The French Bulldog originated in England and was bred to hunt rodents and also to be a companion to people. They are a mixture of the English Bulldog and a variety of French Terriers!

This breed is a goofy little character that needs loads of affection to be happy. They are animated, fun loving and sweet making them uplifting dogs to be around. The French Bulldog (Frenchie) will make an excellent family pet because they like children and get along well with other dogs and smaller pets such as cats.

Solid, sturdy, and stout, the Frenchie is a significant dog for such a small package! They have a pushed in face and large bat like ears. Their legs are muscular and toned giving them the traditional bulldog appearance. Naturally their tails are shaped in a corkscrew, just like that of a pig!

Breed Group

Non-Sporting

Size

Males: 12 inches high
Females: 12 inches high

Weight

Males: 20-28 lbs
Females: 16-24 lbs

*Neither male nor female can be over 28 lbs as this is grounds for disqualification in the show ring.

Color(s)

The French Bulldog comes in a wide variety of colours such as cream, brindle, liver, fawn with black, blue and ticked pied. The most commonly seen is cream or brindle but all are accepted within the AKC standards.

Coat

The Frenchie has a silky short coat that will need very minimal grooming to upkeep. They shed an average amount of fur and are generally very easy to keep in perfect condition!

Life Expectancy

About 10-12 years.

Personality

This breed is a spirited and active little dog that has an upbeat and charming personality. They can be a stubborn breed especially when it comes to training, but this can be overcome with consistency on the owner’s part! Although these dogs are little, they have been known to excel in weight pulling, agility and obedience trials!

Socialization will be needed at a young age to ensure that the Frenchie is comfortable around dogs and other people. Generally they are affectionate and friendly to everyone but might sometimes have problems with dogs of the same sex.

Care

The French Bulldog is a very low maintenance dog when it comes to grooming their coat. Brushing once per week and bathing every 1-2 months will be perfect! These dogs are prone to breathing difficulties because their face is pushed in, giving them little room for their nasal passage to be fully open. Eye ailments, difficult labor, cleft palates, and not being able to swim are also traits the Frenchie might be inclined to receive!

Most of their inherited diseases or problems occur because of their bodily structure and some of these may be avoided if the dog is kept at a healthy weight and if the owner checks the medical background of the puppy’s parents before deciding to buy so they know that they will be getting a healthy baby.

Training

The French Bulldog is a stubborn dog that will need consistent training but this must be done in a very gentle manner. Frenchies thrive on the love they receive from their master and negative training methods will completely ruin their confidence! Repetition and lessons that are made to be fun will be the key to success for these dogs. If they are having a good time while learning obedience, they will be much more likely to perfect it at a quick rate.

Activity

This breed will need roughly a half an hour of exercise per day. Trips to an off-leash dog park or a long walk will tire them out. Frenchies play during the day and use up most of their energy but will still need daily exercise to keep them in shape. They will do well in an apartment as they are small and don’t need a large amount of space. A backyard would be excellent but is not a necessity.

The Finnish Spitz originated in Finland and was bred to hunt small game, elk and even bear! They are notorious for their incredibly fast barking and statistically they can bark up to 160 times in one minute. Despite their small size, this breed has mastered their hunting abilities and are so prized that historically their masters would feed them the first hunted game of the day.

This little dog has a compact, athletic body and strong, strait legs that give them their quick stride and long gait. They have a sharp muzzle, large triangular ears, and small circular eyes that give them a constant alert look. The Finnish Spitz has a tightly coiled tail with small rounded paws. Their coat is thick and straight with a variety of light red colouring giving them a similar appearance (face and coat colour wise) to a fox.

The Finnish Spitz is a responsive, outgoing and affectionate breed that needs to have their owners acceptance and love in order to thrive. They are loyal and hardworking making them not only great hunters/working dogs, but also excellent companions. They make great family pets because they adore children and will get along with other smaller animals in the household as well as other dogs. Despite their hunting and barking instincts, the Finnish Spitz is not a loud dog nor are they highly prey driven making them easier to raise and train.

Breed Group

Non-Sporting

Size

Males: 15-19 inches high

Females: 14-17 inches high

Weight

Males: 27-35 lbs
Females: 20-27 lbs

Color(s)

The Finnish Spitz comes in a variety of reds ranging from blonde red to a rich brown red. Most commonly seen is the deep red which is similar in colouring to a fox. All shades of red with tiny white markings is acceptable for the AKC standards.

Coat

This breed has a thick double layered coat with the outer layer being soft and plushy to the touch. The under layer has a light cotton feel and is very warm keeping them insulated when hunting in cold weather. The Finnish Spitz must have a straight coat, wavy or curly is not accepted in shows and must be standing on end.

Life Expectancy

About 12-15 years.

Personality

The Finnish Spitz is an energetic, happy dog that will need a family that has the time to spend with them. They are not a dog to be left at home or alone often because they will become very barky and depressed. They have a strong bond with their masters and will work to please them. The Finnish Spitz will be weary of people they’ve never met but will warm up after a few meetings. These dogs are clever and will be more difficult to train but once they have the concept, it will stay with them forever.

This breed is notorious for their cleanliness because they keep themselves quite clean and don’t make messes around the house. They will make a great medium sized pet and just need consistency during training and be considered part of the family to be content! The Finnish Spitz is known for their barking or noises they enjoy making so people that want a quiet dog should not consider one of these.

Care

The Finnish Spitz will need a moderate amount of grooming to upkeep their coat. Brushing 2-3 times per week and bathing when the owner feels it necessary is all they need to stay well groomed. This breed is prone to hip dysplasia, epilepsy, Progressive Retinal Atrophy, and luxating patella’s. They are considered one of the healthiest breeds and do not usually inherit these diseases, but the parents history should be checked just to see what their medical background is and what potentials might be passed onto their offspring.

Training

This breed is incredibly clever but will need a patient and firm owner to be able to teach them. Consistency is the key with these dogs but they also need shorter lessons and the training to be made enjoyable for obedience information to stick. Controlling the barking level of this breed is a must because if they are able, they will bark unnecessarily and will become a nuisance to the family and neighbors.

Activity

The Finnish Spitz will need about an hour of exercise per day and this can be done running at an off-leash park or on a walk. Chasing after a ball or playing with other dogs in a dog park will be much more effective to burn off their energy because these dogs need and love to run! They will do well in an apartment because they don’t need the space of a household to live in and access to a backyard would be preferable but is not needed.

The Flat-Coated Retriever was developed in the nineteenth century and is a cross between several already established breeds, including the Irish Setter, Labrador, Water Dog, and the St. John’s Newfoundland.

The Flat Coated Retriever was at one time fairly popular with English sportsmen until the beginning of the World War, but eventually was overshadowed by other Retriever breeds.

The Flat-Coated Retriever breed is known for working well on land, water, marshy areas and in a variety of tasks. This wonderful companion tend to be an excellent swimmer and quite versatile as hunting dogs. The noble Flat-Coated Retriever is a loyal, alert, easy-going and protective dog.

Breed Group

Sporting

Size

22 – 24 inches tall (at shoulder)

Weight

60 – 70 lbs

Color(s)

Solid black or liver

Coat

The Flat Coated Retriever has a all-weather coat that is of moderate length, bright, flat or slightly curly.

Life Expectancy

About 9 – 12 years.

Personality

The Flat Coated Retriever deserves more human affection and attention, so he does very well in an energetic large family where he can be the center of attention. These dogs has a very stable temperament and is superb with children, stranger, other dogs and pets, this breed loves everyone.

Care

Cancer is common for the Flat-Coated Retriever, also CHD (Canine Hip Dysplasia), PRA (Progressive Retinal Atrophy), epilepsy and diabetes are occasionally seen. The coat of the Flat-Coated Retriever require a minimum amount of grooming on a regular basis with a firm bristle brush, also some trimming may be required occasionally. This breed is a medium shedder.

Training

The Flat Coated Retriever is a naturally obedient and highly trainable dog that makes a wonderful hunter fellow. This breed is very joyful and active so should require consistency, easily bored he will quickly lose interest, be sure to keep training sessions short and fun, without excessive repetition. The Flat Coated Retriever thrives on training and is eager to please his owner, so discipline is not required and positive reinforcement work best. Some of the Flat-Coated Retriever’s skills are retrieving, hunting, tracking, watchdogging and also agility.

Activity

The Flat-Coated Retriever is not recommended for apartment dwelling, this active dog needs at least 2 hours of exercise and outdoor fun daily to be happy and in shape. The Flat-Coated Retriever makes an excellent jogging and swimming companion to.

The Field Spaniel originated in England and was bred to retrieve and hunt game alongside their owners. These dogs are a mixture of the Basset Hound, English Springer Spaniel and the Sussex Spaniel which gives them their longer body and shorter height.

This breed has a compact, solidly built body that is slightly longer than it is tall. Their ears are large and floppy which aid in listening for their quiet prey. The Field Spaniel has a large muzzle, to carry game in, and big friendly eyes. Their legs are toned which provides them with agility and speed when retrieving. Naturally this breed has a long tail, but will be docked for show purposes.

The Field Spaniel is a relaxed breed that thrives on the attention and affection they get from their owners. They are sweet and cheerful dogs that will make excellent family pets. This breed adores children and will interact well with other animals. Although their calm nature is evident, they will need socialization extensively as puppies to get to this state. People and other dogs will need to constantly be around this breed for them to learn and become comfortable in various social situations.

Breed Group

Sporting

Size

Males: 17-19 inches high

Females: 17-19 inches high

Weight

Males: 30-55 lbs
Females: 30-55 lbs

Color(s)

The Field Spaniel will come in black or liver. Spottings or tiny markings of white or cream are accepted but the most commonly seen colouring is solid liver.

Coat

This breed has a longer, sleek coat that is slightly wavy and soft to the touch. The fur cascades to their under belly, chest and legs giving them a wispy look. Grooming will be needed on a weekly basis but nothing extensive.

Life Expectancy

About 10-12 years.

Personality

The Field Spaniel is an energetic breed that will need an owner who has the time to spend with them and the energy to do outdoor activities. They love to run, chase and hunt so exercise should involve some swimming and running. Jolly, spirited and clever, the Field Spaniel will make a hardworking hunting partner and also a loyal, loving family companion. Despite their outgoing character, they will be more weary of people whom they haven’t met but once they are introduced, will quickly warm up.

These dogs are notorious for the bonds they develop with the owners. They devote their lives to pleasing their families and will not seek attention from anyone else. The Field Spaniel should be included in the pack as much as possible and shouldn’t be left alone for long periods of time.

Care

The Field Spaniel will need a minimal amount of grooming to upkeep their coat. Brushing once per week and bathing every 2 months will be perfect. They have a longer coat but with regular grooming, will not become matted or tangled. These dogs are prone to ear infections most commonly because of their large floppy ears.

The areas in which they would normally hunt are usually wet and humid so this adds to the already easily infected area. Hip dysplasia might also be inherited genetically but if the potential owner checks the puppy’s parent’s medical history, they may avoid this ailment.

Training

These dogs are incredibly clever and will be an easier breed to train in obedience and for the most part, will stay open minded and alert. They have been known to have a stubborn streak but with repetition and firm methods, their owner will succeed and the dog will grasp the concept. The Field Spaniel is definitely not a breed to use negative training methods on as they will become sad and depressed if they see their owner is not happy with them.

Activity

The Field Spaniel will need at least 1-2 hours of exercise per day to tire them out. Swimming, running and hiking are the best options to burn this breed’s energy and while doing so, they will have the time of their lives! They will do well in a household environment that has a backyard because they need as much room as possible to live and roam in.