The Siberian Husky is a medium-size, dense-coat working dog breed that originated in eastern Siberia. The breed belongs to the Spitz genetic family. It is recognisable by its thickly furred double coat, sickle tail, erect triangular ears and distinctive markings.

Huskies are an active, energetic and resilient breed whose ancestors came from the extremely cold and harsh environment of the Siberian Arctic. Siberian Huskies were bred by the Chukchi of Northeastern Asia. The dogs were imported into Alaska during the Nome Gold Rush and later spread into the United States and Canada. They were initially sent to Alaska and Canada as sled dogs but rapidly acquired the status of family pets and show-dogs.

Appearance

Siberian Huskies share many outward similarities with the Alaskan Malamute as well as many other Spitz breeds such as the Samoyed, which has a comparable history to the Huskies. They come in a variety of colours and patterns, usually with white paws and legs, facial markings, and tail tip. The most common colours are black and white, copper-red and white, grey and white, and pure white, though many individuals have blondish, or piebald spotting. Striking masks, spectacles, and other facial markings occur in wide variety. They tend to have a wolf-like appearance.

Eyes

The eyes of a Siberian Husky are ice blue, dark blue, amber, or brown. In some individual dogs, one eye may be brown and the other blue (complete heterochromia), or one or both eyes may be “parti-coloured,” that is, half brown and half blue (partial heterochromia). All of these eye colour combinations are considered to be acceptable by the American Kennel Club, which also states that the eyes are “an almond shape, moderately spaced and set slightly obliquely.”

Coat

The Siberian Husky’s coat is thicker than most breeds of dogs, comprising two layers: a dense undercoat and a longer topcoat of short, straight guard hairs. It protects the dogs effectively against harsh Arctic winters, but the coat also reflects heat in the summer. It is able to withstand temperatures as low as −50 °C to −60 °C. The absence of the undercoat is often present during shedding. Their thick coats require weekly grooming Long guard hair is not desirable and is considered a fault.

Nose

In some instances, Siberian Huskies can exhibit what is called “snow nose” or “winter nose”. This condition is called hypopigmentation in animals. Show-quality dogs are preferred to have neither pointed nor square noses in shape. The nose is black in grey, tan in black dogs, liver in copper-coloured dogs, and may be flesh-coloured in white dogs. “Snow nose” is acceptable in the show ring.

Size

The breed standard indicates that the males of the breed are ideally between 21 and 23.5 inches (53 and 60 cm) tall at the withers and weighing between 45 and 60 pounds (20 and 27 kg). Females are smaller, growing to between 20 to 22 inches (51 to 56 cm) tall at the withers and weighing between 35 to 50 pounds (16 to 23 kg).

Behaviour

The Siberian Husky has been described as a behavioural representative of the domestic dog’s forebearer, the wolf, exhibiting a wide range of its ancestors’ behaviour. They are known to howl rather than bark. Hyperactivity displaying as an overactive hunting drive, a characteristic of kennelled dogs, is often noticeable in dogs released from their captive environment for exercise – a behaviour welcome in hunting dogs but not in the family pet. The frequency of kennelled Siberian Huskies, especially for racing purposes, is rather high, as attributed through the history of the breed in North America. They are affectionate with people, but independent. A fifteen-minute daily obedience training class will serve well for Siberian Huskies. Siberian Huskies are a very stubborn and dominant breed of dog. Siberians need consistent training and do well with a “Nothing In Life Is Free” training program. They rank 45th in Stanley Coren’s The Intelligence of Dogs, being of average working/obedience intelligence. They tend to run because they were at first bred to be a sled dog. Owners are advised to exercise caution when letting their Siberian Husky off the leash as the dog is likely to be miles away before looking around and realising their owner is nowhere in sight. They also get bored easily, so playing with toys or throwing the ball at least once a day is essential. Failure to give them the attention or proper exercise they need can result in unwanted behaviour, such as excessive howling, marking, chewing on furniture, or crying.

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The Shih Tzu is a breed of small companion dog of very ancient dog type, with long silky fur. The breed originated in China, possibly by way of Tibet. The name is both singular and plural.

Appearance

A small dog with a short muzzle and large deep dark eyes, with a soft long, double coat, the Shih Tzu stands no more than 26.7 cm (10 1/2 in.) at the withers and with an ideal weight of 4.5 to 7.3 kg (10 to 16 lbs). Drop ears are covered with long fur, and the heavily furred tail is carried curled over the back. The coat may be of any colour, although a blaze of white on the forehead and tail-tip is frequently seen. The Shih Tzu is slightly longer than tall, and dogs ideally should carry themselves “with distinctly arrogant carriage”.

The traditional long silky glossy coat that reaches the floor requires daily brushing to avoid tangles. Often the coat is clipped short to simplify care, in a “puppy clip”. For conformation showing, the coat must be left in its natural state, although trimming for neatness around the feet and anus is allowed. Because Shih Tzu noses are small and flat, owners often wipe the dog’s face with a damp paper towel to remove food remnants after the dog has eaten a meal. Shih Tzu may be trained to drink out of a water bottle. The water bottle keeps the face clean and dry preventing red yeast from growing on the Shih Tzu beard and moustache. Owners often tie strands of hair from the Shih Tzu’s head into a pony tail that sticks up.

Temperament

The Shih Tzu is a friendly lap dog that at one time was bred to be a companion dog for Chinese royalty. Some say living in the imperial palace gave the Shih Tzu an arrogant quality, although they also display qualities of devotion and adaptability. They are not afraid to stand up for themselves. They tend to be sweet, playful, and trusting as well. It ranks 70th in Stanley Coren’s The Intelligence of Dogs, considered one of the lowest degree of working/obedience intelligence (trainability). They don’t need as much exercise as larger dog breeds, but do suffer from the same difficulties as most small breed dogs due to having a smaller bladder.

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The Shiba Inu is the smallest of the six original and distinct breeds of dog from Japan.

A small, agile dog that copes very well with mountainous terrain, the Shiba Inu was originally bred for hunting. It is similar in appearance to the Akita, though much smaller in stature.

Appearance

The Shiba’s frame is compact with well-developed muscles. Males and females are distinctly different in appearance: males are masculine without coarseness, females are feminine without weakness of structure. Males 14 1/2 inches to 16 1/2 inches (35–43 cm) at withers. Females 13 1/2 inches to 15 1/2 inches (33–41 cm). The preferred size is the middle of the range for each sex. Average weight at preferred size is approximately 23 pounds (10 kg) for males, 17 pounds (8 kg) for females. Bone is moderate.

Coat: Double coated with the outer coat being stiff and straight and the undercoat soft and thick. Fur is short and even on face, ears, and legs. Guard hairs stand off the body are about 1 1/2 to 2 inches in length at the withers. Tail hair is slightly longer and stands open in a brush. Shibas may be red, black and tan, or sesame (red with black-tipped hairs), with a cream, buff, or grey undercoat. They may also be cream, though this colour is a major fault and should never be intentionally bred, as the required markings known as “urajiro” are not visible. “Urajiro” literally translates to “underside white” are unable to be seen. The urajiro (cream to white ventral colour) is required in the following areas on all coat colours: on the sides of the muzzle, on the cheeks, inside the ears, on the underjaw and upper throat inside of legs, on the abdomen, around the vent and the ventral side of the tail. On reds: commonly on the throat, forechest, and chest. On blacks and sesames: commonly as a triangular mark on both sides of the forechest.

Temperament

Shiba Inus are generally independent and intelligent dogs. Some owners struggle with obedience training, but as with many dogs, socialisation at a young age can greatly affect temperament. Traits such as independence and intelligence are often associated with ancient dog breeds, such as the Shiba Inu. Shibas should always be on a leash, unless in a secured area because of their strong prey drive.

From the Japanese breed standard:

A spirited boldness, a good nature, and an unaffected forthrightness, which together yield dignity and natural beauty. The Shiba has an independent nature and can be reserved toward strangers but is loyal and affectionate to those who earn his respect. They can be aggressive toward other dogs sometimes.

The terms “spirited boldness”, “good nature”, and “artlessness” have subtle interpretations that have been the subject of much commentary.

The Shiba is a fastidious breed and feels the need to maintain itself in a clean state. They can often be seen licking their paws and legs much like a cat. They generally go out of their way to keep their coats clean, and while walking will avoid stepping in puddles, mud and dirt. Because of their fastidious nature, the Shiba puppy is easy to housebreak and in many cases will housebreak themselves. Having their owner simply place them outside after meal times and naps is generally enough to teach the Shiba the appropriate method of toileting.

A distinguishing characteristic of the breed is the so-called “shiba scream”. When sufficiently provoked or unhappy, the dog will produce a loud, high pitched scream. This can occur when attempting to handle the dog in a way that it deems unacceptable. The animal may also emit a very similar sound during periods of great joy, such as the return of the owner after an extended absence, or the arrival of a favoured human guest.

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The Shetland Sheepdog, often known as the Sheltie and sometimes as the Shetland Collie, is a breed of dog in the herding dog group.

Shelties have the herding dog temperament. They are vocal, excitable, energetic dogs who are always willing to please and hard workers. They were used in the Shetland Islands for herding and protecting sheep.

They are small dogs, 13-16 inches at the withers by AKC Conformation standards, and they come in a variety of colours, such as Sable/White, Tri-colour, Blue Merle, and so forth.

Their early history is not well-known. They originally were a small mixed breed dog, often 8-10 inches in height. It is thought that they were a cross of a Spitz type dog from Scandinavia with the local sheepdog. In the early 1900’s, James Loggie added a small show Collie to the stock, and the modern Shetland Sheepdog was born. The original name of the breed was Shetland Collie, but this caused controversy among Collie breeders, and the breed’s official name was changed to Shetland Sheepdog.

The breed was recognised by the English Kennel Club in 1909.

Coat and Colours

Shelties have a double coat, which means that they have two layers of fur that make up their coat. The long, rough guard hairs lie on top of the thick, soft undercoat. The guard hairs are water-repellent, while the undercoat provides relief from both high and low temperatures. There are three main colourations: sable, which ranges from golden to mahogany; tri-colour, made up of black, white and tan; and blue merle, made up of grey over other colours.

Bi-Black (white and black) and bi-blue (white, black and grey) are less common but still acceptable. The best-known colour is the sable, which is dominant over other colours. Shaded, or mahogany, sables can sometimes be mistaken for tri-coloured Shelties due to the large amount of dark shading on their coats. Another name for a shaded sable is a tri-factored sable and white. This name comes from the breeding of a tri-colour to a sable and white, or a tri-factored sable to another tri-factored sable. Another acceptable colour in the show ring, but much less seen, is the sable merle, which can often be hard to distinguish from regular sables after puppyhood. The sable merle would have patches of dark brown on a light brown background, as compared to the black and grey of a blue merle.

There are two additional coat colours that are quite rare because they are unacceptable in the breed ring. The colour-headed white (majority of fur white, with the head ‘normally’ marked) can occur when two white-factored dogs are mated. Double merles, a product of breeding two merle Shelties together, can be bred but have a higher incidence of deafness or blindness than the other coat colours. There have been reports of a brindle Sheltie but many Sheltie enthusiasts agree that a cross sometime in the ancestry of that specific Sheltie could have produced a brindle. Unacceptable colours in the show ring are a rustiness in a blue or black coat. Colours may not be faded, no conspicuous white spots, and the colour cannot be over 50% white.

Height and Weight

The AKC breed standard for height is from 13 to 16 inches (33 to 41 cm). A measurement outside this range will result in dismissal from the conformation ring, and three dismissals result in the dog being banned from any more conformation classes.

Shelties normally weigh around 11–25 pounds (5.0–11 kg).

Temperament

The Shetland Sheepdog is an outstanding companion dog and is intensely loyal. It is lively, intelligent, trainable, and willing to please and obey. Shelties are loving, loyal, and affectionate with their family, but are naturally aloof with strangers; for this reason Shelties must be socialised. The Shetland Sheepdog Standard from the AKC allows them to be reserved to strangers, but they should not show fear. Shelties do well with children if they are reared with them from an early age; however, their small size makes it easy for a child to accidentally injure them, so supervision is necessary. Exercise caution when considering an adult Sheltie for a family with young children; they may not be compatible.

Shelties are vocal dogs. They are intensely loyal, affectionate and responsive to their owner; reserved but not shy or fearful. Some shelties display a terrier-like personality, which tends to be hyper, and always on the go; however, this temperament is not sanctioned in the breed standard. Some Shelties can be very timid but this temperament is specifically discouraged by the breed standard. Tendencies towards shyness can be reduced through proper socialisation. The average Sheltie is an excellent watch dog, giving alarm barks when a person is at the door, or a car is in the driveway.

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The Sealyham Terrier is a dog breed, of the terrier type. The Sealyham Terrier was originally developed in Wales.

Appearance

Sealyhams measurements vary by breed standard according to particular countries. In general, the breed should measure between 10 1/2 up to 12 inches in height, measured at the wither, or top of the shoulder blade. Sealyhams should never exceed 12 inches at the withers. They should weigh between 23-25 pounds, males being heavier. Length of back should approximate the height. Length of back is measured from the top of the withers to the front edge of the tail. Coat colour is always white and marking colours include lemon, brown, and badger; which is a mix of brown and black. Black markings are not preferred since they appear harsh in contrast to the white coat. While black markings appear in the breed, black markings are not allowed in any breed standard in any country. Black markings are sometimes referred to as blue markings, which are also not allowed in any country’s breed standard. Ticking (speckled markings) on the body are acceptable. Sealyhams may have body markings; speckled ticking and larger body colour markings, all of which are acceptable.

Temperament

A Sealyham puppy is normally very active. As the Sealyham matures, it becomes a couch potato, “displaying an even temper and a calm and relaxed attitude”. Sealyhams are not busy dogs so it is necessary to manage their weight through calorie management and occasional exercise, such as a daily walk.

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