Barking Up The Wrong Tree

The life of Bobby

I’ve kept him quiet up until now. But I think it’s about time to introduce you to my dog, Bobby.
Bobby is a West Highland White Terrier. And much like most dogs of this breed, he has a very distinct personality.

You can often find Bobby burying his face in dirt, trying to escape over fences and running away for a little holiday in next door’s garden. Mischievous doesn’t even begin to cover it.

This cheeky little dog has just turned two and when he reached this milestone I noticed a definite shift in his behaviour.

Although he still indulges in the occasional mischief, Bobby now spends more time sleeping. In fact, it’s very difficult to get him to do anything else sometimes.

He has got into the habit now of sleeping on the bed. But when the morning comes and everyone gets up, Bobby decides to go back to bed in true teenager fashion. He even gets under the covers and rests his head on the pillow!

Clearly, Bobby has matured over his two years. He has grown out of his naughty puppy tricks and now likes to enjoy a leisurely day relaxing, eating and sleeping.

Well, at least, I did think that until the other day, when I found his face buried in a muddy puddle again. Some dogs never learn.

Following the dog trend

The minute Cheryl Cole wears a slightly different shade of lipstick, masses of girls are swarming the makeup counters to try to match it. In fact, most trends these days are dictated by celebrities.

And it is no different with dogs.

Although buying a dog should be treated as a serious decision and they should never be treated as fashion accessories, a lot of people seem to be inspired by breeds that are popular with celebrities.

One of my favourite breeds is the Pug. And these little guys seem to be extremely popular with the celebrities too, with Jessica Alba owning two called Syd and Nancy.

This breed is particularly striking with its wrinkly, short muzzled face and stocky build. Pugs are playful and like any dog, can offer a real sense of companionship.

But with this unusual dog costing around £1000, I think it might be a while before I indulge. Perhaps I’ll just treat myself to that new shade of lipstick for now.

Rare Komondor population boosted by a quarter by one litter

The Komondor, pictured here, is one of the world’s rarest dogs.  There are only a few thousand left in the world, predominantly in the US, and only around forty of these live in the UK.

The UK’s population has been boosted by a quarter by a record litter of nine little Komondors, born in Cornwall.  The usual litter size is just four.

All the fluffy pups look the same so their tails have been dabbed with a little colour so the new owners can tell the difference.  As a result, their names thus far are:

Red, Blue, Purple, Green, Silver, Brown, Pink, White and Tiny – named because he was slightly smaller than the others

I wouldn’t like to have to bath these dogs though.  They are known as the hairiest dog in the world because after the age of Read the rest of this entry »

Dog Breed: Pug

Somebody told me the other day they had no idea what a pug was, hence this adorable breed of dog has to be my next description.

General:
One of the lesser known dogs in the UK, this breed gained a significant rise in popularity following the pug who starred alongside Will Smith in Men In Black.

This breed is stocky, good natured and loving, and makes a good family pet when children are old enough to play nicely.  I say that because of the need to be careful around their eyes – see Health section for more detail.

Their tail curls over at the back, the tighter the curl the better and a double curl is considered perfect.

Height: 10 – 11 inches fully grown
Weight: 14 – 18 lbs
Average Litter Size: 3 – 4 pups – or puglets as they are often affectionately known
Life Expectancy: 12 – 14 years
Price: Expect to pay around £800 – £1000 for pugs as they are difficult to breed and to care for in a litter

Colour:
They have fine, glossy coats, which Read the rest of this entry »

Aggressive Dog Breeds?

I am absolutely sick of hearing that such and such a breed is aggressive, this one is aggressive, etc., and today took the biscuit when I read that the shih tzu and llasa apso should be avoided as they ‘get cranky around kids’.  Hang on a minute Read the rest of this entry »

Number 1 Endangered Breed Of Dog

These gorgeous pups are Glen of Imaal terriers and are at the top of the Kennel Club’s endangered breeds list. There are only 25 breeding bitches left in the UK and these five pups are five of only 36 puppies born and registered with the KC last year. Compare that to the 45,000 labradors registered in the same period. Read the rest of this entry »

Dog Breed: Shih Tzu

It seems only right that I start with a short description of my own dog’s breed, the Shih Tzu.

General:
A popular family dog in the UK at the moment, this breed is friendly and not aggressive. They are cuddly, and are known as non-shedding. Read the rest of this entry »