outBackShort

Out Back: A short film taken by our dogs Natalie and Bridget with an Eyenimal Video Camera at Westminster Hills Open Space Dog Park.

WESTMINSTER DOG SHOW NYC 2011 #-9

The Westminster 135th Annual Dog Show.

Dogs - Man's Best Friend

Man's best friend, dogs come in all shapes and sizes, as do their masters. They are overly stereotyped. Your favorite canine will impress others that you possess the following traits-though it most certainly may not be the case.

Basset Hound:

The one thing people should do is not to rush you. Being unaggressive and lazy, your easygoing manner can make one feel both comfortable and bored.

Bulldog:

You're tough. You wear an invisible sign on your chest - "don't mess with me."

Chihuahua:

Being a nervous wreck, you are as loquacious as your pet. Your talkativeness has gone to such an extent, you at times will be seen after your companion was listening to you, going off and speaking to yourself.

Cocker Spaniel:

You initially impress people as being depressed which suddenly disappears. For behind those melancholy eyes is a soft, very approachable, human being. Very corresponding to your dogs initial appearance and underlying nature.

Collie:

You are cuddly and intelligent. Akin to your collie, you are really content and passive. Should anybody attack someone you are close with, you will go to the ends of the earth to defend him.

Doberman Pincher:

Known for its maliciousness, it is you, that is the aggressor. Throughout life you have felt that you were picked on. Now let anybody even try to raise their hand at you.

German Shepherd:

You need to dominate. It is vital that others realize what status you have attained. Your powerful pet safeguarding you, hints to others that you must own a lot--this is evidenced by you strolling with him.

Mutt:

Your unassuming nature reflects low self worth. In this case, being satisfied with little has a negative connotation, because you feel that if you were competitive you would lose, so why bother.

Pedigree:

By making a big to do about your dogs ancestry, there is a latent association or fear that your own strain is questionable. Your courteousness may be more of exhibition than actual.

Poodle:

Charming and huggable, doll like in nature, the poodle is a child surrogate which you will baby and take care of, as you would have liked done to you.

St. Bernard:

This dog is known to have faced the most difficult situations and relentlessly would pursue to liberate the needy. It is your need to be in the authority position and to assist the underdog.

Stray Dog:

With the understanding that if you do not take these animals home they may be destroyed, in addition to showing affability, you have genuine pity for those not doing as well as you. Should your home have turned into a pound, because of the endless amount of pity, this may also reflect one not knowing where to draw the line, between assisting and being taken advantage of.

Joel Engel is the author of "Handwriting Analysis Self-Taught" (Penguin Books) http://careertest.ws - http://www.learngraphology.com

Breeders Vs Rescue Adoptions - Which Method Is Better?

Every year around the time of the Westminster Dog Show, the debate of adopting dogs from shelters versus purchasing one through a breeder is brought up. Each side has their argument, but for somebody looking to bring a dog into their life for the first time, it's a question that needs answering. Which way of finding a dog is better? Rescue adoptions or breeders?

The first question that you have to ask yourself before even considering to adopt a dog using either method is what kind of dog do you want? This doesn't always mean which breed to you want (though that can certainly help), but what kind of temperament are you looking for in your dog. Are you looking for a guard dog or one that will cuddle up next to you in bed at night? Do you want a dog you can carry around in a bag or one that small children can ride? With these things in mind, here are the arguments for both the breeder and the rescue adoption.

Breeders

Breeders tend to get a bad reputation because of puppy mills that have gained notoriety for turning out puppies en masse that are often less than healthy. While a certified breeder is very different from a puppy mill, looking into a breeder's credentials is a crucial first step when looking to get a dog from a breeder.

One advantage to going to a breeder is that they can give you the dog that you're looking for, usually with documentation to prove the health of the dog. If you're looking for a Boston Terrier or a Poodle, you can find them at breeders that specialize in these particular breeds, and you can even find breeders that specialize in mixed breed dogs such as Labradoodles (Labrador and Poodle) or Puggles (Pug and Beagle). The dogs purchased through a breeder tend to have fewer surprises for the new owner, and often come with guarantees to their health and temperament.

The disadvantages to a breeder are the price (some dogs can cost you more than $1000), and the chances of finding yourself getting a dog not from a quality, licensed breeder but a puppy mill, which is why it's imperative that you do your homework on where you're getting the dog from.

Rescue Shelters

Rescue shelters are a great place to find a dog that's just looking for a new home. That being said, there a few things to keep in mind before you visit a rescue shelter to adopt a dog. See if the shelter is sponsored by the state or county you live in, is recognized by the SPCA, or is an independent shelter. Those that are recognized by the SPCA and are sponsored by the state or county tend to have stricter standards by which they operate, and while many independent shelters are well run, there are enough bad apples to cause concern.

Many shelters will show their dogs on their website, and this is a great way to see what dogs they have available for adoption, as well as find out what their fees and standards for adoption are. While most shelters can't vouch for the bloodlines of the dogs they have available for adoption, the better shelters will spend time with the dogs to see if they're good with children, other dogs, like a particular type of dog treats, or have bad habits like chewing that will need to be curbed with chews like bully sticks.

The downside to rescue shelters is that there are no guarantees about the dog you'll be adopting. You may get a great dog that somebody spent a lot of time with, is well trained, and is in the shelter because it ran away or the previous owner couldn't keep it, or you may get a dog that has been abused and had to be taken away from its previous owner. While most shelters will take a dog back if you discover a trait that you can't live with (like being destructive or biting your small children), it can still be a frustrating process for a first time dog owner.

So What's the Answer?

The answer is that there is no answer. While getting a dog from a breeder or a rescue shelter has both pros and cons, the decision ultimately comes down to what you want in a dog. If you're looking for a purebred dog, a breeder is probably your best option, whereas you're just looking to bring a dog into your life without concern for the breed, then a rescue shelter is the best way to go.

Whichever you choose, be sure to do your homework on the breeder or shelter you're adopting from to make sure they are a quality location so that you know the dog you're getting is one that will be with you for years. Whichever you choose, you can never go wrong by bringing a dog that needs a home into your life and showering it with love and dog treats.

About the Author

Avrum Elmakis is the owner of Best Bully Sticks, a leading provider of dog treats, bully sticks, antlerz, Sam's Yams, and other dog chews and treats. They can be found online at: http://www.bestbullysticks.com

Grooming toy dogs for best in group

Westminster dog show 2009.

gustav watching westminster

this is my doxi gus watching the westminster dog show

Six Best in Show contenders leave ring

Westminster Dog Show 2009

Hail Purdue

Pianoweatherman Ron Trotta and a group of crazed Hoosiers send out a big "Hail Purdue" to Judge D. Daniel back in Indiana. They were in NYC at the Petzlife Piano Bar in the New Yorker Hotel for the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show at Madison Square Garden. For more videos and pics of Petzlife Piano Bar, the Westminster Dog Show & WKC Weather Reports and Yorkie Specialty Show - go to www.GottaVisitNYC.com.

Westminster Dog Show Backstage video by Corine Cohen.

This video was shot with Permission as I had press credentials.

Briard Dog Breed

Group: Herding

Weight: 75-100 lbs

Height: male: 23-27, female: 22-25.5 inches

Overview

Briards have been known for many centuries, but they are originally from the Brie region in France. Their ancestry goes as far back as over one thousand years. The Briard was originally bred to be a herding dog. The French Army also used this dog to be a messenger, a guard and to look for soldiers that have been wounded. Briards are still being used as herders, and they are also respected companion dogs. The Briard is very talented in areas such as search and rescue, police work, military work, herding, watch dogging and guarding.

Temperament

The Briard is a typical farm worker and they live to herd almost anything. Briards have an excellent hearing ability and they are also very kind. This breed is very protective, and therefore makes excellent watchdogs. These dogs are very receptive, funny and submissive, but they have a mind of their own. Seeing that these dogs have been working for humans for a long time, they have a very peaceful and sweet nature. The Briard is also very brave, reliable and daring. They have an excellent memory, and shows lots of initiative. The Briard is a very trainable dog.

Care

The Briard is a medium shedding dog breed. They have long, thick coats that should be combed about twice during the week. It is advised that they are combed more frequently during the shedding season.

Training

It is compulsory that the Briard receives intense socialisation and obedience training at a very young age. They need firm owners that are able to take control. Very often these dogs end up in shelters because people don't understand they can be quite a challenge to raise and to live with. If this breed is not brought up in an appropriate way, they can turn out to be particularly aloof, afraid, or even both. They will not react well to unkind, unjust, or rough training methods. These training methods will give the dogs grounds to become reserved and aggressive. Training must be done with constancy, determination, patience, and love. The Briard will do very well at search and rescue, police training, and protection work.

Health Problems

Briards do have a few health problems potential owners should be aware of. These problems include hip dysplasia, epilepsy, elbow dysplasia and progressive retinal atrophy which cause a loss of vision and in some cases blindness. These dogs also have problems with stationary night blindness, lymphosarcoma and bloat.

For more info on Briard or a full list of Dog Breeds visit this Dog Training resource website.

CCI Companion Animals - Westminster Dog Show

This program was written,produced,directed, shot and edited by Jerry Hodges. Was produced to raise funds for Canine Companions For Independence and was presented at the "Winners Circle Awards Ceremony" at the Westminster Dog Show in New York City, hosted by Betty White.

Charlie Rose Greenroom - Uno

In Charlie's green room with Uno, winner of the 2008 Westminster Dog Show.

Manchester Dog Show Working Group Part 2

150th Manchester Dog Show Working Group Part 2

American Mastiff

The American Mastiff makes a wonderful family pet. As a rule these giant dogs are not aggressive unless their family is being threatened. They make very protective pets particularly around children but it does help if the kids and the puppies are reared together.

This breed resulted when breeders crossed the English Mastiff with the Anatolian Mastiff. The result was a large dog which is less likely to drool than its ancestors. The puppies grow into very large dogs so should only be bought by those who have strong leadership qualities. You cannot let this animal think he is the pack leader or he will become impossible to control. Although kind and gentle, he is also prone to being stubborn and domineering. These traits have to be managed and dealt with rather than ignored.

Although American Mastiffs do not share the same aggressive tendencies as some of their ancestors, they still need to be managed properly around children. No animal should be left unsupervised when there are kids around, regardless of whether it is a Mastiff type or a collie called Lassie. Kids need to be taught to respect the dog. All dogs regardless of breed show a higher degree of tolerance for children but this is not something that you want to test. Dogs can attack when they feel threatened such as when their food is taken away during a meal or the child constantly grabs him when he is sleeping. A large dog cannot be properly restrained by a child, so never let your kid take a Mastiff for a walk on their own regardless of how well they get on. The dog may get excited and run off dragging your child along with them.

Teach your children not to be afraid of the dog. Get them involved in training the animal so that they know the difference between acceptable and unacceptable behavior. Never let a kid treat a dog cruelly and make sure you teach them correct hygiene when dealing with animals of any type. Don't let your children play tug games with the dog as they can misinterpret this game and it can lead to the animal growling or displaying other unacceptable behavior. Your dog needs to recognize your child as having a higher status in the pack so that they will obey them and act properly around them.

Getting a child involved in all areas of an animal's care will help that child develop into a more rounded human being. Teaching consideration and care for others is a lesson more of us would benefit from.

An American Mastiff is such a loyal and protective pet; it will shower your child with love helping to raise their self esteem. Studies show owning an animal is good for kids so long as you pick the right dog and treat it properly. Dogs such as the American Mastiff are fantastic early warning systems. They have a reputation for protecting their family against danger and that includes house fires or rescuing a child from drowning. They make wonderful additions to the family unit. Make sure you educate yourself and your family about the American Mastiff so that you can all enjoy a long and happy life together.

Mastiff Problems is a site dedicated to help train your Mastiff dog. To claim your free and valuable ebook "How to identify and treat the top 20 most common dog health problems" and to receive our newsletters please click http://mastiffproblems.com