Rugged, agile, and even-tempered, the Bouvier des Flandres makes an ideal farm dog. He often tests his working skills in AKC herding tests and trials, and can also be found at agility, tracking, obedience, and conformation events. The breed’s double coat protects him from harsh weather and can range in color from fawn to black, passing through salt and pepper, gray, and brindle.

History

The Bouvier originated in Belgium and most of the early breeders were farmers, butchers, or cattle merchants not particularly interested in breeding pedigreed dogs. All they wanted was help in their work. The first Bouviers were not absolutely uniform in size, weight, and color, but nevertheless, they all had enough characteristics in common to be recognized as Bouviers. Many had different names Vuilbaard (dirty beard), koehond (cow dog), and toucheur de boeuf or pic (cattle driver).

Temperament

Steady, resolute, and fearless, the Bouvier des Flandres serves as a family friend and guardian. While this breed is not overly active in the house he does need plenty of exercise, so country and suburban living suit him well. The Bouvier should be brushed weekly to remove dead hair in the coat and prevent matting. A large breed, he should always be supervised around children and other animals.

• Herding Group; AKC recognized in 1931.
• Ranging in size from 23 to 27 inches tall at the shoulder.
• Cattle herder; farm dog.

Environment

• Apartment is ok.
• Low activity indoors.
• Love a large yard.

Exercise

• Moderate daily exercise.

Grooming

• Regular professional grooming recommended.
• Regular brushing.
• Low shedding.
• Can be easy on allergy sufferers.

A graceful, elegant hound, the Borzoi is a sight-hound, meaning he hunts by sight rather than scent. The breed’s tall and rangy body allows him to chase quarry for long distances. Today, they are popular in the lure coursing field and are often seen in the show and companion event rings as well. Their long, silky coat can be flat, wavy, or curly and may be any color or combination of colors.

History

Developed by crossing Arabian greyhounds with a thick-coated, Russian breed, the Borzoi has been bred by the Russian aristocracy for hundreds of years. They were created to hunt wolves, fox, and hare over the open plains of Russia, often in hunting parties of more than 100 dogs. Until 1936, the Borzoi was known as the Russian Wolfhound in America.

Temperament

Even though the Borzoi is large, the breed makes a great house pet. Although affectionate with their owners, they are rather catlike and have independent and undemanding natures. They need daily exercise but will chase anything that moves, so they need to be kept on a leash or in a fenced area. Regular brushing and bathing are necessary to maintain their lustrous coats.

• Hound Group; AKC recognized in 1891.
• Height: At least 28 inches tall at the shoulder for males and 26 inches tall for females; Weight: 60 to 105 pounds, depending on sex.
• Wolfhunter.

Environment

• Apartment is ok.
• Low activity indoors.
• Love large (secure) yards.

Exercise

• Long walks.
• Love (secure) running areas.

Grooming

• Easy care.
• Regular brushing with bristle brush.
• Infrequent bathing.
• Moderate shedding.

Alert, active and agile, the Border Terrier is willing to squeeze through narrow holes and sprint across any terrain to capture his quarry: the fox. This persistence made him an excellent working terrier back in England and allows him to succeed in Earthdog, Obedience, and Agility trials today. Known for his “otter” head and game attitude, the Border is medium-sized with a wiry coat that may be red, grizzle and tan, blue and tan, or wheaten with a dark muzzle.

History

The Border originated in the border country between England and Scotland and may be one of the oldest kinds of terriers in Great Britain. Purely a working terrier, the Border was bred to protect the stock of their owners. They had sufficient length of leg to follow a horse but were small enough to follow a fox to ground. Borders on the farm in the 18th century also had to find their own food, so they had to be good hunters to survive.

Temperament

While he is as hard as nails in the field, the Border Terrier is good-tempered and affectionate in the home. He learns quickly and responds well to obedience training, but must be kept engaged and well-exercised, as he’s an active dog. The Border’s weather-resistant coat requires occasional brushing and hand stripping approximately twice per year.

• Terrier Group; AKC recognized in 1930.
• Ranging in size from 11 to 15 pounds.
• Fox hunter.

Environment

• Apartment is ok.
• Low activity indoors.
• Small yard is fine.

Exercise

• Moderate to extended exercise.
• Love vigorous play.

Grooming

• Weekly brushing.
• Occasional grooming.
• Little to no shedding.
• Easy on people with allergies.

Like many coonhounds, the Bluetick Coonhound gets its name from a coat pattern, which is dark blue in color and covered in a ticking or mottled pattern. Working ability is very important to owners who prize the sturdy and athletic Bluetick for its skill in trailing and treeing raccoons and other small animals. Blueticks are known for having the typical coonhound “bawling” bark. This steady and determined breed can stay on the most intricate of tracks, making it a prized companion for active sporting families.

History

The Bluetick Coonhound’s color suggests that it descended from the Grand Bleu de Gascogne (French Staghound) as well as the English Foxhound. In America, Blueticks were referred to as English Coonhounds for many years. In 1945, however, Bluetick breeders broke away from the English breeders because they didn’t want to follow the trend toward producing a hot-nosed, faster hunter. Proud of their larger, cold-nosed, and resolute, if slower hounds, they re-named their breed and maintained their own hunting style.

Temperament

Athletic and hardy, Blueticks are working dogs that need a job such as hunting, obedience, or agility to stay happy. Their short, glossy coat requires only occasional baths and brushing.

• Hound Group; AKC recognized in 2009.
• Ranging in size from 21 to 27 inches tall at the shoulder and 45 to 80 pounds.
• Raccoon hunter; small game hunter.

Environment

• Apartments? Not so much.
• Low activity indoors.

Exercise

• Moderate to extended daily exercise.

Grooming

• Occasional brushing.
• Keep ears clean.

Described as a “unique looking dog in a baggy suit,” the Bloodhound is one of the oldest breeds of dogs that hunt by scent. Although affectionate, they can possess shy natures, sensitive to kindness or correction by their master. Colors of the Bloodhound include black and tan, liver and tan, and red, sometimes flecked with white. The actual term “Bloodhound” refers not to what the Bloodhound trails but instead refers to its status as the “blooded hound,” meaning aristocratic, since such great lengths were taken early on to keep the strain clean.

History

The Bloodhound made its appearance in Europe long before the Crusades when the first specimens were brought from Constantinople in two strains, black and white. Established in America for over a century, it proved early on to be a tireless worker for law enforcement, being so accurate that evidence trailed by a Bloodhound has been accepted in a court of law.

Temperament

While Bloodhounds are extremely affectionate, they are take-charge dogs, so it is important to be kind, but be the undisputed boss in your household. Bloodhounds should be groomed weekly to eliminate dead hair and facilitate a routine that will help them look, feel, and smell better.

• Hound Group; AKC recognized in 1885.
• Ranging in size from 23 to 27 inches tall at the shoulder.
• Scent tracker.

Environment

• Apartment is ok.
• Low activity indoors.

Exercise

• Moderate daily exercise.

Grooming

• Easy care.
• Use hound glove regularly.
• Infrequent bathing.
• Keep ears clean.
• Average shedding.

The Boggle, sometimes spelled Bogle, is a cross between the Boxer and the Beagle. Athletic and muscular, it is a great choice of pet if you want a companion that is both energetic and brave. As with designer crossbreed dogs, the Boggle can inherit any combination of traits from its purebred ancestors, but generally has better health than either of them. A Boggle that is well taken care of usually lives to about 10 to 15 years old.

History

The best means for understanding this breed is to profile its genetic parents. The Beagle, one of the Boggle’s two ancestors, is a medium-sized breed that belongs to the hound family. Bred to hunt, it has a strong sense of smell and great instinct. The Boxer, which originated in Germany, is also a strong breed. Though kind-hearted, it is known to be rather distrustful of strangers. The Boggle combines the best of these traits.

Temperament

Because the Boggle is very active and athletic, it is important to train yours to behave from an early age. The Boggle is smart and not very hard to train, but consistent training is essential. The crossbreed responds poorly to negative reinforcement, so do not be heavy-handed or yell. Stick with positive reinforcement and treats, which should quickly get your pup into line.

The Bichon poo puppy, also known as a Bichpoo or a Poochon, is a designer dog that’s aimed at melding the best characteristics of the Poodle with those of the Bichon Frise. The Bichon poo (Poochon) is typically about a foot high, weighing around 8 to 16 pounds (4-8 Kgs). Its lifespan is approximately 12 to 15 years. Like any hybrid dogs like Poodle Mixes, Bichon poo temperament and physical characteristics are not as predictable as a purebred, as it may inherit more or fewer traits from each of its parents’ breed. Further, if one or both of the parents are not purebred themselves for example, if they both are Bichon poos the variability in the characteristics of the offspring increases significantly.

Bichon poo puppies are highly intelligent and this trait makes them easy to train. Bichon poos are dependent on their owners and are very loyal. They are considered a “lapdog” which means that while they will readily play and interact with children, they also welcome laying on the couch as well. This breed knows what “downtime” means. They are perfect for kids as well as adults. Both the Poodle and the Bichon Frise are active dogs, so your Bichon poo will have a lot of energy. The Bichon poo does very well in a number of environments. But you need to cater for a daily exercise of at least half an hour. Consider a bit more exercise if she does not have access to a backyard.

Bichapoo puppies come in a multitude of colors (not limited to) cream, apricot, black, white, tan. parti-colors, chocolate.

The bichapoo is a mixed breed and because of this, the coat can be either straight, wavy or curly. A larger percent of bichapoo puppies have curly coats but other coats are possible as well. Bichapoos are considered hypoallergenic as they are mixed with two hypoallergenic breeds – the bichon frise and the poodle. Look for the bichapoo to become a purebred in the years to follow.

One of the few All-American breeds, the Black and Tan Coonhound is a persistent, determined, honest hunter who will stay on track no matter the terrain or conditions. His name developed from his color and purpose his coat is coal black with tan markings, and he is used to trail and tree raccoon.

History

The Black and Tan Coonhound is believed to have descended from the Talbot Hound, which was known in England as far back as the 11th century, and the Bloodhound. In America, the Black and Tan Coonhound evolved from the Foxhounds that possessed treeing instinct and the black and tan color pattern. Owned by scouts and Indian fighters during the late 1700s, the Black and Tan was the first coonhound to be considered a separate breed from the American Foxhound.

Temperament

Outgoing and friendly, the Black and Tan Coonhound likes to be with his family. Most are laid back in the house but require moderate daily exercise on a leash or in a fenced area. Their instincts may lead them to chase and tree small animals and bark, so training is important. Their short coat requires minimal maintenance.

• Hound Group; AKC recognized in 1945.
• Ranging in size from 23 to 27 inches tall at the shoulder.
• Raccoon hunter.

Environment

• Apartment? Not so much.
• Low activity indoors.
• Love large yards.

Exercise

• Moderate to extended exercise.
• Love to learn and train.

Grooming

• Occasional Brushing.
• Keep ears clean.

A cheerful, happy dog, the Bichon Frise is small and sturdy with a dark-eyed inquisitive expression and a plumed tail it carries merrily over the back. The breed is often compared to a cotton ball due to its curled double coat, which consists of a textured outer coat and a silky undercoat. The coat must be white but may have shadings of buff, cream, or apricot around the ears or on the body.

History

The Bichon Frise appeared in the 13th century as a descendent of the Water Spaniel. Traded by Spanish sailors and transported from continent to continent, the breed eventually became a favorite of those in the 16th-century French royal courts. The breed was also favored by the painters of the Spanish school, who often included them in their works. Although the breed’s colorful past includes use as a circus dog, today the Bichon is enjoyed primarily as a companion animal.

Temperament

The Bichon is a naturally gentle, playful dog. He loves activity and requires regular exercise. His hair grows continually and does not shed, so extensive grooming is a must to prevent mats. Bichons also tend to be a good breed for allergy sufferers. They do very well with families and also with other dogs in the household. The Bichon Frise also trains very well with a firm hand!

• Non-Sporting Group; AKC recognized in 1972.
• Ideal size between 9 and 11 inches tall at the shoulder.

Environment

• Apartment is fine.
• Fairly active indoors.

Exercise

• moderate daily exercise.

Grooming

• Frequent professional grooming recommended.
• Little or no shedding.
• Easy on allergy sufferers.

One of four varieties of Swiss Mountain Dog, the Bernese Mountain Dog is the only variety that possesses a long, silky coat. A hardy dog that thrives in cold weather, the “Berner’s” intelligence, strength, and agility helped him perform the drafting and droving work in the mountainous region where he originated. Today, this versatile breed participates in conformation, obedience, carting, agility, tracking, herding, and therapy work. Like the other Swiss breeds, they are tri-colored, with patches of black, rust, and white.

History

The Bernese Mountain Dog (Berner Sennenhund) originated in Switzerland and is named for the Canton of Bern. Historically, Berners were used as general-purpose farm dogs. Their large, sturdy frames and calm, confident temperaments made them ideal for pulling carts to market, driving dairy cattle, watching the farm, and acting as companions to farmers.

Temperament

Farm dogs by heritage, Berners need a moderate amount of exercise as well as consistent obedience training. As a double-coated breed, they also tend to shed, and so require regular brushing. Their gentle, easygoing manner and the need to be close to their people make them a good fit for families. Despite their large size, they do great with children!

• Working Group; AKC recognized in 1937.
• Ranging in size from 23 to 27 inches tall at the shoulder.
• Draft dog; drover; watchdog.

Environment

• Apartments? Not so much.
• Low activity indoors.
• Thrive in cold climates.

Exercise

• Short to moderate daily exercise.

Grooming

• Brush 2-3X/week.
• Seasonal shedding.