Beardies are people-oriented dogs. They NEED to be with their family. If left alone for long periods, they are liable to become frustrated and provide their own entertainment not always one that makes the owner happy. Beardies are vigorous, bouncy dogs, and like to jump up to look you in the eyes or kiss your nose. This fits in well with many families.

For the most part, they do well with other dogs that are raised with them. The Anatolian Shepherd, as a flock guardian, instinctively protects its flock against all predators - which category includes other dogs. Do not assume that an Anatolian will be happy to socialize with other dogs. Some do, but many well-socialized Anatolians still need to maintain a certain range of distance between themselves and other dogs.

Our breed is very lucky to have remained small and not gotten the attention of "backyard breeders" or puppy mills. Our greatest hope is that we can stay this way! So, yes, you will find breeders are striving for Pharaohs that will do well in the show ring. However, no litter, no matter how illustrious the parents, is going to produce only show dogs! Genetics just doesn't work that way. So, don't allow yourself to be intimidated by a sire and dam that have impressive titles.

They can be very good house dogs, but they are very large, shed with enthusiasm, and may knock things over with their large tails. If you are a finicky house cleaner, this breed would be a challenge for you. Any dog can be trained to live in the house, but puppies and young dogs need a lot of exercise. A large dog door, allowing access to both indoors and out, can accommodate both exercise and an Anatolian's appreciation of indoor comforts! All puppies and young adults chew.

The Kerry is very intelligent and a number of dogs have received advanced obedience degrees, but they can be stubborn and independent. Like most terriers, the Kerry was bred to work independently of human direction. If a dog is nose to nose with a badger, it cannot take the time to ask "may I attack now, please, or would you prefer me to wait?" Thus, obedience as a formal task is rather foreign to the breed, but their loyalty and eagerness to please will usually compensate.

Aussies make great family dogs for most families. However, like virtually all dogs, Aussies require considerable training to make them into the devoted family pet who plays exuberantly with children during the day but lies quietly at the master's feet in the evening. Aussies have retained strong herding instincts, sometimes despite many years and many generations away from their original sheep herding ancestors.

White Shepherds make excellent family companions for all ages of people. They are usually very good with children as long as both the children and the dog are taught to love and respect one another. White Shepherds also get along very well with other pets. Again, respect and tolerance may need to be taught with certain types of pets. Common sense should always prevail.

Yes, definitely. Mini Aussies become incredibly devoted to their people. They enjoy, and need to be involved in, family activities. They are gentle with children, good with other pets, and readily trained. But as the Australian Shepherd has a strong working heritage, mini Aussies often do best in families willing to spend time providing obedience training, exercise and who permit the dog to be part of the family.

If you have a "family dog" and you are worried that your dog will be mauled by some Pit Bull- please stop watching too much tv. No aggressive dogs are allowed here. All the dogs that come here have been approved. They are family dogs. Just because a dog is a so called happy all around good dog breed does not guarantee it staying here. Every Pit Bull who has stayed here has been happy, sociable and stable. I can't say that of all Goldens and Labs.

Greyhounds do not make good watchdogs. They are bred specifically to be even tempered and good natured, and receive constant handling. As a result, they love everyone and view every stranger as a new friend.

No. While the Cavalier will alert his owner to an arrival of someone new, they seem to regard all strangers as friends they haven't met yet. Although a noisy greeting may be enough to ward off a prowler, it would be difficult picturing anyone being scared off by a Cavalier.

Yes. They have business-like barks to alert their owners of visitors (or prowlers) on the premises. A full grown Kerry barking at the door is an imposing sight. However, once the visitor is approved by the owner, the visitor is accepted by the dog and may even be solicited to play.

Kerries are good in cooler climates and are popular in such northern countries as Canada, Sweden, Norway, and Finland. Normal cold weather care should be taken, including regular inspection of pads for ice balls. mentioned above, they are mostly indoor dogs and most of them enjoy excursions into cold and snowy weather. They do not do as well in hot weather and may be noticeably less active.

The short answer is Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers. There are exceptions of course. Dogs from the Working group are easy to train but tend to be protective. Field dogs tend to more interested in their environment than people. Small dogs can't pick up large objects or pull wheelchairs. Large dogs are hard to put under a table in a restaurant or out of the way on a bus or plane.

Many Hearing and Service Dog programs use shelter dogs. The number of dogs that are viable as Hearing and Service Dogs is exaggerated by some organizations. Selection of a dog is critical. A Service Dog candidate should be between 18 months to 2 years old. A younger dog will not show its adult temperament and will not have adult bone structure for hip/shoulder/elbow x-rays. Older than two reduces the amount of time the dog will be able to work with their disabled person.

They've been referred to as "45 mph couch potatoes." They are quiet, gentle, affectionate, and intelligent. Greyhounds shed little, and their coat is non-oily, so there is no "dog smell."

Although they do not know other dog breeds, it does not take them long to learn that these too are dogs, and they normally get along fine with them. Greyhounds should be carefully introduced to cats and very small dogs, as at first glance they look very similar to the lure they were trained to chase. There are ex -racing Greyhounds that live with birds, cats, rabbits, ferrets...it simply depends on the dog.

Yes! BMCs as a breed can make wonderful family dogs, but like any dog it is not a good idea to leave a puppy and a child together unsupervised. Both tend to be unaware of their potential to cause damage to the other. A puppy could bite or nip a child intending to play with them just as they would a littermate, but a child unaware that the pup is playing could become frightened.

If we know in advance that you do not like dogs – you will not be placed in a home with dogs. Also, before you arrive you will be told of any pets that are in the home; you can notify us then and we will find you another home.

Marrow bones should always be given raw. When you boil bones it makes them brittle which means that they break easily and can cause a lot of damage to your dog's intestinal tract - even kill them if splinters get wedged in their throat. Please make sure to always give bones raw. A raw marrow bone is a great source of calcium. It's also hours of chewing fun, which helps keep your dog's teeth clean and free of plaque and tartar.

Some Cairns would be wonderful with a senior depending on the individual energy levels of the dog and the people. As a rule, Cairns are an active breed; however, they do mellow some with age. Senior or more mature Cairns are recommended for those in their "golden years."

Since most Hearing Dogs are rescued from shelters, most of them are mixed breeds. They come in all different sizes, shapes, and colors. The great majority of Hearing Dog applicants request small to medium sized dogs, so most Hearing Dogs are Sheltie size or smaller. In addition to size, personality and temperament are important for a Hearing Dog. They must be energetic, ready to work in an instant when a sound occurs. They must be friendly and people oriented.

Saint Bernards are naturally friendly animals, initially bred for search and rescue of people lost in snow or avalanches. They should not dig you out of the snow and then eat you! However, as guard dogs their size is usually a good deterrent to would-be burglars. They do tend to sense aggression and if you have raised your Saint Bernard correctly then it will protect you to the end. They can of course be trained as well as most dogs to be a guard dog, but this is not their natural temperament.

ANSWER: No, absolutely not. However, Wolfhounds are big and that is usually enough to stop people from coming onto your property. They should never be "trained" to be guard dogs. If it is even possible to train them to do that, they would be very dangerous. The type of training required would break a gentle wolfhound's spirit before creating a guard dog. Please choose another breed.