While little dog breeds can be more temperamental and high-strung than their larger counterparts, their diminutive size provides an advantage during house-training. Tethering a dog to your side or quickly urging him to an appropriate elimination area is easier and more efficient when he weighs 5 pounds rather than 75.

Get on a Schedule

Housebreaking is just as much about training yourself as it is about training your dog. Get into a regular routine of taking your dog to his appropriate elimination spot. Potty training generally begins to be effective after 6 weeks of age — no eariler. You can expect your pup to “hold it” for about one hour per month of age, plus one hour — so an 8-week-old pup should go out for potty breaks, at minimum, every two to three hours or within 10 or 15 minutes of eating, drinking or chewing. It’s tempting to pick up a tiny dog and take him outside when it’s time to go potty, but it’s better to train the dog to go under his own volition when you command. A common strategy for training is to use a key word, such as, “Outside,” regularly. Use a leash, and go out the same door every time to encourage good outside bathroom habits.

Tether Your Pup

While it’s tough to attach a big dog to your side via leash all afternoon as a way to watch for potty indicators, it’s much easier to take this approach with a small dog. If your pup is sneaking off to do his business in an inappropriate location or has regular accidents, keep his leash on him when you’re at home and tie the leash to your belt or wrist. Keeping your dog under constant supervision will help you recognize signs that it’s time to “go.” Take your pup to his designated spot, praise him for going to the bathroom and reward him with a treat.

Make Bathroom Places Safe

Individual dogs of smaller breeds can be intimidated by the great outdoors, so make sure your designated outdoor bathroom area feels like a safe place so your puppy will be comfortable doing his business without fear. If possible, avoid high-traffic areas, thick woods, tall grasses or areas that larger animals frequent. If your small dog gets frightened when it’s bathroom time, it can inhibit your housebreaking efforts. Opt for a secluded, and perhaps even fenced, area for your pup to do his business in solitude.

Clean Up Accidents

Little dogs have little accidents, sometimes so small that you won’t even notice them until the smell starts to accumulate. Keep an eye out for accidents, and clean them thoroughly with an enzymatic cleaner to remove all traces of odor and prevent remarking. Invest in a black-light pee detector, and use it regularly during the housebreaking process to ensure accidents don’t go unnoticed and untreated.

Indoor Potty Options

You can successfully housebreak some small breeds to pee pads or an indoor potty, which can be especially beneficial if you live in an apartment or condo, or if you’re housebound. Follow the same outdoor housebreaking guidelines using a designated spot in your home, preferably in a low-traffic area that’s out of the way, like a bathroom or a laundry room — a room without carpet serves best.

Certain dog breeds have a distinct ability to grow long, thick hair that looks like dreadlocks or ropes. This occurs when the top coat intertwines with the soft, fluffy undercoat, creating locks of felted hair known as “cords.” If you want to purchase a canine companion that looks unique and will turn heads while walking down the street, consider a dog with a corded coat. Their mop-like appearance and bouncing dreadlocks will get people talking.

Bergamasco Sheepdog

A native of Iran, the Bergamasco sheepdog has a thick coat comprised of three types of hair. This includes a smooth, oily undercoat, which adheres to the skin, forming a moisture barrier; a course layer of “goat hair” and the woolly top hair. As the hair grows, it weaves together forming what looks like dreadlocks or ropes. By the time your Bergamasco is 5 years old, he will have a long, fully corded coat that reaches to the ground.

Puli

The puli has been bred as a sheepdog in Hungary for more than 2,000 years. The coat begins to cord when a puli is 9 months of age. During this time, your puli’s hair will stand straight out until the coat grows long enough to form ropes. Examine the cords on a weekly basis to ensure they stay separate and do not get tangled with one another, which can create a painful mat.

Komondor

The komondor originates from Hungary where it was used to guard sheep and herdsmen. The breed is known as the “king of guard dogs.” Their long white, corded coat and impressive size commands instant respect. Male komondor’s average 27.5 inches in height and females stand 25.5 inches tall. A komondor’s long rope-like hair easily picks up leaves, twigs and debris, which need to be hand-picked out of the coat daily.

Spanish Water Dog and Poodle

With a history dating back to 1110 AD, the Spanish water dog was used to herd sheep, goats and cattle in Spain for centuries. They are considered a single coat breed as they posses a sparse undercoat. Their curly and slightly woolly hair will twist together, forming cords. Poodles also can display a corded coat, which was extremely popular during the Victorian era. However, their hair does not form cords naturally. It is up to you to allow the coat to grow long and carefully separate the curly locks.

Coat Care

Corded breeds should only be bathed one to three times annually. Bathing is a time-consuming process. Lather each cord with a mild shampoo containing tea tree oil. Rinse thoroughly. Squeeze the cords with your hand to remove excess water. Pat the coat dry with a towel. Never rub as this can cause the cords to tangle. The coat must be dried thoroughly to prevent mildew and odor. If the weather is warm, you can let your pet dry in the sun. Otherwise use a pet dryer that blows cool air. The drying process can take up to 12 hours.

The pug is not the only dog with a pug nose, but because of his name he stands out from the rest. In veterinary terms, he’s a brachycephalic dog. This term refers to a number of breeds with a broad, flat-shaped skull and “squished” nose. This physical characteristic makes it difficult for these dogs to breathe because they have a very short nasal passage.

Brachycephalic Breeds

Apart from the pug, the oriental Pekingese and shih tzu are both brachycephalic. The King Charles spaniel has a pug nose and French bulldogs and Boston terriers share this characteristic. The largest brachycephalic breed is the pugnacious-looking English bulldog. Images of English bulldog skull formation show that in earlier times it had a longer nasal passage, but this has been bred out during the 20th century. In 2009, the UK Kennel Club announced changes to the English bulldog breed standard in order to stop breeders producing dogs with exaggerated characteristics that create health problems.

Ireland: the Emerald Isle, the jewel of Europe. It’s fitting that a country named for a precious stone would produce equally valuable canines. If you share your home with any of the dog breeds that came from Ireland, you’re certain to agree that they’re little jewels in their own right. Ireland is no small island, so it should come as no surprise that it is the country of origin for eight breeds.

Terriers

Terriers are full of determination and spirit, qualities that endear the dogs to the Irish. A total of four breeds of terriers call Ireland home. They vary in size from small to medium. The Irish terrier’s name is a dead-giveaway, a mid-sized working breed who is among the oldest of the terriers. Glen of Imaal terriers also have a name that gives nod to their origins. The little Glens are hunters with a unique talent: the American Kennel Club reports that they would turn a spit over the hearth, doing their part to help prepare dinner. Kerry blue and soft-coated wheaten terriers are the other two medium-sized pooches hailing from Ireland. They were both bred to help out on the farm, herding the livestock and hunting vermin, but the Kerry blue is also accomplished at hunting small game.

Irish Wolf Hound

Rivaling the great Dane for height, the Irish wolf hound is a large, brawny dog who was bred to hunt Irish elk, wild boars and even wolves. In “Dogs: 101 Adorable Breeds,” Racheael Hale writes that this regal breed was exclusively owned by nobility, which was just as well. These big dogs eat a lot, much more than a peasant could afford to feed them. Although they’re impressive hunters, they are such friendly, loving dogs who they don’t make for good watch or guard dogs. No matter. Not many people will give you grief with a big lug like an Irish wolf hound at your side.

Setters

Setters come in two breeds and two colors. Irish setters are a solid red color and actually derived from the bi-colored red and white setters. Both breeds are high-energy pooches, ones who are friendly and playful and make wonderful family dogs. The two types of setters are sporting dogs, but the Irish setters are considered to have a bit of an edge over their red and white cousins.

Irish Water Spaniel

The hunting Irish water spaniel breed isn’t at all what you expect in comparison to its setter relatives. First of all, water spaniels’ color is a drab brownish-grey and, sporting a curly coat and a poufy topknot, they more closely resemble poodles than setters. The double coat of this sporting breed serves a purpose: it’s water repellant. This, along with the breed’s strong swimming skills, makes it the ideal retrieving dog, especially in the cold waters of Ireland’s North Sea.

If your dog produces a litter of “rainbow puppies,” with every puppy looking like a distinctly different type of dog, she might very well have mated with more than one male. That will be especially obvious if you bred your purebred female to a purebred male and ended up with puppies that definitely aren’t that breed. Then you recall she did briefly get loose during her heat cycle…. Canine Reproduction An intact female dog generally comes into heat twice a year, approximately every six months. Small breed dogs experience more estrus cycles, perhaps as many as four per year. Very large breeds, such as great Danes, might only come into heat annually. Most dogs reach puberty at about 6 months of age. You’ll notice a bloody discharge when the cycle starts, but your dog shouldn’t get pregnant at that stage. Between a week to 10 days into the cycle, when the discharge becomes watery, the dog ovulates. However, there’s no truly safe time during heat when she can’t get pregnant, because every dog’s body is different. Multiple Fathers Once female dogs start ovulating, egg release continues over several days. Sperm can survive in the reproductive tract for a week after mating. This means if your dog mated with one dog shortly before ovulation, she could still become impregnated seven days later. Breeders usually recommend two or three matings over a few days to ensure pregnancy. Accidental breedings with different males can just as easily occur over that time period. Avoiding Accidents The easiest way to make sure your dog doesn’t get pregnant is by having her spayed. If that’s not an option because you intend to breed her, ask your vet about prescription hormone medications that can act as canine birth control. When your female dog is receptive to males, not only will she want to get out of the house, but intact male dogs in the area want to get to her. You can’t leave your female dog unsupervised for even a brief period when she’s in heat, and that includes leaving her in your normally secure fenced-in yard. If you take her out for walks, she’s leaving clues that’s she’s available every time she pees. Even if you’ve bred her deliberately, with two or more matings with the same dog, as long as she’s still receptive some strange dog could try his luck. Registration The American Kennel Club, the governing body of purebred dog registration, shows and many canine sports in the United States, recognizes that puppies in a litter might have different dads. While the AKC allows multiple-sired litter registration, the fathers must be the same breed as the mother. In order to register such a litter, the AKC requires DNA testing for the mother, potential sires and all puppies. Once the AKC determines the sires of particular puppies, registration can ensue. If one of the sires was a purebred dog of the same breed as the mother and the other was a different or mixed breed, the AKC might register the purebred puppies if DNA of all parents and puppies is submitted.

If you don’t mind putting away your dark wardrobe, you can choose a white canine in any size. While some breeds have a variety of permissible colors in their conformation standards, at least 14 dog breeds are strictly white, with no spots accepted, according to standard.

Small White Breeds

Small white dogs include the Maltese and bichon frise, both bred for companionship. A less common breed, the Bolognese, resembles the bichon frise. The West Highland white terrier sports the curiosity and drive of the terrier. The Coton de Tulear is named for his cottony white coat. All of these dogs mature at under 15 inches in height.

Medium-Size White Dogs

Originally trained as circus performers, the American Eskimo comes in toy, miniature and standard sizes. The standard size is actually a medium-size dog, between 15 and 19 inches in height. This smart, foxlike dog excels in agility and other canine competitions.

Large White Dogs

Several large white dogs, those maturing over 19 inches tall, originated as sheep guardians. They tend to blend in with the flock. These include the Great Pyrenees, Turkish Akbash, Slovenský Čuvač, Owczarek Podhalansk, maremma, kuvasz and komondor. Sled-pulling was the original purpose of the Samoyed, a northern breed.

Dogs with normal foot physiology have four toes on the hind feet. Some breeds possess a fifth toe on the hind foot, commonly referred to as a dewclaw, but more accurately called polydactyly. Normally located higher up the leg from the other toes, it may or may not come into contact with the ground when the dog runs and plays.

An Evolutionary Throwback

Dogs normally considered to be “flock guardians” present an extra hind toe or dewclaw most frequently. These breeds would include the Anatolian shepherd, Australian shepherd, rottweiler, shih tzu, standard poodle, and many Asian breeds including the shiba inu, akita, jindo, sasparee and Korean tosa. The great Pyrenees is the most commonly known polydactyl canine, and may even present six hind toes. The Norwegian Lundehund may present five toes on both his front and hind feet. In a study supported by the Korean Research Foundation and the Korea Science and Engineering Foundation, scientists came to the conclusion that the presentation of a fifth toe, most accurately called polydactyly, is a reversion from the evolutionary loss of the toe.

Caring for Dewclaws

A polydactyl dog’s dewclaw may be attached by bone or solely by skin. Dewclaws may be removed surgically to prevent them from getting caught on objects, which can cause injury to the dog. If not removed, the toenail should be trimmed regularly to prevent it from causing sores or other injury to the rest of the leg and foot.