Congratulations to GCH CH Steele Your Heart, the Wire Fox Terrier who took top dog at the 2011 National Dog Show!

One of my favorite days of the year is Thanksgiving, and here is why... The National Dog Show!!!! 

Featuring over 3,000 dogs in 150 different breeds, the National Dog Show has become a part of the Thanksgiving Day tradition and this year 50 of the top contenders were spotlighted. 

The National Dog Show Presented by Purina celebrated its 10^th anniversary in 2011.

Dogs are judged in groups such as Toy, Herding, Non-Sporting, Terrier, Sporting, Hound and Working, all leading up to picking the top dog as "Best in Show."

According to the AKC, the goal of dog shows is to evaluate breeding stock in order to find the best dogs who can produce the next generation of purebreds. The judges evaluate teeth, muscles, bones and coat texture, as well as view each dog in profile to assess overall balance and see how the features fit together in action.  Judges then give awards according to how closely each contender compares to the mental image of the "perfect" dog described in the breed's official standard, including specifications for structure, temperament and movement.

Last year, all eyes and ears were on Sadie, a Scottish Terrier who took home the top honor of Best in Show.

Group	2011 National Dog Show Finalist. Breed	Finalist
Toy Group	Affenpinsh	GCH CH Banana Joe V Tani Kazari
Hound Group	Whippet	GCH CH Starline's Chanel
Herding Group	Australian Shepherd	GCH CH Propwash Reckon
Terrier Group	Wire Fox Terrier	GCH CH Steele Your Heart
Non-Sporting Group	Dalmation	GCH CH Spotlight's Ruffian
Sporting Group	English Springer Spaniel	GCH CH Cerise Tender Is The Night
Working Group	Bernese Mountain Dog	GCH CH Blumoon's Tanzenite v Blackrock

                                                                     And Best in Show was.....

Terrier Group

Wire Fox Terrier

GCH CH Steele Your Heart

Two of the Wire Fox Terriers' most distinctive traits are their enormous amount of energy and intelligence. They have a low threshold for boredom and require stimulation, exercise and attention.

The Wire Fox Terrier should be alert, quick and ready to respond swiftly with enthusiasm. However they should also be friendly, communicative and exceedingly playful if they receive the proper care and exercise. Bred to be independent thinkers, they are capable of tactical maneuvering for vermin and other sport. Their stamina, energy and level of intelligence is unusually high. But before being seduced by these clever antics and independent ways, prospective owners should attempt to understand the breed's willful nature. 

What was your favorite breed from each group and who did you think was going to win best in show?

Great Dane ~ The Gentle Giant

This week I am going to highlight the Great Dane.  They are Avery's favorite dog and I have to say, I love them too!

They are also know as the woulds biggest lap dog!  They love to love!

Great Danes are people dogs. They don't do well if left outside or if they aren't an integral part of their human's lives. They are among the most loyal of dog breeds and absolutely adore their humans. And all they want -need- in return, is to be loved back.

The Great Dane is not the heaviest of dogs -mastiffs are generally heavier.

Gibson, a Harlequin Great Dane, is certified by Guinness World Records as the tallest living dog at 42.2 inches. Standing on his hind legs, the 170-pound dog is over 7 feet tall.

But Danes have a very distinctive anatomy and it is a wonderful blend of size, muscle and bearing that make the Great Dane the "dog of dogs".

The smooth short-haired coat is easy to groom. Comb and brush with a firm bristle brush and dry shampoo when necessary. Bathing this giant is a major chore, so it pays to avoid the need by daily grooming. The nails must be kept trimmed. This breed is an average shedder.

Known as the "gentle giant" and the "king of dogs," the Great Dane was originally bred as a hunting dog but is now bred as an exceptionally large companion dog. And he makes a good one. He is a gentle, friendly, docile, peaceful, and a really, really big dog.

He is exceptionally devoted to his owners, especially children. However, a six-month-old Great Dane puppy will outweigh a six-year-old child, so parents must be cautious that no one gets accidentally squashed. But the Great Dane is people-oriented and committed to pleasing them. They are playful, and will need to be walked daily, but their exercise needs are only moderate. They also love to nap with you, and will take over your couch.

They might also go steal some food off the countertop before you wake up. They make good watchdogs, and are often reserved towards strangers, but in general, they don't bark much.
They get along well with other animals. They are trainable and do well in the competition ring. They are also quick to housetrain. 

So, if you are looking for a dog that honestly believes he is a part of the family ... if you are looking for a gentle giant to have in your home ... who will be able to sit and look you in the eye at the dinner table ... if you are looking for a peaceful, devoted companion who loves his family and home, then the Great Dane might be for you.

Here are some well-known people who have owned Great Danes:

Brad Anderson, author, comic strip ‘Marmaduke’
Mario Andretti, Indianapolis 500-winning race car driver
Otto von Bismarck, German chancellor: Odin and several others
Sid Caesar, TV comedian: Julius (obviously)
Roger Caras, author of animal books
Wilt Chamberlain, basketball star: had several
Mike Douglas, TV talk show host: (also) Duke
Faisal, king of Saudi Arabia
Kelsey Grammer, actor
Maxwell Knight, author: Lorna
Olivia Newton-John, singer: Zargon
Greg Louganis, Olympic gold medalist in diving: Freeway and several others
Alexander Pope, English Poet: Bounce
Franklin D. Roosevelt, US prez: President (what a suitable name)
Willaim Shatner, actor

Sophie the Labradoodle

This week I am going to feature the Labradoodle and one of my very own dog pals! Do you remember Bella the Bulldog?  Well, Sophie is her little sis! 

Sophie is a 6 month old, chocolate Labradoodle who was one of my first dog pals.  She is so sweet!  She loves to play and run!

Here are some fun facts about Sophie that her owners shared!

She loves to rip pieces of paper up into the tiniest pieces and then spread them all over the house!

She loves her sister bulldog, Bella and loves to run circles around her while barking like a crazy girl.

She LOVES to give hugs and snuggle her nose into her Mom's belly.

She is a very good girl and graduated with honors from her service dog academy class!

She loves to push the pedal on the trash can, empty all the contents all over the house after she rips them up into tiny itty bitty pieces, then she takes the inner plastic liner out of the metal can and this is the result!

Very easy to train, Labradoodles are social and enjoy the company of people and other dogs. They're comfortable with either city or country life, as long as they have your good company.  Labradoodles are devoted, playful, obedient, kid-friendly and clever like both Labrador Retrievers and Poodles.

A Labradoodle is a mixed-breed dog, the product of breeding a Labrador Retriever and a Poodle. 

Labradoodles were originally bred in Australia, and like the Goldendoodle, are a perfect solution for challenged folks needing a companion that wouldn't agitate their allergies.  The Labradoodle's low shedding coat has made them a family favorite since their appearance in the early 1990's.

Labradoodles have three size categories, depending on the size of their Poodle parent. As you'd guess, a Standard Labradoodle is a medium/large dog that is parented by a Standard poodle, the largest of the poodle breed. Miniature Labradoodles have a Miniature or Toy Poodle parent. Medium Labradoodles fall between these two sizes.

Just like their coat color and texture, a Labradoodle's size cannot be predicted. They can grow to be larger than either parent, sometimes nearing 90 pounds. Still, most adult Labradoodles fit within the ranges below:

Standard Labradoodle

                                    Female                      Male

         Height              22-26 inches            22-26 inches

         Weight              45-60 pounds          55-75 pounds

Medium Labradoodle

                                    Female                      Male

         Height              18-21 inches            18-21 inches

        Weight              40-50 pounds          45-55 pounds

Miniature Labradoodle

                                    Female                      Male

         Height              14-17 inches            14-17 inches

         Weight              25-40 pounds          35-55 pounds

Notice how the height of the male and female are the same but the weight is higher for the males.

You will find Labradoodles in a wider range of colors than Goldendoodles: white, cream, tan, coffee, brown, red, grey, or black.

Labradoodle's coats are either the fleecy Retriever-shag (though a bit shorter), or a soft wooly Poodle-curl. Their coat is typically full and soft and grows to 3"-4", though backcross Labradoodles usually have a 4"-7" coat.

Moderate exercise is sufficient for a Labradoodle, like a daily fetch game with a long walk. Grooming is a rare task. A longer-haired Labradoodle will need a good brushing once or twice a week, but a shorter-haired or clipped Labradoodle will only need brushing twice a month.

I love Labradoodles and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Funny Fotos... What's Happening Here?!

                              What‘s Happening Here?  We want to hear from you!

Hi Lil’ Dog Whisperer Readers!  I have recently decided to start a new column called "What's Happening Here?!"

I would love to hear from you what you think happned before, during or after this photo.  Just leave a comment with your thoughts.  Here is my first picture:

I think the dogs wanted to get the burgers before the cat!

I hope that you like this post and I can’t wait to hear from you in the comments!

WELCOME TO THE LIL' DOG WHISPERER

Hello Dog Lovers ~

Welcome to the Lil' Dog Whisperer, the site for anything DOG!  I have always been passionate about dogs and everything about them! I think that they are one of the most amazing animals in the world!  That is why I started this blog.  I am going to write about everything dog, all about dog breeds, the latest dog trends, ego friendly dog supplies and more!  I also write a column for a newspaper called Beach Pups and it's all about dog breeds and dogs I have met along the way.  And I meet lots of dogs of all breeds every day!  I will post the articles I write for the newspaper every week on this blog.  I live in the Pacific Northwest, and it is a HUGE animal, especially dog loving area!  I have two dogs and it's important for me to learn what is best for them!  If you have any story, feel free to send me a post on anything dog to lildogwhisperer@gmail.com and I will post it on the blog!  I would love to see photos of your dogs, funny stories, jokes, you name it!  

I hope you enjoy, @raya

Bella the Beach Bulldog

Short and mighty, strong and brave, the English Bulldog!  I have always loved English Bulldogs!

One day when I was on the beach, I met a Bulldog named Bella.  She is a two-year-old brindle English Bulldog and has a great personality.  When I asked her owners for a funny story, here is what they told me:

Funny stories? How about every day???

Bella is the only bulldog I know that LOVES the water. Last summer when she was 1 year old, she went on a 1-week river-rafting trip. She hunkered down and rode out class 4 rapids with the best of the retrievers on the river. She collected a lot of admiring attention as all the river folks she met that week on the lower salmon river of Idaho NEVER saw a bulldog on the river...especially one that was willing to sport a life preserver!!!

With their courageous personality and brave hearts, the English Bulldog was bred to be fierce fighters, but are now loving family pets. 

One of the things that make them most endearing is their wrinkly face.  Even the puppies have wrinkles.  They also have loose skin around the neck and shoulders.  Although the wrinkles make this breed extra cute, it is important for their health to clean their wrinkles often to prevent any infection.

Grooming your Bulldog is very easy, but even though the Bulldog's hair is short, they will shed.  So brushing them often will keep his/her hair off the floor and couch.  And brushing any dog will keep their skin and coat healthy.

Not to be confused, the American Bulldog and the French Bulldog are not classified under this breed. These are different and totally distinct breeds.

Fun Facts: Adam Sandler has had three Bulldogs named Matzoball, Meatball and Babu.

From fierce fighters to loving pets, the Bulldog is a brave and loving breed.

From Sea to Snow, Sammy the Lovable Golden

This week I am going to highlight one of my favorite breeds, the Golden Retriever!  They are a very popular breed of dog just about everywhere and the Pacific Northwest is no exception! 

These dogs are great with kids!  They love to play, run, swim and need to be walked often because are high energy dogs!  They are a very playful and happy breed and love to go everywhere with you!

The first dog I met on the beach is a Golden Retriever named Sammy!  She is three and will be four this Halloween!  She is a smiler!  Avery, my sister, and I have dog sat and walked Sammy!  She is so fun and loves to swim in the ocean after her tennis ball and go for long walks with our dogs, Buddy and Charlie.  And whenever we go to see her, she wags her whole body!    

The Golden Retriever is a pure bred dog often used for hunting. These dogs were specifically bred as bird and rabbit dogs with excellent water and field skills. Because of this, the sporting dogs often require a lot of exercise and activity to keep them in shape.

It is believed that the Golden Retriever was developed over time by crossing the flat-coated retriever and the tweed water spaniel, along with other various breeds of the same group, the Sporting group.

Grooming is a very important part of owning a Golden.  The golden retriever has a dense inner coat that provides them with warmth. The outer coat is sleek and water repellent, and lays flat against the body. The official color of the breed is the varying shades of gold that are most often seen. Due to the thickness of the coat, regular, frequent grooming is required, perhaps on a weekly basis and should be brushed daily.

I think of them as hairy Labs! :) They are known for the long Golden coat, but they also have light cream and dark golden coats!  I love the light cream! 

Sporting dogs such as Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers are considered to be some of the smartest and most loyal breeds known.

With the breed's popularity, it has gained its reputation as hunting partner, companion, and helper.

The golden retriever has become famous in search and rescue, therapy, service, and law enforcement, making it one of the most versatile breeds of its kind.

I love Golden Retrievers; they are one of the most beautiful and happy go lucky dogs.  It is no surprise the Golden is man's best friend!

Welcome to Lil' Dog Whisperer

Hello Dog Lovers ~

Welcome to the Lil' Dog Whisperer, the site for anything DOG!  I have always been passionate about dogs and everything about them! I think that they are one of the most amazing animals in the world!  That is why I started this blog.  I am going to write about everything dog, all about dog breeds, the latest dog trends, ego friendly dog supplies and more!  I also write a column for a newspaper called Beach Pups and it's all about dog breeds and dogs I have met along the way.  And I meet lots of dogs of all breeds every day!  I will post the articles I write for the newspaper every week on this blog.  I live in the Pacific Northwest, and it is a HUGE animal, especially dog loving area!  I have two dogs and it's important for me to learn what is best for them!  If you have any story, feel free to send me a post on anything dog to lildogwhisperer@gmail.com and I will post it on the blog!  I would love to see photos of your dogs, funny stories, jokes, you name it!  

I hope you enjoy, @raya