Euro Puppy BLOG

Everyone knows "Lassie". The famous Collie initially published by Eric Knight in 1938. For generations, Lassie (a female collie) has enthralled audiences ranging from Children to senior citizens.

In fact, she has been portrayed in Books, Television (Both Movies and TV Shows) and even radio shows. Described as "Mahogany and Sable" in color, story follows Lassie as she strives to return home to the boy she grew up with.



However, it is a little known fact that all the Lassies that have been portrayed in Movies are male! Apparently, the males "Look better", and have thicker coats. In addition, they are also slightly bigger than the females making it easier for a child to act alongside for a long time without rapidly outgrowing the dog.

Guess looks are deceiving huh? You can't do that with humans!

We've always known that having a dog is good for us. It makes us more likable people, and more likely to show compassion and empathy.

However, did you know that research backs up this observation? A study in 1999 on 48 stockbrokers has demonstrated that the group that had a pet including dogs were far less likely to have heart attacks than the group that didn't.



Following the results of this test, many who didn't have a dog, went out and got one! It's official. Maintaining a dog keeps you healthier and more stressful. In addition, children who are exposed to dogs early on are at a much lower risk of becoming allergic to substances due to the body's strengthened immune system.

So if you were looking for an excuse to get yourself a dog, this is a good one!

Inbreeding of dogs is quite a significant problem. In the quest for getting the "Perfect Dog", breeders try and wipe out variations within breeds, and this leads to a progressively smaller gene pool to choose from.



What this means, is that the pups that are born are more likely to have "defective" genes that manifest themselves as congenital conditions. That is why several thoroughbreds are not very healthy. I myself have lost a beloved dog - A German Shepherd named Candy - to a congenital defect when she was in the prime of her life at the age of three.

Almost one third of all Dalmatians suffer from hearing disability due to congenital birth defects. This is a significant problem, as one third is a huge percentage. It probably can't be helped, but this fact should make people more sensitive to the issues that arise from Inbreeding and the detrimental effects it has on the health of the dog.

Naturally, this also leads to a higher incidence of deaths and lowers the average life expectancy of pure breed dogs. It's very sad, and maybe what I'm trying to say is - don't complain if your dog has a few inconsistencies (unless you plan to show him/her in a professional competition). Inconsistencies mean that your dog is probably more healthy than one that is "really pure", and surely that is a small price to pay?

So, just what is a Miniature Bulldog? As there is often a grey area here, it’s Important you know that there are Mini Bulldogs, and then there are Mini English Bulldogs. These types should not be confused with each other! The former being a cross/mix breed (Bulldog with Pug, Boston Terrier or/and French Bulldog) and the latter being a pure-bred English Bulldog, but just smaller in size. As you can see here, the big difference here lies in the keyword, English.

Mini or Miniature Bulldog crosses are usually 3-4 generations removed. This is to fine tune the trademark look of the Bulldog but in a more compact size. This variety is not yet recognised by any major association or kennel club such as FCI or AKC. This type is most often the shortest in the body and the more sporty, active rather than being a couch potato. Obviously the more squat, rambunctious Pug and Frenchie are having their influence here.

Mini or Miniature English Bulldogs are not a separate breed in itself. They come from registered English Bulldog parents. This poses the difficult question of how can I be sure/guaranteed that my puppy will be a Mini? To answer this, I would say that a major kennel club or association would need to start recognising the breed and set a standard that everyone has to adhere to and thus be able to register as an official Mini English Bulldog litter.



If you think you know enough already, please feel free to check out our available Miniature English Bulldog puppies. If you would like to learn more, please carry on reading below.

There is quite a bit of dispute regarding where the Poodle originated. Many sources say that while the French were responsible for the development of the breed, they are not inherently from France.

Indeed, the word poodle itself comes from the German "Pudel" meaning 'Splashing dog'. This shows that the Poodle wasn't bred for show at all, but for hunting!



The story goes that the hair of the poodles were hampering their ability to properly participate in the hunt. To make things easier, the hunters sheared off the hair leaving it only in places where protection was needed like the hips and the ankles.

Today of course, they are considered more for their looks than for their hunting capabilities. But goodness gracious! Who would have thought it?

One of the scariest movies involving dogs has always been "Cujo". It involves a St. Bernard, and is listed at #58 in the "100 scariest Movie Moments".



However, there's no reason to be really afraid of a St. Bernard. They are noted for their friendly nature, and their loyalty. However, their size (they are one of the largest breeds) certainly can be scary!

Benedictine, a St. Bernard, was the largest and heaviest dog in history, weighing 162 kgs (357 lbs)! They were originally bred for rescuing travelers, and indeed, they were named after the St. Bernard Pass where Barry - The most famous St. Bernard of all time reportedly saved upto a 100 lives!

Want to find out more about this giant breed? Visit our Saint Bernard breed info page!

This is somewhat controversial, but the figures speak for themselves. Every year, Americans spend four times the amount of money on Dog Food, than on Baby food.

The reasons for this are open to interpretation, but my guess is that more and more people are choosing to have dogs instead of rearing kids. No judgments there! Dogs are great for people who don't want the "hassle" of being responsible for a human being for 18 years or so.



Or it could mean that dogs just eat a hell of a lot more than babies! But given that Baby food is so expensive, that could nullify the effect.
Anyway, imagine spending $1.5 Billion a year on Pet Food!

So imagine showing your Chow Chow to a friend who's never seen one before. Your dog is hot and panting, and your friend recoils in surprise - "Whadya know? He's got a black tongue"!

That's literally black and not just a figure of speech to indicate psychic powers. The Chow Chow is the only dog on earth that has a black tongue, while all other dogs are content to have pink ones.



The Chow Chow breed is well known for the love of it's home and reluctance to take to strangers immediately. Be warned! Certain insurance policies specifically make the Chow Chow exempt from their protection due to this.

However, the Chow Chow shows remarkable loyalty to it's owner and therefore highly prized for this quality.

Every year over 4 million dogs are destroyed in the United States. It's a sad thing. I'm not saying that dogs should not be put to sleep (if they are seen to be a threat, then unfortunately that might have to be done). All I'm saying that it's an indication that things need improving.

One solution allows you to directly help. If you spay or sterilize your dog, then there you might prevent more dogs from being slaughtered. We call ourselves a humane society, and so let's behave like one.

Each Tuesday we will share a photo we received claiming to be the World's Largest Dog. A lot of you might have seen these photos. We couldn't verify the source so we leave it up to you to believe it or not. Photoshop can make look anything big. Let us know what you think. Have you seen any of these dogs in person? Do you have a photo that you want to share with us?

9) The Largest Irish Wolfound:
Another Irish Wolfhound. A dog? Is it a dog or a statue? Anyways, I let you decide. I think this photo is very funny.