Coat Reference Libraries
The Berger Picard, also called the Picardy Shepherd, is a rare French herding breed. Today, the breed consists of only about 4000 dogs; the breed nearly became extinct after both World War I and World War II. The breed's mutt-like appearance has kept it from being popularized. It is thought to be related to the Briard, Beauceron or the Belgian Shepherd. The Berger Picard is a muscular,...
The Bergamasco is a herding breed which originated in the Italian Alps. It is a solid, medium-sized dog with a rustic appearance. The feature that sets the Bergamasco apart is its unusual coat. The coat is felted and characterized by three types of hair which form mats or flocks. These flocks start from the spine and grow yearly to reach the ground. The breed is born with short, smooth fur...
The Belgian Shepherd (Groenendael) is the most popular of the four varieties of Belgian Shepherd. It is a medium-sized dog recognized by its black coat and square proportions. It stands 22 to 26 inches high and weighs between 44 and 66 pounds. Its black coat is long with an extremely thick undercoat. The coat should feel hard, not wooly, frizzy, fine, wiry or silky. The Groenendael...
The Beagle is a medium sized scent hound developed for tracking rabbits and other game. It has a keen sense of smell which makes it a popular hunting breed. The Beagle resembles the Foxhound and has existed in type for over 2,000 years. The modern form of the Beagle was developed in the 1830s from several breeds, including the Southern Hound, the Talbot Hound, the North Country Beagle, and...
The Barbet is a medium-sized French gun dog. It is thought to be the source of the various water dog breeds, such as the Portuguese Water Dog, American Water Spaniel, and the Poodle. The Barbet weighs between 37 and 61 pounds and stands 20 to 25 inches tall, although breeders try to keep the Barbet's height toward the lower end of the scale. The coat of the Barbet is long, wooly, and curly....
The Australian Shepherd is a working breed that was developed in the United States, not Australia as its name implies. It has excessive energy and drive and needs a job to do. The Aussie stands between 18 and 23 inches tall and weighs between 35 and 75 pounds. The working segment of Aussies tends to have slightly shorter coats than the show dogs. Their coat can be one of eight colors: blue...
The Australian Cattle Dog also goes by the names Queensland Heeler, Blue Heeler and Red Heeler. It is a high-energy medium-sized dog bred to herd cattle. The origins of the breed are unknown, although they probably began with a cattle dog, bread with a Dingo, and then bred to a Collie, then a Bull Terrier. The result of this was a cattle dog "“ slightly heavier and more muscular than a...
The American Water Spaniel is a gundog that originated around the mid 1800s most likely in Wisconsin. The American Water Spaniel stands around 15 to 18 inches high and weighs 25 to 45 pounds. The breed's coat is dense, curly, and resists weather well. The coat is either chocolate, brown or liver colored, sometimes with a small amount of white on the chest or toes. The features of the dog are...
The American Eskimo dog originated in Germany is a great companion and watchdog. Despite its appearance it did not descend from the Husky, but is a member of the Spitz family. The American Eskimo dog has a white or biscuit cream straight double coat and a compact body. There should be a ruff around the neck, short smooth hair on the outer ears, and the hair on the back of the legs should be...
The American Cocker Spaniel originated in the UK and was established as a separate breed from the English Cocker Spaniel in the 1900s. It is a sporting breed used to scare animals out into the open for their masters to shoot. The Cocker weighs between 18 and 28 pounds and stands around 15 inches high. The American Cocker Spaniel has a feathered, silky coat and dropped ears (the hair on...
