AIREDALE TERRIER
Size: Approximately 21 to 24 inches at the withers and 45 to 60 pounds
Origin: United Kingdom
Family: Terriers
Exercise: Needs daily exercise.
Grooming: Requires daily brushing and professional stripping once every few months.
Character: Protective, friendly and humorous but may be stubborn, restless and aggressive with other dogs.
AMERICAN COCKER SPANIEL
Size: Approximately 14 to 16 inches at the withers and 21 to 33 pounds.
Origin: USA
Family: Gun Dogs / Sporting
Exercise: Needs plenty of exercise as the breed was originally bred for hunting.
Grooming: Long profuse coat that needs daily brushing to prevent tangles. Regular trimming is recommended. Special care should be given to the inspection of the ears due to its length.
Character: Easily trained, cheerful and obedient but may have a stubborn streak.
AMERICAN ESKIMO DOG (STANDARD)
Size: Approximately 15 to 19 inches at the withers and 19 to 33 pounds.
Origin: USA
Family: Non-sporting
Exercise: Needs daily exercise to prevent boredom and destructive behaviour. Suitable for colder climates and does not enjoy hot and humid weather.
Grooming: Daily brushing recommended. Tear stains under the eyes need to be regularly cleaned. Does not need to be bathed too often as this breed has a drier skin compared with other breeds.
Character: Lively, independent, intelligent and easily trained but may have excessive chewing or barking problems when bored.
AMERICAN STAFFORDSHIRE TERRIER
Size: Approximately 16 to 19 inches at the withers and 55 to 70 pounds.
Origin: USA
Family: Non-sporting
Exercise: Requires frequent exercise.
Grooming: Regular grooming is sufficient.
Character: Devoted, fearless and strong but as this breed was bred for dog fighting and closely related to the American Pit Bull, dominance or aggression towards strangers or other dogs may become an issue. Needs to be trained firmly from a young age to prevent such destructive and aggressive behaviour. Not suitable for inexperienced dog owners.
AMERICAN WATER SPANIEL
Size: Approximately 15 to 18 inches at the withers and 22 to 45 pounds.
Origin: USA
Family: Gun Dogs / Sporting
Exercise: Needs daily exercise to prevent boredom and destructive behaviour. Suitable for colder climates and does not enjoy hot and humid weather.
Grooming: Daily brushing recommended. Tear stains under the eyes need to be regularly cleaned. Does not need to be bathed too often as this breed has a drier skin compared with other breeds.
Character: Lively, independent, intelligent and easily trained but could be slow to mature and may bark excessively when bored.
AUSTRALIAN CATTLE DOG
Size: Approximately 17 - 20 inches at the withers and 35 - 50 pounds
Origin: Australia
Family: Herding Dog
Exercise: Needs lots of exercise as the breed was originally bred for cattle herding.
Grooming: Weekly brushing recommended.
Character: Intelligent, good natured and has a very high energy level. May have a tendency to "herd" family members. May have aggression tendencies towards other dogs or strangers due to a strong territorial instinct.
AUSTRALIAN KELPIE
Size: Approximately 17 - 22 inches at the withers and 30 - 45 pounds
Origin: Australia
Family: Working / Herding Dog
Exercise: Requires plenty of exercise in wide open spaces to prevent boredom and destructive behaviour as the breed was originally bred for sheep herding.
Grooming: Weekly brushing is sufficient.
Character: Intelligent, independent. agile and full of stamina. May try to "herd" children or other small pets by nipping. Easily bored and requires a lot of exercise and stimulation. Not suitable as an apartment pet.
BASENJI
Size: Approximately 16 to 18 inches at the withers and 20 to 25 pounds.
Origin: Zaire, Africa
Family: Hounds
Exercise: Frequent exercise required, needs wide open spaces. The Basenji also loves to climb up high things and may even scale fences occasionally.
Grooming: Short haired coat is easily maintained with once a week brushing. Basenjis will also wash themselves in a manner similar to cats.
Character: Also called the Barkless Dog as it seldom barks but it occasionally makes a noise similar to a yodel. The Basenji is independent, curious and highly intelligent. However it could be mischievous and aggressive with other dogs. Like cats, the Basenji will tend to avoid water as much as possible.
Special characteristics: Requires vegetables in diet and may also eat grass.
BASSET HOUND
Size: Approximately 13 to 15 inches at the withers and 45 to 65 pounds.
Origin: France
Family: Hounds
Exercise: Requires daily walks as Basset Hounds become overweight easily.
Grooming: Daily grooming with brush or hound glove. Special care should be given to cleaning their long ears which may pick up dirt from the ground easily.
Character: Calm, good-natured and very friendly with children but could be stubborn and difficult to train. May howl instead of bark when seeking attention.
BEAGLE
Size: Approximately 13 to 16 inches and 18 to 35 pounds.
Origin: United Kingdom
Family: Hounds
Exercise: Regular exercise needed.
Grooming: Grooming required a few times a week.
Character: Cheerful, energetic and very sociable. Also good with children but may be stubborn, difficult to train and tend to wander off easily due to their independent and inquisitive nature.
BEARDED COLLIE
Size: Aproximately 20 TO 22 inches and 45 To 60 pounds.
Origin: United Kingdom
Family: Herding / Working Dogs
Exercise: Daily exercise needed preferably in wide open spaces.
Grooming: Daily brushing is required to prevent tangling and matting of their long coat.
Character: Gentle, sociable and cheerful but could be a little clumsy. The Bearded Collie may try to "herd" his family members too.
BEDLINGTON TERRIER
Size: Aproximately 15 to 17 inches at the withers and 18 to 24 pounds.
Origin: United Kingdom
Family: Terrier
Exercise: Average amount of exercise needed.
Grooming: Daily combing is required and professional grooming once every few months.
Character: Looks like a lamb but actually has an aggressive terrier-like personality. Active and playful but may not get along with other dogs or pets and should always be on a leash when on walks.
BORDER COLLIE
Size: Aproximately 18 to 22 inches at the withers and 35 to 45 pounds.
Origin: United Kingdom
Family: Herding Dogs / Working Dogs
Exercise: Large amount of exercise needed to prevent boredom.
Grooming: Daily brushing required.
Character: Hardworking, highly intelligent and easily trained but requires plenty of exercise in order to prevent boredom that leads to destructive behaviour. Not suited for urban environments. May try to "herd" family members and other small pets and be suspicious of strangers.
BOSTON TERRIER
Size: Aproximately 15 to 17 inches at the withers and 10 to 25 pounds.
Origin: USA
Family: Non-sporting / Terrier
Exercise: Moderate exercise is sufficient.
Grooming: Little grooming required.
Character: Affectionate, sociable, easy to train and suitable for urban environments. They may be aggressive towards other dogs but are generally calm and tolerant towards other pets. Snorting and snoring may also be a problem.
BOYKIN SPANIEL
Size: Aproximately 14 to 18 inches at the withers and 25 to 40 pounds.
Origin: USA
Family: Working / Gun Dogs
Exercise: Requires plenty of exercise. Exercise that includes retrieving or water activities is highly recommended as the Boykin loves to swim.
Grooming: Weekly brushing is sufficient.
Character: Intelligent, affectionate, enthusiastic and easily trained. Although a working breed, the Boykin also makes a good companion dog due to its friendly and tolerant nature. However, they will need daily exercise to prevent destructive behaviour due to boredom.
BRITTANY
Size: Aproximately 17 to 21 inches at the withers and 30 to 40 pounds.
Origin: France
Family: Sporting / Gun Dogs
Exercise: Requires lots of exercise in wide open spaces to prevent restlessness.
Grooming: Daily brushing will help to keep the Brittany's coat clean and healthy.
Character: Good working dog, responsive, eager to please, affectionate and easily trained. The Brittany is a sensitive soul and may become timid and fearful if treated harshly so remember to treat the Brittany gently during training. Their friendly nature may make them unsuitable as guard dogs. Possible problems include becoming restless and destructive when bored.
BULLDOG
Size: Aproximately 13 to 16 inches at the withers and 40 to 50 pounds.
Origin: United Kingdom
Family: Non-sporting breed
Exercise: The Bulldog does not need a lot of exercise but a little exercise is still required to prevent obesity.
Grooming: Brushing a few times a week is sufficient.
Character: Friendly, phlegmatic, relaxed and good natured. The Bulldog loves food and may tend towards obesity if its food intake is not properly monitored. They could also be stubborn and a little possessive. Possible problems include breathing difficulties such as wheezing. As the Bulldog has a succeptibility to heat strokes, he should never be left unmonitored in a hot and humid environment.
For more information about the Bulldog, check out this great book:
The Book of the Bulldog (320 Pages; Hardcover) *.
BULL TERRIER
Size: Aproximately 20 to 22 inches at the withers and 45 to 65 pounds.
Origin: United Kingdom
Family: Terrier
Exercise: Requires a moderate amount of exercise daily as they could easily become destructive when bored.
Grooming: A weekly brush is sufficient.
Character: Friendly, loyal, affectionate and a good watch dog. However as this breed was originally bred for dog fighting, he could be aggresive towards other dogs. The Bull Terrier could also be obstinate and disobedient. Consistent and calm training from a young age is needed to curb their aggressive tendencies. Not a suitable breed for first- time dog owners.