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The Alaskan Malamute is friendly, loving, and loyal, but has an independent nature.  This breed is about 21 to 28 inches in height, and usually weighs between 64 and 125 pounds.  The Alaskan Malamute is a working bred, and has an average life span of 12 years.  This breed has a dense double coat, with a thick, coarse outer coat, and a greasy, wooly undercoat.  Alaskan Malamutes grow their coats in the winter and shed in the spring.  Their coat can be either pure white, or a mixture of white with gray, sable, black, or red with white legs and muzzle.  The Alaskan Malamute’s name hints at their origins, because Malamute literally translates to “village of the Mahle.”  Alaskan Malamutes were bred as working sled dogs used for hauling heavy freight and hunting. They became endangered by interbreeding during the Alaskan gold rush of 1896, but the breed was rescued by a breeder and Alaskan Malamute enthusiast in New England in the 1920’s. The Alaskan Malamute has become increasingly popular since then.  They retain their puppy-like energy into adulthood, but usually calm down as they got older.  Alaskan Malamutes are loyal, and bond very closely with their master.  Alaskan Malamutes enjoy living outdoors as long as they have enough human companionship.  Alaskan Malamutes, for the most part, are quiet, but may howl on occasion, and enjoy digging.  They get along well with children, especially older children. In most cases, Alaskan Malamutes are too friendly to make good watch dogs. The Alaskan Malamute needs to be watched around smaller breeds or other pets because they have a strong prey instinct. Alaskan Malamutes of the same gender may be aggressive to one another. In order for the Alaskan Malamute to get along with other pets early socialization is crucial.  Alaskan Malamute’s don’t requre a lot of grooming, but they do need to be combed with a coarse comb while shedding.  Alaskan Malamutes need plenty of water, shade and air conditioning when living in warm areas, as they are not suited for hot climates.  This breed is susceptible to obesity, so you must be careful not to overfeed your Alaskan Malamute because they will eat everything they are fed.  This breed requires a lot of exercise, usually at least an hour a day.  Alaskan Malamutes love to pull a wagon or sled, running, and roaming. If Alaskan Malamutes aren’t exercised properly they may become depressed and aggressive.  The Alaskan Malamute became famous after assisting in Admiral Byrd’s trek to the South Pole in 1933, and served as pack dogs and search-and-rescue dogs in World War II. The Alaskan Malamute may be confused with the Siberian Husky, the oldest of Arctic sled dogs.  The Alaskan Malamute is ideal for companionship, sled pulling and sledge racing. The Alaskan Malamute is suitable for both house or country life, and enjoys the outdoors and colder climates. The Alaskan Malamute is too friendly to make a good guard dog, and prefers to have a family.

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The Akita is an intelligent breed with a powerful presence.  It is a working breed, and reaches an average height of 20 to 28 inches, and average male weight of 70 to 100 pounds (female weight: 70 to 100 pounds).  The life expectancy for the Akita is 10 to 14 years.  The Akita’s coat can be red, white, and streaked.  Pinto is accepted for teh American breed, but not for the Japanese breed.  The Japanese Akita closely resembles the larger Shiba Inu.  The Akita has a double coat. The outer coat is composed of straight, coarse hair, and the undercoat is soft and dense. The hair on the head and legs is short. The Akita sheds twice a year.  The Akita may also be known as the Japanese Akita, the Akita Inu, and the Akita Ken. A common adage for the Akita is ‘tender in heart, strong in strength.’  The Akita was originally bred as a fighting dog in the medieval times. It was later redeveloped in the 1800’s as an effort to restore several ancient Japanese breeds.  Akitas have strong hunting instincts, and are intelligent and calm, yet spontaneous, which makes them good watchdogs.  The noble, kind qualities of the Akita make it a great companion.  The Akita originated in Japan, and is the largest and most widely recognized Japanese breed.  In medieval times the Akita was bred as a fighting dog, but it was redeveloped int he 1800’s in an effort to preserve the breed.  The Akita was designated a natural Japanese monument in 1931.  The Akita needs to be brushed weekly to remove dead hair, and requires grooming with a metal-toothed comb twice a year during shedding.  The Akita only needs to be bathed when absolutely necessary.  Use a mild shampoo to avoid removed natural oils from the coat.  The hair needs to be trimmed from the bottom of their webbed feet occasionally.  Akitas need a lot of food and exercise, and it is important to establish the dominance heirarchy early on.  This breed needs much physical and mental stimulation.  They need to be walked on a leash daily, and provided with an area where they can play.  Akitas love to interact with their family.  Akitas are especially recognized for the traits – love and loyalty – that make it a great companion and protector.

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The Airedale Terrier is a loyal, but stubborn breed.  Airedale Terriers are intelligent, active, and playful. Barking is infrequent with this breed. Airedale Terriers can be mischevious, and are very courageous. The Airedale Terrier is patient with children and tolerant of other household pets. However, it may try to dominate other dogs if not trained properly. Airedale Terriers are always fearless and alert, but not aggressive.  Some Airedale Terriers can be shy, and may be spooked by strangers.  The average Airedale Terrier is 22 to 24 inches in height, and weighs 44 to 50 pounds.  The Airedale Terrier has an average lifespan of 13 years.  The Airedale Terrier’s coat is tan with black markings on the back and sides.  The black may be mingled with gray and white, called “grizzle.”  The Airedale Terrier is sturdy, muscular, powerful, and well-balanced.  The Airedale Terrier has a smooth, hard, wire-haired outer coat with a short, soft undercoat, and doesn’t shed heavily.  The Airedale Terrier may also be known as “King of the Terriers,” the “Waterside Terrier,” the “Working Terrier,” or the “Bingley Terrier.”

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The Afghan Hound is a beautiful, majestic breed.  The average male Afghan Hound is 26 to 28 inches in height, and the average female is 24 to 26 inches in height.  On average, the Afghan Hound weighs 44 to 66 pounds.  Their average lifespan is 12 to 14 years.  Afghan Hounds make great pets, and are good with children.  The Afghan Hound has a long, silky, fine coat of hair that may be any color, and may or may not have a black face mask.  The Afghan Hound was originally bred to hunt gazelle, foxes, and rabbits, and their coat helped them to survive in the harsh weather of the mountains.  The Afghan Hound was later bred for Egyptian royalty.  The Afghan Hound is calm indoors, but fast and active outdoors, and has a tendency to chase small game.  It is very intelligent, noble, and proud. The Afghan Hound may be compared to a cat in that it is affectionate yet standoffish, and may not come when called. The Afghan Hound is loyal and kind, but is very sensitive and needs to be treated with care, especially by young children.  The Afghan Hound requires very meticulous grooming to maintain their beautiful coat, so be prepared to spend some time grooming your pet, or taking him on frequent trips to the groomer.  The Afghan Hound is great for families, companionship, as a guard dog, for hunting, and is comfortable in any climate, though plenty of water must be provided to prevent overheating. Apartment life is not recommended for the Afghan Hound, and the Afghan Hound must receive plenty of exercise and given space to run and play.

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The Affenpinscher is a small dog that usually reaches a shoulder height of 9 to 12 inches, and weighs an average of 6 to 9 pounds.  The average life span of the Affenpinscher is 14 to 15 years.  The Affenpinscher is good with children, and is ideal for companionship.  It is suited for life in both the country and the city.  The Affenpinscher has a coarse, swirled, black coat, but may sometimes be brown or gray.  The Affenpinscher’s name was actually derived from the German name for monkey, “affe,” so, fittingly, it is sometimes referred to as the “monkey dog.”  The Affenpinscher may also be called the “Affen.”  The Affenpinscher was bred to hunt small rodents, and has a personality similar to that of most terriers, although the Affenpinscher actually belongs to the pinscher-schnauzer family.  The Affenpinscher should never have its coat clipped, but may need to be plucked by a groomer on occasion.  Affenpinschers are intelligent, friendly, loyal, alert, spunky and lively. They are highly defensive of their food, toys, and territory, and have a tendency to snap or attack if irritated. The Affenpinscher will defend its family when necessary, though given its small size it is not particularly recommended as a watch dog.  Words to describe the Affenpinscher are alert, inquisitive, intelligent, loyal, affectionate, intense, serious, fearless, humorous, amusing, loving, devoted, confident, inquisitive, lively, enchanting, smug, stubborn, and obstinate.

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