Tails from the trail and tips on training your human

Many famous dog breeds have originated from Germany. The German Shephard is a given, but did you know many modern-dayfavorite dog breeds can also be traced back to Germany? These breeds include Rottweilers, Dobermans, Great Danes and Dachshunds. The German Spitz breed also originated from Germany, and many other well-known breeds have descended from it, such as the Indian Spitz and the lovely Pomeranians.

Let’s have a look at some famous modern-day dog breeds that have German origin.

German Spitz

The German Spitz breed belongs to the Spitz category that originated in Germany. The German Spitz is a small-sized dog. The average male is between 19-23 inches in height, while the female is 15-19 inches tall. This breed has a double coat, with a long, straight outer coat and a cotton-like short inner coat. There are five sub-varieties of the German Spitz, and these varieties sometimes vary in size. The five sub-varieties include:

Wolfaspitz – This dog is medium-sized and weighs between 25-30kgs. It is between 17 to 22 inches tall.
Giant Spitz – The Giant Spitz is also medium-sized and weighs between 17-18 kgs. Its height is also between 17 to 22 inches. It can come in black, brown, or white colored coats.
Medium Spitz: This is also a medium-sized dog weighing 10.5 to 11.5 kgs and standing 12-16 inches tall.
Miniature Spitz – The medium Spits weighs between 8 to 10 kgs and is usually above 9 inches in height.
Pomeranian – The Pomeranian is a small-sized dog weighing between 1.5 to 3kgs and is 7-9 inches in height. Pomeranians come in many colors, such as white, brown, gray, orange, and black.

German Shephard

The German Shephard originated in Germany in the 19th century. This breed was originally in charge of herding sheep and keeping them safe from predators. Initially, these dogs were not considered human companions but instead assistant dogs for farmers. The German Shephard had a sharp sense of smell, high intelligence, and great strength. This made them perfect sheep herding. Once the German Shephard breed was domesticated and bred, they proved to be one of the most intelligent, obedient, and responsive dogs. Today the German Shephard is a great make great pets. They are also kept as police dogs due to their courage and character, and superb sense of smell.

Rottweiler

The famous Rottweiler breed originated from Rottweil, Germany. Rottweilers are a working dog breed that has descended from Dover Dogs. Drover dogs were cattle driving dogs that were left behind by Roman legions. The Romans abandoned that region during the 2nd century AD. In the middle ages, Rottweilers used to accompany butchers on buying expeditions. They used to carry money in a neck pouch attached to their collar.This role of the Rottweiler continued until the 1900s, after which the breed also started serving other purposes. Today Rottweilers are used as guard dogs, rescue dogs, police dogs, and draft dogs.

Doberman

Doberman’s were bred in the 1880’s in Thuringia, Germany by Karl Freidrich Louis Doberman. Karl was a tax collector by profession but also ran the Apolda dog pound. He had access to many dog breeds and wanted to create a breed that would be perfect for protection. He wanted to develop an impressive dog breed with outstanding stamina, intelligence, and strength. After Doberman’s death, Otto Goeller, a breeder, ended up perfecting the breed Doberman was working on. Goeller also created the National Doberman Pinscher Club for that refined the breed in the 1890s. Doberman mixed many breeds to create this one, including the Rottweiler, the German Shephard, German Pinscher, etc.

Great Dane

The Great Dane is also known as the German Mastiff and is a dog breed that originated from Germany. Today great Danes are one of the largest dog breeds. These domestic dogs are also known as gentle giants or the Apollo of dogs. Even though Great Danes look imposing, they are gentle and loving. They are also great with children. Originally the Great Dane was bred in Germany approximately 400 years ago. The breed was largely used for boar hunting. However,from the 17th century onwards,the European nobility enjoyed keeping these large dogs in their estates. Soon after that, Great Danes began their journey from massive hunting dogs to domesticated companions that could be kept at home. Great Danes have massive heads with square jaws. They also have an elegant appearance and come in various colors. They have a short coat that can be maintained easily. The average Great Dane grows to 28-30 inches in height and can weigh between 54 to 68 kgs.

Dachshund

The Dachshund breed can be traced all the way back to medieval Europe. Dogs with elongated bodies, hound-type ears, and short legs were used for hunting badgers in various situations. From the 1500s onwards, this breed was brought to Germany. The Dachshund was specifically created through selective breeding over the course of a century. In German, the word ‘Dachs’means badger, and ‘hund’means dog. Hence the Dachshund was created, literally translating to ‘badger dog.’ Originally the German Dachshunds were larger than the dachshunds we see today. But present-day dachshunds are equally fearless as they were many centuries ago. By the 19th century, the Dachshund was brought to the United States and the United Kingdom. In these countries, the Dachshunds were bred more as domesticated pets than hunting dogs. As a result, they also started weighing 10 lbs. lighter.

by Bobby J Davidson

We are in business to provide great products for the outdoorsy hikers, campers and their dogs; and to help clean our parks, rivers and oceans for a better planet earth for hikers and their dogs.

Parks Clean

Parks are high-traffic areas in most cities. This means that trash is bound to show up in and around your park and playground.

When discussing ways your family can help clean your local park, don’t overlook a literal cleanup! Picking up trash will make a huge difference in the appearance and vibe of your park. A clean area will encourage others to keep the park pristine. When picking up trash and debris, make sure to wear gloves to protect yourself, and put trash in appropriate receptacles or lawn bags. You can also contact your local trash company to schedule a pickup when you are finished.

Rivers Clean

The storm drain on your street collects the water from your roof, driveway, and sidewalk and funnels it directly in your local lake or river. Nutrients from grass and leaves, pet waste, and fertilizers “enrich” our lakes and streams — feeding algae blooms and harming fish. Chemicals from washing your car in the drive and household chemical spills add up, taking a nasty toll on our favorite swimming areas and fishing spots. Soil can also be picked up by runoff, reducing the clarity of water and hurting fish.

So as you prepare your lawn and garden, here are a few helpful tips to keep our lakes and rivers beautiful and safe for all of us.

Use mulch and vegetation to keep soil from washing away.
Sweep or rake grass and leaves away from street curbs.
Mulch and compost grass clippings and leaves.
Keep paved surfaces to a minimum.
Capture water runoff with a rain garden and rain barrels.
Wash your car on the grass, where the water will get filtered.
Keep chemicals away from storm drains.
Collect your pet’s waste.
Aim your rain-gutter downspouts onto grass.

Beaches Clean (do it for the ocean)

In 2007, the United States Senate and House of Representatives passed the National Clean Beaches Week Resolution to recognize the value of beaches to the American way of life and the important contributions of beaches to the economy, recreation, and natural environment of the United States.

Clean Beaches Week, celebrated annually July 1-7, offers the perfect opportunity to encourage stewardship and volunteerism along our coastlines. But where do you even begin? Follow these tips to get started.

Identify a clean-up site. Choose a place that needs some TLC, making sure that volunteers can safely access the site. Get permission, if needed, for your clean-up event, perhaps from the local parks agency.
Choose a site coordinator. (That might be you!) A beach clean-up takes a lot of work and needs an organized person to keep everything on track before, during, and after the event.
Visit the site in advance. The coordinator will need to know where to set up a volunteer check-in station, where to leave trash and recyclables, and what area(s) volunteers will clean.
Gather supplies. Depending on your location, you’ll need supplies such as trash bags, a first aid kit, hand sanitizer, wipes, and large coolers of water. You should also provide (or ask volunteers to bring) items such as reusable work/garden gloves, reusable water bottles, sunscreen, and bug spray.
Plan how to handle the recyclables. Reach out to recyclers in your area (and perhaps your community’s solid waste departments) to make arrangements for accepting any glass, plastic, and aluminum that you collect.
Line up event partners. Contact local businesses for donations of drinks, food, and supplies. Ask a local solid waste hauler to donate their services for trash removal.
Plan for handling hazardous waste. Determine how you’ll dispose of any medical and sewage waste you might find. One solution: A wide-mouth container with a tight-fitting lid, such as an empty laundry detergent bottle. Clearly label that it contains hazardous waste.
Get volunteers to help. Recruit friends, family, co-workers, and neighbors. Create an event on Facebook and ask volunteers to sign up online. This will give you an idea of how many people to expect and will help communicate event details.
Stay safe. Be prepared for a variety of health emergencies, from minor cuts and scrapes to heat stroke.
Take photos! Post pics online to share the success of your event and recognize volunteers for their hard work.