Terrier Dogs

Six dogs will make history this year as the newest breeds eligible to compete at Westminster. If they have visions of winning, though, history is against them.

The names of some of these rookie breeds competing in this year’s Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show on Feb. 13-14 at Madison Square Garden are a mouthful: the Entlebucher mountain dog, the Norwegian Lundehund, the American English coonhound, the Finnish Lapphund, the Cesky terrier and the Xoloitzcuintli, previously known as the Mexican Hairless.

The six new breeds bring to 185 the number that will compete this year for the best of show grand prize in the annual contest, the oldest sporting event in the United States next to the Kentucky Derby, said David Frei, the club’s director of communications and the USA Network show host.
In 1990, there were 142 eligible breeds.

This is no limit on the number of new breeds that can be admitted each year, but there are strict criteria. For the last 12 years, no more than six rookies have been approved in any year, Frei said.
Before the American Kennel Club will approve a new breed, there must be a significant number of the dogs in the United States as well as a breed club to oversee enthusiasts and geographic diversity.
The rookies will compete with all the other dogs but they won’t be a good bet to win best in show.

Frei said the rookie that rose to the top and became best in show fastest was the Bichon Frise. That breed made its debut in 1974 and was named best of show in 2001, a 27-year gap.

The AKC provided these thumbnail sketches of this year’s rookie breeds:
— The American English coonhound is a descendent of the English foxhound and evolved from Virginia hounds. Originally used to hunt fox by day and raccoon by night, they were once called the English fox and coonhound.

The breed is pleasant, alert, confident and sociable with both humans and dogs. The modern version of the dog is a speedy, durable and wide-ranging hunter.

It is represented by the American English Coonhound Association.
— The Entlebucher mountain dog is a native of Switzerland and the smallest of the four AKC Swiss breeds. Prized for its work ethic and ease of training, this dog can easily switch from high-spirited playmate to serious, self-assured dog with a commanding presence. This is not a good dog for the casual owner because it needs so much socialization and will remain active and energetic all its life.

— The Finnish Lapphund is a reindeer herding dog from the northern parts of Scandinavia. It is thought that this breed existed for hundreds, if not thousands, of years as a helper dog to native tribes. Today, they are popular as family pets in their native Finland. — The Norwegian Lundehund is also called the puffin dog. It spent centuries on the rocky cliffs and high fields of arctic Norway hunting and retrieving puffin birds, which was an important meat and feather crop to local farmers.

— The Xoloitzcuintli is the national dog of Mexico and was previously known as the Mexican Hairless. It comes in three sizes and there is a coated version seen only in the United States and Canada. These dogs are descendants of the hairless dogs prized by the Aztecs and revered as guardians of the dead.

— The Cesky terrier is a well-muscled, short legged hunting terrier that can be worked in packs. With natural drop ears and a natural tail, it is longer than it is tall and has a long, soft, silky coat that can be any shade of gray from charcoal to platinum.

Lean and graceful, the dogs are reserved toward strangers but loyal to their owners and always keen and alert during a hunt.
This breed is sponsored by the American Cesky Terrier Fanciers Association.

By
Rebecca Seales

Last updated at 2:59 PM on 27th January 2012

Accidental death: Mohammed Faisal (pictured) drowned after running away from a dog and falling into a lake in Peterborough

A man with a fear of dogs drowned after he fled in terror from a Staffordshire Bull Terrier – straight into a lake.

Mohammed Faisal, 24, died after he jumped head-first into a bush which stood next to the lake, a former brick pit, Peterborough Coroner’s Court heard yesterday.

The inquest heard that the dog’s owner Ritchie Frost did his best to assist Mr Faisal, who could not swim, but that he died after the lake plunge on September 28, 2011. 

Mr Faisal, from Millfield, Peterborough,
had been walking home when he was scared by a Staffordshire Bull
Terrier called Locki, which was being walked by Mr Frost and his
children.

He died close to the nearby Ikea
Distribution Centre, where he had worked as a call centre operator for
about six weeks, at around 5.30pm.

In a police statement read out to the
inquest Mr Frost, from the Fletton area of Peterborough, said he had
taken the dog off its lead and was alerted to Mr Faisal’s presence after
hearing a ‘scream’ from around a bend in the path.

Mr Frost said he saw Mr Faisal dive head-first into a bush towards the lake.

The dog tried to ‘trot’ after Mr Faisal, but obeyed when Mr Frost called it back.

The hearing was told that Mr Frost went over to the bushes and the edge of the lake to reassure Mr Faisal that his dog was ‘friendly’.

He saw his head ‘bob’ above the water before it disappeared beneath the surface and did not reappear.

Mr Frost said: ‘I saw him in the water. I saw him go out. My daughter gave me a branch to put out into the water but he was too far out.’

He then called the police for help.

Fear of dogs: Mr Faisal was frightened by Mr Frost’s Staffordshire Bull Terrier (not pictured), although a vet told the inquest the dog had no history of aggressive behaviour

The court also heard from Mr Faisal’s brother Ansar Khan, from Millfield, who confirmed that his brother had cynophobia – a fear of dogs – and was not able to swim.

The inquest heard evidence from Samantha Persaud, who was Mr Faisal’s work colleague at the call centre and had been walking behind him on a footpath near to the lake just before his death.

In her statement to police she said she briefly lost sight of Mr Faisal after he walked around a bend but he then reappeared, running past her looking ‘scared’ before hiding in a bush.

Ms Persuad then saw a dog as well as a nearby man and woman.

She said: ‘The dog appeared to be ambling along paying no attention to anything.’

She felt that Mr Faisal was ‘afraid’ of the dog but she did not feel there was a threat as the animal had a ball in its mouth throughout the whole incident and was not barking or growling, and so she continued on her journey.

The coroner also heard evidence from Detective Sergeant David Liddle, who told the court that there was no record of aggressive behaviour in the dog’s past according to its vet.

Temporary police sergeant Frank Martin told the court that the lake was shallow at its very edge but then the ground suddenly dropped away.

Dr Dalibor Stratil, consultant pathologist at Peterborough City Hospital, confirmed the cause of death was drowning.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, coroner Gordon Ryall said: ‘We know he had a fear of dogs and this was quite an extreme reaction on his part, but it does seem on the evidence that was why he ran away and ran towards the water.

Tragic loss: Mohammed’s twin lays flowers at the site of his brother’s death, a former brick pit which is now a lake

‘In his urgency to get away from the dog he may not have looked back but just continued to run away and out into the water.’

Speaking after the verdict, the deceased’s twin brother, also named Mohammed, said his family were pleased with the outcome.

‘To be honest we are satisfied with what we heard at the inquest,’ he said.

‘I actually knew the bloke who owns the dog – the family runs a fish and chip shop and he was my customer for about five years.

‘When I got to court and realised it was him, I knew that he would have tried his best to help my brother.

‘I believe he would have done all he could.’

He added that the verdict would help his family to move on from their loss, noting:

‘In our religion, we believe that when you have to go, you have to go.’

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27 January 2012
Last updated at 04:38 ET

Trainer Omar von Muller said Uggie was ‘getting tired’

Uggie, the canine star of Oscar-nominated hit The Artist, is to retire, his trainer has said.

Omar von Muller told Life and Style magazine he was hanging up his collar because the 10-year-old Jack Russell terrier was “getting tired”.

“He may do a couple of little things here and there because he enjoys them, but I don’t want to put him through long hours anymore,” he said.

It is thought Uggie will make his final appearance at the Oscars.

“I hope he gets to go,” said von Muller. “They should give him an envelope to bring to Billy Crystal.”

The canine plays the best friend of fading matinee idol George Valentin, played by Jean Dujardin in The Artist.

While technically not eligible for an Oscar nomination, there was, nonetheless, a campaign to secure Uggie a best supporting actor nod.

He is, however, nominated for two Golden Collar Awards – an award given for the best performances by dogs on TV and in film – for his performances in both The Artist and 2011′s Water for Elephants.

Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play.

The Artist, courtesy of the Weinstein Company

He was also honoured with the Palm Dog, for best performance by a canine, for the latter film at last year’s Cannes Film Festival.

Von Muller said Uggie’s younger brother Dash would continue in his footsteps, having already worked as his stand-in on The Artist.

“Uggie is 10 years old and has done a lot of work – he wants to relax at home,” he said.

“If somebody wants to do a movie with Uggie, they’ll just have to deal with Dash.”

MY TURN – Hearts For Hounds dog rescuer Bonnie Sheehan – arrested on 128 counts of animal cruelty charges for hauling some 140 dogs in a U-haul — was released from a Tennessee jail Tuesday evening after her supporters pulled together $10,000 to bail her out.

She was expected to arrive in Long Beach via car Thursday and many of her supporters were preparing to greet her with open arms, said Jay Williams, a spokeswoman for Hearts for Hounds.

The rescuer – who is widely respected in Long Beach community for saving thousands of dogs over the past 15 years – cried  when she got on the phone for the first time with Williams. As part of the court agreement, Sheehan had to relinquish all 140 dogs, including her own, Williams said.

“All she could do is cry and say thank you, “ said Williams, a long-time friend and volunteer who hadn’t been able to talk to Sheehan since she was jailed Jan. 19. “It’s one of the best feelings I’ve ever had since last week. I was so excited just to hear her voice. It’s such a relief.”

It is such a relief – even for me whose family has adopted three of Sheehan’s  dogs. I have written several stories about the rescuer’s heroic efforts to save small dogs and even agreed with her move from Long Beach to Virginia due to a souring economy that led to zero adoptions over the past several months.

Unable to afford paying $7,000-a-month to run her Long Beach kennel, Bonnie purchased an 11-acre farm with a house, barn and log cabin in Huddleston, Va., where she planned to continue her rescue operations.

Instead, she was arrested along with her long-time volunteer, Pamela King-McCracken, 59,  for hauling about 140 dogs allegedly in cramped and crowded U-haul and a mini-van. Animal officials called the conditions filthy, cramped and deplorable.

The group of Sheehan supporters are working with a “solid non-profit “that deals directly with dogs being retained as evidence to care for the animals, Williams said.

The arrests set off a nation-wide debate between the supporters who knew Sheehan and the many critics who did not. The comments became so derogatory at times, Williams said, that the group had to shut down the Hearts for Hounds face book page. Only basic information remains.

The real truth as I see it, along with many of her supporters, is that most of those dogs she was traveling with would already be dead if it hadn’t been for Sheehan.

“Nine thousand five hundred dogs were killed in Los Angeles County last year,” Williams said. “If it wasn’t for these two women’s devotion those dogs (in Tennessee) would already be dead. Bonnie made them healthy. She made them pretty and she loved them.”

Both women face  128 counts of animal cruelty. Their hearing  will be held in March. King-McCracken was able to bail herself out earlier.

While the story burned across the internet about the rescuers with often derogatory and threatening remarks, Sheehan’s supporters – including myself – were devastated and stunned to learn that the woman who has touched thousands of lives – both dogs and humans – had been arrested and jailed.

In fact, so many respected Sheehan that when the news broke, the veterinarian, Dr. Sam Shenouda in Long Beach, was swamped with phone calls about the rescuer’s fate. Shenouda and Sheehan had worked together for years saving dogs she rescued from the pound the day they were to be euthanized.

The office began taking funds from supporters to help pay the $100,000 bond and  attorney fees.

In the meantime, Sheehan’s followers  were horrified by the vitriolic, seething comments on the internet.

“What they did is as bad as running “slaves,” one person wrote in a comment section of one news article while. Others accused them of being con-artists, running a “puppy mill’ and stealing other people’s dogs to sell them for profit.

One person emailed me directly to say “unfortunately”  I had “been conned.”

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Those of us who know Sheehan have marveled for years at her remarkable achievements, finding homes for dogs more than many rescue groups combined. But as the economic downturn continued, instead of people adopting  “they called to ask if she’d take their dogs,” said Williams.

Ceci Giacoma, who works with a specific breed rescue and has worked for years on-and-off with Sheehan, said she’s pained by the brutal comments she read on face book and news media accounts. She said she’s convinced Sheehan’s outstanding dedication to her dogs will come out in court.

“We never came close to saving as many dogs as Bonnie did,” Giacoma said. “I was always in awe of her because she rescued all dogs  and did so from one of the largest and most desperate shelters.

Because she was utterly dedicated and pure-hearted in her mission she has been able to unflaggingly re-home so many dogs that the sheer numbers are profound.

“Were it not for Bonnie, none of those dogs would have survived long enough to have been in that truck and that is the real perspective.”

There are many questions that need to be answered before judging the two women:

● Why did Sheehan have so many dogs in the U-haul and minivan?

She had personally told me she was only going to take about 65 dogs to the new property with King-McCracken’s help.  Virginia volunteers there, Williams said, had prepared the barn for the dogs arrival and were ready and waiting.

Her initial plans to only take half the dogs, Williams said, changed when Long Beach animal control appeared.

● Why did  Long Beach Animal Control officers show up the day of Sheehan’s departure along with Long Beach police and watch her and several volunteers steadily pack up the animals?

They were there supposedly there because of a complaint that Sheehan was loading dead animals, but all the canines were alive and well. Many had been groomed before Sheehan left and given new blankets, Williams said. Watching all of this, animal control officer(s) allowed her to leave without saying the conditions in the U-haul were too crammed.

Volunteers loading that day said animal control told Sheehan she had to take all 140 plus dogs with her and would not be allowed to leave any behind, Williams said. The rescuer then had to buy additional crates in order to do so. Why did they let her leave at all? An investigation into Long Beach animal control is ongoing.

● Why were more than sixty dogs of those found micro-chipped? Were they stolen?

Sheehan micro-chipped every animal before she adopted them out and gave the paper work over to new owners. Some people were accusing the two women of stealing animals and believe that’s why they were micro-chipped. The truth is no dog leaves Sheehan’s hands without current vaccines, and a microchip.

● Was Sheehan running a puppy mill?

I can answer that one. No. The breeds that some people consider so cute that they will pay big money for them, such as Chihuahuas – have flooded local shelters. If anything, Sheehan tried to save dogs that backyard breeders dumped or she was able to gather up from puppy mills. She refused to breed dogs. In fact, she would not save “unhealthy”dogs, because hundreds of healthy dogs are euthanized every day in this country.

● Why did Tennessee animal control officials call the animals filthy and then later turn around and say they weren’t in that bad of condition?

The Tennessee animal officials accused the women of not watering or feeding the canines even though the women said they stopped and gave both to the dogs. Williams said the women, in information that he gathered from volunteers helping to load that  day, had left space in the trailer so they could provide  food and water. Crates were securely tied down so they wouldn’t topple, he added.

Nina Wingfield, the president of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty for Animals in Memphis, told the media that the crates were locked tight with cable ties, so the dogs were unlikely to receive food or water. But she added “Overall, they are healthy,” she said in a statement, according to the Press-Telegram.

It’s hard for some to reconcile Sheehan’s reputation with the conditions of travel.

But here in Long Beach and elsewhere, Sheehan supporters all have dog tales to tell that came about because of Sheehan.

In Williams case, he adopted four of Sheehan’s dogs, Yorkshire terriers, including several from a puppy mill in Riverside.  Animal control turned the pups over to Hearts for Hounds, he said, to care for and to find them homes.

Even though the Yorkie puppies were four-months old, Williams said, they had never been out of their cages or given a place to grow and play. Therefore, several of them weighed only one or two pounds, when they should have weighed eight to ten pounds.

One reason Sheehan was considered a saint by some was her knack for matching dogs  well with prospective owners. They, in turn, recommended her services to friends and family. That caused a ripple effect in the Belmont Shore community where hundreds of residents either knew her personally or about her work.

Not only did people like what she was doing, they often returned to show off the dogs they adopted when Sheehan would set up nearly every Sunday at the Marina Village farmer’s market in southeastern Long Beach. She displayed a variety of small canines from cocker spaniels, to terrier mixes, bichon poodles to Chihuahuas

In my case, I came to know Sheehan about three years ago looking for a dog for my 83-year-old mom. Three-year-old Dara, a Havanese-Schnauzer mix snatched up by Hearts for Hounds the day she was supposed to be euthanized –. is now my mother’s closest companion. She is such a love bug that my sister wanted her.

Instead, my sister visited Sheehan’s kennel and fell for Lily, a Havenese who was rescued from a trailer park breeder. By the time she was 8-months-old , Lily, had given birth to three puppies at the trailer park,  all of which died, according to Sheehan.

Endless stories abound about what this woman did with King-McCracken routinely helping her. I’ve heard many, but I like this one written by Darel Talbot:

“I met Bonnie years ago, when I found an ugly mutt that no one wanted and it was going to be put to sleep. I tried everyone but no one would help me. Then someone suggested I call Hearts for Hounds.

Bonnie took my ugly rescue, she paid for the surgery and I met the wonderful woman who adopted her. I have been loyal to (Bonnie) ever since..”

The only person who hasn’t had a chance to speak out in her defense is Sheehan who found herself jailed, a place she probably never thought she’d be.

Those who want to help Sheehan and her friend with donations for attorney fees can contact Jay Williams at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
. 

(Diana Chapman is a CityWatch contributor and has been a writer/journalist for nearly thirty years. She has written for magazines, newspapers and the best-seller series, Chicken Soup for the Soul. You can reach her at: 
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
or her website: theunderdogforkids.blogspot.com) –cw

Tags: Bonnie Sheehan, dog rescuer, animal cruelty, Long Beach, Tennessee, Virginia

CityWatch
Vol 10 Issue 8
Pub: Jan 27, 2012

Many Oscar-watchers have bemoaned the fact that the adorable Jack Russell Terrier, Uggie, has not snagged a Best Supporting Actor nomination in this year’s Oscars for his role in The Artist. How they’ll react to the news that he’s calling it a day is anybody’s guess.

His trainer, Omar von Muller, has said that the pup is now retired. “He may do a couple of little things here and there because he enjoys them, but I don’t want to put him through long hours anymore. He’s getting tired,” von Muller told Life Style.

(PHOTOS: Six New Breeds at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show)

In fairness, Uggie is unlikely to ever top the past 12 months, which didn’t just see him charm audiences worldwide in the current front-runner for Best Picture but also cropping up in Water for Elephants. Sadly for Uggie, the mean ol’ Academy has drafted rules that specifically exclude animals from being nominated.

Von Muller already has a plan in place to ease the transition (and the pain we’ll all be facing) by — spoiler alert! — using Uggie’s brother Dash to step into the breach. Dash has already been limbering up as Uggie’s stand-in on set and the trainer said that, “I think he will be fine with Dash stepping in. Uggie is 10 years old and has done a lot of work; he wants to relax at home. If somebody wants to do a movie with Uggie, they’ll just have to deal with Dash!”

But fear not: There remain at least two major events for Uggie to sink his paws into. Despite the Oscar snub, von Muller hopes he at least gets to go (“They should give him an envelope to bring to Billy Crystal”). And most excitedly, Uggie has been nominated for two Golden Collar Awards (yes, they actually recognize the best performances by dogs on TV and in film) on February 13 for his performances in both movies.

LIST: TIME’s Oscar Predictions

26 January 2012
Last updated at 10:10 ET

Andrew Mullen was also found with 340 photographs of dogs fighting

A 37-year-old man has admitted keeping five dogs at his home in South Lanarkshire for animal fighting.

Andrew Mullen was caught after police and Scottish SPCA officers raided his house in Uddingston in March 2010.

He was also found with 340 photographs on a laptop showing dogs fighting with foxes, badgers and other dogs.

At Lanark Sheriff Court, Mullen admitted breaching the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006. Sentence was deferred until March.

The court heard that five dogs were found in kennels in Mullen’s back garden.

Dogs scarred

The three lurchers, brown terrier-type puppy, and terrier bitch were later examined by a vet.

At least three of the dogs had injuries or scarring consistent with repeated involvement in fox or badger fighting.

Continue reading the main story

“Start Quote

Mullen has accepted his disregard for the well-being of his dogs and of the animals with which they could be forced to fight”

End Quote
Tom Dysart
Area procurator fiscal

Mullen said that he kept the dogs as pets and to show and denied actively using them to fight badgers.

He accepted that he allowed others to use them and that he knew the dogs he kept were to be used on badgers.

Photographs on his computer showed his dogs attacking badgers.

They also showed Mullen, and others unknown, digging and causing terriers and lurchers to fight with various animals.

They also showed dead foxes being laid out on the ground or held up by Mullen, apparently as trophies.

Following his conviction, area procurator fiscal Tom Dysart said: “The dogs found in Mullen’s garden had multiple injuries and scars which showed they had been involved in recent and historic fights with badgers and foxes.

“Dogs used for animal fights suffer terrible injuries, some of which can be fatal. They rarely receive appropriate veterinary treatment.

“In pleading guilty, Mullen has accepted his disregard for the well-being of his dogs and of the animals with which they could be forced to fight.”

Joel Cooper

A DOG which fell 200 feet down cliffs in North Devon spent 14 hours shivering on a tiny ledge before being rescued.

1. ​

   RESCUED: Border terrier Marley with members of the Coastguard Cliff Rescue Team and owners Maciej Skulski (left of centre) and Nick Jones (right of centre). Picture right: the emotional reunion with Marley and his owners.

This week, after an emotional clifftop reunion with their pet, the owners of two-year-old border terrier Marley praised the emergency services who rescued him.

A coastguard cliff rescue team, RNLI inshore lifeboat and Chivenor’s 22 Squadron search and rescue helicopter were all involved in a three-hour operation at the Torrs on Sunday.

Marley had fallen off the cliff between Ilfracombe and Lee on Saturday afternoon.

He endured 14 hours in wet and windy conditions on a tiny cliff ledge before he was rescued the following day.

But despite his perilous plunge, Marley was returned to his owners completely uninjured.

Marley’s owner Nick Jones, 38, from Bristol, said he would be eternally grateful to everyone who helped.

He said the experience left him feeling emotional and humbled.

Nick, who had been staying in Ilfracombe with friends to celebrate his birthday, said: “We went out for a walk to Lee and had let Marley off his lead.

“He disappeared out of sight and we had no idea where he was. We started panicking and searched the area for about three hours.

“We called the coastguard who sent out a cliff rescue team but because of the bad weather and fading light they were forced to call off the search.”

Nick said the overnight wait was unbearable and he didn’t sleep at all.

But when Nick and his friends returned the next day, they were given a glimmer of hope.

He said: “Both my partner and I could hear a very faint barking sound but couldn’t tell where it was coming from.

“We were certain it was Marley’s bark. I’d know it anywhere.”

Nick called the coastguard who came out again, this time with a cliff rescue team, the North Devon Animal Ambulance and the Ilfracombe RNLI inshore lifeboat.

A search and rescue helicopter from Chivenor’s 22 Squadron was out training in Bideford Bay when crew members heard what was going on and offered to assist.

The helicopter crew spotted Marley on a ledge near the bottom of the cliffs and informed the coastguard.

Members of the cliff rescue team then scaled the cliff on a rope and retrieved Marley from the ledge.

Nick said: “When they brought him up both my partner and I were in tears. We were so emotional but so happy he survived. I am so grateful to everyone who helped and shall be writing to them all to express my gratitude.”

It is believed Marley had been chasing two sheep when he fell off the cliff.

Diana Lewis, of the North Devon Animal Ambulance, said: “When dogs are off their leads they will naturally chase things.

“This is particularly dangerous near cliffs like this and quite often it is not a happy ending for the dog.

“I would encourage all dog owners to keep their pets on a lead at all times when walking in open areas like this.”

The girl was attached by a dog on Woodberry Way (Pic: PA)

The 56-year-old, who has been bailed to appear before the court on February 13th for sentencing, was charged under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 after the frenzied attack in a park on Saturday.

It is said to have ended only when the girl’s father repeatedly punched the animal in the head.

The youngster, who has not been named, had bites to her neck, shoulder and ear and was taken to hospital where she was forced to undergo plastic surgery.

Det Sgt Stuart Cheek, of Metropolitan Police, said: ‘This was an appalling incident that left a young child with serious injuries which are likely to scar her for life.’

Hindley initially blamed her family for the attack and told them they should have kept their children ‘under control’, saying the girl and her younger brother had been ‘unnerving’ his pet, a black and white bull terrier.

He then stormed off, leaving a false name and address while the girl’s father was left to search the area for the ear in the hope surgeons could sew it back on.

Part of it was found by walkers yesterday as the girl was recovering in hospital.

The incident happened as the family of four walked together in Chingford.

Witness Terence Lundy, 70, said he was walking up a hill in the forest area with his grand-daughter when he saw the family come running down.

He added: ‘The dad said he punched the dog in the head and kept punching it until it let go – and the owner had said “Can’t you keep your kids under control”.

‘The little girl was saying “Mummy, mummy, help me, help me”. She was just in shock.

‘The mum didn’t have the proper bandages to put round her head so I gave her some clean handkerchiefs I had.’

The girl, who had bites to her neck, shoulder and ear, was taken to hospital where she was in a stable condition.

Hindley walked into Chingford police station yesterday and was arrested. The animal was also seized.

Campaigners called for tighter controls on powerful dogs.

Labour MP Luciana Berger said: ‘The government needs to take urgent action. We cannot see another person attacked like this.’

By Patricia Reaney

NEW YORK |
Wed Jan 25, 2012 4:09pm EST

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Six new breeds of dogs, including Mexico’s hairless Xoloitzcuintli, the Finnish Lapphund and the Norwegian Lundehund, will be competing in the 2012 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show next month.

They will join other newcomers, the Cesky Terrier, the American English Coonhound and the Entlebucher Mountain Dog, along with 179 other breeds and varieties vying to be named Best in Show on Feb 14 at the annual New York event that started in 1877 with 1,201 dogs.

This year’s entries for the 136th show will be limited to 2,000 dogs.

“We will have at least two dogs in every breed, including the new ones,” said David Frei, the Westminster Kennel Club’s director of communications and USA Network host.

“New breed is a little bit of a misnomer because a lot of these breeds have been around for hundreds, or even thousands of years in some of the cases,” he told Reuters.

Before being included in the show, the breed must meet American Kennel Club (AKC) rules including having sufficient numbers in the United States, a certain geographical distribution and a parent club that makes sure they are following responsible breeding practices and meet certain characteristics.

“It is really an AKC decision, not ours,” Frei said, adding that in the past 23 years, more than 40 breeds have been added to the show.

Among the more striking newcomers is the Xololitzcuintli, the national dog of Mexico, which was previously known as the Mexican Hairless and comes in three sizes.

“These dogs are descended from hairless dogs prized by the Aztecs and revered as guardians of the dead. Over 400 years later, these dogs were still to be found in the Mexican jungles,” according to the Westminster Kennel Club.

Xoloitzcuintli expert Amy Fernandez said the decision to include the breed is long overdue. She has been working to get them included for 28 years.

“It is an ancient dog and probably the oldest breed in North America and its history dates back about 3,000 years,” she said. “It has been recognized in almost every country in the world for many years and the U.S. has been the only holdout.”

Fernandez, who admitted that the hairless breed is not to everyone’s taste, described the dogs as very watchful, sensitive and great with children.

But with such stiff competition Frei said the odds of a rookie taking the top prize are “pretty long.”

“The shortest time between a breed competing at Westminster and winning best of show is 27 years,” said Frei. “That was the Bichon Frise. It had its first year in 1974 and won best in show in 2001.”

Last year’s winner was a Scottish Deerhound named Hickory.

(Reporting by Patricia Reaney; editing by Bob Tourtellotte)

Looking for a terrier dogs for sale is a great idea if you want to get a devoted, funny, lively, and playful fellow with strong character and great personality. Terrier dog will be the best friend for your kids and alerted guardian of your property. So, if you decided that you want to buy a terrier puppy, it’s time to learn more about the places where you can buy one.

There are lots of places where people usually go to adopt a pup: breeders, mills, pet shops, and of course Internet. It’s very important to double-check the seller’s reputation because some of them don’t pay too much attention to the conditions the dogs are raised in, and even sell the puppies without a license and shots. It is very risky because in such case you can buy an underbred or ill animal.

Terrier dogs for sale from pet shop

The first place people usually go to find terrier dogs for sale are pet shops. You can easily adopt a cute puppy there and be sure that it has all the necessary shots and documents. Just try to deal with the most trustworthy shop in your neighborhood and avoid fishy small stores because you never know how the pets are bred there.

Terrier dogs for sale from breeders

Buying puppies from breeders is probably the wisest option. First of all, the breeders are devoted to their job and love dogs. They raise them in the best possible conditions, pay attention to each puppy and always try to find the best masters for them. Buying pup from the breeder you can be sure you get a healthy animal, both physically and mentally. Second of all, breeders are professionals. It’s very important to match the parents wisely, and they know their onions and can pick the best mate for each dog so that the offspring could be healthy and nice.

Terrier dogs for sale from the Internet

Needless to say, a pure-bred terrier dog for sale will cost you a lot of money. The best way to economize is to search for a pup online. In fact, there are a lot of dogs to be found there at reduced cost, but be very attentive if decided to go this route! There are a lot of underbred puppies because the gene pool is pretty small, so most online sellers will offer you that kind of dogs. If you are ready to compromise – there you go. They are still great companions and good friends. If you don’t want to be a master of a pet whose family tree is far from perfect – breeder is your answer.