I was also cheered to see that second place was taken by winner of the Pastoral Group, a Samoyed called Ch Vandreem Imperial Hermioni. I have a Samoyed friend called Sammy, who is a regular at my local – the Famous Royal Oak, where we dogs are very welcome. Dog friendly pubs are rare in London, and sometimes there are four or five dogs in the bar, usually much better behaved than the humans! A Crufts winner might think he is too grand to slum it at the pub, but we often see some human celebs at the bar so a few famous dogs – apart from me, of course – would fit in well. ]]> http://dogs.brilliant4biz.com/crufts-best-in-show/feed/ 0 http://dogs.brilliant4biz.com/breeds/ http://dogs.brilliant4biz.com/breeds/#comments Thu, 17 Jan 2008 20:07:21 +0000 Kevin http://dogs.brilliant4biz.com/breeds/ I have just been looking at the figures for the most popular puppy breeds registered with the Kennel Club last year, then I compared the results with the dog breeds that American owners are picking at the moment. There are a lot of similarities, like the Labrador in first place on both sides of the pond. After that the two countries have very different favourite dogs. Over here, Spaniels are much loved by dog owners, with Cocker Spaniels, Springer Spaniels and King Charles all showing in the Top Ten. I was disappointed to see that Staffordshire Bull Terriers are still showing up in the list for the UK. Since I was attacked by a Staffordshire Bull Terrier in September we are even more wary of these dogs as they are bred for fighting and mostly they are not socialised with other dogs at all. At least Staffies do not feature in the American Top 10! My cousin the German Shepherd rightly holds a place in both lists, they are a noble stately kind of dog and although they are not always very friendly when they are in the street, they are not aggressive either. Boxers are another breed that is still popular, I remember Mum fell in love with one of these dogs when she was house hunting recently. A newcomer to the American list is the Bulldog, in tenth place – these are the dogs known as British Bulldogs over here, and our friends have a beautiful Bulldog called Gracie who comes to my Nan’s house to visit me. She is docile and very friendly and she followed me all over the house at my Nan’s party. Dad said his parents had a poodle when he was young, and they are finally becoming more popular again.

]]> http://dogs.brilliant4biz.com/breeds/feed/ 0 http://dogs.brilliant4biz.com/which-dog-for-you/ http://dogs.brilliant4biz.com/which-dog-for-you/#comments Thu, 29 Nov 2007 20:38:34 +0000 Kevin http://dogs.brilliant4biz.com/which-dog-for-you/ If you have decided to bring a dog into your family life – well done!! Adopting a dog will bring rewards that you could not have predicted, but it is still a big decision that affects every part of your life.  As you are going to make a dog part of your life, and are resolved to becoming a responsible dog owner the main question you are facing is : What kind of dog should I get?

In order to find out which breed and size of dog is best for you, you need to think about what you expect from a dog.

Do you want your dog to jog with you? Higher energy breeds, such as herding dogs, or working dogs are ideal exercise partners. They require a lot of exercise though, so if you aren’t prepared to spend several hours a day exercising your dog, maybe these types aren’t for you.
Dogs for the Active Lifestyle

Do you want a dog who’s content to snuggle on the couch? Some hunting breeds, such as Basset Hounds, or sighthounds, like the Greyhound, are content with shorter periods of exercise, or a good walk twice daily.

Do you want a dog that you don’t have to bend down to pet?

Do you want a dog that you can lift onto your lap, or cuddle in your arms while standing?

Once you’ve decided on size and energy, it’s time to look at other factors.

Are there children in your home?
A breed known for tolerance in children is a good idea then.