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Breed Characteristics

  • The elegant, classy Pharaoh Hound is a striking companion. His handsome good looks always draw attention.

  • Plotts love hunting and family, arguably in that order. They love to follow a trail to its end, but at the end of the hunt, they are glad to celebrate with their favorite people.

  • Pointers are warm, loving dogs capable of giving members of their family great affection. They are usually overflowing with nervous energy and ready to hunt at the drop of a leash.

  • The shaggy Polish Lowland Sheepdog may look like an overgrown stuffed animal, but he is a serious worker who needs a job to be fulfilled. Active people who can include a dog in their everyday adventures find the PON - that is short for Polski Owczarek Nizinny, the name of the breed throughout most of the world - is an energetic and fun-loving companion.

  • The Pom may be tiny, but this spunky extrovert can get a little cocky for a dog not much bigger than your shoe. Outgoing and effervescent, Pomeranians have faces like little foxes, making them hard to resist and easy to forgive.

  • Pequenos are the smallest of the three Portuguese Podengos. They love to run and play and appear to enjoy being silly.

  • Portuguese Water Dogs are intelligent and used to deciding for themselves if something is not right. The positive aspect of this behavior is that they are wonderful companions, take good care of the children in their families, and feel at home in the city, the country, or at the beach.

  • The pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) gene, if mutated, can contribute to increased body fat and body weight and increased food motivation in affected dogs. At this time, this gene mutation has only been found in the Labrador Retriever and Flat-coated Retriever and affects the majority of those working as service dogs. This handout explains how the POMC gene mutation was discovered, how it impacts affected dogs, and how you can support your dog if affected.

  • Many dogs love to get out to socialize and exercise with their canine friends and dog parks are their go-to spots for getting together. Proper etiquette, from both you and your pup, will allow everyone to enjoy the park safely and courteously. However, dog parks are not a good fit for all dogs.

  • Psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD) is a serious condition in parrot species for which there is no cure. The highly contagious virus attacks fast-growing epithelial cells, commonly causing visibly abnormal formations of the beak and/or feather follicles. The clinical signs vary depending on the species of bird and the age at which it was infected. Diagnostic testing is available and precautions must be taken when purchasing a new bird.