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Interesting facts

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DALMATIANS used to follow carriages, usually in pairs, to help fight off highwaymen. They are born white and develop spots later. DOGS used to be sent into burning buildings to rescue people when the firemen wouldn't go!

PEKINESE were known as "lion dogs" in China and used to be kept up the sleeves of mandarins (the kings, not the oranges!). This served two purposes - they were secret body guards and were also said to keep the fleas off their owners.

POODLES Standard poodles (the big ones) were bred as gundogs. Their hair, unlike that of most dogs, keeps growing all the time and it was found it hampered their swimming. Unfortunately, when it was cut short, they suffered from rheumatism, arthritis and kidney problems because of the reduced insulation. It became fashionable to cut most of the hair but leave it longer over the joints and kidneys to keep these parts of the body warm; variations on this are still seen in the show ring. Hair ribbons were tied in working poodles' top-knots so that owners could see by the ribbon colour which dog was which when the dogs were swimming. Again, this is still done as decoration today.

THERE is no such thing as a golden Labrador. To prevent confusion with the Golden Retriever (a different breed entirely) they are known as "yellow". Most brown dogs are called "liver" but Labradors are known as "Chocolate".   THOUSANDS of dachshunds were put down, beaten or tortured in the UK during the Second World War because they were used as the symbol of Hitler's Germany. Owners who kept them were insulted and ignored by neighbours who thought of them as unpatriotic.

THERE is no difference between a German Shepherd Dog and an Alsatian. The breed known as GSD became unpopular during the war when anything German was disliked and the name was changed to Alsatian (Alsace was on our side). A few years ago the Kennel Club changed it back again.