Breed Differences

The domestic dog, or Canis familiaris, has 78 chromosomes — the same number as a wolf. Whether the dog is a chihuahua or an Irish wolfhound the number of chromosomes is still the same, thus, there is no difference between breeds of dogs and the ancient bedrock of behaviour stemming from the wolf. Qualitatively speaking, genetic manipulation has virtually no effect on behaviour due to the intense genetic selection.

You can breed selectively for a dog that brings back more food to the pack, or to guard the den more effectively, but we can't teach them abstract thought or conditional sentences — "if you do that again I'll be very angry", will only ever be a tone of voice or a body gesture to a dog, nothing more.

Dogs, whatever the breed, all have excellent cognitive powers, are amazingly perceptive to nuance and observe the most imperceptible changes within us.  

On saying that, different breeds have different stamina, sensory perceptions, size, agility and emotions. These are the differences that one will need to take into account when bringing a new dog into the home.
 

Which Breed to bring back to your home?

Take an honest look at your life. Don't fall for the cutest face or biggest round set of eyes, because the puppy you chose for life, to honour, love and cherish will become a dog that may need special requirements and certain commitments.

Are you a couch potato? Some dogs will need more exercise than others eg Pointer needs more than a Pug, and Galgos make excellent companion couch potatoes!

Some will need high maintenance grooming to keep healthy coat and mind eg Spaniels or Shih Tzu compared to a mini pinscher.

Do you have a spare 1000 euros, dollars or pounds? Some breeds will have significantly shorter lifespan and will therefore incur medical costs associated with old age that much sooner, e.g. Great Danes.

Other breeds come with genetic characteristics that may require extra veterinary care. For example, the bulldog intolerant of hot weather may easily die in the heat through breathing difficulties and is subject to many genetic health problems costing thousands to treat. 

Do you live in a one bedroom flat, have a house with a garden or own a farm? Size is important, big dogs need room (or a huge couch) to grow and stretch. Compare a wolfhound to a maltese. 

Do you have children? Human children are seen by a dogs as a very different species to a human adult. Children walk differently, maintain eye contact, make more noise and have a tendency to tug and pull. It is important to find a breed that is generally known to be calm and tolerant and then teach your children the correct behaviour around dogs. Maltese, for example, are not considered good breeds for children whereas the Cavalier King Charles generally love kids, according to the AKBA.

If you are looking for a specific breed the ABKA has a wonderful informative breed dictionary. I also strongly recommend that you look for breeders that abide by the code of ethics for specific breeds. For example, German Shepherds suffer from hip dysplasia and will suffer extreme pain as their hips start to collapse, causing massive veterinary bills and unnecessary discomfort. Many of you may have noticed German Shepherds on the streets of Barcelona with very poor hip scoring. It is very important to look for reputable breeders.

 

'Cuchi' the bodega cat

If you make the trip to visit Cuchi (remember to give her her space) there are two very nice bars on Calle Parlament worth a visit or a pub crawl. One on the corner of Compte Borrell and Parlament, then the other with a pretty terraza. Cuchi's bodega is in between. They are all within 50 metres of one another walking towards Parallel.

Meet 'Cuchi' here - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fidos-Playground/199529470076539 

A for Obesity!

I feel that this is a very important topic to start my A - Z of pet tips and facts, even if i am cheating. We all love our pets deeply but to demonstrate our love by overfeeding is to slowly expose your loved one to a wealth of chronic diseases.

• Debilitating conditions such as diabetes, heart strains, liver disease, arthritis, teeth and gum problems can all be potentially lethal for your pet and they may only manifest in old age. This not only means great pain for your pet, but more vet visits, increase in vet bills and special, expert, tender loving care.
• Keep a close monitor and regularly evaluate your pets condition, seek advice from a good vet about the correct weight for your breed and its age. As you know weight creeeeeps on, slowly and quietly. Your eye looses its perspective to what was normal. A good indicator for a dog is that the ribs are easily felt with a thin belt of fat between the skin and bone. The bony points are easily felt with a healthy amount of fat and for those above 6 months there is a well proportioned waist when viewed form above. For a cat it is the extra weight it carries under its belly.
• Be aware of your breed of dog, for example Bulldogs will suffer breathing difficulties, Daschunds need care because of their short legs and long backs. Beagles and bassets are predisposed to being overweight.
• Feed the correct proportions and a quality product. As they say 'garbage in -garbage out' .. bad food will show on your pets outward appearance.
• Adapt treats to your pets diet.
• Feed food that keeps their teeth and gums in good health.
• Sufficient exercise. And this may only be through play.
• Find out what is poisonous or toxic to your pet. For example: Cats cannot become vegetarians, they need the amino acid taurine which is only found in meat; Chocolate along with onions are toxic to dogs; Although not toxic, Guinea pigs need to eat a wealth of good quality hay to keep their teeth in good order and their stomachs working properly.

Remember, for a pet to maintain its health and live a long, happy life it must have proper nutrition.

This is my first post and I would like to take this opportunity to introduce to you the philosophies behind my work.

I was first taught by The Monty Roberts International Learning Centre, where I learnt the art of communicating with horses in a discernible and effective way, using predictable body language. This language Monty Roberts created after extensive observation on wild Mustangs in Nevada at the age of thirteen. He calls it ‘Equus’, and it is silent, encouraging true partnership between horse and human. This method rejects the traditional and violent methods of ‘breaking in’ a horse and replaces it with the nonverbal, silent and nonviolent ‘Join Up’.

My second teacher is, Jan Fennell ‘The Dog Listener’. She was initially inspired by Monty Roberts, after seeing one of his profound and moving ‘Join-Up’ demonstrations. Jan resolved to find a similar way to communicate with dogs by also rejecting the traditional methods of dominance and force. She did this by studying extensively wolves, wild dogs and coyotes. This study has resulted in the application of a training system she has called ‘Amichien® Bonding’. AB (as it is affectionately called) allows you to live in harmony with your trusted friend. This non-confrontational, stress-free, gadget-free method is achievable to anyone with an open mind and respect for the fantastic creature that is the Canine.

The concepts behind ‘Equus’ and ‘Amichien Bonding’ are similar to all species. Monty and Jan have studied both these animals extensively, they understand how each species uses its senses to perceive and interpret their environment. They have observed how the herd or the pack has brought up it’s young, encouraged and advised its teenagers and seen how they then settle into adult life with the tools best equipped for their personal and herd/pack survival. 

I respect that each animal is different in species and personality, that they perceive through their senses very differently to us, as homo sapiens. They do not have the ability to communicate in a tongue, and thus it is very difficult for us to understand what they are trying to say unless we try to understand their way of thinking.

I try to read the world as they do, to live as they would and to assure each of them to the best of my knowledge, in a way that they would assure each other. I work with calmness, consistency and within their particular species, specific boundaries.

I try to work with deep love. A love that comes from the heart and not the human mind, as I believe that this type of love can cross any language and species barrier.

I hope you enjoy Pooch Corner as much as I will do in writing it.  This has been a longer and more serious post than I expected, but I feel that it is very important.  I hope to keep Pooch corner short and sweet, a tip sheet that you are welcome to refer to at anytime.  I hope to achieve this next month by starting an A-Z of Pet Tips and Unusual Facts.

Fido's new web playground is under construction, but we'll be going live soon!