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The Japanese Chin’s main purpose was (and still is today) to serve as a companion to men and women. They were used to warm the laps of Asian aristocracy and kept the ladies company in the Imperial Palace. They were only kept by nobility and only given as gifts to foreigners who had performed exceptional service to Japan. Despite the name the Japanese Chin, it is actually believed that the breed’s true origin is China. Three different scenarios exist as to how the Japanese Chin made its way …

Doberman Pinschers are the result of a combination of several breeds by Karl Friedrich Louis Dobermann in the late 1800’s. While the exact breeds are lost to history, it is generally accepted that the Black and Tan Manchester Terrier, English Greyhound, Weimaraner, German Pinscher and the now extinct old German Shepherd were involved in the mix. Early Doberman’s more closely resembled Rottweilers than today’s sleek Doberman. While the correct name in America is still the Doberman Pinsch …

The Bulldog, as we know, is one of the short faced groups of dogs and as such is closely related to several other breeds- the Mastiff and Bull Mastiff among the larger types, and the Boxer among those of approximately similar size.The first positive reference to a distinct difference between the Mastiffs and the Bulldogs was contained in a letter dated 1631 and written to George Willingham of London from Prestwick Eaton requesting specifically, “two good Mastiffs and two good Bulldogs". While th …

The German Shorthaired Pointer is an all around hunting dog. Originally called the Deutsch Kurzhaar, or just Kurzhaar, this breed was developed to hunt both “fur and feather” on land and in water. As a pointing bird dog, the German Shorthaired Pointer (GSP) hunts quail, pheasant and grouse. His natural retrieving ability, water repellent coat and webbed feet make him a duck dog extraordinaire. His amazing ability to trail a scent means he can also be used to hunt raccoons and rabbits. …

In the 1830’s, a dog breeder and seller by the name of Heinrich Essig took credit for “creating” the Leonberger breed in the region of Wurttemberg, in Leonberg, Germany, by crossing a Landseer Newfoundland with a “barry” male from the Great St. Bernard Hospice and Monastery (which would later develop the St. Bernard). According to Essig, a Pyrenean Mountain Dog was later added, which resulted in very large dogs with long white coats, which were fashionable during that time. Essig was a …