Breed Profile - Wheaten Terrier

From left to right: Delanee, Bailee & Riley (with a photobomb by Lilith)

Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers, or Wheaten Terrier for short, are playful, friendly and alert dogs. They make great guard dogs, but won't bark just for the sake of barking. They are a very intelligent, need a strong, consistent owner who is able to socialize him and teach boundaries and manners. Wheatens can and will take over control if they don't feel their owner is confident. This can lead to dog-aggression and dominance issues if not dealt with quickly.

They can make great apartment dogs because they shed very little, and aside from a bark or two if guests arrive, they tend not to bark. Wheatens are very loyal, good with kids, other dogs and cats, if socialized properly as a puppy. As long as they get plenty of exercise (both mental and physical) they will be perfectly happy living in an apartment.

We have three Wheaten Terriers at Pet U. Sisters Bailee and Delanee have been coming to us since we opened, and I know they were thrilled to meet their new brother Riley late last year! Riley is the most outgoing of the three at daycare. He is very athletic and loves to play fetch. He always comes racing when we call him, and happily settles in for a back scratch.

Bailee and Delanee are much more reserved, but will leap and wrestle and race with each other when the mood strikes. Delanee is the biggest cuddler of the three, and Bailee likes the most independence.

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Breed Profile - West Highland Terrier

Last week we had an adorable West Highland Terrier puppy join the group! Trying to take pictures of him was a little difficult since he is so small and squirmy, which is right on par if you plan on adopting one of these hardy little dogs.

Don't mind Bella, the killer robot dog, in the background :) 

The Westie is a compact, energetic, confident little dog. This breed needs strong, confident and consistent leadership. Without it, they are prone to Small Dog Syndrome, where the dog takes the position of pack leader over their owner. This syndrome can lead to behavioral issues including biting, food guarding, and dog-to-dog issues.

With correct leadership, the Westie can be an exceptional family dog. They are smart, like to learn, and love being around people. As a bonus, they can also make great watch dogs! They can do great in an apartment, if they are taken on daily walks and get plenty of exercise.

Toby, the Westie here in daycare, is exceptionally friendly with all the dogs and the staff. He's always on the move, and so far hasn't met a dog he doesn't like. Despite his small size he doesn't get scared off easily by the bigger dogs. He's a force to be reckoned with, that's for sure!

Breed Profile - Siberian Husky

We've gained quite a few new Siberian Huskies over the last few weeks, so it was only fitting to highlight them this week. Nakota and Leela have been long time clients, and Leela was featured as our dog of the month in November.

The two sisters have endless amounts of energy, and trying to lure them inside on a snowy day? Forget it. They used to just run around alone outside, until Maverick and Shyla joined the bunch. Now, the four of them can found racing and wrestling outside for hours on end! They love it!

This breed is intelligent, happy-go-lucky and very social. They need lots of exercise to keep them happy, and require a strong-minded owner who knows who the pack leader is.  Huskies aren't the ideal dog for apartment life, but if you are able to give them the proper amount of exercise and devote time to training them, they will be happy. They make wonderful family dogs and are great with kids!

 

Breed Profile - Bernese Mountain Dog

I know you all have been loving the pictures of Ziva on facebook. Isn't she a cutie?

She is a 5 month old Bernese Mountain Dog puppy, although she definitely has an old soul.

The Bernese Mountain Dog is one of the four varieties of Swiss Mountain Dogs. Nicknamed Berners, they were originally bred as working farm dogs because of their strength and calm, even temperaments.

Berners require consistent obedience training, and need a decent amount of exercise. Because of their long hair and double coat, they require weekly brushing and will leave hair all over the house. Males can weight between 80 and 110 pounds, with females just slightly smaller.

They make wonderful family dogs and are great with children, but would be much happier in a house with a large backyard than in an apartment.

I can't speak for all Bernese Mountain Dog puppies, but Ziva at least is quite well-behaved. We joke around and say "Ziva, you're a puppy! Act like a puppy!" She loves to be crazy for a few minutes and then sits demurely by the side of the playgroup, watching the craziness unfold around her.

And of course, she LOVES to be outside. Even in this winter's unusual cold, we still have to grab her collar and lead her back inside.

Breed Profile - Puggle

Puggles have been quite popular lately at Pet U, so I couldn't think of a better breed for our 2nd Breed Profile. If you didn't pick it up from the name, a Puggle is a mix between a Pug and a Beagle.

As the Puggle is not yet officially recognized as a breed, there is no uniformity among the dogs.

Puggle puppies can have any combination of the parent’s characteristics, and even puppies within the same litter can have completely different appearances and temperaments.

In general, they have a slightly less wrinkly face than a Pug, and a slightly stockier body than a Beagle. They often keep the beagle howl, and share the easy-going friendly attitude of both breeds.

Puggles make ideal apartment dogs because of their low to moderate activity levels. A quick brush once a week is enough to keep their coat clean, although be aware that they do shed a lot. They are smart dogs, but both Pugs and Beagles are known for being stubborn, so most likely your Puggle will be too.

Here in daycare, we have 4 Puggles: Barkley, Stosh, Chazz and Dee. They are all are great with the other dogs, and very friendly. They are among the first daycare dogs to run out of energy, and then enjoy a great cuddle session to round out the day. Chazz and Dee, the tan and black dogs on the bench, are brother and sister. They spend the day together and have a great time racing around and wrestling!

Breed Profile - Brazilian Mastiff

This is a new series focusing on the many daycare dogs that come through our doors, from the unusual breeds to those that we all know and love. This is a chance to meet our dogs one by one, and maybe learn a little something along the way. Kicking off the series is Miss Kitty, a Fila Brasiliero, or Brazilian Mastiff. She is the largest dog that we have at Pet U, and she’s only 1 year old!

The Fila is a natural guard dog, and will make an extremely loyal and loving member of your family. With that said, they need an experienced owner who is able to assert himself as the pack leader. They stand between 23.5 and 29.5 inches at the shoulder, and weigh 110 - 160 pounds, with females being slightly smaller than the males. As a puppy they require lots of socialization, but even then they will still be wary around strangers. This is NOT a dog for the average owner; as they require lots of skill and hard work to be raised properly!

Miss Kitty has won over all of our hearts, and luckily we’ve won over hers as well. She has a blast whenever she’s her for boarding! She’s very playful, but then runs out of steam after just a few hours. She loves to take long naps, and to cuddle up whenever possible. Once in a while she gets a burst of energy and leads all of the other dogs on a massive game of chase through the back yard. It’s fun to watch her in an all-out sprint!