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One of the most fascinating parts of pet ownership is discovering your animal’s personality. Here is a creature with character traits all its own: its own likes, dislikes and quirks. And while every dog is a little bit different, personality traits do seem to run in breeds. Happy breeds Two of America’s favorites, the Labrador Retriever and Golden Retriever, top the list of happy breeds. Little wonder they’re hugely popular throughout the width and breadth of the country. Why are these breeds such good-natured companions? It seems to be both nature and nurture: dogs started to diverge from wolves and… Read More

There are over 200 breeds in existence in the doggy kingdom, and these breeds come in all different shapes and sizes. You get big dogs like Great Danes, medium-sized dogs like the Bearded Collie, small dogs like the French Bulldog and even miniatures. What makes every breed interesting is that they have individual markers they call their own – physical and personality traits that run throughout the breed. So what do you do if you have a mixed breed dog? Say, a Labrador crossed with a cocker spaniel? Do you make this deduction based on appearance alone? That doesn’t need… Read More

The ten best dog breeds in the world: that’s a tough thing to quantify, but the good folk over at Insider.com have had their stab at the task, and they’ve come up with a mix of breeds, faces and personalities to populate the list. Not everyone is going to agree, of course, but healthy debate is no bad thing. It goes without saying, but the list to follow isn’t one that we’ve created. Agree, disagree with the choices? Be sure to let us know regardless. #10: Newfoundland dog Newfoundlands are gentle giants. They can weigh as much as 150… Read More

Sometimes, we all want to feel like we’re being protected. In these moments, it is better to have an established guard dog breed at our side than a miniature poodle. Looking for a noble protector on four legs? Here are some of the best breeds you can go for. German Shepherd There’s a reason German Shepherds are used by police forces the world over. They’re alert, intelligent and calm under pressure. That said, they also won’t hesitate to act, making them one of America’s most popular guard dogs. What’s more, German Shepherds are good around the entire family – just… Read More

Known as the “champion sprinter”, the Greyhound is an athletic breed of dog that grows to about 30 inches and lives between 10 and 13 years on average. They’re good-natured dogs and can be wonderful additions to the family home, though their sheer athleticism means they’re not suited to city-living, hampering their popularity somewhat. What is the speed of a greyhound? The Greyhound is the fastest breed in the doggy kingdom. She reaches a top speed of 45mph and is regularly bred for professional racing. A major reason for this is the way she’s built: her body is an upside… Read More

Last week, we delved into five of the longest-living dog breeds. Our article featured a variety of miniature dogs, from Toy Poodles to Chihuahuas. This time, we’re back with part two, and a few larger breeds crack the list. Yes, smaller dogs tend to live the longest, but there are exceptions – as you’ll discover below. Golden Retriever Golden Retrievers are much-loved members of the American household, and rank as the fourth most-popular breed in America (2020). It’s easy to see why: they’re friendly around adults and children alike; highly intelligent and easy to train; and devoted to their… Read More

If you’re looking for a dog that’s going to be healthy and happy for a long time, you could do far worse than one of the breeds listed below. These dogs all live well beyond the decade mark and have very few genetic illnesses to worry about. Many of the members of this list are small breeds, in part because smaller dogs tend to live longer. Chihuahuas This pint-sized breed offers up the longest-living dogs in the world. One of the major reasons? They’re not predisposed to serious genetic illnesses, unlike, say, large mastiffs. Chihuahuas are suitable for apartments and… Read More

Every large-bodied animal deals with ups and downs, and dogs are no exception. That said, there are a select few members of the doggy kingdom who are more prone to depression. Whether it’s down to separation anxiety or too much time spent indoors, these are the dogs you need to handle with tender loving care. Border Collie Border Collies are smart and hard-working. But their intelligence and zeal come at a cost. Left without enough to do, they can grow bored and indulge in destructive behavior: like ripping apart household furniture and damaging things in the home. All round, they’re… Read More

In today’s edition of the Under One Woof blog/newsletter, we’re introducing a dog breed you’ve probably never heard of. A cattle dog from Appenzell in Switzerland started to make waves in the 1850s. It was known to have a high-pitched bark and a ferocious appetite for work. It soon became more popular in other parts of Europe and numbers are growing in North America today. The breed is rare but well worth exploring. What’s special about the Appenzeller Sennenhund? These dogs are remarkably intelligent animals who can be trained to perform complex tasks. They’ve been used for search and rescue… Read More

In the list to follow, we’re going to look at the ten dog breeds that are prone to overeating and getting… well, a little fat. If you don’t want to be eaten out of house and home or want to avoid having to restock the pantry every day, you might want to keep these doggos on a short leash. Scottish Terrier Scottish Terries don’t have the biggest appetites on this list, but they do have the ability to get chunky fast. That’s all because an underactive thyroid gland which slows down their metabolism. In essence, they don’t burn what they… Read More