Thursday, March 10, 2011

Flat-Coated Retriever


The Flat-Coated Retriever is a gundog breed originating from the United Kingdom. It was developed as a retriever on both land and in the water.

The Flat-Coated Retriever breed standard calls for males to be 23–24.5 inches (58–62 cm) tall at the withers and for females to be 22–23.5 inches (56–60 cm), with a recommended weight of 55–75 lb (24–34 kg).[1] Flat-Coated Retrievers have strong muscular jaws and a relatively long muzzle to allow for the carrying of birds and upland game. Their head is unique to the breed and is described as being "of one piece" with a minimal stop and a backskull of approximately the same length as the muzzle.

They have almond shaped dark brown eyes that have an intelligent, friendly expression. The ears are pendant, relatively small and lie close to the head. The occiput (the bone at the back of the skull) is not to be accentuated (as it is in setters, for example) with the head flowing smoothly into a well-arched neck. The topline is strong and straight with a well feathered tail of moderate length held straight off the back. Flat-coats should be well angulated front and rear, allowing for open, effortless movement. They are lighter, racier and more elegant in appearance than the other retriever breeds.

Finnish Spitz


A Finnish Spitz (Finnish language: Suomenpystykorva) is a breed of dog originating in Finland. The breed is thought to be an old one, originally bred to hunt all types of game, from squirrels and other rodents to bears.[1] It is a "bark pointer", indicating the position of game by barking to attract the hunter's attention. It has mainly been used to bark at game that flees into trees, such as grouses, and capercaillies, but it also serves well for hunting moose and elk. Some individuals have been known to go after even a bear, despite the dog's small size. In its native country, the breed is still mostly used as a hunting dog, but as it is very friendly and loves children, in other countries it serves mainly as a house pet. The Finnish Spitz has been the national dog of Finland since 1979.

German Longhaired Pointer


The German longhaired pointer (GLP) is a breed of dog. It was developed in Germany, and is used as a gundog.

The GLP should be muscular, elegant, and athletic. It should not be bulky or cumbersome, and it should be able to move with great speed and freedom. It has moderate bone, but has substance, and must never look frail or weak. Its appearance should reflect its excitable, crazy temperament. Like all German pointers, they have webbed feet. Watch out for aggression in puppy years.

The coat is medium length, about 3–5 cm (1–2 in.) long on the body, with the feathering somewhat longer. The coat is slightly wavy, but must not be curly. It is not silky or soft, but rather firm and shiny. It always has a double coat, with the undercoat being quite dense, but not so profuse as to make the guard hairs stand out from the body. The colour is solid dark chocolate with white permitted on the chest, paws, and down the top of the muzzle, or dark brown roan, with large patches of solid brown, especially on the head, ears, back, and base of the tail.

Austrian Pinscher


The Austrian Pinscher (Österreichischer Pinscher, FCI No. 64) is a medium large breed of pinscher-type dog from Austria, where dogs of the type were originally farm dogs, keeping barns free of rats and acting as home guards, livestock guardians, and drovers. The name originally given to the breed in 1928 was the Österreichischer Kurzhaarpinscher (Austrian Shorthaired Pinscher) to differentiate it from similarly named breeds, but today in its country of origin the breed is officially called the Österreichischer Pinscher, or Austrian Pinscher in English.

Like other farm dogs raised for work rather than for pets or show, the appearance can vary a great deal, although there is a definite breed standard. In general, the Austrian Pinscher is a normally proportioned strong and sturdy dog, 33 – 48 cm (13 - 19 inches) at the withers. The breed has button ears and a head described as being shaped like a pear. The double coat is short to medium long, in a variety of yellow, red or black and tan colours, usually with white markings on the face, chest, feet and tip of the tail. The long tail is held high, and dogs of this breed should look lively and alert. They are heavier, more rugged and rectangular in appearance than the German Pinscher.