Ok, before we go any further let me apologize, I wasn’t as ready to immerse myself in dogs as I thought I was. I’m sorry, but I am now and do I have a lot to tell you. To start I want to introduce you to our new dog. She is an eight year old Rhodesian Ridgeback. For my birthday my better half took me to meet a ridgeback breeder in Tennessee. There we fell in love with an adult ridgie and brought her home. I can’t tell you how nice it is to have a ridgeback in the house again, and in April I’ll be owned by a brand new ridgeback puppy…they’re like chips, you can’t have just one. All right, let’s talk about puppies.
Well now that everyone in the house wants a puppy all you have to do is decide what kind of puppy you want. The American Kennel Club organizes dogs in seven groups based on what job the dog was bred for. If you’re not sure what breed you want or even if you want to rescue a dog it’s always a good idea to know your breeds. Let’s start with the Herding Group.
The Herding group was bred to do just that, “herd.” Even if you don’t have a farm these are all around great dogs. If you have any interest in flyball or agility then this is your dog, very high energy. These breeds are easy to train but be can a little hard headed. Herding breeds come in a variety of sizes and are some of the smartest dogs around. Just remember if you don’t give these dogs lots of exercise they are going to herd anything they can, this includes you, your kids, the neighbors, strangers…you get the idea. If you have ever seen a herding competition (if you haven’t and you like herding dogs you should so go see one) then you know that a good part of herding includes nipping. This can be painful and not something you want from your dog. Please remember, lots of exercise and training will make your dog a better dog, no matter the breed. Check out www.akc.org and look at the herding group. Even if you plan to rescue a mixed breed it’s always good to know the personality of the breeds that make up your fur baby.
Till next time, I wish you unconditional love and puppy breath.
