http://www.thepawblog.com Sun, 16 Mar 2008 04:41:25 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en The Chow Chow is said to have originated in China, where it was used primarily as a working dog and a watchdog. It is thought to be one of the oldest dog breeds in the world, adorning the entrances of many Buddhist temples and palaces. The Chow Chow got its name from ... http://www.thepawblog.com/dog-breeds-chow-chow/ The Australian Cattle Dog, often known simply as the "Blue Heeler" or "Australian Heeler", is said to be a cross between European imports and wild Australian dingoes. This rugged dog breed is used for driving cattle over long distances under harsh climates because of their excellent stamina, and strong work ... http://www.thepawblog.com/dog-breeds-australian-cattle-dog/ Probably the most famous of all the Scottish terriers, the Cairn terrier was named after the small stones used as border and grave markings found throughout the Scottish countryside. The Cairn Terrier excelled at catching vermin, and formerly searched for rodents and other small animals in those very "Cairns". Nowadays, this small, ... http://www.thepawblog.com/dog-breeds-cairn-terrier/   This Flemish breed is native to Belgium, where it was bred in Flanders by a canal boat captain named Renssens in the early 16th century. Since this dog breed was first bred,  there has been an ongoing debate as to whether the Schipperke is a miniature sheepdog, a spitz, or a ... http://www.thepawblog.com/dog-breeds-schipperke/   Named after the ancient tribe the Malhemuts, the Alaskan Malamute is one the earliest Arctic sled dogs , and one of the oldest dog breeds in the world. This breed is known as a “pack-animal” because of its great strength and athleticism, and ability to lead or be led. They are often ... http://www.thepawblog.com/dog-breeds-alaskan-malamute/ A baby chihuahua born with a heart-shaped pattern on his coat has become a hit in Japan. The chihuahua has a white coat with a tan colored patch of fur in the shape of a nearly perfect heart that many onlookers now seem to feel is lucky. According to owner Emiko Sakurada, ... http://www.thepawblog.com/dog-born-with-heart-shaped-patch-on-coat/ A native of Switzerland, the Bernese Mountain Dog, also known as Berner Sennenhund, Bouvier Bernois, or simply "Berner" has long served as both work dog and watchdog. They are sturdy and balanced tri-colored dogs, known for their ability to pull carts and drive cattle. They have a distinct coat made up of ... http://www.thepawblog.com/dog-breeds-bernese-mountain-dog/ First bred in and around the city of Malines, Belgium, the Belgian Malinois, sometimes referred to as the Belgian Shepherd Dog, is a highly proportioned and muscular, medium-sized working dog. It is very intelligent and obedient dog, with a short and straight coat, and  a color scheme generally composed of rich ... http://www.thepawblog.com/dog-breeds-belgian-malinois/ The Shetland Pony originated off the northeastern coast of Scotland on the wet and rugged Shetland Islands. It is believed that the ponies are descendants of a Tundra Pony that was found in Britain during the Ice Age. The Shetland pony was originally used as pack animal for the crofters of the ... http://www.thepawblog.com/horse-breeds-shetland-pony/   The Collie was originally a herding breed that worked in the Scottish highlands, though it didn't take long for the Collie to become one of the most popular dog breeds in the world. With the help of Queen Victoria, these dogs were brought to the attention of the world, and soon ... http://www.thepawblog.com/dog-breeds-collie/