You have whelped your dream litter and watched over them amid numerous cups of coffee and several sleepless nights, and now they are almost 8 weeks old. By this age a pup will be looking like a miniature of what he or she will be as an adult. It is now time to decide which […]

  There are certain rituals leading up to when puppies are due that put the wheels of memory in motion for me. While going through the checklist of supplies, temperature-taking, setting up the whelping box, and keeping a watchful eye, I recall other litters and individuals, from the day they were born to the day […]

When pursuing success in breeding dogs, there is no substitute for hard work, and there is nothing more necessary in that endeavor than establishing a great female line. “Great bitches come from other great bitches” was the advice of my mentor, Alma J. Starbuck. And she knew of what she spoke, having produced one famous […]

He’s an unlikely lobbyist, but this Rottweiler is doing more than advocating for the rights of disabled veterans—he’s also serving as an ambassador for his breed. Dieter is a service dog for Neal Williams, a disabled Vietnam veteran who serves on the board of directors of the New England chapter of Paralyzed Veterans of America. […]

  Looking at these ragamuffin little dogs, you have to ask yourself, why on earth would anyone consider a Löwchen? They have a funny clip, which certainly defines the breed and which we, as breeders, love—but to the general public who keep them in a typical puppy clip, they really don’t look like what people […]

What are roundworms? Roundworms are extremely common parasites in dogs. Almost all dogs have roundworms at some point in their lives—most often in puppyhood. There are two main species of roundworms affecting dogs: Toxocara canis and Toxascaris leonine. Toxocara canis causes more serious disease and can be transmitted to humans. The canine roundworm Toxocara canis […]

With his small size and rather plain brown coat, the Border Terrier might seem unassuming, but he’s got enough character for a canine 10 times his size. Originally developed in the border areas between England and Scotland, this diminutive but tough and hardy breed was used to hunt fox, otter, and vermin, and Borders of […]

In 2000, director and actor Christopher Guest released a movie that would later become a comedy classic about the quirkiness of the dog fancy. "Best in Show," filmed in the format of a “mockumentary,” featured five breeder/handler teams as they campaigned their dogs to compete in “The Mayflower Dog Show,” a riff on the annual […]

Silver GCh. Pleasant Hill Magnum of Samara, HC, aka "Magnum." Credit: In Focus by Miguel The Canaan Dog, also known as Kelev K’naani, descends from the Middle Eastern “pariah dog,” feral canines that date back to pre-Biblical times existing in the Land of Canaan, where they first originated. The Israelis first used the dogs for guarding and tending […]

From the Dalmatian Club of America breed column in the March 2016 AKC Gazette “I only breed for myself” is a phrase I’ve heard frequently over the years. It does sound rather noble: I’m not in it for the money, I’m not filling shelters with surplus dogs, and most importantly, I’m not a backyard breeder/puppy […]