Rottweiler

Weight: Male 20-60Kg, Female 35-48Kg
Height: Male 61-69Cm, Female 56-63Cm
Colour: Black and tan
Grooming: Easy
Life Span: 8-10years
litter Size: 1-12

Brief History: The Rott is one of the oldest herding breeds, with a history possibly dating back to the Roman Empire. Around A.D74 they were bred in Rottweil, a town in Southern Germany as a droving and cattle dog. In 1931 the Rottweiler was officially recognised by the American Kennel Club. Here in Nigeria, the breed started gaining popularity in the 1980s.

Temperament: According to the American Kennel Club “the breed is calm, confident and courageous, with a self-assured aloofness that does not lend itself to immediate and indiscriminate friendships. A Rottweiler is self-confident and responds quietly and with a wait-and-see attitude to influences in its environment. It has an inherent desire to protect home and family, and is an intelligent dog of extreme hardness and adaptability with a strong willingness to work, making them especially suited as a companion, guardian and general all-purpose dog.”
As with most breeds, potentially dangerous behaviour in Rotties usually results from irresponsible ownership, abuse, neglect or lack of socialization and training.

German Shepherd (Alsatian)

Weight: Male 30-40Kg, Female 22-32Kg
Height: Male 60-65Cm, Female 55-60Cm
Colour: Tan with black saddle
Grooming: Average – Time consuming
Life Span: 9-13 years
Litter: 1-9

Brief History: Probably the world’s most numerous breed of dog, all of today’s German Shepherds descend from a small population of working shepherd dogs from Northwest Germany. In 1899 a retired German Calvary Officer, Max Von Stephanitz set up the German Shepherd Club, registering the world’s first German Shephard. When the war broke out in 1914, he offered some of his dogs for military service, and by the end of the war 48,000 had served in German’s Armed Forces.
Growing up in Nigeria almost everyone I knew had an Alsatian, the breed has been around here since colonial times. They are very intelligent, a trait that makes them desirable as police, guard, search and rescue dogs.

Temperament : Well-trained and socialized German Shepherds have a reputation of being very safe, they are highly intelligent and obedient. They make loyal family pets and are good guard dogs, the ideal choice for many families.

Boerboel

Weight: 50Kg-100Kg
Height: 60Cm-70Cm
Colour: Fawn, Red, Brown, Black, Brindle
Grooming: Easy
Life Span: 10-12years
Litter Size: 4-12

Brief History : Also known as South African Mastiff, the Boerboel derives its name from an Afrikaans origin meaning “farmer’s dog”. Despite the Boerboel’s long history, there is great uncertainty as to how many and which breeds were used to create it. It is generally believed that the breed was created from interbreeding Native African land race dogs with breeds brought into South Africa by the Dutch, French and British settlers. The most likely origin dates back to Jan Van Riebeeck’s (founder of cape town) arrival in 1652. The breed gained recognition in Nigeria around the late 1990’s.The Boerboel was officially recognized by the AKC (American Kennel Club) in 2015.

Temperament : Generally Boerboels can be affectionate, playful, confident, loyal and loving. However, they are a dominate breed, they are territorial and sometimes unpredictable. The Boerboel requires training and firm handling from an early age, Puppies should be exposed to as many different sights, sounds, animal species, people, environments and experiences as possible, to improve their train-ability, manners and trustworthiness.

Lhasa Apso

Weight: 6Kg-7Kg
Height: 25Cm-28Cm
Colour: All colours
Grooming: Time consuming
Life Span: 13-15years
Litter Size: 1-7

Brief History: The Lhasa Apso originated in the area of Tibet over 4000 years ago as a small breed of mountain wolf, they were bred in the Buddhist monasteries to alert the monks to any intruders who entered. They are one of the oldest recognized breeds in the world. In the early 1900s, a few of them were brought by military men returning from the Indian Subcontinent to England. The AKC officially accepted the breed in 1935.

Temperament: Lhasa Apsos are very alert with a good sense of hearing, they are intelligent, playful, friendly, energetic and devoted. Lhasa Apsos often show happiness by rubbing their heads on their owners, running and rolling around or sitting at their owner’s feet.

Caucasian Shepherd

Weight: Male 55-100Kg, Female 45-80Kg
Height: Male 70-90Cm, Female 65-75Cm
Colours: White, Black, Grey, Fawn, Cream, Rust
Grooming: Time consuming
Life Span: 10-11years
Litter Size: 5-12

Brief History: The Caucasian Shepherd Dog is a large breed of dog familiar in western Europe for their role as border guards in divided Germany. Although it’s first official show ring appearance was in the 1930s in Germany, the Caucasian Shepherd Dog has existed since ancient times. This breed officially the Kavkazskaya Ovtcharka or Caucasian Ovcharka has only recently became popular in Nigeria.

Temperament: The Caucasian Shepherd is a strong-minded, well balanced and even-tempered breed. They are territorial and suspicious of strangers and will protect their flock, family and property from danger. This breed is not suitable for first-time owners, they are for experienced dog owners who can dedicate a lot of time to train and socialize them.

Woofline Pets App allows you to connect with pet lovers from anywhere. Click HERE to join our community.