4/12/12
the funny picture of dog
Crestoxie dogs
A comparative study of the parent breeds shows that these hybrids are alert, social, loyal, courageous and cheerful. These qualities make a very good family dog but one of the parent breed, the Dachshund, is not known for their obedience and good behaviour towards other dogs and pets. On the contrary, these Dachshunds are known to be wilfull and disobeying to their owners. This trait, if dominante in the resultant hybrid, can make them not suitable for families with small children or other pets. If this trait is not dominante, they can make a good family pets.
Color They are found in black, black and tan, brown and red colours.
Coat
The Crestoxie hybrids have two types of coats. One is hairless type in which hair are only present on the head, ears and legs of the hybrid. Other one is powderpuff where the whole body is covered with fine and wiry hair.
Personality
They can be good family pets if they do not inherit hounding instincts of the Dachshund. They are alert, social, loyal, and courageous but at the same time, stubborn and wilfull. They may or may not be suitable for families with small children. They would need supervision of elders when they are around children or other dogs and pets in the family.
Care
The hairless type needs sunscreen when going out in sun.
The powderpuff type needs freequent grooming and regular brushing.
Training
They are not easy to train. Their wilfull and stubborn behaviour makes them harder to train. They would need a strong packleader who can train them with firm and consistant training sessions.
Activity
These hybrids would require fair amount of exercises and playing opportunities.
Cretan Hound dogs
Description
The Cretan Hound is a slender dog, somewhere in the middle between a scenthound and a sighthound in body, particularly light on its feet (that are oval rather than cat-like) and strong in loin, specially adopted for swift reflexes and high speed over dangerous, rocky terrain. The head is wedge-shaped, elongated and dry, with pricked and very mobile ears that fold backwards like a greyhound�s during the chase. (Specimens with semi-pricked or drop ears do occur, and the latter tend to be more sight-houndy in type; there is also a smaller variety, something like a whippet, which little is known about). The skin is fine and tight over the body, sort and of many colors. The tail is a most important breed characteristic, long and curved upwards, forming a loose or tight ring and covered with a brush of longer hair underneath. The dog is slightly longer than tall, with medium angulations, slender legs and good muscle; the ribcage is spacious but neither too broad nor too rounded and it doesn�t quite reach the point of elbow. The loin is slender yet powerful and there is good tuck-up, with the points of the hipbones slightly prominent. There should be a balance between characteristics of speed and stamina, the conformation being a compromise producing great agility. Flabby, clumsy, heavy individuals not to be tolerated. Colors: pure white, cream, sandy, fawn, grey, black or brindle, bi-colored or tri-colored.
Temperament
The Cretan Hound uses both sight and scent on the hunt and they have a particular tendency to taste the aerial or ground scent, even to the point of sucking it from pebbles and stones. When the prey is sensed, the tail moves in circular fashion and the hound becomes rigid, moments before the chase begins. Meek, affectionate, aristocratic, yet deadly on the chase, it�s a polite hound that comes alive in the presence of prey; clean, gentle, elegant in form and movement, it�s never vulgar or overwhelming in gestures. Slightly reserved with strangers, it�s naturally inquisitive and tolerant. The Cretan Hound lives happily together with other domestic animals but will ruthlessly chase the neighbor�s cat! Excellent, gentle and very affectionate with children. It rarely barks but will give notice of strangers approaching its home; at the farm it will kill mice and rats and it�s not indifferent to feathered game, but the latter use will make the breed lazy and untidy in the hunt; its constitution needs the challenge of the true chase. Make sure you are this dogs calm, but firm, and confident leader providing enough leadership and exercise to produce a well balanced canine companion. Proper human to dog communication is essential.
Height, Weight
Height: Females 19+ inches (50+ cm) Males 27+ inches (60+ cm)
Weight: 44-66 pounds (20-30 kg)
Health Problems
A fairly healthy breed.
Living Conditions
This breed is not recommended for apartment life. It needs space to run.
Exercise
Robust and healthy, it�s a breed easy to maintain as long as it has plenty of exercise, which includes a daily walk, where the dog is made to heel beside or behind the human holding the lead, as in a dog's mind the leader leads the way and that leader needs to be the humans. It will also greatly enjoy running free in a safe open space.
Life Expectancy
About 10-12 years or more.
Grooming
Brush with a firm bristle brush, and dry shampoo occasionally. Bathe in mild soap only when necessary. Inspect the feet and mouth for damage after work or exercise sessions. Keep the nails trimmed. This breed is an average shedder.
Origin
A primitive hunting breed, its existence on the Greek island of Crete is documented in writing and artifacts for at least 3500 years. It was extensively cultivated and used by the Minoan civilization which, at its peak, dominated over most part of the Aegean, the Cyclades islands and eastern Peloponessus. A tracking and coursing hound, it was always used in chasing and catching hare and wild rabbits on the harsh terrains of its native island. The classic authors praised the Cretan hounds (Kressai Kynes) as the best hare-hunters known to man and in the ancient times they were exported to the Greek colonies and other countries in Europe, reaching as far as Spain and the British islands, to mix and improve the local hounds. The dogs have many such peculiar traits and they are evidently a truly ancient species, probably the oldest dog breed in Europe. It is possible that their ancestors came from Africa but they were subsequently adapted to this very unique habitat of Crete, an island remote enough to host other unique species of animals also, such as a unique sub-species of wild goat, lynx and others. Isolated there for millennia, these dogs were formed by function to perform a particular and challenging task and they remained pure and unchanged to this day. Due to a long history of struggle against outside enemies, the Cretan people are a freedom-loving race, proud, independent, somewhat suspicious and even stubborn. They don�t like to give their dogs to outsiders and even to this day the best specimens are kept hidden from the public eye. Breeding practices are ruthless and the limited means of the past taught the locals to neuter all but the best males and destroy the dogs that were lacking in the hunt. This resulted in a particularly strong and healthy breed, but also one very small in numbers. For years they were kept secret and even now they rarely leave Crete, apart from on the rare occasions they take part in International dog shows held in Athens, where the visitors have the opportunity to meet a true living legend.
Croatian Sheep dog
Description
This breed is of lower medium height and the base color is always black, although there may be very small patches of white on its chest and/or toes. A characteristic is the short hairs on its somewhat fox-like head and legs. The remainder of the coat is longer, wavy or curly. The height at the withers in both sexes is between 16 to 21 inches and the length exceeds the height by approximately 10%. Nowadays, some dogs are even taller; that is probably due to better nutrition and an easier life - they grow to their full genetic potential. Traditionally the tail is docked very short but, if undocked, it is more or less curled over the dog�s back.
Temperament
The Croatian Sheepdog is an alert, agile, keen and intelligent dog with enormous energy and with a strong need for human leadership. It is healthy, resistant to disease and not expensive to keep. It possesses a well developed herding instinct and is an excellent watchdog. An instinctive herder, it is wary of strangers. If socialized early however, it responds well to obedience training. As a pet without early obedience training and exercise, to occupy its athletic body and excellent mind, it can become very noisy, even destructive.
Height: 16-21 inches (40-53 cm.)
Weight: 29-43 pounds (13-20 kg.)
Health Problems : Usually very healthy.
Living Conditions : The Croatian Sheepdog will dog okay in an apartment as long as they get enough exercise. It is a virtually weatherproof canine and a comparably adaptable disposition.
Exercise : Needs a lot of exercise, which includes a daily walk, where the dog is made to heel beside or behind the person holding the lead, as in a dog's mind, the leader leads the way and that leader needs to be the humans. It is a very good breed for all dog sports.
Life Expectancy : About 13-14 years.
Grooming
This breed is easy to groom. An occasional combing and brushing to remove dead hair is all it needs. This breed is an average shedder.
Origin
This is a native Croatian breed and descends from dogs which the Croats brought with them from their original native land into the region they occupy today and which has been continually bred in Croatia, mostly in the fertile plains of Slavonia, from those days onward. According to written documents, the appearance of this breed has not changed greatly from the 14th century to the present day. Probably because it possesses an excellent hereditary instinct for working sheep and cattle, selection on the basis of usability was being carried out spontaneously, which has resulted also in the balance of its look. The earliest written document about Croatian Sheepdogs, named �Canis pastoralis croaticus�, found in the archives of diocese of Djakovo by "father of the breed" - veterinarian Prof Dr Stjepan Romic - is from 1374. In this document, Petar, Bishop of Djakovo, says "the dog is about 18 inches high, with medium long black curly coat, the hair on the head is short, ears are pricked or semi-pricked and it is very good for keeping flocks of all farm animals." He also mentions that the Croats brought the dog with them while migrating from their original native land to Croatia in the 7th century. Romic also found in archive of Djakovo's diocese important information from Years 1719, 1737, 1742 and 1752. In all of these documents the description of the Croatian Sheepdog matches entirely its appearance today and in all of them the dog is named Canis pastoralis croaticus or Croatian Sheepdog. A systematic selection breeding program was started by the same Prof Romic in 1935 with dogs in the territory of Djakovo. After 34 years of work, breed was finally recognized by FCI in 1969.
The most ferocious dogs
Top 10 Most Dangerous Dog Breeds
22 reported dog bite related human fatalities in the United States in 2004. 2005 - 29 human fatalities. 2006 - 26. In 2007, there were 33 human fatalities. 45% of the attacks occurred to adults over the age of 18, and 55% occurred to ages below. Pit bull type dogs were responsible for 67% of fatalities, the next closest breed was the rottweiler at 12%. But all dog breeds are potentially dangerous. In 2000, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported that 25 breeds of dogs were involved in 238 fatal dog bites from 1979-1998. Here it is the compiled list of the most dangerous dog breeds:1. Pit Bulls (Weight: 55-65 lbs.) |
2. Rottweilers (Weight: 100-130 lbs.)  Due to their intense territorial instinct these dogs are very aggressive. Rottweilers are commonly used as guard dogs. |
3. German Shepherds (Weight: 70-100 lbs.)  |
4. Huskies (Weight: 44-66 lbs.)  Despite of their energy and intelligence this breed is not regarded a good guard dog. It is caused by its kind temperament and personality characteristics. However it should be marked that between 1979 and 1997 fifteen fatal cases were caused by huskies. |
5. Alaskan Malamutes (Weight: 75-100 lbs.)  This breed requires a lot of exercises to be happy as being bored they become disobedient. On the whole their characteristic features are energy and activity. |
6. Doberman Pinschers (Weight: 65-90 lbs.)  Doberman Pinschers are famed by such features as alertness, intelligence and loyalty. Therefore they are considered to be one of the best guard dog breeds. The dog usually attacks only in case its family is in danger or when being provoked. |
7. Chow Chow (Weight: 50-70 lbs.)  The Chow Chow seems to be distant and independent, however they require staunch attention. If badly bred they can become aggressive dogs. |
8. Presa Canario ( Weight: 80-115 lbs.)  It is well known that an attack of this guard dog can bring to the death any prey. One of the main features of this dog is fearlessness, huge power and man-stopping ability. |
9. Boxer (Weight: 50-70 lbs.)  These dogs are intelligent, frisky and full of energy. It is not so easy to train them as they are self-willed breed. In addition, boxers are not typically aggressive by nature. |
10. Dalmatian (Weight: 40-70 lbs.)  This breed is distinguished by intelligence and perfect memory, independence and survival instincts. Sometimes Dalmatians can be aggressive towards people. |
- For each US dog bite fatality there are about 670 hospitalizations and 16,000 emergency room visits, 21,000 other medical visits (office and clinic), and 187,000 non-medically treated bites
- 46.1% (nearly half) of dog bite injuries were triaged in emergency rooms as "urgent-emergent"
- Dog bites are the second highest reason why children seek emergency treatment
That's about 60,000 bites per fatality and that information is dated. It is reported today that a US citizen is bitten by a dog every 75 seconds.
The most famous dog in the world
1 . Hachiko: The World’s Most Loyal Dog
Dogs are known for being loyal companions -- but we've never met any as faithful as Hachiko, an Akita from Japan who spent 10 years waiting for his master.
If you’ve ever seen the canceled-before-its-time (but now revived!) show Futurama, you’ll probably remember Bender, the alcoholic robot; Leela, the beautiful one-eyed captain; and Philip J. Fry, the bumbling pizza delivery boy who was cryogenically frozen for a thousand years before joining the Planet Express intergalactic mail delivery team. But do you remember Fry’s loyal, loving dog, who waited for his master until the end of his life? If you didn’t think a cartoon character could make you cry, it might be time to reevaluate after you watch this heart-wrenching scene.
Now, of course, Fry’s dog never really existed (nor did the murderous Killbots, luckily), and you might scoff at the idea that any canine could really exercise such supreme loyalty. After all, your dog forgets that you’re alive whenever your sister stops by bearing bags of Pupperoni. And while it’s true that most animals are more loyal to their meals than to their masters, we know of an amazingly faithful dog that could be a real-life counterpart to Fry’s ever-loving pooch: Hachiko, an Akita from Tokyo.
Hachiko was brought to Tokyo in 1924 by his owner, a college professor named Hidesamuro Ueno. Each day, when Ueno left for work, Hachiko would stand by the door to watch him go. When the professor came home at 4 o’clock, Hachiko would go to the Shibuya Station to meet him.
Though this simple act alone shows a tremendous amount of loyalty, that’s not the end of it: The following year, Ueno died of a stroke while at the university. Hachiko didn’t realize that he was gone, and so the dog returned to the train station every single day to await his master. He became such a familiar presence there, in fact, that the station master set out food for the dog and gave him a bed in the station. Even so, Hachiko never shifted loyalties –every day at 4 o’clock, he hopefully waited by the tracks as the train pulled in, searching for his best friend’s face among the people getting off.
Hachiko’s love for his master impressed many people who passed through the station, including one of Ueno’s former students, who became fascinated by the Akita breed after seeing Hachiko. He discovered that there were only 30 Akitas living in Japan, and began to write articles about Hachiko and his remarkable breed, turning the world’s most loyal dog into a household name, and creating a resurgence in popularity for the Akita.
Hachiko died in 1935, after 10 long years of waiting for his master. But the dog would not be forgotten –a year before his death, Shibuya Station installed a bronze statue of the aging dog, to honor its mascot. Though the statue was melted down during World War II, a new version was created in 1948 by the son of the original artist. Go to the station now, and you’ll be able to see the bronze statue of Hachiko – still waiting, as ever, for his master to come home.
Want to learn more about Hachiko and the amazing Akita breed? Watch Hachi, the movie based on his story (co-starring Richard Gere), or check out these great books:
2. Laika - the first dog in space
Dates:
Launch on November 3, 1957
Also Known As:
Kudryavka; Layka; Muttnik
Overview of Laika:
The Cold War was only a decade old when the space race between the Soviet Union and the United States began. On October 4, 1957, the Soviets were the first to successfully launch a rocket into space with their launch of Sputnik 1, a basketball-sized satellite.
Approximately a week after Sputnik 1's successful launch, Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev suggested that another rocket be launched into space to mark the 40th anniversary of the Russian Revolution on November 7, 1957. That left Soviet engineers only three weeks to fully design and build a new rocket.
The Soviets, in ruthless competition with the United States, wanted to make another "first;" so they decided to send the first living creature into orbit. While Soviet engineers hurriedly worked on the design, three stray dogs (Albina, Mushka and Laika) were extensively tested and trained for the flight.
The dogs were confined in small places, subjected to extremely loud noises and vibrations, and made to wear a newly created space suit. All of these tests were to condition the dogs to the experiences they would likely have during the flight. Though all three did well, it was Laika who was chosen to board Sputnik 2.
Laika, which means "barker" in Russian, was a three-year old, stray mutt that weighed thirteen pounds and had a calm demeanor. She was placed in her restrictive module several days in advance and then right before launch, she was covered in a alcohol solution and painted with iodine in several spots so that sensors could be placed on her. The sensors were to monitor her heartbeat, blood pressure, and other bodily functions to better understand any physical changes that might occur in space.
Though Laika's module was restrictive, it was padded and had just enough room for her to lay down or stand as she wished. She also had access to special, gelatinous, space food made for her.
On November 3, 1957, Sputnik 2 launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome (now located in Kazakhstan near the Aral Sea). The rocket successfully reached space and the spacecraft, with Laika inside, began to orbit the earth. The spacecraft circled the earth every hour and forty-two minutes, traveling approximately 18,000 miles per hour. As the world watched and waited for news of Laika's condition, the Soviet Union announced that a recovery plan had not been established for Laika. With only three weeks to create the new spacecraft, they did not have time to create a way for Laika to make it home. The de facto plan was for Laika to die in space.
Though all agree Laika made into space and successfully lived through several orbits, there is a question as to how long she lived after that. Some say that the plan was for her to live for several days and that her last food allotment was poisoned. Others say she died four days into the trip when there was an electrical burnout and the interior temperatures rose dramatically. And still others say she died five to seven hours into the flight from stress and heat.
However, she certainly did not live beyond six days into trip, because on the sixth day, the batteries in the spacecraft died and all life-support systems failed. The spacecraft continued to orbit the earth with all its systems off until it reentered earth's atmosphere on April 14, 1958 and burned up on reentry.
Laika proved that it was possible for a living being to enter space. Her death also sparked animal rights debates across the planet. In the Soviet Union, Laika and all the other animals that made space flight possible are remembered as heroes.