Part II-C — Working breeds (67)

Akbash

Origin and purpose

Working. Origin: Western Turkey.

A white-coated Turkish livestock guardian.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Calm, patient, independent LGD.

A guarding breed: it is naturally suspicious of strangers, and that is what it was bred for. Early, broad, positive socialisation — many people, many places, many situations, before sixteen weeks — is not optional for this breed; it is the difference between a discriminating guardian and a dangerous liability. A guarding dog that has not been socialised is a problem you have created, not a temperament you have discovered.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Entropion (Routine) — eyelid rolls inward.
• Hip dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal hip joint development.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Entropion — Eye examination
• Hip dysplasia — Radiographic hip evaluation (hip scoring)

Feeding

Slow, controlled growth is essential — giant-breed puppies grow for eighteen months or more, and pushing that growth with over-feeding or calcium supplementation causes lasting orthopaedic damage. Use a diet formulated for large- or giant-breed growth and keep the puppy visibly lean. As an adult, two measured meals a day, never one large one. Feeding costs are substantial and should be budgeted before acquiring the dog.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: Moderate.

Moderate daily exercise plus mental stimulation. Adaptable to apartment life provided the daily walk actually happens every day.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Reasonably suited to temperate climates with room to work..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 10–11 years. This dog is a senior from around 5–6 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Giant breeds age fast and live short lives, and this is the hardest fact about owning one. Senior screening should start early, orthopaedic support matters from middle age, and cardiac and bone cancer risks are real. Go in with your eyes open. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Akita (Japanese)

Origin and purpose

Working (AKC). Origin: Japan.

A one-person or one-family dog by disposition.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Loyal, dignified, wary of strangers; can be dog-aggressive.

A guarding breed: it is naturally suspicious of strangers, and that is what it was bred for. Early, broad, positive socialisation — many people, many places, many situations, before sixteen weeks — is not optional for this breed; it is the difference between a discriminating guardian and a dangerous liability. A guarding dog that has not been socialised is a problem you have created, not a temperament you have discovered.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Hip dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal hip joint development.
• Hypothyroidism (Routine) — underactive thyroid.
• Progressive retinal atrophy (Routine) — genetic retinal degeneration.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Hip dysplasia — Radiographic hip evaluation (hip scoring)
• Hypothyroidism — Thyroid blood panel
• Progressive retinal atrophy — Ophthalmologist eye examination, plus DNA test where one exists for the breed

Feeding

Slow, controlled growth is essential — giant-breed puppies grow for eighteen months or more, and pushing that growth with over-feeding or calcium supplementation causes lasting orthopaedic damage. Use a diet formulated for large- or giant-breed growth and keep the puppy visibly lean. As an adult, two measured meals a day, never one large one. Feeding costs are substantial and should be budgeted before acquiring the dog.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: Moderate to high — 60 min/day.

A high-energy dog needing substantial, committed daily exercise plus mental work. Do not take this breed on unless the daily commitment is realistic on your worst week, not your best one.

Coat and grooming

Thick double coat. Brush 3× weekly; daily in moult.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Poor for hot lowland climates..

This breed carries a heavy double coat evolved for cold. It can be kept in a hot climate, but only with genuine commitment: shade and water at all times, exercise confined to the cool hours, and often air-conditioning through summer. Do NOT shave the double coat — counter-intuitively it insulates against heat as well as cold, and shaving it can ruin the coat and expose the skin to sunburn. Watch closely for heat stress, and think hard about whether the climate you live in is fair to this dog before acquiring one.

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 10–13 years. This dog is a senior from around 5–6 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Giant breeds age fast and live short lives, and this is the hardest fact about owning one. Senior screening should start early, orthopaedic support matters from middle age, and cardiac and bone cancer risks are real. Go in with your eyes open. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Aksaray Malaklisi

Origin and purpose

Turkish landrace (Central Anatolian type). Origin: Turkey (Aksaray); giant mastiff-type livestock-guardian dog.

Turkey's largest guardian type, distinguished by pendulous jowls; type not fully standardised.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Calm, confident and protective; a powerful flock guardian, territorial with intruders.

A guarding breed: it is naturally suspicious of strangers, and that is what it was bred for. Early, broad, positive socialisation — many people, many places, many situations, before sixteen weeks — is not optional for this breed; it is the difference between a discriminating guardian and a dangerous liability. A guarding dog that has not been socialised is a problem you have created, not a temperament you have discovered.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') (EMERGENCY) — stomach twists on itself.
• Hip dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal hip joint development.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') — No screening test. Discuss preventive gastropexy with your vet in deep-chested breeds
• Hip dysplasia — Radiographic hip evaluation (hip scoring)

Feeding

Slow, controlled growth is essential — giant-breed puppies grow for eighteen months or more, and pushing that growth with over-feeding or calcium supplementation causes lasting orthopaedic damage. Use a diet formulated for large- or giant-breed growth and keep the puppy visibly lean. As an adult, two measured meals a day, never one large one. Feeding costs are substantial and should be budgeted before acquiring the dog.

This breed is deep-chested and at risk of gastric dilatation and volvulus (bloat), which kills quickly. Feed two or more smaller meals rather than one large one, avoid vigorous exercise for an hour either side of eating, and slow down a gulping eater. Learn the signs — a restless dog with a swelling belly, retching without bringing anything up — and treat them as an immediate emergency. Ask your vet whether a preventive gastropexy is appropriate at neutering.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: Moderate - 45-60 min/day.

Moderate daily exercise plus mental stimulation. Adaptable to apartment life provided the daily walk actually happens every day.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Poor to fair - a giant heavy dog whose shorter coat helps a little, but its mass leaves real heat stamina limited..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 10-12 years. This dog is a senior from around 5–6 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Giant breeds age fast and live short lives, and this is the hardest fact about owning one. Senior screening should start early, orthopaedic support matters from middle age, and cardiac and bone cancer risks are real. Go in with your eyes open. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Alaskan Malamute

Origin and purpose

Working (AKC). Origin: Alaska.

A powerful Arctic sled dog bred for hauling heavy loads; the dense coat and high exercise needs demand a committed owner.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Powerful, affectionate, independent, high prey drive.

This is an independent-minded breed that was developed to make its own decisions, and it will not work for you simply because you asked. That is not stubbornness or stupidity — it is the trait the breed was selected for. Training must be genuinely rewarding to the dog, and expectations of instant, military obedience are misplaced. Recall, in particular, is often unreliable in these breeds; be honest about that before letting one off-lead near traffic.

Strong prey drive: this dog may chase cats, poultry, and small animals, and may pursue free-roaming dogs or livestock. That is instinct, not disobedience, and it is largely not trainable out. Manage it with a secure garden, a lead near roads and livestock, and a realistic view of what recall can achieve against a moving target.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Cataracts (Routine) — congenital or diabetic or senior.
• Hip dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal hip joint development.
• Hypothyroidism (Routine) — underactive thyroid.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Cataracts — Ophthalmologist eye examination
• Hip dysplasia — Radiographic hip evaluation (hip scoring)
• Hypothyroidism — Thyroid blood panel

Feeding

Slow, controlled growth is essential — giant-breed puppies grow for eighteen months or more, and pushing that growth with over-feeding or calcium supplementation causes lasting orthopaedic damage. Use a diet formulated for large- or giant-breed growth and keep the puppy visibly lean. As an adult, two measured meals a day, never one large one. Feeding costs are substantial and should be budgeted before acquiring the dog.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: Very high.

This is a genuinely high-energy dog and the commonest reason such dogs are rehomed is that their owners underestimated this. It needs hard daily physical exercise AND a job to think about; a walk around the block is not exercise for this breed. An under-exercised dog of this type becomes destructive, noisy, and anxious — behaviour problems that are, correctly understood, an exercise deficit.

Coat and grooming

Very thick, coarse double coat. Brush 3–4× weekly; daily in moult. Same honest warning as the Husky, more so.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Very poorly suited to lowland heat; the heavy double coat makes hot, humid climates hard to tolerate. Best kept in cold climates..

This breed carries a heavy double coat evolved for cold. It can be kept in a hot climate, but only with genuine commitment: shade and water at all times, exercise confined to the cool hours, and often air-conditioning through summer. Do NOT shave the double coat — counter-intuitively it insulates against heat as well as cold, and shaving it can ruin the coat and expose the skin to sunburn. Watch closely for heat stress, and think hard about whether the climate you live in is fair to this dog before acquiring one.

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 10–14 years. This dog is a senior from around 5–6 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Giant breeds age fast and live short lives, and this is the hardest fact about owning one. Senior screening should start early, orthopaedic support matters from middle age, and cardiac and bone cancer risks are real. Go in with your eyes open. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

American Bulldog

Origin and purpose

Guardian/utility (UKC recognised; not AKC/FCI). Origin: United States; farm utility, catch and guard dog descended from working bulldogs.

A functional athletic bulldog, distinct from and healthier than the flat-faced English Bulldog.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Confident, energetic and loyal; a bold protector, needs socialisation and firm structure.

Reward-based training from the day the puppy arrives, with the socialisation window (roughly three to sixteen weeks) treated as the priority it is — what happens in those weeks shapes the adult dog more than anything you do later. Short, frequent, positive sessions. See Parts IV and IX.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Cranial cruciate ligament rupture (URGENT) — the most common orthopaedic surgical presentation.
• Elbow dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal elbow joint development.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Elbow dysplasia — Radiographic elbow evaluation

Feeding

Slow, controlled growth is essential — giant-breed puppies grow for eighteen months or more, and pushing that growth with over-feeding or calcium supplementation causes lasting orthopaedic damage. Use a diet formulated for large- or giant-breed growth and keep the puppy visibly lean. As an adult, two measured meals a day, never one large one. Feeding costs are substantial and should be budgeted before acquiring the dog.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: High - 60+ min/day.

A high-energy dog needing substantial, committed daily exercise plus mental work. Do not take this breed on unless the daily commitment is realistic on your worst week, not your best one.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Fair - the short coat helps, but a muscular high-drive dog still needs heat management and hydration in warm weather..

HEAT IS THE DEFINING WELFARE ISSUE FOR THIS BREED IN ANY HOT CLIMATE. A short skull means a compromised airway, and dogs cool themselves by panting — so this dog cannot cool itself efficiently, and heat and humidity are therefore genuinely dangerous to it rather than merely uncomfortable. Walk only at dawn and dusk, never on hot ground, never in the midday sun, and never leave it in a vehicle even briefly. Keep it lean: excess weight makes the airway worse. Air-conditioning is not a luxury for this breed in a hot climate. Learn the signs of heatstroke (see Part III) and treat any laboured breathing in heat as an emergency. Airlines frequently refuse to carry these breeds, and they are right to.

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 10-14 years. This dog is a senior from around 5–6 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Giant breeds age fast and live short lives, and this is the hardest fact about owning one. Senior screening should start early, orthopaedic support matters from middle age, and cardiac and bone cancer risks are real. Go in with your eyes open. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• This is a short-skulled breed. Choose the puppy with the most open nostrils and the longest muzzle you can find, and reject any that snores, snorts, or struggles for breath at rest — those are not endearing breed traits, they are signs of a dog that cannot breathe properly. Ask whether the parents have been BOAS-graded. In a hot climate this decision has consequences you will live with daily.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Anatolian Shepherd

Origin and purpose

Working (AKC). Origin: Turkey (Anatolia).

Bred in Turkey as a livestock guardian; excellent for farm or estate work rather than a conventional urban family pet.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Independent, protective, calm; livestock guardian.

A guarding breed: it is naturally suspicious of strangers, and that is what it was bred for. Early, broad, positive socialisation — many people, many places, many situations, before sixteen weeks — is not optional for this breed; it is the difference between a discriminating guardian and a dangerous liability. A guarding dog that has not been socialised is a problem you have created, not a temperament you have discovered.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') (EMERGENCY) — stomach twists on itself.
• Entropion (Routine) — eyelid rolls inward.
• Hip dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal hip joint development.
• Hypothyroidism (Routine) — underactive thyroid.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Entropion — Eye examination
• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') — No screening test. Discuss preventive gastropexy with your vet in deep-chested breeds
• Hip dysplasia — Radiographic hip evaluation (hip scoring)
• Hypothyroidism — Thyroid blood panel

Feeding

Slow, controlled growth is essential — giant-breed puppies grow for eighteen months or more, and pushing that growth with over-feeding or calcium supplementation causes lasting orthopaedic damage. Use a diet formulated for large- or giant-breed growth and keep the puppy visibly lean. As an adult, two measured meals a day, never one large one. Feeding costs are substantial and should be budgeted before acquiring the dog.

This breed is deep-chested and at risk of gastric dilatation and volvulus (bloat), which kills quickly. Feed two or more smaller meals rather than one large one, avoid vigorous exercise for an hour either side of eating, and slow down a gulping eater. Learn the signs — a restless dog with a swelling belly, retching without bringing anything up — and treat them as an immediate emergency. Ask your vet whether a preventive gastropexy is appropriate at neutering.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: Moderate.

Moderate daily exercise plus mental stimulation. Adaptable to apartment life provided the daily walk actually happens every day.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Reasonable in warm rural settings but not suited to apartment living; needs space..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 11–13 years. This dog is a senior from around 5–6 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Giant breeds age fast and live short lives, and this is the hardest fact about owning one. Senior screening should start early, orthopaedic support matters from middle age, and cardiac and bone cancer risks are real. Go in with your eyes open. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Austrian Pinscher

Origin and purpose

FCI Group 2. Origin: Austria; traditional farmyard guard and vermin dog.

Rare outside its Austrian homeland; a true working farm dog rather than a show breed.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Lively, watchful, self-confident; devoted to its family and wary of strangers.

A guarding breed: it is naturally suspicious of strangers, and that is what it was bred for. Early, broad, positive socialisation — many people, many places, many situations, before sixteen weeks — is not optional for this breed; it is the difference between a discriminating guardian and a dangerous liability. A guarding dog that has not been socialised is a problem you have created, not a temperament you have discovered.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

No breed-linked conditions are recorded for this breed. For landraces and village dogs this is often a genuine finding rather than a gap — a broad genetic base leaves them with markedly fewer inherited disorders than the closed-studbook breeds, and it is one of the strongest arguments for them. The routine risks that apply to every dog — parasites, tick-borne disease, heat — still apply here.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

Feeding

The most forgiving size to feed. A good-quality complete diet appropriate to the life stage, measured with a cup or scales rather than judged by eye, split into two meals a day. Weigh the food; guessing is how dogs get fat. Treats counted within the daily allowance, not added on top.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: Moderate to high - 60 min/day.

A high-energy dog needing substantial, committed daily exercise plus mental work. Do not take this breed on unless the daily commitment is realistic on your worst week, not your best one.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Fair to good - the short weather-hardy coat copes with warmth better than heavy-coated guardians..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 12-14 years. This dog is a senior from around 8–9 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Watch for the gradual onset of arthritis, dental disease, and the endocrine conditions of middle age. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Bernese Mountain Dog

Origin and purpose

Working (AKC). Origin: Switzerland.

Short lifespan means senior-care conversations start earlier.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Gentle, calm, family-oriented.

Reward-based training from the day the puppy arrives, with the socialisation window (roughly three to sixteen weeks) treated as the priority it is — what happens in those weeks shapes the adult dog more than anything you do later. Short, frequent, positive sessions. See Parts IV and IX.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') (EMERGENCY) — stomach twists on itself.
• Elbow dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal elbow joint development.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Elbow dysplasia — Radiographic elbow evaluation
• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') — No screening test. Discuss preventive gastropexy with your vet in deep-chested breeds

Feeding

Slow, controlled growth is essential — giant-breed puppies grow for eighteen months or more, and pushing that growth with over-feeding or calcium supplementation causes lasting orthopaedic damage. Use a diet formulated for large- or giant-breed growth and keep the puppy visibly lean. As an adult, two measured meals a day, never one large one. Feeding costs are substantial and should be budgeted before acquiring the dog.

This breed is deep-chested and at risk of gastric dilatation and volvulus (bloat), which kills quickly. Feed two or more smaller meals rather than one large one, avoid vigorous exercise for an hour either side of eating, and slow down a gulping eater. Learn the signs — a restless dog with a swelling belly, retching without bringing anything up — and treat them as an immediate emergency. Ask your vet whether a preventive gastropexy is appropriate at neutering.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: Moderate — 45–60 min/day.

Moderate daily exercise plus mental stimulation. Adaptable to apartment life provided the daily walk actually happens every day.

Coat and grooming

Long, thick, silky double coat. Brush 3–4× weekly. Poorly suited to hot climates.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Very poor for hot lowland climates; not recommended in warm regions..

This breed carries a heavy double coat evolved for cold. It can be kept in a hot climate, but only with genuine commitment: shade and water at all times, exercise confined to the cool hours, and often air-conditioning through summer. Do NOT shave the double coat — counter-intuitively it insulates against heat as well as cold, and shaving it can ruin the coat and expose the skin to sunburn. Watch closely for heat stress, and think hard about whether the climate you live in is fair to this dog before acquiring one.

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 7–10 years (short-lived). This dog is a senior from around 5–6 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Giant breeds age fast and live short lives, and this is the hardest fact about owning one. Senior screening should start early, orthopaedic support matters from middle age, and cardiac and bone cancer risks are real. Go in with your eyes open. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Black Russian Terrier

Origin and purpose

Working (AKC); FCI Group 2. Origin: Soviet Union; a composite working/guard breed developed for the military.

A large coated working dog created from Giant Schnauzer, Airedale, Rottweiler and other stock.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Confident, calm and courageous; intelligent and highly trainable, protective of family.

A guarding breed: it is naturally suspicious of strangers, and that is what it was bred for. Early, broad, positive socialisation — many people, many places, many situations, before sixteen weeks — is not optional for this breed; it is the difference between a discriminating guardian and a dangerous liability. A guarding dog that has not been socialised is a problem you have created, not a temperament you have discovered.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Laryngeal paralysis (EMERGENCY) — senior large breeds (Labrador).
• Elbow dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal elbow joint development.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Elbow dysplasia — Radiographic elbow evaluation

Feeding

Slow, controlled growth is essential — giant-breed puppies grow for eighteen months or more, and pushing that growth with over-feeding or calcium supplementation causes lasting orthopaedic damage. Use a diet formulated for large- or giant-breed growth and keep the puppy visibly lean. As an adult, two measured meals a day, never one large one. Feeding costs are substantial and should be budgeted before acquiring the dog.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: High - 60+ min/day plus training.

A high-energy dog needing substantial, committed daily exercise plus mental work. Do not take this breed on unless the daily commitment is realistic on your worst week, not your best one.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Best in cool climates - a dense harsh double coat retains heat, so the breed needs grooming and cool conditions..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 10-12 years. This dog is a senior from around 5–6 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Giant breeds age fast and live short lives, and this is the hardest fact about owning one. Senior screening should start early, orthopaedic support matters from middle age, and cardiac and bone cancer risks are real. Go in with your eyes open. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Boerboel

Origin and purpose

Working (AKC). Origin: South Africa.

A South African farm-guardian mastiff; not a first-time-owner breed.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Confident, dominant, family-loyal, wary of strangers.

A guarding breed: it is naturally suspicious of strangers, and that is what it was bred for. Early, broad, positive socialisation — many people, many places, many situations, before sixteen weeks — is not optional for this breed; it is the difference between a discriminating guardian and a dangerous liability. A guarding dog that has not been socialised is a problem you have created, not a temperament you have discovered.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Idiopathic epilepsy (URGENT) — seizure disorder with no identifiable cause.
• Ectropion (Routine) — eyelid rolls outward.
• Elbow dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal elbow joint development.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Ectropion — Eye examination
• Elbow dysplasia — Radiographic elbow evaluation
• Idiopathic epilepsy — No screening test. Diagnosis is by exclusion, after blood work and imaging

Feeding

Slow, controlled growth is essential — giant-breed puppies grow for eighteen months or more, and pushing that growth with over-feeding or calcium supplementation causes lasting orthopaedic damage. Use a diet formulated for large- or giant-breed growth and keep the puppy visibly lean. As an adult, two measured meals a day, never one large one. Feeding costs are substantial and should be budgeted before acquiring the dog.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: Moderate to high.

A high-energy dog needing substantial, committed daily exercise plus mental work. Do not take this breed on unless the daily commitment is realistic on your worst week, not your best one.

Coat and grooming

Short, dense coat. Weekly rub-down.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Moderate heat tolerance; a committed owner is required in any climate..

HEAT IS THE DEFINING WELFARE ISSUE FOR THIS BREED IN ANY HOT CLIMATE. A short skull means a compromised airway, and dogs cool themselves by panting — so this dog cannot cool itself efficiently, and heat and humidity are therefore genuinely dangerous to it rather than merely uncomfortable. Walk only at dawn and dusk, never on hot ground, never in the midday sun, and never leave it in a vehicle even briefly. Keep it lean: excess weight makes the airway worse. Air-conditioning is not a luxury for this breed in a hot climate. Learn the signs of heatstroke (see Part III) and treat any laboured breathing in heat as an emergency. Airlines frequently refuse to carry these breeds, and they are right to.

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 9–11 years. This dog is a senior from around 5–6 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Giant breeds age fast and live short lives, and this is the hardest fact about owning one. Senior screening should start early, orthopaedic support matters from middle age, and cardiac and bone cancer risks are real. Go in with your eyes open. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• This is a short-skulled breed. Choose the puppy with the most open nostrils and the longest muzzle you can find, and reject any that snores, snorts, or struggles for breath at rest — those are not endearing breed traits, they are signs of a dog that cannot breathe properly. Ask whether the parents have been BOAS-graded. In a hot climate this decision has consequences you will live with daily.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Boxer

Origin and purpose

Working (AKC). Origin: Germany, late 19th century.

Boxers should not be exercised in peak heat. Cool-water access in hot weather matters. Cardiac and cancer screening at 6+ years.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Playful, energetic, patient with children; strong bond with family.

Reward-based training from the day the puppy arrives, with the socialisation window (roughly three to sixteen weeks) treated as the priority it is — what happens in those weeks shapes the adult dog more than anything you do later. Short, frequent, positive sessions. See Parts IV and IX.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS) (URGENT) — anatomical obstruction in flat-faced breeds (Pug, French Bulldog, Bulldog, Boxer).
• Degenerative myelopathy (URGENT) — progressive spinal-cord degeneration in senior large breeds (German Shepherd, Boxer).
• Aortic stenosis (Routine) — congenital in Boxer, Newfoundland, Golden Retriever.
• Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) (Routine) — enlarged heart with reduced pumping.
• Hip dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal hip joint development.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Aortic stenosis — Cardiac auscultation; echocardiography
• Brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS) — BOAS functional grading (an exercise-tolerance assessment)
• Degenerative myelopathy — SOD1 DNA test
• Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) — Cardiac auscultation, echocardiography, and Holter monitoring
• Hip dysplasia — Radiographic hip evaluation (hip scoring)

Feeding

Growth is the thing that matters. Large-breed puppies must be fed a diet formulated for large-breed growth and must NOT be overfed or supplemented with calcium — growing too fast is a direct route to the joint disease this size of dog is already prone to. A lean puppy is a healthy puppy. As an adult, two measured meals a day, and keep the dog lean for life: excess weight is the single biggest accelerator of hip and elbow disease and arthritis.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: High — 60–90 min/day.

A high-energy dog needing substantial, committed daily exercise plus mental work. Do not take this breed on unless the daily commitment is realistic on your worst week, not your best one.

Coat and grooming

Very short, tight coat. Weekly rub-down. Brachycephalic — heat is the real issue, not grooming.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Popular; heat intolerance is significant due to brachycephaly..

HEAT IS THE DEFINING WELFARE ISSUE FOR THIS BREED IN ANY HOT CLIMATE. A short skull means a compromised airway, and dogs cool themselves by panting — so this dog cannot cool itself efficiently, and heat and humidity are therefore genuinely dangerous to it rather than merely uncomfortable. Walk only at dawn and dusk, never on hot ground, never in the midday sun, and never leave it in a vehicle even briefly. Keep it lean: excess weight makes the airway worse. Air-conditioning is not a luxury for this breed in a hot climate. Learn the signs of heatstroke (see Part III) and treat any laboured breathing in heat as an emergency. Airlines frequently refuse to carry these breeds, and they are right to.

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 9–12 years. This dog is a senior from around 7 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Large dogs age faster than small ones. Arthritis and cancer are the dominant concerns; do not dismiss a limp in an older large dog as 'just age' — bone cancer presents exactly that way. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• This is a short-skulled breed. Choose the puppy with the most open nostrils and the longest muzzle you can find, and reject any that snores, snorts, or struggles for breath at rest — those are not endearing breed traits, they are signs of a dog that cannot breathe properly. Ask whether the parents have been BOAS-graded. In a hot climate this decision has consequences you will live with daily.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Broholmer

Origin and purpose

FCI Group 2. Origin: Denmark; historic mastiff-type guard and estate dog.

A Danish national breed rebuilt from a small population; large and dignified.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Calm, good-natured and steady; a confident but placid watchdog.

Reward-based training from the day the puppy arrives, with the socialisation window (roughly three to sixteen weeks) treated as the priority it is — what happens in those weeks shapes the adult dog more than anything you do later. Short, frequent, positive sessions. See Parts IV and IX.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') (EMERGENCY) — stomach twists on itself.
• Hip dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal hip joint development.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') — No screening test. Discuss preventive gastropexy with your vet in deep-chested breeds
• Hip dysplasia — Radiographic hip evaluation (hip scoring)

Feeding

Slow, controlled growth is essential — giant-breed puppies grow for eighteen months or more, and pushing that growth with over-feeding or calcium supplementation causes lasting orthopaedic damage. Use a diet formulated for large- or giant-breed growth and keep the puppy visibly lean. As an adult, two measured meals a day, never one large one. Feeding costs are substantial and should be budgeted before acquiring the dog.

This breed is deep-chested and at risk of gastric dilatation and volvulus (bloat), which kills quickly. Feed two or more smaller meals rather than one large one, avoid vigorous exercise for an hour either side of eating, and slow down a gulping eater. Learn the signs — a restless dog with a swelling belly, retching without bringing anything up — and treat them as an immediate emergency. Ask your vet whether a preventive gastropexy is appropriate at neutering.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: Moderate - 45-60 min/day.

Moderate daily exercise plus mental stimulation. Adaptable to apartment life provided the daily walk actually happens every day.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Poor to fair - the heavy mastiff frame keeps it heat-limited despite the short coat; cool conditions are preferred..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 8-11 years. This dog is a senior from around 5–6 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Giant breeds age fast and live short lives, and this is the hardest fact about owning one. Senior screening should start early, orthopaedic support matters from middle age, and cardiac and bone cancer risks are real. Go in with your eyes open. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Bucovina Shepherd Dog

Origin and purpose

FCI Group 2. Origin: Romania (Carpathians); giant livestock-guardian of the mountains.

Also called Ciobanesc de Bucovina; a hardy landrace guardian, needing space and firm handling.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Calm, devoted and highly territorial; a self-reliant guardian, fierce against threats.

A guarding breed: it is naturally suspicious of strangers, and that is what it was bred for. Early, broad, positive socialisation — many people, many places, many situations, before sixteen weeks — is not optional for this breed; it is the difference between a discriminating guardian and a dangerous liability. A guarding dog that has not been socialised is a problem you have created, not a temperament you have discovered.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') (EMERGENCY) — stomach twists on itself.
• Hip dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal hip joint development.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') — No screening test. Discuss preventive gastropexy with your vet in deep-chested breeds
• Hip dysplasia — Radiographic hip evaluation (hip scoring)

Feeding

Slow, controlled growth is essential — giant-breed puppies grow for eighteen months or more, and pushing that growth with over-feeding or calcium supplementation causes lasting orthopaedic damage. Use a diet formulated for large- or giant-breed growth and keep the puppy visibly lean. As an adult, two measured meals a day, never one large one. Feeding costs are substantial and should be budgeted before acquiring the dog.

This breed is deep-chested and at risk of gastric dilatation and volvulus (bloat), which kills quickly. Feed two or more smaller meals rather than one large one, avoid vigorous exercise for an hour either side of eating, and slow down a gulping eater. Learn the signs — a restless dog with a swelling belly, retching without bringing anything up — and treat them as an immediate emergency. Ask your vet whether a preventive gastropexy is appropriate at neutering.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: Moderate to high - 60 min/day.

A high-energy dog needing substantial, committed daily exercise plus mental work. Do not take this breed on unless the daily commitment is realistic on your worst week, not your best one.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Poor for hot climates - a heavy double-coated giant guardian at high heat risk away from cool highland conditions..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 10-12 years. This dog is a senior from around 5–6 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Giant breeds age fast and live short lives, and this is the hardest fact about owning one. Senior screening should start early, orthopaedic support matters from middle age, and cardiac and bone cancer risks are real. Go in with your eyes open. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Ca de Bou (Perro de Presa Mallorquin)

Origin and purpose

FCI Group 2. Origin: Spain (Mallorca); molosser used for guarding and historically bull-baiting.

Also called the Mallorquin Mastiff; a compact, muscular molosser.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Calm, confident and courageous; loyal guardian, can be dominant with strange dogs.

A guarding breed: it is naturally suspicious of strangers, and that is what it was bred for. Early, broad, positive socialisation — many people, many places, many situations, before sixteen weeks — is not optional for this breed; it is the difference between a discriminating guardian and a dangerous liability. A guarding dog that has not been socialised is a problem you have created, not a temperament you have discovered.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Entropion (Routine) — eyelid rolls inward.
• Hip dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal hip joint development.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Entropion — Eye examination
• Hip dysplasia — Radiographic hip evaluation (hip scoring)

Feeding

Growth is the thing that matters. Large-breed puppies must be fed a diet formulated for large-breed growth and must NOT be overfed or supplemented with calcium — growing too fast is a direct route to the joint disease this size of dog is already prone to. A lean puppy is a healthy puppy. As an adult, two measured meals a day, and keep the dog lean for life: excess weight is the single biggest accelerator of hip and elbow disease and arthritis.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: Moderate - 45-60 min/day.

Moderate daily exercise plus mental stimulation. Adaptable to apartment life provided the daily walk actually happens every day.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Fair - the short coat helps, but the heavy build and short muzzle limit stamina in hot, humid weather..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 10-12 years. This dog is a senior from around 7 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Large dogs age faster than small ones. Arthritis and cancer are the dominant concerns; do not dismiss a limp in an older large dog as 'just age' — bone cancer presents exactly that way. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Canaan Dog

Origin and purpose

Primitive/pariah spitz; FCI Group 5. Origin: Israel/Middle East; ancient desert pariah, redomesticated as herder and guard.

One of the oldest recognised breeds; closely related to free-ranging Middle Eastern pariah dogs.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Alert, vigilant, aloof with strangers; highly territorial and reliable watchdog.

A guarding breed: it is naturally suspicious of strangers, and that is what it was bred for. Early, broad, positive socialisation — many people, many places, many situations, before sixteen weeks — is not optional for this breed; it is the difference between a discriminating guardian and a dangerous liability. A guarding dog that has not been socialised is a problem you have created, not a temperament you have discovered.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

No breed-linked conditions are recorded for this breed. For landraces and village dogs this is often a genuine finding rather than a gap — a broad genetic base leaves them with markedly fewer inherited disorders than the closed-studbook breeds, and it is one of the strongest arguments for them. The routine risks that apply to every dog — parasites, tick-borne disease, heat — still apply here.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

Feeding

The most forgiving size to feed. A good-quality complete diet appropriate to the life stage, measured with a cup or scales rather than judged by eye, split into two meals a day. Weigh the food; guessing is how dogs get fat. Treats counted within the daily allowance, not added on top.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: Moderate to high - 45-60 min/day.

A high-energy dog needing substantial, committed daily exercise plus mental work. Do not take this breed on unless the daily commitment is realistic on your worst week, not your best one.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Good suitability - a desert pariah with a modest coat, naturally tolerant of heat and dry conditions..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 12-15 years. This dog is a senior from around 8–9 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Watch for the gradual onset of arthritis, dental disease, and the endocrine conditions of middle age. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Cane Corso

Origin and purpose

Working (AKC). Origin: Italy.

Not for first-time owners. Increasingly popular but widely mis-owned.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Powerful, loyal, territorial; requires experienced handling.

A guarding breed: it is naturally suspicious of strangers, and that is what it was bred for. Early, broad, positive socialisation — many people, many places, many situations, before sixteen weeks — is not optional for this breed; it is the difference between a discriminating guardian and a dangerous liability. A guarding dog that has not been socialised is a problem you have created, not a temperament you have discovered.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') (EMERGENCY) — stomach twists on itself.
• Idiopathic epilepsy (URGENT) — seizure disorder with no identifiable cause.
• Demodectic mange (demodicosis) (Routine) — mite.
• Ectropion (Routine) — eyelid rolls outward.
• Elbow dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal elbow joint development.
• Entropion (Routine) — eyelid rolls inward.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Demodectic mange (demodicosis) — Skin scrape
• Ectropion — Eye examination
• Elbow dysplasia — Radiographic elbow evaluation
• Entropion — Eye examination
• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') — No screening test. Discuss preventive gastropexy with your vet in deep-chested breeds
• Idiopathic epilepsy — No screening test. Diagnosis is by exclusion, after blood work and imaging

Feeding

Slow, controlled growth is essential — giant-breed puppies grow for eighteen months or more, and pushing that growth with over-feeding or calcium supplementation causes lasting orthopaedic damage. Use a diet formulated for large- or giant-breed growth and keep the puppy visibly lean. As an adult, two measured meals a day, never one large one. Feeding costs are substantial and should be budgeted before acquiring the dog.

This breed is deep-chested and at risk of gastric dilatation and volvulus (bloat), which kills quickly. Feed two or more smaller meals rather than one large one, avoid vigorous exercise for an hour either side of eating, and slow down a gulping eater. Learn the signs — a restless dog with a swelling belly, retching without bringing anything up — and treat them as an immediate emergency. Ask your vet whether a preventive gastropexy is appropriate at neutering.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: High — 60 min/day.

A high-energy dog needing substantial, committed daily exercise plus mental work. Do not take this breed on unless the daily commitment is realistic on your worst week, not your best one.

Coat and grooming

Short, stiff coat. Weekly rub-down.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Moderate; heat tolerance is limited..

HEAT IS THE DEFINING WELFARE ISSUE FOR THIS BREED IN ANY HOT CLIMATE. A short skull means a compromised airway, and dogs cool themselves by panting — so this dog cannot cool itself efficiently, and heat and humidity are therefore genuinely dangerous to it rather than merely uncomfortable. Walk only at dawn and dusk, never on hot ground, never in the midday sun, and never leave it in a vehicle even briefly. Keep it lean: excess weight makes the airway worse. Air-conditioning is not a luxury for this breed in a hot climate. Learn the signs of heatstroke (see Part III) and treat any laboured breathing in heat as an emergency. Airlines frequently refuse to carry these breeds, and they are right to.

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 9–12 years. This dog is a senior from around 5–6 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Giant breeds age fast and live short lives, and this is the hardest fact about owning one. Senior screening should start early, orthopaedic support matters from middle age, and cardiac and bone cancer risks are real. Go in with your eyes open. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• This is a short-skulled breed. Choose the puppy with the most open nostrils and the longest muzzle you can find, and reject any that snores, snorts, or struggles for breath at rest — those are not endearing breed traits, they are signs of a dog that cannot breathe properly. Ask whether the parents have been BOAS-graded. In a hot climate this decision has consequences you will live with daily.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Carolina Dog

Origin and purpose

Primitive/pariah spitz; FCI Group 5 type. Origin: Southeastern USA; free-ranging American pariah ('American Dingo').

A recently 'rediscovered' wild-living pariah of the American South; genetically ancient.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Shy and wary of strangers, loyal to its pack; strong pariah survival instincts.

A guarding breed: it is naturally suspicious of strangers, and that is what it was bred for. Early, broad, positive socialisation — many people, many places, many situations, before sixteen weeks — is not optional for this breed; it is the difference between a discriminating guardian and a dangerous liability. A guarding dog that has not been socialised is a problem you have created, not a temperament you have discovered.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

No breed-linked conditions are recorded for this breed. For landraces and village dogs this is often a genuine finding rather than a gap — a broad genetic base leaves them with markedly fewer inherited disorders than the closed-studbook breeds, and it is one of the strongest arguments for them. The routine risks that apply to every dog — parasites, tick-borne disease, heat — still apply here.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

Feeding

The most forgiving size to feed. A good-quality complete diet appropriate to the life stage, measured with a cup or scales rather than judged by eye, split into two meals a day. Weigh the food; guessing is how dogs get fat. Treats counted within the daily allowance, not added on top.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: High - 60 min/day.

A high-energy dog needing substantial, committed daily exercise plus mental work. Do not take this breed on unless the daily commitment is realistic on your worst week, not your best one.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Good suitability - the short coat and pariah heritage make it well suited to warm climates..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 12-15 years. This dog is a senior from around 8–9 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Watch for the gradual onset of arthritis, dental disease, and the endocrine conditions of middle age. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Caucasian Shepherd Dog

Origin and purpose

FCI Group 2. Origin: Russia/Caucasus region; ancient livestock-guardian of the mountains.

Also called Ovcharka; among the largest and most protective breeds, not for novices.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Fearless, dominant and territorial; a powerful guardian needing very experienced ownership.

A guarding breed: it is naturally suspicious of strangers, and that is what it was bred for. Early, broad, positive socialisation — many people, many places, many situations, before sixteen weeks — is not optional for this breed; it is the difference between a discriminating guardian and a dangerous liability. A guarding dog that has not been socialised is a problem you have created, not a temperament you have discovered.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') (EMERGENCY) — stomach twists on itself.
• Elbow dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal elbow joint development.
• Entropion (Routine) — eyelid rolls inward.
• Obesity (Routine) — The most common preventable health problem in urban pet dogs, and the one most often mistaken for good health — in many places a round dog is still frequently read as a well-cared-for dog.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Elbow dysplasia — Radiographic elbow evaluation
• Entropion — Eye examination
• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') — No screening test. Discuss preventive gastropexy with your vet in deep-chested breeds

Feeding

Slow, controlled growth is essential — giant-breed puppies grow for eighteen months or more, and pushing that growth with over-feeding or calcium supplementation causes lasting orthopaedic damage. Use a diet formulated for large- or giant-breed growth and keep the puppy visibly lean. As an adult, two measured meals a day, never one large one. Feeding costs are substantial and should be budgeted before acquiring the dog.

This breed is deep-chested and at risk of gastric dilatation and volvulus (bloat), which kills quickly. Feed two or more smaller meals rather than one large one, avoid vigorous exercise for an hour either side of eating, and slow down a gulping eater. Learn the signs — a restless dog with a swelling belly, retching without bringing anything up — and treat them as an immediate emergency. Ask your vet whether a preventive gastropexy is appropriate at neutering.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: Moderate - 45-60 min/day.

Moderate daily exercise plus mental stimulation. Adaptable to apartment life provided the daily walk actually happens every day.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Poor for hot climates - a massive thick-coated cold-climate guardian at high heat risk and hard to manage in dense urban settings..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 10-12 years. This dog is a senior from around 5–6 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Giant breeds age fast and live short lives, and this is the hardest fact about owning one. Senior screening should start early, orthopaedic support matters from middle age, and cardiac and bone cancer risks are real. Go in with your eyes open. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Central Asian Shepherd (Alabai)

Origin and purpose

Working (AKC, FCI). Origin: Central Asia (Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan).

Requires an experienced handler; historically a livestock guardian bred for wolf defence.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Fearless, independent, calmly protective; ancient LGD lineage.

A guarding breed: it is naturally suspicious of strangers, and that is what it was bred for. Early, broad, positive socialisation — many people, many places, many situations, before sixteen weeks — is not optional for this breed; it is the difference between a discriminating guardian and a dangerous liability. A guarding dog that has not been socialised is a problem you have created, not a temperament you have discovered.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') (EMERGENCY) — stomach twists on itself.
• Entropion (Routine) — eyelid rolls inward.
• Hip dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal hip joint development.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Entropion — Eye examination
• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') — No screening test. Discuss preventive gastropexy with your vet in deep-chested breeds
• Hip dysplasia — Radiographic hip evaluation (hip scoring)

Feeding

Slow, controlled growth is essential — giant-breed puppies grow for eighteen months or more, and pushing that growth with over-feeding or calcium supplementation causes lasting orthopaedic damage. Use a diet formulated for large- or giant-breed growth and keep the puppy visibly lean. As an adult, two measured meals a day, never one large one. Feeding costs are substantial and should be budgeted before acquiring the dog.

This breed is deep-chested and at risk of gastric dilatation and volvulus (bloat), which kills quickly. Feed two or more smaller meals rather than one large one, avoid vigorous exercise for an hour either side of eating, and slow down a gulping eater. Learn the signs — a restless dog with a swelling belly, retching without bringing anything up — and treat them as an immediate emergency. Ask your vet whether a preventive gastropexy is appropriate at neutering.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: Moderate.

Moderate daily exercise plus mental stimulation. Adaptable to apartment life provided the daily walk actually happens every day.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Suited to temperate and continental rural settings with space; not for urban or apartment living..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 10–12 years. This dog is a senior from around 5–6 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Giant breeds age fast and live short lives, and this is the hardest fact about owning one. Senior screening should start early, orthopaedic support matters from middle age, and cardiac and bone cancer risks are real. Go in with your eyes open. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Cimarron Uruguayo

Origin and purpose

FCI Group 2. Origin: Uruguay; molossoid guard and hunting dog descended from feral colonial stock.

Uruguay's national breed; a brindle or fawn molosser, muscular and athletic.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Brave, confident and territorial; a strong-willed guardian needing firm socialisation.

A guarding breed: it is naturally suspicious of strangers, and that is what it was bred for. Early, broad, positive socialisation — many people, many places, many situations, before sixteen weeks — is not optional for this breed; it is the difference between a discriminating guardian and a dangerous liability. A guarding dog that has not been socialised is a problem you have created, not a temperament you have discovered.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Hip dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal hip joint development.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Hip dysplasia — Radiographic hip evaluation (hip scoring)

Feeding

Growth is the thing that matters. Large-breed puppies must be fed a diet formulated for large-breed growth and must NOT be overfed or supplemented with calcium — growing too fast is a direct route to the joint disease this size of dog is already prone to. A lean puppy is a healthy puppy. As an adult, two measured meals a day, and keep the dog lean for life: excess weight is the single biggest accelerator of hip and elbow disease and arthritis.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: High - 60+ min/day.

A high-energy dog needing substantial, committed daily exercise plus mental work. Do not take this breed on unless the daily commitment is realistic on your worst week, not your best one.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Fair - the short coat and hardy constitution help, but a powerful active dog still needs heat care in warm weather..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 12-14 years. This dog is a senior from around 7 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Large dogs age faster than small ones. Arthritis and cancer are the dominant concerns; do not dismiss a limp in an older large dog as 'just age' — bone cancer presents exactly that way. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Continental Bulldog

Origin and purpose

FCI Group 2 (provisional). Origin: Switzerland; a bulldog bred deliberately for better health and breathing.

Created by crossing English Bulldog with Leavitt/Old English Bulldogge stock for a more functional dog.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Friendly, alert and even-tempered; an active, sociable companion.

Reward-based training from the day the puppy arrives, with the socialisation window (roughly three to sixteen weeks) treated as the priority it is — what happens in those weeks shapes the adult dog more than anything you do later. Short, frequent, positive sessions. See Parts IV and IX.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

No breed-linked conditions are recorded for this breed. For landraces and village dogs this is often a genuine finding rather than a gap — a broad genetic base leaves them with markedly fewer inherited disorders than the closed-studbook breeds, and it is one of the strongest arguments for them. The routine risks that apply to every dog — parasites, tick-borne disease, heat — still apply here.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

Feeding

Growth is the thing that matters. Large-breed puppies must be fed a diet formulated for large-breed growth and must NOT be overfed or supplemented with calcium — growing too fast is a direct route to the joint disease this size of dog is already prone to. A lean puppy is a healthy puppy. As an adult, two measured meals a day, and keep the dog lean for life: excess weight is the single biggest accelerator of hip and elbow disease and arthritis.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: Moderate - 45-60 min/day.

Moderate daily exercise plus mental stimulation. Adaptable to apartment life provided the daily walk actually happens every day.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Fair - a longer muzzle than the English Bulldog gives better heat tolerance, but caution in warm weather is still needed..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 10-12 years. This dog is a senior from around 7 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Large dogs age faster than small ones. Arthritis and cancer are the dominant concerns; do not dismiss a limp in an older large dog as 'just age' — bone cancer presents exactly that way. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Cão de Castro Laboreiro

Origin and purpose

FCI Group 2. Origin: Portugal (Minho); mountain livestock-guardian dog.

Distinctive brindle 'wolf' colouring; a rustic, hardy guardian.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Loyal, brave and independent; strongly bonded to its own family, reserved with strangers.

A guarding breed: it is naturally suspicious of strangers, and that is what it was bred for. Early, broad, positive socialisation — many people, many places, many situations, before sixteen weeks — is not optional for this breed; it is the difference between a discriminating guardian and a dangerous liability. A guarding dog that has not been socialised is a problem you have created, not a temperament you have discovered.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Hip dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal hip joint development.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Hip dysplasia — Radiographic hip evaluation (hip scoring)

Feeding

Growth is the thing that matters. Large-breed puppies must be fed a diet formulated for large-breed growth and must NOT be overfed or supplemented with calcium — growing too fast is a direct route to the joint disease this size of dog is already prone to. A lean puppy is a healthy puppy. As an adult, two measured meals a day, and keep the dog lean for life: excess weight is the single biggest accelerator of hip and elbow disease and arthritis.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: Moderate to high - 60 min/day.

A high-energy dog needing substantial, committed daily exercise plus mental work. Do not take this breed on unless the daily commitment is realistic on your worst week, not your best one.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Poor to fair - a dense mountain coat means real heat sensitivity; better in cooler highlands than in hot lowlands..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 12-13 years. This dog is a senior from around 7 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Large dogs age faster than small ones. Arthritis and cancer are the dominant concerns; do not dismiss a limp in an older large dog as 'just age' — bone cancer presents exactly that way. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Doberman Pinscher

Origin and purpose

Working (AKC). Origin: Germany, late 19th century (Louis Dobermann).

Annual cardiac screening from age 3 is not optional. Choose a breeder who screens with Holter monitoring.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Alert, loyal, intelligent, protective; low tolerance of harsh handling; requires firm consistent training.

A guarding breed: it is naturally suspicious of strangers, and that is what it was bred for. Early, broad, positive socialisation — many people, many places, many situations, before sixteen weeks — is not optional for this breed; it is the difference between a discriminating guardian and a dangerous liability. A guarding dog that has not been socialised is a problem you have created, not a temperament you have discovered.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Wobbler syndrome (cervical spondylomyelopathy) (URGENT) — Doberman, Great Dane.
• Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) (Routine) — enlarged heart with reduced pumping.
• Hypothyroidism (Routine) — underactive thyroid.
• von Willebrand disease (Routine) — The most common inherited bleeding disorder of dogs: a deficiency of von Willebrand factor, a protein needed for platelets to plug a damaged vessel.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) — Cardiac auscultation, echocardiography, and Holter monitoring
• Hypothyroidism — Thyroid blood panel
• Wobbler syndrome (cervical spondylomyelopathy) — Neurological examination; MRI if signs appear
• von Willebrand disease — von Willebrand factor blood assay, or DNA test

Feeding

Growth is the thing that matters. Large-breed puppies must be fed a diet formulated for large-breed growth and must NOT be overfed or supplemented with calcium — growing too fast is a direct route to the joint disease this size of dog is already prone to. A lean puppy is a healthy puppy. As an adult, two measured meals a day, and keep the dog lean for life: excess weight is the single biggest accelerator of hip and elbow disease and arthritis.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: High — 60–90 min/day.

A high-energy dog needing substantial, committed daily exercise plus mental work. Do not take this breed on unless the daily commitment is realistic on your worst week, not your best one.

Coat and grooming

Very short, smooth coat. Weekly rub-down. Feels the cold; no sun protection.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Widely kept; heat tolerance is moderate and a committed handler is required..

A short, fine coat gives little protection from the sun; pale-skinned dogs can sunburn, particularly on the nose, ears, and belly. Avoid the midday sun, and mind hot ground — if you cannot hold the back of your hand on the pavement for five seconds, it is too hot for paws.

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 10–13 years. This dog is a senior from around 7 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Large dogs age faster than small ones. Arthritis and cancer are the dominant concerns; do not dismiss a limp in an older large dog as 'just age' — bone cancer presents exactly that way. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Dogue de Bordeaux

Origin and purpose

Working (AKC). Origin: France.

A French mastiff and one of the shortest-lived breeds; the brachycephalic conformation raises welfare concerns.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Loyal, courageous, patient; the 'French Mastiff'.

Reward-based training from the day the puppy arrives, with the socialisation window (roughly three to sixteen weeks) treated as the priority it is — what happens in those weeks shapes the adult dog more than anything you do later. Short, frequent, positive sessions. See Parts IV and IX.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') (EMERGENCY) — stomach twists on itself.
• Brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS) (URGENT) — anatomical obstruction in flat-faced breeds (Pug, French Bulldog, Bulldog, Boxer).
• Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) (Routine) — enlarged heart with reduced pumping.
• Elbow dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal elbow joint development.
• Skin fold dermatitis (Routine) — Bulldog, Pug, Shar-Pei.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS) — BOAS functional grading (an exercise-tolerance assessment)
• Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) — Cardiac auscultation, echocardiography, and Holter monitoring
• Elbow dysplasia — Radiographic elbow evaluation
• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') — No screening test. Discuss preventive gastropexy with your vet in deep-chested breeds

Feeding

Slow, controlled growth is essential — giant-breed puppies grow for eighteen months or more, and pushing that growth with over-feeding or calcium supplementation causes lasting orthopaedic damage. Use a diet formulated for large- or giant-breed growth and keep the puppy visibly lean. As an adult, two measured meals a day, never one large one. Feeding costs are substantial and should be budgeted before acquiring the dog.

This breed is deep-chested and at risk of gastric dilatation and volvulus (bloat), which kills quickly. Feed two or more smaller meals rather than one large one, avoid vigorous exercise for an hour either side of eating, and slow down a gulping eater. Learn the signs — a restless dog with a swelling belly, retching without bringing anything up — and treat them as an immediate emergency. Ask your vet whether a preventive gastropexy is appropriate at neutering.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: Moderate.

Moderate daily exercise plus mental stimulation. Adaptable to apartment life provided the daily walk actually happens every day.

Coat and grooming

Short, fine coat; wrinkled head. Weekly brush; clean and dry the head wrinkles.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Poorly suited to hot climates; heat tolerance is limited and lowland heat is a risk. Best in temperate climates..

HEAT IS THE DEFINING WELFARE ISSUE FOR THIS BREED IN ANY HOT CLIMATE. A short skull means a compromised airway, and dogs cool themselves by panting — so this dog cannot cool itself efficiently, and heat and humidity are therefore genuinely dangerous to it rather than merely uncomfortable. Walk only at dawn and dusk, never on hot ground, never in the midday sun, and never leave it in a vehicle even briefly. Keep it lean: excess weight makes the airway worse. Air-conditioning is not a luxury for this breed in a hot climate. Learn the signs of heatstroke (see Part III) and treat any laboured breathing in heat as an emergency. Airlines frequently refuse to carry these breeds, and they are right to.

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 5–8 years (shortest of any breed). This dog is a senior from around 5–6 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Giant breeds age fast and live short lives, and this is the hardest fact about owning one. Senior screening should start early, orthopaedic support matters from middle age, and cardiac and bone cancer risks are real. Go in with your eyes open. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• This is a short-skulled breed. Choose the puppy with the most open nostrils and the longest muzzle you can find, and reject any that snores, snorts, or struggles for breath at rest — those are not endearing breed traits, they are signs of a dog that cannot breathe properly. Ask whether the parents have been BOAS-graded. In a hot climate this decision has consequences you will live with daily.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Estrela Mountain Dog

Origin and purpose

FCI Group 2. Origin: Portugal (Serra da Estrela); ancient flock-guarding mountain dog.

Comes in long and short coats; a large working guardian needing space and cool conditions.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Loyal, watchful and independent; devoted guardian, aloof with strangers.

A guarding breed: it is naturally suspicious of strangers, and that is what it was bred for. Early, broad, positive socialisation — many people, many places, many situations, before sixteen weeks — is not optional for this breed; it is the difference between a discriminating guardian and a dangerous liability. A guarding dog that has not been socialised is a problem you have created, not a temperament you have discovered.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') (EMERGENCY) — stomach twists on itself.
• Hip dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal hip joint development.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') — No screening test. Discuss preventive gastropexy with your vet in deep-chested breeds
• Hip dysplasia — Radiographic hip evaluation (hip scoring)

Feeding

Slow, controlled growth is essential — giant-breed puppies grow for eighteen months or more, and pushing that growth with over-feeding or calcium supplementation causes lasting orthopaedic damage. Use a diet formulated for large- or giant-breed growth and keep the puppy visibly lean. As an adult, two measured meals a day, never one large one. Feeding costs are substantial and should be budgeted before acquiring the dog.

This breed is deep-chested and at risk of gastric dilatation and volvulus (bloat), which kills quickly. Feed two or more smaller meals rather than one large one, avoid vigorous exercise for an hour either side of eating, and slow down a gulping eater. Learn the signs — a restless dog with a swelling belly, retching without bringing anything up — and treat them as an immediate emergency. Ask your vet whether a preventive gastropexy is appropriate at neutering.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: Moderate - 45-60 min/day.

Moderate daily exercise plus mental stimulation. Adaptable to apartment life provided the daily walk actually happens every day.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Poor for hot climates - a thick double coat bred for cold mountains means serious heat risk in lowland warmth; suited to cool conditions..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 10-12 years. This dog is a senior from around 5–6 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Giant breeds age fast and live short lives, and this is the hardest fact about owning one. Senior screening should start early, orthopaedic support matters from middle age, and cardiac and bone cancer risks are real. Go in with your eyes open. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Fila de Sao Miguel

Origin and purpose

FCI Group 2. Origin: Portugal (Azores, Sao Miguel); cattle-herding and guard dog.

Also called the Sao Miguel Cattle Dog; a brindle molossoid herder from the Azores.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Alert, confident and territorial; a working cattle dog, wary and protective.

A guarding breed: it is naturally suspicious of strangers, and that is what it was bred for. Early, broad, positive socialisation — many people, many places, many situations, before sixteen weeks — is not optional for this breed; it is the difference between a discriminating guardian and a dangerous liability. A guarding dog that has not been socialised is a problem you have created, not a temperament you have discovered.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Hip dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal hip joint development.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Hip dysplasia — Radiographic hip evaluation (hip scoring)

Feeding

Growth is the thing that matters. Large-breed puppies must be fed a diet formulated for large-breed growth and must NOT be overfed or supplemented with calcium — growing too fast is a direct route to the joint disease this size of dog is already prone to. A lean puppy is a healthy puppy. As an adult, two measured meals a day, and keep the dog lean for life: excess weight is the single biggest accelerator of hip and elbow disease and arthritis.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: High - 60+ min/day, a working dog needing a job.

A high-energy dog needing substantial, committed daily exercise plus mental work. Do not take this breed on unless the daily commitment is realistic on your worst week, not your best one.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Fair - the short coat helps, but an active guardian still needs shade and cool working times in heat..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 10-12 years. This dog is a senior from around 7 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Large dogs age faster than small ones. Arthritis and cancer are the dominant concerns; do not dismiss a limp in an older large dog as 'just age' — bone cancer presents exactly that way. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

German Pinscher

Origin and purpose

Working (AKC); FCI Group 2. Origin: Germany; farm ratter and guard, ancestor of the Doberman and Miniature Pinscher.

Medium, agile and low-maintenance in coat; not the toy Miniature Pinscher but a separate larger breed.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Spirited, bold, alert; loyal and strong-willed, needs firm handling.

Reward-based training from the day the puppy arrives, with the socialisation window (roughly three to sixteen weeks) treated as the priority it is — what happens in those weeks shapes the adult dog more than anything you do later. Short, frequent, positive sessions. See Parts IV and IX.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Cataracts (Routine) — congenital or diabetic or senior.
• Hip dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal hip joint development.
• von Willebrand disease (Routine) — The most common inherited bleeding disorder of dogs: a deficiency of von Willebrand factor, a protein needed for platelets to plug a damaged vessel.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Cataracts — Ophthalmologist eye examination
• Hip dysplasia — Radiographic hip evaluation (hip scoring)
• von Willebrand disease — von Willebrand factor blood assay, or DNA test

Feeding

The most forgiving size to feed. A good-quality complete diet appropriate to the life stage, measured with a cup or scales rather than judged by eye, split into two meals a day. Weigh the food; guessing is how dogs get fat. Treats counted within the daily allowance, not added on top.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: High - 60+ min/day plus mental work.

A high-energy dog needing substantial, committed daily exercise plus mental work. Do not take this breed on unless the daily commitment is realistic on your worst week, not your best one.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Fair to good - the short single coat tolerates heat far better than the guardian giants, though shade and water are still needed..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 12-14 years. This dog is a senior from around 8–9 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Watch for the gradual onset of arthritis, dental disease, and the endocrine conditions of middle age. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Giant Schnauzer

Origin and purpose

Working (AKC). Origin: Germany.

The coat requires professional stripping every 6-8 weeks.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Bold, energetic, biddable, protective; requires experienced handler.

A guarding breed: it is naturally suspicious of strangers, and that is what it was bred for. Early, broad, positive socialisation — many people, many places, many situations, before sixteen weeks — is not optional for this breed; it is the difference between a discriminating guardian and a dangerous liability. A guarding dog that has not been socialised is a problem you have created, not a temperament you have discovered.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') (EMERGENCY) — stomach twists on itself.
• Hip dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal hip joint development.
• Hypothyroidism (Routine) — underactive thyroid.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') — No screening test. Discuss preventive gastropexy with your vet in deep-chested breeds
• Hip dysplasia — Radiographic hip evaluation (hip scoring)
• Hypothyroidism — Thyroid blood panel

Feeding

Growth is the thing that matters. Large-breed puppies must be fed a diet formulated for large-breed growth and must NOT be overfed or supplemented with calcium — growing too fast is a direct route to the joint disease this size of dog is already prone to. A lean puppy is a healthy puppy. As an adult, two measured meals a day, and keep the dog lean for life: excess weight is the single biggest accelerator of hip and elbow disease and arthritis.

This breed is deep-chested and at risk of gastric dilatation and volvulus (bloat), which kills quickly. Feed two or more smaller meals rather than one large one, avoid vigorous exercise for an hour either side of eating, and slow down a gulping eater. Learn the signs — a restless dog with a swelling belly, retching without bringing anything up — and treat them as an immediate emergency. Ask your vet whether a preventive gastropexy is appropriate at neutering.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: High.

A high-energy dog needing substantial, committed daily exercise plus mental work. Do not take this breed on unless the daily commitment is realistic on your worst week, not your best one.

Coat and grooming

Harsh, wiry coat with a dense undercoat. Brush 3× weekly; strip or clip every 8 weeks; keep the beard clean.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Moderate heat tolerance; suited to a range of climates with attentive coat care..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 10–12 years. This dog is a senior from around 7 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Large dogs age faster than small ones. Arthritis and cancer are the dominant concerns; do not dismiss a limp in an older large dog as 'just age' — bone cancer presents exactly that way. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Great Dane

Origin and purpose

Working (AKC). Origin: Germany.

Prophylactic gastropexy (surgical) is commonly recommended by specialist vets. Not a beginner's breed despite the gentle temperament.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Gentle, patient; 'gentle giant' by reputation; low activity indoors.

Reward-based training from the day the puppy arrives, with the socialisation window (roughly three to sixteen weeks) treated as the priority it is — what happens in those weeks shapes the adult dog more than anything you do later. Short, frequent, positive sessions. See Parts IV and IX.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') (EMERGENCY) — stomach twists on itself.
• Osteosarcoma (URGENT) — bone cancer, aggressive.
• Wobbler syndrome (cervical spondylomyelopathy) (URGENT) — Doberman, Great Dane.
• Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) (Routine) — enlarged heart with reduced pumping.
• Hip dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal hip joint development.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) — Cardiac auscultation, echocardiography, and Holter monitoring
• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') — No screening test. Discuss preventive gastropexy with your vet in deep-chested breeds
• Hip dysplasia — Radiographic hip evaluation (hip scoring)
• Osteosarcoma — No screening test. Radiographs on any persistent limb lameness in a large breed
• Wobbler syndrome (cervical spondylomyelopathy) — Neurological examination; MRI if signs appear

Feeding

Slow, controlled growth is essential — giant-breed puppies grow for eighteen months or more, and pushing that growth with over-feeding or calcium supplementation causes lasting orthopaedic damage. Use a diet formulated for large- or giant-breed growth and keep the puppy visibly lean. As an adult, two measured meals a day, never one large one. Feeding costs are substantial and should be budgeted before acquiring the dog.

This breed is deep-chested and at risk of gastric dilatation and volvulus (bloat), which kills quickly. Feed two or more smaller meals rather than one large one, avoid vigorous exercise for an hour either side of eating, and slow down a gulping eater. Learn the signs — a restless dog with a swelling belly, retching without bringing anything up — and treat them as an immediate emergency. Ask your vet whether a preventive gastropexy is appropriate at neutering.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: Moderate — 30–60 min/day (excessive high-impact exercise contra-indicated in growth).

A high-energy dog needing substantial, committed daily exercise plus mental work. Do not take this breed on unless the daily commitment is realistic on your worst week, not your best one.

Coat and grooming

Short, smooth coat. Weekly rub-down. Check pressure points (elbows, hocks) for callouses.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Space requirement is significant; heat management is important..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 7–10 years. This dog is a senior from around 5–6 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Giant breeds age fast and live short lives, and this is the hardest fact about owning one. Senior screening should start early, orthopaedic support matters from middle age, and cardiac and bone cancer risks are real. Go in with your eyes open. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Great Pyrenees

Origin and purpose

Working (AKC). Origin: Pyrenees mountains (France/Spain).

A livestock guardian breed with strong protective instincts and a tendency to bark at night; needs space.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Calm, patient, protective; classic livestock guardian.

A guarding breed: it is naturally suspicious of strangers, and that is what it was bred for. Early, broad, positive socialisation — many people, many places, many situations, before sixteen weeks — is not optional for this breed; it is the difference between a discriminating guardian and a dangerous liability. A guarding dog that has not been socialised is a problem you have created, not a temperament you have discovered.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') (EMERGENCY) — stomach twists on itself.
• Osteosarcoma (URGENT) — bone cancer, aggressive.
• Elbow dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal elbow joint development.
• Patellar luxation (Routine) — kneecap slips out of groove.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Elbow dysplasia — Radiographic elbow evaluation
• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') — No screening test. Discuss preventive gastropexy with your vet in deep-chested breeds
• Osteosarcoma — No screening test. Radiographs on any persistent limb lameness in a large breed
• Patellar luxation — Patellar palpation by a vet

Feeding

Slow, controlled growth is essential — giant-breed puppies grow for eighteen months or more, and pushing that growth with over-feeding or calcium supplementation causes lasting orthopaedic damage. Use a diet formulated for large- or giant-breed growth and keep the puppy visibly lean. As an adult, two measured meals a day, never one large one. Feeding costs are substantial and should be budgeted before acquiring the dog.

This breed is deep-chested and at risk of gastric dilatation and volvulus (bloat), which kills quickly. Feed two or more smaller meals rather than one large one, avoid vigorous exercise for an hour either side of eating, and slow down a gulping eater. Learn the signs — a restless dog with a swelling belly, retching without bringing anything up — and treat them as an immediate emergency. Ask your vet whether a preventive gastropexy is appropriate at neutering.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: Moderate.

Moderate daily exercise plus mental stimulation. Adaptable to apartment life provided the daily walk actually happens every day.

Coat and grooming

Thick, weather-resistant double coat. Brush 2–3× weekly.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Very poorly suited to hot, humid climates; the heavy coat makes lowland heat hard to tolerate. Best in cool or cold climates..

This breed carries a heavy double coat evolved for cold. It can be kept in a hot climate, but only with genuine commitment: shade and water at all times, exercise confined to the cool hours, and often air-conditioning through summer. Do NOT shave the double coat — counter-intuitively it insulates against heat as well as cold, and shaving it can ruin the coat and expose the skin to sunburn. Watch closely for heat stress, and think hard about whether the climate you live in is fair to this dog before acquiring one.

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 10–12 years. This dog is a senior from around 5–6 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Giant breeds age fast and live short lives, and this is the hardest fact about owning one. Senior screening should start early, orthopaedic support matters from middle age, and cardiac and bone cancer risks are real. Go in with your eyes open. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Greater Swiss Mountain Dog

Origin and purpose

Working (AKC); FCI Group 2. Origin: Switzerland; draught and general farm dog.

Largest of the Swiss Sennenhund breeds; needs cool conditions and space.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Confident, faithful and alert; gentle and steady with family.

Reward-based training from the day the puppy arrives, with the socialisation window (roughly three to sixteen weeks) treated as the priority it is — what happens in those weeks shapes the adult dog more than anything you do later. Short, frequent, positive sessions. See Parts IV and IX.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') (EMERGENCY) — stomach twists on itself.
• Idiopathic epilepsy (URGENT) — seizure disorder with no identifiable cause.
• Elbow dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal elbow joint development.
• Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) (Routine) — cartilage-bone lesion.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Elbow dysplasia — Radiographic elbow evaluation
• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') — No screening test. Discuss preventive gastropexy with your vet in deep-chested breeds
• Idiopathic epilepsy — No screening test. Diagnosis is by exclusion, after blood work and imaging
• Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) — Joint radiographs

Feeding

Slow, controlled growth is essential — giant-breed puppies grow for eighteen months or more, and pushing that growth with over-feeding or calcium supplementation causes lasting orthopaedic damage. Use a diet formulated for large- or giant-breed growth and keep the puppy visibly lean. As an adult, two measured meals a day, never one large one. Feeding costs are substantial and should be budgeted before acquiring the dog.

This breed is deep-chested and at risk of gastric dilatation and volvulus (bloat), which kills quickly. Feed two or more smaller meals rather than one large one, avoid vigorous exercise for an hour either side of eating, and slow down a gulping eater. Learn the signs — a restless dog with a swelling belly, retching without bringing anything up — and treat them as an immediate emergency. Ask your vet whether a preventive gastropexy is appropriate at neutering.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: Moderate - 45-60 min/day.

Moderate daily exercise plus mental stimulation. Adaptable to apartment life provided the daily walk actually happens every day.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Poor for hot climates - a heavy tri-colour double coat built for the Alps means serious heat risk in lowland warmth..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 8-11 years. This dog is a senior from around 5–6 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Giant breeds age fast and live short lives, and this is the hardest fact about owning one. Senior screening should start early, orthopaedic support matters from middle age, and cardiac and bone cancer risks are real. Go in with your eyes open. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Gull Dong

Origin and purpose

Subcontinental landrace (not kennel-club recognised). Origin: Pakistan; a working cross-type of Bully Kutta and Gull Terrier stock used for guarding.

A South Asian landrace type, not a standardised breed; not for inexperienced owners.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Powerful, dominant and high-drive; demands very experienced, responsible ownership.

Reward-based training from the day the puppy arrives, with the socialisation window (roughly three to sixteen weeks) treated as the priority it is — what happens in those weeks shapes the adult dog more than anything you do later. Short, frequent, positive sessions. See Parts IV and IX.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

No breed-linked conditions are recorded for this breed. For landraces and village dogs this is often a genuine finding rather than a gap — a broad genetic base leaves them with markedly fewer inherited disorders than the closed-studbook breeds, and it is one of the strongest arguments for them. The routine risks that apply to every dog — parasites, tick-borne disease, heat — still apply here.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

Feeding

Slow, controlled growth is essential — giant-breed puppies grow for eighteen months or more, and pushing that growth with over-feeding or calcium supplementation causes lasting orthopaedic damage. Use a diet formulated for large- or giant-breed growth and keep the puppy visibly lean. As an adult, two measured meals a day, never one large one. Feeding costs are substantial and should be budgeted before acquiring the dog.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: High - 60+ min/day.

A high-energy dog needing substantial, committed daily exercise plus mental work. Do not take this breed on unless the daily commitment is realistic on your worst week, not your best one.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Fair - a short coat and regional adaptation give reasonable heat tolerance, but it is a demanding dog to manage..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 10-12 years. This dog is a senior from around 5–6 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Giant breeds age fast and live short lives, and this is the hardest fact about owning one. Senior screening should start early, orthopaedic support matters from middle age, and cardiac and bone cancer risks are real. Go in with your eyes open. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Gull Terrier

Origin and purpose

Subcontinental landrace (not kennel-club recognised). Origin: Pakistan/India; old bull-and-terrier type of the subcontinent.

A South Asian bull-and-terrier landrace, foundation stock for the Gull Dong; no fixed standard.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Bold, agile and tenacious; a spirited, high-energy dog needing firm handling.

Reward-based training from the day the puppy arrives, with the socialisation window (roughly three to sixteen weeks) treated as the priority it is — what happens in those weeks shapes the adult dog more than anything you do later. Short, frequent, positive sessions. See Parts IV and IX.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Congenital deafness (Routine) — Present from birth and permanent.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Congenital deafness — BAER hearing test

Feeding

The most forgiving size to feed. A good-quality complete diet appropriate to the life stage, measured with a cup or scales rather than judged by eye, split into two meals a day. Weigh the food; guessing is how dogs get fat. Treats counted within the daily allowance, not added on top.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: High - 60+ min/day.

A high-energy dog needing substantial, committed daily exercise plus mental work. Do not take this breed on unless the daily commitment is realistic on your worst week, not your best one.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Good for warm climates - a short coat and long adaptation to hot regions make it well suited to heat and humidity..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 10-12 years. This dog is a senior from around 8–9 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Watch for the gradual onset of arthritis, dental disease, and the endocrine conditions of middle age. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Hovawart

Origin and purpose

FCI Group 2. Origin: Germany; old estate-guarding working dog, reconstructed in the 20th century.

Comes in black, blond and black-and-gold; a versatile working and family guardian.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Even-tempered, devoted and protective; intelligent and independent, a reliable guard.

A guarding breed: it is naturally suspicious of strangers, and that is what it was bred for. Early, broad, positive socialisation — many people, many places, many situations, before sixteen weeks — is not optional for this breed; it is the difference between a discriminating guardian and a dangerous liability. A guarding dog that has not been socialised is a problem you have created, not a temperament you have discovered.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Hip dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal hip joint development.
• Hypothyroidism (Routine) — underactive thyroid.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Hip dysplasia — Radiographic hip evaluation (hip scoring)
• Hypothyroidism — Thyroid blood panel

Feeding

Growth is the thing that matters. Large-breed puppies must be fed a diet formulated for large-breed growth and must NOT be overfed or supplemented with calcium — growing too fast is a direct route to the joint disease this size of dog is already prone to. A lean puppy is a healthy puppy. As an adult, two measured meals a day, and keep the dog lean for life: excess weight is the single biggest accelerator of hip and elbow disease and arthritis.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: High - 60+ min/day plus mental work.

A high-energy dog needing substantial, committed daily exercise plus mental work. Do not take this breed on unless the daily commitment is realistic on your worst week, not your best one.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Fair - a medium-long coat means some heat sensitivity, manageable with shade and cool-hour timing..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 10-14 years. This dog is a senior from around 7 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Large dogs age faster than small ones. Arthritis and cancer are the dominant concerns; do not dismiss a limp in an older large dog as 'just age' — bone cancer presents exactly that way. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Kai Ken

Origin and purpose

Primitive spitz; FCI Group 5. Origin: Yamanashi, Japan; brindle-coated mountain hunting dog.

Distinctive tiger-stripe brindle coat; one of Japan's rarest native breeds, a designated natural monument.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Intelligent, agile, loyal; reserved but rarely aggressive.

Reward-based training from the day the puppy arrives, with the socialisation window (roughly three to sixteen weeks) treated as the priority it is — what happens in those weeks shapes the adult dog more than anything you do later. Short, frequent, positive sessions. See Parts IV and IX.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

No breed-linked conditions are recorded for this breed. For landraces and village dogs this is often a genuine finding rather than a gap — a broad genetic base leaves them with markedly fewer inherited disorders than the closed-studbook breeds, and it is one of the strongest arguments for them. The routine risks that apply to every dog — parasites, tick-borne disease, heat — still apply here.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

Feeding

The most forgiving size to feed. A good-quality complete diet appropriate to the life stage, measured with a cup or scales rather than judged by eye, split into two meals a day. Weigh the food; guessing is how dogs get fat. Treats counted within the daily allowance, not added on top.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: High - 60-90 min/day.

A high-energy dog needing substantial, committed daily exercise plus mental work. Do not take this breed on unless the daily commitment is realistic on your worst week, not your best one.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Poor to fair suitability - the double coat is better suited to cooler regions than hot lowlands..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 12-15 years. This dog is a senior from around 8–9 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Watch for the gradual onset of arthritis, dental disease, and the endocrine conditions of middle age. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Kangal Shepherd

Origin and purpose

Working (AKC). Origin: Turkey (Sivas / Kangal).

The national breed of Turkey.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Calm, watchful, family-attentive; renowned LGD.

Reward-based training from the day the puppy arrives, with the socialisation window (roughly three to sixteen weeks) treated as the priority it is — what happens in those weeks shapes the adult dog more than anything you do later. Short, frequent, positive sessions. See Parts IV and IX.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Entropion (Routine) — eyelid rolls inward.
• Hip dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal hip joint development.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Entropion — Eye examination
• Hip dysplasia — Radiographic hip evaluation (hip scoring)

Feeding

Slow, controlled growth is essential — giant-breed puppies grow for eighteen months or more, and pushing that growth with over-feeding or calcium supplementation causes lasting orthopaedic damage. Use a diet formulated for large- or giant-breed growth and keep the puppy visibly lean. As an adult, two measured meals a day, never one large one. Feeding costs are substantial and should be budgeted before acquiring the dog.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: Moderate.

Moderate daily exercise plus mental stimulation. Adaptable to apartment life provided the daily walk actually happens every day.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Well suited to open rural settings with space; tolerates a range of temperate climates..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 12–15 years. This dog is a senior from around 5–6 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Giant breeds age fast and live short lives, and this is the hardest fact about owning one. Senior screening should start early, orthopaedic support matters from middle age, and cardiac and bone cancer risks are real. Go in with your eyes open. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Karakachan Dog

Origin and purpose

Livestock guardian (Bulgarian national breed). Origin: Bulgaria; ancient mountain livestock-guardian dog.

Also called the Bulgarian Shepherd Dog; a hardy, weatherproof working guardian.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Independent, brave and devoted to its stock; calm but formidable against predators.

A guarding breed: it is naturally suspicious of strangers, and that is what it was bred for. Early, broad, positive socialisation — many people, many places, many situations, before sixteen weeks — is not optional for this breed; it is the difference between a discriminating guardian and a dangerous liability. A guarding dog that has not been socialised is a problem you have created, not a temperament you have discovered.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Hip dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal hip joint development.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Hip dysplasia — Radiographic hip evaluation (hip scoring)

Feeding

Slow, controlled growth is essential — giant-breed puppies grow for eighteen months or more, and pushing that growth with over-feeding or calcium supplementation causes lasting orthopaedic damage. Use a diet formulated for large- or giant-breed growth and keep the puppy visibly lean. As an adult, two measured meals a day, never one large one. Feeding costs are substantial and should be budgeted before acquiring the dog.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: Moderate to high - 60 min/day.

A high-energy dog needing substantial, committed daily exercise plus mental work. Do not take this breed on unless the daily commitment is realistic on your worst week, not your best one.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Poor for hot climates - a thick long double coat for cold mountains makes it heat-intolerant away from cool highlands..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 12-14 years. This dog is a senior from around 5–6 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Giant breeds age fast and live short lives, and this is the hardest fact about owning one. Senior screening should start early, orthopaedic support matters from middle age, and cardiac and bone cancer risks are real. Go in with your eyes open. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Karst Shepherd Dog

Origin and purpose

FCI Group 2. Origin: Slovenia (Karst plateau); mountain livestock-guardian dog.

Also called Kraski Ovcar; smaller and darker than the related Sarplaninac.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Devoted, calm and vigilant; a steady guardian, suspicious of strangers.

A guarding breed: it is naturally suspicious of strangers, and that is what it was bred for. Early, broad, positive socialisation — many people, many places, many situations, before sixteen weeks — is not optional for this breed; it is the difference between a discriminating guardian and a dangerous liability. A guarding dog that has not been socialised is a problem you have created, not a temperament you have discovered.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Hip dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal hip joint development.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Hip dysplasia — Radiographic hip evaluation (hip scoring)

Feeding

Growth is the thing that matters. Large-breed puppies must be fed a diet formulated for large-breed growth and must NOT be overfed or supplemented with calcium — growing too fast is a direct route to the joint disease this size of dog is already prone to. A lean puppy is a healthy puppy. As an adult, two measured meals a day, and keep the dog lean for life: excess weight is the single biggest accelerator of hip and elbow disease and arthritis.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: Moderate to high - 60 min/day.

A high-energy dog needing substantial, committed daily exercise plus mental work. Do not take this breed on unless the daily commitment is realistic on your worst week, not your best one.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Poor to fair - a thick iron-grey double coat means heat sensitivity; cool climates are preferred..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 11-12 years. This dog is a senior from around 7 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Large dogs age faster than small ones. Arthritis and cancer are the dominant concerns; do not dismiss a limp in an older large dog as 'just age' — bone cancer presents exactly that way. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Kishu Ken

Origin and purpose

Primitive spitz; FCI Group 5. Origin: Wakayama/Mie (Kishu region), Japan; boar and deer hunter.

A Japanese natural monument, usually solid white today; prized historically for silent, focused hunting.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Quiet, dignified, tenacious; strong prey drive, devoted to one family.

Reward-based training from the day the puppy arrives, with the socialisation window (roughly three to sixteen weeks) treated as the priority it is — what happens in those weeks shapes the adult dog more than anything you do later. Short, frequent, positive sessions. See Parts IV and IX.

Strong prey drive: this dog may chase cats, poultry, and small animals, and may pursue free-roaming dogs or livestock. That is instinct, not disobedience, and it is largely not trainable out. Manage it with a secure garden, a lead near roads and livestock, and a realistic view of what recall can achieve against a moving target.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Entropion (Routine) — eyelid rolls inward.
• Hypothyroidism (Routine) — underactive thyroid.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Entropion — Eye examination
• Hypothyroidism — Thyroid blood panel

Feeding

The most forgiving size to feed. A good-quality complete diet appropriate to the life stage, measured with a cup or scales rather than judged by eye, split into two meals a day. Weigh the food; guessing is how dogs get fat. Treats counted within the daily allowance, not added on top.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: High - 60-90 min/day.

A high-energy dog needing substantial, committed daily exercise plus mental work. Do not take this breed on unless the daily commitment is realistic on your worst week, not your best one.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Poor to fair suitability - the dense coat, most often solid white, leaves it heat-sensitive in hot lowlands..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 11-14 years. This dog is a senior from around 8–9 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Watch for the gradual onset of arthritis, dental disease, and the endocrine conditions of middle age. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Komondor

Origin and purpose

Working (AKC). Origin: Hungary.

A Hungarian livestock guardian; the corded coat is a full-time maintenance commitment.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Independent, protective, calm; iconic corded coat.

A guarding breed: it is naturally suspicious of strangers, and that is what it was bred for. Early, broad, positive socialisation — many people, many places, many situations, before sixteen weeks — is not optional for this breed; it is the difference between a discriminating guardian and a dangerous liability. A guarding dog that has not been socialised is a problem you have created, not a temperament you have discovered.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') (EMERGENCY) — stomach twists on itself.
• Entropion (Routine) — eyelid rolls inward.
• Hip dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal hip joint development.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Entropion — Eye examination
• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') — No screening test. Discuss preventive gastropexy with your vet in deep-chested breeds
• Hip dysplasia — Radiographic hip evaluation (hip scoring)

Feeding

Slow, controlled growth is essential — giant-breed puppies grow for eighteen months or more, and pushing that growth with over-feeding or calcium supplementation causes lasting orthopaedic damage. Use a diet formulated for large- or giant-breed growth and keep the puppy visibly lean. As an adult, two measured meals a day, never one large one. Feeding costs are substantial and should be budgeted before acquiring the dog.

This breed is deep-chested and at risk of gastric dilatation and volvulus (bloat), which kills quickly. Feed two or more smaller meals rather than one large one, avoid vigorous exercise for an hour either side of eating, and slow down a gulping eater. Learn the signs — a restless dog with a swelling belly, retching without bringing anything up — and treat them as an immediate emergency. Ask your vet whether a preventive gastropexy is appropriate at neutering.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: Moderate.

Moderate daily exercise plus mental stimulation. Adaptable to apartment life provided the daily walk actually happens every day.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Poorly suited to hot climates; the corded coat traps heat. Best in temperate or cold climates..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 10–12 years. This dog is a senior from around 5–6 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Giant breeds age fast and live short lives, and this is the hardest fact about owning one. Senior screening should start early, orthopaedic support matters from middle age, and cardiac and bone cancer risks are real. Go in with your eyes open. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Korean Jindo

Origin and purpose

Primitive spitz; FCI Group 5. Origin: Jindo Island, South Korea; hunting and guarding spitz.

A South Korean national treasure celebrated for loyalty and homing ability; strong prey drive and escape skills.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Fiercely loyal, intelligent, independent; famed one-owner devotion, aloof and a keen hunter.

This is an independent-minded breed that was developed to make its own decisions, and it will not work for you simply because you asked. That is not stubbornness or stupidity — it is the trait the breed was selected for. Training must be genuinely rewarding to the dog, and expectations of instant, military obedience are misplaced. Recall, in particular, is often unreliable in these breeds; be honest about that before letting one off-lead near traffic.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Hip dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal hip joint development.
• Hypothyroidism (Routine) — underactive thyroid.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Hip dysplasia — Radiographic hip evaluation (hip scoring)
• Hypothyroidism — Thyroid blood panel

Feeding

The most forgiving size to feed. A good-quality complete diet appropriate to the life stage, measured with a cup or scales rather than judged by eye, split into two meals a day. Weigh the food; guessing is how dogs get fat. Treats counted within the daily allowance, not added on top.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: High - 60-90 min/day.

A high-energy dog needing substantial, committed daily exercise plus mental work. Do not take this breed on unless the daily commitment is realistic on your worst week, not your best one.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Best in cool to temperate conditions - a double-coated northern-Asian spitz that manages heat only with care, shade and hydration..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 12-15 years. This dog is a senior from around 8–9 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Watch for the gradual onset of arthritis, dental disease, and the endocrine conditions of middle age. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Kuchi Dog

Origin and purpose

Working / LGD; landrace. Origin: Afghanistan and adjacent regions.

A guardian dog of the nomadic Kuchi people, related to the Central Asian Shepherd.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Highly protective, independent, working LGD.

A guarding breed: it is naturally suspicious of strangers, and that is what it was bred for. Early, broad, positive socialisation — many people, many places, many situations, before sixteen weeks — is not optional for this breed; it is the difference between a discriminating guardian and a dangerous liability. A guarding dog that has not been socialised is a problem you have created, not a temperament you have discovered.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

No breed-linked conditions are recorded for this breed. For landraces and village dogs this is often a genuine finding rather than a gap — a broad genetic base leaves them with markedly fewer inherited disorders than the closed-studbook breeds, and it is one of the strongest arguments for them. The routine risks that apply to every dog — parasites, tick-borne disease, heat — still apply here.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

Feeding

Slow, controlled growth is essential — giant-breed puppies grow for eighteen months or more, and pushing that growth with over-feeding or calcium supplementation causes lasting orthopaedic damage. Use a diet formulated for large- or giant-breed growth and keep the puppy visibly lean. As an adult, two measured meals a day, never one large one. Feeding costs are substantial and should be budgeted before acquiring the dog.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: Moderate.

Moderate daily exercise plus mental stimulation. Adaptable to apartment life provided the daily walk actually happens every day.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Reasonably suited to temperate and continental rural settings with space..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 10–13 years. This dog is a senior from around 5–6 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Giant breeds age fast and live short lives, and this is the hardest fact about owning one. Senior screening should start early, orthopaedic support matters from middle age, and cardiac and bone cancer risks are real. Go in with your eyes open. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Landseer

Origin and purpose

FCI Group 2. Origin: Germany/Switzerland (Continental European Type); water and draught dog related to the Newfoundland.

The FCI Landseer is a distinct breed, taller and drier in coat than the black-and-white Newfoundland.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Gentle, friendly and calm; a devoted family dog and strong swimmer.

Reward-based training from the day the puppy arrives, with the socialisation window (roughly three to sixteen weeks) treated as the priority it is — what happens in those weeks shapes the adult dog more than anything you do later. Short, frequent, positive sessions. See Parts IV and IX.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') (EMERGENCY) — stomach twists on itself.
• Cystinuria (Routine) — inherited amino-acid transport defect leading to bladder stones.
• Elbow dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal elbow joint development.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Cystinuria — Urine testing; DNA test where available
• Elbow dysplasia — Radiographic elbow evaluation
• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') — No screening test. Discuss preventive gastropexy with your vet in deep-chested breeds

Feeding

Slow, controlled growth is essential — giant-breed puppies grow for eighteen months or more, and pushing that growth with over-feeding or calcium supplementation causes lasting orthopaedic damage. Use a diet formulated for large- or giant-breed growth and keep the puppy visibly lean. As an adult, two measured meals a day, never one large one. Feeding costs are substantial and should be budgeted before acquiring the dog.

This breed is deep-chested and at risk of gastric dilatation and volvulus (bloat), which kills quickly. Feed two or more smaller meals rather than one large one, avoid vigorous exercise for an hour either side of eating, and slow down a gulping eater. Learn the signs — a restless dog with a swelling belly, retching without bringing anything up — and treat them as an immediate emergency. Ask your vet whether a preventive gastropexy is appropriate at neutering.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: Moderate - 45-60 min/day, swimming ideal.

Moderate daily exercise plus mental stimulation. Adaptable to apartment life provided the daily walk actually happens every day.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Poor for hot climates - a heavy water-resistant double coat means severe heat risk; unsuited to hot, humid conditions..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 9-11 years. This dog is a senior from around 5–6 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Giant breeds age fast and live short lives, and this is the hardest fact about owning one. Senior screening should start early, orthopaedic support matters from middle age, and cardiac and bone cancer risks are real. Go in with your eyes open. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Leonberger

Origin and purpose

Working (AKC). Origin: Germany.

A giant working breed with a short lifespan and a coat that requires committed grooming.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Gentle, calm, family-oriented; giant lion-like appearance.

Reward-based training from the day the puppy arrives, with the socialisation window (roughly three to sixteen weeks) treated as the priority it is — what happens in those weeks shapes the adult dog more than anything you do later. Short, frequent, positive sessions. See Parts IV and IX.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') (EMERGENCY) — stomach twists on itself.
• Osteosarcoma (URGENT) — bone cancer, aggressive.
• Elbow dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal elbow joint development.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Elbow dysplasia — Radiographic elbow evaluation
• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') — No screening test. Discuss preventive gastropexy with your vet in deep-chested breeds
• Osteosarcoma — No screening test. Radiographs on any persistent limb lameness in a large breed

Feeding

Slow, controlled growth is essential — giant-breed puppies grow for eighteen months or more, and pushing that growth with over-feeding or calcium supplementation causes lasting orthopaedic damage. Use a diet formulated for large- or giant-breed growth and keep the puppy visibly lean. As an adult, two measured meals a day, never one large one. Feeding costs are substantial and should be budgeted before acquiring the dog.

This breed is deep-chested and at risk of gastric dilatation and volvulus (bloat), which kills quickly. Feed two or more smaller meals rather than one large one, avoid vigorous exercise for an hour either side of eating, and slow down a gulping eater. Learn the signs — a restless dog with a swelling belly, retching without bringing anything up — and treat them as an immediate emergency. Ask your vet whether a preventive gastropexy is appropriate at neutering.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: Moderate.

Moderate daily exercise plus mental stimulation. Adaptable to apartment life provided the daily walk actually happens every day.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Poorly suited to hot climates; heat tolerance is limited. Best in temperate or cold climates..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 8–9 years. This dog is a senior from around 5–6 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Giant breeds age fast and live short lives, and this is the hardest fact about owning one. Senior screening should start early, orthopaedic support matters from middle age, and cardiac and bone cancer risks are real. Go in with your eyes open. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Mastiff (English)

Origin and purpose

Working (AKC). Origin: England.

One of the largest breeds by weight; needs space and a committed owner.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Dignified, calm, protective; low-key indoors.

A guarding breed: it is naturally suspicious of strangers, and that is what it was bred for. Early, broad, positive socialisation — many people, many places, many situations, before sixteen weeks — is not optional for this breed; it is the difference between a discriminating guardian and a dangerous liability. A guarding dog that has not been socialised is a problem you have created, not a temperament you have discovered.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') (EMERGENCY) — stomach twists on itself.
• Cystinuria (Routine) — inherited amino-acid transport defect leading to bladder stones.
• Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) (Routine) — enlarged heart with reduced pumping.
• Elbow dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal elbow joint development.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Cystinuria — Urine testing; DNA test where available
• Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) — Cardiac auscultation, echocardiography, and Holter monitoring
• Elbow dysplasia — Radiographic elbow evaluation
• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') — No screening test. Discuss preventive gastropexy with your vet in deep-chested breeds

Feeding

Slow, controlled growth is essential — giant-breed puppies grow for eighteen months or more, and pushing that growth with over-feeding or calcium supplementation causes lasting orthopaedic damage. Use a diet formulated for large- or giant-breed growth and keep the puppy visibly lean. As an adult, two measured meals a day, never one large one. Feeding costs are substantial and should be budgeted before acquiring the dog.

This breed is deep-chested and at risk of gastric dilatation and volvulus (bloat), which kills quickly. Feed two or more smaller meals rather than one large one, avoid vigorous exercise for an hour either side of eating, and slow down a gulping eater. Learn the signs — a restless dog with a swelling belly, retching without bringing anything up — and treat them as an immediate emergency. Ask your vet whether a preventive gastropexy is appropriate at neutering.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: Moderate.

Moderate daily exercise plus mental stimulation. Adaptable to apartment life provided the daily walk actually happens every day.

Coat and grooming

Short coat; loose facial skin. Weekly brush; clean the folds. Drools.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Moderate; heat tolerance is limited, so hot, humid climates require care..

HEAT IS THE DEFINING WELFARE ISSUE FOR THIS BREED IN ANY HOT CLIMATE. A short skull means a compromised airway, and dogs cool themselves by panting — so this dog cannot cool itself efficiently, and heat and humidity are therefore genuinely dangerous to it rather than merely uncomfortable. Walk only at dawn and dusk, never on hot ground, never in the midday sun, and never leave it in a vehicle even briefly. Keep it lean: excess weight makes the airway worse. Air-conditioning is not a luxury for this breed in a hot climate. Learn the signs of heatstroke (see Part III) and treat any laboured breathing in heat as an emergency. Airlines frequently refuse to carry these breeds, and they are right to.

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 6–10 years. This dog is a senior from around 5–6 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Giant breeds age fast and live short lives, and this is the hardest fact about owning one. Senior screening should start early, orthopaedic support matters from middle age, and cardiac and bone cancer risks are real. Go in with your eyes open. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• This is a short-skulled breed. Choose the puppy with the most open nostrils and the longest muzzle you can find, and reject any that snores, snorts, or struggles for breath at rest — those are not endearing breed traits, they are signs of a dog that cannot breathe properly. Ask whether the parents have been BOAS-graded. In a hot climate this decision has consequences you will live with daily.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Neapolitan Mastiff

Origin and purpose

Working (AKC). Origin: Italy.

An Italian mastiff whose heavy skin folds require daily cleaning.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Loyal, protective, calm indoors; guardian breed.

A guarding breed: it is naturally suspicious of strangers, and that is what it was bred for. Early, broad, positive socialisation — many people, many places, many situations, before sixteen weeks — is not optional for this breed; it is the difference between a discriminating guardian and a dangerous liability. A guarding dog that has not been socialised is a problem you have created, not a temperament you have discovered.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') (EMERGENCY) — stomach twists on itself.
• Cherry eye (Routine) — prolapse of the third eyelid gland.
• Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) (Routine) — enlarged heart with reduced pumping.
• Elbow dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal elbow joint development.
• Skin fold dermatitis (Routine) — Bulldog, Pug, Shar-Pei.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) — Cardiac auscultation, echocardiography, and Holter monitoring
• Elbow dysplasia — Radiographic elbow evaluation
• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') — No screening test. Discuss preventive gastropexy with your vet in deep-chested breeds

Feeding

Slow, controlled growth is essential — giant-breed puppies grow for eighteen months or more, and pushing that growth with over-feeding or calcium supplementation causes lasting orthopaedic damage. Use a diet formulated for large- or giant-breed growth and keep the puppy visibly lean. As an adult, two measured meals a day, never one large one. Feeding costs are substantial and should be budgeted before acquiring the dog.

This breed is deep-chested and at risk of gastric dilatation and volvulus (bloat), which kills quickly. Feed two or more smaller meals rather than one large one, avoid vigorous exercise for an hour either side of eating, and slow down a gulping eater. Learn the signs — a restless dog with a swelling belly, retching without bringing anything up — and treat them as an immediate emergency. Ask your vet whether a preventive gastropexy is appropriate at neutering.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: Moderate.

Moderate daily exercise plus mental stimulation. Adaptable to apartment life provided the daily walk actually happens every day.

Coat and grooming

Short coat; extensive skin folds. Weekly brush; clean every fold thoroughly and dry them — fold dermatitis is near-inevitable otherwise.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Poorly suited to hot climates; heat tolerance is limited. Best in temperate climates..

HEAT IS THE DEFINING WELFARE ISSUE FOR THIS BREED IN ANY HOT CLIMATE. A short skull means a compromised airway, and dogs cool themselves by panting — so this dog cannot cool itself efficiently, and heat and humidity are therefore genuinely dangerous to it rather than merely uncomfortable. Walk only at dawn and dusk, never on hot ground, never in the midday sun, and never leave it in a vehicle even briefly. Keep it lean: excess weight makes the airway worse. Air-conditioning is not a luxury for this breed in a hot climate. Learn the signs of heatstroke (see Part III) and treat any laboured breathing in heat as an emergency. Airlines frequently refuse to carry these breeds, and they are right to.

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 7–9 years. This dog is a senior from around 5–6 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Giant breeds age fast and live short lives, and this is the hardest fact about owning one. Senior screening should start early, orthopaedic support matters from middle age, and cardiac and bone cancer risks are real. Go in with your eyes open. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• This is a short-skulled breed. Choose the puppy with the most open nostrils and the longest muzzle you can find, and reject any that snores, snorts, or struggles for breath at rest — those are not endearing breed traits, they are signs of a dog that cannot breathe properly. Ask whether the parents have been BOAS-graded. In a hot climate this decision has consequences you will live with daily.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Newfoundland

Origin and purpose

Working (AKC). Origin: Canada (Newfoundland).

Gentle giant with a strong swimming and water-rescue heritage; the dense coat needs regular grooming and owners should be prepared for the space needs of a very large dog.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Gentle, patient, water-loving; the 'nanny dog'.

Reward-based training from the day the puppy arrives, with the socialisation window (roughly three to sixteen weeks) treated as the priority it is — what happens in those weeks shapes the adult dog more than anything you do later. Short, frequent, positive sessions. See Parts IV and IX.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') (EMERGENCY) — stomach twists on itself.
• Aortic stenosis (Routine) — congenital in Boxer, Newfoundland, Golden Retriever.
• Cystinuria (Routine) — inherited amino-acid transport defect leading to bladder stones.
• Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) (Routine) — enlarged heart with reduced pumping.
• Elbow dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal elbow joint development.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Aortic stenosis — Cardiac auscultation; echocardiography
• Cystinuria — Urine testing; DNA test where available
• Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) — Cardiac auscultation, echocardiography, and Holter monitoring
• Elbow dysplasia — Radiographic elbow evaluation
• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') — No screening test. Discuss preventive gastropexy with your vet in deep-chested breeds

Feeding

Slow, controlled growth is essential — giant-breed puppies grow for eighteen months or more, and pushing that growth with over-feeding or calcium supplementation causes lasting orthopaedic damage. Use a diet formulated for large- or giant-breed growth and keep the puppy visibly lean. As an adult, two measured meals a day, never one large one. Feeding costs are substantial and should be budgeted before acquiring the dog.

This breed is deep-chested and at risk of gastric dilatation and volvulus (bloat), which kills quickly. Feed two or more smaller meals rather than one large one, avoid vigorous exercise for an hour either side of eating, and slow down a gulping eater. Learn the signs — a restless dog with a swelling belly, retching without bringing anything up — and treat them as an immediate emergency. Ask your vet whether a preventive gastropexy is appropriate at neutering.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: Moderate — 45 min/day.

Moderate daily exercise plus mental stimulation. Adaptable to apartment life provided the daily walk actually happens every day.

Coat and grooming

Heavy, oily, water-resistant double coat. Brush 3–4× weekly. Drools. Heat-intolerant.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Very poorly suited to hot, humid climates; the heavy double coat makes lowland heat hard to tolerate. Best kept in temperate or cold climates..

This breed carries a heavy double coat evolved for cold. It can be kept in a hot climate, but only with genuine commitment: shade and water at all times, exercise confined to the cool hours, and often air-conditioning through summer. Do NOT shave the double coat — counter-intuitively it insulates against heat as well as cold, and shaving it can ruin the coat and expose the skin to sunburn. Watch closely for heat stress, and think hard about whether the climate you live in is fair to this dog before acquiring one.

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 8–10 years. This dog is a senior from around 5–6 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Giant breeds age fast and live short lives, and this is the hardest fact about owning one. Senior screening should start early, orthopaedic support matters from middle age, and cardiac and bone cancer risks are real. Go in with your eyes open. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Olde English Bulldogge

Origin and purpose

Utility (UKC recognised; not AKC/FCI). Origin: United States; a modern re-creation aiming at a healthier, more athletic bulldog.

Developed from the 1970s to reduce the health problems of the show Bulldog.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Friendly, confident and courageous; a stable companion and capable guard.

A guarding breed: it is naturally suspicious of strangers, and that is what it was bred for. Early, broad, positive socialisation — many people, many places, many situations, before sixteen weeks — is not optional for this breed; it is the difference between a discriminating guardian and a dangerous liability. A guarding dog that has not been socialised is a problem you have created, not a temperament you have discovered.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Hip dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal hip joint development.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Hip dysplasia — Radiographic hip evaluation (hip scoring)

Feeding

Growth is the thing that matters. Large-breed puppies must be fed a diet formulated for large-breed growth and must NOT be overfed or supplemented with calcium — growing too fast is a direct route to the joint disease this size of dog is already prone to. A lean puppy is a healthy puppy. As an adult, two measured meals a day, and keep the dog lean for life: excess weight is the single biggest accelerator of hip and elbow disease and arthritis.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: Moderate - 45-60 min/day.

Moderate daily exercise plus mental stimulation. Adaptable to apartment life provided the daily walk actually happens every day.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Fair - less flat-faced than the English Bulldog and so slightly better in heat, but breathing and temperature still need watching..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 9-14 years. This dog is a senior from around 7 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Large dogs age faster than small ones. Arthritis and cancer are the dominant concerns; do not dismiss a limp in an older large dog as 'just age' — bone cancer presents exactly that way. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Phu Quoc Ridgeback

Origin and purpose

Primitive ridgeback; FCI Group 5 type. Origin: Phu Quoc Island, Vietnam; island hunting and guard dog.

One of only a few ridgebacked breeds worldwide; noted for climbing and swimming ability.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Alert, agile, loyal; strong hunting drive, devoted and quick to bond.

Reward-based training from the day the puppy arrives, with the socialisation window (roughly three to sixteen weeks) treated as the priority it is — what happens in those weeks shapes the adult dog more than anything you do later. Short, frequent, positive sessions. See Parts IV and IX.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

No breed-linked conditions are recorded for this breed. For landraces and village dogs this is often a genuine finding rather than a gap — a broad genetic base leaves them with markedly fewer inherited disorders than the closed-studbook breeds, and it is one of the strongest arguments for them. The routine risks that apply to every dog — parasites, tick-borne disease, heat — still apply here.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

Feeding

The most forgiving size to feed. A good-quality complete diet appropriate to the life stage, measured with a cup or scales rather than judged by eye, split into two meals a day. Weigh the food; guessing is how dogs get fat. Treats counted within the daily allowance, not added on top.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: High - 60-90 min/day.

A high-energy dog needing substantial, committed daily exercise plus mental work. Do not take this breed on unless the daily commitment is realistic on your worst week, not your best one.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Good for warm climates - a short-coated tropical-island breed well adapted to heat and humidity..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 12-14 years. This dog is a senior from around 8–9 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Watch for the gradual onset of arthritis, dental disease, and the endocrine conditions of middle age. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Portuguese Water Dog

Origin and purpose

Working (AKC). Origin: Portugal.

Coat maintenance intensive.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Athletic, biddable, water-loving; hypoallergenic-adjacent.

This is a biddable breed that wants to work with you, which makes it forgiving of a novice's mistakes — but biddability is not the same as needing no training. Reward-based training, started early and kept short and frequent, is what these dogs thrive on. Punishment-based methods damage exactly the willingness that makes the breed easy.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Hypoadrenocorticism (Addison's disease) (EMERGENCY) — insufficient cortisol.
• Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) (Routine) — enlarged heart with reduced pumping.
• Hip dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal hip joint development.
• Progressive retinal atrophy (Routine) — genetic retinal degeneration.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) — Cardiac auscultation, echocardiography, and Holter monitoring
• Hip dysplasia — Radiographic hip evaluation (hip scoring)
• Hypoadrenocorticism (Addison's disease) — Adrenal function blood tests (including electrolytes)
• Progressive retinal atrophy — Ophthalmologist eye examination, plus DNA test where one exists for the breed

Feeding

The most forgiving size to feed. A good-quality complete diet appropriate to the life stage, measured with a cup or scales rather than judged by eye, split into two meals a day. Weigh the food; guessing is how dogs get fat. Treats counted within the daily allowance, not added on top.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: High — 60 min/day.

A high-energy dog needing substantial, committed daily exercise plus mental work. Do not take this breed on unless the daily commitment is realistic on your worst week, not your best one.

Coat and grooming

Curly or wavy, low-shedding coat. Comb 3× weekly; clip every 6–8 weeks.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Adaptable; coat maintenance is intensive..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 11–13 years. This dog is a senior from around 8–9 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Watch for the gradual onset of arthritis, dental disease, and the endocrine conditions of middle age. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Presa Canario (Dogo Canario)

Origin and purpose

Working; controversial. Origin: Canary Islands.

A serious commitment. Not recommended for family homes without experienced handling.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Powerful, dominant, territorial; requires expert handling.

A guarding breed: it is naturally suspicious of strangers, and that is what it was bred for. Early, broad, positive socialisation — many people, many places, many situations, before sixteen weeks — is not optional for this breed; it is the difference between a discriminating guardian and a dangerous liability. A guarding dog that has not been socialised is a problem you have created, not a temperament you have discovered.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') (EMERGENCY) — stomach twists on itself.
• Osteosarcoma (URGENT) — bone cancer, aggressive.
• Hip dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal hip joint development.
• Skin fold dermatitis (Routine) — Bulldog, Pug, Shar-Pei.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') — No screening test. Discuss preventive gastropexy with your vet in deep-chested breeds
• Hip dysplasia — Radiographic hip evaluation (hip scoring)
• Osteosarcoma — No screening test. Radiographs on any persistent limb lameness in a large breed

Feeding

Slow, controlled growth is essential — giant-breed puppies grow for eighteen months or more, and pushing that growth with over-feeding or calcium supplementation causes lasting orthopaedic damage. Use a diet formulated for large- or giant-breed growth and keep the puppy visibly lean. As an adult, two measured meals a day, never one large one. Feeding costs are substantial and should be budgeted before acquiring the dog.

This breed is deep-chested and at risk of gastric dilatation and volvulus (bloat), which kills quickly. Feed two or more smaller meals rather than one large one, avoid vigorous exercise for an hour either side of eating, and slow down a gulping eater. Learn the signs — a restless dog with a swelling belly, retching without bringing anything up — and treat them as an immediate emergency. Ask your vet whether a preventive gastropexy is appropriate at neutering.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: High — 60 min/day.

A high-energy dog needing substantial, committed daily exercise plus mental work. Do not take this breed on unless the daily commitment is realistic on your worst week, not your best one.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Best suited to temperate climates with space; not recommended for a novice owner. Legality varies by jurisdiction..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 9–11 years. This dog is a senior from around 5–6 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Giant breeds age fast and live short lives, and this is the hardest fact about owning one. Senior screening should start early, orthopaedic support matters from middle age, and cardiac and bone cancer risks are real. Go in with your eyes open. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Pyrenean Mastiff

Origin and purpose

FCI Group 2. Origin: Spain (Aragon/Pyrenees); giant livestock-guardian dog.

One of the largest guardian breeds; slow to mature, it needs careful growth management.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Calm, gentle and self-assured; a placid but formidable protector of stock.

A guarding breed: it is naturally suspicious of strangers, and that is what it was bred for. Early, broad, positive socialisation — many people, many places, many situations, before sixteen weeks — is not optional for this breed; it is the difference between a discriminating guardian and a dangerous liability. A guarding dog that has not been socialised is a problem you have created, not a temperament you have discovered.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') (EMERGENCY) — stomach twists on itself.
• Ectropion (Routine) — eyelid rolls outward.
• Elbow dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal elbow joint development.
• Entropion (Routine) — eyelid rolls inward.
• Panosteitis (Routine) — self-limiting bone inflammation in young dogs.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Ectropion — Eye examination
• Elbow dysplasia — Radiographic elbow evaluation
• Entropion — Eye examination
• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') — No screening test. Discuss preventive gastropexy with your vet in deep-chested breeds

Feeding

Slow, controlled growth is essential — giant-breed puppies grow for eighteen months or more, and pushing that growth with over-feeding or calcium supplementation causes lasting orthopaedic damage. Use a diet formulated for large- or giant-breed growth and keep the puppy visibly lean. As an adult, two measured meals a day, never one large one. Feeding costs are substantial and should be budgeted before acquiring the dog.

This breed is deep-chested and at risk of gastric dilatation and volvulus (bloat), which kills quickly. Feed two or more smaller meals rather than one large one, avoid vigorous exercise for an hour either side of eating, and slow down a gulping eater. Learn the signs — a restless dog with a swelling belly, retching without bringing anything up — and treat them as an immediate emergency. Ask your vet whether a preventive gastropexy is appropriate at neutering.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: Moderate - 45-60 min/day.

Moderate daily exercise plus mental stimulation. Adaptable to apartment life provided the daily walk actually happens every day.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Poor for hot climates - a heavy weather coat and giant frame make sustained heat dangerous; suited to cool climates only..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 10-12 years. This dog is a senior from around 5–6 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Giant breeds age fast and live short lives, and this is the hardest fact about owning one. Senior screening should start early, orthopaedic support matters from middle age, and cardiac and bone cancer risks are real. Go in with your eyes open. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Rafeiro do Alentejo

Origin and purpose

FCI Group 2. Origin: Portugal (Alentejo); large estate and flock-guarding dog.

A powerful, patient watchdog; needs space and secure boundaries.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Calm, serious and territorial; a night-working guardian, aloof and self-reliant.

A guarding breed: it is naturally suspicious of strangers, and that is what it was bred for. Early, broad, positive socialisation — many people, many places, many situations, before sixteen weeks — is not optional for this breed; it is the difference between a discriminating guardian and a dangerous liability. A guarding dog that has not been socialised is a problem you have created, not a temperament you have discovered.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') (EMERGENCY) — stomach twists on itself.
• Hip dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal hip joint development.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') — No screening test. Discuss preventive gastropexy with your vet in deep-chested breeds
• Hip dysplasia — Radiographic hip evaluation (hip scoring)

Feeding

Slow, controlled growth is essential — giant-breed puppies grow for eighteen months or more, and pushing that growth with over-feeding or calcium supplementation causes lasting orthopaedic damage. Use a diet formulated for large- or giant-breed growth and keep the puppy visibly lean. As an adult, two measured meals a day, never one large one. Feeding costs are substantial and should be budgeted before acquiring the dog.

This breed is deep-chested and at risk of gastric dilatation and volvulus (bloat), which kills quickly. Feed two or more smaller meals rather than one large one, avoid vigorous exercise for an hour either side of eating, and slow down a gulping eater. Learn the signs — a restless dog with a swelling belly, retching without bringing anything up — and treat them as an immediate emergency. Ask your vet whether a preventive gastropexy is appropriate at neutering.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: Moderate - 45-60 min/day.

Moderate daily exercise plus mental stimulation. Adaptable to apartment life provided the daily walk actually happens every day.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Poor for hot climates - a large double-coated guardian bred for cold nights, heat-intolerant in lowland warmth..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 12-14 years. This dog is a senior from around 5–6 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Giant breeds age fast and live short lives, and this is the hardest fact about owning one. Senior screening should start early, orthopaedic support matters from middle age, and cardiac and bone cancer risks are real. Go in with your eyes open. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Rottweiler

Origin and purpose

Working (AKC). Origin: Germany (Rottweil); Roman ancestry.

Not recommended for a first-time dog owner. Municipal breed-specific restrictions apply in some jurisdictions.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Confident, aloof with strangers, deeply bonded to family; requires experienced handling and firm socialisation.

A guarding breed: it is naturally suspicious of strangers, and that is what it was bred for. Early, broad, positive socialisation — many people, many places, many situations, before sixteen weeks — is not optional for this breed; it is the difference between a discriminating guardian and a dangerous liability. A guarding dog that has not been socialised is a problem you have created, not a temperament you have discovered.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') (EMERGENCY) — stomach twists on itself.
• Osteosarcoma (URGENT) — bone cancer, aggressive.
• Aortic stenosis (Routine) — congenital in Boxer, Newfoundland, Golden Retriever.
• Elbow dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal elbow joint development.
• Obesity (Routine) — The most common preventable health problem in urban pet dogs, and the one most often mistaken for good health — in many places a round dog is still frequently read as a well-cared-for dog.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Aortic stenosis — Cardiac auscultation; echocardiography
• Elbow dysplasia — Radiographic elbow evaluation
• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') — No screening test. Discuss preventive gastropexy with your vet in deep-chested breeds
• Osteosarcoma — No screening test. Radiographs on any persistent limb lameness in a large breed

Feeding

Slow, controlled growth is essential — giant-breed puppies grow for eighteen months or more, and pushing that growth with over-feeding or calcium supplementation causes lasting orthopaedic damage. Use a diet formulated for large- or giant-breed growth and keep the puppy visibly lean. As an adult, two measured meals a day, never one large one. Feeding costs are substantial and should be budgeted before acquiring the dog.

This breed is deep-chested and at risk of gastric dilatation and volvulus (bloat), which kills quickly. Feed two or more smaller meals rather than one large one, avoid vigorous exercise for an hour either side of eating, and slow down a gulping eater. Learn the signs — a restless dog with a swelling belly, retching without bringing anything up — and treat them as an immediate emergency. Ask your vet whether a preventive gastropexy is appropriate at neutering.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: High — 60–90 min/day plus mental work.

A high-energy dog needing substantial, committed daily exercise plus mental work. Do not take this breed on unless the daily commitment is realistic on your worst week, not your best one.

Coat and grooming

Short, coarse double coat. Brush weekly. Sheds more than the short coat suggests.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Widely kept; heat management is important and committed socialisation is required..

This breed carries a heavy double coat evolved for cold. It can be kept in a hot climate, but only with genuine commitment: shade and water at all times, exercise confined to the cool hours, and often air-conditioning through summer. Do NOT shave the double coat — counter-intuitively it insulates against heat as well as cold, and shaving it can ruin the coat and expose the skin to sunburn. Watch closely for heat stress, and think hard about whether the climate you live in is fair to this dog before acquiring one.

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 9–11 years. This dog is a senior from around 5–6 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Giant breeds age fast and live short lives, and this is the hardest fact about owning one. Senior screening should start early, orthopaedic support matters from middle age, and cardiac and bone cancer risks are real. Go in with your eyes open. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Saint Bernard

Origin and purpose

Working (AKC). Origin: Swiss Alps; mid-17th century.

The number kept in hot urban climates is a welfare concern raised regularly by veterinary academies.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Calm, patient, deeply bonded; low activity.

Reward-based training from the day the puppy arrives, with the socialisation window (roughly three to sixteen weeks) treated as the priority it is — what happens in those weeks shapes the adult dog more than anything you do later. Short, frequent, positive sessions. See Parts IV and IX.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') (EMERGENCY) — stomach twists on itself.
• Osteosarcoma (URGENT) — bone cancer, aggressive.
• Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) (Routine) — enlarged heart with reduced pumping.
• Ectropion (Routine) — eyelid rolls outward.
• Elbow dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal elbow joint development.
• Entropion (Routine) — eyelid rolls inward.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) — Cardiac auscultation, echocardiography, and Holter monitoring
• Ectropion — Eye examination
• Elbow dysplasia — Radiographic elbow evaluation
• Entropion — Eye examination
• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') — No screening test. Discuss preventive gastropexy with your vet in deep-chested breeds
• Osteosarcoma — No screening test. Radiographs on any persistent limb lameness in a large breed

Feeding

Slow, controlled growth is essential — giant-breed puppies grow for eighteen months or more, and pushing that growth with over-feeding or calcium supplementation causes lasting orthopaedic damage. Use a diet formulated for large- or giant-breed growth and keep the puppy visibly lean. As an adult, two measured meals a day, never one large one. Feeding costs are substantial and should be budgeted before acquiring the dog.

This breed is deep-chested and at risk of gastric dilatation and volvulus (bloat), which kills quickly. Feed two or more smaller meals rather than one large one, avoid vigorous exercise for an hour either side of eating, and slow down a gulping eater. Learn the signs — a restless dog with a swelling belly, retching without bringing anything up — and treat them as an immediate emergency. Ask your vet whether a preventive gastropexy is appropriate at neutering.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: Moderate — 45–60 min/day.

Moderate daily exercise plus mental stimulation. Adaptable to apartment life provided the daily walk actually happens every day.

Coat and grooming

Dense coat, short-haired or long-haired. Brush 3× weekly. Drools heavily; heat-intolerant.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Very poor for hot climates. Not recommended in warm regions..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 8–10 years. This dog is a senior from around 5–6 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Giant breeds age fast and live short lives, and this is the hardest fact about owning one. Senior screening should start early, orthopaedic support matters from middle age, and cardiac and bone cancer risks are real. Go in with your eyes open. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Samoyed

Origin and purpose

Working (AKC). Origin: Siberia.

A Siberian herding and sled breed with a profuse white coat that needs regular grooming.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Friendly, gentle, adaptable; the 'smiling Sammy'.

Reward-based training from the day the puppy arrives, with the socialisation window (roughly three to sixteen weeks) treated as the priority it is — what happens in those weeks shapes the adult dog more than anything you do later. Short, frequent, positive sessions. See Parts IV and IX.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Diabetes mellitus (URGENT) — insulin-dependent.
• Hip dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal hip joint development.
• Progressive retinal atrophy (Routine) — genetic retinal degeneration.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Diabetes mellitus — Blood and urine glucose
• Hip dysplasia — Radiographic hip evaluation (hip scoring)
• Progressive retinal atrophy — Ophthalmologist eye examination, plus DNA test where one exists for the breed

Feeding

The most forgiving size to feed. A good-quality complete diet appropriate to the life stage, measured with a cup or scales rather than judged by eye, split into two meals a day. Weigh the food; guessing is how dogs get fat. Treats counted within the daily allowance, not added on top.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: Moderate to high.

A high-energy dog needing substantial, committed daily exercise plus mental work. Do not take this breed on unless the daily commitment is realistic on your worst week, not your best one.

Coat and grooming

Profuse, white double coat. Brush 4× weekly; daily in moult. A serious grooming commitment and a serious heat liability.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Poorly suited to hot climates; the thick double coat makes lowland heat hard to tolerate. Best kept in cooler or cold climates..

This breed carries a heavy double coat evolved for cold. It can be kept in a hot climate, but only with genuine commitment: shade and water at all times, exercise confined to the cool hours, and often air-conditioning through summer. Do NOT shave the double coat — counter-intuitively it insulates against heat as well as cold, and shaving it can ruin the coat and expose the skin to sunburn. Watch closely for heat stress, and think hard about whether the climate you live in is fair to this dog before acquiring one.

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 12–14 years. This dog is a senior from around 8–9 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Watch for the gradual onset of arthritis, dental disease, and the endocrine conditions of middle age. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Sapsali (Sapsaree)

Origin and purpose

Shaggy spitz-type; Korean native. Origin: South Korea; long-haired companion and folklore guardian.

A Korean natural monument revived from near-extinction; the long coat covers the eyes like an Old English Sheepdog.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Gentle, loyal, affectionate; devoted family dog, once believed to ward off spirits.

Reward-based training from the day the puppy arrives, with the socialisation window (roughly three to sixteen weeks) treated as the priority it is — what happens in those weeks shapes the adult dog more than anything you do later. Short, frequent, positive sessions. See Parts IV and IX.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

No breed-linked conditions are recorded for this breed. For landraces and village dogs this is often a genuine finding rather than a gap — a broad genetic base leaves them with markedly fewer inherited disorders than the closed-studbook breeds, and it is one of the strongest arguments for them. The routine risks that apply to every dog — parasites, tick-borne disease, heat — still apply here.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

Feeding

The most forgiving size to feed. A good-quality complete diet appropriate to the life stage, measured with a cup or scales rather than judged by eye, split into two meals a day. Weigh the food; guessing is how dogs get fat. Treats counted within the daily allowance, not added on top.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: Moderate to high - 60 min/day.

A high-energy dog needing substantial, committed daily exercise plus mental work. Do not take this breed on unless the daily commitment is realistic on your worst week, not your best one.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Poor for hot climates - a long shaggy double coat makes it heat-sensitive; it needs cool conditions and regular grooming..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 12-14 years. This dog is a senior from around 8–9 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Watch for the gradual onset of arthritis, dental disease, and the endocrine conditions of middle age. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Sarabi Mastiff

Origin and purpose

Iranian landrace (not kennel-club standardised). Origin: Iran (Sarab region); traditional livestock-guardian mastiff.

A regional working guardian without a fixed kennel-club standard; type varies.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Calm, powerful and protective; a self-reliant flock guardian.

A guarding breed: it is naturally suspicious of strangers, and that is what it was bred for. Early, broad, positive socialisation — many people, many places, many situations, before sixteen weeks — is not optional for this breed; it is the difference between a discriminating guardian and a dangerous liability. A guarding dog that has not been socialised is a problem you have created, not a temperament you have discovered.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') (EMERGENCY) — stomach twists on itself.
• Hip dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal hip joint development.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') — No screening test. Discuss preventive gastropexy with your vet in deep-chested breeds
• Hip dysplasia — Radiographic hip evaluation (hip scoring)

Feeding

Slow, controlled growth is essential — giant-breed puppies grow for eighteen months or more, and pushing that growth with over-feeding or calcium supplementation causes lasting orthopaedic damage. Use a diet formulated for large- or giant-breed growth and keep the puppy visibly lean. As an adult, two measured meals a day, never one large one. Feeding costs are substantial and should be budgeted before acquiring the dog.

This breed is deep-chested and at risk of gastric dilatation and volvulus (bloat), which kills quickly. Feed two or more smaller meals rather than one large one, avoid vigorous exercise for an hour either side of eating, and slow down a gulping eater. Learn the signs — a restless dog with a swelling belly, retching without bringing anything up — and treat them as an immediate emergency. Ask your vet whether a preventive gastropexy is appropriate at neutering.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: Moderate - 45-60 min/day.

Moderate daily exercise plus mental stimulation. Adaptable to apartment life provided the daily walk actually happens every day.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Poor to fair - a shorter coat than alpine guardians gives some tolerance, but the giant frame still limits heat stamina..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 10-12 years. This dog is a senior from around 5–6 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Giant breeds age fast and live short lives, and this is the hardest fact about owning one. Senior screening should start early, orthopaedic support matters from middle age, and cardiac and bone cancer risks are real. Go in with your eyes open. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Shikoku

Origin and purpose

Primitive spitz; FCI Group 5. Origin: Kochi (Shikoku island), Japan; mountain boar-hunting dog.

One of Japan's six native spitz; a rare national natural monument, sometimes called the Kochi-ken.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Energetic, brave, alert; devoted to owner, wary of strangers.

A guarding breed: it is naturally suspicious of strangers, and that is what it was bred for. Early, broad, positive socialisation — many people, many places, many situations, before sixteen weeks — is not optional for this breed; it is the difference between a discriminating guardian and a dangerous liability. A guarding dog that has not been socialised is a problem you have created, not a temperament you have discovered.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Idiopathic epilepsy (URGENT) — seizure disorder with no identifiable cause.
• Hip dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal hip joint development.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Hip dysplasia — Radiographic hip evaluation (hip scoring)
• Idiopathic epilepsy — No screening test. Diagnosis is by exclusion, after blood work and imaging

Feeding

The most forgiving size to feed. A good-quality complete diet appropriate to the life stage, measured with a cup or scales rather than judged by eye, split into two meals a day. Weigh the food; guessing is how dogs get fat. Treats counted within the daily allowance, not added on top.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: High - 60-90 min/day.

A high-energy dog needing substantial, committed daily exercise plus mental work. Do not take this breed on unless the daily commitment is realistic on your worst week, not your best one.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Poor to fair suitability - the thick double coat suits cooler highlands far better than hot lowlands..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 11-14 years. This dog is a senior from around 8–9 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Watch for the gradual onset of arthritis, dental disease, and the endocrine conditions of middle age. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Siberian Husky

Origin and purpose

Working (AKC). Origin: Siberia; brought to Alaska early 20th century.

Not recommended for hot, lowland climates. Where kept in warm regions, air-conditioned housing and limited outdoor exposure are essential.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Friendly, outgoing, high independence, strong prey drive; not a protective guard dog.

A guarding breed: it is naturally suspicious of strangers, and that is what it was bred for. Early, broad, positive socialisation — many people, many places, many situations, before sixteen weeks — is not optional for this breed; it is the difference between a discriminating guardian and a dangerous liability. A guarding dog that has not been socialised is a problem you have created, not a temperament you have discovered.

Strong prey drive: this dog may chase cats, poultry, and small animals, and may pursue free-roaming dogs or livestock. That is instinct, not disobedience, and it is largely not trainable out. Manage it with a secure garden, a lead near roads and livestock, and a realistic view of what recall can achieve against a moving target.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Idiopathic epilepsy (URGENT) — seizure disorder with no identifiable cause.
• Cataracts (Routine) — congenital or diabetic or senior.
• Hip dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal hip joint development.
• Hypothyroidism (Routine) — underactive thyroid.
• Progressive retinal atrophy (Routine) — genetic retinal degeneration.
• Zinc-responsive dermatosis (Routine) — Northern breeds (Husky, Malamute).

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Cataracts — Ophthalmologist eye examination
• Hip dysplasia — Radiographic hip evaluation (hip scoring)
• Hypothyroidism — Thyroid blood panel
• Idiopathic epilepsy — No screening test. Diagnosis is by exclusion, after blood work and imaging
• Progressive retinal atrophy — Ophthalmologist eye examination, plus DNA test where one exists for the breed

Feeding

The most forgiving size to feed. A good-quality complete diet appropriate to the life stage, measured with a cup or scales rather than judged by eye, split into two meals a day. Weigh the food; guessing is how dogs get fat. Treats counted within the daily allowance, not added on top.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: Very high — 90+ min/day; escape artist.

This is a genuinely high-energy dog and the commonest reason such dogs are rehomed is that their owners underestimated this. It needs hard daily physical exercise AND a job to think about; a walk around the block is not exercise for this breed. An under-exercised dog of this type becomes destructive, noisy, and anxious — behaviour problems that are, correctly understood, an exercise deficit.

Coat and grooming

Thick, double coat built for the Arctic. Brush 3–4× weekly; daily during the twice-yearly 'coat blow', which is spectacular. Never shave it. Be honest with yourself about keeping this breed in a hot climate.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Poor for hot climates — the thick double coat combined with heat causes distress and elevated welfare risk. A frequent subject of animal-welfare advocacy against poor keeping in warm regions..

This breed carries a heavy double coat evolved for cold. It can be kept in a hot climate, but only with genuine commitment: shade and water at all times, exercise confined to the cool hours, and often air-conditioning through summer. Do NOT shave the double coat — counter-intuitively it insulates against heat as well as cold, and shaving it can ruin the coat and expose the skin to sunburn. Watch closely for heat stress, and think hard about whether the climate you live in is fair to this dog before acquiring one.

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 12–15 years. This dog is a senior from around 8–9 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Watch for the gradual onset of arthritis, dental disease, and the endocrine conditions of middle age. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Spanish Mastiff

Origin and purpose

FCI Group 2. Origin: Spain; giant livestock guardian of the transhumance flocks.

Very large and heavy; drools; needs space and calm handling.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Calm, noble and independent; a serious guardian, aloof and deliberate.

A guarding breed: it is naturally suspicious of strangers, and that is what it was bred for. Early, broad, positive socialisation — many people, many places, many situations, before sixteen weeks — is not optional for this breed; it is the difference between a discriminating guardian and a dangerous liability. A guarding dog that has not been socialised is a problem you have created, not a temperament you have discovered.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') (EMERGENCY) — stomach twists on itself.
• Ectropion (Routine) — eyelid rolls outward.
• Elbow dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal elbow joint development.
• Entropion (Routine) — eyelid rolls inward.
• Panosteitis (Routine) — self-limiting bone inflammation in young dogs.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Ectropion — Eye examination
• Elbow dysplasia — Radiographic elbow evaluation
• Entropion — Eye examination
• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') — No screening test. Discuss preventive gastropexy with your vet in deep-chested breeds

Feeding

Slow, controlled growth is essential — giant-breed puppies grow for eighteen months or more, and pushing that growth with over-feeding or calcium supplementation causes lasting orthopaedic damage. Use a diet formulated for large- or giant-breed growth and keep the puppy visibly lean. As an adult, two measured meals a day, never one large one. Feeding costs are substantial and should be budgeted before acquiring the dog.

This breed is deep-chested and at risk of gastric dilatation and volvulus (bloat), which kills quickly. Feed two or more smaller meals rather than one large one, avoid vigorous exercise for an hour either side of eating, and slow down a gulping eater. Learn the signs — a restless dog with a swelling belly, retching without bringing anything up — and treat them as an immediate emergency. Ask your vet whether a preventive gastropexy is appropriate at neutering.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: Moderate - 45-60 min/day, avoid over-exercising the young.

Moderate daily exercise plus mental stimulation. Adaptable to apartment life provided the daily walk actually happens every day.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Poor for hot climates - a massive heavy-coated giant built for cold plateaus, at high risk in lowland heat..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 10-12 years. This dog is a senior from around 5–6 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Giant breeds age fast and live short lives, and this is the hardest fact about owning one. Senior screening should start early, orthopaedic support matters from middle age, and cardiac and bone cancer risks are real. Go in with your eyes open. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Standard Schnauzer

Origin and purpose

Working (AKC). Origin: Germany.

The middle size between the miniature and giant Schnauzer; an excellent family dog.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Alert, spirited, family-oriented; low shedding.

Reward-based training from the day the puppy arrives, with the socialisation window (roughly three to sixteen weeks) treated as the priority it is — what happens in those weeks shapes the adult dog more than anything you do later. Short, frequent, positive sessions. See Parts IV and IX.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Cataracts (Routine) — congenital or diabetic or senior.
• Hip dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal hip joint development.
• Hyperlipidaemia (Routine) — Miniature Schnauzer predisposed.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Cataracts — Ophthalmologist eye examination
• Hip dysplasia — Radiographic hip evaluation (hip scoring)

Feeding

The most forgiving size to feed. A good-quality complete diet appropriate to the life stage, measured with a cup or scales rather than judged by eye, split into two meals a day. Weigh the food; guessing is how dogs get fat. Treats counted within the daily allowance, not added on top.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: High.

A high-energy dog needing substantial, committed daily exercise plus mental work. Do not take this breed on unless the daily commitment is realistic on your worst week, not your best one.

Coat and grooming

Harsh, wiry double coat. Brush 2–3× weekly; hand-strip or clip every 8–10 weeks.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Good heat tolerance; adapts to a range of climates..

This breed carries a heavy double coat evolved for cold. It can be kept in a hot climate, but only with genuine commitment: shade and water at all times, exercise confined to the cool hours, and often air-conditioning through summer. Do NOT shave the double coat — counter-intuitively it insulates against heat as well as cold, and shaving it can ruin the coat and expose the skin to sunburn. Watch closely for heat stress, and think hard about whether the climate you live in is fair to this dog before acquiring one.

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 13–16 years. This dog is a senior from around 8–9 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Watch for the gradual onset of arthritis, dental disease, and the endocrine conditions of middle age. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Taiwan Dog

Origin and purpose

Primitive/pariah spitz; FCI Group 5. Origin: Taiwan; ancient indigenous mountain hunting dog (Formosan Mountain Dog).

An ancient aboriginal breed of Taiwan; agile, medium-small and well adapted to warm, humid conditions.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Alert, loyal, agile; devoted to family, wary of strangers, keen hunting instinct.

A guarding breed: it is naturally suspicious of strangers, and that is what it was bred for. Early, broad, positive socialisation — many people, many places, many situations, before sixteen weeks — is not optional for this breed; it is the difference between a discriminating guardian and a dangerous liability. A guarding dog that has not been socialised is a problem you have created, not a temperament you have discovered.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

No breed-linked conditions are recorded for this breed. For landraces and village dogs this is often a genuine finding rather than a gap — a broad genetic base leaves them with markedly fewer inherited disorders than the closed-studbook breeds, and it is one of the strongest arguments for them. The routine risks that apply to every dog — parasites, tick-borne disease, heat — still apply here.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

Feeding

The most forgiving size to feed. A good-quality complete diet appropriate to the life stage, measured with a cup or scales rather than judged by eye, split into two meals a day. Weigh the food; guessing is how dogs get fat. Treats counted within the daily allowance, not added on top.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: High - 60-90 min/day.

A high-energy dog needing substantial, committed daily exercise plus mental work. Do not take this breed on unless the daily commitment is realistic on your worst week, not your best one.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Good for warm climates - a short-coated tropical-island pariah that is naturally heat-tolerant and hardy..

This breed is well adapted to hot climates — which is one of the strongest practical arguments for it. It still needs shade, unlimited fresh water, and walks outside the hottest hours, but it is not fighting its own biology to live here.

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 10-13 years. This dog is a senior from around 8–9 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Watch for the gradual onset of arthritis, dental disease, and the endocrine conditions of middle age. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Thai Ridgeback

Origin and purpose

Primitive; FCI Group 5. Origin: Eastern Thailand; ancient guard and hunting dog.

A native Thai breed; one of the better-adapted breeds for hot, humid conditions.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Independent, loyal, aloof with strangers; strong guarding instinct.

A guarding breed: it is naturally suspicious of strangers, and that is what it was bred for. Early, broad, positive socialisation — many people, many places, many situations, before sixteen weeks — is not optional for this breed; it is the difference between a discriminating guardian and a dangerous liability. A guarding dog that has not been socialised is a problem you have created, not a temperament you have discovered.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Hip dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal hip joint development.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Hip dysplasia — Radiographic hip evaluation (hip scoring)

Feeding

Growth is the thing that matters. Large-breed puppies must be fed a diet formulated for large-breed growth and must NOT be overfed or supplemented with calcium — growing too fast is a direct route to the joint disease this size of dog is already prone to. A lean puppy is a healthy puppy. As an adult, two measured meals a day, and keep the dog lean for life: excess weight is the single biggest accelerator of hip and elbow disease and arthritis.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: High - 60-90 min/day.

A high-energy dog needing substantial, committed daily exercise plus mental work. Do not take this breed on unless the daily commitment is realistic on your worst week, not your best one.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Excellent suitability - a tropical-climate breed with a short, heat-adapted coat..

This breed is well adapted to hot climates — which is one of the strongest practical arguments for it. It still needs shade, unlimited fresh water, and walks outside the hottest hours, but it is not fighting its own biology to live here.

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 12-13 years. This dog is a senior from around 7 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Large dogs age faster than small ones. Arthritis and cancer are the dominant concerns; do not dismiss a limp in an older large dog as 'just age' — bone cancer presents exactly that way. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Tibetan Mastiff

Origin and purpose

Working (AKC). Origin: Tibetan Plateau.

Frequently bought and then abandoned due to unmet climate needs.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Independent, protective, wary of strangers; not a modern trainable breed.

A guarding breed: it is naturally suspicious of strangers, and that is what it was bred for. Early, broad, positive socialisation — many people, many places, many situations, before sixteen weeks — is not optional for this breed; it is the difference between a discriminating guardian and a dangerous liability. A guarding dog that has not been socialised is a problem you have created, not a temperament you have discovered.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Elbow dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal elbow joint development.
• Entropion (Routine) — eyelid rolls inward.
• Hypothyroidism (Routine) — underactive thyroid.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Elbow dysplasia — Radiographic elbow evaluation
• Entropion — Eye examination
• Hypothyroidism — Thyroid blood panel

Feeding

Slow, controlled growth is essential — giant-breed puppies grow for eighteen months or more, and pushing that growth with over-feeding or calcium supplementation causes lasting orthopaedic damage. Use a diet formulated for large- or giant-breed growth and keep the puppy visibly lean. As an adult, two measured meals a day, never one large one. Feeding costs are substantial and should be budgeted before acquiring the dog.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: Moderate — 45–60 min/day.

Moderate daily exercise plus mental stimulation. Adaptable to apartment life provided the daily walk actually happens every day.

Coat and grooming

Enormous, thick double coat with a heavy mane. Brush 3–4× weekly; daily during the annual moult, which is dramatic. A high-altitude coat.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Very poor for hot lowlands; suited only to cold, high-altitude climates..

This breed carries a heavy double coat evolved for cold. It can be kept in a hot climate, but only with genuine commitment: shade and water at all times, exercise confined to the cool hours, and often air-conditioning through summer. Do NOT shave the double coat — counter-intuitively it insulates against heat as well as cold, and shaving it can ruin the coat and expose the skin to sunburn. Watch closely for heat stress, and think hard about whether the climate you live in is fair to this dog before acquiring one.

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 10–14 years. This dog is a senior from around 5–6 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Giant breeds age fast and live short lives, and this is the hardest fact about owning one. Senior screening should start early, orthopaedic support matters from middle age, and cardiac and bone cancer risks are real. Go in with your eyes open. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Tornjak

Origin and purpose

FCI Group 2. Origin: Bosnia and Herzegovina / Croatia; mountain livestock-guardian dog.

A well-preserved regional guardian; balanced and less extreme than some giant guardians.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Calm, steady and confident; devoted to its flock and family, dignified with strangers.

A guarding breed: it is naturally suspicious of strangers, and that is what it was bred for. Early, broad, positive socialisation — many people, many places, many situations, before sixteen weeks — is not optional for this breed; it is the difference between a discriminating guardian and a dangerous liability. A guarding dog that has not been socialised is a problem you have created, not a temperament you have discovered.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Hip dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal hip joint development.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Hip dysplasia — Radiographic hip evaluation (hip scoring)

Feeding

Growth is the thing that matters. Large-breed puppies must be fed a diet formulated for large-breed growth and must NOT be overfed or supplemented with calcium — growing too fast is a direct route to the joint disease this size of dog is already prone to. A lean puppy is a healthy puppy. As an adult, two measured meals a day, and keep the dog lean for life: excess weight is the single biggest accelerator of hip and elbow disease and arthritis.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: Moderate to high - 60 min/day.

A high-energy dog needing substantial, committed daily exercise plus mental work. Do not take this breed on unless the daily commitment is realistic on your worst week, not your best one.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Poor to fair - a long dense double coat bred for cold leaves it heat-limited; better in cooler highlands..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 12-14 years. This dog is a senior from around 7 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Large dogs age faster than small ones. Arthritis and cancer are the dominant concerns; do not dismiss a limp in an older large dog as 'just age' — bone cancer presents exactly that way. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).

Tosa Inu

Origin and purpose

FCI Group 2. Origin: Japan (Tosa/Kochi); bred as a fighting dog from native stock crossed with Western mastiffs.

A large Japanese fighting-and-guardian breed, legally restricted in the UK and elsewhere; heavy and strong, its ownership demands care and space.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the job of the owner is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Calm, dignified and quiet at home but powerful and dominant; needs an experienced owner.

A guarding breed: it is naturally suspicious of strangers, and that is what it was bred for. Early, broad, positive socialisation — many people, many places, many situations, before sixteen weeks — is not optional for this breed; it is the difference between a discriminating guardian and a dangerous liability. A guarding dog that has not been socialised is a problem you have created, not a temperament you have discovered.

Health — what this breed is predisposed to

Drawn from this breed's documented health issues and cross-referenced to Part III. A predisposition is not a prophecy — most dogs of any breed never develop these — but it is what you and your vet should be watching for.

• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') (EMERGENCY) — stomach twists on itself.
• Elbow dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal elbow joint development.

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from the predispositions above. Take this list to your vet; it is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription, and your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

Vaccination is NOT breed-specific, and any source that claims a breed-specific vaccination schedule should be treated with suspicion. The core schedule — the puppy series and its boosters, and rabies above all — is the same for this dog as for every other, and is set out in Parts VI and IX. What IS specific to the dog is its exposure: a dog that swims, roams, or lives where monsoon flooding occurs has a different leptospirosis risk from an apartment dog, and a dog that boards or meets many other dogs has a different kennel-cough risk. Discuss the dog's actual life with your vet, not its breed.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above. These are the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes BEFORE a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something. See Part XII.

• Elbow dysplasia — Radiographic elbow evaluation
• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') — No screening test. Discuss preventive gastropexy with your vet in deep-chested breeds

Feeding

Slow, controlled growth is essential — giant-breed puppies grow for eighteen months or more, and pushing that growth with over-feeding or calcium supplementation causes lasting orthopaedic damage. Use a diet formulated for large- or giant-breed growth and keep the puppy visibly lean. As an adult, two measured meals a day, never one large one. Feeding costs are substantial and should be budgeted before acquiring the dog.

This breed is deep-chested and at risk of gastric dilatation and volvulus (bloat), which kills quickly. Feed two or more smaller meals rather than one large one, avoid vigorous exercise for an hour either side of eating, and slow down a gulping eater. Learn the signs — a restless dog with a swelling belly, retching without bringing anything up — and treat them as an immediate emergency. Ask your vet whether a preventive gastropexy is appropriate at neutering.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: Moderate - 45-60 min/day, controlled.

Moderate daily exercise plus mental stimulation. Adaptable to apartment life provided the daily walk actually happens every day.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Poor to fair - a heat-sensitive giant that needs careful heat management; it is also legally restricted or banned in several countries, so check local law..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 10-12 years. This dog is a senior from around 5–6 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Giant breeds age fast and live short lives, and this is the hardest fact about owning one. Senior screening should start early, orthopaedic support matters from middle age, and cardiac and bone cancer risks are real. Go in with your eyes open. See Part X.

Before you take one home

• Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
• Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.

DRAFT — VET REVIEW PENDING. The predispositions, screening schedule, and breeder tests above are derived from this breed's recorded health issues; the feeding, exercise, climate, training, and ageing guidance is derived from its size, skull shape, coat, and temperament. Both are drafts until a veterinarian signs them off (Appendix A.3).