Wolf

The wolf is the largest member of the dog family. It is native to the wilderness and remote areas of Eurasia and North America.

Pixiebay

In North America it is known as the timber or gray wolf, to distinguish it from the rare red wolf of East Texas and the 'prairie wolf' or coyote.

WOLVES IN HISTORY 

According to legend, the city of Rome and the Roman kingdom was founded on April 21, 753 BC by twins Romulus and Remus, who were raised by a wolf.

For centuries the wolf has been depicted as a symbol of fighting prowess, courage, and endurance. Beowulf, the legendary Anglo-Saxon hero, named himself after the wolf, and North American Indians used the name for their most powerful warriors.

Polychrome cave painting of a gray wolf, Font-de-Gaume, France

Wolf packs could be found in all the forests of Europe in medieval times. During the harsh winter of 1450, a pack of hungry wolves managed to enter Paris and roamed the city's streets. They ate 40 people.

The last wolf in Great Britain was killed in Scotland, in 1743. Wolves were extinct in England by 1500.

German and Russian troops had to call a temporary truce in modern Lithuania/Belarus during World War I in order to launch a joint attack against a pack of wolves that constantly raided them.. "Poison, rifle fire, hand grenades and even machine guns were tried to no avail." Wolves even attacked them in the trenches, making effective battle impossible.

ANATOMY 

The wolf is the largest extant member of the Canidae family, with males averaging 43–45 kg (95–99 lb) and females 36–38.5 kg (79–85 lb).

Pixiebay

Wolf weight and size can vary greatly worldwide, tending to increase proportionally with latitude as predicted by Bergmann's rule, with the large wolves of Alaska and Canada sometimes weighing 3–6 times more than their Middle Eastern and South Asian cousins.

The heaviest wolf recorded weighed 86 kilograms (190 lb. It was killed after World War II in Ukraine's Poltavskij Region.

The heaviest recorded gray wolf in North America was killed on 70 Mile River in east-central Alaska on July 12, 1939 and weighed 79.4 kilograms (175 lb).

Arctic wolves are smaller than other wolves. They are 3 feet (0.91 m) tall when they're adults.

Wolves have fur made up of two layers. The top layer is resistant to dirt, and the underlayer is water resistant.

The color of the wolf's fur can be any combination of grey, white, red, brown, and black. Studies have shown that in 2007 they have found 23 red gray wolves.

The maned wolf's urine smells so much like marijuana it caused police at the Rotterdam Zoo to go on the hunt for cannabis smokers.

BEHAVIOR

A hungry wolf can eat 20 pounds of meat in a single meal, which is the same as a human eating one hundred hamburgers.

There is a group of wolves in British Columbia aptly called the "sea wolves" that gets 90% of its food from the sea, and will even swim up to 8 miles to reach islands for food. They have distinct DNA that sets them apart from interior wolves.

When howling together, wolves harmonize rather than howl the same note, creating the illusion of there being more wolves than there are.

Pixiebay

Wolves run on their toes, it helps them to stop, turn quickly and also prevent their paws from wearing down.

When male and female wolves mate, they usually stay together for life. They are devoted parents and maintain sophisticated family ties.

FUN WOLF FACTS

Minnesota is the only state in the contiguous USA that has always held a viable gray wolf population.

The Custer Wolf, a North American gray wolf referred to as the "master criminal of the animal world", killed livestock worth almost $300,000 today.

The Italian Wolf is considered the national animal of Italy.

Wolf in Sheep's Clothing is a phrase we use of a person who pretends to be meek and mild but in fact is vicious, or of someone who poses as a friend but in reality is an enemy. The figure of speech comes from the passage in the Gospels in which Jesus warned his followers to "beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are savage wolves" (Matthew. 7.15). The warning has been interpreted to refer to deceitful heretical teachers who misled the people by attractively misrepresenting the authoritative message.

Sources Europress Family Encyclopedia, Compton's Encyclopedia

Terrier

A terrier is a type of dog formerly used in hunting rabbits and following quarry such as foxes down burrows. Terrier is from the Latin word "terra" meaning "earth."

Mostly small and active, terriers are highly active. They include the Bull, Cairn, Fox, Jack Russell, Scottish, Sealham, Skye and Yorkshire terriers.

A pet terrier in 1875 (English Toy Terrier type), painting by Frederick August Wenderoth

HISTORY

The Dandie Dinmont terrier takes its name from a fictional character called Dandie Dinmont in Walter Scott's novel Guy Mannering. Dinmont was based on a farmer called James Davidson who had some dogs on his farm. The novel was a great success and the terrier's popularity spread throughout Britain adopting the Dandie Dinmont name.

:Dandie_Dinmont_Terrier_By en:User:Sannse  Wikipedia

The first recognized Bedlington Terrier was a male called "Old Flint" who was born in 1873. It is almost certain that the early breeders set out to produce a dog that looked like a lamb and succeeded.

Bedlington terrier (Pixiebay)

In the mid-19th century, working-class people in the north of England created the Airedale Terrier by crossing the Otter hound with the old English rough-coated Black and Tan Terrier (now extinct) and an assortment of other breeds. They were exhibited for the first time in 1864 at a championship dog show sponsored by the Airedale Agricultural Society. 

The Airedale was named in 1879 after a north England river which is famous for its Otters.

Airedale Terriers carried messages for soldiers during World War I and were very dedicated in their duties. One named 'Jack' ran through half a mile of enemy fire. He made it to headquarters with his jaw broken and one leg badly splintered and died just after delivering his message.

Airedale Pixiebay

The Irish terrier is a lively breed of terrier used for centuries by poor Irish farmers to catch rats with its strong jaws. The home of the Irish terrier is County Cork, Ireland, and it is likely that the breed originated around the early 1700s.

The now extinct Black and Tan Terrier and the Wheaten Terrier were the most probable breeds to have been used in the development of the Irish terrier. Owners and breeders formed a club in 1879, and it wasn't until then that the breed became standardized.

As well as performing the usual Terrier activity of vermin killing, the Irish terrier was also used as a retriever on land and water. 

The Irish terrier served as a messenger and watchdog of Allied troops during World War I.

Irish Terrier 6 months old. By Andrew Clark - 

The Border Terrier originated in the hills between Scotland and England centuries ago. It was previously known as the Reedwater terrier or Coquetdale terrier, after villages that were particularly renowned for developing individuals of this breed. 

As with all Terrier breeds, there is a mixed heritage in Lakeland, Bedlington, Dandie Dinmont and Redesdale (a white Terrier now extinct) which is responsible for the white markings sometimes found in pups. The name of the Border Terrier was fixed in 1880.

Border terrier Pixiebay

The Staffordshire Bull Terrier bred in the 19th century as a fighting dog attained recognition as a breed by the Kennel Club on May 25, 1935. The Staffordshire Bull Terrier Club was formed one month later.

Staffies are nicknamed the ‘nanny dog' because they are reputed to be good with children.

Staffordshire Bull Terrier Pixiebay

FAMOUS TERRIERS

Mary Queen of Scot's devoted little Skye Terrier was her companion throughout her long imprisonment by Queen Elizabeth I of England. The dog was concealed in her skirts during her execution. It refused to be coaxed away from Mary's body and it, took several washings to get his mistress' blood out of the dog's fur. The terrier wouldn't eat afterwards and died from grief and starvation.

George Washington ordered a brief ceasefire during the Revolutionary War's Battle of Germantown on October 4, 1777. The truce was arranged  to return a lost terrier to its owner, Sir William Howe, a British general. The dog was found wandering the battlefield and was fed and cleaned before being returned to Howe. 

Thomas Hardy and his wife Florence had a wire terrier called Wessex who was a peculiarly disagreeable dog, which bit even the most eminent of visitors.

While serving in World War I, Adolf Hitler found a terrier he named "Little Fox." He taught the dog many tricks to entertain his fellow comrades.

President Warren Harding owned an Airedale terrier called Laddie Boy. At dinners, Harding's dog Laddie Boy, was allowed to beg guests for food and play with children. He also sat in his own chair during cabinet meetings and once invited all the neighborhood pooches to his birthday party. 

Caroline Kennedy's dog, Pushinka ("fluffy" in Russian) and Laddie Boy, 

A terrier named Igloo traveled to both the North and South Poles in the 1920s as a companion to his master, explorer Admiral Richard Bird. He chased penguins, picked fights with the sled dogs, and had a camel-hair suit made for him to keep him warm. Igloo's headstone is shaped like an iceberg.

Terry the Cairn Terrier, best known for her role as Toto in Wizard of Oz, earned a salary of $125 per week, more than that of many human actors in the film. She also earned more than many working Americans at the time.

Frank Sinatra gave Marilyn Monroe a Maltese terrier, which in a nod to the singer's supposed mob connections, she mischievously named Mafia, or Maf for short. The cute English dog became her inseparable companion in her last years.

Sources Compton's Encyclopaedia, Europress Encyclopaedia

Spaniel

The Spaniel is a type of dog characterized by a long silky coat and drooping ears. They are thought to have originated in China or Japan, and then became a popular favorite with European royalty. Spaniels first appeared in Great Britain in the 1500s.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

Although popular as a sporting dog, spaniels were often used by the ladies of the court as comforters and warmers, said to have kept them warm under their enormous skirts. They were most popular in Britain by the reign of Charles II (1660-85). The king adored spaniels, and each dog had its own special cushion. Charles liked walking them in St James Park and his passion for the breed gave rise to the name King Charles Spaniels.

Charles' spaniels slept on his bed despite the fact they were not terribly house trained. His courtiers complained of the terrible smell.

The Three Eldest Children of Charles I by Anthony Van Dyck

The field spaniel was developed in the early 1800s in Great Britain; because of early breeders' tendency to overdevelop this dog's length in relation to its height, it became known as the sausage, caterpillar, or hammock-slung dog by the early 1900s.

The Clumber Spaniel is the largest of the spaniels, and comes in predominantly white with either lemon or orange markings. The name of the breed is taken from the estate of the Duke of Newcastle in Nottinghamshire, where the dog was first developed in the early 1800s.

The American water spaniel was believed to have originated in 1800s in U.S. from crossings of water dogs and spaniels who accompanied settlers and emigrants from Europe; they are virtually unknown outside of North America and even rarer at American dog shows.

The Irish Water Spaniel can be traced back to the time when the spaniels were divided into land and water varieties. By 1859, a special class was provided for the Irish Water Spaniel at dog shows. Justin McCarthy of Dublin is credited with refining the breed and achieving its distinctive look.

America had come to appreciate the Irish Water Spaniel by the 1870s, when a number were brought over. By 1875, the breed had become the third most popular sporting dog in the U.S.

Irish Water Spaniel by Pleple2000 -  Wikipedia

The first mention of the Cocker Spaniel dates back to 1368 in the British Isles. It was bred to its now recognizable breed by the Dukes of Marlborough, by crossing the original Spanish breed with King Charles Spaniels. The Cocker Spaniel was established by the end of the nineteenth century.

The Welsh Springer Spaniel breed of sporting dog known for being the likely ancestors of most of today's hunting dogs dates to 7000 BC. Dogs resembling the breed with its distinctive red and white coat are frequently depicted in old pictures and prints. However, until the turn of the 20th century, the breed was shown alongside the English Springer Spaniel. It wasn't until 1902, after the breed had gained popularity, that Welsh Springers were recognized by The Kennel Club.

Welsh Springer Pixiebay

Cavalier King Charles Spaniels were bred from King Charles Spaniels crossed with Cocker Spaniels to recreate the Spaniels depicted in paintings of the 1600s by Gainsborough, Rubens, and Rembrandt. The breed was developed in 1920.

FAMOUS SPANIELS

Dash (1830–1840) was a King Charles Spaniel owned by Princess Victoria. The Princess was 13 when she was given Dash, and as Victoria was raised largely isolated from other children, her pet soon became a much loved companion.

Princess Victoria spent the whole day of January 29, 1835 travelling from St. Leonards back to Kensington Palace. She describes the journey in her diary and adds that "Dear Dashy was in our carriage and behaved like a darling".

Dash remained with Victoria after her accession as queen in 1837. Following her coronation, Victoria returned to Buckingham Palace and ran up to her rooms to give Dash his usual bath.

Dash with Princess Victoria, by Sir George Hayter, 1833

The poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning had a pet red cocker spaniel called Flush, who was the only companion allowed to Elizabeth by her tyrannical father.

The first time Robert Browning visited Elizabeth at Wimpole Street, Flush bit him.

When Elizabeth Browning eloped to Italy with Robert Browning she took Flush with her. He was immortalized through the poem "To Flush my Dog".

During his September 23, 1952 "Checkers speech", Republican vice presidential candidate Richard Nixon refuted accusations of improprieties with contributions to his campaign. Nixon said the family Cocker Spaniel, Checkers, was the only gift he'd received.

Stephen Spielberg's cocker spaniel Elmer appears in The Sugarland Express, Close Encounters Of The Third Kind, 1941, and Jaws, which is more of his films than any actor.

A Springer spaniel called Millie was "first dog" of the White House during George Hebert Walker Bush's presidency. The dog "dictated" the 1990 best-seller Millie's Book to Barbara Bush, offering readers a canine-eye view of the presidency.

Millie, the pet of George Hebert Walker Bush.

Spot the brown-and-white Springer Spaniel born to Millie in the White House during President George H W Bush's presidential term becomes the first pet to live in the White House twice. He returned to the presidential mansion after the inauguration of the second President George W Bush.

Source Compton's Encyclopedia

Sheepdog

The sheepdog is as rough-coated dog used to tend, drive, or guard sheep. It was first employed around 1570 when it was found to possess more speed and stamina than humans.

The sheepdog picks up nearly imperceptible hand and whistle signals from its master to move flock or retrieve stray sheep.

HISTORY

The Old English sheepdog or Bobtail was probably developed in the early 19th century in western England and were used for driving sheep and sometimes cattle to market. They are likely the product of crosses between the Bearded Collie and imported large European Sheepdogs such as the Bergamasco.

Old English Sheepdog known as Pepsi.  Harald Urnes, Norway

The Old English sheepdog's tail was first docked in the 19th century as a way of distinguishing it as a drovers' dog, which meant it was exempt from taxation. Docking tails was a way of keeping a record of this. Tailed Old English sheepdogs are now common, as many countries have outlawed cosmetic docking.

In 1873, the Old English Sheepdog made its show debut in Birmingham, England. There were only three entries, and the judge felt the quality of the dogs was so poor that he offered only a second placing.

An Old English Sheedog has twice won best in show at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, including Slumber in 1914.

Slumber, best in show at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in 1914

The Old English Sheepdog was exported to the United States in the 1880s, and by the turn of the 20th century, five of the ten wealthiest American families bred and showed the breed. Its popularity has grown so much that the Old English Sheepdog is now a popular pet all over the world.

The Belgian sheepdog originated in Belgium in the late 1800s, mainly through the efforts of restaurateur Nicolas Rose, owner of Chateau Groenendael near Brussels, from which the breed got its alternate name.

The Border Collie is a working and herding dog breed developed in the Anglo-Scottish border region in the late 19th century for herding livestock, especially sheep. It was specifically bred for intelligence and obedience.

SHEEPDOG TRIAL

A sheepdog trial is a competitive dog sport in which herding dogs move sheep around a field, fences, gates, or enclosures as directed by their handlers. The first ever dog trials were held in Wanaka, New Zealand, on April 30, 1867.

Australia also has a long history of dog trialing, with a kelpie named Brutus reported in the local paper in Young, New South Wales, as winning a sheepdog trial in 1871.

A Border Collie at a sheep trial By C. MacMillan

One Man and His Dog is a BBC television series in the United Kingdom featuring sheepdog trials, which first aired on February 17, 1976. In 2013, One Man and His Dog ceased to be a program in its own right, but the competition continues to be part of the rural affairs show Countryfile on BBC One.

SHEEPDOGS THAT BELONGED TO FAMOUS PEOPLE

Thomas Jefferson had little tolerance for dogs that brought harm to his sheep, and he once ordered one of his sheepdogs to be hung for mauling livestock.

During Franklin Roosevelt's time in the White House, he owned 11 dogs. They included an English sheepdog called Tiny.

Paul McCartney loved his Old English sheepdog Martha so much he dedicated The White Album song "Martha My Dear" to her.

A young Stuart Goddard, whose mother used to clean Paul McCartney's apartment in St. John's Wood, London, would sometimes take the sheepdog Martha for walks. Goddard would grow up to be the 1980s pop star Adam Ant.

Europress Encyclopedia, Compton's Enyclopedia

Setter

The setter is a type of gundog used most often for hunting game, especially birds such as quail, pheasant, and grouse. It is so called because they are trained in crouching or setting on the site of game to be pursued.

Dark setter with hare Johannes Deiker - Van Ham Kunstauktionen

Training of setter puppies is usually done with quail as a first choice or domesticated pigeons.

Early specimens of the Irish setter probably originated in Ireland in early 1700s. They were imported into USA in the late 1800s.

The Breed Standard for the modern Irish Setter was first drawn up by the Irish Red Setter Club in Dublin and approved on March 29, 1886.

Irish Setter Pixiebay

The Gordon Setter breed of sporting dog is known as the black and fallow setting dog of Alexander Gordon, 4th Duke of Gordon (1743–1827), who in the 1820s brought this bird-hunting breed to prominence on his castle grounds in Scotland. Its ancestors date back to early 1600s in Scotland.

The Gordon Setter was imported into U.S. in the mid-1800s and became very popular because of its intelligence and good looks.

The Kennel Club applied the name 'Gordon Setter' to the breed in 1924. Before that they were known as black and tan setters, and were found in many kennels beside those of the 4th Duke of Gordon.

Gordon Setter Pixiebay

The English Setter came from an ancient line of sporting dogs, with its origins most probably from the Spaniel and the Old Spanish Pointer. Similar looking dogs were known prior to the 1800s.

The English Setter as we know it today was developed in the mid-1800s by an English breeder, Edward Laverack (1800–1877) who bred from a pair and inbred them until he achieved the type he wanted.

Another Englishman, R. Purcell Llewellin (1840–1925), founded his strain using Laverack's best dogs and outcrossed them with the Duke, Rhoebe and later Duke's littermate Kate bloodlines with the best results.

Further breeding by Sir Purcell Llewellin established the English setter breed in the USA and, although going by different names, the Laverack Setter and the Llewellin Setter, they are essentially the same breed, with one for hunting and the other for show.

English setter pixiebay

The first showing of the setter breed was at the ever first modern selected breed dog show in 1859 in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in north east England. There were 36 setters and 23 pointers entered and Mr Jobling's Black and Tan Setter, Dandy, won the first prize for setters. The prize awarded to each winner was a double barreled gun worth around £15 to £20.

In 1862 setters began to be divided into three categories at shows: English, Black and Tan and Irish. These became official breed classifications when The Kennel Club was founded in 1873.

In the UK, the English setter breed has been successful at Crufts and secured the award of best in show in 1964, 1977 and 1988.

During Franklin D. Roosevelt's 12 years and one month as American president, 11 dogs lived in the White House. They included a Llewellyn Setter called Winks.

Irish Setters have proven to be very popular with American politicians over the decades. Maine Governor Percival Proctor Baxter owned an Irish named Gary Owen. Richard Nixon’s beloved King Timahoe was a gift from his White House staff on his 56th birthday. President Harry Truman had an Irish Setter named Mike.

Harry Truman's dog Mike

The English Setter maybe white with black, tan, or liver markings and the Irish Setter is usually a rich red.

Sources Compton's Encyclopedia, Kids Britannica

Scottish Terrier

The Scottish terrier was developed in Scotland in the mid-1800s as a vermin catcher and watchdog. It was originally called Aberdeen terrier.

It is thought to descend from the Old Scottish terrier, with a dash of Dandie Dinmont Terrier, and Cairn and West Highland White Terrier thrown in for good measure.

The modern breed is said to be able to trace its lineage back to a single female, named Splinter II, who was the property of a Mr Ludlow and an early winner of dog exhibitions.

Mated to Tartan, Splinter II produced Worry, the dam of four champions. Rambler, her son by Bonaccord, sired the two founding sires of the breed, Dundee (out of Worry) and Alister (out of a Dundee daughter).

In 1881 the "Scottish Terrier Club of England" was founded, being the first club dedicated to the breed. The club secretary, H.J. Ludlow, is responsible for greatly popularizing the breed in the southern parts of Great Britain.

Black is the most traditional color for a Scottie, Wheaten Scotties can also be found.

A scottie puppy. By Flickr user Daniel Petry 

Scotties typically live from 11 to 13 years. Two genetic health concerns seen in the breed are von Willebrand disease (vWD) and craniomandibular osteopathy (CMO). Scottish Terriers also have a greater chance of developing some cancers than other purebreds.

Originally Scottish Terriers were used for hunting, but because of their small size, they are often kept as pets.

Many famous people have owned Scottish Terriers, including Queen Victoria, Rudyard Kipling, Eva Braun, Dwight D. Eisenhower and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt's most famous canine companion was his Scottish Terrier, Fala, who is part of the Roosevelt Memorial in Washington, DC, the only Presidential dog so honored.

Fala at the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial (bottom left), Stefan Fussan 

A second older Scottish Terrier called Meggie owned by Eleanor Roosevelt, once bit a senator.

President George W Bush had a black Scottish terrier called Barney during his time in the White House.

The Scottish Terrier is also well known for being a playing piece in the board game Monopoly. This was because when the game was first created in the 1930s, Scotties were one of the most popular pets in the United States.

Source Europress Encyclopedia,

St. Bernard (dog)

The Saint Bernard is a mastifflike breed of working dog known for its courageous and determined search-and-rescue work in the Swiss Alps.

The hardy breed was originated by the monks of the Hospice du Grand St. Bernard in the St. Gotthard's Pass to move through snow and rescue trapped people.  The hospice was named after St Bernard of Montjoux, the patron saint of skiers.

St Bernard

One St. Bernard dog called Barry, reportedly saved more than 40 people before his death in the early 1800s. Like all St. Bernards on rescue missions, Barry would clear away snow from the victims if it was not too deep, lie on top of the person to warm him, and bark to summon the monks. Once, Barry even pulled a boy off an icy ledge.

In honor of the exploits of this brave dog the monks gave the name Barry to the best of each new litter.

St. Bernards have never carried small casks of brandy around their necks on rescues, as popularly believed. The myth of this quaint symbol was perpetuated by artist Edwin Landseer in his famous 1820 portrait of the breed reviving a traveler.

St Bernard with the iconic barrel. Wikipedia Commons

"St. Bernard" wasn't in widespread use until the middle of the 19th century. The dogs were called "Saint Dogs", "Noble Steeds", "Alpenmastiff", or "Barry Dogs" before that time.

The Swiss St. Bernard Club was founded in Basel on March 15, 1884. The breed standard was approved in 1888 and since then, the St. Bernard has been a Swiss national dog.

Bamse (Norwegian for "teddy bear") (1937 – July 22, 1944) was a St. Bernard that became the heroic mascot of the Free Norwegian Forces during the Second World War. He was known for breaking up fights amongst his crewmates. He once saved a young lieutenant commander who was being attacked by a man wielding a knife by pushing the assailant into the sea.

Bamse Wikipedia Commons

Source Comptons Encyclopedia

Rin Tin Tin

Rin Tin Tin was a male German Shepherd who ranked as one of the all-time famous canine movie stars.

He was rescued from a World War I battlefield by Lee Duncan, an aerial gunner of the U.S. Army Air Service, who nicknamed him "Rinty".

Duncan trained Rin Tin Tin and obtained silent film work for his pet.

Rin Tin Tin was an immediate box-office success and went on to appear in 27 Hollywood films, gaining worldwide fame.

Rin Tin Tin in the film Frozen River (1929)

Rin Tin Tin signed his own contracts for the films he made with a paw print.

At the height of Rin Tin Tin's fame, a chef prepared him a daily steak lunch. Classical musicians played to aid his digestion.

Along with the earlier canine film star Strongheart, Rin Tin Tin was responsible for greatly increasing the popularity of German Shepherd dogs as family pets.

On August 10, 1932, Rin Tin Tin died at Duncan's home on Club View Drive in Los Angeles.

After the death of Rin Tin Tin, the name was given to several related German Shepherd dogs featured in fictional stories on film, radio, and television.

Rin Tin Tin is one of only three animals to be awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame—the other two being Strongheart and Lassie.

Retriever

The retriever is a gundog used for retrieving game. The commonest breeds are the Labrador retriever and the golden retriever.

HISTORY

A Golden Retriever. By Marlies Kloet 

Retrievers were bred primarily to retrieve birds or other prey and return them to the hunter without damage. As a result, retriever breeds are bred for soft mouths and a great willingness to please, learn, and obey. Many have them as pets because they are friendly and playful.

The Curly Coated Retriever is possibly the oldest breed of gun dog and at one time the most popular, due to its willingness to hunt over water.

Curly coated retriever. Wikipedia Commons

It was developed in Great Britain in the early 1800s by cross-breeding Newfoundland Hounds, Irish Water Spaniels, various retrievers, pointers, and possibly even poodles; The Curly Coated Retriever is now a very popular hunting dog in New Zealand and Australia.

The Golden Retriever was once also called Russian retriever or Russian tracker because of the legend that Russian sheepdogs from a traveling circus were ancestors of this very affectionate and reliable breed.

Dudley Majoribanks, later known as Lord Tweedmouth, is largely credited with developing the modern breed in 19th century scotland. The breed was created to be stronger than other retrievers but more gentle with people so they could be trained very easily.

Golden Retriver

In 1868, Nous, a Wavy-coated Retriever, and Belle, a Tweed Water Spaniel were bred together by Lord Tweedmouth. This created the foundation litter of Golden Retriever puppies, three yellow wavy-coated dogs called Cowslip, Crocus and Primrose. All Golden Retrievers are related to Nous and Belle.

In 1903, the Golden retriever breed was added to the list of the Kennel Club of England, but it was not added to the list of the American Kennel Club until 1932.

FAMOUS RETRIEVERS

United States President Theodore Roosevelt owned a Chesapeake Retriever called Sailor Boy.

Most war dogs trained for World War II were German shepherds or Labrador retrievers (for their superior noses).

President Gerald R. Ford owned a Golden Retriever called 'Liberty'.

During his time at the White House Bill Clinton had as a pet Buddy, a Labrador retriever.

Buddy

Buddy, the Golden Retriever who starred in the 1997 comedy movie Airbud, was actually a stray rescued in the Sierra Nevada mountains. In the film, Airbud is also a stray who gets rescued after being abandoned by his owner.

A golden retriever named Toby saved his owner from choking to death by jumping on her chest. Maryland resident Debbie Pankhurst said she was eating an apple at home on March 23, 2007 when a piece became lodged in her throat and she began to choke. Toby saved her by performing the Heimlich manoeuvre until the apple was dislodged. He also licked her face to keep her from passing out.

The mayor of Idyllwild, California is a Golden Retriever. Max (Maximus Mighty-Dog Mueller) was voted into office during an election held in June 2012, and was inaugurated to a one-year term on July 1, 2012.

On April 2, 2013, Mayor Max passed away. The successor for the remainder of Max's term, Maximus Mighty-Dog Mueller, II, arrived in Idyllwild on July 21, 2013. Max II was accompanied by two deputy mayors: Mikey and Mitzi (Mikey Mighty-Dog Mueller and Mitzi Marie Mueller). Mayor Max II, Deputy Mayor Mikey, and Deputy Mayor Mitzi are all related to Mayor Max.

In March 2014, as the end of Max's term approached, the Idyllwild citizens overwhelmingly pled for Mayor Max's continuation in perpetuity. After Mayor Max II passed away July 30, 2022, he was succeeded by Mayor Max III.

USE AS SERVICE DOG

The retriever's willingness to please and trainability have made breeds such as the Labrador Retriever and Golden Retriever popular as a disability assistance dog.

A golden retriever, Figo, sacrificed his safety to protect his owner in Brewster, New York in 2015. He leaped in front of a school bus in an effort to protect a blind woman. The chief of police said he'd seen dogs protect their owners from intruders, but never automobiles. Figo only sustained a leg injury.

Source Compton's Encyclopedia

Puppy

HISTORY

The Bonn-Oberkassel dog is a 14,200-year-old canine skeleton unearthed in Germany. It's one of the oldest examples of human-dog association, suggesting a deeper connection than previously thought.  While debate exists on its exact classification (dog or wolf), it offers fascinating evidence of our early bond with canines.

Scientists pieced together the Bonn-Oberkassel dog from 32 fossilized bone fragments. This allowed them to estimate the animal's characteristics. At around 7.5 months old when it died, it stood 40-50 cm tall at the shoulder and weighed 13-18 kg. This suggests a lean build, similar to an Indian wolf or some modern sighthounds we know today.

In ancient Rome, auburn-haired puppies were sacrificed to ensure a plentiful corn crop.

Puppy training manuals date as far back as 127-116 B.C., when Roman farmer Marcus Varro recorded advice on raising and training puppies for herding livestock.

In the United Kingdom a tax was levied upon working dogs with tails, so many puppies had their tails docked to avoid this tax. The tax was repealed in 1796 but that did not stop the practice from persisting.

The largest litter ever recorded of surviving puppies was on June 19, 1944, in Ambler, Pennsylvania, when an American Foxhound gave birth to 23 healthy pups.

Image by Perplexity

The Guinness world record for the most puppies ever delivered in one litter belongs to Tia, a Neapolitan mastiff living in England. On November 24, 2009, she gave birth to 24 puppies. The pups were delivered by Cesarean section, but one was stillborn and three others died in the first week. Tia was owned by Damian Ward and Anne Kellegher of Manea, Cambridgeshire.

ETYMOLOGY

The word puppy has been used for a small or young dog since the 15th century.

It has been used for a young seal or shark since the late 19th century, while pup has been extended to young giraffes, guinea pigs and rats.

The earliest known use of the phrase “puppy love” for a brief romantic attachment between young people was in 1823.

Officially, a puppy is a puppy until it has reached one year old.

FUN FACTS

National Puppy Day is celebrated on March 23rd in the US to raise awareness about the importance of adopting puppies and to celebrate the unconditional love and joy that they bring into our lives. The exact reason why March 23rd was chosen as National Puppy Day is unclear, but it is believed to be a day that was chosen by the founder of National Puppy Day, Colleen Paige, as a way to honor her own puppy, who was born on March 23rd. 

Every hour, about 12,500 puppies are born in the U.S.

While puppies in a litter are typically just siblings (littermates), genetically identical twins are an extreme biological rarity in dogs. The first and only scientifically verified case occurred in 2016 in South Africa, when veterinarian Dr. Kurt de Cramer delivered two Irish Wolfhound puppies, Cullen and Romulus, who were discovered sharing a single placenta. While identical twinning likely happens occasionally in nature, it often goes undetected because the shared placenta can lead to one twin being reabsorbed or stillborn, and the natural similarity of littermates makes DNA confirmation rare.

A puppy does not open its eyes until about 10 days after birth.

A puppy attains half its adult weight at about 14 weeks of age, or five months for large breeds.

When playing with female puppies, male puppies will often let them win, even if they have a physical advantage.

By Heather - originally posted to Flickr as Puppies Wrestling,

Professional animal trainers and the American Kennel Club advise puppies should be introduced to "100 People by 12 Weeks" and have encountered a wide and varied selection of people and environments.

17-year-old refugee Aslan Al Hakim refused to leave his puppy, Rose, in Syria and carried her more than 300 miles to safety in Greece.

Source Daily Express