American dogs

[bk_blue]

Does anyone know why American versions of some dog breeds are larger than others? eg. US Dalmatians are larger than Aust. Dals, so are heelers and I think Kelpies too. American Labs are bigger than English ones too aren't they? Is it something in the water? :wink:

[Hobbit]

bk_blue napisał(a):

Does anyone know why American versions of some dog breeds are larger than others? eg. US Dalmatians are larger than Aust. Dals, so are heelers and I think Kelpies too. American Labs are bigger than English ones too aren't they? Is it something in the water? :wink:

Some of it has to do with the terrain. Smaller dogs do well in the thick brushy areas and larger dogs do well in the areas that are void of trees or that have trees but not a lot of thick under brush.

Larger dogs are preferred by some cattle producers over the smaller dogs that some sheep producers prefer.

[deepseasnake]

.....US Dalmatians are larger than Aust. Dals....

you must not have seen that Euro Dalmation pic posted awhile back, the one that looked like it was mixed with an AB, he was HUGE and definatly not american.

I think its because our dogs are all fat and spoiled :D

[Guest Anonymous]

Throwing this very loosly out there....you never know what gets mixed in the wood pile??!!

[bk_blue]

deepseasnake napisał(a):

I think its because our dogs are all fat and spoiled :D

:lol: you've never seen the dachshunds my grandpa has!!!

OK, well that makes sense Hobbit. :)

I thought it might have had something to do with showing vs working? But I suppose they already have the split with the breeds.

[deepseasnake]

you've never seen the dachshunds my grandpa has!!!

DUDE, what is it with little dog owners and obesity?
my girlfriends mom's pom is absolutly horrid! it looks like a full grown elephant seal, and has lost ALL range of motion in its neck!

"thyroid"..... :lol: yeah right :roll:

you know I can only remember seeing 1 REALLY obease large dog, but it was a Golden and they are EATERS so I understand but I see fat little dogs everywhere I go!

I think ALL toy breed owners have social and psychological problems.... :lol:

[gooeydog]

I think it has something to do with the way Americans always think that "bigger is better". They've made size changes in a lot of breeds... pit bulls used to be generally in the 20-50 lb range, but we seem to have them regularly weighing 70-90 now (of course some of those are horribly fat). Labs, GSDs, and Rotties have also undergone some changes in size. Much of it can be attributed to the way many (notice I didn't say all :lol: ) American breeders/owners are breeding on the basis of appearance alone, and there is a trend toward "extreme" looks around here. Anything that is "different" is bound to be popular.

[Hobbit]

Deep --- gosh you are so right. :lol:

Goo --- OMG, I saw an advertisement in the paper yesterday, "Giant Chihuahua's", I almost spit my tea out....couldn't get it swollowed fast enough because I was laughing so hard! I kept reading.... "We have mini and teacup Australian Shepherd's" ---- I finally had to stop drinking until I was finished reading the ad's!! TEACUP AUSSIES -- PALEEEEEEESE!

[Bensam]

Thank you, Deep. Just LOVED your comment on "ALL toy breed owners", but I'm polite, don't make sweeping statements, just insult where necessary!! :o

[Guest Anonymous]

[quote name='Hobbit']

Goo --- OMG, I saw an advertisement in the paper yesterday, "Giant Chihuahua's", I almost spit my tea out....couldn't get it swollowed fast enough because I was laughing so hard! I kept reading.... "We have mini and teacup Australian Shepherd's" ---- I finally had to stop drinking until I was finished reading the ad's!! TEACUP AUSSIES -- PALEEEEEEESE!
:o OK.

[gooeydog]

[quote name='deepseasnake']
DUDE, what is it with little dog owners and obesity?

I see fat little dogs everywhere I go!

I think ALL toy breed owners have social and psychological problems.... :lol:

:lol: Not ALL little dog owners.... just most. You won't find obese little dogs in our house. Casey (medium dog) isn't exactly "trim" , but she's not obese, and it's hard to motivate her to lose when the only thing that motivates her is food :roll: Annie doesn't sit still long enough to gain weight, and people always used to complain that she looked starved. Now her muscles have filled in along her backbone and they can't see it, so they usually try to be subtle and say "she looks like she could stand to gain a few pounds". I don't have any good pics that show her "weight-wise", but you can see in this one that she's not fat (or "starved") :lol: ...

[deepseasnake]

Goo, I said that just for you :lol:
no on the reality side I'll bet 90% of small dog owners over feed their dogs, I'm actually thinking more like 98% but thats just cuz I dont see very many over weight pugs :lol:

[gooeydog]

Obese pugs are very popular here, people seem to think that "if it's gut doesn't drag on the ground, it's not a pug" :lol:
BTW Hobbit, when are you planning on getting a teacup Aussie? I'm sure it would make an absolutely splendid herder... well if you can pull it's little teeth off your ankle before then, and if the goats don't step on it :lol:

[corgilady]

Better yet Hobbit, why don't you BREED them... sell them on the 'net..... wow I would like to have one too, think what you'd save on the dogfood bill....


:lol: :lol: :lol:

[bk_blue]

:D

Oscar (one of the dachshunds) had a sort of excuse- he some health problems in his later years (which could have been caused by obesity?) including diabetes, heart murmur (not sure if he had this from birth, but I don't think so as it wasn't picked up until he was 10) and something wrong with his liver- so he was all puffed up and fat-looking. He and his brother Fritz were also a LOT bigger- taller- than Tomson (the new boy) is, Tomson is 12 mths old and not fat... yet. :o He's a bit like Annie I guess (gooeydog), doesn't stay still long enough to gain any weight. I have some new photos of him but have to go round to mum's and scan them!

[Hobbit]

[quote name='gooeydog']
BTW Hobbit, when are you planning on getting a teacup Aussie? I'm sure it would make an absolutely splendid herder... well if you can pull it's little teeth off your ankle before then, and if the goats don't step on it :lol:

I bet they would be fast little lightening rods!!

There is a lady that has several unregistered, "whatevers", that look (sort of) like Heelers. She holds her male Chihuahua up so he can breed them .... what a site, I'm sure... then advertises them and sells them as "Miniature Blue Heelers, $300.00". Can you imagine!!? I just die every time I see her ad.

[Hobbit]

[quote name='corgilady']Better yet Hobbit, why don't you BREED them... sell them on the 'net..... wow I would like to have one too, think what you'd save on the dogfood bill....


:lol: :lol: :lol:


I COULD use a break on my dog food bill. I could find suitable bitches at the dog park, vet clinic, or just driving down the road. Boy, that sounds like a plan! Of course, once you buy'em, they're yours, no guarantees, no vaccinations, no deworming, no papers.....okay, I'll registered them with Continential Kennel Club! :lol: :wink:

Disclaimer: Since some folks may not know that we are just kidding...I am just kidding.

[gooeydog]

Or maybe you could breed "Border Jacks" (Border Collie/JRT mixes)... I hear they're the "in" thing at flyball matches right now :roll: Of course I wouldn't want to live with one :lol: