The Pointer dog’s hunting method is unique in style and fascinating to observe. The pointing position characteristic of the hunting Pointer came about because the 17^th and 18^th century flintlock action guns were extremely slow loading. Thus in order not to scare off the quarry once it was detected by further advance (and while the hunter was still busy reloading) the Pointer would freeze in mid-step, head held high, body rigid and its tail held out stiffly behind!

The Pointer would maintain its frozen position until that time that it was so instructed by the hunter. Such is the degree of the Pointer dog breed’s poise and self-discipline that some refer to it as the Zen-Master of dogdom!

During the 18^th century significant improvement in the performance of sporting guns meant a significant decline in large game which meant that the hunters now had to go after smaller swifter game. This also meant that the hunter needed smaller swifter Pointer dog specimens that could readily embrace the new style of hunting. Thus new blood was introduced to that early stock of Pointer dog which resulted in the smaller, swifter Pointer of today!

These days there are two types of Pointer dog:

1. The so-called specialist Pointers that only point and do nothing else.

2. The all-purpose Pointer dog breeds that not only point but hunt and retrieve as well; this latter type of Pointer are commonly referred to as HPR breeds (hunter, pointer retriever).

Pointer Dog Breed Development

There is considerable controversy over when and where and by whom the Pointer dog breed was developed. Although the English Pointer is perhaps the most recognized Pointer dog breed these nowadays (thanks in no small part to the numerous dog encyclopedias in which it is featured) this by no means ranks it as the progenitor of all things Pointers!

Controversy, dispute and the such-like notwithstanding, the more widely embraced view is that the modern Pointers forebears were from Spain, Portugal, Italy and France. It is believed that after the War of Spanish Succession (1713) returning British army officers took with them the heavy-boned Spanish Pointer.

In England those slower cumbersome and larger dogs were crossed with the more streamlined and lithe Foxhounds and to a lesser extent, the Greyhound. Still there are those who readily contend that such line of thinking is absolute poppycock and that in fact the English Pointer was already a well-established dog breed which was only later on influenced by the genetic infusion of the larger Spanish dog!

Pointer Dog Temperament

The Pointer is truly the quintessential gundog and as a wide-ranging hunter possesses the stamina and endurance to run for hours. So it comes as no surprise that this dog breed requires a lot of exercise. In strict accordance to its genetic heritage Pointers are always on the lookout for birds, a habit that makes for a dog that is easily distracted from other chores.

However once it is on point the exact opposite is true in that it is almost impossible to distract from its mission. Personality-wise the English Pointer is a sweet, sensitive, intelligent dog that makes for a great companion just so long as it gets enough exercise.

Pointer Dog Upkeep

As mentioned previously this dog breed needs plenty of exercise and evidently is not the best choice of dog breed for apartment dwelling. In lieu of an actual hunting experience a long jaunt across the wilds of nature will delight this dog and it is quite happy to live outdoors in temperate to warm climates just so long as there is a comfy shelter to retire to.

As with most dog breeds though the Pointer does best with both human and other canine contact.

Pointer Dog courtesy of Fir0002/Flagstaffotos

• Thibet Dog
• Tibetan Dog
• Tibetaanse Mastiff
• Thibet Mastiff

The Tibetan Mastiff has traditionally been used by Tibetans as sentry dogs to protect their villages and more famously by Tibetan monks to protect their legendary monasteries.

There are many who believe that the bloodline of the modern mastiffs started with the Tibetan Mastiff and perhaps one unique characteristic of the Tibetan Mastiff dog breed that lends weight to such belief is the fact that unlike other dog breeds it only has one breeding season annually; like it’s not too distant cousin the wolf.

Other factors also support the theory that the Tibetan Mastiff is the progenitor of the modern mastiff line; one such important factor is the region where the Tibetan Mastiff hails from, The Himalayas. The Himalayan region is a harsh environment located at high altitudes which tends to run the extreme as far as weather is concerned, very, very cold winters and hottish summers.

Thus this region favored the natural development of a big, hardy dog breed as defined by the Tibetan Mastiff.

The Tibetan Mastiff In History

This dog breed was largely unknown outside its home range until 1828 when a specimen was presented to the London Zoo by King George IV. Later in 1847 the Viceroy of India sent a Tibetan Mastiff to Queen Victoria as a gift and later still the Prince of Wales of the time returned with two dogs in 1874.

Following the end of World War II, the Dalai Lama presented a pair to the American President, Dwight Eisenhower.

When China annexed Tibet during its brutal expansion, the communist authorities decreed that all dogs had to be bludgeoned to death by their owners otherwise the owners themselves would be beaten to death. It was during that bloody and tragic period that the Tibetan Mastiff almost became extinct. Luckily by then enough specimens of the breed had been exported to Europe and Asia to perpetuate the existence of this wonderful dog breed.

Interestingly enough during the 1970s Nepalese drug smugglers found a novel way to get their drugs into the United States without detection. They shipped their drugs into the country hidden in false bottoms of dog crates transporting Tibetan Mastiffs. Custom officials were naturally intimated by these large dogs and thereby never searched the crates thoroughly!

Folklore has it that the Tibetan Mastiff of yesteryear was a massively powerful dog that characteristically was as big as a donkey. In fact legend has it that a Tibetan Mastiff that stood four feet at the shoulder (124 cm) was presented to the Emperor of China (which would indeed have made the dog the size of a large donkey and probably the biggest dog that ever lived).

Donkey-sized dogs notwithstanding, it is certainly true that the Tibetan Mastiff was once bigger than its modern counterpart, many dogs characteristically attaining a body weight of 200 lbs. Perhaps the loss in body bulk could be explained by the fact that the dogs found in Europe and America no longer have a physiological reason to maintain such bulk as they are no longer exposed to such high altitudes and the extreme cold that accompanies such heights!

Article on Tibetan Mastiff written by kayye Nynne

Origins of Spinone Italiano

The exact origins of this dog breed are uncertain. One theory contends that its ancestors were early French dogs such as the Barbet and the Griffon that were cross-bred to develop the Spinone Italiano.

Others postulate that the Spinone Italiano arose from Celtic wirehaired hounds, other theories yet hypothesize that this dog breed came about as a result of Greek canine imports via Greek Traders.

And last but not least (and entirely believable) there is the school of thought that says that the Spinone Italiano is a purely indigenous Italian dog descended from the ancient Italian hound—the Segugio Italiano—and that the Spinone so happens to be the founding father of all those other dog breeds it supposedly was developed from!

The Spinone Italiano in the Field

The Spinone Italiano is a big ultra-friendly dog. So accepting is this dog of people including strangers that one author was moved to quoting that “nobody has ever been bitten by a Spinone!” High praise indeed; that said this dog is very playful bordering on the rowdy and does unsurprisingly fantastically with kids.

Though it is slower than the english Pointer in the field it is still an excellent field dog outranking all other Italian gundogs in efficiency as a hunter. Due to its rugged, wiry coat and tough skin, the Spinone Italiano will venture into forbidding regions that other hunting dogs would never dare!

In fact this dog breed owes its name to the fact that it will venture into a particularly formidable thorny Italian bush called the pino that no other dog will! Be it field, swamp, forest or mountainous region the Spinone Italiano will venture forth without hesitation.

On account of its affable nature towards people, dog and other animals, the Spinone Italiano makes an excellent pet who will catch your dinner if and when the occasion arises.

Temperament of the Spinone Italiano

The Spinone Italiano is a gentle dog breed that desires nothing more than to please its owners. As mentioned before because of its playful nature and acceptance of all and sundry this dog gets on famously with kids and makes for an excellent home companion.

The Spinone Italiano is very affectionate and does not make for the best guard dog or protection hound (not surprising considering its ready acceptance of strangers).

Upkeep of the Spinone Italiano.

Like any other sporting dog breed the Spinone needs a fair amount of daily exercise if the dog is to remain in a happily balanced state. Exercise can be in the form of a long walk or a boisterous run off its leash. Thanks to its rugged covering this dog breed is perfectly suited to living outdoors in temperate and cool regions.

Coat care optimally requires weekly brushing and the occasional trim to remove excess fur insuch regions as the face and feet where it can quickly become somewhat extensive.

Health, Form & Function of the Spinone Italiano

The Spinone Italiano is a relatively long lived dog breed that has a life span that averages out between 12 – 14 years. This breed of hound is dogged (yes…pun intended) by only one major affliction which is CHD (canine hip dysplasia).

Thus obviously hip testing is recommended and to a lesser degree so is testing of the eyes because ectropion is a predominant minor health concern.

Article on Spinone Italiano by Kayye Nynne

The Norwegian Elkhound is a naturally hardy and resilient dog breed which isn’t surprising since this dog resides in the harsh, rugged region that was often knee deep with snow common to its habitat. Thus to accommodate such inhospitable environs the Norwegian Elkhound developed an exceptionally heavy outer coat with a plush, woolly undercoat offset with a luxurious neck-ruff for extra warmth and padding.

During its heyday years of moose hunting, the Norwegian Elkhound was employed in two forms of hunting. The first form known as the loshund (loose dog) was allowed to roam freely to track the scent of the game, run it down then corner it until the hunter arrived to dispatch the quarry.

The loshund  would generally hunt quietly until the quarry was cornered but if it tried to get away the dog wouldk furiously raising an alarm that would tell the hunter of its whereabouts.

The other form of hunting Norwegian Elkhound was known as the bandhund. The bandhund was kept on a leash at all times and used only to track the quarry but not to corner it. This form of hunting was favored in more open country whereas the loshund hunting form was best utilized in the heavy forest typical of the region.

Norwegian Elkhound Temperament

Combining traits from both the Spitz and Hound group of dogs the Norwegian Elkhound is naturally adventurous, independent, playful and energetic bordering to the boisterous. This dog loves the outdoors and is well equipped for even the harshest of cold weather.

Understandably in keeping with its bold and adventurous nature, this dog needs plenty of exercise on a daily basis otherwise it is prone to destructive behavior. The Norwegian Elkhound has an effortless trot which though not speedy can be sustained for hours in keeping with the manner for which this dog breed was developed; endurance not speed!

Norwegian Elkhound Health

The Norwegian Elkhound is a dog of average lifespan, 10 – 12 years and overall is a healthy dog breed. The one major health concern is CHD (canine hip dysplasia) and a number of minor health concerns such as sebaceous cysts, hot spots, renal dysplasia (kidney disease) and the very occasionally and rarely seen Fanconi syndrome.

Norwegian Elkhound Form

The Norwegian Elkhound is typically square in proportion and has pricked ears, a broad head, substantial bone structure and a tightly curled tail. It has been hypothesized that the curly tail type was selected and bred for by hunters because thus were they able to distinguish their dogs from their untamed cousins, the wolves, even from afar!

Article on Norwegian Elkhound written by Kayye Nynne

1. A well-trained dog is a delight to have and be around.

2. A well-trained dog is safe around people and other pets

3. A well-trained dog is safe off-leash!

4. A well-trained dog doesn’t soil the house

5. A well-trained dog heeds your commands

6. A well-trained dog spends more time with his family and thus is happier!

7. A dog that is trained will not be a financial drain on your pocket!

A Dog Without Training Is An Unhappy Dog!

Let’s be honest who wants to be around an untrained dog. At best you untrained dog is going to put his muddy paws all over your guests and mess up your home. At worst that untrained dog of yours is going to be the neighborhood menace!

Most dogs that are relegated to overdose on alone-time in their kennel are dogs that the owners do not want around. Such owners have thrown in the towel and find it far easier to keep their once-upon-a-time cute puppy and now big-bad-boisterous dog out-of-sight and out-of-mind rather than cope with the growing list of disasters associated with their pet. Such disasters may include:

• Fighting with other dogs when taken on walks
• Jumping on and soiling guests
• Making messes all over you house
• Chasing and biting the postman
• Dangerous behavior around children

Dogs are social creatures who need to be around and interact with their pack (in modern society that means their human family) if they are to remain mentally balanced and healthy.

But unfortunately most people don’t want to be around a dog that constitutes a nuisance so rather than cope with their “outta-contol furry menace” they’d rather relegate it to prolonged periods in its kennel (before admitting complete defeat and abandoning the dog to a shelter).

Article on dog training written by Kayye Nynne

Okay this post is apparently not going to win me many friends but I feel an obligation to put it out there anyway! Recently I just read about another unprovoked dog-related death and surprise surprise the dog breed involved was a Pit Bull or some kinda pit bull mix.

Now here is why I feel obliged to touch on this subject; lately I have written a series of articles entitled Powerdogs featuring…well powerdogs! I will be the first to admit that this list is highly subjective and the criterion to make the list lies solely at my discretion (hey it is my list after all). For example I am not sure that the Great Dane will necessarily make the list but that is really of little relevance here.

I bring up this subject of Powerdogs because about 4  of those  dog breeds on that list are what I consider dangerous dog breeds and I think it is only fair to point this out to those folks who might be excited by the prospect of getting a powerdog breed. It is also noteworthy that the dogs that fit my criteria as dangerous breeds were developed to fight (in other words fighting is inherent in their genetic legacy). The list by the way is not complete and will most certainly include the Pit Bull and the Rottweiler, the two dog breeds responsible for the most mauling-related human fatalities each year (not to mention the dog-on-dog attacks).

Clearing Up A Few Issues First

Under the right circumstances even the sweetest dog can lash out! Undoubtedly if a dog is raised cruelly in a harsh environment it is no big surprise when that dog turns out to be a menace, no matter the dog breed! But for purposes of this article we are going to assume that the dogs were raised in a loving environment and treated well!

Understanding Genetic Heritage And Individual Dog Temperament

Dr. Michael Fox said in his book Understanding Your Dog “Genetic factors are transmitted by inheritance, but the traits themselves are modi­fied by interacting genetic and environmental factors. Training and early experience greatly influence these traits…”

In essence what is being said is that with training and early socialization it is possible to counteract to an extent the genetic traits inherently bred into any dog breed. However please note the operative phrase “to an extent!”

These days it is well understood by dog experts and authorities (but unfortunately not widely acknowledged by the common public) that by the 7^th week of its life the temperament that a puppy possesses is the same temperament it will exhibit as an adult dog. It is in fact possible to determine the individual and different temperaments of puppies from the same litter.

Thus when (as so often happens) owners of Pit Bulls exclaim in outrage that the breed is being unfairly singled out and vilified by ignorant oafs (such as myself), they proffer as proof of their justified outrage the fact that they so happen to be the proud owners of the sweetest loving pit bull that there ever was! Well as previously noted, much like human family members possess and display totally different personalities, so will puppies from the same litter.

Now going back to the case of those owners with the sweetest pit bull there ever was there is a high likelihood that their dog exhibited high passive defense reflexes, high inhibitability levels and measured low on the dominance scale (for the breed at least). A dog with high passive defense reflexes requires a lot of stress and stimuli to be induced to bite. Some breeds have inherently higher levels than others, and even within the same breed different individual dogs display different levels.

The Pit Bull

There’s a very good reason why the Pit Bull is by far and away the leader in both human and dog maulings as well as fatalities and that is because the pit bull was selectively bred for those traits that predispose it to enhanced aggression; a trait that is very valuable in the fighting arena.

Touch Insensitivity Trait

One of the traits that was selectively bred for in the pit bull in order to make this dog breed into a more efficient fighter is what is known as touch insensitivity. This trait of touch insensitivity is common to dogs bred for fighting so that despite being severely wounded they would continue fighting. A dog high in this trait would be pretty much impervious to a might yank on its chain which goes a long way in explaining why it is so difficult to call off and disengage a pit bull engaged in an attack.

Other traits that were bred into the pit bull that enhance its violent nature are a tendency towards dominance and excitability; both excellent traits if you’re designing the ultimate fighter. Other features that the pit bull was selectively bred for all in the name of the “ultimate canine fighter” were enormous jaw strength, unparallel tenacity and extreme resilience!

In fact the Pit Bull is unique amongst dogs in exhibiting the unusual behavioral trait of being unfazed or undeterred in attacking opponents far larger than themselves. This would account for the unusual pattern of their attacks in that they are just as likely to attack an adult as they would a child! The Pit Bull is also notorious for attacking without warning or apparent provocation (that’s where that excitability trait comes into play).

The Rottweiler on the other hand (which is next on the list for most maulings and fatalities after the pit bull) displays a more normal child/adult attack ratio. All said and done, even though the Rottwieler is a bigger and more powerful dog than the pit bull, one has a better chance of surviving a Rottweiler attack than that of a Pit Bull, if for nothing else than that the Rottweiler does not possess the unrelenting tenacity or resilience of the Pitbull.

But Other Dog Breeds Bite Too!

This is the most often quipped disclaimer whenever the statistics for dog bites, maimings and fatalities are compiled and made public. True other dog breeds are involved in attacks but of all the breeds involved two especially stand out (yeah I know I’ve listed 3 dog types):

Pit Bull: 1110 Attacks; 608 Severe Maimings; 104 Deaths.

Rottweiler: 409 Attacks; 223 Severe Maimings; 58 Deaths.

Wolf Hybrid: 71 Attacks; 43 Severe Maimings; 18 Deaths.

These figures alone do not tell the whole story because they do not take into account the prevalence of a particular dog breed in society. For example there are far fewer wolf hybrid dogs than there are the other two breeds which means that proportionally many more fatalities resulted from wolf hybrid attacks than they did from the Pit Bull or Rottweiler.

Click here for a PDF Report detailing the statistics of Dog Attack Death & Maimings In US & Canada From Septmeber 1982 – November 2006.

That PDF report is excellent save for the small error where the author listed the Bullmastiff as the Presa Canario which is an entirely different dog breed altogether. The Presa Canario makes my list of dangerous breeds (unlike the Bullmastiff) and has indeed been banned in many countries.

On a final note concerning the aspect of Powerdogs that I have listed (and those which I haven’t but will eventually ) the following make my list of dangerous dog breeds:

• Tosa Inu
• Presa Canario
• Pit Bull
• Rottweiler

Of those four dog breeds on the list the only one that wasn’t singularly developed as a fighter is the Rottweiler. In Scandinavia breeders for some time have been trying to reduce the tendency of the Rottweiler to displaying unprovoked aggression through a program of selective breeding much in the same way that the Great Dane was converted into the lovable giant of today!

All the other breeds on my short list of dangerous dogs were developed as fighters and even though the Pit Bull is better known, the Presa Canario is probably a more dangerous dog for the fact it has all the fighting abilities of the Pit Bull except in a bigger and more powerful package.

The Japanese Tosa Inu is not as long-legged and heavy weight as its American cousin (200 lbs) and is yet another dog breed like the Presa Canario that has been banned in many countries (not surprisingly because this dog is typically heavier than 150 lbs and when in a rage would be truly difficult to bring under control).

It is of note that some other large and formidable Powerdog breeds with excellent fighting skills have not made it onto my list of dangerous dog breeds.

For example the Boerboel, a large Mastiff descendant, has been known to kill a leopard single-handedly! The formidable Kangal dog is a proven wolf slayer while the Caucasian Mountain dog is another huge powerful livestock protection dog that can easily best a Rottweiler!

So why aren’t these dogs on my list of dangerous dog breeds?

Simple! They were never bred as fighters but rather flock guardians and protector dogs; thus they do not display the overt aggression characteristic of dogs that were bred to fight!

Click here for a PDF Report detailing the statistics of Dog Attack Death & Maimings In US & Canada From Septmeber 1982 – November 2006.

Article on savage dogs by Kayye Nynne

• Canary dog
• Perro de Presa Canario
• Dogo Canario
• Canary mastiff

…is certainly not a dog for the faint of heart or the novice dog owner. The Presa Canario hails from the Canary Islands a place to which the Canary bird owes its name but contrary to popular belief is not name d for! The Canary Islands derive their name from the dogs that used to abound all across the archipelago which were referred to as canis (Latin word for dog) by the ancient Romans and as “canario” by the Spaniard settlers (canario means dogs).

The Presa Canario is undoubtedly a Mastiff descendant characterized by a powerful cuboid-shaped head that houses tremendously powerful jaws. The overall appearance of the Presa Canario is of a solid, muscular dog with thick-boned legs that though not short are not overly long so as to compromise the dogs well balanced center of gravity. All in all the Presa Canario paints the picture of a powerful yet agile dog of medium height.

Though this dog breed was originally bred as a livestock guard dog as well as herder, soon enough its days based as a farming dog were superseded as a fighter! One glance at the Canary dog’s build is more than enough to hint at its fighting pedigree. In fact to the untrained eye the Presa Canario looks remarkably like a very large, somewhat long-legged Pit Bull.

Long before the arrival of the Spaniards and other European settlers, the Canary Islands were host to an indigenous dog that was locally known as the Bardino Majorero. Indeed it was as attribute to those local breed of dogs that the Islands got their name of Canary from the Romans via the Latin word “canis” which means dog.

The Bardino Majorero was described as an exceptionally savage dog of fiery and tempestuous disposition. That said, the dog proved to be very trainable and made for an excellent guard dog that excelled in both courage and loyalty and was renowned for never backing down. Woe betide the man or beast that ever incited the ire of this dog!

The now extinct Bardino Majorero not only passed on its unparalleled ferocity and tenacity to its descendant, the Presa Canario, it also passed on its rather unusual habit of rarely barking if ever (guess that’s where the saying “beware of the silent dog” comes from).

Article on Presa Canario written by Kayye Nynne

• Tosa Inu
• Tosa Token
• Tosa Ken
• Japanese Tosa
• Japanese mastiff
• Japanese Fighting Dog
• Tosa Fighting Dog

Banned in many a country on account of a combination of its immense power, size and fighting genetic ancestry, the Tosa Inu is truly a powerdog if ever one existed! The countries that take issue with Tosa ownership, some having outright banned the breed include:

• United kingdom
• Australia
• Ireland
• New Zealand
• Denmark
• Norway

The Tosa Inu despite being a Japanese dog breed is actually a dog breed of mixed ancestry (well to be honest…aren’t they all). Fed up of losing dog fights to the various imported breeds, the local Japanese breeders decided to beef up their local fighting dog breeds.

What they had in mind was the ultimate fighting dog breed, a dog that would have greart endurance, power, strength and the sheer will and ability to take on and defeat any canine opponent!

To develop such a powerdog, the Japanese breeders crossed their local fighting dog, the Nihon Inu with the following dog breeds over a period of years as follows:

• Bulldogs in 1872
• Mastiffs in 1874
• German Pointers in 1876
• Great Danes in 1924

The period between 1924 and 1933 has been described as the boom period of Tosa Inu breeding where there were said to be more than 5,000 Tosa breeders in Japan.

The final result of the Tosa Inu breeding and development program was a powerful giant of a dog that was equipped and prepared to do battle to the death in complete and utter silence!

Despite its massive size the Tosa Inu has incredible stamina and equally incredible agility.

In size the Tosa Inu varies considerably from region to region. Japanese bred Tosa dogs are typically smaller than dogs bred from other countries. Japanese Tosa dogs range in weight from 80 – 130 lbs, whereas breeders from other countries (notably the United States) prefer larger dogs that range in weight from 130 lbs – 200 lbs (60 – 100 kg) and in height extend from 24.5 inches to 32 inches.

Due to its fighting ancestry, immense size, power and strength the Tosa Inu is obviously not a dog to be taken lightly and requires a lot of socialization. Evidently it is also not recommended for the average dog owner!

Article on Tosa written by Kayye Nynne

You see the thing is…we humans have pathetically delicate skin and flesh.

If you really want to behold tough skin…think buffalo! Ever seen video footage of a lioness or two (or more commonly three or more) trying to bring down a Cape Buffalo?

One lioness is typically latched tight to the Buffalo’s back with her powerful claws, sharp teeth clamping down hard as possible into the nape of her victim’s neck while her cohorts experience the careening ride of a lifetime as they hang onto the rump of the buffalo, their claws stuck as one in the buffalo’s hide.

The truly amazing thing though is that more often than not the buffalo shakes off those pesky 300lb lionesses and their ill intentions having sucumbed to surprisingly little damage if any from the lions’ powerful claws and jaws!

HUMAN SKIN MEETS DOG GNASHERS!

Okay this one’s a no-brainer! When push comes to shove a dog’s teeth will rip through your flesh…that is why it is ill advised for anybody to break up a dog fight (good intentions notwithstanding) using their own body as the instrument of restraint!

So what then is the best way to stop a dog fight?

Well the first thing to bear in mind is that dogs like us humans will invariably get into arguments with one another.

Typically an argument will manifest in a lot of growling, threatening and often some tussling whereby the vanquished dog will start whining and lay on his/her back in submission.

Sometimes however a dog fight will truly escalate into something really serious whereby one or both dogs may suffer serious injuries or even death.  This only usually happens when both dogs enjoy almost similar social status or if one dog is making a play for the dominant role!

If you find your dogs embroiled in such a fight your best course of action is to wash away their aggression with a blast of cold water from the garden hose (assuming the fight is taking place in the garden within proximity of the hose) or failing that spill a bucket full of cold water on them. That should generally do the trick!

Don’t make the mistake of trying to thwart their aggression with your hands because in the heat of the moment they will bite your intruding hand. In the aftermath as your shredded hand is getting stitched up it will be little comfort to know that they never actually intended to harm you!

TRYING TO SAVE YOUR DOG FROM A STRANGE DOG’S ATTACK IS COMMENDABLE BUT OFTEN ILL ADVISED!

The other day I was reading about how one lady tried to save her female German Shepherd from the unprovoked and savage attack of a Pit Bull. What the unfortunate lady never banked on was the Pit Bull turning its malicious fury fully on her!

Evidently this particular Pit Bull had been raised to be vicious and attack people and that is precisely what it did. by the time it was done the woman’s ear was a raw bloody mess no longer attached to her head!

However notwithstanding that this particular Pit Bull was improperly raised bear in mind that at the genetic level Pit Bulls are dog aggressive and were developed as pit scrappers. That means that more so than many other dog breeds they are more likely to entertain unprovoked attacks on other dogs.

And in a case such as what happened to this unfortunate woman the dogs fury can easily be transferred from your dog  to you…and believe me your dog is better equipped to handle such an attack. As the poor woman reflected in hindsight, “I should have let my German Shepherd take care of herself!”

THREE AGAINST ONE…NOT ON MY WATCH!

Okay I have just dished out what on the face of it appears like sound advice, but cummon let’s admit it life is messy; it is easier to preach than it is to practice.

I say this because there was a time I saved my 35 lb mutt from being attacked by three Doberman/Labrador dogs that each averaged about 100lbs.

Somehow my mutt whom I called Beast had used his exceptional climbing skills to scale a 14 foot wall and had somehow made it into my neighbors compound (must have been the allure of their bitch who was in heat and also happened to be the meanest of the three dogs).

I should point out that their dogs were guard dogs not pets!  Anyway the first I got wind of what was going on was when all of a sudden we heard this crescendo of crazy barking coming from next door. I, by the way was happily knocking back a stream of  cuba libres (rum ‘n’ coke) as I wolved down sides of mouthwatering barbecued flesh!

Anyway I could tell things we getting very serious in the dog fracas taking place next door. I felt that poor Beast was on the verge of getting ripped apart.

So despite the protestations of all and sundry and fired up with a good dose of proverbial Dutch courage from the rum ‘n’ coke I went round to my neighbors to put an end to the madness.

My neighbors (who were good friends) were at their wits end at what to do. I asked them why they didn’t call of their dogs and they said they had tried but to no avail.

Meanwhile, Beast, being the good strategist that he was, had positioned himself against a wall and was barking in high pitched yelps (sure sign of fear) to the three canine bullies menacing him to yield.

But yield he would not (obviously he had never read the memo about bravery and foolishness traipsing a very thin line indeed).

So I went for it…I had no other choice did I?

To the shouts, shock and gasps of all around I shoved my way through the melee of big dogs to stand by Beast’s side. Then I shouted at them to back off! Guess that must have done the trick because they seemed as surprised as everyone including myself…so much so they shut up and backed off!

Wow! These were the very same dogs that a couple of weeks earlier had almost ripped a burglar to bits!

So I picked up the sweaty, panting scared Beast and took him home, pausing to pat my new canine friends (guess who was the new “leader of the pack”) and that was that.

By the way after that episode those three dogs and I became best friends; I could leap into their garden in the middle of the night and they’d rush over tails wagging to greet me. If I called them and their owners called them at the same time guess who’d they come rushing to?

I know now that what I did was very risky and reckless (actually even then I had a good inkling that it wasn’t the wisest of ideas but then again I was  fired up with rum ‘n’ coke courage).

But I was lucky…the outcome would have probably been very different if I had squared off against a dog that was bred to fight and be aggressive such as the Pit Bull, Dogo Argentino or Presa Canario! Truth be told a Pit Bull and its ilk would  have probably ripped my mutt to death rather than have had a prolonged doggie argument as happened with the doberman/labradors whose space had been invaded.

Article on dog fighting written by Kayye Nynne

Article on

Okay this is my self-compiled list of the dog breeds that I refer to as Powerdogs! With hindsight I realize that if I am going to give a short (well relatively short) description of each Powerdog this post will trail off into infinity.

So what I shall do is give a short post on each, throw a pic and video and then at the very end I will compile the list with a pic of the respective dog breed and a hyperlink to its more detailed page.

WHAT IS A POWERDOG?

The Dogs In This Video Are Over 200 lbs Each

Typically Powerdogs breeds are over 100 pounds in weight (but not always) and overall are generally big dogs.

But as far as I am concerned the defining characteristic of a Powerdog is the combination of great strength, a typically dominant and obstinate temperament that necessitates early socialization and skilled training and such dogs are generally not recommended for the first time owner.

By and large this list of Powerdogs comes from either the Livestock Protection dog breeds or dogs that were developed as bull baiters and eventually bred for their dog fighting skills.

Some of these dog breeds have very notorious histories and much as lovers of each breed may claim that it is the fault of the owner and not the dog’s that it was involved in fatal biting incident I do not full agree. You see the problem is way too many dog owners do not conduct enough research about their selected dog breed.

Now having said that I will admit that a lot of dog attacks are related to certain dog breeds (namely the Pit Bull) for the simple fact that the criminal world has embraced it as the new weapon of choice.

Why?

Because, taking Britain as our case example, a hoodlum caught with a knife may face up to 4 years in prsion whereas if his/her assault was aided and abetted with a vicious dog attack then the maximum sentence is 6 months imprisonment!

However there is an obvious reason why the criminal crowd who favor a dog as their weapon of choice invariably resort to the same dog breeds, it is because the genetic breed development of such a dog lends itself well to their purpose…a four-legged weapon!

Okay enough talk, time to list the various Powerdogs.

LIST OR POWERDOGS!

1. Caucasian Mountain Dog

This is a large dog breed that weighs up to 200 lbs. The signature characteristic of this dog breed is the massive and broad skull. The typical male should be 30 inches (76cm) though a minimum of 26 inches is accepted  and the average female is about 28 inches (71cm).

Compared to other flock guardian dogs (livestock protection dogs) as a result of its “latter day” genetic development for military work the Caucasian Mountain dog is both more trainable and aggressive!

To enhance their natural ability as livestock protectors to that of compliant and trainable military dog the Soviet Military crossed the natural Caucasain Ovcharkas with Leonbergers, German Shepherds, Great Danes and the Saint Bernard.

Pure blood lines of the Caucasian Mountain dog still exist but they come at a premium price!

To Be Continued