Last November, Whistling Kite Brewery posted the picture at the left on their Facebook page along with the words, “Remember our heroes.” That got our attention. It was a clear nod to the Airedale Terriers used as war dogs during both World Wars, and that a brewery knew this and named an ale after it makes us want to support […]
The idea of monks having a breeding program seems counterintuitive (not sure why), but there is a long history of just such a thing. Certainly, the Monks of New Skete and their German Shepherd Dogs come to mind as a current model, but Buddhist monks nurtured and mated Japanese Chin they acquired on the ancient Silk […]
Few breeds are exact replicas of their ancestors from over 200 years ago, but at its time in 1777, this portrait by Thomas Gainsborough of the adult Pomeranian, “Abel” was so realistic that when the portrait was delivered to the house of the dog’s owner, “the deception was so complete that the elder subject, irritated at […]
William Jones and Robert Strawbridge met at Market Harborough while Robert was buying a horse. William (Willum, to his friends) was such an amiable chap, and of such moral fiber that Robert invited him along on his return trip to America. Together, they participated in hunts, particularly the Radnor Hunt, William being very good around […]
Two years after the invasion of Poland, Great Britain officially began its first war dog training program at the Greyhound Racing Kennels near Potter’s Bar, a facility it had confiscated in 1942. Many of the dogs were Airedales, a fact credited to Lt Col Edwin Hautenville Richardson who had demonstrated in the run-up to […]
When it comes to New Years Eve, we think this little chap has the right idea: Eat your fill, then fall asleep. That said, this is the very last Friday post we will ever write in 2016. Was it a good year for you? Did it stink? Were the results mixed? Be thinking about this […]
A commercial for the Nissan Cube. No translation necessary.
No, we’re not talking about the unspeakably fattening treat at the right. We’re writing about the name of a breed that’s a translation of an old French designation, “grand Danois,” which means “big Danish.” Most cynologists still aren’t entirely certain why the English adopted the name, “Great Dane,” for the breed we all know and […]
It was a concern to all who are fond of the monarch that Queen Elizabeth II missed Christmas Day church services for the first time in thirty years. A heavy cold kept The Queen at home, presumably in the company of her beloved Corgis. Though Brian Hoey’s book about the Royals is too short on […]
In our view, the profile of a Briard would be less “Briardy” were it not for the well furnished and familiar “J-curve” at the tip of its tail. Typically raised in an agreeable curve when the dog is in motion, the tail never goes above the level of the dog’s back except for that terminal […]
If we were an Airedale owner, we’d want to have this book even without knowing what it’s about (just saying), but happily, we were able to find a plot synopsis: “A heart warming story about a French Airedale Terrier named Pierre owned by Sarah Bernhardt in the early days of World War I. While […]
Do you remember the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid? The car was unveiled at the 2012 North American International Auto Show, and to get the word out about its keyless feature, Volkswagen had DDB (the agency), Palm + Havas (the Creative Agency), Deutsch Inc. (the Digital Agency), and PHD (the Media Agency) create a clever ad using […]
Does your dog have an “east west” front? Or maybe it’s a “ten to two” front? These terms actually mean the same thing, and that is that a dog’s front feet and toes point outward while standing and/or moving. Put another way, they “toe out.” Is it a fault? It depends upon the breed, the degree […]
The Great Pyrenees got its name from the mountain range in southwestern Europe, but during the reign of Louis XIV, the breed was named “Royal Dog of France” by the Dauphin himself in 1675. Influenced by royal patronage, French nobility soon discovered the appeal of a breed that was handsome and highly useful for guarding their […]
Corgis weren’t the only canines celebrating Queen Elizabeth II’s 90th birthday. Otterhound Fusilier “George” was among the ‘VIPs’ in attendance at the Queen’s birthday celebrations. Fusilier George, along with other forces’ mascots, did superbly at the parade – the culmination of ten days spent in Windsor Park rehearsing and meeting the show’s presenters. “George” looked […]
Volkswagen discovered the power of using an Australian Shepherd in its marketing last year.
George Washington was an educated man and keen dog owner who grasped the basics of breeding. With diligence, he built up a pack of hunting hounds that became his hobby and his passion. He kept accounts of his breeding program in journals, and filled the pages with details of the foxhounds he came to call […]
His grandmother was Queen Victoria, and he preferred stamp collecting to the exciting life of an heir to the throne, particularly when even in his wildest dreams, sitting on the throne didn’t factor into his life. He never planned to be King, never believed he would be King, and only when his older brother, David, […]
It’s a pity that terms used by our predecessors aren’t a greater part of dog lexicon today because many of them were so darn descriptive. To wit: If you’ve ever held a coconut in your hands, you’ll instantly remember the hairy texture of its shell. Dog veterans “back in the day” used the matting of […]
If you consider yourself knowledgable about dogs and don’t know the name, John Caius, you’ll want to “up your game.” Dr. John Caius (born John Keys in 1510) was physician to King Edward VI, Queen Mary, and Queen Elizabeth I of England. His account of the English sweating sickness is considered to be one of […]