When the Fox Terrier Club published its first breed standard in 1876, it used a curious old English phrase—“bone and...
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The Dogs On the Ride Go Round & Round
We all cringe when a small child sits on the back of a large dog, but there IS a scenario in which it is acceptable........
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The Circular Chest: A Misnomer
When we encounter a term that puzzles us, it's time to tease it apart...
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Spin City’s Scene-Stealer
One of TV's most neurotic senior citizens was not only under a foot tall—he was also a real dog....
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The Saint’s Muschel: A Breed Signature
Ever wonder why a Saint Bernard’s head looks so powerfully distinct—or what a “Muschel” even is?...
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The Dachshund’s “Dimples of Venus”
It's visual "shorthand" that says: I can lift my short legs, navigate obstacles in burrows, and maximize my efficiency a...
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The Samoyed: Not a Bear!
Ears alone do not disqualify a dog from being a fine companion, but they might hurt a dog's chances to ribbon in a sho...
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If Everyone is Special, No one is Special. But the Scottie Really is…
"Unique" is used to describe the characteristic way a Scottish Terrier moves.......
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Anatomy of a Scowl
All dogs have brow bones, but not every breed scowls. What accounts for this? ...
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One Not Like the Other
As tempted as we are to say that only one has ever resisted the urge to roll in something dead, that's not the answer we...
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Lost Languages, Living Legacies: The Patagonia Sheepdog
t strikes us that breed recognition almost always follows use, consistency, and cultural value. The Patagonian Sheepdog ...
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The Art of the Amble
Early canine experts drew from horse models when explaining and evaluating how dogs moved, especially large, pastoral br...
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Two “Sports” Who Changed Everything
They were born with unique, breed-defining traits from rare, spontaneous recessive genetic mutations carried unseen by t...
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The “Hammer” Head Carriage
We often stress the importance of asking "why" about an aspect of a dog to understanding why standards are written the w...
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Color Match: Breed Standard Kid Edition
Challenging a child to spot a Toy Fox Terrier whose body spot doesn’t match the head color not only keeps them engaged...
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Bert and (not Ernie)
These legendary brothers didn’t just win championships—they rewrote what it meant to be a Weimaraner in America.......
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From Tin Pot to Orchard Dogs
His legacy laid the groundwork for modern orchard protection, where highly trained dogs now play a pivotal role in safeg...
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Fiddle, Cabriole, Chippendale, & French
Language in the dog world evolves, but certain terms endure because they capture both structure and history....
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Seeing Spots: The “Leopard” Breeds
The Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog, Catahoula Leopard Dog, American Leopard Hound and Leopard Cur – to our knowledg...
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The Myth of Yesteryear’s Bigger Setter
We would be guessing as to why such a misconception might exist, and we'd have to start with the photographs, themselves...
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