The Scottish Deerhound is one of the most decorative of dogs. Impressively stately and picturesque wherever he is seen, whether it be amid the surroundings of the baronial hall, reclining at luxurious length before the open hearth in the fitful light of the log fire that flickers; out in the open, straining at the leash as he scents the dewy air, or gracefully bounding over the purple of his native hills. Grace and majesty are in his every movement and attitude, and even to the most prosaic mind there is about him the inseparable glamour of feudal romance and poetry.

From remote days the Scottish nobles cherished their strains of Deerhound, seeking glorious sport in the Highland forests. The red deer belonged by inexorable law to the kings of Scotland, and great drives, which often lasted for several days, were made to round up the herds into given neighborhoods for the pleasure of the court, as in the reign of Queen Mary.

Head:-

The head should be broadest at the ears, tapering slightly to the eyes, with the muzzle tapering more decidedly to the nose. The muzzle should be pointed, but the teeth and lips level. The head should be long, the skull flat rather than round, with a very slight rise over the eyes, but with nothing approaching a stop.

The skull should be coated with moderately long hair which is softer than the rest of the coat. The nose should be black (though in some blue-fawns the colour is blue) and slightly aquiline. In the lighter-coloured dogs a black muzzle is preferred. There should be a good moustache of rather silky hair, and a fair beard.

Ears:-

The ears should be set on high, and, in repose, folded back like the Greyhound's, though raised above the head in excitement without losing the fold, and even, in some cases, semi-erect.The ear should be soft, glossy, and like a mouse's coat to the touch, and the smaller it is the better.

It should have no long coat or long fringe, but there is often a silky, silvery coat on the body of the ear and the tip. Whatever the general colour, the ears should be black or dark-coloured.

Neck and shoulders:-

The neck should be long that is, of the length that befits the Greyhound character of the dog. The nape of the neck should be very prominent where the head is set on, and the throat should be clean-cut at the angle and prominent. The shoulders should be well sloped, the blades well back, with not too much width between them.

Stern:-

Stern should be tolerably long, tapering, and reaching to within 1-1/2 inches of the ground, and about 1-1/2 inches below the hocks. When the dog is still, dropped perfectly straight down, or curved. When in motion it should be curved when excited, in no case to be lifted out of the line of the back. It should be well covered with hair, on the inside thick and wiry, underside longer.

Eyes:-

The eyes should be dark: generally they are dark brown or hazel. The eye is moderately full with a soft look in repose, but a keen, far-away gaze when the dog is roused. The rims of the eyelids should be black.

Body: The body and general formation is that of a Greyhound of larger size and bone. Chest deep rather than broad, but not too narrow and flat-sided. The loin well arched and drooping to the tail.

Legs and feet:-

The legs should be broad and flat, a good broad forearm and elbow being desirable. Fore-legs, of course, as straight as possible. Feet close and compact, with well-arched toes. The hind-quarters drooping, and as broad and powerful as possible, the hips being set wide apart. The hind-legs should be well bent at the stifle, with great length from the hip to the hock, which should be broad and flat.

Coat:-

The hair on the body, neck, and quarters should be harsh and wiry, and about 3 inches or 4 inches long; that on the head, breast, and belly is much softer. There should be a slight hairy fringe on the inside of the fore and hind-legs, but nothing approaching to the feathering of a Collie. The Deerhound should be a shaggy dog, but not over coated.

Color:-

Colour is much a matter of fancy. But there is no manner of doubt that the dark blue-grey is the most preferred. Next come the darker and lighter greys or brindles, the darkest being generally preferred. Yellow and sandy-red or red-fawn, especially with black points i.e., ears and muzzle are also in equal estimation.

Height:-

From 28 inches to 30 inches, or even more if there be symmetry without coarseness, which, however, is rare. Height of bitches: From 26 inches upwards. There can be no objection to a bitch being large, unless she is too coarse, as even at her greatest height she does not approach that of the dog, and, therefore, could not well be too big for work, as over-big dogs are.

The Scottish terriers, also known as Scotties, are short-legged British terriers. They are one among other go-to-ground and wire-coated terriers developed in the highlands of Scotland. The Scotties are said to have jaunty attitude so they are often used to represent advertisements of the country to where they originated.

However, Scotties' nature is not in coherence with their public image or trademark. In fact, Scotties are like the citizens of his native land who are independent, stoic, and fiercely loyal to their masters. They also adhere much to their own privacy.

Scotties, Westies, and Cairns are very similar regarding their appearance. The Westies and the Cairns are, in fact, closely-related.

The Westie can be considered as the white variety of the Cairn who has a coat of any color but white. Westies are hybrids of white dogs crossed with Cairns of western Scotland. Scotties, however, have longer heads and bodies, have generally dark coats and are aloof than the other two.

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SALUKI HISTORY

The Saluki is the "Persian Greyhound" and widely regarded as the oldest purebred dog in all of history. This dog breed is closely related to the Afghan Hound and Arabian Greyhound. The Saluki has long been coveted by Arabs for its ability in hunting, especially gazelles, and its ability in following horses. It is thought that the Celts have introduced this breed into Europe.

While Salukis were first registered by the American Kennel Association in 1929, they have been around since the days of ancient dynastic Egypt and perhaps even farther back in time. Depictions of the Saluki, and their mummified bodies, have been found in Egyptian tombs. And, carvings depicting what seem likely to be Salukis have been found in the ruins of the ancient Sumerian civilization from nearly 6000 years ago.

APPEARANCE

The Saluki resembles the Greyhound–slim and sleek, with a powerful hind-part. The average Saluki will be 23-29 inches in length and 30 to 66 pounds in weight.

In color they range from black to tri-color, and may also be tan, reddish, brownish, tan, or even white. They don't shed overly much and don't have that "dog" smell. These dogs have "feathers" of silky fur on their ears, legs, and tail. Their tail also curls.

TEMPERAMENT AND CHARACTER

While the Saluki is related to the Afghan Hound, it is more graceful and symmetrical. It's explosively powerful rear and hocks are low to the ground, giving it great leaping and turning ability. The Saluki can get to speeds of up to 40 miles per hour. Its carriage is regal and graceful.

Salukis are considered to be gentled with children, especially with well-behaved children. However, because they are extremely responsive to sudden movements, and since children are prone to making rash movements, it is advised that if you own a Saluki you should not leave him alone with young children.

Salukis are obedient, but also independent. If you try to call your Saluki to you it will come…unless it gets distracted by some kind of movement, in which case its hunter instincts kick in and it goes all-out for the pursuit.

Salukis are very loyal and protective, but many say that they are also not overly affectionate. They can be easily trained into certain "dog tricks", but their high intelligence causes them to become bored with them after a short play time. They can be very well trained in dog behavior and don't need to be overly scolded. But they can be stubborn when first being trained to sit, stay, lie down, etc, so patience is required at first.

GROOMING AND HEALTH

The Saluki should be regularly brushed. The dog's fur is not overly fluffy so this is not too difficult, and Salukis enjoy being brushed anyway. This is also a way of emotionally bonding with, and keeping tabs on, the dog.

The toenails should be clipped; and remember, the back toenails grow more quickly than those on the front paws.

Check and clean the dog's ears once per week. However, do not use water or fluids to clean them out. Pick out hairballs, wax, etc from the ears. You should also brush your Saluki's teeth with a special canine toothpaste twice per week.

Salukis are prone to a few congenital diseases: easily sunburned noses; eye degeneration; and cancer. Get your Saluki the usual types of shots and fairly frequent vet check-ups if it is less than one year old. Between age one and six, an annual vet check-up is just fine; after that, semi-annual vet check-ups should be the practice. You can expect your Saluki to live to be 12 to 14 years old with proper care.

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS

Energy level - 2 (out of 5)
Affection level - 3
Friendliness towards other pets - 3
Friendliness towards strangers - 1
Cold tolerance - 2
Heat tolerance - 3

History of the Rhodesian Ridgeback

The Rhodesian Ridgeback originates in Zimbabwe, Africa. The South African dog was historically a hunter. They were sent out in pairs or larger groups to hunt down lions. Because of this, they have also been called the African Lion Hound.

In 1922, European settlers who came to Rhodesia cross-bred them with their own dogs to get the characteristics needed for a lion-hunting dog. Some of the possible contributors to the gene pool are collies, greyhounds, Irish terriers, Airedales, bulldogs, pointers, mastiffs, Great Danes, and Deerhounds.

Ridgebacks were first admitted to the American Kennel Club in 1955. In addition to being used as hunting dogs, this breed has also been used for guarding property and children.

Physical Characteristics and Temperament

The Rhodesian Ridgeback gets its name from the long ridge of hair running along its back in the opposite direction of the rest of its coat. The hair is a light reddish brown color with a few traces of black or white. It is a strong, muscular dog known for its endurance and speed.

The male Ridgeback is very combative with other males, but they can be well-trained. They are agile, intelligent, loyal and very independent.

They do not always make great pets, unless they have been well socialized from an early age. They have great protective instincts which can make them good guard dogs. However, they do not naturally show aggression towards people.

Grooming Needs

Rhodesian Ridgebacks do not require much grooming. Some minimal brushing to remove dead hair may be necessary on occasion. The same dental and toenail care that apply to other dogs also apply to the Ridgebacks.

Training and Exercise

Ridgebacks love to run and therefore need lots of daily exercise to keep from becoming frustrated. They will accept correction as long it is justified and coming from someone they know and trust.

They thrive with reward based training and consistency. Ridgebacks have a sensitive side, therefore, harsh training methods are not effective.

They can be very destructive if left unattended, so they should be kept under supervision until training is well intact. Lack of exercise also contributes to their destructive behavior.

Health Problems

The Rhodesian Ridgeback is considered to be a healthy breed. Because of their African heritage they are able to withstand dramatic changes in temperature. They are not sensitive to bug bites and can go for a day without food or water.

However, they are known to have dermoid sinus problems, cysts, and Canine Hip Dysplasia, which can lead to arthritis and eventual lameness. With proper nutrition and medical attention the Ridgeback can live 10-12 years.

The experience I have had with one Rhodesian Ridgeback was that they are playful, energetic, and want to be around people.

This dog was adopted from a shelter, so we do not know what kind of early life he had, or if he had been socialized at a young age. But he was very friendly, and when his owner could not keep him, he was adopted by a couple who had ten acres for him to run around on in Northern California.

I'm so glad that despite a rough start, he is now able to enjoy life.

Overall, Rhodesian Ridgebacks tend to rate:

Energy and exercise requirement level - 3 out of 5

Affection level - 3 out of 5

Watchdog ability - 4 out of 5

Heat tolerance - 3 out of 5

Cold tolerance - 3 out of 5