It's only worth publishing if it's Good Info! http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/GoodInfo Sat, 26 Jul 2008 02:19:43 -0600 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://www.squidoo.com/kiesthaus (Note: Google ads above are not endorsed by Kiesthaus Shepherds) The German Shepherd Dog breed was established by Max Emil Frederick von Stephanitz in 1890 as an all around working dog with emphasis on size, intelligence, strength, and strong herding instinct. Committed to the utility aspect of the breed, Von Stephanitz created a series of tests which became the forerunner of the present day Schutzhund program, as a way of determining that the dogs he was breeding were indeed of the physical and mental caliber he strived to maintain. With this display of both physical and mental prowess being the primary focus in the foundation of the breed, it is easy to see why the German Shepherd quickly became the darling of the police and military, as well as all manner of businesses, families, and individuals requiring a working dog in their native country, and throughout the world. As the breed developed and became popular in the show ring, many changes in the physical appearance of the dog took shape in various countries. In the U.S., the 1960's saw some of the first dogs heavily exhibited by professional show dog handlers, amassing large numbers of impressive show wins despite having structural exaggerations previously unknown in the breed. The type became the accepted "show type" in the U.S., and those who wished to have their dogs be competitive in the ring bred their dogs accordingly. One breeder who believed strongly that the ideals of von Stephanitz should be upheld through a breeding program based on a more balanced structure, with a continued focus on increasing size and maintaining high intelligence and working ability, set out to establish her own breeding program. That breeder was Judy Kiest, and her Kiesthaus traditional, old style, giant and oversized (by current AKC standards) German Shepherds have become the foundation dogs for all of the breeders who similarly embrace these ideals. Because of Judy's willingness and even eagerness to share her beloved breed in it's "Old Style" glory with others, there are now a number of breeders maintaining this type throughout the U.S., and even internationally. Some have used the Kiesthaus dogs is their own establishing of other breeds, notably the Shiloh and King Shepherds, and others have simply come to Kiesthaus in search of a family pet and protector of a type they grew up with and hope to provide their own children and grandchildren. animals Wed, 16 Jul 2008 11:21:28 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/weatherwax_lassie (Note: Google Ads On This Page Are Not Endorsed By Bob Weatherwax) Much mis-information mis-labelled as "authentic" has been posted on internet sites regarding Bob Weatherwax and the nine generations of Collies he and his father Rudd trained to play the role of Lassie. Get the truth from Bob himself. Also get training tips, advice, and more information on Bob's own ninth generation Lassie descendant, Laddie. Bob is the exclusive owner of the genetic bloodline for the Collies that have portrayed Lassie since 1943. He is MOST interested in having you visit his website, and discover the history and stories of the Weatherwaxes who made their Lassie dogs a cultural icon. Take a look thru this lens, then Click here to visit Bob's web site for more: Weatherwax Trained Dogs   moviesandtv Tue, 13 May 2008 23:05:06 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/toymaltese (Note: Google ads on this page are not endorsed by the author) For those newly acquainted with this breed, it may come as a surprise that the Maltese is considered one of the oldest of dog breeds. Known as the Melitaie Dog to the Greeks and Romans, the first representation of this breed was unearthed near Cairo Egypt and is dated between 600 and 300 B.C. They were highly prized by the Greeks, who treated them royally and commanded large sums of money for one. Images of Maltese Dogs on Greek vases dated at 500 B.C. can be seen in the Bassegio collection. Because the island of Malta is not only one of the oldest sites of civilization as well as one of its most important centers of trade, the Maltese Dog was able to become very popular virtually throughout the world before most other breeds were even developed. In all of these nations, they were highly revered and shared not only the homes and palaces of dignataries, but typically shared their meals and their beds as well. From their international heritage, the Maltese breed also came to represent the origin of a number of other breeds of dogs, including the Tibetan Terrier, Tibetan Spaniel, Lhasa Apso, Bichon Frise, Havanese, Skye Terrier, Yorkshire Terrier, and even the Peekingese. Historical records are full of references to the devotion and loyalty of the Maltese, including the well known pet of Ann Bolin, who refused to eat after the queen was killed, and resultantly died of starvation. Centuries old references to the diminutitve size of the breed, as well as to their sweet, loving, smart and playful nature attest that these dogs have come down to us very much unchanged over the many years. animals Tue, 13 May 2008 22:55:43 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/NoKillBill (Note: Google ads on this page - such as those posted above - are not endorsed by the author). When well known Hollywood dog trainer Bob Weatherwax took his ninth generation Lassie dog, known as Laddie, to the California state capital last year, the event made headlines all over the nation. Accompanied by longtime friend and former child actor Jon Provost (who played "Timmy" on the original Lassie TV series), Bob and Laddie were on a mission that continues to be a focus of their public appearances. The mission is to protect our pets from the publically veiled agenda of prominent Animal Rights groups such as PETA and the HSUS to legislatively take over all aspects of pet ownership, pet care, purebred dog and cat breeding, and animal rescue - not for their pretended purpose of "protection", but for a more sinister agenda that is designed to culminate in the eradication of domestic animals completely. newsandpolitics Tue, 13 May 2008 22:58:30 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/bengalcat (Note: Google Ads on this page, such as those above, are not endorsed by the author)    As we all know, the word "Cashmere" defines "an incredibly fine, soft wool used in creating garments associated with luxury and elegance." We define the Cashmere Cat in similar terms: "Luxurious, Elegant, Incredibly Soft, and Stunningly Beautiful."  The Cashmere is, in fact, the long coated version of the Bengal Cat -- a breed well known for being exotic in looks and engaging in temperament. Come in and discover The Cashmere Cat, but beware: This exotic beauty may well steal your heart! animals Tue, 13 May 2008 23:02:19 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/cafepress..chekiagiftshops The Chekia Canine Family and Avondell Bengal Cats http://www.chekia.com represent one animal lover's lifelong commitment to the promotion and preservation of the human / animal bond.  The Chekia web site is a wonderful source for breed information on Collies, Shelties, American Eskimo Dogs, and Bengal Cats, as well a showcase for the Chekia Dog Rescue and Sanctuary.  Included on the site are informative and educational articles on everything from feeding your pet to genetic considerations for breeders, to vaccination, to pet legislation. Once you've digested all of that, read the inspired poetry, and admired the beautiful photos, It's time to go shopping with Chekia at Cafe Press, where your purchases help to support the needs of their rescue and sanctuary dogs. shopping Tue, 04 Dec 2007 22:19:27 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/juniorhandling (Note; Google Ads, such as those listed above, are not endorsed by the author) There are  many venues available for youngsters to get involved in these days, but not too many that they can engage in as a true family activity.  Participating in a good, clean sport that encourages responsibility and rewards sportsmanship and hard work as a family unit is important to many parents seeking enjoyable yet suitable outlets for their children.  The Inman family from Southern California found Junior Handling (also called Junior Showmanship) in dog shows to fit the bill perfectly.  Their love of dogs, and their commitment as reputable breeders of top quality Scottish Terriers and Collies provide a firm foundation for their success.  They hope to encourage other families to explore the world of Junior Handling for the benefit of their own children, and the promotion of reputably bred purebred dogs, as well.   animals Thu, 20 Dec 2007 12:55:30 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/colliedog (Note; Google Ads, such as those listed above, are not endorsed by the author) The Collie breed had it's foundation in Ireland and Scotland well over a century ago.  Primarily known as a "herding breed", they were often touted as being capable of whatever type of work - sporting, guard, carriage, farm or flock - might be required.  Since it's inception, the breed has enjoyed a number of "heydays" beginning with it's popularizatin by Queen Victoris in the 1880's.  Albert Payson Terhune was an avid Collie fancier who authored many books and short stroies about his "Sunnybank Collies" in the 1920's and 30's.  One of those books, "Lad; A Dog" was later made into a motion picture. Erik Knight, a Collie owner who also had a talent for writing, authored a book titled "Lassie Come Home" in 1938.  That book was also made into a motion picture, and it's popularity spawned a TV series, as well as a cultural icon in the character of "Lassie" which continues to this day.  The popularity of "Lassie" is worldwide, and a sable and white rough coated Collie is often recognized on any sidewalk or park as a "Lassie dog".  Interestingly, tho, the breed also appears in other colours -- blue merle, which is a somewhat "marbled" black and grey-blue blending of colours; tri colour, which is primarily black with tan points; and white, which is primarily white with either sable (brown), tri, or blue merle markings.  The sable, tri and blue merle colours are always accompanied by varying degrees of white which typically occur on the neck, chest, legs, feet, and sometimes on the face, as well.  The breed also appears in two distinct varieties; rough coated (or long haired) and smooth coated (or short haired). All of the colour and both of the coat variations are typically interbred, as they all represent the one breed we call Collie animals Sat, 29 Mar 2008 21:31:14 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/eskie (Note: Google Ads on this page are not endorsed by the author)  While there is some degree of confusion about the origin and name of this breed, the historical record is actually very clear.  The German Spitz breed was brought to the U.S, and Canada in the late 1800's, and fanciers in the Southern regions of Canada and upper mid western regions of the U'S. took to the smaller and medium sized varieties of the breed particularly, as well as to the dogs that were white in colour. (German Spitz are bred in all colours and five different size varieties).  Fanciers began to breed these dogs, and quickly developed their own strain of small and medium sized white German Spitz, which they sought to register as a separate breed.  Because of the geographical location of these breeder-fanciers, being in the vicinity of the Michigan headquarters of the United Kennel Club (UKC), it was with that particular registry that they sought recognition.  The UKC agreed to register the breed in two size varieties;  Standard and Miniature, and determined that, despite a choice of  breed names suggested, they preferred to use the kennel name of one of the breeders.  Thus these little white fluffy dogs became "American Eskimo Dogs", officially recognized by the UKC in 1913.  Dog fanciers from Japan took notice of the breed early on, and exported a number of them to their own country. During those early years, relations between the American and Japanese countries broke down, and the fanciers in Japan decided to rename the breed there as "Japanese Spitz". To this day there is ardent denial on the part of many Japanese Spitz breeders that the two breeds are even related, much less "one and the same", but the historical record is well documented nonetheless.   animals Mon, 24 Mar 2008 21:39:11 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/groups..purebreddogfancy Purebred Dog Fancy This group is for all lens's that celebrate the unique qualities and attributes of one of the hundreds of breeds of purebred dogs. Lens's featured here are created by breeder / fanciers who are knowledgable and passionate about their breed. If that defines your lens, you'e more than welcome to add it here! NOTE: ONLY quality breeder / breed fancier lenses will be added here. You may have a great dog lens, or a general lens about a breed, but please submit it only if you are a breeder / fancier and yours ia quality lens which celebrates your breed. Thanks! animals Fri, 11 Jul 2008 11:57:09 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/sheltie (Note; Google Ads, such as those posted above, are not endorsed by the author) Sandwiched in between Scotland and Norway, the Shetland Islands are home to the origins of the breed now fondly known as "Sheltie". From Norway, the Vikings brought their small Spitz herding dogs who became the first Shetland sheep herding dogs. When tourism reached Shetland in the nineteenth century, high demand for the little dogs nearly caused their extinction. Astute breeders and farmers, who were dependent on the dogs, brought in Rough Collies from Scotland and bred them to their remaining little Spitz herders, thus developing the foundation for the breed they called "Shetland Collie". The first Shetland Collies were shown at Crufts in 1906. Fanciers of other breeds developed a prejudice against the name because they felt enough breeds already sported the moniker "Collie", so the name was officially changed in 1914 to Shetland Sheepdog. It has remained thus to this day. animals Tue, 04 Dec 2007 22:33:57 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/nrbreeders (Note; Google ads, such as those above, are not endorsed by the author) Well known author and herbalist Juliette de Bairacli Levy was the first to coin the term, "Natural Rearing" and it is with great respect for her, and her lifelong body of work that the "NR" community of dog and cat breeders continues to proudly carry that banner. While an interest in NR may be new to many, the method is actually many decades old, and proven in results thru many generations of animals raised to a status of superior health, longevity, and natural disease resistance through these methods. Dog and cat breeders who are, and who have in many cases been following these protocols for generations, sincerely appreciate the efforts of those who wish to add a judiciously bred and raised puppy or kitten to their family in seeking out the most healthy, most carefully raised baby they can find. They further appreciate the determination of those informed individuals to continue on an "NR" course of feeding and health care throughout the lifetime of their puppy or kitten. This lens is designed to help such interested ones to do just that. For those who have already done their research, and are ready to look for an NR Breeder, please click on this link to the NR Breeders web site animals Tue, 13 May 2008 22:53:11 -0600