Working Dogs: St Bernard

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An ancient breed, the St. Bernard believably descends from the heavy fighting dogs brought in to Switzerland by Roman armies in the 1st century A.D.. He earned fame in the Swiss Alps, where, at the Hospice of St. Bernard, dogs were raised and trained to rescue travelers who get lost in the snow. Its a huge, powerful dog having a strong back and well-developed hindquarters and muscular and strong shoulders. The head is distinguished with its broad forehead, wrinkles and furrow, and muzzle with loose-skinned lips. Its rather high-set ears are medium-sized and lie near the cheeks, and his lower eyelids fit rather loose. The long tail hangs with a flimsy upward curve at the tip. He comes in two coat types: shorthaired (smooth, dense, and tough) and longhaired (medium length, plain to slightly wavy).

WEIGHT: 150-180 pounds

HEIGHT: males minimum of 27 1/2 inches; females minimum of 25 1/2 inches

COLOR: white with red, or red with white; brindle patches with white markings. 

By Tip Writer

Italian Greyhound

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Believed to have originated in the Mediterranean basin around 2,000 years ago, the Italian Greyhound was a darling of European sovereigns, including Francis I of France,  Catherine the Great of Russia, Frederick the Great of Prussia, and Queen Victoria. He is elegant, slender and graceful, a true Greyhound in miniature. The head is long and narrow, the eyes dark and expressive and the muzzle fine. The small ears are tossed back and folded. The body is arching over the loin, the chest is deep, and the tail is long and carried low. The legs are exquisitely boned, having long feet like those of a rabbit. The hair is satiny and soft to the touch, thin and glossy.

WEIGHT: 6-10 pounds

HEIGHT: 13-15 inches

COLOR: any color and markings, sans brindle and tan markings.

By TipWriter