Part II-G — Non-sporting breeds (18)

American Eskimo Dog

Origin and purpose

Non-Sporting (AKC). Origin: United States.

Despite the name, not related to Eskimo peoples; descended from the German Spitz.

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, friendly, biddable.

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.

• Hip dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal hip joint development.
• Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease (Routine) — femoral head necrosis in small breeds (Toy, terriers).
• Patellar luxation (Routine) — kneecap slips out of groove.
• 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)
• Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease — Hip radiographs
• Patellar luxation — Patellar palpation by a vet
• Progressive retinal atrophy — Ophthalmologist eye examination, plus DNA test where one exists for the breed

Feeding

Small stomachs, fast metabolisms. Feed a diet formulated for small breeds, split across three or four meals a day as a puppy and two as an adult; toy puppies can become dangerously hypoglycaemic if a meal is missed. Portions are tiny, which means treats and table scraps overwhelm the daily allowance startlingly fast — a single biscuit can be a meaningful share of a 4 kg dog's intake. Dental disease is near-universal in small breeds, so ask your vet about diet texture and dental care from the start.

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, white double coat. Brush 3× weekly.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Poorly suited to hot or humid climates; the thick double coat is best matched to cool or cold conditions..

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: 13–15 years. This dog is a senior from around 9–10 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Small dogs age slowly and often live into their mid-teens. Dental disease and heart-valve disease are the two things that most often shorten a small dog's life, and both are catchable early. 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).

Bichon Frise

Origin and purpose

Non-sporting (AKC). Origin: Mediterranean.

A hypoallergenic-adjacent coat is a real benefit for allergic 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: Cheerful, affectionate, adaptable.

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.

• Bladder stones (uroliths) (URGENT) — dietary, breed, and metabolic causes.
• Atopic dermatitis (canine atopy) (Routine) — allergic skin disease.
• Cataracts (Routine) — congenital or diabetic or senior.
• Hip dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal hip 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.

• Atopic dermatitis (canine atopy) — No screening test; allergy testing once disease is established
• Cataracts — Ophthalmologist eye examination
• Hip dysplasia — Radiographic hip evaluation (hip scoring)
• Patellar luxation — Patellar palpation by a vet

Feeding

Small stomachs, fast metabolisms. Feed a diet formulated for small breeds, split across three or four meals a day as a puppy and two as an adult; toy puppies can become dangerously hypoglycaemic if a meal is missed. Portions are tiny, which means treats and table scraps overwhelm the daily allowance startlingly fast — a single biscuit can be a meaningful share of a 4 kg dog's intake. Dental disease is near-universal in small breeds, so ask your vet about diet texture and dental care from the start.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: Moderate — 30 min/day.

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

Coat and grooming

Soft, dense, curly, low-shedding coat. Comb daily; professional clip every 4–6 weeks. Low-shedding is not low-maintenance.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Good for apartments; grooming-intensive..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 12–15 years. This dog is a senior from around 9–10 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Small dogs age slowly and often live into their mid-teens. Dental disease and heart-valve disease are the two things that most often shorten a small dog's life, and both are catchable early. 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).

Boston Terrier

Origin and purpose

Non-sporting (AKC). Origin: United States.

A popular alternative to the French Bulldog, with milder BOAS.

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, lively, adaptable; the 'American gentleman'.

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).
• Cataracts (Routine) — congenital or diabetic or senior.
• Congenital deafness (Routine) — Present from birth and permanent.
• 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.

• Brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS) — BOAS functional grading (an exercise-tolerance assessment)
• Cataracts — Ophthalmologist eye examination
• Congenital deafness — BAER hearing test
• Patellar luxation — Patellar palpation by a vet

Feeding

Small stomachs, fast metabolisms. Feed a diet formulated for small breeds, split across three or four meals a day as a puppy and two as an adult; toy puppies can become dangerously hypoglycaemic if a meal is missed. Portions are tiny, which means treats and table scraps overwhelm the daily allowance startlingly fast — a single biscuit can be a meaningful share of a 4 kg dog's intake. Dental disease is near-universal in small breeds, so ask your vet about diet texture and dental care from the start.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: Moderate — 30–45 min/day.

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

Coat and grooming

Very short, smooth coat. Weekly rub-down. Brachycephalic — heat is the risk.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Good for apartment life; moderate heat tolerance..

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: 12–15 years. This dog is a senior from around 9–10 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Small dogs age slowly and often live into their mid-teens. Dental disease and heart-valve disease are the two things that most often shorten a small dog's life, and both are catchable early. 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).

Bulldog (English)

Origin and purpose

Non-sporting (AKC). Origin: England.

Considered by some veterinary societies a breed whose typical conformation is not compatible with good welfare. An informed acquisition decision is required.

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: Docile, courageous, patient; 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.

• Heatstroke (hyperthermia) (EMERGENCY) — The single most preventable canine emergency in hot climates, and the one most under-represented in Western references.
• Brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS) (URGENT) — anatomical obstruction in flat-faced breeds (Pug, French Bulldog, Bulldog, Boxer).
• 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)
• Elbow dysplasia — Radiographic elbow evaluation

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: Low — 20–30 min/day.

Modest exercise needs, but 'low exercise' is not 'no exercise' — this dog still needs daily walks and enrichment, and is prone to obesity if it does not get them.

Coat and grooming

Very short, smooth coat with deep facial folds. Weekly brush; clean and DRY every fold several times a week. Brachycephalic — this breed is severely heat-intolerant.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Poor for hot summer 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: 8–10 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.
• 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).

Chinese Shar-Pei

Origin and purpose

Non-Sporting (AKC). Origin: China.

Wrinkles reduce with age but require lifelong skin-fold 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: Aloof, calm, family-loyal; distinctive wrinkled skin.

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.

• Brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS) (URGENT) — anatomical obstruction in flat-faced breeds (Pug, French Bulldog, Bulldog, Boxer).
• Entropion (Routine) — eyelid rolls inward.
• Hip dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal hip joint development.
• Pyoderma (Routine) — bacterial skin infection.

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)
• Entropion — 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: 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, humid climates, and the skin folds demand careful management in any warm environment..

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: 8–12 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.
• 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).

Chow Chow

Origin and purpose

Non-sporting (AKC). Origin: Northern China.

Distinctive purple-black tongue. Not a beginner's 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: Aloof, independent, stubborn; requires experienced handling.

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.

• Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV, 'bloat') (EMERGENCY) — stomach twists on itself.
• Atopic dermatitis (canine atopy) (Routine) — allergic skin disease.
• Elbow dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal elbow joint development.
• Entropion (Routine) — eyelid rolls inward.
• Hypothyroidism (Routine) — underactive thyroid.
• Melanoma (Routine) — oral, ocular, cutaneous.

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.

• Atopic dermatitis (canine atopy) — No screening test; allergy testing once disease is established
• 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
• 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: Moderate — 30–60 min/day.

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

Coat and grooming

Very dense double coat, rough or smooth. Brush 4× weekly. Brachycephalic AND heavily coated — a difficult combination in hot climates.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Poor for hot summers; thick double coat..

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: 9–15 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).

Coton de Tulear

Origin and purpose

Non-Sporting (AKC). Origin: Madagascar.

Increasingly popular as an urban companion; the low-shedding coat is a genuine benefit.

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: Cheerful, adaptable, playful; hypoallergenic-adjacent coat.

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.

• Hip dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal hip joint development.
• Patellar luxation (Routine) — kneecap slips out of groove.
• 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)
• Patellar luxation — Patellar palpation by a vet
• Progressive retinal atrophy — Ophthalmologist eye examination, plus DNA test where one exists for the breed

Feeding

Small stomachs, fast metabolisms. Feed a diet formulated for small breeds, split across three or four meals a day as a puppy and two as an adult; toy puppies can become dangerously hypoglycaemic if a meal is missed. Portions are tiny, which means treats and table scraps overwhelm the daily allowance startlingly fast — a single biscuit can be a meaningful share of a 4 kg dog's intake. Dental disease is near-universal in small breeds, so ask your vet about diet texture and dental care from the start.

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

Long, cottony, low-shedding coat. Comb daily or keep clipped.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Excellent for apartment living and adaptable to a range of climates with basic heat precautions..

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: 14–16 years. This dog is a senior from around 9–10 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Small dogs age slowly and often live into their mid-teens. Dental disease and heart-valve disease are the two things that most often shorten a small dog's life, and both are catchable early. 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).

Dalmatian

Origin and purpose

Non-sporting (AKC). Origin: Croatia (Dalmatia region).

BAER hearing test at puppyhood is essential. A low-purine diet may be recommended by a vet to reduce stone risk.

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, playful, sensitive; distinctive coat.

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.

• Atopic dermatitis (canine atopy) (Routine) — allergic skin disease.
• Congenital deafness (Routine) — Present from birth and permanent.
• 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.

• Atopic dermatitis (canine atopy) — No screening test; allergy testing once disease is established
• Congenital deafness — BAER hearing test
• 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: Very high — 90+ min/day.

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 short, dense, hard coat. Weekly rub-down. Sheds constantly — the short white hairs weave into fabric.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Moderate; can adapt to a range of climates..

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: 11–13 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).

Finnish Spitz

Origin and purpose

Non-Sporting (AKC). Origin: Finland.

The 'barking bird dog' of Finland, with strong vocal habits.

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, active, vocal — barks a lot (barking-hunt tradition).

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.

• Idiopathic epilepsy (URGENT) — seizure disorder with no identifiable cause.
• Hip dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal hip 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.

• Hip dysplasia — Radiographic hip evaluation (hip scoring)
• Idiopathic epilepsy — No screening test. Diagnosis is by exclusion, after blood work and imaging
• Patellar luxation — Patellar palpation by a vet

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

Dense double coat. Brush 2–3× weekly.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Poorly suited to hot, humid climates; better matched to cool or cold conditions..

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: 13–15 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).

French Bulldog

Origin and purpose

Non-sporting (AKC). Origin: France (Paris); English Bulldog ancestry.

Do NOT acquire a French Bulldog whose breeder has not screened for BOAS. Do NOT walk in peak summer heat.

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, affectionate, adaptable to apartment life; low exercise need.

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.

• Heatstroke (hyperthermia) (EMERGENCY) — The single most preventable canine emergency in hot climates, and the one most under-represented in Western references.
• Intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) (EMERGENCY) — disc herniation.
• Brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS) (URGENT) — anatomical obstruction in flat-faced breeds (Pug, French Bulldog, Bulldog, Boxer).
• 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.

• Brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS) — BOAS functional grading (an exercise-tolerance assessment)
• Hip dysplasia — Radiographic hip evaluation (hip scoring)
• Intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) — DNA test for the chondrodystrophy variant; imaging if signs appear

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: Low — 20–30 min/day.

Modest exercise needs, but 'low exercise' is not 'no exercise' — this dog still needs daily walks and enrichment, and is prone to obesity if it does not get them.

Coat and grooming

Very short, smooth coat. Weekly rub-down; clean and dry the facial folds and the tail pocket. Brachycephalic — heat is the risk, and it is a serious one.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Very popular; heat intolerance is a significant welfare concern in warm 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: 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.
• 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).

Keeshond

Origin and purpose

Non-Sporting (AKC). Origin: Netherlands.

Known as the 'Dutch Barge 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, biddable, alert.

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.

• Idiopathic epilepsy (URGENT) — seizure disorder with no identifiable cause.
• 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
• 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: Moderate.

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

Coat and grooming

Profuse, stand-off double coat. Brush 3–4× weekly.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Poorly suited to hot, humid climates; the dense coat favours cooler conditions..

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).

Lhasa Apso

Origin and purpose

Non-sporting (AKC). Origin: Tibet.

A temple-guardian ancestry means a historical wariness of strangers.

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, affectionate with 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.

• Chronic kidney disease (CKD) (URGENT) — the leading senior chronic condition.
• Atopic dermatitis (canine atopy) (Routine) — allergic skin disease.
• Dry eye (keratoconjunctivitis sicca) (Routine) — Cocker Spaniel, Shih Tzu, Lhasa Apso.
• 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.

• Atopic dermatitis (canine atopy) — No screening test; allergy testing once disease is established
• Chronic kidney disease (CKD) — Blood (creatinine, SDMA) with urine concentration
• Dry eye (keratoconjunctivitis sicca) — Schirmer tear test
• Hip dysplasia — Radiographic hip evaluation (hip scoring)
• Progressive retinal atrophy — Ophthalmologist eye examination, plus DNA test where one exists for the breed

Feeding

Small stomachs, fast metabolisms. Feed a diet formulated for small breeds, split across three or four meals a day as a puppy and two as an adult; toy puppies can become dangerously hypoglycaemic if a meal is missed. Portions are tiny, which means treats and table scraps overwhelm the daily allowance startlingly fast — a single biscuit can be a meaningful share of a 4 kg dog's intake. Dental disease is near-universal in small breeds, so ask your vet about diet texture and dental care from the start.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: Low — 20–30 min/day.

Modest exercise needs, but 'low exercise' is not 'no exercise' — this dog still needs daily walks and enrichment, and is prone to obesity if it does not get them.

Coat and grooming

Long, heavy, dense coat. Brush daily if long; a short clip is far more practical in hot climates.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Good for apartments; grooming-intensive, with moderate heat tolerance..

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: 12–15 years. This dog is a senior from around 9–10 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Small dogs age slowly and often live into their mid-teens. Dental disease and heart-valve disease are the two things that most often shorten a small dog's life, and both are catchable early. 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).

Norwegian Lundehund

Origin and purpose

Non-Sporting (AKC). Origin: Norway.

One of the rarest breeds, with an extreme in-breeding history.

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, energetic, unique — six toes per foot, flexible neck.

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

Small stomachs, fast metabolisms. Feed a diet formulated for small breeds, split across three or four meals a day as a puppy and two as an adult; toy puppies can become dangerously hypoglycaemic if a meal is missed. Portions are tiny, which means treats and table scraps overwhelm the daily allowance startlingly fast — a single biscuit can be a meaningful share of a 4 kg dog's intake. Dental disease is near-universal in small breeds, so ask your vet about diet texture and dental care from the start.

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; adapted to cool, cold conditions..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 12–14 years. This dog is a senior from around 9–10 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Small dogs age slowly and often live into their mid-teens. Dental disease and heart-valve disease are the two things that most often shorten a small dog's life, and both are catchable early. 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).

Poodle (Standard / Miniature / Toy)

Origin and purpose

Non-sporting (Standard) / Toy. Origin: Germany, refined in France.

Coat maintenance is a real ongoing cost. Poodle intelligence means daily mental engagement is 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: Highly intelligent, biddable, hypoallergenic-adjacent coat.

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.
• Hip dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal hip joint development.
• Patellar luxation (Routine) — kneecap slips out of groove.
• Progressive retinal atrophy (Routine) — genetic retinal degeneration.
• 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.

• Hip dysplasia — Radiographic hip evaluation (hip scoring)
• Hypoadrenocorticism (Addison's disease) — Adrenal function blood tests (including electrolytes)
• Patellar luxation — Patellar palpation by a vet
• Progressive retinal atrophy — Ophthalmologist eye examination, plus DNA test where one exists for the breed
• von Willebrand disease — von Willebrand factor blood assay, or DNA test

Feeding

Small stomachs, fast metabolisms. Feed a diet formulated for small breeds, split across three or four meals a day as a puppy and two as an adult; toy puppies can become dangerously hypoglycaemic if a meal is missed. Portions are tiny, which means treats and table scraps overwhelm the daily allowance startlingly fast — a single biscuit can be a meaningful share of a 4 kg dog's intake. Dental disease is near-universal in small breeds, so ask your vet about diet texture and dental care from the start.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: Standard: high; Miniature: moderate; Toy: low.

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

Dense, curly, low-shedding coat. Comb every other day; professional clip every 4–6 weeks. Mats to felt if neglected.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Popular in urban settings; grooming is very intensive..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 12–15 years. This dog is a senior from around 9–10 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Small dogs age slowly and often live into their mid-teens. Dental disease and heart-valve disease are the two things that most often shorten a small dog's life, and both are catchable early. 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).

Schipperke

Origin and purpose

Non-Sporting (AKC). Origin: Belgium.

Descended from barge-guardian 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, curious, mischievous; the 'little captain'.

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.
• Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease (Routine) — femoral head necrosis in small breeds (Toy, terriers).
• 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.

• Hip dysplasia — Radiographic hip evaluation (hip scoring)
• Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease — Hip radiographs
• Patellar luxation — Patellar palpation by a vet

Feeding

Small stomachs, fast metabolisms. Feed a diet formulated for small breeds, split across three or four meals a day as a puppy and two as an adult; toy puppies can become dangerously hypoglycaemic if a meal is missed. Portions are tiny, which means treats and table scraps overwhelm the daily allowance startlingly fast — a single biscuit can be a meaningful share of a 4 kg dog's intake. Dental disease is near-universal in small breeds, so ask your vet about diet texture and dental care from the start.

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: Adaptable and apartment-suitable, tolerating a range of climates with basic heat care..

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 13–16 years. This dog is a senior from around 9–10 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Small dogs age slowly and often live into their mid-teens. Dental disease and heart-valve disease are the two things that most often shorten a small dog's life, and both are catchable early. 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).

Shiba Inu

Origin and purpose

Non-sporting (AKC). Origin: Japan.

Recall training is essential and difficult. Not a beginner's 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: Independent, alert, cat-like; strong prey drive; famous 'Shiba scream'.

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.

• Atopic dermatitis (canine atopy) (Routine) — allergic skin disease.
• Hip dysplasia (Routine) — abnormal hip joint development.
• Patellar luxation (Routine) — kneecap slips out of groove.
• 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.

• Atopic dermatitis (canine atopy) — No screening test; allergy testing once disease is established
• Hip dysplasia — Radiographic hip evaluation (hip scoring)
• Patellar luxation — Patellar palpation by a vet
• Progressive retinal atrophy — Ophthalmologist eye examination, plus DNA test where one exists for the breed

Feeding

Small stomachs, fast metabolisms. Feed a diet formulated for small breeds, split across three or four meals a day as a puppy and two as an adult; toy puppies can become dangerously hypoglycaemic if a meal is missed. Portions are tiny, which means treats and table scraps overwhelm the daily allowance startlingly fast — a single biscuit can be a meaningful share of a 4 kg dog's intake. Dental disease is near-universal in small breeds, so ask your vet about diet texture and dental care from the start.

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

Thick, stiff double coat. Brush weekly; daily during the dramatic twice-yearly moult.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Moderate; suited to temperate climates and less so to intense lowland heat..

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: 12–16 years. This dog is a senior from around 9–10 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Small dogs age slowly and often live into their mid-teens. Dental disease and heart-valve disease are the two things that most often shorten a small dog's life, and both are catchable early. 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 Spaniel

Origin and purpose

Non-Sporting (AKC). Origin: Tibet.

Historical companion of Tibetan Buddhist monasteries.

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, watchful, family-loyal.

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.

• Cherry eye (Routine) — prolapse of the third eyelid gland.
• Patellar luxation (Routine) — kneecap slips out of groove.
• 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.

• Patellar luxation — Patellar palpation by a vet
• Progressive retinal atrophy — Ophthalmologist eye examination, plus DNA test where one exists for the breed

Feeding

Small stomachs, fast metabolisms. Feed a diet formulated for small breeds, split across three or four meals a day as a puppy and two as an adult; toy puppies can become dangerously hypoglycaemic if a meal is missed. Portions are tiny, which means treats and table scraps overwhelm the daily allowance startlingly fast — a single biscuit can be a meaningful share of a 4 kg dog's intake. Dental disease is near-universal in small breeds, so ask your vet about diet texture and dental care from the start.

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: Adaptable and apartment-suitable across many climates with reasonable heat precautions..

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: 12–15 years. This dog is a senior from around 9–10 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Small dogs age slowly and often live into their mid-teens. Dental disease and heart-valve disease are the two things that most often shorten a small dog's life, and both are catchable early. 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).

Tibetan Terrier

Origin and purpose

Non-Sporting (AKC). Origin: Tibet.

Not actually a terrier; descended from monastery watchdogs.

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: Reserved, alert, family-devoted.

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.

• 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.

• 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.

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

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Moderately adaptable; manage heat in hot, humid 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

• 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).