When choosing a dog, it’s best to pick breeds known to have good temperaments and high intelligence or an ability to learn. These dogs not only are easier to take care of, they are also a breeze to train, even for new dog owners. Below are a few of the most intelligent dog breeds around. You might want to consider choosing one of these breeds as a pet if you’re getting a dog for the first time.
Border Collies
Border collies are wonderful protective dogs. They were originally bred to herd sheep and as such, they are fast, obedient and very quick when given commands. They have shaggy, medium-length coats that need brushing regularly.
Poodles
Poodles where actually once used for hunting. Now, they are known for their creative hairstyles and fancy colors. To most trainers, the poodle is the easiest dog to train. They don’t shed as much as other breeds, earning them the distinction of being “hypoallergenic” dogs.
German Shepherds
The German Shepherd is known to be used by the military and police as bombs and narcotics sniffing dogs and even as tracking dogs. German Shepherds are also wonderful guard dogs and are prized for their loyalty. Golden Retrievers
A very popular dog breed, the Golden Retriever is probably the best family dog around. They can protect their families from harm and can basically be taught to do anything.
Dobermans
Many might feel intimidated by Dobermans, but these dogs are actually very loyal and protective. A tax collector actually developed the breed to protect him while collecting taxes; they were designed to be agile, observant and low maintenance dogs.
Labrador Retrievers
A lab is another good family dog. It’s very loving, patient and affectionate, and as such, stands out for being the most popular dog breed in the world. Labradors however, need a lot of exercise to stay fit and health. They are perfect for families who love going to camping or hiking trips, as these dogs love nothing more than hitting the outdoors.
In most movies, Pitbulls have always been portrayed as the strong, aggressive dog that chases the good guy. But in real life, many people keep these dogs as family pets and guard dogs. In recent years, the common Pitbull has been interbred with a few different dog breeds to create a new type of dog called the American Bully.
American Bully breeding started out during the 1990s when American Pitbulls were inter-mixed with the Staffordshire Terrier and the Bulldog. Many people consider the breed as a modified Pitbull, which means that you have to be careful and find out if your area allows you to keep Pitbulls. Many cities and town have actually banned the breed due to reports of its aggressiveness. While the breed is not recognized by many breed clubs, over the years, many private registry clubs have started to acknowledge the breed.
Bullies have very well defined, straight legs that are muscular and powerful. They have high set ears, which are usually cropped, and a broad shoulder. They are short, like Bulldogs, and have big heads like Pitbulls. Their neck is strong and thick, tapering from their shoulders to their heads, with no saggy skin. Jaws are well defined and square, with a scissor or even bite. Tails are usually undocked, medium length and a small curl. Corkscrew and curly tails are flaws. The American Bully has short and smooth coat, which comes in different colors, from blue to spotted black and fawn.
According to most American Bully owners and breeders, dog aggression and gameness is very minimal, contrary to what the media and Hollywood would have you believe. While these dogs are said to have good temperament, there have been known attacks by these dogs. Proper handling, training and socialization is imperative to ensure your Bully is friendly around other people and animals.
Mixed breed dogs are not always perceived to be superior to pure bred pedigree dogs, but for what they lack in consistent breeding they make up for one general distinction – with mixed breed dogs, no two breeds are alike.
Odie, from the acclaimed Garfield strips by Jim Davis, remains to be a popular “mixed breed” dog of sorts, given the fact that his breed has never really been talked about or explained.
Described to have the looks of a beagle (given the shape of his ears) and the personality of a Golden Retriever (sans the intelligence factor Golden Retrievers are known for), Garfield: The Movie featured a half dachshund, half terrier set of dogs (two of them, a brother and sister) which played the role of Odie.
That solves inquiries pertaining to the dog breed which played the Odie role in the movie, but the comic strip Odie’s breed remains to be an unconfirmed beagle, with some mixes involved.
As a term, mixed breed refers to the type of dog which doesn’t have a definite breeding ancestry, the product of cross breeding among dog breeds over a number of generations. As a term, it is one which can be described as a misnomer, given the fact that many pure breed dogs are actually artificially cultivated with human intervention involved, while mixed breed dogs are borne without any human beings cultivating their breeding genealogy and breeding direction.
Given their mixed histories, pegging the personality and physical traits of mixed breed dogs isn’t as exact when compared against pure breeds, along with identifying genetic-disorders or known medical conditions linked with a particular breed.
Though this may come as a downside for potential mixed breed dog owners, the unclear genealogy of mixed breed dogs doesn’t mean that they are inferior to pedigree breeds. In a sense, the fact that no two breeds coming from different litters says something about how unique mixed breed dogs are, which makes them more stand out when compared against singular pure bred canines.
Almost everyone knows what the most popular dog breeds are.
From German Shepherds to Dobermans, the world is well acquainted with them through various mediums, from comics to TV, books to feature film presentations.
But what about the rarest of dog breeds?
If you’ve ever wondered what they are, here are some of the rarest dog breeds in the world. Though the chances of them being as popular as German Shepherds are not all that big, the fact that you, by reading this, would know about them is a start in heralding their existence.
The Chinook – the breed known as Chinook follows after an actual sled dog named Chinook, and is rare in the sense that it was once nearly at risk of going extinct.
In 1963, the Chinook breed’s population went on a rapid decline, but its population was revitalized by dog lovers in 1981, who took the initiative in restoring the breed from 11 remaining breedable subjects.
Though no longer kept as sled/working dogs, Chinook’s are popular as house dogs, occasionally lugging sleds from time to time.
The Stabyhoun – described as a combination pointer and retriever, the dog is famed as a gundog, with an estimated 100 dogs present in the United States today.
The Netherlands considers this breed as a National Treasure, with the Dutch Dog Registry regularly monitoring population figures and breeding statistics related to the breed.
The Otterhound – the Otterhound was quite popular as a hunting dog, a part of the hound breed with a history which dates back to 1100.
As the breed’s name would imply, they were the usual companions of otter hunters, but when the hunting of otters was banned in England in the 1970’s, there numbers changed significantly.
In the United States, reports estimate an Otterhound population of 350.
The Azawakh – primarily an African breed, the Azawakh’s physical attributes liken it to a greyhound, only leaner, even stretched out.
A companion when gazelle hunting in Africa, there are Azawakh’s present in the United States, with estimates somewhere between 100 to 200 of them being around.
Far be it for this list to be complete, these are simply some of the rarest dog breeds around, with numbers well below the healthy population figures of their more famous cousins.
Miniature Schnauzer is a breed of dog that has a unique haircut, the long hair around his mouth. Miniature Schnauzer is the only dog that has very long hair around the mouth. The uniqueness of the shape haircut make the Miniature Schnauzer breed has many fans.
Generally Poodle breed, hair cut with a model like this. But indeed to breed poodle, hair cut styles vary widely because of his long hair Eden dense so it can be cut with a taste of the owner.
Dogs are carnivorous mammals that have undergone a change from being wolves since 15,000 years ago or maybe more. Whereas the wolf is a wild beast, their descendants we now know as dogs became docile and obedient, after hanging out for a long long time with humans.
Dogs are popular pets because of their loyalty, obedience and intelligence. Some dogs also functioned to aid workers, hunters, herders and rescuers. Among the police, the dog is used as a tracking device or detector because of their sharp sense of smell or to disable a criminal. On the farm, dogs are used for herding cattle and sheep kept the livestock safe together. At home the dog functions as guards, friends and even guardians of children's playgrounds to keep children from playing too far from home. So the pet dog is the most special pet people can have.
Some types of dogs have a unique form, funny or behave in such ways that they are treated and nurtured like a baby, of the puppy-dog kind: Miniature Schnauzer, Border Collie, English Selter and many more.
