Breed Spotlight

In Ireland, one dog is the stuff of legend—the Irish Wolfhound. One look at this powerful breed and you’ll see just why this Wolfhound has a reputation. With a scraggly coat and a loveable heart, the Irish Wolfhound certainly does have a reputation for being a wonderful dog. Read on about this giant breed in the BestBullySticks.com Breed Spotlight.

History & Background: Dating far back into ancient Irish history, the Irish Wolfhounds were first known as “Irish dogs,” “big dogs of Ireland,” “Wolfdogs of Ireland,” or “Greyhounds of Ireland” all used interchangeably. A coveted dog for its keen hunting abilities, this Wolfhound is called such not because of its resemblance to a wolf, but its use as a wolf hunter. In fact, boar and wolf populations in Ireland were wiped out because of the Wolfhound. During the English Conquest of Ireland, only nobility could own this breed. The English began heavily exporting these dogs and it almost caused this breed’s extinction. One Englishmen, however, brought the Irish Wolfhound back from the brink.

Captain George Augustus Graham took the remaining Irish Wolfhounds and with very precise breeding with Borzoi, Great Dane, Deerhound and possibly Mastiff, this breed was reconstituted. Only 23 years after Graham began rebuilding this breed, a breed standard was set. Today, the Irish Wolfhound is the unofficial dog of Ireland and many organizations and sports clubs use this breed as their mascot. In 1897 the AKC recognized the Irish Wolfhound in their Hound Group. Read more

If ever there were a dog trapped in the wrong body, it would be the Cairn Terrier. BestBullySticks.com is amazed at how such a lively, energetic being could be such a small creature! Read more about the Cairn Terrier in the BBS Breed Spotlight!

History & Background: Originating in the islands and highlands of Scotland, the Cairn Terrier was once grouped into the Skye Terrier family that included breeds such as the West Highland White Terrier, Scottish Terrier and Skye Terrier. These dogs were bred as working dogs, to chase and corner otters, foxes and other critters. This terrier was even named after the work that it did; chasing animals into “cairns,” which were piles of rock serving as memorials, but small creatures used them as dens.

By the end of the 19th century, Scottish Terrier breeders started breeding separate lines of the Skye Terrier family. There was some confusion at confirmation showings among differentiations between “Short-haired Skyes.” So, “Cairn Terrier of Skye” was suggested, then later shortened to simply “Cairn Terrier.” The AKC recognized this breed in 1913. This breed has also had quite a career in movies and literature. The most notable Cairn in media might be the dog of L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Though Baum didn’t specify Toto as a Cairn, the book’s illustrator drew him as one, and a Cairn named Terry was cast as Toto in the film adaptation. A Cairn was also Little Ricky’s dog in I Love Lucy.   

Height: 9 to 13 inches. The Cairn’s height—being low to the ground—differs from other terriers and gives the dog a distinctive looked called “Cairishness.”

Weight: 13 to 18 pounds

Coat: This terrier has a double coat that is highly weather resistant. Cairns have hard and dense outer coats and soft, short and furry undercoats. This dog has bushy eyebrows and a furry tail. Read more

With the look of a lion and the heart of a teddy bear, the Leonberger is a true family companion. This dogs looks might fool you once, but once the kindness of the Leonberger shines, you’ll be a fan for life. BestBullySticks.com thinks you’ll fall in love quite easily. Read more about the Leonberger in the BBS Breed Spotlight!

History & Background: Leonberg, Germany is both the native city and namesake of the Leonberger breed. This dog was the product of the breeding a Landseer Newfoundland and a Saint Bernard predecessor, the “barry” by a prominent citizen of Leonberg, Heinrich Essig in the 1930s. Essig was very fond collecting animals and it’s even thought the dog was bred to resemble the coat of arms of the German town, which was the lion.

This dog was kept as farm dog and excelled as a watchdog and a draft worker. Famous owners of the Leonberger include Napoleon II, the Prince of Wales and other royalty. During the World Wars, this breed suffered greatly and only 5 survived WWI. Again during WWII this breed was almost lost into obscurity. In both wars this dog was used to pull ammunition carts, but was a service that almost cost this dog’s lineage. The modern Leonberger can trace it’s line back to the 8 dogs that survived the wars. Today the Leonberger is still used as a working dog in rescue saving missions.

Height: Males: 28 to 31.5 inches; Females: 25.5 to 29.5 inches

Weight: Males: 120 to 170 pounds; Females: 100 to 135 pounds

Coat: As with many working dogs, the coat is highly functional. The Leonberger has a very abundant, water-resistant, double coat. Shorter hair appears on the muzzle and limbs. The long, heavy coat is highly durable, straight, close-fitting and flat. The outer coat is medium length and soft to coarse in texture. Undercoat is soft and dense, but is less abundant in summer months. Leonbergers have a mane which stretches from around the neck to the chest. This dog sports feathering on the back of legs and ears and the tail is well covered in hair. Read more

A walking cotton puff, literally. The French word for cotton paired with the town in Madagascar where the dog originates, Tulear, gives you the name of the living cotton puff—the Coton de Tulear. Read more about this adorable little bright and cheery puff on the BestBullySticks.com Breed Spotlight!

History & Background: A native of Madagascar, the Coton de Tulear is thought to the be descendant of the Coton de Reunion. This dog was said to have gotten Madagascar by swimming to shore from a shipwreck. The modern Coton was the offspring of the Coton de Reunion breeding with local terriers on the island. In the 17^th century, a tribal monarchy called the Merina, controlled the lives of these dogs because they were seen as so special in the eyes of the island people. Coastal tribesmen and non-noblemen were forbidden to own the Coton and the dog quickly became known as the “Royal Dog of Madagascar.” When the French came to colonize the island, they kept the same elitist rules for the Coton. When hard times came to Madagascar in the 1970s, Dr. Robert Jay Russell, a biologist studying lemurs on the island, sent Cotons back to America. Since, Cotons have been gaining in popularity even though they are still seen as a rare breed. In 1996, the AKC recognized the Coton de Tulear in their Foundation Stock Service breeds.

Height: 10 to 12 inches

Weight: 12 to 15 pounds Read more

A majestic presence and a rich Italian history are wrapped up into the beautiful form of the Cane Corso. BestBullySticks.com highlights this impressive and distinctive dog in our weekly Breed Spotlight. Read on to learn more about the Cane Corso!

History & Background: The Cane Corso’s name is derived from the Latin “Cohors” meaning “Guardian” and “Protector.” This dog’s direct ancestor is the Canis Pugnax, which was a war dog used by the Romans. Corsos were also used as a “catch dog” to hunt and pin large animals such as cattle and pigs and also as a herder and watchdog. In Italy, this dog can be seen in history living along side farmers and rural families for hundreds of years. In the 1970s this dog almost faced extinction but was saved by a dedicated few. The Corso still has a large presence in Italy, today. The modern Cane Corso looks slightly different than it’s pre-70s relatives because of selective breeding used to grow numbers of this breed. In 1987 the Cane Corso made its way to the United States and has been popular ever since. In fact, celebrities such as Tracy Morgan, Patti LeBelle and Lebron James own Cane Corsos.

Height: Males: 25 to 27.5 inches; Females: 23.5 to 26 inches

Weight: 88 to 170 pounds

Coat: Corsos sport a short, hard coat that should have a healthy sheen. The close fitting coat has a light undercoat that gets thicker in cooler weather. The Cane Corso has a perfectly waterproof coat.

Color: This dog’s coloring can range from black, grey, red and fawn. Any of these colors can appear in brindle. The solid colored fawn and red dogs usually have a black or grey mask. White patches appear on the chest, throat, chin and toes. Eye color is related to muzzle color. Dogs with black muzzles have dark brown eyes and gray muzzles have lighter colored eyes. Nose color matches the pigment of dog; black pigment matches a black nose and grey pigment matches a grey nose. Read more