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Breed Profile: Shepherd Husky Mix

By Lauren R. Tharpe

The Shepherd Husky is a mix of two breeds: The German Shepherd and the Siberian Husky.  Most Shepherd Husky owners consider this breed to be the best of both worlds.
Physical Traits

Size & Weight: Large.  Shepherd Huskies range from 20 to 26 inches tall at the shoulder.  Their weight also varies, but usually falls within the 35-75 pound range.

Coat & Color: Very thick coated dogs!  Their outer coat is coarse and their undercoat is thick, plush-like, and like their Husky-half, have the ability to thrive in cooler weather.  They also come in a variety of colors.  Black, black and white, or black and tan.  Their coats tend to shed constantly and will need to be groomed on a regular basis.

Other: While most Shepherd Huskies have brown eyes or blue eyes, some have one of each!

Also, the most decorated war dog of World War II, Chips, was a Shepherd Husky!

Life Expectancy: 10-13 years

Temperament

Shepherd Huskies are diligent working dogs who are eager to please.  Shepherd Huskies are highly intelligent (their “shepherd” half, the German Shepherd, was ranked the third most intelligent dog breed in the world!) and they adapt quickly to just about any situation.  Equally good as a service dog or a family pet.

Wags

  • Highly intelligent and fairly easy to train – if the Shepard side is dominant, if Husky is prevailing – dig in, you’ll have your work cut-out for you.
  • Highly courageous.  Makes for a great watch/guard dog.
  • People “person.”  These dogs, unless trained otherwise, get along with most people—including children—that they meet!

Challenges

  • Shepherd Huskies can be howlers!  Be prepared for a long night of howling any time a siren passes through your neighborhood.  They’re also known to be very “talkative.”  They may howl and moan more than actually bark, but expect a full bodied bark when they do vocalize in that way.
  • Require a lot of exercise!  Without daily exercise, these dogs may become destructive.   With your Veterinarian’s approval, this would be a great dog to bicycle, run or trike with.
  • The predator/prey instinct runs fairly strong in this breed.  If not properly socialized with other animals from a very early age, they may see smaller creatures as “prey” rather than “playmate.”

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Breed Profile: German Shorthaired Pointer

While the exact origin of the German Shorthaired Pointer is unknown, what is known is that they were bred to create an enthusiastic weekend hunting dog that also made a great family companion and watchdog. What resulted was a dog with the clean lines, keen nose, and good looks of a Pointer, as well as the loyal, even temperament of a lapdog (although their size may require a rather large lap!). Full of energy and happy to be included in a sporting adventure, German Shorthaired Pointers make great companions for active families.

Physical Traits

Size & Weight: German Shorthaired Pointers stand from 21-25 inches at the shoulders and weigh in between 45-70 pounds, with males being larger than females. They have long, streamlined bodies that are typical of most Pointer breeds.

Coat & Color: German Shorthaired Pointers have short, thick coats that are water resistant and keep them warm in cold weather. Their coat color can be solid liver or a combination of liver and white, and serve as camouflage in snowy weather.

Life Expectancy: 12-15 years

Temperament

Equal parts brains and brawn, German Shorthaired Pointers are very intelligent dogs with great athletic ability. A dog originally bred for hunting, they possess not only a great nose, but can point, track, and retrieve on land or in water, making them versatile, sturdy hunting dogs. They also rank as the 17th most intelligent breed of dog and are highly trainable, often performing well in obedience tests, as well as with simple at-home commands like sit and stay. More than just hunting animals, German Shorthaired Pointers are very loyal and even-tempered companion dogs that can make a great family pet in the right home. Their endless dose of energy does require daily exercise, so they are best suited for an active family—they’re very happy to tag along on the morning run!

Something to Bark About: German Shorthaired Pointers have been highlighted in many literary works for their superior hunting skills. Two works of non-fiction—Run, Rainey, Run and Colter: The True Story of the Best Dog I Ever Had—have delved deeper and explored the authors’ extraordinary relationships with their beloved dogs (I’d say the Colter title says it all!).

Wags:

  • German Shorthaired Pointers’ strong sense of loyalty makes them great watchdogs.
  • German Shorthaired Pointers have friendly personalities, and get along well with kids.
  • Their requirement of daily exercise will keep you active and healthy!

Yelps:

  • These dogs require LOTS of exercise on a daily basis. They should have access to open space so that they can run, and are not suited for apartment living.
  • German Shorthaired Pointers who do not get daily exercise can become bored and restless and exhibit destructive behaviors.
  • German Shorthaired Pointers have strong hunting instincts, which can sometimes be misdirected at the family cat or rabbit. They should be trained at a young age to discern what is prey and what is not, and should be carefully socialized with other small family pets.

Do you think the German Shorthaired Pointer would make for a great running buddy and friend? Contact the German Shorthaired Pointer Rescue of South Florida to adopt.

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Breed Profile: Puggle

So what do you get when you cross a Pug with a Beagle? Why, a Puggle of course! These adorable wrinkled hounds are a “designer” breed of dog that were first bred in the 1980’s when dog breeder Wallace Haven bred a male Pug with a female Beagle.  They are currently the most popular crossbreed ever, and with their endless energy and sweet dispositions it’s no wonder why!

Physical Traits

Size & Weight: Puggles generally stand between 10-15 inches at the shoulders, and weigh between 15-30 pounds. They are relatively small dogs with thick-set bodies, and males are usually larger and more muscular than females.

Coat & Color: Puggles have short, smooth coats that come in a variety of colors. The most common color combination is fawn or tan with a black mask (like their Pug parent), but they can also be all black, white, or tri-colored. Their foreheads are deeply wrinkled, another trait inherited from the Pug.

Life Expectancy: 10-15 years

Temperament

While cross breeding can result in any combination of characteristics found in the original breeds, Puggle parents insist that Puggles truly inherit the best of both Pugs and Beagles. They are very sweet-natured, affectionate, and extremely social dogs. They love to be close to their families, and will often follow you around the house from room to room, and happily greet you when you get home. And it’s not just people that they love—Puggles love making new dog friends at the park, and will even buddy up with the family cat. You could say a Puggle has never met a stranger!

Something to Bark About: First generation Puggles are bred from a purebred Pug and a purebred Beagle. These pups usually have the fawn coloring with black masks. Second generation Puggles are bred from two Puggle parents, and can result in lots of color variations. Because the size of the pups can make births difficult for Pug moms, usually the mother dog is a Beagle and the father a Pug.

Wags

  • Puggles have coats that are easy to care for and require minimal grooming.
  • Puggles love people of all ages, as well as other animals.
  • Because they are treat motivated Puggles are easy to train, and will easily learn all the basic commands of sit, stay, fetch, and roll over.

Yelps

  • Potty training can sometimes be a challenge. It’s important to use reward and repetition, as Puggles can be stubborn puppies.
  • Because they are so social, some Puggles may bark at the slightest noise or a knock at the door (what dog doesn’t?), and may even howl every now and then, but it’s only because they want to say hello!

If you’d like to learn more about adoptable Puggles in your area, visit Petfinder.com for more information.

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Breed Profile: Rhodesian Ridgeback

by Lauren R. Tharp

Rhodesian Ridgebacks come from South Africa (from Rhodesia, now known as Zimbabwe).  Originally bred by Boer farmers as a hunting dog, big game hunters in the late 1800s found them especially useful as a companion while hunting down lions while on horseback.  Rhodesian Ridgebacks were eventually introduced to the United States in the early 1950s and became officially recognized by the AKC in 1955.
Physical Traits

Size & Weight: The Rhodesian Ridgeback is a Large breed.  They can be up to 27 inches tall at the shoulder.  Male Rhodesian Ridgebacks typically weigh 80 pounds or more while the females usually weigh in around 60-75 pounds.  These are not small dogs.

Coat & Color: The most noticeable thing about the Rhodesian Ridgeback’s coat is its trademark “ridge” along the spine.  Other than that, the coat is short and sleek.  Their colors are light or dark red wheaten, with or without white markings on their chest and feet.

Other: Somewhat flat skull and wide-set eyes.  They’re often described as having an “intelligent” look to their facial features.

Life Expectancy: 10-12 years
>Temperament

Rhodesian Ridgebacks were originally bred to be fierce hunters and they have managed to retain many of those traits even now!  Strong-willed and extremely independent, Rhodesian Ridgebacks are loyal and protective of their masters but can be aggressive with strangers and other dogs.

These dogs are very energetic and intelligent and require near constant physical and mental stimulation to be happy.  They can become destructive when bored or under-exercised.

The Rhodesian Ridgeback makes an excellent guard dog.

WAGS:

  • Great for an active family.
  • Trained Rhodesian Ridgebacks tend to be calm and gentle unless provoked (they work well for families with older or very well-behaved children)
  • Loyal and protective = the perfect guard dog

CHALLENGES:

  • This is not the dog for a first-time dog owner.  Rhodesian Ridgebacks will challenge you for dominance and absolutely, positively, require obedience training.  And that training will be hard.  Rhodesian Ridgebacks can be subtly described as as “stubborn,” but from what we can tell, they can sometimes be downright defiant!
  • Not good with other small animals.  Unless your Rhodesian Ridgeback is trained at a very early age to respect your other small animals, their first instinct will be to hunt your other pets.
  • Regular exercise is a must.