The Border Terrier is a breed of dog of the terrier type that came from the borders of England and Scotland. Its ancestors are said to be the Dandie Dinmont terrier and the Bedlington terrier. Today, countless of families choose the Border terrier as a companion and in fact, this breed ranked 81st in the American Kennel Club registry and 10th at the UK kennel club.

This breed got its name from the fact that it was developed in the Scottish borders thus the name Border Terrier. Although it existed long ago, it only gained recognition at the Kennel Club in 1920. Prior to this registration, it was listed under Any Other Variety category by the Kennel Club.

The Border Terrier is distinct for its dominant otter-like head wherein its skull is broad and its snout short and strong. The ears of this dog are V-shaped and fall closely to the cheeks. The tail is averagely short and is thick at the base and thins towards the tip.

The body of this dog is narrow and long and is covered with dense and rough-looking hair. Its height is 13 to 16 inches on the average. The weight is 13 to 15.5 pounds for the male and 11.5 to 14 pounds for the female.

The coat of this dog is double and the undercoat is soft, short and dense while the topcoat is harsh, wiry and dirt-and-water-proof. The coat sheds twice a year and during these occasions, hand stripping of the coat is necessary in order for the hair to grow back properly. Commonly, the coat colors for this breed are blue and tan, red, wheaten, and grizzle and tan.

This dog is sociable and gets along well with other dogs but it does not hesitate to fight back whenever it feels threatened. Generally, however, this dog is very friendly and does not aggress anybody intentionally and in fact, it will likely go with a stranger without suspicion. This dog is also very bright and mild tempered but at times it can be confrontational and hard-headed.

Training this dog to perform tasks is a piece of cake because it impressively learns quickly. Surprisingly, it can jump real high and run fast given the size of its legs. However, learning tricks for the Border Terrier is hard labor because it tends to be less biddable in this kind of training.

The Border Terrier is originally a hunter and so it has great stamina and energy that needs to be taken care of with daily exercise such as long walks. This dog is also sensitive to pain and so owners should watch for this dog's health. An apartment living is sufficient for this dog's space needs because it is not overly active inside the house.

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The Bull Terrier or also known as the English Terrier is a breed of dog that originated from England. In Africa, people call this breed the Varkhond meaning pig dog and this is due to the fact that the Bull Terrier's head and eyes resemble that of a pig. Another theory is that during the time of bush-pig and warthog hunting in South Africa, Bull Terriers were mostly used as companions.

This breed can trace its roots from the Bull and Terrier breeds of the 18th century. These Bull and Terriers were born aggressive, unwary and agile in fighting monstrous animals in bull baiting. The sports of bull baiting and bear baiting were famous blood sport during the middle of 18th century; they were so popular that even the royals favor this past time.

By 1830, breeders have decided to develop an even more combatant and agile dog breed that won't back down in bull baiting. By crossing the Bulldog, Old English terrier and Spanish Pointer, the Bull Terrier arrived. However, much to the dismay of the breeders, the Bull Terrier did not come out superior in the bull baiting.

However, although not as popular in the fighting pit, the Bull Terrier became famous as a fashionable pet. People as high as the aristocrats became fancier of this breed and sometimes this breed can be seen as guard dogs, watch dogs and vermin catcher. Presently, the fanciers can also enjoy a miniature of the Bull Terrier called Miniature Bull Terrier.

The Bull Terrier is a stocky and well-proportioned dog. What sets it apart from other Bull and Terrier descendants is its unique head which is often termed as egg-shape. This head is broad and flat at the top and narrows at the end of the nose.

The eyes of the Bull Terrier are almond-shaped, small, dark and closely placed beside each other. The coat is short, dense and skintight. The coat can be colored in black, brindle, pure white, red, fawn and tri-color.

The Bull Terrier is naturally powerful and not very biddable. However, it is very bright, dependable and lively. It is affectionate and loves the companionship of the family and it is also gentle with children.

The female Bull Terriers are especially protective of younger children. This dog is active and a bit rough but gets along well with other animals. To keep the Bull Terrier healthy, exercise everyday is necessary.

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The St. Bernard is a well-known large dog breed around the world because of its valiant ways and adorably massive frame. This breed has been the search and rescue dog of the Swiss Alps for many centuries and many heroic stories can prove to this dog's long search and rescue history. Today, however, more than a rescue dog in the Alps, this dog is very popular among families as a dependable and loyal pet.

This breed is said to have come from the massive ancient Molossoid dog breeds and Sennenhunds, a herding and hunting breed of the Swiss. Today's appearance of the St. Bernard however is not exactly of the classic St. Bernard because there came a point when this breed almost vanished because avalanches swallowed many of the dogs. With the use of the Newfoundland breed the St. Bernard was saved from extinction.

The name of this dog was given by travelers who sought refuge at the hospice at St. Bernard Pass, a treacherous pass in the Western Alps. The travelers saw these massive dogs that were used on many rescue operations and so to identify them, they called them St. Bernards. The breed's and the pass' name was of an 11th century monk named Bernard Menthon who is also the founder of the hospice.

Before being called St. Bernard, this dog was known as Saint Dog, Noble Steed, Alpenmastiff and Barry dog. Additionally, a St. Bernard named Barry became very famous when he rescued 40 to 100 people from certain death. Because of this, he was founded a monument at the Cimetiere des Chiens and his body was preserved and displayed at the National History Museum at Berne.

The St. Bernard is a heavy and gigantic breed of dog that weighs as much as 160 to 260 pounds and stands 27 1/2 to 35 1/2 inches at the withers. The tail of this dog is usually long, heavy and low set but turns up slightly. The eyes are innately tight lid and the face and ears are usually shaded in black.

The coat of the St. Bernard can be smooth, close to the body and flat. It can also be rough, flat and dense especially around the neck and legs. Common coat colors for this breed are red with white or mahogany brindle with white.

As a house pet, the St. Bernard is reliable, hardworking and eager to please. It is also understanding and patient with children and if it is properly socialized when small, it can be tolerant with smaller animals too during adulthood. This breed is also not so hard to train because it is intelligent and obedient.

The St. Bernard is not rough nor excessively active but actually very gentle and affable. It is not very active indoors and so an urban type of dwelling would suffice him. To keep his mental and physical health fit, daily walks should be done for this dog.

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