Chow Chow

Chow Chow Temperament
The Chow Chow is a dignified, faithful, and independent breed, with a serious attitude and a somewhat protective streak, which makes him an effective watchdog. These dogs are alert and intelligent, and it can be difficult to get some Chow Chows to do anything that they do not want to do, which makes them more suited to those with more experience with dog ownership and training. This breed does have territorial instincts, and needs to be socialized early on in order to ensure that he has an even temperament and stable personality.
The Chow Chow will get on well with children when raised with them, and with older, more considerate children, but needs to be supervised around animals as he may be aggressive towards dogs and cats. He tends to be reserved and wary around strangers, perhaps because of his protective streak. The Chow Chow is a dog that will often keep himself to himself unless provokes, but do bear in mind that these dogs do have predatory instincts and can therefore be dangerous around smaller dogs and cats. Although training can be difficult because of the nature of the breed, housebreaking of the Chow Chow is normally quite easy.
Chow Chow Appearance
The Chow Chow weighs in at around 50-75 pounds, and the height of the Chow Chow is around 17-21 inches. A member of the Spitz family, the Chow Chow has a sturdy build, and quite a dopey expression. The coat of the Chow Chow is dense, coarse, and rough, and there is a distinctive ruff around the neck. However, there is also a smooth coated version of this breed, and these have a dense exterior coat with a softer undercoat, without any riff or feathering.
Chow Chow Grooming
The grooming requirements for a Chow Chow will depend on whether you have rough coated or smooth coated variety. With the rough coated Chow Chow you will need to brush the coat twice weekly, and more often during heavier shedding. You will also need to brush the smooth coated variety regularly. You may need to have these dogs professionally groomed occasionally, and you can dry shampoo when necessary. Both variations are medium shedders.
Chow Chow Health Problems and Life Expectancy
The life expectancy of the Chow Chow is around 8-12 years, and there are a number of health problems associated with this breed. This includes allergies, skin conditions, sensitivity to chemicals and medications, glaucoma, entropion, thyroid problems, and renal cortical hypoplasia. The parents of the Chow Chow puppy should have OFA and CERF certificates.
Chow Chow History
The Chow Chow originates from China, and was bred for hunting, protection, and herding, as well as protection. By the late eighteenth century Chow Chows had been introduced in Great Britain. The breed was registered with the AKC in 1903.

Chihuahua

Chihuahua Temperament
The smallest of the dog breeds, the Chihuahua is a dog that is lively, affectionate, loving, and entertaining. This is a dog that loves to both give and receive attention, he will follow you everywhere around the house and loves nothing more to cuddle up on your lap while you're watching TV. Intelligent and eager to please, the Chihuahua is very responsive and playful. However, it is important to remember that the personality of Chihuahuas can vary, and whereas some may be very confident and friendly others may be reserved and stand offish. The Chihuahua usually gets very attached to his family and he can have a jealous streak if he feels he isn't the centre of attention and another pet or person is getting more attention than him. The Chihuahua gets along well with older, gentle children and will tolerate other pets when properly socialized with them.
Early and continued socialization is important in order to ensure that your Chihuahua has a stable and even temperament, and the genetic temperament of the parents of your Chihuahua will often determine how he is likely to turn out. Many Chihuahuas do have very outgoing personalities, and are very inquisitive and surprisingly bold for their size. Sociability with strangers will again depend upon the personality of the individual dog, but many are reserved and wary around strangers. The Chihuahua does bark to raise the alarm is something is amiss, and this makes him quite an effective watchdog. He has a high learning rate but a stubborn attitude at times, which makes him best suited to those with some experience of dog ownership. Housebreaking this breed can also be difficult.
Chihuahua Appearance
The Chihuahua is a dainty, fragile looking dog, and is a very distinctive looking animal with a pretty face, and a somewhat mischievous expression. The Chihuahua has a rounded head and dark, wallowing, and protruding eyes, with ears that are very large in proportion to the rest of the head. When it comes to the coat of the Chihuahua there are two varieties available, one being the long coated variety and the other the smooth variety. The long coated Chihuahua has a soft, long coat, and this can be single or double. The smooth coated variety is soft, short, and dense. The coloring of the Chihuahua can vary and includes red, cream, chocolate, blue/gray, white, fawn, and black. He may also have white or tan trimmings. The weight of the Chihuahua is around 2-6 pounds, and the height is around 5-8 inches.
Chihuahua Grooming
The long haired Chihuahua will need to be brushed regularly to keep his soft coat in good condition, and you may need to step up the grooming with the double coated variety, as shedding may be heavier. With the short haired variety occasional brushing and wipe down with a damp cloth will help to keep his coat looking good. The Chihuahua is a medium shedder and the short haired variety will shed all year round, whereas the long haired variety will shed on a seasonal basis. Make sure that you check his eyes regularly, as they do protrude and this can put him at increased risk of contracting eye infections and problems.
Chihuahua Health Problems and Life Expectancy
The lifespan of the Chihuahua is around 15-18 years, making him one of the longer life breeds. There are some health problems and disorders associated with this breed and these include luxating patella, entropion, heart problems, trachea problems, low blood sugar, dental problems, sensitivity to chemicals and medications, and open fontanel. These small dogs have very fragile bones, and owners should take care to ensure that he is not treated roughly or dropped, as this could lead to injury - this is why the breed is best suited to gentler children. The protruding eyes of these dogs also need to be taken into consideration, as they could be easily damaged. Take care not to inadvertently harm the dog's eyes through rough treatment or kicking, and keep an eye out for any infections. The parents of the Chihuahua puppy should have OFA and CERF certificates.
Chihuahua History
The Chihuahua is a native of Mexico, and this breed is named after the state in which it was first developed. There is much speculation about the true origins of the Chihuahua, and this ranges from being the sacred dog of the Aztecs to being around in Ancient Egypt thousands of years ago. The Chihuahua was registered with the AKC in 1904.

Chesapeake Bay Retriever

Chesapeake Bay Retriever Temperament
A devoted, determined, and sensible breed, the Chesapeake Bay Retriever is a dog that is very loyal to his family and very protective, making him an effective watchdog. These dogs can be territorial and can therefore be aggressive with strange animals and wary around strangers. The Chesapeake Bay Retriever gets along well with considerate children, and will also accept family pets that he has been brought up and well socialized with. The Chesapeake Bay Retriever is a confident and sometimes dominant breed, and is best suited to those with some experience of dog ownership.
The Chesapeake Bay Retriever is an excellent retriever, and will be thrilled to retrieve anything that he is told to. These dogs also love the water, and can spend many hours in the coldest waters. They also love to run, play, and get involved with a wide range of activities, and need plenty of exercise outdoors. Eager and quick to learn, training can vary with this breed - they are very intelligent, but their confidence means that the owner will need to be assertive and to reinforce leadership. These dogs are not very active indoors but have bags of energy to be burnt up when outdoors. The Chesapeake Bay Retriever also tends to chew a lot, so it is important to ensure that he has the appropriate outlet in terms of suitable toys otherwise he may turn to your belongings.
Chesapeake Bay Retriever Appearance
The Chesapeake Bay Retriever has a large, sturdy, and athletic build, and is a handsome dog that carried himself with grace and is very agile. Rugged and powerful, he has impressive muscle tone, and an eager and determined expression. The coat of the Chesapeake Bay Retriever is short, harsh, and dense, with an oily outer coat that makes him waterproof, and a wooly undercoat. The weight of the Chesapeake Bay Retriever is around 55-80 pounds, and the height is 21-26 inches.
Chesapeake Bay Retriever Grooming
When grooming the Chesapeake Bay Retriever you should be careful of over-brushing as you can otherwise affect the texture of the dog's coat. You can brush his coat on a weekly basis with a natural bristle brush, and only more often if he shedding heavily.
Chesapeake Bay Retriever Health Problems and Life Expectancy
The life expectancy of the Chesapeake Bay Retriever is around 10-12 years, and there are a number of health problems that are associated with this breed, including OCD, PRA, HD, elbow dysplasia, and cataracts. The parents of the Chesapeake Bay Retriever puppy should have OFA and CERF certificates.
Chesapeake Bay Retriever History
The Chesapeake Bay Retriever originates from the USA, and has been used to retrieve geese and ducks from the roughest and coldest of waters. He is also a determined hunter and very effective watchdog and guard dog. The breed was registered with the AKC in 1878.