Dog Breed Pros and Cons - Behavior and Qualities of Different Dog Breeds
Before you adopt a new dog into your family, take some time to research the pros and cons of the different breeds to ensure you find a dog that will be the right match for you and your family.
We have outlined some of the qualities and problems associated with some common dog breeds to help you find the perfect pet.
German Pinscher The German Pinscher, also referred to as the Standard Pinscher, is a German breed that has been around since 1879.
This breed nearly went extinct before World War II.
Fortunately a man named Herr Werner Jung brought the breed back.
Today all German Pinschers descend from one "founding mother.
" This is a smaller dog that only stands between 17 and 20 pounds and weighs between 23 and 35 pounds.
They have a short, glossy and smooth coat that comes in solid colors that range between fawn and stag red.
This dog is a good natured dog that is equally as suitable as a family dog or a watch dog.
Irish Setter The Irish Setter, also referred to as the Red Setter, is an Irish breed.
This breed was created by the crossing of setters, spaniels, and pointers that naturally had red and white coats.
The characteristic chestnut red coat that we now associated with the breed didn't appear until the 19th century.
Today this breed is a favorite at dog shows, in the field, and in homes.
The Irish Setter stands between 25 and 27 inches tall and weighs between 60 and 70 pounds.
They have a combination coat that is short and close on their heads and on their front legs, and long feathery hair on the rest of their body.
The only color that is accepted for this breed today is the rich chestnut red color.
However, you can occasionally Irish Setters with traces of black and white in their coat as well.
Italian Greyhound The Italian Greyhound, also called the Piccolo Levrieve Italiani, is a toy breed that originated in Italy.
It is a sight hound that was bred to be a companion.
Today this little dog is exclusively used as a pet.
The Italian Greyhound is a small dog that only stands between 13 and 15 inches and it weighs around 8 pounds.
It has a short close coat that is glossy.
It can typically be found in shades of blue, fawn, white, black, cream and white.
This breed is better suited for homes with older kids.
They also get along with other dogs.
Some Italian Greyhounds get along with cats, while others don't.
You will want to take this into consideration if you are shopping for a new pet and have an Italian Greyhound, or if you have a cat and are considering getting an Italian Greyhound.
Bouvier des Flandres The Bouvier des Flandres, also referred to as the Belgian Cattle Dog, is a Belgium cattle driving dog.
It looks a lot like a giant Scottish Terrier.
It stands between 23 and 27 inches tall and weighs between 59.
5 and 88 pounds.
It has a thick coarse outercoat and a soft undercoat.
It traditionally comes in black, brindle, and fawn coat colors.
To care for this breed you will want to brush its coat every week.
This is a must with this breed as their long coat mats easily.
You will also need to brush their teeth, clean their ears, and trim their nails on a regular basis.
This breed needs a lot of exercise, however, low impact exercise is preferable as their heavy build is not designed to handle extended running or jogging.
Some of the health problems that you should keep an eye open for include hip problems, joint problems, bloat, and eye conditions.
Skye Terrier The Skye Terrier is a Scottish terrier that has been a favorite of British royalty.
They are a small breed that only stands between 9 and 10 inches tall and they weigh between 19 and 23 pounds.
They have a long, flat outercoat that comes in shades of black, gray, cream, and fawn with black points on their ears and on their muzzles.
This dog is active and loyal.
They are not the best breed to have when you have young children as they can be a bit snappy when teased.
They also prefer to be the only pet in a household.
Labrador Retriever The Labrador Retriever is a Canadian breed that is though to have been developed by fishermen in Greenland.
The Labrador Retriever is now classified as a sporting dog in the gundog class.
This dog makes a great family pet, a great guide dog for the blind, a great drug search dog, and a great sporting dog.
The Labrador Retriever comes in three color variations, chocolate, black, and yellow.
The current trend is for the Chocolate Lab, however, the Black and Yellow Labs are also popular.
The males of this breed are slightly larger than the females.
They stand between 22.
5 and 24.
5 inches tall and weigh between 60 and 75 pounds, and the females stand between 21.
5 and 23.
5 inches tall and weigh between 55 and 70 pounds.
Poodle The Poodle, also called the Barbone and Caniche, is a French breed that belongs to the non-sporting group.
The standard Poodle is a tall dog that stands between 22 and 27 inches tall and weighs between 45 and 70 pounds.
Their coat is short to medium and very curly or frizzy.
They come in a variety of solid colors including black, white, silver and chocolate.
This breed has a couple of health concerns that you should be aware of including stifle problems and hip dysplasia.
Toy Fox Terrier The Toy Fox Terrier, also called the American Toy Terrier and the AmerToy, is an English breed.
They are a tiny little dog that stands about 10 inches tall and that weighs between 3.
5 and 7 pounds.
They have a short shiny coat that is predominantly white with black and/or tan markings.
They are a scrappy little dog that is not afraid of anything.
If you have very small kids you should wait until they are older to add this little dog to your family as they can't withstand rough handling.
Clumber Spaniel The Clumber Spaniel, also referred to as the Gentleman's Gun Dog, is a British hunting breed.
Their heritage either descends from Alpine Spaniel bloodlines or from Basset Hound bloodlines.
No one is quite sure.
The Clumber Spaniel is a sweet dog that makes a great family dog, however, they also make responsive and obedient field sporting dogs as well.
This breed is a medium sized dog that stands between 19 and 20 inches tall and weighs between 65 and 80 pounds.
They have a thick coat that is silky and flat.
This base coat is accented with feathering on their tail, around their eyes, on their stomachs, and on their legs.
They come in a variety of colors, however, the preferred coat color combination is white with lemon.
Orange and freckling on the muzzle are also common.
We have outlined some of the qualities and problems associated with some common dog breeds to help you find the perfect pet.
German Pinscher The German Pinscher, also referred to as the Standard Pinscher, is a German breed that has been around since 1879.
This breed nearly went extinct before World War II.
Fortunately a man named Herr Werner Jung brought the breed back.
Today all German Pinschers descend from one "founding mother.
" This is a smaller dog that only stands between 17 and 20 pounds and weighs between 23 and 35 pounds.
They have a short, glossy and smooth coat that comes in solid colors that range between fawn and stag red.
This dog is a good natured dog that is equally as suitable as a family dog or a watch dog.
Irish Setter The Irish Setter, also referred to as the Red Setter, is an Irish breed.
This breed was created by the crossing of setters, spaniels, and pointers that naturally had red and white coats.
The characteristic chestnut red coat that we now associated with the breed didn't appear until the 19th century.
Today this breed is a favorite at dog shows, in the field, and in homes.
The Irish Setter stands between 25 and 27 inches tall and weighs between 60 and 70 pounds.
They have a combination coat that is short and close on their heads and on their front legs, and long feathery hair on the rest of their body.
The only color that is accepted for this breed today is the rich chestnut red color.
However, you can occasionally Irish Setters with traces of black and white in their coat as well.
Italian Greyhound The Italian Greyhound, also called the Piccolo Levrieve Italiani, is a toy breed that originated in Italy.
It is a sight hound that was bred to be a companion.
Today this little dog is exclusively used as a pet.
The Italian Greyhound is a small dog that only stands between 13 and 15 inches and it weighs around 8 pounds.
It has a short close coat that is glossy.
It can typically be found in shades of blue, fawn, white, black, cream and white.
This breed is better suited for homes with older kids.
They also get along with other dogs.
Some Italian Greyhounds get along with cats, while others don't.
You will want to take this into consideration if you are shopping for a new pet and have an Italian Greyhound, or if you have a cat and are considering getting an Italian Greyhound.
Bouvier des Flandres The Bouvier des Flandres, also referred to as the Belgian Cattle Dog, is a Belgium cattle driving dog.
It looks a lot like a giant Scottish Terrier.
It stands between 23 and 27 inches tall and weighs between 59.
5 and 88 pounds.
It has a thick coarse outercoat and a soft undercoat.
It traditionally comes in black, brindle, and fawn coat colors.
To care for this breed you will want to brush its coat every week.
This is a must with this breed as their long coat mats easily.
You will also need to brush their teeth, clean their ears, and trim their nails on a regular basis.
This breed needs a lot of exercise, however, low impact exercise is preferable as their heavy build is not designed to handle extended running or jogging.
Some of the health problems that you should keep an eye open for include hip problems, joint problems, bloat, and eye conditions.
Skye Terrier The Skye Terrier is a Scottish terrier that has been a favorite of British royalty.
They are a small breed that only stands between 9 and 10 inches tall and they weigh between 19 and 23 pounds.
They have a long, flat outercoat that comes in shades of black, gray, cream, and fawn with black points on their ears and on their muzzles.
This dog is active and loyal.
They are not the best breed to have when you have young children as they can be a bit snappy when teased.
They also prefer to be the only pet in a household.
Labrador Retriever The Labrador Retriever is a Canadian breed that is though to have been developed by fishermen in Greenland.
The Labrador Retriever is now classified as a sporting dog in the gundog class.
This dog makes a great family pet, a great guide dog for the blind, a great drug search dog, and a great sporting dog.
The Labrador Retriever comes in three color variations, chocolate, black, and yellow.
The current trend is for the Chocolate Lab, however, the Black and Yellow Labs are also popular.
The males of this breed are slightly larger than the females.
They stand between 22.
5 and 24.
5 inches tall and weigh between 60 and 75 pounds, and the females stand between 21.
5 and 23.
5 inches tall and weigh between 55 and 70 pounds.
Poodle The Poodle, also called the Barbone and Caniche, is a French breed that belongs to the non-sporting group.
The standard Poodle is a tall dog that stands between 22 and 27 inches tall and weighs between 45 and 70 pounds.
Their coat is short to medium and very curly or frizzy.
They come in a variety of solid colors including black, white, silver and chocolate.
This breed has a couple of health concerns that you should be aware of including stifle problems and hip dysplasia.
Toy Fox Terrier The Toy Fox Terrier, also called the American Toy Terrier and the AmerToy, is an English breed.
They are a tiny little dog that stands about 10 inches tall and that weighs between 3.
5 and 7 pounds.
They have a short shiny coat that is predominantly white with black and/or tan markings.
They are a scrappy little dog that is not afraid of anything.
If you have very small kids you should wait until they are older to add this little dog to your family as they can't withstand rough handling.
Clumber Spaniel The Clumber Spaniel, also referred to as the Gentleman's Gun Dog, is a British hunting breed.
Their heritage either descends from Alpine Spaniel bloodlines or from Basset Hound bloodlines.
No one is quite sure.
The Clumber Spaniel is a sweet dog that makes a great family dog, however, they also make responsive and obedient field sporting dogs as well.
This breed is a medium sized dog that stands between 19 and 20 inches tall and weighs between 65 and 80 pounds.
They have a thick coat that is silky and flat.
This base coat is accented with feathering on their tail, around their eyes, on their stomachs, and on their legs.
They come in a variety of colors, however, the preferred coat color combination is white with lemon.
Orange and freckling on the muzzle are also common.
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