The German Shepherd, also known as the Alsatian, was developed in the late 1800's. It was originally bred to help herd and guard sheep flocks, and characteristics thought best for its line of work were preferred, such as intelligence and keen sense of smell. One breeder, Max von Stephanitz, established a registry that espoused this … Read more
The German Pinscher comes from a mix of the Miniature Pinscher and the Schnauzer. That's why, at the beginning, it had both smooth and wirehaired puppies. The German Pinscher was used as a vermin hunter, a family pet, a herder and a watchdog. The breed was officially recognized in 1879. The Pinscher-Schnauzer Club was then … Read more
It was in the 1870?s in Germany, that Louis Doberman, a tax collector who needed an alert and intelligent bodyguard dog, bred the Doberman Pinscher, to protect him on his rounds from bandits. It was developed presumably by crossing several different breeds of dogs, to find the characteristics that Doberman was looking for. This included … Read more
There are three different varieties of Collie based primarily on coat appearance: Collie (Smooth and Rough), Border Collie and Bearded Collie. The Smooth and Rough Collie are considered by the AKC as varieties of the same breed and therefore are judged by the same standard with the exception of the coat. Considered to be one … Read more
The Belgian Malinois is named after the Belgian city of Malines. This dog is one of the four Belgian sheepdog breeds (the Malinois, the Laekenois, the Groenendael and the Tervuren). Those four breeds are considered, in most parts of the world, as the same breed, but have been recognized (except for the Laekenois) in America … Read more
The Belgian Sheepdog, also known as the Groenendael or Belgian Shepherd dog, is one of the four Belgian Sheepdog breeds. In some parts of the world the four breeds (Groenendael, Laekenois, Malinois and Tervuren) are considered as the same breed, but the AKC recognized in 1959 the Groenendael, the Malinois and the Tervuren as separated … Read more
The Belgian Tervuren comes from a Belgian village named Tervuren. This dog is one of the four Belgian sheepdogs breeds (the Malinois, the Laekenois, the Groenendael and the Tervuren). Those four breeds are considerate, in most parts of the world, as the same breed, but have been recognized (except for the Laekenois) in America in … Read more
The Border Collie comes from Northumberland in Scotland. The breed is a descendant from spaniel and some old British driving breeds. This is an outstanding herder and excels in agility. Considered as the most trainable of all breeds, the Border Collie is also used as a bomb and drug detector, a police worker, for search … Read more
The Bouvier des Flandres is not a breed that can be put aside until the mood strikes to play with it. It needs daily exercise and daily interaction, and a lot of both. It loves the chance to herd, but its requirements can also be met with a good jog, a very long walk or … Read more
The Briard is a very ancient breed. Famous people like Charlemagne, Lafayette, Napoleon and Thomas Jefferson all owned Briards. This old guardian and herder of sheep was used by the French Army as a messenger, a sentry and to search for injured soldiers. In 1863, after the Paris dog show, the breed became more and … Read more
