Big Dog Breed (A)
Afghan Hound
History and origin: Often referred to as the "Dog of Noah's Ark", the Afghan Hound is one of the oldest, if not the oldest breed in existence. He was used as a herding dog, a guard dog, and a hunting dog. The Afghan's long coat allowed him to stay warm in the harsh climate of Afghanistan, something that his faster, short-haired cousin from Egypt, the Greyhound, would not have been able to do.
Description: The Afghan Hound stands 25 to 27 inches at the shoulder and weighs between 50 and 60 pounds. He possess an athletic body that is capable of supple and agile movement. The shedding coat is long, silky, and hard to maintain. It absorbs moisture and odors and requires daily brushing and regular clipping to prevent matting. The feet and ears are feathered, and there is a topknot of long silky hair. The color may be silver, cream, black, brindle, black-and-tan, or a combination of shades.
About the breed: This fast, graceful sight hound is aloof, dignified, and somewhat snooty with all but his close family. He is very elegant and aristocratic by nature who is also reserved and suspicious toward strangers. Though warm and affectionate to his owners, the Afghan is a hunting dog who is very independent and will not tolerate boisterous children or uninvited attention. He may shy away from the unwanted petting hand of a stranger. This breed is very laid-back at home, happily curling up on a sofa idling the day away. However, he also needs plenty of exercise and free running to keep him fit. Training is difficult with the Afghan. Sensitive and not overly bright, he will balk if pushed too quickly. He processes information more slowly than other breeds. Training technique must therefore be clear, slow, and precise. Overbearing methods will only to panic the breed and possibly bring on fearful snapping. As with most sight hounds, the Sit and Come commands take an especially long time to teach. The Afghan needs to be socialized from an early age so as to limit his aloof, distrustful nature. This is not a breed to spoil or pamper, despite his beauty and his elegance. Spoiling will enhance a dominant attitude and increase the chances of aggression. Because of his hunting nature, this breed can also be small dog-aggressive and has a very high prey drive toward smaller animals.
Feeding: Recommended feeding for this breed is 1 1/2 -2 1/2 cans (13.3oz) of high-quality meaty product with added biscuit in equal part or 5 cupfuls of a complete dry food.
Ideal Home: The owner of an Afghan Hound should be an easy-going person who does not demand constant attention and affection from the dog. A hunter by nature, this breed needs a big place for him to be able to run free and is therefore not suitable for apartment living.
Airedale
History and origin: Developed by crossing old English black and tan terrier with Otterhound bloodlines, the Airedale was first used in 19th century England for big game hunting, vermin killing, and police and military work. The breed is named after the valley of Aire in Yorkshire.
Description: The tallest of the terriers, the Airedale stands 22 to 23 inches at the shoulder and weighing between 50 and 60 pounds. He has a strong, muscular, sturdy body and a wiry, non-shedding coat that requires daily grooming with a stiff brush and periodic clipping. Show dogs, however, need hand-stripping, a process that involves pulling dead hair out by hand to preserve the luster and hard texture of the coat. Color is normally black-and-tan, with some red and, less often, white markings.
About the breed: This beautiful, strong, athletic breed exhibits all the tenacity and determination of a terrier, only in a larger package. The Airedale is stubborn and is often difficult to train. He learns slowly, so do not expect one to pick up on things as quickly as a German Shepherd or a Border Collie. The Airedale is active, sometimes flighty, and often sensitive to the demands of training. If an Airedale resists learning a certain command, the last thing you should do is get firmer with the dog. His resistance will only increase and could accelerate into panic. He should not be spoiled, either; a concise, incremental training technique needs to be implemented from puppy hood. Though affectionate with his owners, the Airedale tends to be suspicious of strangers and can show aggression toward people and dogs. He makes a great watchdog because of his territorial instinct. The Airedale cannot always discriminate between a friend and a stranger, however, and he may give your friends and your children's friends a hard time. This breed is not recommended for families with young children. Early obedience training and lots of socialization with people and other dogs from an early age is mandatory.
Feeding: Recommended feeding for the Airedale is at least 1-1 1/2 cans (13.3oz) of high-quality dog food or the fresh meat equivalent everyday with biscuit added.
Ideal home: A house with a fenced yard is essential for this breed. The owner of an Airedale should be a strong, confident leader who combines firm discipline with patience and precision. Persons considering this breed should desire a dog that has an active, tenacious temperament and is reserved with strangers. Nervous persons will create a pushy, obnoxious dog that lacks confidence. Overbearing types may bring out fear-aggressive behavior. The Airedale needs daily exercise and makes a good jogging partner because of his athletic physique. If left alone for long periods, he might become destructive and noisy. This breed has a high prey drive, so be careful around small animals. He may not tolerate the hectic, unpredictable behavior of young children. Older children are okay, provided they can gain the animal's respect by working him in obedience. The elderly and the disabled may have trouble controlling this energetic, driven breed.
Alaskan Malamute
History and origin: The Alaskan Malamute is named after a native tribe called the "Mahlemuts." He is closely related to other Spitz-types such as the Samoyed and has been used as a sled dog. Bred for strength, endurance, and independence, he has the ability to tolerate extremely low temperatures. Today Malamutes are used in sled-pulling competitions, some being able to pull a sled weighing close to a ton.
Description: The Alaskan Malamute stands 23 to 26 inches at the shoulder and usually weighs 75 to 125 pounds, while some are even larger. He is thick-boned and has a large, muscular body. The weather-resistant coat is thick, heavy, and of medium length. The undercoat is dense and insulative. He sheds abundantly year- round, particularly in early summer. Regular brushing will keep his coat in good condition. The color may be black-and-white with an off-white undercoat, red-and-white, or gray-and-white with an off-white undercoat.
About the breed: This is a sociable, affectionate, fast, strong, intelligent, and powerful breed who is always friendly and good-natured but somewhat stubborn. Usually good with children , the Malamute does not make a good watchdog, but he does have a high prey drive and will show aggression toward other dogs. He can be impetuous, dominant, and challenging, and is not the most cooperative breed with regard to obedience training. Early training is important due to the breed's size, level of dominance, and aggression toward animals. The "Come" command is the most difficult to teach a Malamute because of his independent, free-thinking nature, though the females tend to be less dominant and aggressive.
A firm, consistent training technique must be used with this sometimes resistant breed. He tends to be quite vocal and can be very destructive if not exercised daily. Though he is friendly, keep in mind that this large breed can knock over and hurt a child during play. No roughhousing or chase games should be tolerated. The Malamute loves to dig and will create holes all over your yard. A large kennel with a concrete floor will eliminate this problem. This breed can be left outside during even the coldest winter. Although they are almost always good-natured, there are a few cases of aggression toward people with this breed, particularly from the males. Once this behavior occurs, it is very difficult to modify and usually results in the destruction of the animal. The Malamute lives for only ten to twelve years and can suffer from hip dysplasia, shoulder problems, and bloat. He loves the cold and will suffer in warmer climates. He needs exercise, but should not be run long distances due to his weight and susceptibility to hip and shoulder problems. This breed eats large amounts of food and can develop diarrhea if the diet is changed too rapidly. Altering can lengthen a Malamute's life and help prevent aggression and other behavioral problems.
Feeding: Recommended feeding for this breed is 1 1/2 - 2 1/2 cans (13.3oz) of high-quality meaty product with biscuit added in equal part or 5 cupfuls of a complete, dry dog food.
Ideal home: This big, independent breed needs a house with a fenced yard or kennel. He needs a firm, consistent leader who is confident and physically able to deal with a powerful breed. Training should begin early and should include daily socialization, handling, and grooming. Spoiling, cautious, and overbearing persons should avoid this breed, as should the elderly and the disabled.
American Foxhound
History and origin: This breed is said to have been derived from a pack of Foxhounds taken from Britain to the United States in 1650. This scent hound was used in packs or individually for fox hunts. He is now mostly used as a competitive field trial dog and a showdog.
Description: The American Foxhound stands 21 to 25 inches at the shoulder and weighs between 55 and 75 pounds. He has a large, strong, athletic body and a short, dense, shedding coat that is stiff to the touch and requires regular brushing with a hound glove. The coat color is black, white, and tan.
About the breed: This breed is friendly, lively, and full of stamina. He is a first-rate hunter and does not usually make a great house pet. His high-energy level can drive you nuts. He can be very stubborn and is easily distracted by a scent. He is happiest when doing a task such as tracking, hunting, or doing some other type of field work. The American Foxhound is suspicious of strangers and makes a good watchdog, but he can be dog-aggressive. He is good with your children, but he may knock them down and hurt them while playing. He does not normally exhibit the type of non-thinking aggression common to Bloodhounds and Coonhounds. If left alone, he can be very noisy, restless and destructive. Training and socialization should begin early. As with all hounds, the "Come" command is hard to teach this breed. He is also inclined to be disobedient.
Feeding: Traditionally, pack members were trenched-fed with horse meat and an oatmeal mash called a "pudding." They are not fed the day before a hunt. Present day feeding include about 1 1/2 cans (13.3oz) of high-quality meaty product with biscuit added in equal part or 5 cupfuls of a complete, dry dog food.
Ideal home: The English Foxhound is the perfect breed for a hunter or a very active person. A house in the country with a fenced yard or kennel is important. Children are fine as long as no roughhousing and teasing is allowed. Plenty of directed exercise is needed to avoid restlessness, barking, and digging. The owner must be a firm no-nonsense leader who has time to train, socialize, and exercise the dog. This is not a lap-dog and will not do well with an easygoing, elderly, or disabled owner.
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