Euro Puppy BLOG

Ok this was a new one for me. I always thought that dogs were color blind. I don't know where I got that idea from, but it stuck. Looks like I was wrong all these years. Research conducted by Neitz J, Geist T, and Jacobs G H shows that while dogs see less color than we do, they are far from being unable to distinguish colors at all.



Apparently, dogs have a form of color blindness called deuteranopia which translates into red and green color blindness. So while they are able to clearly distinguish between say blue and yellow, they have trouble telling red from green.

Apparently, this is a bit like seeing the world at night. Dogs were not meant to rely on vision alone for their survival. They are meant to use a totality of their senses including smell and hearning, and that is why they haven't developed the detail and sharp eyesight that humans have. It's more important for them to detect motion.

Dog obstacle courses have blue and yellow themes for this reason. Nice to know that my canine companion doesn't see me as black and white!

The Iditarod looks really tough. You need to cover 1,161 miles with nothing but your dogs to you help you. What makes it worse however, it's held in Alaska! With wind chill reaching 100 degrees Farenheit, I shudder (even without the cold) to think of the ordeal.



Breeds like the Siberian Husky and the Canadian Eskimo dogs are famous for being sled dogs are and most used in these kinds of races. The physical strength, speed, and endurance that are needed are truly remarkable and they have been known to travel 90 miles in a day pulling 85 pounds each!

The Iditarod is completed by teams of 12 to 16 dogs and managing them throughout the race requires skill and dedication, not to mention the ability to stay in the cold for so long. No wonder the winners of the race are celebrities!

It seems that people find their pets much more interesting that their own husbands or wives? In a recent survey, it was determined that just about 40% of people admitted to taking many more pictures of their dogs than of their own spouses.

I wonder what this signifies. Is it that people realize that their dogs are not going to be around them for long and this is their attempt to capture as much of them as possible?

Another reason is that we view them as children. We all know how parents obsessively click pictures of their kids when they're still young and cute!

However, I personally feel that we take so many pictures because of their innocence. Since our dogs lack a hidden agenda, we find it very much more refreshing than pictures of anyone else. We know they won't get vain about having their picture taken so often, and the best part is that they don't even know that they're being snapped. This makes them more genuine photos than any other!

At least that's MY theory.

The Integrative Cancer Therapies Journal has provided scientific evidence that dogs are able to sniff out Cancer! We all know that the dog's sense of smell is exceptional, being able to detect chemicals that are diluted to one part in trillion.



However, this new fact is truly astonishing. Apparently, a certain dog constantly sniffed the lesion of it's owner alerting him to the fact that something was wrong. It was determined that he had Melanoma - a type of skin Cancer.

Clinical trials have established that trained dogs can sniff out lung and breast Cancer with accuracies of between 88% to 97%! An astonishing fact.

The study was conducted using standard double blind tests which means that neither the dogs, nor even those carrying out the experiments knew the patients in any way. Those conducting the test were not even aware of who had cancer. So the chances of even mild suggestion were ruled out.

It's amazing how our canine friends can help us. In so many different ways, they show that they are the truest companions.

The Pekingese is one of the most famous dogs in China. Apparently, this is due to it's resemblance to the Chinese Guardian Lions. According to ancient chinese tradition, these lions were held to have magical protective properties that made them common figures in front of temples and palaces.

The Pekingese, with it's fur coat and unique fact bears a resemblance to the lions, and thus the lion's properties were transferred on to the dog as well. Also called "Foo Dogs" or Lion dogs, they were said to be guardian spirits.

For over 2000 years, they were held to be sacred by the Chinese emperors and were thus accorded special privileges.



Pekingese dogs are extremely childlike, thus enforcing their status as toy dogs. However, they are very protective of the person whom they consider to be their master. Their behavior may be likened to a dog that doesn't quite realize that it's a dog and doesn't want the same rules to apply!

A left over trait from it's history in the Chinese palace maybe?

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?