Pets Rock Blog

The Chihuahua is the world’s smallest dog breed. It is of Mexican origin and got its name from the Mexican state of Chihuahua. The State borders the USA, which is how Chihuahuas got introduced to the US.

Chihuahuas are delicate little dogs and are very popular among lovers of miniature pets. They have become somewhat of a fashion accessory amongst celebrities; Paris Hilton carries her Chihuahua in her designer handbag.

The modern Chihuahua breed is thought to have originated in the 1800s. They breed was recognized by the American Kennel club since 1904.

Chihuahuas can vary in size, but on average are 15 – 25 cm heigh. The show-standard for weight is 1.5 –3 kg, but pet Chihuahuas can weigh more.

They have thin legs and may at times appear shaky. They have larger pointy ears and sharp noses giving their heads a deer (bokkie) like appearance.

Coats come in longhair or shorthair and a variety of colours. Some kennel clubs disqualifies the Merle (spotted) colour pattern, since it was not traditionally accepted for the breed and is possibly related to genetic problems. The longhair variety surprisingly sheds less than the shorthair and requires less grooming than other longhaired dogs.

The breed requires special veterinary care and is the only dog breed to be born without a complete skull. The gap in the skull will close, as the dog grows older. The breed is also prone to hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), epilepsy, seizures, hydrocephalus (water on the brain) and eye infections. To combat hypoglycemia your doggy should eat small regular meals.

Chihuahuas are alert, energetic and territorial dogs. They usually choose one person to bond with and will be protective and jealous if others get attention from their human. They prefer the company of their own kind above other breeds. They are not usually well suited for little children.

A Chihuahua can be a good choice if you have limited space, but they require special care. They are well-suited to the South African climate. Be responsible when buying (or adopting) a dog and remember that they are living creatures; not fashion accessories!





Source: Wikipedia

I just love Peanuts and Snoopy. Charles Schultz is a legend.

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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Moose

Moose was a Jack Russel Terrier who played Eddie, Martin Crane’s (John Mahoney)  dog on the hit TV sit-com Frasier.  Moose was born on 24 December 1990 in Florida. He was the youngest puppy in the litter, but also the largest.

Moose was too much of a handful for his original family who gave him to a manager of Birds and Animals Unlimited in Florida.  At the age of 2.5 years he was sent to Mathilde DeCagny, a trainer in Los Angeles.

After 6 months of training, this very intelligent Jack Russel won a role as Eddie on Frasier.

A running joke on the show was that Eddie use to stare at Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) and thus freaked Frasier out. It is said that Moose received more fan-mail than any of the cast mates.

Apart from his role on Frasier, Moose also acted in commercials and in the movie My Dog Skip.

An autobiography was written of his life by Brian Hargrove, the life partner of David Hyde Pierce (Niles on Frasier).

After retiring, he spend the remaining 6.5 years of his life living with his trainer, her family, Enzo and Jill (another canine actor). He died of natural causes on June 22, 2006.

Enzo is Moose’s son and was born in 1995. After Moose retired, Enzo replaced him as Eddie on Frasier. While Moose was still on the show, Enzo acted as his stunt-double.

Jack Russel Terriers are highly intelligent and highly trainable little dogs. They require a lot of attention and exercise. Do not only get a Jackie because they look cute on TV. Before you buy a dog, make sure it’s the right dogs for you. Before you buy, consider adopting a dog.

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