BACKGROUND The pendulous ears, soft gentle expression, sturdy build and friendly, wagging tail proclaim the English Springer Spaniel unmistakably as a member of the ancient family of spaniels. It is the largest of the land spaniels and was originally used to find and spring game for the nets, or the falcon carried by hunters. AVERAGE LIFESPAN This ancient breed of dog normally lives to 10 years of age, but ...

BACKGROUND They started out in England as Toy Manchester Terriers, progressed to Toy Black and Tans, then to Miniature Black and Tans and in 1962 took their present title of English Toy Terrier. Despite its small size, it still retains the ability to hunt vermin, inherited from its Manchester Terrier forebears, and can be an excellent ratter. The Italian Greyhound is also believed to been used in its develo ...

BACKGROUND English Setters are gun dogs. The breed was known in England in Elizabethan times, although the modern English Setter was developed only during the last century. Used by hunters to locate upland game such as quail and partridge, the breed is enthusiastic when at work, having a keen game sense. In the field it ranges out from the hunter and on locating game, drops before it in a crouch. This insti ...

BACKGROUND The Deerhound, the Royal Dog of Scotland, was bred in the Highlands and Western Isles of Scotland. Bred to run down, catch and kill the red deer, it is built for speed and stamina. Revered for its courage and tenacity as a stag hunter, it was not until the introduction of improved firearms that its skills were no longer in great demand. Deerhounds have been in Australia since early colonial times ...

BACKGROUND The Dandie Dinmont Terrier is an old Scottish breed whose origins began in the 18th Century. Originally owned by gypsies, these dogs were known as the Pepper and Mustard Terrier. For many years their popularity was limited to the border country between England and Scotland where they were much prized for their hardiness, hunting prowess and amiable disposition. It was only in the early 19th Centu ...

BACKGROUND The origin of the Dachshund has been lost in antiquity and there is much conjecture as to its origin. However, it is generally accepted that the breed came to prominence in Germany where it was used by foresters and noblemen to hunt badger, fox and rabbits in dense forests where a larger animal would have difficulty in pursuing its quarry. The Dachshund is a unique breed in that there are three d ...

BACKGROUND As the name suggests, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel proudly traces its ancestry back to the royal courts of England. King Charles II, was devoted to his dogs - almost to the point of addiction. They travelled with him everywhere and the sign "Beware of the Dog" originated in his court, meaning not that they were dangerous, but rather don't tread on them. Contrary to popular belief they do not ...

BACKGROUND The one genetically distinctive characteristic of this breed is its curly coat, and the general opinion is that the St. John's Newfoundland, the Irish Water Spaniel and the Old English Water Dog and the Poodle all lent something to the breed's origins. It is believed that "Curlies" first came to Australia with the early settlers in the 1800s. AVERAGE LIFESPAN Curly Coated Retrievers can live up t ...

BACKGROUND The Clumber Spaniel was developed by the Dukes of Newcastle and their gamekeepers. The breed takes its modern name from the Duke of Newcastle's Nottingham country estate of Clumber Park, which is now a National Trust property and lies in the north of the famous Sherwood Forest. The Clumber was developed to support the Dukes and gamekeepers in hunting this and nearby estates that were usually cove ...

BACKGROUND The Chinese Crested Dog has been known in China since the 13th Century, where it was developed during the Hang Dynasty into the two types seen today. These are the fine, elegant "deer" type and the heavier boned "cobby" type. The hairless vary in degree of coat from no body hair to those having a fine down similar to that found on a human arm, but all have the characteristic "cresting" that helps ...