Learn, Don't Return - Fun Dog Breed Education PetzPaws

The building blocks for the American Staffordshire Terrier were the extinct Old English Black and Tan Terrier, the White English Terrier, the not-extinct bulldog, and quite possibly the not-extinct scrappy Fox Terrier.  The American Staffordshire Terrier which is also known as AmStaff for short, is in the Terrier Group with its brother the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Sealyham Terrier, and the already mentioned Fox Terrier.  We've covered the Sealyham Terrier - I'll put a link up here at the end of this video for you.  In the 1800s lineage of the American Staffordshire Terrier was being developed in England to be a bear bait dog.  Well, that's not nice!  But thankfully in 1835 English Parliament outlawed bear baiting with the Humane Act.  Well, that is nice!  But, because bear baiting became illegal, it created a whole new problem for the American Staffordshire Terrier forefathers.

The American Staffordshire Terrier bloodlines and their industrial laborer and miner owners would now engage in underground dog fighting matches in the seedy underbelly of industrial Staffordshire, England.  But, some industrial laborers desired better opportunities in a world full of possibilities and they would find hope for a better life in the United States.  And would you bring your beloved and faithful dog with you?  Heck yes!  And they did too!  Meanwhile, in Staffordshire, England dog fighting was a lucrative side business, and business was good!  The dog breed that was winning dog fighting matches was the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, the American Staffordshire Terrier brother, who decided to stay in England.  In the meantime a new United States dog breed from the "Pitbull" was being developed - they were not specifically no longer used just for dog fighting in this new country, they needed a utility dog that could watch the livestock, kill rodents, monitor children, and be a loving family pet.

However, the same can't be said for its rough and tumble brother the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, which continued its dog fighting ways back in Staffordshire, England.  The American Staffordshire Terrier proved its worth to its owners and the popularity of the AmStaff grew in the United States.  But in the late 1800s the passionate AmStaff fanciers begged the American Kennel Club to allow their beloved dog breed into the AKC, while they themselves hunted wild game with dogs and guns, still, their response was a hard, No!  Back in England, the British Kennel Club had the same objection to introducing the Staffordshire Bull Terrier in their kennel club.  Rules for thee, and not for me.  The road finally cleared in 1935 - 100 years after the original Humane Act, in England, that the Staffordshire Bull Terrier became recognized.  Progress moves very slowly in English Parliament when it takes a dog 100 years for a dog breed to be recognized. I wonder how long it took the Fox Terrier, which the aristocracy used for Fox hunting, to be approved?  You can be it didn't take 100 years!

But paving the way with Britains' approval of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier into their album; now allowed the American Kennel Club to recognize its American brother, the American Staffordshire Terrier.  The AmStaff was recognized by the AKC in 1936 and the Staffordshire Terrier Club of America (amstaff.org) also began in 1936.  So is the American Staffordshire Terrier a pit bull?  In lineage yes, even technically probably yes.  It's just that its brother the Staffordshire Bull Terrier is the undisputed "pitbull" dog breed - and you can't take that away from him, he's earned the moniker.  The AmStaff is a medium-sized dog breed that weighs 40-70 pounds and has a height of 17-19" depending if it's a boy or girl.  And if it's a boy or girl they love to be snuggled with - and who can blame them! 

Are you not entertained?  Are you not entertained?  Is this not why you are here?  And the Lagotto Romagnolo has been entertaining Italians since the Middle Ages -  since the Pre-Roman Etruscans.  The Lagotto Romagnolo dog breed was particularly popular with the Vallarolo hunters in Valle San Giovanni; the breed is particularly good at hunting in the lagoons, evidenced by their name, which means "duck dog.  Lagotto is both a Roman and Venetian word, and Romagnolo means from Rome.  Remember that Rome had conquered all of - what is now Italy, Spain, Portugal, France Germany, etc. so the term Roman was loosely used throughout its territories.  Dredging of the Abruzzi regions' lagoons reduced the Vallaroli people and the Lagotto Romagnolo.  But, the Lagotto Romagnolo is adaptable and found a new game to hunt!  Truffle!

Truffle is an underground mushroom, or fungi that looks like a small potato.  Got it?  Good.  Because truffles grow randomly - underground, and not in the Abruzzi region, it probably took a while to connect the dots.  But around the 1850s the dots connected and the Lagotto Romagnolo's 4 legs hit the ground running, and it didn't take them long to displace the truffle-hunting pigs.  Good thing too, because the pigs would find and eat the truffles!  And that's bad for business.  And the truffle business is booming - only a 1/2 pound of truffle can earn over $200,000 in 2024.  Plus, truffle season is only 3 months long, but your Lagotto Romagnolo can produce for a long time - they can live between 15 and 17 years.  You can bet the Lagotto is living large in a Tuscan villa, but the Lagotto Romagnolo isn't large; they only weigh between 24 to 35 pounds depending on if it's a boy or girl.

A lot of energy has gone into making the Lagotto Romagnolo a great dog, and they became a member of the AKC in 2015.  The Lagotto Romagnolo is an energetic dog breed that is good around kids.  The breed joined the AKC's Sporting Group with another Italian compadrie the Spinone Italiano, and another bird dog the Vizsla. and another curlicue the Curly-Coated Retriever.  Yes, the coat of the Lagotto Romagnolo is tightly wound but its personality isn't tightly wound - they love to play.  And the pooches' double coat of hair is waterproof and barely sheds which together prevents hypothermia and is hypoallergenic.  The  Lagotto Romagnolo is a medium-sized dog breed that is low maintenance: 1) clean the ears with a towelette, 2) use a clipper on the nails 3) routinely shampoo, condition and cut the curly hair 4) feed your Lagotto a high-quality pet food from a 1-quart bowl.

The Lagotto Romagnolo is full of style - like PetzPaws dog walking apparel.  And like you, they are intelligent, eager, and ready to sniff out anything that you've lost...they're your updated Find My Phone app.  But unlike your phone's app., the Lagotto does require training - but unlike your phone's app. - they are eager to please you.  And they can please you in multiple colors like 1) White 2) Off-White 3) Orange 4) Brown and 5) Roan.  Can your app do that?  I didn't think so!  The Lagotto is not the perfect apartment dog breed because they are an active dog breed that needs both physical and mental stimulation.  They are better suited for city life with homes with a fence and a pool; and best suited for country life where they can run freely and swim in a pond or lake.  Look, the Lagotto Romagnolo was not a Roman guard dog and you don't have to guard your hoard like Caesar at petzpaws.com with discount code Lagotto for 10% off.

The Havanese is in the Toy Group with the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Yorkshire Terrier ( Yorkie) not all Terriers are in the AKC Terrier Group, and the Silky Terrier - speaking of silky that is the perfect word to describe the Havaneses' coat.  In fact,  the Blanquito de la Habana, - which was the Cuban breed before the Havanese, was also called the "Havana Silk Dog".  But, it seems that I've gotten a little ahead of myself.  Let's start at the first problem, Cuba didn't have any native dogs, so all the Cuban dogs are actually from elsewhere.  Do you care to guess?  The most likely conquistadors that brought a dog to Cuba was 1. Italians or 2. Spanish - and maybe both brought pooches along -we'll never know.  The dog that was brought was a Bichon - which translates to "small dog with curly hair".  But the Bichon is not a sporting dog like a labrador, that could be used for hunting wild game.  So why did they bring a "small dog with curly hair"?

Well, Cuba's natural resources include sugarcane, tobacco, fruits and coffee just to name a few.  And the conquistadors sure would like those to take back home in trade.  But what could they trade that they could easily put on a ship?  And with little practical value - a Bichon type of dog was given in trade to Cuban aristocrats, and they named them the Blanquito de la Habana - or Havana Silk Dog.  But the Blanquito de la Habana went extinct, or more likely they were frolicking around with a new dog breed to Cuba - the poodle, and probably by happenstance the Havanese was born...literally.  So, the 1958 Cuban Revolution was happening and everybody wanted to get out of Cuba, and would you leave your dog behind?  No.  And neither did a few Cuban families leaving Cuba - and thankfully they did, because without their efforts and compassion, the breed would have gone extinct.  The revolutionaries wouldn't kill the Havanese intentionally, like the Chinese Communist Revolutionaries did the Shih Tzu; but widespread famine hastened Havanese's demise in Cuba.

But a breeder named Mrs. Dorothty Goodale found the 3 Cuban families that still had their beloved Havanese dogs, and Dorothy started the Havanese's revival in the early 1970's.  A real Havanese advocate, Mrs. Goodale even spearheaded the Havanese Club of America which she formed in 1979, and her efforts paid off when the Havanese became recognized by the AKC in 1986.  Can you guess where the Havanese ranks in popularity according to the AKC?  24.  Proving that the Havanese is still a great companion dog breed today.  Now let's dive into what makes the Havanese so desirable, and what events you can enjoy together.  Obviously the Havanese is not a sporting dog, so they were not historically for the average person.  But today you and I can enjoy the Havanese companionship without being an aristocrat, and that's a good thing because they really are a wonderful dog breed.

The Havanese companionship includes; playing peek-a-boo around the furniture, throwing and retrieving small stuffy toys, and having your Havanese lay on the top back of the couch as you take a break from the daily grind.  The Havanese is low maintenance but does require going outdoors for potty breaks and leashed strolls around the neighborhood.  The Havanese is a happy and playful dog that is ideal for people who need mental breaks -  The Havanese requires minimal upkeep, such as grooming, nail clipping, and puppy training.  The Havanese is a smart, intelligent dog and you'll need to be smart and intelligent too, by 1) finding a Havanese breeder or rescue who loves and supports the Havanese 2) Taking your Havanese to a veterinarian for vaccinations, 3) Socialising with other friendly dogs and 4) cleaning your Havaneses' dog bowls and food containers.  

A Belgian Malinois was part of Seal Team 6 on the raid that took down Osama bin Laden.  I saw YOUR ears perk up!  And the Belgian Malinois ears started perking up in the late 1800s when throughout Europe dog breeding was going through a renaissance.  Collaboration with breeders and handlers was critical in developing a breed that met exacting conditions.  And a group of breeders were on a mission to create breeds that represented their specific region - one of the four was the Belgian Malinois.  The Belgian Malinois originates from the Country of Belgium from the Mechelen region also called Maline.  The Belgian Malinois quickly became a prized tool for sheepherders in Maline, so how did a herding dog from Belgium become a member of Seal Team 6?  This isn't the end of the Belgian Malinois story, but YouTube Shorts are only 1 minute and my time is unfortunately up - but I did create a full video of the Belgian Malinois story.  If you enjoy learning about dog breeds from me, Brian - consider subscribing.

The History of the Basset Hound must start with its name; Basset.  Basset is a French term that entered the lexicon in 1600 ish and refers to something low: 1) a short person 2)  a short chair, and the term evolved into 3) an outcrop, or to crop out, are all termed Basset.  The term makes perfect sense because the Basset Hounds stand low to the ground with their short legs.  But I could also see the term playing a supporting role in the breeding of the Basset Hound,  Let me explain, if you have a littler and one dog is shorter than the others, and you are breeding for a low dog, this specific dog would be the outcrop - the rarity you want for the traits you desire, like short legs.  The Basset Hound is both Belgian and French and is even a size classification for a group of low dogs in those countries.  Today, the Basset Hounds here, are from Britain and America.  Tip of the iceberg, but I'm outta time.  Visit petzpaws.com to support the channel.

Wait until you hear about the Chihuahua history - truly amazing!  And do you know what's also interesting about the Chihuahua, the Chihuahua is not in the Terrier group.  The Chihuahua is actually in the AKC Toy group, with breeds like the Chinese Crested, Miniature Pinscher, and the Shih Tzu.  Learn, Don't Return has covered the Shih Tzu here, and like the Shih Tzu the Mexican Chihuahua is an ancient breed that was symbolized in ancient artwork and both were sacred deities associated with gods.  The Chihuahua was associated with the god of lightning and death.  Folks were talking about 500 BC in the Mayan civilization, when the Chihuahua was called the Techichis.  And after the Mayans, the Toltec civilization carried on the Techichis legacy which was only 300 BC.  More recently the Aztecs, which conquered the Toltecs in the 12th century, continued to worship the Chihuahua.  No wonder the little guys have a determined personality, they've been in charge of some of the greatest civilizations on earth!