Archive for the ‘Dog Breeding’ Category

The Cairn terrier hails from Scotland, as do its close and outstanding relatives, the Scottish terrier and the West Highland terrier. Much like another cousin, the Welsh terrier, the Cairn is probably an underappreciated breed in the United States, while it remains wildly popular in the old country. But its relative dark horse status is likely just fine with serious Cairn fans.

Unlike several fancier strains of terrier, the Cairn has never been subjected to uptown clips and beauteous barbering, like the Kerry or the Wire terrier. As a result, the Cairn can look pretty shaggy in comparison, and resembles the working dog he was born and bred to be. Cairns, after all, were named after the cairns or piled stones in the Scottish Highlands they so often set themselves to digging through, looking for rats. The Cairn was a fearless hunter of vermin and rouster of foxes, with strong claws, teeth, and an absolutely nonnegotiable hunting instinct. He is not the type of dog you can set loose in the park.

The Cairn terrier is a convenient size for most modern families, weighing only about 13 or 14 pounds. He is tough and resilient, and has a genuine liking for children, although you’ll still need to make sure that they treat him gently, like any other dog. The Cairn is a cheerfully independent type with an incredibly sharp brain. You’ll want to give him some interesting jobs around the house and make sure he stays as challenged as possible (otherwise, he’s likely to challenge your flower beds). Even though many modern small dogs essentially end up as lapdogs, the Cairn has the smarts and the perseverance to be much more.

Despite his shaggy locks, some terrier lovers find a unique and rustic beauty in this breed. If you want an active, enthusiastic, tough little terrier companion, the Cairn deserves your serious consideration.

Cairns come in almost all colors — anything but white conforms to type. Anyone wanting to add a small, sharp and very affectionate dog to their family unit would do well to consider the long-lived Cairn.

“ Designer “ or Mixed Breed dogs

Designer dogs are the up and coming rage among Hollywood and dog lovers alike.  Dogs like the puggle (pug + beagle), the cockapoo aka cockerpoo or spoodle(cocker-spaniel + poodle), the labradoodle (Labrador retriever + poodle), the peekapoo (pekingnese + poodle) and the Schnoodle (Schnauzer + Poodle) are growing ever more popular today than ever before.  Why are these “mutts” so big right now?

1.    Cute Names – Designer dogs have cute names that people love and make the appearance of a new breed of dog that very few have heard of.  For example: the puggle.

2.    Great for those with allergies – Unlike some purebred dogs, designer dogs are often bred to reduce the amount of allergens they produce by not having an undercoat.

3.    Sheds less – Some designer dogs are bred to shed less than other dogs.
4.    Genetic advantage – Believed to be less prone to inbreeding, the

designer dog is thought to have better temperaments and also thought to be smarter and more trainable than their purebred counter parts.
Controversy surrounding these dogs have made purebred dog owners enraged.  It’s bad for there business and the qualities listed above only hold true in specific cases.  The designer dog fad has also had its fallbacks.

1.    Bad breeding – bad breeding leads to unwanted dogs.  Many people want to produce a designer dog without doing back-ground checks and without the skills needed to do so.

2.    Bad owners – Some believe that just because they bought a designer dog means that they don’t need to train, care for or love their pet as much.  This couldn’t be further from the truth.  Designer dogs need just as much care and attention as all other dogs do, if not more.

3.    More expensive – the price for these dogs have sky-rocketed sometimes hit the $1,000 mark.  Sometimes its better just to go to the humane society or animal shelter and find a perfectly fine dog.  The shots and care for these dogs can make their prices higher as well.
Don’t get me wrong, these are wonderful pets.  However, they need wonderful owners as well.

Love and care and proper healthcare and grooming are essential for a happy life-long companion.  If you would like to keep your costs and concerns down when purchasing a designer dog I suggest that you check its breeding history and do temperament tests as well as get them screened for certain common genetic disorders such as hip-dysplasia and retinal atrophy.  Proper preparation and responsible habits lead to a great dog.

Gabriel Killian