AKC Dog Breeds - How They Help Establish the Family Line

If you are looking for a new dog, wanting to know more about the one you have, or perhaps decide if you should breed your animal, you can find out if he is recognized as one of many AKC breeds. Since 1884, the American Kennel Club has registered purebred dog pedigrees. They also promote and sanction many events, including the annual Westminster Show. It is probably the purebred kennel club Americans are most familiar with.

Finding out if your pet is one of the recognized AKC breeds can be easy. If your dog's parents are both registered as the same breed, then your pet can be recognized as a purebred. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean the animal may be completely 100% healthy as the Club doesn't have health standards for breeding. Other clubs require medical examinations, while the American Kennel Club simply requires that both parents are registered as purebred. That seems to deter some people from registering their breeds with the popula.

Is it important that your dog be a recognized AKC dog breed? Along with the Westminster Dog Show, there are many benefits one can carry with being an American Kennel Club member. You can follow the dog's genealogy, compete in various sanctioned shows, and register with other breeding clubs to learn more about your pet. Many promotions check to see if your dog is a purebred dog and do check with the AKC. And a lot of the smaller kennel clubs in your area may recognize the American Kennel Club standards as to how they determine breeding and registration.

AKC dog breeds are important, as they also help establish a distinct family line that will determine how pure one's dog is. This can help when you are trying to learn about your dog's history, or when you are looking to breed your dog. Finding the proper mate for your dog when it comes to breeding can be important if you are looking to breed a purebred dog. Checking with the Kennel Club to see if both dogs are purebred dogs can be the difference in the value of the dog's litter and whether they can be recognized with the American Kennel Club, or other AKC sanction kennel clubs, as well.

Sherry Harris is the author of a wide range of dog topics including, but not limited to: puppy training, dog grooming, pet travel, pet insurance, dog training, pet food, house training, dog breeds and dog allergies. For hundreds more free dog articles visit http://www.DogStyleNetwork.com Hope you enjoyed the article topic AKC Dog Breeds. We are online 24/7, so come visit us at your convenience!

12 London Bridges

1.London Bridge: 1176

For centuries the only bridge across the Thames in the city, the first stone bridge was begun in 1176, replacing a wooden one which had been there since Roman times. The driving force behind the building of the bridge was a churchman called Peter of Colechurch but, from the beginning, he had difficulty raising the money to go ahead with his project. Eventually Henry II stepped in, imposing a tax on wool, the proceeds of which went towards the bridge, and it was finally completed in 1209. The old London Bridge is best remembered for two things - it had houses built on it and the heads of traitors were, for many years, impaled on the turrets of the gate at its southern end as a warning to those approaching the city of the fate of those who conspired against the king. The earliest record of houses on the bridge dates from 1201, during the period of its construction. They survived for centuries. According to a writer in Stuart times, the bridge was 'adorned with sumptuous buildings and stately and beautiful houses on either side, inhabited by wealthy citizens, and furnished with all manner of trades, comparable in itself to a little city, whose buildings are so artificially contrived, and so firmly combined as it seemed to be more than an ordinary street, for it is as one continual vault or roof'. The houses were finally removed in the 1750s. Among those whose heads have adorned the bridge have been the Scottish hero William Wallace, the medieval rebel Jack Cade and Henry VIII's minister Thomas Cromwell.

The foundation stone of a new London Bridge was laid in 1825 by the Lord Mayor, who descended 45 feet beneath the Thames in a cofferdam in order to do so. George IV had turned down the opportunity of laying the stone because of 'the injury he might sustain in his health by descending to such a depth surrounded by such an element'. Opened in 1831, this was the bridge sold to an American buyer who, according to legend, was under the impression he was buying the more distinctive Tower Bridge. It now stands in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. It was replaced by the present bridge in the late 1960s.

2.Putney Bridge: 1729

The first bridge to span the Thames between London Bridge and Kingston was built of timber in 1729. Putney Bridge had a toll house at either end with a bell to warn of approaching highwaymen. In 1795, Mary Wollstonecraft, the proto-feminist and mother of Mary Shelley, tried to commit suicide by throwing herself into the Thames close to the bridge after her partner, the American writer Gilbert Imlay, ran off with an actress. In 1870 the wooden bridge was severely damaged when a river barge struck it and the present bridge, designed by Sir Joseph Bazalgette, was finally opened in 1886. Since the mid-nineteenth century the bridge has been the starting point for the University Boat Race.

3.Westminster Bridge: 1750

The Swiss engineer Charles Labelye first submitted his designs for a bridge across the Thames at Westminster in 1738 but it was not opened until twelve years later. One of the difficulties lay in the opposition of the Archbishop of Canterbury, who owned the ferry that ran from Lambeth Palace to Horseferry Road and was concerned that the bridge would end his income from it. He was eventually given more than?20,000 to soothe his ruffled feathers. Another problem was shortage of cash, and money raised by state lottery had to be used to build the bridge. By-laws forbade dogs to cross the bridge and imposed the death penalty for anyone who defaced it. (There is no record of any graffiti artist suffering the ultimate penalty.) The bridge was the one on which Wordsworth recalled standing in his poem that declared that, 'Earth has not anything to show more fair' than the view of the city in the early morning. It was also the bridge beneath which Boswell entertained prostitutes. 'At the bottom of Haymarket I picked up a strong jolly young damsel, and taking her under the arm I conducted her to Westminster Bridge... The whim of doing it there with the Thames rolling below us amused me much.' There had been difficulties with the foundations of the bridge's piers from the beginning - one MP, working on the assumption that, when in doubt, it's best to blame a foreigner, accused Labelye of being an 'unsolvent, ignorant, arrogating Swiss' - but it was not until the 1850s that Labelye's bridge was replaced by the present structure.

4.Blackfriars Bridge: 1769

Blackfriars Bridge was ready for pedestrians in 1766, for horses two years later and wheeled traffic finally crossed it in November 1769. When it was opened Boswell, according to his journals, was 'agreeably struck with its grandeur and beauty'. The bridge, designed by Robert Mylne, was intended to be known as Pitt Bridge, after the politician William Pitt the Elder, but the public refused to accept this and referred to it as Blackfriars Bridge from the start. It was originally a toll bridge but the tolls were abolished in 1785, five years after the Gordon Rioters had unilaterally decided that they were an unnecessary imposition and broken down the toll gates. The present bridge dates from 1869. In 1982 the body of the Italian banker Roberto Calvi was found hanging beneath it. Calvi, known as 'God's Banker' because of his close association with Vatican finances, is presumed to have been killed by the Mafia, who had been using his Banco Ambrosiano to launder money, but no one has ever been charged with his murder.

5.Battersea Bridge: 1772

Built of wood and designed by Henry Holland, who was the architect of many of the more elegant houses in the streets around Sloane Square, Battersea Bridge replaced a ferry that ran from Chelsea to Battersea. It was rebuilt as an iron bridge by the great Victorian engineer and architect of the London sewers, Sir Joseph Bazalgette, in the late 1880s. The old bridge survives in many of Whistler's Thames paintings, which depict it looming out of the mists and shadows on the river. The climactic sequence of Guy Ritchie's movie Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels was filmed on Battersea Bridge.

6.Vauxhall Bridge: 1816

Opened by the Prince Regent and originally called Regent's Bridge, this was the first iron bridge over the Thames in London. Like most other Thames bridges in the earlier part of the nineteenth century, it was a toll bridge. Pedestrians paid a penny and anyone wishing to drive a score of cattle across the bridge was obliged to fork out 6d. Tolls were finally removed in 1879. The present bridge dates from the last years of Queen Victoria's reign. In 1966 the opening sequence of Alfie, the movie that did much to consolidate Michael Caine's career as archetypal Londoner, was filmed on Vauxhall Bridge.

7.Waterloo Bridge: 1817

According to the Italian sculptor Antonio Canova, who saw it soon after it opened, Waterloo Bridge was 'the noblest bridge in the world' and 'worth a visit from the remotest corners of the earth'. Designed by the Scottish engineer John Rennie and opened on the second anniversary of Wellington's victory at the Battle of Waterloo, the bridge carried tolls for the first 60 years of it existence. The last day of the tolls, 5 October 1878, was treated as a high holiday with large crowds of pedestrians jostling one another for the honour of being the last to pay the halfpenny toll. Waterloo Bridge is the title of a twice- made film melodrama in which the betrayed heroine ends her life by throwing herself off the bridge. In the 1931 version, the bridge was reconstructed in Hollywood; only in the 1940 remake, starring Vivien Leigh, are some of the shots of the real bridge. It was on Waterloo Bridge that the Bulgarian dissident Georgi Markov was stabbed by a poisoned umbrella in 1978. He died later in hospital.

8.Hammersmith Bridge: 1827

The first suspension bridge in London when it was originally built, the original Hammersmith Bridge was replaced by the present structure, designed by Sir Joseph Bazalgette, in the 1880s. An IRA bomb in 1996 resulted in the bridge being closed for four years and it was targeted again in 2000 almost immediately after it had re­opened. These were not the first times that Hammersmith Bridge had been subjected to bomb attack. In 1939, during an earlier campaign of militancy, the IRA left a bomb under the bridge. A pedestrian found it and, acting with admirable speed and courage, threw it into the river where it exploded.

9.Chelsea Bridge: 1858

Excavations undertaken at the time the bridge was first built unearthed human bones and large numbers of discarded weapons which have led archaeologists to believe that a river-crossing here was the site of a battle, probably between ancient Britons and invading Romans. The present bridge was built in the 1930s. In the 1960s the Chelsea Bridge tea stall became a well-known gathering place for Rockers.

10.Albert Bridge: 1873

A still-existing sign on the bridge which states that, 'All troops must break step when marching over this bridge' is an indication that, when it was built, it was close to several barracks and that the authorities were concerned that too many soldiers stamping their way across it in unison would threaten its suspension. It was in danger of being officially rather than accidentally demolished in the 1950s but a campaign was mounted to save it, led by the poet John Betjeman who wrote that, 'Shining with electric lights to show the way to Festival Gardens or grey and airy against the London sky, it is one of the beauties of the London river.'

11.Tower Bridge: 1894

One of the most familiar tourist sights of the city, Tower Bridge took eight years to construct and its co-designer was Sir John Wolfe-Barry, the son of the architect responsible for another very famous symbol of London, the Houses of Parliament. The upper span of the bridge, between the two towers, was originally a walkway, but it was closed in 1910 because it had become a haunt of prostitutes and thieves. It has recently been re-opened as part of the Tower Bridge Experience. When the port of London was at its busiest the bridge was raised several times a day but today, with markedly less traffic along the river, any ship wanting the bridge to lift must give 24 hours' notice. In 1952 a London bus was caught on the bridge when it was opening and the driver was forced to accelerate his vehicle across the widening gap. Just below Tower Bridge, marked by a sign, is 'Dead Man's Hole' where bodies thrown into the river from the Tower and surrounding districts were retrieved and stored in a mortuary before burial.

12. Millennium Bridge: 2000

Designed by Norman Foster, the pedestrian bridge linking Bankside and the City was closed within days of its opening in 2001 because of its inability to carry any more than a handful of pedestrians without wobbling alarmingly. Official statements talked of its 'pedestrian-induced vibration' and, in a flurry of mutual recrimination, architects blamed engineers and engineers blamed architects for the fault. The bridge was closed for more than six months while structural changes were made to stop the wobbling and it re-opened in January 2002.
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WESTMINSTER DOG SHOW NYC 2011 #-25

The Westminster annual dog show.

Lucas watches westminster

This is what happened when we let our dog Lucas watch the Westminster Dog Show, Thanksgiving 2009

Maltese Nounous barking at the westminster kennel club dog show

The Newport Jazz Festival: RI's Historical Improvisation for Jazz Appreciation

Jazz has been an integral part of African-American culture for over one hundred years. Its strong rhythmic understructure, bit o' the blues, solos, call-and-response patterns, and melodic improvisation bequeath this musical genre with a built-in sexiness or sax appeal! No surprise, early jazzmen said "to jazz" was to fornicate. Trumpeting a higher note, many literary scholars argue the term originated with Chaucer and Shakespeare. However, musician and songwriter, Clarence Williams, declared he was the first to use the word "jazz" in a song.

Before Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, and Billie Holiday defined jazz on their own terms, the genre's roots can be traced back to slavery on southern plantations. According to "The History of Jazz": To keep up a productive rhythm in the fields, spiritual work songs were created in the style of "call-and-response" where a song leader would call out a line, and the workers would respond to the call. At the turn of the 20th century, the spiciness of New Orleans homogenized blues, ragtime, and marching band to a style of music formally called "jazz." As African-Americans migrated to northern cities such as Chicago and New York during the Roaring Twenties, jazz took root and sprouted mightily through the 50s until rock n' roll ruled. The Civil Rights movement of the 60s influenced black jazz artists to take greater control over their music, predisposing the genre to reinvent itself which brings us to the origin of jazz appreciation in Rhode Island.

The state of Rhode Island's historical improvisation for jazz appreciation resulted in the establishment of the Newport Jazz Festival, a noteworthy event featuring famous artists from the jazz scene, currently held every August as a three day event at Fort Adams State Park in Newport. The Festival's coming to fruition as a cherished institution on Rhode Island soil is tinged with a bit o' the blues:

History of the Newport Jazz Festival

In 1954, socialite Elaine Lorillard and her husband established the Newport Jazz Festival, billed as the "First Annual American Jazz Festival," held at the Newport Casino of Newport, Rhode Island. The first event featured academic panel discussions and live musical entertainment on the lawns of the Casino, graced with performances by jazz greats. Over the course of two days 11,000 enthusiasts attended the event, whereby major newspapers hailed the festival as a success.

The following year the Casino opted not to host the festival because its lawn and other facilities did not hold up well to the magnitude of such an event. The Lorillards then purchased Belcourt, a large estate built during the Gilded Age, so the show could go on. The neighborhood wasn't too keen on the idea, foreseeing public disturbances. To put it bluntly, Newport's established upper crust opposed the festival for lack of jazz appreciation, whereas younger members of the elite participated in organizing it, attracting hordes of commoners to the city. Traffic congestion became a big concern. Sufficient lodging not forthcoming, many camped outdoors with or without tents. Since many of the musicians and fans were of African-American descent, racism also factored heavily in the denunciation of future jazz events. Nevertheless, with a little improvisation, the 1955 festival was held at Freebody Park, while workshops and receptions were held at Belcourt.

1956: Duke Ellington performed "Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue."

1957: Performances by Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, and Carmen McCrae were incorporated in an album released in 1958-- "Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday at Newport."

1958: Sets by Dave Brubeck, Ray Charles, and Miles Davis appeared on subsequent albums-- "Newport 1958," "Ray Charles at Newport," and "At Newport 1958."

1960: Performances by Muddy Waters and Nina Simone were released as albums entitled--"At Newport 1960" and "Nina Simone at Newport." That same year the National Guard was called in to quell unruly spectators, so the Newport Jazz Festival was not allowed to happen in 1961. Improvisation procured a replacement billed as "Music at Newport," though it proved unsuccessful.

1962: The festival resumed at Freebody Park. George Wein, an astute businessman hitherto associated with fest ventures, took over the not-for-profit organizational venue, and incorporated the festival as an independent business venture of his own. This festival was documented in a film whose performers include Lambert, Hendricks & Bavan, the Oscar Peterson Trio, Roland Kirk, Duke Ellington, and the Count Basie Orchestra.

1964: Jazz appreciation had outgrown Freebody Park. Wein hosted the 1965 event at Festival Field where Old Blue Eyes, Frank Sinatra, played the joint, causing attendance to soar. "Let's fly, let's fly."

1969: A year that will live in infamy, the fest was an experiment in fusing jazz, soul, and rock. Excess crowds with thousands unable to get tickets resulted in major disturbances. In 1971, more of the same ensued as the location could not accommodate all attendees.

1972: Jazz left Rhode Island when Wein decided to move the festival to New York City, renaming it, "Newport Jazz Festival-New York." This gala production consisted of 30 concerts with 62 performers such as Dizzy Gillespie, Duke Ellington, Dave Brubeck, Ray Charles, and Roberta Flack. Though successful, Wein missed the outdoor aspect.

1981: Wein brought the Newport Jazz Festival back to Newport, this time to Fort Adams State Park. Its seaside location afforded a free view of the event to yachtsmen. A daytime-only, alcohol-free format was adopted, and till this day--three stages are used.

Today, Newport trumpets a different tune from its earlier disdain, quite receptive to the continuance of the Newport Jazz Festival in its own backyard as a boost to tourism. In 2007, Wein sold his Festival Productions Company in a merge with producer, Shoreline Media. He took over the reins again in 2009.

"Come fly with me where there's a one man band to toot his flute for you" so to speak, and check the artist lineup of performers scheduled for three days each August at the Newport Jazz Festival website. Meanwhile, residential and out-of-state jazz enthusiasts can enjoy the musical genre of jazz and live performances all year round at the following establishments:

Aspire Restaurant(311 Westminster St., Providence): Considered the capital city's latest hot spot and A-bar, Aspire was the recipient of RI Monthly's 2008 "Best Restaurant and Lounge." Live jazz is featured every Friday night.

Bovi's Tavern (287 Taunton Ave., East Providence): Established in 1947, Bovi's has been the place to come and listen to jazz. Every Monday night, the John Allmark 16 piece jazz band is featured. Live bands perform every Friday and Saturday night.

Chan's Fine Oriental Dining (267 Main St., Woonsocket): "Home of Eggroll, Jazz, and Blues," Chan's has been a RI and national institution since 1905. Its 150 seat Four Seasons Jazz and Blues Club continues to host some of the finest local and international artists, earning a reputation as one of the premier jazz and blues clubs in the country.

Two Jerks Pub and Grill (336 Waterman Ave., East Providence): Every Wednesday night the pub hosts one of the area's best jazz jams.

Jazz continues to evolve and pulsate through its structural elements of rhythm, blues, solos, call-and-response patterns, and above all-melodic improvisation. Rhode Island's Newport Jazz Festival continues to evolve as a cherished institution through improvisational planning to attract great musicians, while accommodating an ever expanding fan base who dig all that jazz. From its inception in 1954 until the present, numerous masterpieces performed live at the Festival have been preserved in documentary films, albums, or CDs. Whether or not you're able to attend the three day event held annually at Fort Adams State Park-you can improvise by listening to Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington, Count Basie or perchance Ray Charles playing alto sax for "The Spirit-Feel"(1958), preserved as a Festival blues print, for enjoyment within the confines of home sweet home.

Eva Pasco - Author
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A Midlife Journey of Self-Discovery: Winding past Rhode Island's affluent coastal communities, prominent landmarks, cherished institutions, and olive oil spills of the underworld.

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West Highland Terriers - Dog Breeds

West Highland Terriers or "Westies" originated in the West Highlands of Scotland. These terriers were originally bred to go after small game. It is said that their breeding came about after another terrier was mistakenly shot Another breeder had a few white pups in the litter and bred those exclusively to become the West Highland White terriers of today. A Westie is very friendly and has a jaunt about his step. This breed is very hardy and needs a walk every day for exercise. Westies have a better temperament than most terriers and will not snap as much. They are recognized by the AKC and other top breeding programs as a legitimate breed.

Westies are fun loving, and fun to be with. They need a small yard to be happy. They are also good companions to be with, and all the love that you could ask for. However, the life can go right out of them if you mistreat these precious dogs. They are good companions for those that have families and well behaved children. They are a bit high strung, but are well worth it to have as friends and companions. The heart of a warrior lies within their chests.

For hunting of small game, these terriers really cannot be beat. These hunters keep at it until they have found their prey. Their determination is one of their inborn traits as a small game hunter. They are fantastic to work with and a joy on the hunting field. These terriers have a natural ability to hunt and also to play. Their good nature is what truly endears them to dog lovers. For Westie owners, they really would not have it any other way. These dogs are also champions on the field of competition and have the AKC stamp of approval. You can see a representative at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. You can also see these at any AKC competition.

These adorable Westies have won Best of Show, Best of Breed, and even won several AKC events. Breeders have entered these dogs into all sorts of shows. They have won major competitions in any show that they have been entered into. They are champions of field, of breed and lovable companions to any and all who take them into their homes. If you want a loyal dog breed this is the only one to have.

For more information on West Highland Terriers or Dog Breeds take a look at this Dog Training website.