Miniature Schnauzer

General Physical Description

The Miniature Schnauzer is a small sized dog. They are sturdy and muscular with an alert outlook. Their eyebrows, moustache and leg hair gives them a very distinctive appearance.
Height Min Max
Bitch 33cm 33cm

Dog 35cm 35cm
Weight Min Max
Bitch 7kg 7kg

Dog 8kg 8kg


Size Category Small
Weight Height Range Ideally dogs should measure 35cms at the withers and weigh 8kgs. Bitches should measure 33cms and weigh 7kgs.
Ailments There are several conditions that occur in the breed. Breeders are trying to reduce them by careful and responsible breeding and screening where possible.


History

A Schnauzer type dog has been represented in art and sculptures as early as the 1400’s. This breed is a result of crossing the Standard Schnauzer with the Affenpinscher and other small breeds. The name Schnauzer was first associated with this breed in 1879. They were recognised as a separate breed in 1899 in Germany and first appeared in America in 1925.
Intelligence The Miniature Schnauzer is an intelligent dog that is easily trained and likes to please, although it does not enjoy repetitive training for its own sake. The breed is contented and not destructive when left alone.
Show Characteristics The head should be strong, being flat between the ears. They should have a powerful blunt muzzle and a strong jaw with a perfect scissor bite. The eyes should be of medium size, dark and oval, with arched bushy eyebrows. The ears should be V shaped and high set. The neck should be strong and slightly arched. The chest should be deep and broad, and the topline strong and straight, slightly higher at the shoulder than the back end. A short-coupled breed, the body length should be the same as the height at the withers. The front legs should appear straight when viewed from all angles, the back legs should be well muscled. The feet should be compact, round and cat like. The tail is customarily docked to 3 joints, high set and carried high. The coat should be harsh and wiry with a dense undercoat however for the show ring this is stripped out to give a shorter and cleaner outline. The preferred colours for the show ring are salt & pepper, black with silver markings or solid black.
Country Of Origin Germany



Energy Medium
Overall Exercise 40 - 60 minutes
Distress Caused if Left Alone Low
Personal Protection Medium
Suitability As Guard Dog Medium
Risk of Sheep Worrying Low
Tendency to Bark Medium
Ease of Transportation High
Level of Aggression Low
Compatibility With Other Animals Medium
Suitable For Children
Medium
General Character And Temperament The Mini is a lively, active little dog. They can be stubborn and wilful and do need a firm hand when training. They do get on well with children and other household pets if they are introduced at an early age. The Miniature Schnauzer makes an ideal family pet and watchdog. They are quite vocal and will be quick to alert the family of any strangers approaching their territory. The Miniature Schnauzer is the most popular of the three Schnauzer breeds, it also is said to have the best temperament.
Grooming


Grooming Requirement > Once a week
Trimming
Requires Professional Groomer True
Grooming The coat of the Mini is harsh, wiry and short with a dense undercoat. All over grooming is required at least twice a week. Hand stripping is a must for the show ring but clipping is straightforward and easy for the smart family pet although the body colour does pale over the years.
Colour They can be salt and pepper, black with silver markings, solid black or white in colour. White is not a common colour and is rarely seen in the show ring.
Shedding Little
Suffers From Allergies
Tendency to Cause Allergies

Source: petplanet.co.uk

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

Appearance

The Cavalier is by most measures the largest toy breed: though clearly a lap dog, fully-grown adults tend to fill one rather amply. It is nonetheless quite small for a spaniel, with fully-grown Cavaliers roughly comparable in size to an adolescent of a more conventional spaniel breed. Breed standards call for a height between 29 and 33 cm (12-13 inches) with a proportionate weight between 5,5 and 8,5 kg (13 and 18 lbs). Unlike most other spaniels, the Cavalier has a full-length tail well-feathered with long hair, which is typically carried aloft when walking.


Coat

The Blenheim's coat features rich chestnut markings on a pearly white background.The breed naturally grows a substantial silky coat of moderate length. Breed standards call for it to be free from curl, with a slight wave permissible. In adulthood, Cavaliers grow lengthy feathering on their ears, chest, legs, feet and tail; breed standards demand this be kept long, with the feathering on the feet cited as a particularly important feature of the breed.

The breed has four recognized colors:

Blenheim (rich chestnut on pearly white background)
Tricolor (black and white with tan markings on cheeks, inside ears, resembling eyebrows, inside legs, and on underside of tail)
Black and Tan (black with tan markings)
Ruby (rich reddish-brown all over)
Parti-colors are the colors that include white: Blenheim and Tricolor. Whole-colors have no white: Black and Tan, and Ruby. The Blenheim is the most common color, although the others are not rare.

If you are wanting to show a Blenheim Cavalier King Charles Spaniel extra points will be given for a rich chestnut dot placed between the eyes on the top of the forehead, called the lozenge. It is rare which makes it desirable for show breeders.


Temperament

A Ruby Cav at six months.The breed is highly affectionate, and some have called the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel "the ultimate lap dog". Most dogs of the breed are playful, extremely patient and eager to please. As such, dogs of the breed are usually good with children and other dogs. A well-socialized Cavalier will not be shy about socializing with much larger dogs. (However, on occasion, this tendency can be dangerous, as many cavaliers will presume all other dogs to be equally friendly, and may attempt to greet and play with aggressive dogs).

However, the extremely social nature of the Cavalier KC Spaniel means that they require almost constant companionship from humans or other dogs, and are not suited to spending long periods of time on their own.





History

A young King Charles II with his King Charles SpanielsFor many centuries, small breeds of spaniels have been popular in the United Kingdom. In the eleventh century, in the reign of King Canute, it was illegal to hunt with any dog that could not fit through a gauge that was eleven inches in diameter. Hence, the "birth" of the Toy Spaniel in the United Kingdom. Some centuries later, Toy Spaniels became popular as pets, especially as pets of the royal family. In fact, the King Charles Spaniel was so named because a Blenheim-coated spaniel was the children's pet in the household of Charles I. King Charles II went so far as to issue a decree that the King Charles Spaniel could not be forbidden entrance to any public place, including the Houses of Parliament. Such spaniels can be seen in many paintings of the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. These early spaniels had longer, pointier snouts and thinner-boned limbs than today's.

Over time, the toy spaniels were replaced in popularity by short-snouted, dome-headed dogs of Asian descent, such as the Pug and Japanese Chin. The King Charles Spaniel was bred with these dogs, resulting in the similar-shaped head of today's English Toy Spaniel breed. The King Charles Spaniel remained popular at Blenheim Palace, home to the Dukes of Marlborough, where the brown and white version was the most popular - resulting in the name Blenheim for that color combination.

In the 1920s, an American named Roswell Eldrige offered twenty-five pounds as a prize for any King Charles Spaniel "of the old-fashioned type" with a longer nose, flat skull, and a lozenge (spot) in the middle of the crown of the head, sometimes called "the kiss of Buddha," "Blenheim Spot," or "Kissing Spot". So, the breed was developed by selective breeding of short-snouted Spaniels. The result was a dog that resembled the boyhood pet of the future Charles II of England ("Cavalier King Charles"), whence the breed derives its name.

Source: Wilkipedia.

Bichon Frise.

The Bichon Frise is a charming puffball of a dog with a loosely curled double coat consisting of a textured outer coat lined with a soft, fine, silky undercoat that is 3 to 4 inches (7-10cm.) long and is virtually hypo-allergenic. It is usually all white, but cream, gray or apricot hairs are permitted. It can be shown clipped like a poodle or long-haired with clippings only at the feet and muzzle. This breed should be trimmed for a rounded appearance. It has a moderate muzzle that is not pointed. Its stop is only slightly accentuated. It has a scissors bite with round dark intelligent eyes and hanging ears that are well covered with hair. The neck is long and the chest is well developed. Its tail is curved over its back.
Temperament
The Bichon is a most appealing little white dog that loves human company. It has an independent spirit, is intelligent, affectionate, bold and lively. This charming, gentle dog is not a yapper. It has a self-assured, happy temperament that is easy to live with. These bright little dogs are easy to train and just plain old love everyone. They need people to be happy. They are naturally sociable and are happiest when they are part of a family that takes them everywhere. This sociable trait also means that they are fine in the company of other dogs & pets and are excellent with children. Used as watchdogs and to perform tricks, this breed is competitive and obedient. Like a lot of smaller breeds, the Bichon may be difficult to housebreak. The Bichon Frise was one of the "Yuppie Puppies" very popular in the 1980's. As a result many were carelessly over-bred and some Bichon lines can be snippy. When seeking a Bichon be sure to find a reputable breeder to get the best personality traits this breed has to offer.
Height, Weight
Height: Dogs 9-12 inches (23-30cm.) Bitches 9-11 inches (23-28cm.)Weight: 7-12 pounds (3-5kg.)
Health Problems
Some are prone to watery eyes, cataracts, skin and ear ailments, also epilepsy and dislocated kneecaps. They can be very sensitive to flea bites.
Living Conditions
The Bichon Frise can live in an apartment if it gets enough exercise. They are fairly active indoors and will do okay without a yard.
Exercise
These are active little dogs and play will take care of most of their exercise needs, but they do love walks and especially to romp in the open.
Life Expectancy
About 15 or more years
Litter Size
1 - 6 puppies - Average 4 - 5
Grooming
This breed should be groomed frequently and bathed every month. Professional grooming is recommended every 4 weeks. Trim around the eyes and ears with a blunt pair of scissors and clean the eyes extensively to prevent staining. Show dogs are trimmed with scissors. The body of the pet dogs may be clipped with electric clippers though the rest of the dog must still be scissored. The Bichon sheds little to no hair and is good for allergy suffers.
Origin
The Bichon Frise first appeared in the 14th century, a cross between the Barbet Water Spaniel and the Poodle. The Bichon was traded by Spanish sailors and became a favorite of the 16th century French royal courts. It was a popular organ grinder's dog and also a circus performer. Today the Bichon Frise is primarily a companion and show dog.