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