Cane Corso (Italy)

Cane Corso Italiano

(Cane di Macellaio)  (Sicilian Branchiero) (Italian Mastiff)

The Cane Corso is a medium-large guard dog native to Southern Italy. Its stable temperament and powerful body make him particularly valued as a guard dog and protection dog. Traditionally, rural Southern Italy has always used this rustic type of dog for the hunting of big game and for guard and protection work. These dogs were known under various regional names: Vucciuriscu (or Bucciuriscu) in Sicily, Cane della masseria in Puglia, Cane da Macellaio (Butchers Dog). The official FCI standard calls for dogs to stand from 60-68 centimeters at the withers (23.6-26.7 inches).

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Description	The Cane Corso Italiano is a medium-big size dog, strongly built but elegant, with powerful and long muscles, very distinguished, he expresses strength, agility and endurance. The general conformation is that of a mesomorphic animal whose body is longer than the height at the withers, harmonious as regards the form and disharmonious as regards the profile. The Muzzle is very broad and deep. The width of the muzzle must be almost equal to its length which reaches 3.4/10 of the total length of the head. Its depth is more than 50% the length of the muzzle. Due to the parallels of the muzzle sides and to the fullness and the width of the whole jaw, the anterior face of the muzzle is flat and square. The nasal bridge has a rectilinear profile and it is rather flat. The lower side profile of the muzzle is determined by the upper lips, the suborbital region shows a very slight chisel. The stop is very marked because of the very developed and bulging frontal sinuses and because of the prominent superciliary arches. The neck is slightly arched. The neck shape is of oval section, strong, very muscular. The body is compact, strong and very muscular. The skin is rather thick. The neck is practically without dewlap. The head mustn't have wrinkles. The pigment of the mucous membranes is black. The pigment of the soles and the nails must be dark. The coat is short hair but not smooth, with vitreous texture, shiny, adherent, stiff, very dense, with a light layer that becomes thicker in winter (but never crops up on the covering hair). Its average length is approx. 2/2,5 cm. On the withers, the rump, the back margin of the thighs and on the tail it reaches approx. 3 cm without creating fringes. On the muzzle the hair is very short, smooth, adherent and is not more than 1/1,5 cm. Color - Black, plumb-gray, slate, light gray, blue/gray, light fawn, deer fawn, dark fawn and tubby (very well marked stripes on different shades of fawn and gray). In the fawny and tubby subjects there is a black or gray mask only on the muzzle and shouldn't go beyond the eye line. A small white patch on the chest, on the feet tips and on the nose bridge is accepted.
Temperament	Very loyal, willing to please and quiet around the house. The Cane Corso is highly intelligent and very trainable. Active and even-minded, he is an unequalled watch and protection dog.  The Cane Corso Italiano is great with children in the family. Docile and affectionate with the owner. They are protective yet gentle. The Cane Corso has a very stable temperament. It makes an excellent guard dog and watchdog. It will not wonder from the home. They stick close to their masters. If necessary he becomes a terrible and brave protector of people, house and property. The Cane Corso is not a fighting dog. They were bred as powerful working dogs for hundreds of years. Therefore they will not go out "looking" for a fight, but on the other hand they will not back down from other dogs who try to dominate them. The Cane Corso requires an experienced owner who knows how to display a natural authority over the dog. It can be aggressive with strangers and other dogs if not socialized or if it sees itself above humans in the pecking order. It should be carefully socialized when it is a pup. It is highly recommended that these dogs become fully obedience trained. If a Cane Corso is fully trained, with an owner who is firm, confident and consistent, setting rules the dog must follow and placing clear limits to what he can and cannot do, along with providing the proper daily mental and physical exercise, the Cane Corso will be an amenable companion. Learn what makes the canine animal tick and treat his breed accordingly. Suspicious of strangers, but wonderful with the family. A well balanced Corso will put up with strangers if the owners are present. When raised correctly, the dog should be submissive to all members of the family. Corso ears were originally cropped to help them ward off wolves while protecting livestock. Their ears are much more sensitive than the rest of their bodies. Generally, they're practically impervious to pain otherwise, so many Corso owners are often disappointed to find that electrical "invisible fence" containment systems don't deter their dogs.
Height, Weight	Height:  Males 24-27 inches (64-68 cm.) Females 23-25 inches (60-64 cm.) Weight:  Males 99-110 pounds (45-50 kg.) Females 88-99 pounds (40-45 kg.)
Health Problems	This is a robust dog, with typical bone and joint problems of the giant breeds.
Living Conditions	The Cane Corso will do okay in an apartment if it gets enough exercise. They will be content to live outdoors provided they have adequate shelter.
Exercise	This very athletic breed needs a lot of regular exercise. They make excellent jogging companions, and if not jogged daily, should be taken on at least one long, brisk daily walk.
Life Expectancy	About 10-11 years.
Grooming	The Cane Corso does not require much grooming. Occasionally comb and brush to remove dead hair. This breed is a light shedder.
Origin	The Cane Corso Italiano is the original Cane Corso breed. It originated in Italy. Its direct ancestor is the "Canis Pugnax" (the old Roman Molossian) of which he is the light version employed in the hunting of large wild animals and also as an "auxiliary warrior" in battles. For years he has been a precious companion of the Italic populations. Employed as property, cattle and personal guard dog and used for hunting purposes too. In the past this breed was common all over Italy as an ample iconography and historiography testify. In the recent past he has found a excellent preservation area in Southern Italy, especially in Puglia, Lucania and Sannio. His name derives from the Latin "Cohors" which means "Guardian", "Protector". The Cane Corso was accepted into the AKC's miscellaneous class in 2008.
Group	Mastiff
Recognition	FCI, NKC, APRI, ACR, DRA, AKC, NAPR

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Anatolian Shepherd(Kangal Dog)

Anatolian Shepherd

Anatolian Shepherd Dog

(Coban Kopegi) (Karabas) (Perro de pastor de Anatolia) (Anatolischer Hirtenhund) (Chien de berger d'Anatolie)

Male Anatolian,  Woodyacres Cenk Koda aka Koda at 18 months old. "Koda was a lot of work as a pup, intensive socializing, firm but loving discipline, and so much time invested bonding. But it was worth every moment. Koda is a wonderful companion. He passed his Canine Good Citizen and is now training for therapy dog certification at the relatively young age of 18 months. And he makes me laugh every day."

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Description	The Anatolian Shepherd Dog is a large, rugged and powerful livestock guardian. He is very similar to the Great Pyrenees and the Kuvasz, but is more slender and agile. The head is in good proportion with the rest of the body, large and strong, slightly rounded, with a slight stop. The muzzle is often black and is rectangular in shape. The lips are black and hang down slightly, dewlap should not be excessive. The upper lip should not hang down lower than the bottom jaw's lower edge. The teeth should meet in a scissors bite, but a level bite is acceptable according to the written standard. The triangular, pendant ears should be set on no higher than the plane of the head. They should be V-shaped with a rounded tip and are often black. In Turkey, the ears are often cropped very short. The eyes are medium size, set apart, almond shaped and dark brown to light amber in color. Eye rims are black in all dogs except those of the liver color, where they are brown with a brown nose. The neck is thick, slightly arched, powerful, and muscular, and has a slight dewlap. The topline will appear level when the dog is in motion and will be slightly rounded at the loin. The chest is deep and reaches to the elbows. The back is powerful, muscular and level, short relative to the leg length. The front legs should reach out smoothly with no obvious pounding and are straight and set well apart. The tail is set rather high. It should be long and reaching to the hocks. When relaxed, it is carried low with the end curled upwards. When alert, the tail is carried high, making a "wheel." Both low and wheel carriage are acceptable, when gaiting. The "Wheel" carriage is preferred in the show ring. The tail will not necessarily uncurl totally. The short or rough double coat is generally fawn with a black mask, though all color patterns and markings are equally acceptable including pinto, white and brindle. Coat is longer around the collar and the tail. The length will vary depending on the dogs lineage and the season. There are two basic coat types: medium length and medium long.
Temperament	The Anatolian Shepherd is a flock guardian, with a superior sense of sight and hearing. They are not herding dogs. They are very loyal, alert and capable of great speed and endurance. It is intelligent, alert and easy to train, but is not a dog for beginners. It needs a handler who naturally radiates leadership. Independent, calm, unwavering and brave, but not aggressive. They tend to bark at night and if they are living indoors with you, you need to correct this behavior if it is unwanted. Since the Anatolian Shepherd is a born flock guard they will be very watchful and can become possessive if not kept in their rightful place below the humans. If they see themselves above the family they may act affectionate with them but very suspicious of strangers to a point where it is a problem. This is an issue that is particularly worrisome after the dog reaches adulthood. This is why it is very important that the dog sees the humans as their boss. Being a flock guard they will always have an instinct to protect and this cannot be bred out or raised out of them, however a dog who accepts the humans as his leader will also accept the strangers that the humans formally introduce to them. They will also look to the humans as the ones who make the decisions. You do not want a dog of this size and strength living in your home making all of the calls. The Anatolian Shepherd will still be possessive with the home and property not allowing anyone in if the owner is not home, unless they have had frequent contact with the person. Friends of the family will be welcomed. This proud dog is demanding of itself, and can be stubborn and dominant if they see themselves as a leader of the home. When training the Anatolian Shepherd, the best results are achieved by motivational training methods with a determined, firm, confident, consistent and loving approach. This is not a dog for the passive owner or an owner who does not understand canine instinct. It is very important to begin training as early as possible, because a fully grown dog may be too strong and too big to be corrected by the average person. Owners who do not display natural, very strong, but even tempered, authority over the dog will find the dog to have his own ideas and will obey known commands if they do not wish to do so. Sensitive to reprimands and eager to receive affection. This breed is patient and protective with children of the family, but may accidentally knock them down. Children should always be supervised and properly introduced. Confident, the Anatolian Shepherd does not require any additional protection training. It already has very strong protection instincts which will get stronger as the dog matures. These instincts will peek at around one and a half years of age. They will generally get along with other animals provided they have been introduced to them when they are still young. They can be rather dominant towards other dogs and it is important to socialize them while they are still young. These dogs mature slowly, reaching full adulthood at about four years old. Dogs that are going to work as flock guards should not be family pets or they will prefer the family over the animals they are supposed to be guarding. They need to be socialized with humans coming into the field so it is possible for them to receive veterinary care and any necessary grooming, but should live their entire life with the flock and not brought inside the home with the humans. This socialization should take place while the dog is a puppy. Anatolians will walk the border of their territory every night, then find a high place to lay to watch over their charges. Every few hours they will get up and walk around their flock again just to make sure all is safe. If they detect danger they will give off a deep warning bark. If that does not scare away the threat they will deepen their bark making themselves sound more serious and alerting the flock to gather behind them. If the danger persists and approaches the flock the Anatolian will attack, but this is always saved as a last resort. Extensive early socialization, obedience training and consistent dominant leadership are very important when owning an Anatolian Shepherd.
Height, Weight	Height:  Dogs 28-30 inches (71-76 cm.)       Bitches 26-28 inches (66-71 cm.) Weight: Dogs 100-150 pounds (45-68 kg.) Bitches 90-130 pounds (41-59 kg.)
Health Problems	Prone to hypothyroidism or to eyelid entropion. Hip dysplasia does occur, but is not as common as some other large breeds. They are sensitive to anesthesia. The Anatolian Shepherd's immunity often takes longer to develop than with many other breeds and therefore you should talk to your vet about giving young Anatolians extra vaccinations against parvo-virus.
Living Conditions	Anatolian Shepherds are not recommended for apartment life. They are relatively inactive indoors and will do best with at least a large yard. This breed is very suspicious of strangers, and it is therefore necessary to provide a secure, fenced yard.
Exercise	This breed needs a lot of exercise. They do best when they can run free in their own fenced-in yard, but still need to go on long daily walks. Does best with a job to do; a flock to protect.
Life Expectancy	About 12-15 years.
Litter Size	5 - 10 puppies
Grooming	This breed requires little grooming. The coat needs thorough brushing-out during the twice a year shedding season. You can get away with little attention the rest of the year. The Anatolian Shepherd is a seasonal, heavy shedder.
Origin	The Anatolian Shepherd is native to Asia Minor. It protects flocks and serves as a shepherd's companion. On the high Anatolian Plateau, summers are hot and very dry and winters are cold. The Anatolian Shepherd Dog is able to live outside all year round. For centuries the ancestors of the Anatolian Shepherd were used as a combat dog in war and for hunting. It was particularly valued for the victorious battles it could fight with wolves. The Turkish people would put a spiked color on them to protect their necks from getting bit by predators who attacked their charges. As a sheepdog, it was bothered by neither fatigue nor bad weather. Today it is still used as a sheep dog as well as a guard dog. The Anatolian Shepherd is very closely related to the Kangal Dog and some people even declare all Turkish shepherd's i.e. the Kangal Dog, to be one breed, the Anatolian Shepherd, however the true Turkish Kangal Dogs are said to be a separate breed from the generic Turkish shepherd's dog. The isolated historical conditions of the Sivas-Kangal region has resulted in the development of the Kangal Dog as a distinct breed, which has been declared the National Dog of Turkey and a national treasure. The true Turkish Kangal Dogs are first and foremost still primarily working shepherds. The export of pure Kangal Dogs from Turkey has been controlled and now is virtually forbidden. The Kangal Dog Club of America continues to work to ease import restrictions. Imported dogs are considered to be extremely valuable for their potential contribution to the genetic pool in the United States. The Anatolian Shepherd was recognized by the AKC in 1995.
Group	Flock Guard
Recognition	FCI, AKC, UKC, KCGB, NKC, SKC, NZKC, CKC, APRI, ACR, DRA, NAPR Currently, there are over 3000 Anatolian Shepherds registered in the United States. Anatolians can be registered with the Anatolian Shepherd Dog Club of America and Anatolian Shepherd International.

Look Kangal Dog and cheetah

Female Anatolian Shepherd Dog playing with cheetah

Anatolian Shepherd Dog protects the Cheetah from extinction..

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American Bulldog

American Bulldog Appearance, Character, Temperament

American Bulldog Doggehouse
owned by Rowland Evan

 The American Bulldog is a powerful, athletic, medium-large sized dog with great muscular strength and endless endurance. There is a wide size and weight latitude in the breed, which vary according to the type (Johnson, Scott, Painter/Margentina, Old Southern Whites type or hybrid) but overall the american bulldog is always "well balanced".  Exaggeration of any part of the dog would reduce his effectiveness at work

It was first registered in 1970 as American Pit Bulldog with the NKC, but was later renamed to the American Bulldog to avoid confusion with the American Pit Bull Terrier.

"Samson" American Bulldog puppy at Doggehouse
photo: Rowland Evans

The principal architects of today's American Bulldog are Allen Scott and John D. Johnson. Before they renamed the breed to 'American Bulldog' the dogs were known by a variety of different regional names: Southern White, Hill Bulldog, Country Bulldog, White Bulldog, White English Bulldog, English White, and commonly just "Bulldog". 

 As well as having varying names according to region, they also had local bloodline variations in appearance and size and also differences according to the tasks intended of them by their breeders and this is part of the reason why the American Bulldog breed conformation standards laid down by the registries allow for such a wide variation in type.

Mr. Scott with Apache
photo courtesy: Doggehouse Bulldogs

Initially Scott and Johnson had similar dogs and they freely bred and traded dogs with each other.  Johnson's Dick the Bruiser and Scott's Mac the Masher were their foundation dogs. These two dogs were Old Southern Whites. Alan Scott and John D Johnson scoured the mountains and valleys of those Southern states looking for bulldogs and buying up those that they liked and they began a breeding program together.

.

Johnson's Dick the Bruiser

Later on they had a falling out and JDJ began to develop and refine his trademark heavier-built style of American Bulldog. From the breeding programs of these two men, two distinct strains have emerged, commonly called the Johnson type or the Bully/Classic class and the Scott type or Standard/Performance class.

Scott's Mac the Masher

 

The main registries have subdivided the breed standard into these two distinct phenotypes, but these distinct types having diverged and having been diluted it is now more appropriate to talk about five types of american bulldogs. 

Dragonian White Diamond of Barkers
Photo: Dragonian American bulldogs UK

The American Bulldog's character is alert and inquisitive, bold and fearless without being hostile or overly aggressive.  His very stable temperament makes him an outstanding companion dog and home guard dog, protective of his family.  He works well with other breeds and gets along with other pets if raised with them.  He is not the type of dog to wait for a command, but can assess the situation by himself and react appropriately and concentrate on the task at hand without being distracted.  Yet when called off by their owner, they immediately obey.

American bulldogs have excelled in competition in the States, especially Schutzhund and similar disciplines.

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Dogo Argentino

American Bulldog

Introduction

The American bulldog is a breed of domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris). There are generally considered to be three types of American bulldog: the Bully or Classic type, the Standard or Performance type and the Hybrid type. They may also be called the Johnson type or the Scott
type. These types are named after the breeders who were influential in
developing them, John D. Johnson (Bully) and Alan Scott (Standard).
American Bulldogs are thought to be descended from working type bulldogs
found commonly on ranches and farms in the Southern and Midwestern
parts of the United States.

Contents [hide] 1 Description 1.1 Appearance 1.2 Temperament 2 History 2.1 History in Spain and England 2.2 History in the United States 2.3 Recent history 3 Health 4 American Bulldogs in popular culture 5 See also 6 References 7 External links

[edit] Description

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[edit] Appearance

American bulldogs are known to have different colored irises, also known as, Heterochromia

The American bulldog is a stocky, well built, strong-looking dog with
very powerful jaws, a very large head, and a very muscular build. Its coat
is short and generally smooth. The breed is a light to moderate
shedder. Colors, while historically predominantly white with patches of
red or brindle, have grown in recent years to include many color
patterns: including red, brown, fawn and all shades of brindle. The
color conformation is quite varied, but blue, tri-color, black and tan
or any degree of merle is a breed undesirable and considered a fault or
disqualification by most breed standards. Black pigmentation on the nose
and eye rims is preferred, with only some pink allowed. Eye color is
usually brown but split eyes (one blue and one brown) also occurs.
American Bulldogs can be droolers; this varies and is more prevalent in
the Bully type. This type is generally a larger, heavier dog with a
shorter muzzle. Standard or Performance types are generally more
athletic with longer muzzles and a more square head. It is important to
note that many modern American Bulldogs are a combination of the two
types usually termed "hybrid." In general, American Bulldogs weigh
between 27 to 54 kg (60 to 120 lb) and are 52 to 70 cm
(20 to 28 in) at the withers, but have been known to greatly exceed in that "out of standard", nonworking stock.

An American bulldog with the classic white and brindle coat. Note the large heard and powerful jaws.

[edit] Temperament

A Standard-type American Bulldog.

A Bully-type American Bulldog

American Bulldogs are typically confident, social and active dogs
that are at ease with their families. They bond strongly with their
owners. Young American Bulldogs may be slightly aloof with strangers but
as they mature the breed's normal confidence should assert itself. This
breed tolerates children and can do very well with them, provided they
are socialized
early and understand their limits. The more exposure to good training
practices, other dogs and people, the more likely the success at being
controlled both inside and outside of their environment. Early training
and socialization both in the home and outside of the home is essential
for this breed. One way to help accomplish this goal can be done in the
simplest of ways, by walking them regularly at local parks. While its
genetics and breeding were to produce a working farm utility dog that
could catch and hold wild boar and cattle, kill vermin, and guard an
owner's property, when properly trained, exercised and socialized, this
breed can become a great family pet.Bulldogs are very protective of
their owners. The tendency towards dog aggression is not uncommon in
this breed especially as they reach social maturity at around 2 years of
age.
Purebred American Bulldogs are excellent tracking, obedience,
working, guard and family dogs; being true, some American Bulldogs are
not tolerant of unknown creatures or people on/near/approaching "their"
property/area/vehicles and sometimes even not so familiar friends and
family when owner is not present. Assertiveness (charging-rushing)
towards other dogs even when outside of territory/property is not
uncommon. American Bulldogs are known to be a very dominant breed, but
should not be hostile on neutral territory (in other words, nowhere near
their home). American Bulldogs generally do not engage unless seriously
provoked. The breed is also noted for having an extremely high pain
tolerance.
Puppies have been noted for being friendly and carefree (1–8 months),
such as no cares around strangers at home, and friendliness towards all
animals (except ones fleeing from danger). Young adult American
Bulldogs may display some aloofness towards strangers but they likely
will not be cowardly or shy. Generally by 18 months or so the breed's
natural confidence will likely assert itself - then maturing and
developing into an alert, protective, smart and all-around companion.
This breed's high prey drive can sometimes make them unsuitable for
homes that have cats and smaller pets, but the correct socialization at
an early age (see above, temperament) will greatly increase the chances
of them accepting these animals.
The characteristics of Heterochromia is not a positive genetic trait though benign.

[edit] History

[edit] History in Spain and England

The history of Mastiff-type dogs in the British Isles predates the arrival of Caesar. With the arrival of the Normans in 1066 came Spanish Alaunts
from the continent. The breeding of the indigenous mastiffs to the
newly arrived ones produced the Mastiff and bulldog of England. An
interesting side note is that all descriptions of the Spanish Alaunts
(there were three types) mention an all white, or mostly white coat.
In Spain and England during the 17th and 18th centuries, bulldogs were used on farms to catch and hold
livestock, as butchers' dogs, as guardians, as well as for other tasks.
Many settlers brought these dogs with them to help around the farm,
hunt in the woods, guard property, and for gambling and sport.
In 1835, the sport of bull-baiting was outlawed in Spain and the United Kingdom and, over time, the bulldog
became a common pet, being bred into today's more compact and
complacent version. The product was as much from the efforts of
selectively bred bulldogs as it was the introduction of the pug.
However, some strains of bulldog type dogs maintained their utilitarian
purpose, and thus underwent fewer modifications, even as their
popularity declined in favor of other breeds. Even the slight
modifications the bulldog underwent in Spain and England up to the
Industrial Revolution (before 1835), were absent in the working strains.
Most settlers of the American South came from the West Midlands of
England and emigrated as a result of the Civil War between Royalists and Parliamentarians,
well before the Industrial Revolution). Bulldogs in Spain and England
were originally working dogs who drove and caught cattle and guarded
their masters' property.

A female American bulldog puppy at 14 weeks.

[edit] History in the United States

The original bulldog was preserved by working class immigrants who
brought their working dogs with them to the American South. Small
farmers and ranchers used this all-around working dog for many tasks
including farm guardians, stock dogs and catch dog.
These dogs were not an actual breed as considered by today's standards
but were a generic bulldog type. There were no recorded pedigrees or
records and breeding decisions were dependent on the best working farm
dogs despite breed or background. Several separate strains of the
"bulldog" type dogs were kept by ranchers as utilitarian working dogs.
By the end of World War II, however, these bulldog type strains were
becoming extinct. Mr. John D. Johnson, a returning war veteran, decided
to resurrect this breed. He found many of the best specimens of these
working type dogs and started recording pedigrees and family trees. His
aim was to produce a large farm guardian-type bulldog, reminiscent of
the bulldogs of old. Later Alan Scott and several other breeders joined
Johnson's efforts to resurrect and recreate the old time bulldogs.
Johnson and Scott began to carefully breed American bulldogs, keeping
careful records and always with an eye for maintaining the breed's
health and working abilities. Initially Johnson and Scott had a similar
vision and even traded dogs with each other. However in time there was a
split between their visions and resulted in the two distinct types of
American Bulldog. Alan Scott preferred a smaller more athletic dog with a
longer muzzle that could be used for cattle catching as well as wild
boar hunting. John Johnson preferred a larger more massive dog with a
shorter muzzle that was more of a guardian type dog. Over time the two
founding breeders as well as important breeders crossed in other breeds
to help meet their goal of the ideal working bulldog. Originally the
breed was called the American Pit Bulldog and in the 1970s registered
with the National Kennel Club (NKC) as such. Later the name was changed to American Bulldog to avoid confusion with the American Pit Bull Terrier. The American bulldog was recognized by the United Kennel Club on January 1, 1999. Currently the breed is recognized by the NKC, UKC, and the American Bulldog Association (ABA) And the SACBR www.sacbr.co.za South Africa.
Perhaps the most important role of the bulldog and the reason for its
survival, and in fact why it thrived throughout the South, was because
of the presence of feral pigs, introduced to the New World and without predators.^[1] The bulldogs were the settlers' only means of sufficiently dealing with the vermin. By World War II,
the breed was near extinction until John D. Johnson and his father
scoured the backroads of the South looking for the best specimens to
revive the breed. During this time a young Alan Scott grew an interest
in Mr. Johnson's dogs and began to work with him on the revitalization
process. At some point, Alan Scott began infusing non-Johnson catch
bulldogs from working southern farms with John D. Johnson's line
creating the now Standard American Bulldog. At another point, Mr.
Johnson began crossing his line with an atavistic English bulldog from
the North that had maintained its genetic athletic vigor. This created a
falling out between Johnson and Scott causing them to go their separate
ways and breed the two significantly different versions of the American
bulldog. Also, in the year 2010, the breed of American Bulldogs was
awarded the best breed of the decade.

[edit] Recent history

American bulldogs are now safe from extinction and are enjoying a
healthy increase in popularity, either as a working/protector dog or as a
family pet. All over the world, they are used variously as "hog dogs"

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Cats

The cat (Felis catus), also known as the domestic cat or housecat^[5] to distinguish it from other felids and felines, is a small, usually furry, domesticated, carnivorous mammal that is valued by humans for its companionship and for its ability to hunt vermin and household pests. Cats have been associated with humans for at least 9,500 years,^[6] and are currently the most popular pet in the world.^[7] Owing to their close association with humans, cats are now found almost everywhere in the world.
Cats are similar in anatomy to the other felids, with strong, flexible bodies, quick reflexes, sharp retractable claws, and teeth adapted to killing small prey. As nocturnal predators, cats use their acute hearing and ability to see in near darkness to locate prey. Not only can cats hear sounds too faint for human ears, they can also hear sounds higher in frequency than humans can perceive. This is because the usual prey of cats (particularly rodents such as mice) make high frequency noises, so the hearing of the cat has evolved to pinpoint these faint high-pitched sounds. Cats also have a much better sense of smell than humans.
Despite being solitary hunters, cats are a social species and use a variety of vocalizations, pheromones and types of body language for communication. These include meowing, purring, trilling, hissing, growling, and grunting.^[8]
Cats have a rapid breeding rate. Under controlled breeding, they can be bred and shown as registered pedigree pets, a hobby known as cat fancy. Failure to control the breeding of pet cats by spaying and neutering and the abandonment of former household pets has resulted in large numbers of feral cats worldwide, with a population of up to 60 million of these animals in the United States alone.^[9]
As The New York Times wrote in 2007, "Until recently the cat was commonly believed to have been domesticated in ancient Egypt, where it was a cult animal",^[10] but a study that year revealed that the lines of descent of all house cats probably run through as few as five self-domesticating African Wildcats (Felis silvestris lybica) c. 8000 BC, in the Near East.^[4] The earliest direct evidence of cat domestication is a kitten that was buried alongside a human 9,500 years ago in Cyprus.

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Camel (SHEP OF THE DESRT)

A camel is an even-toed ungulate within the genus Camelus, bearing distinctive fatty deposits known as humps on its back. There are two species of camels: the dromedary or Arabian camel has a single hump, and the bactrian has two humps. Dromedaries are native to the dry desert areas of West Asia, and Bactrian camels are native to Central and East Asia. Both species are domesticated; they provide milk and meat, and are working animals.
The term camel (from the Arabic جمل, ǧml, derived from the triconsonantal root signifying "beauty") is also used more broadly to describe any of the six camel-like creatures in the family camelidae: the two true camels, and the four South American camelids: the llama, alpaca, guanaco, and vicuña.
The average life expectancy of a camel is 40 to 50 years. A fully grown adult camel stands 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) at the shoulder and 2.15 m (7 ft 1 in)^{[clarification needed]} at the hump. The hump rises about 30 in (76.20 cm) out of its body. Camels can run at up to 65 km/h (40 mph) in short bursts and sustain speeds of up to 40 km/h (25 mph).
Fossil evidence indicates that the ancestors of modern camels evolved in North America during the Palaeogene period (see also Camelops), and later spread to most parts of Asia. The people of ancient Somalia or the Kingdom of Punt first domesticated camels well before 2000 BC

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