Pets Rock Blog

Although the name Abyssinian is Ethiopian, The Abyssinian cat is believed to be of Egyptian origin. The breed is said to have originated from a cat named Zula who was taken by a British soldier from Alexandria to England in 1868, although this has not been verified. The fist Abyssinian cat was documented in 1871.

The cats are muscular, medium-sized and with a medium body length, with slim legs and a long tapered tail. The head is wedge-shaped with almond shaped eyes. The ears are reasonably large and pointed.

Their coats are dense and shorthaired. Their coats have a unique “ticked” colour marking, due a special gene that is only shared by the Somali cat. Each hair has a light base colour (at the root) followed by 3 or 4 bands of darker colours. Some of the base colours are: ruddy, sorrel, blue, fawn and silver.

Abyssinians are not “lap cats”. They are clever, playful, curious and strong-willed. They are definitely interesting looking cats.

If you’re thinking of getting one of these unique cats, remember that buying a kitten is a serious responsibility

Sources: Wikipedia & American Cat Fanciers Association

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The Staffordshire Bull Terrier, commonly know as the Staffy, was first bred in the early 1900s in England as bull-bait. Hence the term bull terrier

Bull bating is a savage blood sport where a bull is tied to a stake in an arena. The bull only has a range of about 10m to move around in. The bull is then angered by having pepper blown in its face, or by having a dog bite it. After bear- and bull biting was outlawed in the UK in 1835, staffies were used in dog-fights, since dog fights were easier to keep “underground”. (In Jock of the Bushveld, Jock is used for dog-fighting by a gambler and trick into fighting a baboon)

The Staffie is related to the American Staffordshire bull terrier and American pit bull terrier, but are much smaller than its American relatives. After Pit bulls were banned in the UK, some breeders deceptively labled their pit bulls as staffies. This might have led to reports of staffies attacking people. Staffies are sometimes confused with pit bulls. However, many kennel clubs make a clear distinction between staffies and pitt bulls.

The Staffordshire bull terrier was accepted into the UK kennel club in 1935 and the American Kennel club in 1976

Staffies are small-medium sized dogs measuring about 36-41 cm in height. Females weigh about 11-5 kg and males can weigh up to 20kgs. They have short-haired coats and can be brown, brindle, black, red, white or a combination of white and another colour.

They are quite robust and a healthy breed, but like many other dog breeds they can develop hipdysplasia and cataracts. Staffies love to “tan” and excessive sun exposure can lead to melanomas especially on areas like the tummy where there is less hair.

Staffies are friendly, loyal, intelligent, hardy and persevering. Due to their amicable nature (and despite the original intent for their breed), they are not considered to make good guard dogs or attack dogs. They love people and make good family pets.

Personally I think Staffies have been quite popular in South Africa in the past thanks to Jock of the Bushveld and a Dunlop (tyres) TV commercial where a staffie (accompanied by the theme music from Chariots of Fire) runs through obstacles.

Related Site: Pretoria Staffy Club.

Picture: Bao H (flickr).
General source: Wikipedia

Remember always:
Before you consider buying a puppy, make sure that the breed will be suited to your family. Give some thought to adopting an older dog from a rescue organization (they do also have puppies). You could also find dogs in the classifieds where you can get a dog from its original owner before it has to go to a shelter. Dogs should be treated like family members and not like commodities.

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Standard Schnauzer

The Standard Schnauzer was originally bred in Germany originally during the Middle Ages and was developed from herding, ratting and guard dog breeds. Both the Miniature Schnauzer and Giant Schnauzer originated from this breed. They fall into the terrier class.

The Schnauzer reportedly got its name from a dog show winner (of the same breed) by that name, “Schnauzer”, at the 1879 Hanover Show in Germany. The term Schnauzer comes from “Schnauze,” the German word for snout, and is applicable because of the dog’s distinct beard.

They make excellent working dogs. The Red Cross used the dogs for guard duty during First World War. Both American and German Police departments have used them for things like drug and bomb detection, and also as search-and-rescue dogs.

Their colours usually vary from black and silver, salt and pepper and pure black. Schnauzers require very specific grooming and are very high maintenance. They are known for the distinctive furry snouts, which give them a wise and noble appearance. They do not shed a lot of hair, which makes them suitable for people with pet hair allergies.

The Standard Schnauzer is a medium sized square built dog. Males are about 18-20 inches (45.7 – 50.8 cm) in height and females are about 17-19 inches  (43.2 – 48.3) high at the shoulders. Males weigh about 35-50 pounds (15.9 -22.7 kg) and females 30-45 pounds (13.6 – 20.4 kg).

Their tails are usually docked when they are puppies and some dogs also have their ears cropped. They are generally healthy dogs, but like other medium and large dogs they can develop Hypdisplasia. They can also develop eye problems.

They are very trainable, alert, energetic, dominant and highly intelligent. They are very friendly and make good companion dogs. They make excellent guard dogs and will bark at intruders, but do not bark incessantly. They are very territorial, so they do well in homes where they are  only pets. They can learn to get along with other pets if they are properly socialized as puppies, but should rather be kept away from rodents as the were originally bred to hunt them.

These dogs don’t need a particularly big yard (although that is always better for dogs) but they should be taken on daily walks. The Schnauzer is adaptable and is a good choice if you want a companion as well as a guardian.

As always buying a dog is a serious choice. Before you start looking for dogs for sale seriously consider if you are ready for the responsibility.

See also: Miniature Schnauzer

Sources:
Wikipedia
Dog breed info

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