Euro Puppy BLOG

Much like with a diary, a Blog is great to write down feelings, happenings and developments in one’s life. A new mother may keep a baby-book; start scrapping away at photos, or may very well start her own Blog about her new baby. Well having a Dog Blog dedicated to your latest family members, who just so happen to be two very fluffy; very playful; and immensely gorgeous Bolognese puppies is also a wonderful start to a new life together.

One of our most excited customers of late, is a young woman called E-Lan. She lives in Dubai with her family, and her 2 lovely Bolognese puppies, that came into her life with the help of Euro Puppy. Coco and Hugo arrived in February and she details the adventures and developments of her new family members. At Euro Puppy, we love to follow her stories and adventures. It makes for great reading, and Euro Puppy is now a regular reader of her puppy blog as well! For any Bolognese Puppy fans out there, who either idolize the Bolognese breed, or who are keen family members of this small dog breed, we can warmly recommend reading the daily snippets of E-Lan's life and her adventures amongst the chaotic, yet lovable bundles of Bolognese joy. You never know..maybe you yourself share some of her trials, tribulations and ultimate excitement at raising 2 overly-energetic, yet totally lovable Bolognese Puppies.

Euro Puppy is always happy to be able to continously build familes, and seemingly...- rather indirectly- puppy blogs worldwide as well.

There is a very strange custom found in Central India, among certain of the Gond people. According to the ritual it is acceptable for a human being to marry a dog. The Gond are aboriginal tribes, that still speak a fairly simplified set of unwritten languages. Their lifestyle, while not truly nomadic, tends not to have permanent settlements. Their villages are periodically moved to various sites on land which is owned by the whole clan. Their beliefs place them totally outside of the Hindu caste system. They do not acknowledge the superiority of Brahmans and don't feel bound by many Hindu rules.

Their style of agriculture is quite simple and traditional, which basically involves slash-and-burn operations. So how does the marriage between humans and dogs play a role in this? Well, because they continually clear wild land, the Gond often encounter wild animals, and these encounters can be fatal to humans armed only with digging sticks. The Gond of the Bastar region of India believe that if a woman's husband has been killed by a wild animal - especially a tiger- it is necessary for her to marry a dog, before she can take another husband.

The Gond believe that the dead husband's spirit now inhabits the tiger or another beast that killed him, and this spirit will then cause that same beast to kill any new man that the woman marries. To solve this problem the widow first must ceremonially marry a dog. The dead husband's spirit can then satisfy his jealousy be killing the dog, and he will not threaten the life of the new human husband. Although, this seems like a good outcome for the woman, I am sure, somewhere deep down, the dogs know that a simple divorce would be a better end to their marriage instead of the one the Gond envision for them!

Every week Euro Puppy portrays 2 dog lamps. Is one wacky and the other one tacky? Are both wacky? Or both tacky? We will leave it up to you to decide. While having our own beliefs about them, we would love your comments...are they wacky or tacky? Enjoy....

Dog Lamp # 1: This Pug with Velvet bag Lamp is the most hideous piece of home decor I have ever stumbled across. Naturally, I was confused by it - and the product description didn’t offer much help.The pug piece has a touch of the macabre as well, with human hands (with painted nails) and humorous touches, including a lamp sprouting from its head and a matching velvet pillow for the velvet bag. why the bag? It allows the pug to bark when touched. This one-off piece from artist Dietlind Preiss costs a knee-buckling $4595 and I am sure, it will keep many amused and even more happy that they needn't buy it!



Dog Lamp # 2: This pair of 1950s French dog lamps are made from whimsical black and white enameled metal. Their forms have cutout eyes, which are unmarked and nicely refinished. Both are 14” long x 6.5” h.





Check out more wacky and tacky dog lamps that Euro Puppy has collected, under our category called: Dog Lamps.

For those Andy Warhol fanatics who love the pop art feeling that was created with Marilyn Monroe, you can now also have an awesome contemporary pop art painting of your favorite dog picture! You can choose something in the style of wacky Warhol, or simply something just a little bit off the wall and your dog can be the focus of attention!

From this:



To this:

Euro Puppy is extremely proud to be able to offer top quality, champion-line, purebred Labrador Retrievers that have been trained by experts to be Seeing-Eye dogs. For vision-impaired people who have more obstacles to overcome in their daily lives, Seeing-Eye dogs offer not only hope, but guidance as well. In a tough world, a man’s best friend makes an inseparable and loyal companion. Euro Puppy is dedicated to building families, with happy and healthy puppies. Now we give hope to vision-impaired people, by offering the best quality Seeing-Eye Labradors for sale as well. For more information, do not hesitate to contact us. We are here to help.

Old Dogs Do Not Die

We have a secret, you and I,
That no one else shall know,
For who, but I can see you lie,
Each night, in fireglow?
And who but I can reach my hand
Before we go to bed,
And feel the living warmth of you
And touch your silken head?
And only I walk woodland paths,
And see, ahead of me,
Your small form racing with the wind,
So young again, and free.
And only I can see you swim
In every brook I pass.
And, when I call, no one but I
Can see the bending grass.

Author Unknown

Charlize Theron, the lovely South African actress, who made it big in Hollywood, can be seen with Tucker, her beloved Cocker Spaniel (who seems to have gotten a real good grooming session). Charlize is not only a fan of dogs, but of PETA too. She strongly believes in the ethical treatment of animals.

• "Dachshunds are ideal dogs for small children, as they are already stretched and pulled to such a length that a child cannot do much harm one way or another." - Robert Benchley

Some things (and people) never cease to amaze Euro Puppy. A collection to walk down the runway out of P-Diddy’s collection was fur-hooded coats with an element of a tailwag to it. Fur from a breed of dog called “raccoon dog” was used to make the garments. These dogs look more like raccoons, but belong in the canid family together with dogs, foxes and wolves. Although the resemblance to a raccoon is startling, it is not related to a raccoon at all. Its family name is "Canidae," Latin for "dog,". This animal is definitely a dog.

They are barbarically slaughtered in China. Or should I say anally electrocuted? Hundreds or thousands of these puppies and dogs were killed to create the clothing line of the rap-star. Following an investigation by the Humane Society revealed that they contained fur from raccoon dogs, despite the fact that they were being advertised as faux fur. A spokesman for Macy's talked about its long-standing policy against the selling of any dog or cat fur. Macy’s banned the clothing line and it seems P Diddy is not going to take this lying down. P-Diddy also expressed his outrage and concern, saying "I was completely unaware of the nature of this material, but as soon as we were alerted, the garments were pulled off the Macy's floor and the Web site." He stopped the production of his fur-coats.

Strangely enough, both Macy's and P-Diddy freak out when they discover there is a fly in the soup and dogs in the clothing line. However, they're perfectly content to produce and sell fur garments made from other animals? I would love to know what the rationale behind this really is…If you wouldn't wear your dog, why would you wear any other fur?

< sigh >

• A dog that intends to bite does not bare its teeth. -Turkish Proverb

Huskies from the Movie: "Eight Below" ( 2006 )

Eight Below is a Walt Disney Pictures film which was released in 2006 in the US. It is the fictional re-imagining of the true events of the 1958 occurrence moved forward to 1993; the last year that sled dogs were used in Antarctica. Jerry Shepard is a guide at an Antarctica research base under contract with the National Science Foundation. UCLA professor, Dr. Davis McClaren arrives at the base and presses Shepard to take him to Mount Melbourne to find a rare meteorite.

Shepard does so against his own intuition, which tells him that it is too late in the season. Battling hypothermia, frostbite and near white-out conditions, it is the dogs' stamina and keen sense of direction that gets Shepard and McClaren back to base. They are immediately evacuated, but with too much weight in the plane to carry both people and dogs, the human team plans to return later for the dogs. The dogs are temporarily left behind, but the storm is worse than expected. Five months later, Shepard decides to throw his all into rescuing the dogs. The dogs must struggle for survival alone in the Antarctic wilderness until Shepard and McClaren eventually return to rescue them, more than six months later. Six of the eight dogs survive.

Huskies are brave survivors. They are in their element when they can be free. They are a hardy and healthy breed.

What does it really mean when someone says, that "the nose knows best?"

Well, dogs naturally have a wonderful sense of smell. They have many more sensory 'smelling' cells than a man's 5,000,000. A Dachshund, for example has 125,000,000; a Fox Terrier has 147,000,000 and a German Shepherd (often used as a 'sniffer' dog) has 220,000,000. Truffle hounds can find the fungus delicacy even when it's a foot underground! However, A dog's nose is not just used for smelling, but also to keep him cool. That's why a dog pants. The longer the dog's nose, the better his cooling system works.

What about a dog's hearing?

Well, a dog can hear sounds 250 yards (230 meters) away that most people cannot hear beyond 25 yards (23 meters). The human ear can detect sound waves vibrating at frequencies up to 20,000 times a second. But dogs can hear sound waves that vibrate at frequencies of more than 30,000 times a second!

And their eyes?

Dogs cannot see as well as humans. This is a misconception. They see object just fine, but in a differnet way than humans do. A dog sees objects first by their movement, second by their brightness, and third by their shape. Dogs can see color but it is not as vivid a color scheme as we see. It is much like our vision at twilight. Dogs DO have better low-light vision than humans, however because of a special light-reflecting layer behind their retinas called the: tapetum lucidum (bright carpet in Latin).



It seems the saying is right.....the nose does know best.....

Every week Euro Puppy portrays 2 dog lamps. Is one wacky and the other one tacky? Are both wacky? Or both tacky? We will leave it up to you to decide. While having our own beliefs about them, we would love your comments...are they wacky or tacky? Enjoy....

Dog lamp # 1: This is a 15" tall, solar energy dog lamp carrying a 4" lantern. The light turns on automatically after dusk to add a colorful fun accent to your porch, patio or yard. It needs no wiring; it is powered by the sun; it is fast and easy to install; it is energy saving and it is ideal for areas where conventional electrical supply is not available. It comes in all colors.....uhmm....and breeds!





Dog Lamp # 2: Abercrombie, the Dog Lamp from the Night Time Buddy™ collection adds a friendly, welcoming smile to any room and are great gifts for animal lovers of all ages. When illuminated, the Kumo paper emits a soft, colorful glow, making the lamps ideal for any child's room. This unique novelty lamp features a metal frame, six foot cord with an in-line switch, and takes a 25 watt candelabra bulb.





Check out more wacky and tacky dog lamps that Euro Puppy has collected, under our category called: Dog Lamps.

Euro Puppy loves to showcase canine prodigies. Those furry friends of ours, that stick out in a crowd like a paw out of water...It seems the FCI was wrong about Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, when they put this little dog breed in the 9th group with all the other companion dogs. It seems they excel at surfing as well! A Cavalier as a lap dog? A Cavalier as a bird dog? Forget that! Watch out Kelly Slater!!! You got some hard-core canine competition coming your way! Charlie the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a good enough pro to be the new face of Rip Curl, Quicksilver or Billabong...way to go Charlie!

• “If anything, it's a man's ability to form close and intimate bonds with dogs - and not the dogs themselves - that women find attractive. When a dog is showing trust in and companionship with a man, a woman knows that the man likely has whatever it takes to establish an affectionate relationship and keep it going." - Alexander Smith (Michigan Evolutionary Biologist)

• One dog yelping at nothing will set ten thousand straining at their collars. -Japanese Proverb

It was a cold December night,
As she curled up tighter; shivering from fright.
A bus screeched and mud splashed,
And a lonely snowflake found her eyelash.
What a night to take my new puppy home;
My fingers freezing in the icy cold.
She trembled, she shivered, she squirmed not once,
As not yet in me had she instilled her trust.
Her long, soft ears of true Cocker Spaniel,
Oh if she were a boy, I could have named her brave Daniel.
But for me she was a ray of sunlight;
A gem, a gift, a treasure in the night.
Scared as she was, that much is true,
Yet - even for a brief time- she was my Bijoux.

- Agnes Katona

Jessica Simpson is another celebrity who loves designer dogs it seems. Designer dogs are those purebred mutts, that have different purebred parents. Meet Daisy. She is a cute Maltepoo. A cross between a Maltese and a Poodle.

Great Dane: Just Nuisance

Just Nuisance was the only dog ever to be officially enlisted in the Royal Navy. He was a Great Dane, who from 1939-44 served at HMS Afrikander, a Royal Navy shore establishment in Simon's Town, South Africa. Just Nuisance was entitled the same benefits as any other Able Seaman, which included a cap. Nuisance was involved in a car accident which had caused thrombosis to develop, and this was gradually paralysing him, so on 1 January 1944 he was discharged from the Navy. His condition continued to deteriorate and on 1 April 1944 he was taken to Simon's Town Naval Hospital where on the advice of the naval veterinary surgeon, he was put to sleep. The next day he was taken to Klaver Camp where his body was draped with a Royal Naval White Ensign and he was buried with full naval honours, including a gun salute and the playing of the Last Post.

A simple granite headstone marks his grave, but a statue was erected in Jubilee Square in Simon's Town to commemorate his life. The Simon's Town Museum has a room dedicated to his story, and since 2000 there has been an annual parade of Great Danes from which a lookalike is selected from South Africa.

Fighting Dogs are a perplexing group of dogs to comment on. The majority of them are loving pets with adults and children. The problem is that when they go awry, they are exceptionally dangerous because when they bite, they hold on with exceptional determination and won't let go. They also have the inclination to lose their loving nature when they enter a pack of dogs more aggressive than themselves. Exceptions are Boxers, Bulldogs and Bostons who seem to have lost their fighting and negative traits. Do not purchase puppies when either parent is aloof or distrusting! If you purchase one of these breeds, accept the fact that it may never get on well with other dogs and may eat cats, birds, etc. Early socialization is a MUST for these breeds. Some Fighter Dog breeds include:

-Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldog
-American Pit Bull Terrier
-American Staffordshire Terrier
-American Bulldog
-Boxer
-Bull Terrier
-English Bull Mastiff
-English Bulldog
-Olde English Bulldog
-Boston Terrier
-French Bulldog

Guard Dogs are just what their name implies. They guard you and your children from perceived threats by barking and/or biting. A good-tempered dog of this class will differentiate the mailman, garbage-man, your guests, relatives, your children’s wild playmates and the veterinarian from burglars. Unfortunately some make the wrong decision. You need to be strongly assertive and in charge with these breeds so they look to you for decisions regarding strangers. If your wife or husband is passive or submissive to dogs, do not purchase one of these breeds. Passive or submissive people rarely overcome this problem by attending dog obedience school. Like with fighting dogs, these dogs also need early socialization as puppies. Some of these dogs have aggressive temperaments that make them undesirable as pets. Chow Chows, Akitas, Great Danes and large Rottweilers are not known for their long life spans. With the exception of Danes and Alsatians, these dogs are also prone to eyelid defects. Be sure to check the parents' eyes for inflammation, squinting and infection and ask if corrective eyelid surgery was performed on either parent. Some Guard Dog breeds include:

-Akita Inu
-Asian Mastiff (Dosa)
-Chow Chow
-Great Dane
-English Mastiff
-Malinois
-Pyrenese Mastiff
-Rottweiler
-Shar-Pei (Chinese Shar-Pei)
-Tibetian Mastiff
-Argentinian Dogo (Dogo Argentino, Argentinian Mastiff)

What do these 2 groups have in common? Well, fighter dogs make good guard dogs as well due to their temperament and territoriality; while a lot of the guard dog breeds can be excellent fighter breeds due to their latent aggression as well. Both need early socialiation and professional obedience training to become balanced and loving pets.

Every week Euro Puppy portrays 2 dog lamps. Is one wacky and the other one tacky? Are both wacky? Or both tacky? We will leave it up to you to decide. While having our own beliefs about them, we would love your comments...are they wacky or tacky? Enjoy....

Lamp # 1: . These low voltage dog lamps have all the ingredients you want for a perfect home decoration. It is a wiener dog; it is plastic and it comes in six different colors. If you have a decent product, just make it shaped like a dachshund and you might just double your sales!



Lamp # 2: These best friends make great nightlights. Made of white non-shattering plastic, DonDon the dog lamp and KamKam the cat lamp come with an on/off switch on the cord, and the bulb is included! Dog and Cat are sold separately. At 14 inches tall, this cute dog and cat pair make quite the night light buddies for your kid's room. It might be a comforting presence if your Modern Tot is afraid of the dark and is in need of a loyal little friend in the form of a lamp.







Check out more wacky and tacky dog lamps that Euro Puppy has collected, under our category called: Dog Lamps.

Question:
Hi!

Can you train Cavalier King Charles Spaniels as Bird Dogs?

Thanks,

Pierce

Answer:

Dear Pierce,

Thank you for visiting Euro Puppy and for your query. Concerning Cavalier King Charles Spaniels as bird dogs…let me explain a few things, before I can answer your question...

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is an interesting breed since it is first and foremost a companion dog. Even the FCI registers it in the 9th group, which is designated for companion dogs. All the other spaniels belong to 8th group as designated by the FCI. This group is for the spaniels that are more hunting / bird dogs. A Cavalier, however is in its element if it is around people and family members. Therefore it is a companion dog. However, like all Spaniels, the Cavalier also has a genetic background of being a hunting dog…or a gun dog /bird dog since it was used to retrieve birds and game.

Of all the Spaniel breeds, the original Cavalier is the only one that developed into a lap dog and therefore its hunting instincts have quite drastically been hindered. The other Spaniels, like the Springer Spaniel or an American Cocker Spaniel are also great family dogs, but their hunting, bird dog instincts are far greater, since they are still today used for such activities. Cavaliers, however have been known to catch small birds in mid-flight that fly too close to the ground. Such behavior is a result of their earlier use as a hunting dog, and as such, they can develop habits that predispose them to chase small animals such as chipmunks, squirrels, etc. Because of this, it is recommended that care should be taken when walking a Cavalier off-leash, as they can single-mindedly chase a butterfly or squirrel onto a busy road or other dangerous situations without regard for their own safety if not properly trained.

The energy of a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel comes from its hunting genes and latent hunting instinct. Although it is a perfect companion dog, because of this very same energy and drive, it needs to be exercised just like other Spaniels.

So, to answer your question... yes, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel may be able to learn how to be a bird dog, due to its latent hunting instincts. However, it is a companion dog first and foremost. Other Spaniels and hunting breeds, like Vizslas and Pointers make perfect bird dogs. Therefore it is advisable to rather keep the Cavalier as a companion dog, and if you are keen to have a bird dog, then choose a bird dog, that is really a bird dog in spirit, in habit and in genetic make-up as well.

Hope this helps!

At Euro Puppy, we would like to wish all our customers, friends and fellow dog-lovers a Very Happy Valentine's Day! Please don't forget to show your beloved pooch you love him or her as well!

Artist, Sarah Theophilus’ distinctive style as well as her passion for dogs take the contemporary approach to the tradition of pet portraits much further. Her dog paintings capture the candid, the intense, and the more quirky nature of our beloved companions. Her art can be seen at Pet Portraits in Pastel.



The English Springer Spaniel is a breed of gun dog traditionally used for flushing and retrieving game. The Springer is an affectionate and easy-going family dog, and its alertness and attentiveness make it the ideal hunting companion. An intelligent dog, and eager to please, a Springer is easily incorporated into a family setting. Although good with children, the Springer Spaniel tends to have a moderate to high energy level, so supervision is advisable. Its long-legged build makes it among the fastest of all the spaniels. In general, the breed is good with other pets, such as cats and ferrets, but in certain situations may not tolerate same sex dogs.This spaniel is an quite an old breed,since it already appeared in paintings as early as the 1600s.

• "Affection without ambivalence, the simplicity of a life free from the almost unbearable conflicts of civilization..., [and a] feeling of intimate affinity, of an undisputed solidarity. That is a dog." – Sigmund Freud

Treasured Friend

I lost a treasured friend today
The little dog who used to lay
Her gentle head upon my knee
And share her silent thoughts with me...
She'll come no longer to my call
Retrieve no more her favorite ball
A voice far greater than my own
Has called her to His golden throne.
Although me eyes are filled with tears,
I thank Him for the happy years
He let her spend down here with me
And for her love and loyalty.
When it is time for me to go
And join her there, this much I know...
I shall not fear the transient dark
For she will greet me with her bark.

Author Unknown

• "Show a dog a finger, and he wants the whole hand." - Yiddish Proverb

It is clear as mud, that Demi Moore loves her tiny Chihuahua. Her beloved dog is called "Vida Blue". Chihuahuas are lovely, small dogs that originate from Mexico and make great companions world-wide. It is easy to travel with them, and they put smiles on faces regardless of what age you are!

For centuries, people in the West have marveled at the delicate beauty produced by Oriental plant artists and sculptors. Who has not been stricken with the expressive grace of a Japanese Bonsai? Both foot-binding and head-binding were practiced in the Far East, for the purpose of miniaturizing the feet and shaping the head into attractive shapes. But what happens when we not only play God with the physical aspects of organisms, but the genetic make-up of them as well?

Let me paint you a picture. You have a Dalmatian…or a St Bernard…or a Rottweiler…or a Husky…all four of these breeds are considered to be large bodied dog breeds. So what happens when these breeds are “made” to be small? Can you picture a St. Bernard a third of its size…never to grow into the stately, slobbering beast that we know it as? Or a Rottweiler that was meant to be an A-class Schutzhund working dog, in miniature form, yapping like a Havanese? Oh dear…and a sleigh-pulling Husky, that would maximum be able to pull a matchbox, instead of the sleigh that it excels at as a breed?

Call me ridiculous…call me passionate, but while the Bonsai trees can leave one spellbound, these miniature breeds leave me sick to the stomach. Ok, so you get Tea-Cup Yorkies (perpetualized by certain hotel heiresses). Interestingly, these tiny dogs are not accepted as deviations of the Yorkie standard. What of a Miniature Bull terrier? Well that has been accepted as a separate breed. But what of a Miniature Saint Bernard, or Miniature Dalmatian, or a Miniature Husky? Let me ask you this…do you know what happened when some rested-brained individual wanted a smaller version of the Shar-Pei….(are u sitting down?)..Well they bred the Shar- Pei with a Pug. And it is now officially recognized as an Ori-Pei. A small Sharpei, that is more Shar-Pei looking than a Pug. WTF was wrong with a Shar-Pei?

The concept of designer dogs is bad enough…when two purebred breeds are bred to make a third, unrelated “purebred mutt”…but a diminutive, cartoon character of a bad-ass fighting dog, is not only inhumane, but should be banned. Any reputable breeder, who is involved in maintaining the breed standard of a specific breed for its beauty, and abilities like a working Rottweiler, or a seeing-eye Lab for blind people will tell you, that every breed has its beauty and function. Playing God with genetics is wrong. While it takes 16 years and 9 generations of AKC Dalmatians to breed a miniature Dalmatian, one should respect the breed for what it is. What’s next? A Wolf-Hound sized Dachshund? Oh My Soul! Or a miniature all-seeing eye Labrador for blind people? I mean really…..come on!

At Euro Puppy we are passionate that every breed should be represented and respected for what it is. If you want a Schutzhund Champion Rottweiler puppy that is what you get. If you want a St Bernard puppy that will grow into a gorgeous, slobbering representative of its breed, then that is what you get. Although sadly, people do search for miniature breeds more and more on the internet, they should maybe search for large breeds, to compensate for their miniaturized intellect. If you want a small dog, get a small dog breed. Simple as that.

Just because you live in a small home or apartment doesn’t mean you can’t have a dog. There are a lot of small toy and companion breeds that can make excellent pets for people with small flats or homes. However, you should remember that even small dogs like variety and exercise, so be prepared to take your small dog for walks. Once you have made that commitment to yourself, you can choose which breed of dog is most suitable to you and your lifestyle.

Small dog breeds make the cutest puppies, and one of the cutest small dog puppies around is the Maltese. This popular small dog breed usually only grows no more than six or seven pounds in weight. It has a beautiful white coat. The Maltese is a very ancient dog breed and has a strong constitution. However, don’t keep it in very hot areas, due to its thick coat. This is a very playful little dog. A Maltese makes a great companion if you like lively little pets and enjoy the grooming chores as well.

Another very cute long haired small dog breed is the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel . This lovely small dog is as elegant as its name and weighs about twice as much as a Maltese. The Cavalier is a friendly small dog that gives a lifetime of loyal attachment. This is the ideal dog if you prefer to lead a quiet life.

Top of the line in long haired small dog breeds is the Lowchen. If you enjoy spending long hours brushing, and don’t mind the hefty price tag of this little dog, then the Lowchen is for you. The beautiful `Little Lion’ dog can cost anything from $1000 and upwards. The Lowchen is a true indoors and it also seems to suffer from`separation anxiety’ so don’t get this dog breed if you are away for long hours every day.

If you prefer a little dog with a shorter coat, then a Miniature Fox Terrier can be your pooch. This lively little dog needs lots of exercise, and appreciates having a collection of toys. Fox terriers can be yappy, so your pet may need to go to obedience school if she annoys the neighbors. This is a healthy and low maintenance breed, suitable for the owner who just wants to enjoy having a pet without all fuss associated with long coats and grooming.

If you are looking for an elegant breed, then the sleek, short-haired Italian greyhound is the breed to think about. If you enjoy exercise, then this is the dog breed for you. The Italian greyhound is a very well behaved dog, but prone to stress, so it is not a suitable pet where there are small children. This dog breed grows to a height of about 15 inches but is very lightweight – around 5 pounds.

The Dachshund and the Yorkshire Terrier are also big favorites in the US; as well as the Havanese, which thanks to its hypoallergenic coat is a great companion dog for asthma and allergy sufferers. Most small breeds look for comapnionship. That is why their group-name is called: "Companion dogs". They make wonderful family members for small apartments, but keep in mind that if you spend a lot of time away from home, perhaps you should think twice about getting a pet anyway!

Golden Retriever: Buddy from the Movie: Airbud (1997)

The plot revolves around a 12-year-old boy, Josh, who has an interest in basketball. Through a series of coincidences, Josh meets Buddy, a Golden Retriever who escaped from his cruel owner. Josh soon learns that Buddy has an uncanny ability to play the sport of basketball. The movie generated a one theater-released sequel and many direct-to-video sequels. In each film, Buddy learns to play a different sport. Golden Retreivers are the family dogs. Although it may be questionable how well they perform in sports, their keen sense of smell, and their ability to retrieve makes them excellent hunting dogs as well.