Dobermans

Dobermans originate from the town of Apolda in Germany where they were bred by a local magistrate named Louis Doberman. Amongst his other responsibilit…

Mastiffs

The mastiff is one of the oldest recognized breeds, and was originally bred as a gamekeeper's dog to help them catch poachers. Its large, flattened fac…

Rottweiler

Rottweiler originally came from Germany. At one point they were known as 'butcher dogs', because they were used to drive the cattle to market and then …

Rhodesian ridgebacks

The Rhodesian ridgeback hails from Africa, where it was bred to fight and hunt lions. A dog of immense strength, it has very powerful jaws and is afrai…

Staffordshire bull terriers

The Staffordshire bull terrier — affectionately known as a starry — is becoming increasingly popular as a family pet, and has a reputation for being pa…

German shepherds

The German shepherd is, essentially, a sheepdog, though it was bred to guard sheep and prevent them straying from a particular area rather than to herd…

English bull terriers

The English bull terrier was originally bred to herd bulls, in an effort to find a dog that was faster and more agile than the bulldog. Its ancestry in…

American pit bull terriers

American pit bull terriers are often accused of serious attacks on people. Once they have the victim in their jaws, they shake them From side to side, …