comment on those others have uploaded. The message boards are providing a home for our many communities now, and we'd love to hear your suggestions for changes - lots are planned, but we always want to know what our users would like to see!
I hope everyone stops in and says hi!
Melody Golubski
DogHobbyist.com Site Coordinator
phfasdog@pethobbyist.com
Canine Heroes of 9/11
By PH Rascal
phrascal@pethobbyist.com
The staff of PetHobbyist.com invites those who would like to talk about and reflect on the events of 9/11 and the past year to a special hosted chat from 9 AM Eastern to 11 PM Eastern on Wednesday, September 11, 2002, in The Haven.
On this, the one-year anniversary of the horrific events of September 11, 2001, all of us at DogHobbyist extend our deepest condolences to those who lost loved ones in the terrorist attacks. We salute the brave rescuers, human and canine, who risked their lives trying to find survivors. We owe our thanks to the members of Flight 93 who so valiantly tried to avert disaster. We applaud those who helped with the grim task of cleaning up the carnage left behind. We owe our lives and freedom to the brave men and women who serve in our military.
There are many other unsung heroes and we thank them even though we may never know who they are or what they have done to help us. Our lives will never be the same. Let us all try to do our part to make the world a better place. It needs a lot of help right now.
For More Information
Share Your Thoughts
Canine Heroes of 9/11 Photo Gallery
Mayor Bloomberg and the American Kennel Club announce the DOGNY Public Art Program to benefit Canine Search and Rescue Heroes
New York Urban Search and Rescue 9/11 Canine Photos
Canines to the Rescue
The World Trade Center's Heroic Rescue Dogs
Letter from a World Trade Center Rescuer and his Dog
SAR Dogs at Ground Zero
Dog Breeds 101:
Sporting Dogs and Hounds
By Christie Keith
phchristy@pethobbyist.com
Which breed is right for you? Is a Chihuahua really supposed to look like the "Taco Bell" dog? What is the most popular breed of dog in America? Is the Malamute really part wolf? What is a "teacup" poodle? Should Salukis really be that skinny? What does a Harrier look like, anyway?
One of the best resources for basic information and photos of most dog breeds is The Complete Book of the Dog by the American Kennel Club. It's no surprise this is the best-selling dog book of all time. It's loaded with facts, trivia, and the history and purpose of all 140 AKC-recognized dog breeds, illustrated with glossy photos, and also contains useful information on dog training, showing, first aid, and care. The revised 19th Edition is the handsomest yet, with a dazzling photo of America's most popular dog, the Labrador Retriever, on its deep green cover.
People searching for the right dog breed for them should look at more than the photos, though. That scruffy little charmer might have a few traits you won't be able to live with in its background, and there's no better way to figure that out than to read the history and standard of the breed. If the dog you fell in love with was bred to work long hours herding sheep, and the task you have in mind for your new best friend is keeping your feet warm while you watch TV, it's time to keep looking.
What Does That Dog Do?
The most popular breed of dog, the Labrador Retriever, was bred to assist humans in bird hunting. It makes sense, then, that they love to swim, retrieve, and have a lot of energy. The tiny Chihuahua, contrary to its current "Taco Bell" dog status, was actually bred as a lapdog, to provide loving companionship. Learning about the history and purpose of the breeds can help people decide on the right breed for them. The breeds are divided up into groups, mostly based on the historical purpose of the breed.
Originally, there were two basic dog groups: hunting dogs, and other dogs. Over the years, the AKC has defined and refined its understanding of what sets dogs apart from each other in terms of purpose, and has designated seven basic groups of dogs:
The Sporting Group
The Hound Group
The Working Group
The Terrier Group
The Toy Group
The Non-Sporting Group
The Herding Group
In part one of this three-part series on dog breeds, we'll look at Groups One and Two, the Sporting and Hound Groups.
The Sporting Group
The Sporting Group is the home of the Labrador and Golden Retrievers, as well as their lesser-known cousins the Chesapeake Bay, Flat-Coated, and Curly-Coated Retrievers. You will also find nine different Spaniel breeds here, along with three kinds of Setter, three kinds of pointer, and various other bird dog breeds from all over the world. The world's most beloved family dogs come from this group, many happily substituting playing Frisbee with the kids for bird hunting. However, these dogs are high-energy companions, especially when young, and require lots of exercise. Bred to be the companions of hunters and work under their direction, most of the Sporting Group breeds are trainable and love people.
Popularity can be a curse, though, as careless and ignorant breeding practices have resulted in many dogs who have lost the very traits that made them popular in the first place. When seeking a pet from the Sporting Group, it is absolutely critical that you obtain a referral to an established, ethical breeder who is motivated by as passionate commitment to the preservation and betterment of their breed, and not to creating pets for the pet market or making money. There is probably nothing cuter on earth than a tumbling litter of Golden Retriever puppies, and probably nothing more heartbreaking than seeing this noble breed decimated by skyrocketing rates of cancer and crippling skeletal disease.
The two most popular family dogs in America are from this group: the Labrador and Golden Retrievers.
The Hound Group
The Hound Group is divided into two main categories: Scenthounds and sighthounds. Scenthounds are dogs like the Bloodhound, Basset Hound, and Beagle, who were bred to track prey by scent; this skill in the Bloodhound has made it the pre-eminent tracking and search dog of the world. Other AKC-recognized scenthounds include the Black and Tan Coonhound, the Dachshund, the American and English Foxhounds, the little-known Harrier (similar to a small foxhound), the Otterhound, and the fairly recently recognized Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen, a shaggy, scrappy little dog with a large following.
Sighthounds are the dogs similar to the Greyhound, including that dog as well as Scottish Deerhounds, Ibizan Hounds, Whippets, Pharaoh Hounds, Salukis, Afghan Hounds, Irish Wolfhounds, and the Borzoi, also known as the Russian Wolfhound. The Basenji and the Rhodesian Ridgeback are also members of this group, although there is some controversy in the dog world over whether or not they are true sighthounds. The AKC recognizes them as such by allowing them to compete in AKC recognized sighthound field events known as lure coursing trials. Sighthounds tend to be lean and fast, bred to course speedy game in a variety of terrains all over the world. They generally cannot be trusted off-leash in unfenced areas, and yet need a lot of free running exercise. They are by and large very devoted to human companions, and pine when left alone. They are very sensitive, both physically to drugs, chemicals, and toxins, and emotionally, to abuse, slights, and neglect.
Unique among the hounds is the Norwegian Elkhound, an Arctic breed with many functions in its native land. Hounds are defined as dogs bred to hunt furred game (rather than feathered), and hence the Elkhound's inclusion here. Elkhounds resemble sled dogs, with plush coats in shades of gray, high, curled tails, and a high level of energy and intelligence.
All hounds are a challenge and a joy to keep as companions, and are not as popular as their generally charming temperaments might make them. Having been bred to hunt on their own, most hounds are independent and tend to think for themselves. They love their families but don't wait and watch for their guidance before deciding on their course of action. It takes real commitment to keep a hound safe and happy.
The fifth and sixth most popular dogs in America, the Dachshund and the Beagle, belong to the Hound Group.
Looking for a Purebred Dog?
If you have your heart set on a purebred dog, consider giving a home to a dog who needs a second chance. Contact the American Kennel Club at AKC Breed Rescue Groups or by calling 919-233-9767 to obtain a referral to the breed rescue organization of the breed of your choice. You can also get a referral to the National Breed Club's breeder referral by calling the same phone number or visiting AKC Breeder Referral.
Other Resources
DogHobbyist.com Purebred Forums
Which Breed Do I Want?
Hunting and Field Forum
Coursing Forum
Copyright 2002 by Christie Keith. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
Coming Next Month: Working and Herding Dogs!
The New Job
From PHdaMutt
Same job, brand new title. Yup new job you say? Well, the place I used to work did what they call downsizing and me being last hired first to go. So went sniffing out a new place to hang my collar and leash.
No time at all the phone rang and my human said Hello and a few words like yes ,yes and we will be there in the morning. Well, there ya go I thought we are going to move to a new Site and sniff out any lost or mistreated critters.
Human and I found the new site, DogHobbyist.com, with no problem the next morning and of course I got hired on the spot.
Can't say enough about the new digs. Boards, chats and even a Photo gallery you can post your favorite pictures. And my personal
favorite: Rescue and Adoption Links.
So for now this is PHdaMutt, that's my new title, signing off, but will be back again soon, sniffing out new adventures.
DogHobbyist News is copyright 2002 by OnlineHobbyist.com unless otherwise specified. All rights reserved.
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