The Tibetan Terrier is not a member of the terrier group, the name being given to it by European travellers to Tibet who were reminded of terriers from back home when they first encountered the breed. Its origins are uncertain: Some sources claim them to be lucky temple dogs, whereas others place them as farm dogs.

The Tibetan Terrier is a dog with many uses, able to guard, herd, and also be a suitable companion dog. Their utility in Tibet meant that the first examples of the breed available in the west were generally given as gifts, as the Tibetan Terrier, along with other Tibetan breeds, were too valuable to the people who owned them to casually sell. As such, the early history of the breed is linked to only a handful of foundation dogs.

The Tibetan name for the breed, Tsang Apso, roughly translates to “shaggy or bearded (apso) dog, from the province of Tsang”. Some old travellers’ accounts give the name “Dokhi Apso,” or “outdoor” Apso, indicating a working dog which lives outdoors. Other “Apso” dogs from Tibet include the smaller and more familiar Lhasa Apso (called the Lhasa Terrier in the early 1900s) and the very rare Do Khyi Apso (bearded Tibetan Mastiff, sometimes considered as a TT/TM cross.)

Recent DNA analysis has concluded that the Tibetan Terrier is descended from the most ancient dog breeds.

Appearance

The appearance of the Tibetan Terrier is that of a powerful, medium sized dog of square proportions, with a shaggy coat. Overall, there should be a feel of balance. Fully grown, he or she should look like a miniaturised Old English Sheepdog.

The head is moderate, with a strong muzzle of medium length, and a skull neither rounded nor flat. The eyes are large, dark, and set fairly far apart. The V-shaped drop ears are well feathered, and should be set high on the sides of the skull. The nose is always black, regardless of coat colour.

The body is well muscled and compact. The length of the back should be equal to the height at the withers, giving the breed its typical square look. Height for either sex is 14-16 in (35-41 cm) and weight is 18-30 lb (8–14 kg), with 20-24 lb (9.5–11 kg) preferred, but all weights acceptable if in proportion to the size.

The tail is set high, well feathered, and carried in a curl over the back.

One of the more unusual features of the Tibetan Terrier is the broad, flat feet with hair between the toes. They are ideal for climbing mountains and act as natural snow shoes.

Coat

Tibetans have hair, not fur; as a result, their coat grows continuously and pet animals will require occasional trimming. They do not shed but rather slough hair at a rate similar to that of most humans. The exception is at approximately nine months when puppies slough their entire coat in advance of acquiring their adult coat. The double coat is profuse, with a warm undercoat and a topcoat which has the texture of human hair. It should not be silky or curled, but wavy is acceptable. Long and thick, it is shown natural, but should not be so long as to touch the floor, as is typical in breeds such as the Lhasa Apso or Maltese. A fall of hair covers the face and eyes, but long eyelashes generally prevent hair from getting in the Tibetan Terrier’s eyes, and the breed has very good eyesight.

Colour

All colours are permissible, barring liver and chocolate, and none are preferred. Tibetan Terriers are available in any combination of solid, particolour, tricolour, brindle or piebald, as long as the nose leather is black and the eyes and eye rims are dark.

Temperament

The temperament has been one of the most attractive aspects of the breed since it was first established. They are amiable and affectionate family dogs, sensitive to their owners and gentle with older children. As is fitting a dog formerly used as a watch dog, they tend to be reserved around strangers, but should never be aggressive nor shy with them.

Suitable for apartment living, the Tibetan is still an energetic and surprisingly strong dog, and needs regular exercise. Their energy level and intelligence is well suited for dog sports such as agility. They are steadfast, determined, and clever, which can lead to them being stubborn. Some dogs of this breed can often be jealous, which can make it hard to live with another pet.

Though not yappy, the Tibetan Terrier has an assertive bark, likened to a rising siren.

Energy Level: moderate to high General Nature: happy, active, lively, intelligent, agile

With Children: good if properly introduced, supervised with well behaved children
With other pets: generally good
With dogs: generally good
Socialisation requirements: required to help address inclination to shyness to strangers
Ideal home characteristics: one devoted to regular grooming and care of the coat in addition to other needs
Temperament Notes: charming and loyal, sensitive and intelligent
Training requirement: dependent entirely on goals
Intelligent and sensitive nature. Training kept interesting and positive will move quickly. This is not a dog that will benefit from force of any form.

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The Tibetan Spaniel is a breed of assertive, small, intelligent dogs originating in the Himalayan mountains of Tibet. They share ancestry with the Pekingese, Japanese Chin, Shih Tzu, Lhasa Apso, and Pug. This breed is not a true Spaniel; its breeding and role differs quite a bit (Spaniels are gun dogs.) The name Spaniel may have been given due to its resemblance to the bred-down lapdog versions of the hunting Spaniels, such as the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

Appearance

The Tibetan Spaniel standard allows all colours, but with brown eyes and a black nose. Their temperament should be confident, active, and alert. The outline should give a well balanced appearance, slightly longer in body than the height at withers. The breed’s height should be about 10 inches. The head should be slightly domed with a medium length, strong muzzle. The ideal weight is 9-15 pounds. The breed has a medium length double coat with flarings and a high set plumed tail, carried over their back.

Temperament

Tibetan spaniels are happy and assertive, highly intelligent dogs, who are aloof with strangers. “Tibbies”, as they are often called, make excellent house pets for many people, including families with small children. Tibetan Spaniels enjoy attention and involvement with their owners, but have an independent nature and can be wilful. They will bark to warn of strangers and strange occurrences, but are generally quiet. A fondness for sitting in high places is another feature of the breed.

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The Sussex Spaniel is a breed of dog developed in Sussex in southern England. It is a low, compact spaniel and is similar in appearance to the Clumber Spaniel. They can be slow paced, but can have a clownish and energetic temperament. They suffer from health conditions common to spaniels and some large dogs, as well as a specific range of heart conditions and spinal disc herniation.

First bred in 1795 in Hastings, East Sussex for specific hunting conditions, they nearly became extinct during the Second World War. They are now more popular in the United States than any other country and are recognised by all major kennel clubs. Notably, a Sussex Spaniel won the best in show in 2009 at the 133rd Westminster Kennel Club.

Description

The Sussex Spaniel is a low compact spaniel similar in appearance to a small, dark Clumber Spaniel. It is normally no taller than 13–15 in (33–38 cm) at the withers and the usual weight range is between 35–45 lb (16–20 kg) with a roughly rectangular appearance. The Clumber Spaniel meanwhile is normally between 17–20 in (43–51 cm) high at the shoulder, and weighing 55–85 lb (25–39 kg).

One of the noticeable features is their golden liver-coloured coat which is unique to the breed. Historically however, there has also been examples of both black and sandy coloured Sussex Spaniels. The coat is thick (sometimes with a slight wave to it), feathering on the chest, legs and ears and consists of a weather resistant undercoat with a silky outer coat. The eyes are hazel in colour. The silky ears are lobe-shaped typical of the Spaniel, and set moderately low.

Temperament

The Sussex Spaniel is a slow paced, calm breed with somewhat clownish behaviour that normally keeps his energy and enthusiasm in check. He is always eager to be around people, is excellent around children, and can be quite protective of the family. They make excellent candidates for therapy dog work. Most Sussex Spaniels are primarily family pets, but they are competent enough to aid a hunter though quite stubborn to train. They tend to have a natural ability to quarter in the field, have excellent noses, and can be used to retrieve, given training. The breed is the only spaniel to howl once a game’s scent is picked up.

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The Standard Schnauzer is the original breed of the three breeds of Schnauzer, and despite its wiry coat and general appearance, is not related to the British terriers. Rather, its origins are in old herding and guard breeds of Europe. The AKC classifies the Standard Schnauzer as Working Dog; however, this versatile breed is a robust, squarely built, medium-sized dog with aristocratic bearing. It was a popular subject of painters Sir Joshua Reynolds, Albrecht Dürer and Rembrandt.

Standard Schnauzers are typically Pepper & Salt or Black in colour, and are known for exhibiting many of the “ideal” traits of any breed. These include high intelligence, agility, alertness, reliability, strong with high endurance, and loving companion. Standard Schnauzers are one of the oldest breeds with over 500 years of history. This breed of dog has been very popular in Europe, specifically Germany where it originated. The breed was first exhibited at a show in Hanover in 1879. They are majestic and regal in the show ring, and have taken top honours in many shows including the prestigious “Best in Show at Westminster Kennel Club” in 1997.

Appearance

Standard Schnauzers are always pepper and salt or less commonly black in colour, with a stiff and wiry fur coat on the body similar to that of other wirehaired breeds such as many breeds of terrier. Their hair will perpetually grow in length without properly shedding. Twice a year, when most other breeds of dog are shedding their coat, a Schnauzer’s coat will become dull and relatively easy to pull out and is said to have ‘blown’. At this point the coat can be stripped or pulled out by hand and a new wire coat will re-grow in its place. Stripping is not painful for the dog and can be performed at any stage of hair growth although it is easier to do when the coat is ‘blown’. Alternatively, the coat can be regularly clipped with shears. Clipping as opposed to stripping results in a loss of the wiry texture and some of the fullness of the coat. Dogs with clipped fur no longer ‘blow’ their coat but the coat loses its wiry texture and becomes soft. The fur of clipped dogs tends to be more prone to tangling and knots, particularly when long, and is duller in colour than that of stripped coats. In the case of the salt and pepper Schnauzers, the characteristic banded colour of the hair is completely lost when maintained through clipping; each shaft of hair becomes entirely grey rather than being banded with multiple shades of grey, white, and black. Regardless of whether the body of the coat is stripped or clipped the ‘furnishings’ or longer hair on the legs and face must be scissored or clipped regularly and require regular brushing to remain free of potentially painful mats. Whether a Schnauzer is stripped or clipped, his coat requires a great deal of grooming. In most cases this means regular brushing on the part of the owner and regular, often expensive, trips to a grooming salon.

Clipping is most common in the US as it can be difficult to locate a professional willing to hand strip as the process is quite labour intensive. In Europe it is very uncommon to see a wirecoated dog which is clipped. It may not be possible to hand strip a poor quality coat, i.e. one that is soft in texture, but soft coats, while relatively common in pet quality Miniature Schnauzers, is not a widespread problem in Standards.

Inside the US and Canada, ears and tail and dewclaws are typically docked as a puppy. Vets or experienced breeders will cut tails and dewclaws at a few days of age, while ear cropping is usually performed at about 10 weeks. Outside of North America, most Standard Schnauzers retain both their natural ears and tail as docking is now prohibited by law in Europe. Like the Miniature Schnauzer and Giant Schnauzer, these breeds are most noted by their long beard and eyebrows giving them a regal and wise appearance. It is important to note, the Miniature Schnauzer and Giant Schnauzer were bred from the Standard Schnauzer using additions of smaller and larger breeds respectively to change the size and, to some degree, the character of the dog. Thus the Standard Schnauzer is the original and oldest breed of Schnauzer.

Standard Schnauzer males ideally are 18-20 inches high at the shoulders and weigh 35-50 pounds. The females ideally are 17-19 inches high at the shoulders and generally weigh 30-45 pounds.

Temperament

The Standard Schnauzer Club of America states that “The Standard Schnauzer is a squarely built, very energetic, medium-sized dog with a stiff, wiry coat. It is a robust and sturdy working dog, yet small enough in stature not to be overwhelming.” Standard schnauzers make loyal family dogs with guardian instincts. Most will protect their home from uninvited visitors with a deep and robust bark. The breed is also known to be intelligent and easy to train. They adapt well to any climatic conditions, including cold winters. In general, they are good with kids and adults alike. It is, however, important to socialise from the start. If properly trained, they can be very patient and tolerant. Like other working dogs, standard schnauzers require a fairly strong-willed owner that can be consistent and firm with training and commands. They are ranked 18th in Stanley Coren’s The Intelligence of Dogs, being of excellent working/obedience intelligence.

According to the SSDA, “The Standard Schnauzer is considered a high-energy dog. They need ample exercise not only for physical well-being, but also for emotional well-being. The minimum amount an adult dog should get is the equivalent of a one long walk a day. This walk should be brisk enough to keep the dog at a steady trotting pace in order to keep the dog in prime physical condition. The Standard Schnauzer puppy is constantly exploring, learning and testing his limits. As adults, they are always ready for a walk in the woods, a ride in the car, a training session or any other activity that allows them to be with their owner. This is a breed that knows how to be on the alert, even when relaxing by the feet of their owner. Standard Schnauzers are extremely versatile, excelling at dog sports such as agility, obedience, tracking, Disc dog, Flyball and even herding.

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The Staffordshire Bull Terrier (informally: Staffie, Stafford, Staffross, Staffy or Staff) is a medium-sized, short-coated, old-time breed of dog, originally bred for bull baiting. In the early part of the twentieth century, the breed gained respectability, and it was accepted by the The Kennel Club of the United Kingdom as the Staffordshire bull terrier. It is an English breed of dog related to the bull terrier and its larger cousins the American Staffordshire terrier and the American pit bull terrier.

Appearance

The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is a medium-sized, stocky, muscular dog with athletic ability. They have a broad head, defined occipital muscles, a relatively short foreface, dark round eyes and a wide mouth with a clean scissor-like bite (the top incisors slightly overlap the bottom incisors). The ears are small. The cheek muscles are very pronounced. Their lips show no looseness, and they rarely drool. From above, the head loosely resembles a triangle. The head tapers down to a strong well-muscled neck and shoulders placed on squarely spaced forelimbs. They are tucked up in their loins and the last 1-2 ribs of their ribcage are usually visible. Their tail resembles an old fashioned pump handle. Their hind quarters are well-muscled and are what give the Staffy drive when baiting.

They are coloured brindle, black, red, fawn, blue, white, or any blending of these colours with white. White with any colour over an eye is known as piebald or pied. Skewbald is white with red patches. Liver-coloured and black and tan dogs sometimes occur. The coat is smooth and clings tightly to the body giving the dog a streamlined appearance.

The dogs stand 14 to 16 in (36 to 41 cm) at the withers and weigh 24 to 32 lb (11 to 15 kg) (male dogs are normally up to 6lb heavier).

The ‘Staffordshire Bull Terrier’ can suffer from health problems common to other dog breeds such as cataracts, hip dysplasia and breathing problems but are overall a very healthy breed.

Temperament

Although individual differences in personality exist, common traits exist throughout the Staffords. Due to its breeding, the modern dog is known for its character of indomitable courage, high intelligence, and tenacity. This, coupled with its affection for its friends (and children in particular), its off-duty quietness and trustworthy stability, make it a foremost all-purpose dog. It has been said that “No breed is more loving with its family” Because of their affinity for children, Staffordshire Bull Terriers are sometimes known as “Nanny Dogs” in England.

The breed is naturally muscular and may appear intimidating; however, because of their natural fondness for people, most Staffords are temperamentally ill-suited for guard or attack-dog training.

Staffordshire Bull Terrier puppies are very easy to house train.

Courage

The most important characteristic of all the ancestors of the Stafford was their great courage. Aggression was necessary in a fighting dog – but, whereas a dog can be trained and conditioned to be aggressive, nothing can teach him courage. This is bred in him at birth. Breeders today value the courage of their dogs. Nobody is proud to own a timid Stafford, but no sensible breeder encourages aggression towards other animals. Responsible owners and breeders deliberately avoid confrontational experiences.

Courage is important in a pet dog because more dogs bite out of fear than for any other reason. A dog who is not alarmed can cope much better with the rough and tumble of a busy family home, one of the reasons the Stafford is such a success as a dog for children. He is as hardy and fun-loving, and fearless, as they are.

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