The breed is characterized by their short fur and strong, muscular build, similar to that of the close cousin breed, the Neapolitan Mastiff. The Cane Corso lacks the skin folds and drooling nature of the Neapolitan but retains many of the same traits. The breed is very rare in Australia.
Personality: The high energy Cane Corso is completely devoted to their family or owners and no one else outside of that sphere. The dog is hardworking and can’t be left to his own devices. The highly intelligent breed require training and socialization from a young age to avoid destructive behaviours later in life.
A great dog for: Experienced dog owners who are willing to train and can handle a large dog. They breed make a great work companion, especially for farmers.
Favourite activities: Digging, training, working, helping owners on jobs and playing.
Backyard requirements: The Cane Corso requires a large and securely fenced backyard. Don’t expect this breed to sit still for very long.
Grooming: The short coat of the Corso sheds once to twice a year and requires brushing weekly. Ears and eyes should also be checked weekly for any signs of infection. The breed are stubborn and should be trained to learn bathing and grooming requirements from a young age to avoid developing a dislike for them.
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A large and powerful dog, the American Mastiff was only recognized as a purebred in 2000. The breed is characterised by their large feet, long dark snout and tendency to drool less than its Mastiff cousins.
Personality: The American Mastiff is often considered a gentle giant. The breed display loyalty and protectiveness but are not aggressive by nature. They become attached to their family, especially children, and take on the responsibility of courageous defender and should therefore be leashed at all times to avoid trouble with other dogs.
A great dog for: The loyal and loving nature of the American Mastiff make the breed perfect for families. Clear leadership must be determined by humans in the early stages of the dog’s life.
Favourite activities: Spending time with human family, walking, lazing around.
Backyard requirements: This breed of couch potato do well indoors and tend to grow lazy with age. A daily walk or run around a fenced backyard will suffice for exercise.
Grooming: The short fur coats tend to shed so owners with allergies might have an issue living indoors with the Mastiff. The coat can be brushed with dry shampoo for a clean finish. The wrinkles around the face should be cleaned regularly to avoid food and waste getting caught.
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The Irish Setter originated as a gun dog in Ireland but their rich mahogany coat quickly attracted the attention of dog lovers everywhere. The Setter will carry itself with poise and grace but maintains a very muscular build and active persona. Popular in dog shows and competitions, the breed are very competitive and successful.
Personality: The Irish Setter is an incredibly friendly breed who gets along well with other dog breeds. Always a pup at heart, the breed thrive from early training and keeping active.
A great dog for: The Irish Setter makes a great addition to the family, especially a young and active family. The breed need to be exercised at least twice daily and with the family for as much of the day as possible. As a social breed, the Irish Setter can become destructive when left alone for too long.
Favourite activities: Playing, running, spending time with the family and socializing.
Backyard requirements: The breed need to be kept active to avoid boredom which will lead to destructive behaviours. A large and fenced backyard is required to keep this pooch active throughout the day. However the Irish Setter is not an outdoor dog. They need to be indoors and close to the family, especially at night.
Breed CareGrooming: Daily brushing will keep the Irish Setter’s coat from becoming tangled. The coat should be trimmed between the pads of the feet and around the ears by a professional occasionally.
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The Newfoundland, or Newie, is one of the gentle giants of the dog world. They are a large breed and have a thick coat, resembling a teddy bear as a pup. As members of the working dog group, the Newfoundland was used to hunt and help fishermen. A strong swimmer with a strong work ethic, the Newie is also a slobber dog.
Personality: The Newfoundland is considered a gentle giant with a mellow attitude. They have a strong work ethic, high intelligence and protective nature, especially around young children. The breed are considered one of the friendliest.
A great dog for: Families with young children will find the Newie to be a great companion and watch dog. Small toddlers will need to be monitored around the breed as their large size makes them clumsy.
Favourite activities: Swimming, frolicking and lazing around.
Backyard requirements: As with all large dogs, the Newfoundland needs space. A colder climate is best as their thick coat can often cause them to overheat. They can adapt to warmer climates if they have a fan or air conditioner to sit in front of. They are adaptable to apartment living, provided they receive daily exercise.
Grooming: The breed are one of the more higher maintenance dogs in terms of grooming. Their coat needs to be brushed a number of times a week as they shed moderately. Bathing occasionally is sufficient and dry shampoo can be used when brushing the coat to avoid stripping the coat of its natural oils.
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Believed to be one of the oldest dog breeds in the world, the Tibetan Mastiff was first record hundreds of years ago in Tibet. The breed is strong built and characterised by their long and thick double coat and curled over fluffy tail. The Mastiff was originally bred to help manage livestock. Although the working dog still exists in the breed today, they often make companions or show dogs.
Personality: Without early socialisation, the Tibetan Mastiff can become over-protective, stubborn and in some cases, aggressive. Extensive training and patience will help the Mastiff find their place within the family to avoid destructive behaviours in their adult life.
A great dog for: The Tibetan Mastiff’s high tendancies to bark and distrust of strangers make them a great guard dog. They are also very good with young children and full of energy.
Favourite activities: Walks during the morning or evening when they are most active, sleeping and barking.
Backyard requirements: The Tibetan Mastiff will grow into a large dog so it’s not a suitable apartment breed. These dogs need their outdoor space. However, if left outside during the night, the Mastiff will bark so an indoor bed is more appropriate.
Grooming: The Tibetan Mastiff’s thick double coat needs to be groomed a couple of times a week. They start shedding their undercoat and malt before summer so excessive grooming and combing is required to keep the coat tangle free.
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Also known as the Bull Boxer, the Valley Bulldog is derived from a cross breed of the English Bulldog and the Boxer. The distinguishing characteristics of this breed include their broad head, muscular stature, thick neck and broad shoulders. Their short coat is commonly brindle, solid white, fawn or a mixture of those colours.
Personality: These athletic dogs have a funny and playful personality. The Valley Bulldog thrives on human interaction and isn’t afraid to show their love and loyalty to their owners. If raised indoors they also develop a protective nature.
A great dog for: Clean by nature and very low maintenance, the Valley Bulldog makes a great addition to the family. They have a lot of energy so they make a great companion for active children. The Valley Bulldog will assume responsibility and guardianship of young children, keeping them safe.
Favourite activities: Playing, getting pats, long walks and chew toys.
Backyard requirements: The Valley Bulldog is of medium size so they can handle living indoors. A brisk, long walk will help them keep fit and avoid destructive behaviour. They are also comfortable living outdoors with room for exercise as long as they are paid attention.
Grooming: With a short coat and minimal shedding, the Valley Bulldog doesn’t require much grooming. Baths are only necessary if they get dirty and they can be wiped down with a wet cloth. The skin fold around the face, tail and genitals needs to be cleaned and dried regularly to avoid infection.
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Considered a symbol of strength, the British Bulldog has earned its place as the national dog of England.
Also called the English Bulldog and British Bulldog, this breed has been around since ancient Egypt and has evolved into a good natured, family-oriented dog. One of the defining features of the breed is their rolling skin. Due to its eccentric short build and sideways motion when walking, the Bulldog is susceptible to many health issues relating to the joints, bones, respiratory system and eyes.
Personality: Originally bred for bull baiting, the British Bulldog is an amazing dog with strength and intelligence. These traits are coupled with a great temperament and an extremely laid-back personality to form a breed that has become the mascot for numerous universities, schools and organisations. Affection is one of the attributes most commonly noted about this adorable dog.
Suitability: The breed generally loves everything to do with families and wants nothing more than the affection and attention of its owners. The British Bulldog loves to be with children and also makes a great companion dog. They are well-suited to a family living in a home with a small backyard or courtyard area with plenty of shade.
Favourite activities: The British Bulldog doesn’t need a lot of exercise, but does like a walk or a romp on the beach. They enjoy being indoors and can easily overheat. A boisterous young pup, this playful breed calms down as it grows up. The Bulldog likes to be involved in whatever its owner is doing and isn’t particularly fussed about specific activities. They generally prefer to have a cuddle with a member of the family.
Watchdog qualities: Alert and inquisitive, this breed will alert the owner if anyone is around. They rarely bark, so when they do it grabs people’s attention. Their stubborn nature and strength mean they should make a good guard dog.
Hereditary diseases: Prone to overheating, the British Bulldog should never be left in a hot car. They are known to drool and snore. As with all breeds, they can inherit problems such as hip dysplasia.
Grooming: The Bulldog requires regular brushing to avoid the build up of dirt and grime in their skin folds. Wrinkles and the skin surrounding the eyes as well as the tail should be cleaned regularly to avoid moisture and infection.
Daily: Shade, fresh water and a well-balanced diet are essential. This breed is prone to overheating so it should have an area indoors where it can rest.
Weekly: Brush every week and bathe when necessary. Clean the face, wrinkles and ears.
Other: Make sure your British Bulldog is wormed, vaccinated and regularly checked for ticks.
Achieving some 70cm in height and 50+ kilos, the Akita is, and looks, a dignified, powerful, graceful large dog with a relatively short but very dense coat, small pricked ears and thick tail tightly curled over the back. Although amenable to training, this is not a breed for the novice dog-owner.
Big dogs need lots of space and the Akita is no exception. Room to run and play, to get all the exercise they need to keep fit and healthy in both body and mind, which in this case is a fair bit. Socialisation is vital with the Akita and must go hand in hand with obedience training.
Coat care in this breed is relatively simple, involving thorough brushing of the short, stiff outer coat every day or two and keeping the dead undercoat moving during the twice-a-year coat change.
Care and exercise
The Rottweiler is a large, active, agile, intelligent working dog, and needs plenty of room and plenty of exercise. It also is happiest if allowed to be part of the family. The need for early and serious socialisation and obedience training has already been mentioned, but is worth repeating. Routine coat care consists of regular brushing and the occasional bath.
Suitability
This is most definitely a breed for the experienced dog owner, with a good working knowledge of obedience training and rearing a dominant breed. In the right hands, with plenty of space and exercise and a kind but firm upbringing, the Rottweiler is capable of becoming one of the very best family companions and guardians. In the wrong hands, or if neglected, it can be a serious problem.
This georgouis bostiours breed has caputure the hearts of millions across the world. With their big brown adorable eyes and cheeky smile its no wonder why!
Let’s clear up the matter of pronunciation first: its Rot-viler, not weeler or wiler. Mind you, to its friends its simply the Rotty! This magnificent breed had its origins a couple of thousand years ago when the Roman armies invaded southern Germany, bringing with them camp dogs to drive and guard their livestock and beasts of burden. These dogs became popular around the market town of Rottweil and were used for centuries as herding and guard dogs by the livestock traders and butchers of the area. These traders used to tie their money bags around their dogs necks on the way out to buy livestock around the district, then use the dogs to drive the cattle back to the market. In more recent times, the Rottweiler has found great favour around the world as a Police, Army, Customs and protection dog par excellence.
Years ago, the Rotty developed a reputation for aggression and viciousness, much of which was merited. Nowadays, the great majority of breeders worldwide pay very careful attention to the temperament of their puppies and this breed is generally very reliable and stable. It is still capable of being easily trained (or mis-trained) as a fearsome guard dog, so it is absolutely essential that all Rottweilers be carefully raised, socialised and obedience trained right from the start. When this is achieved, the result is a trustworthy, faithful, affectionate, friendly family companion of the most rewarding kind. It is, however, a dominant breed and definitely not the dog for a first-time owner, or an owner lacking a strong personality.
Large, compact and very powerful, the Rotty can reach almost 70cm at the shoulder, and weigh over 60kg. This is a lot of dog, and if not fully trained and under proper control, can be a real handful. Its short, thick coat comes only in black with tan markings.
Here you will find Great Dane information such as its personality traits, favourite activities and the breed’s history.
Personality: Great Danes are lovable giants which love human companionship. Mature Danes enjoy nothing more than a snuggle on the couch or a slow stroll around the block. As long as they are with you they are happy, carefree dogs. Danes are also great with children if socialised correctly and make wonderful companions. Great Dane puppies grow big very fast but do not reach maturity until the age of about three, Sharon advises. Your Great Dane will love you till the day it dies. You will be paid back 100 fold!
Favourite activities: Hanging out with YOU! Danes love to be part of the action and will help you with whatever you may be doing, from hanging the washing out to gardening and even cooking.
Backyard requirements: Priority is good strong fencing, Sharon advises. Plenty of shaded areas and a space to keep out of rain/wind and access to clean fresh water at all times. Danes, like all dogs, can get bored so make sure you have adequate things for your Dane to do when you are not at home. Remember: if your Dane digs a hole, its going to be a big one!
They would suit: Someone who is a bit laidback, who can cope with a very large dog and the occasional bit of drooling/slobber, laughs Sharon. Someone who can spend time with their dog, not leave it in the yard with no attention. A Dane would not suit a person who is extremely active as due to the dogs sheer size, care must be taken with their long limbs and joints … over-exercising is not recommended or you could cause the dog serious harm.
Watchdog qualities: Danes make great watchdogs and their size alone is sure to deter any would-be thieves. Their bark is really worse than their bite, Sharon laughs. But lets face it, if a Great Dane was barking in your face, would you enter?
Great Danes have a very colourful history. In fact, many believe the lovable breed can be traced as far back as 3000BC, with many drawings depicting Dane-like dogs appearing on Egyptian artifacts and monuments. There is also evidence that these dogs were drawn on articles in Babylonian temples, some of these dating back to 2000BC. Many depict Assyrian men walking alongside huge dogs.
Some Zoologists believe that Great Danes could have originated in Tibet as there is a similarity between Tibetan Mastiffs and the Danes. Similarly, it has been debated over the years whether or not the Irish Wolfhound or Irish Greyhound played a role in the Great Danes development. Whatever their true origins, its clear Great Danes have been much-loved and loyal companions to many families throughout history … and today, not much has changed.
Times gone by
Great Danes had many duties, including guarding castles, pulling carts and participating in battles alongside their worrier ancestors. Due to their great speed and intimidating size, the Danes were also used to hunt wild boar and stags during medieval times, when many Nobles bred and raised these dogs. Because the dogs ears used to get damaged during the hunt, ear cropping came into fashion up until recently, when it was banned in Australia and in some parts of Europe. Sadly, you may still see some Danes with their ears cropped as this practice is still continued in America.
Known as the Apollo of Dogs, this adorable breed is more likely to be seen snuggled up on a couch, huge legs stretched out, or crammed in the back of a car on the way to an outing with the family. Needless to say this, lovable breed has been mans best friend for centuries, so its no wonder they are considered one of the best-natured breeds by many.
One person who completely agrees is Sharon Wright, who has been breeding these gorgeous giants for more than 31 years. She knows all too well how quickly you’ll fall in love with them and why they are so popular. The breed is always very happy to be with their person and also to be part of family life, Sharon tells Dogs Life. When they are happy everybody knows; you need to stand clear of the tail! she says with a smile.
Danes are also great family dogs, howe’ver like many big dogs they can tend to get into trouble for accidentally knocking over a young child, especially during times of excitement. They are very family oriented and love children if they have grown up with them, Sharon says. You do have to watch young children as they could be knocked over accidentally by an excited dog. However, children should never be left alone with any dog, especially when a dog is eating.
To ensure your Great Dane grows up to be child-friendly, socialise them around children from a young age. All puppies should be exposed to everything the world can offer at a young age as this will help prevent your dog from becoming fearful. This is particularly important regarding children, strange people, adults of different sexes and dogs of all shapes and sizes.
Needs
Because the Dane is such a large dog, care must be taken during puppyhood not to overexert your growing pup. Great Danes should never be allowed to jump from high places as this puts extra strain on their fast-growing limbs and bones. Rough play with other dogs is also not advisable for any large breed during puppyhood and adolescence.
Care must be taken when it comes to exercise. It is not advisable to run your young dog around as this will add to the strain of growing and can lead to orthopaedic problems. The breed doesn’t require much exercise for the first 12-months, Sharon states. After that you can start gently and then increase. Once they are older they tend to not want to get off the lounge/bed.
Great Danes can grow into HUGE dogs so please pop out and visit a fully grown Great Dane before you decide to purchase one. People must be aware of how big they grow, Sharon warns. It is surprising how many people return a dog because he is so big. People need to realise that a Dane wants to be with them, not left outside with no attention. Owners also need to be patient, especially if a Dane makes a mistake such as digging a hole. The hole is going to be very big! Whatever they do, it is very big.
Because of the Danes sheer size, training is very important. ALL dogs need training, howe’ver it is especially imperative for larger breeds. Lets face it, there is nothing worse than a Great Dane, or any large dog, greeting you by jumping up when you return from work. This may be sweet and cute during the puppy stages, but a fully grown Great Dane would knock you over! They would need basic obedience, Sharon suggests. You could not have a large dog and not have it under your control. There are a number of dogs that do obedience and there have been the occasional dogs doing agility, endurance and even sledding.
Grooming is never an issue with a Great Dane. Their coats are easy to manage and a brush once a week with a rubber mitt or brush is recommended to help stimulate blood flow to the skin and keep the coat in mint condition. This will also help remove any loose, dead hairs from the short coat. Danes only need to be bathed when necessary and don’t tend to have that doggy smell familiar with some other breeds. The dog would need washing with a good-quality shampoo when the need arises and their ears and nails would need attention, perhaps monthly, Sharon adds.
Make sure you always purchase your Dane from a reputable breeder and check for hip and elbow scores to eliminate hereditary elbow and hip dysplasia. Good breeders will not breed dogs with any problems, however always go in with a list of questions so you can check if any issues are present in any bloodlines. Do your homework and ask around. Good breeders love their dogs and will interview you to see if you are suitable for the breed. Also ask your breeder about entropian and cardiomyopathy as these have presented in some breed lines.
Daily: A run in the park or a walk daily is needed for adult Great Danes to keep them stimulated, even though most would like to just sleep on the couch. Care must be taken when the dogs are pups. Please ask your breeder about exercising young pups.
Weekly: A brush with a rubber mitt or brush to remove dead hair and to stimulate the skin. If you have an active Dane who enjoys getting muddy, a weekly wash could be in order. These are wash-and-wear dogs with quick-dry coats. However, make sure you don’t over-wash your Dane or you’ll strip his lovely coat of all the natural oils.
Monthly: Heartworm and gastrointestinal worming treatments and flea prevention. It is also a good idea to check your Danes ears and give them a wipe out to prevent infection. Clip nails as needed.
For Australian breed clubs please visit the Australian National Kennel Council website www.ankc.aust.com or give the canine control council in your state a call. They will be able to direct you to top breeders in your state. For New Zealand breed clubs please visit the website at www.nzkc.org.nz.
If you want to find out more regarding hereditary problems in any breed of dog, check out www.vetsci.usyd.edu.au/lida/ for a comprehensive easy-to-read explanation of hereditary problems for all breeds … this is a great place to do your homework before purchasing a pup.
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