Sunday 30 June 2013

English Cocker Spaniel - Breed Standard





General Appearance:That of a merry, sturdy, sporting dog. The Cocker Spaniel should be well balanced and compact and should measure about the same from the withers to the ground as from the withers to the root of the tail.

Head and Skull:
There should be a good square muzzle with a distinct stop which should be mid-way between the tip of the nose and the occiput. The skull should be well-developed, cleanly chiselled, neither too fine nor too coarse. The cheek bones should not be prominent. The nose should be sufficiently wide to allow for the acute scenting power of this breed.

Eyes:
The eyes should be full but not prominent, brown or dark brown in colour but never light, with a general expression of intelligence and gentleness though decidedly wide awake, bright and merry. The rims should be tight.

Ears:
Lobular, set on low, on a level with the eyes, with fine leathers which extend to but not beyond the tip of the nose; well clothed with long silky hair which should be straight.

Mouth:
Jaws should be strong and teeth should have a scissor bite.

Neck:
Neck should be moderate in length, clean in throat, muscular and neatly set in to fine, sloping shoulders.

Forequarters:
The shoulders should be sloping and fine, the chest well developed and the brisket deep, neither too wide nor too narrow in front. The legs must be well boned, feathered and straight and should be sufficiently short for concentrated power but not too short to interfere with the tremendous exertions expected from this grand little sporting dog.

Body:
Body should be immensely strong and compact for the size and weight of the dog. The ribs should be well sprung behind the shoulder blades, the loin short, wide and strong, with a firm topline gently sloping downwards to the tail.

Hindquarters:
Hindquarters should be wide, well rounded and very muscular. The legs must be well boned, feathered above the hock with a good bend of stifles and short below the hock allowing for plenty of drive.

Feet:
Feet should be firm, thickly padded and catlike.

Tail:
Tail should be set on slightly lower than the line of the back; it must be merry, carried in line with the back and never cocked up. The tail should not be docked too long nor too short to interfere with its merry action.

Coat:
Flat and silky in texture, never wiry or wavy, with sufficient feather; not too profuse and never curly.

Colour:
Various. In self-colours no white is allowed except on the chest.

Gait:
There should be true through action both fore and aft with great drive covering the ground well.

Weight and Size:
The weight should be about 12.7 - 14.5 kg (28 - 32 lb). The height at the withers should be approximately Dogs: 39 - 41 cm (15.5 - 16 in) Bitches: 38 - 39 cm (15 - 15.5 in)

Faults:
Light bone; straight shoulder; flat ribs; unsound movement; weak hocks; weak pasterns; open or large feet; frown; small beady eyes; undershot or overshot mouth; uncertain or aggressive temperament.

Note:

Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum


Lhasa Apso - Lhasa Apso Breed Standard




General Appearance
Well balanced, sturdy, heavily coated, without excess.
Characteristics
Gay and assertive.
Temperament
Alert, steady but somewhat aloof with strangers.
Head and Skull
Head furnishings with fall over eyes, but not effecting the dog's ability to see, good whiskers and beard. Skull moderately narrow, falling away behind eyes, not quite flat, but not domed or apple headed. Straight foreface with medium stop. Nose black. Muzzle about 4 cms (11/2 ins), but not square; length from tip of nose roughly one third total length from nose to back of skull.
Eyes
Dark. Medium size, frontally placed, oval, neither large nor full, nor small and sunk. No white showing at base or top.
Ears
Pendant, heavily feathered.
Mouth
Upper incisors close just inside lower i.e. reverse scissor bite. Incisors in a broad and as straight a line as possible. Full dentition desirable.
Neck
Strong and well arched.
Forequarters
Shoulders well laid back. Forelegs straight, heavily furnished with hair.
Body
Length from point of shoulders to point of buttocks greater than height at withers. Ribs extending well back. Level topline. Strong loin. Balanced and compact.
Hindquarters
Well developed with good muscle. Good angulation. Heavily furnished with hair. Hocks when viewed from behind parallel and not too close together.
Feet
Round, cat-like with firm pads. Well feathered.
Tail
High-set, carried well over back but not like a pot-hook. Often a kink at end. Well feathered.
Gait/Movement
Free and jaunty.
Coat
Top coat long, heavy, straight, hard neither woolly nor silky. Moderate undercoat.  Coat never impeding action.
Colour
Golden, sandy, honey, dark grizzle, slate, smoke, parti-colour, black, white or brown. All equally acceptable.
Size
Ideal height: dogs: 25cms (10 ins) at shoulders; bitches slightly smaller.
Faults
Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.
Note
Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

POEM - JUST A DOG


                                                    
                                                               JUST A DOG

From time to time, people tell me, "lighten up, it's just a dog,"
or "that's a lot of money for just a dog."

They don't understand the distance travelled, the time spent,
or the costs involved for "just a dog."

Some of my proudest moments have come about with "just a dog."

 Many hours have passed and my only company was "just a dog,"
but I did not once feel slighted.

Some of my saddest moments have been brought aobut by
"just a dog," and in those days of darkness, the gentle touch
of "just a dog" gave me comfort and reason to overcome the day.

If you, too, think it's "just a dog," then you probably understand
phrases like "just a friend," "just a sunrise," or "just a promise."

"Just a dog" brings into my life the very essence of friendship,
trust, and pure unbridled joy.
"Just a dog" brings out the compassion and patience
that make me a better person.
Because of "just a dog" I will rise early, take long walks and look
longingly to the future.

So for me and folks like me, it's not "just a dog"
but an embodiment of all the hopes and dreams of the future,
the fond memories of the past, and the pure joy of the moment.

"Just a dog" brings out what's good in me and diverts my thoughts
away from myself and the worries of the day.

I hope that someday they can understand that its' not "just a dog"
but the thing that gives me humanity and keeps me from being
"just a Person"


                                                         ~Unknown Author~