These dogs may look like lightweights in the show ring, but they were originally bred to work hard in the water. The Standard Poodle spent hours retrieving water fowl for hunters and the breed's dense coat helped protect it from the cold, damp working conditions. Because the breed is not commonly used as a working dog today, The American Kennel Club classifies the Standard Poodle as part of the Non-Sporting Group. These dogs weigh 45 to 70 pounds and stand over 15 inches tall.

The Standard Poodle has a muscular body under all of that hair. Its ears are long and fold over close to the head and its eyes are dark brown and filled with intelligence. This dog's tail is docked and stands erect. The tail should not curve over the dog's back. The Standard Poodle comes in a wide range of colors, including apricot, black, cream, red, blue, gray, silver, brown, parti-color, and white. Overall, the white and cream colored Standard Poodles seem to be a bit more high strung and nervous than other colors, while black Standard Poodles seem calmer. 

The Standard Poodle does best in family settings and is extremely devoted to its family's children. This breed also is an excellent choice for families with more than one dog, as the Standard Poodle rarely meets a dog it doesn't like. If you have a cat, be prepared for your dog to rampage through the house as he gives chase, although when he finally catches up to the cat, he will just want to play.

If you live in an apartment, your dog will need to take a long walk or go for a romp in the park every day. These dogs can live in apartments, but do much better in a home with a fenced yard.

Because of its high intelligence, this breed enjoys learning and should attend puppy obedience classes. In addition, Standard Poodles need to be socialized as puppies, or their natural aloofness with strangers can turn to fear. Your puppy will work hard during classes, because he will want to please you. If he can't figure out what you want him to do, he will wrinkle his brow and try again. If he still can't figure it out, he may start to get depressed and frustrated. If this happens, give him a command that he already knows and after he joyously obeys he will be ready to try to learn the new command again. Many Standard Poodles and their owners go on to take advanced classes so that they can compete in obedience and agility trials. 

The Standard Poodle breed has several common health problems. Addison's disease, hip dysplasia, and epilepsy problems are prevalent enough that many breeders actually screen their parent dogs to be sure they don't carry these genetic faults. Your dog could also suffer from renal disease, bloat, and skin problems. 

Standard Poodles are big dogs and have big appetites. If you've never had a big dog before, be prepared for a noticeable increase in the grocery budget. These dogs also should receive a daily vitamin. In addition, ask your veterinarian about giving your poodle a daily vitamin C tablet, which many veterinarians say can help decrease the chance of hip dysplasia.   
If you do not want to spend time grooming a dog, don't buy a Standard Poodle. These dogs need to be brushed daily, and, with their large size, it can take an hour or more to thoroughly brush out a Standard Poodle's coat. Also, you will have to learn to cut your poodle's hair or you will need to take him to a professional groomer every six weeks. 

The Standard Poodle is a fun loving, intelligent dog. If you don't mind brushing your dog instead of watching the news, this may be the breed for you.

The Yorkshire Terrier is a member of the American Kennel Club's Toy Group. In the show ring, a Yorkie seems to glide across the ground, since the dog's long, flowing coat hides its tiny feet. Although Yorkies can be as small as one pound, most breeders do not recommend trying to breed dogs this tiny, and for good reason. When dogs are bred to be this tiny, health is often sacrificed for size and weight. The AKC calls for the Yorkie to be under seven pounds, but does not have a minimum required weight.

Yorkshire Terriers have long flowing coats of silver, blue or black hair, with tan on their heads and legs. Yorkie puppies are all born with black and tan coloring. This breed has dark, intelligent eyes.

The Yorkshire Terrier is an ideal apartment dog. Of course, your Yorkie would enjoy having a yard to romp in, but he can survive without it. In fact, some Yorkshire Terriers do not go out at all. These dogs are litter trained, instead. If you do not take your Yorkie for daily walks, you should look for ways to help him get some exercise, such as playing an indoor game of fetch. If you do have a yard, be sure that there are no gaps under the fence, as Yorkies love to explore. Since these dogs are so small and cute, a Yorkshire Terrier doesn't always have a chance to get back home before a passerby takes the little dog home, thinking it is lost or abandoned.

Yorkshire Terriers are sociable little dogs and enjoy being in the midst of all the activity and bustle of family life. However, these dogs are not a good choice for families with toddlers. This is not because Yorkies are untrustworthy with children, but because they are delicate little dogs and can be easily injured. A Yorkshire Terrier with a good temperament will allow children to squeeze, poke and pull on him, but it is unfair to subject a little dog to that treatment.

Despite the fact that a Yorkie is small, you should still take your puppy to obedience classes. These little guys have a tendency to become stubborn and set in their ways without proper training. Also, obedience training may save your Yorkshire Terrier's life if you are able to call him back to you if he escapes out the front door.

Yorkshire Terriers have few serious health problems. They do often have dental problems, such as retained baby teeth. Other problems these little guys can have are hernias and hypoglycemia. 

Food for your Yorkshire Terrier will probably be your smallest expense. These little dogs don't eat much. However, you will have to be careful that you don't spoil your puppy with soft food or he may refuse to eat dry food, which will help you keep his teeth in better shape.   

Most Yorkies should be groomed at least three times a week to keep their hair from matting. Dogs with silkier coats may only need to be groomed once a week. Also, since Yorkies are prone to dental problems, you should brush your dog's teeth several times a week.

If you want a pocket sized dog with plenty of spunk, then a Yorkie may be the perfect breed for you.

What is indisputable is that prior to the development of vaccines, many Golden Retrievers and other breeds died of infectious diseases. After their development and widespread use, deaths due to viruses were reduced.

The controversy is less over whether or not to vaccinate, but when, how often and with what.

Puppies have immature immune systems, but not entirely so. During gestation they receive a blood supply from the mother that helps them fight disease. That process is continued and strengthened as they receive the mother's milk. But that maternal contribution is temporary.

By about 5 months of age, the antibodies supplied by the mother have completely faded. At this stage, they are vulnerable to harmful (and potentially fatal) viruses. There's no guarantee they will come into contact with any of them, of course. But the consequences are so severe that most people opt to get vaccinations for their Golden.

Those shots typically start at about 6-8 weeks of age, as the maternal antibodies start to wane. Through the injection of live or killed viruses, the puppy generates a response by producing its own antibodies.

Which is the better type of vaccine, live or killed virus, is an area of ongoing research. Live viruses stimulate a greater response, but represent a greater risk of inducing the disease the vaccine is designed to protect against. Killed vaccines are safer, but they stimulate a lesser response in the pup and therefore may create the need for more (or more frequent) shots to gain the same effect.

Most vets today will use killed or modified virus-based vaccines, since they're safer. The shots continue every month or two (every vet has a slightly different recommendation) for about four more months. Then, the recommendations become more divided. Some advocate continuing yearly, others say that's unnecessary. The science is still uncertain.

There are several common viral diseases that vaccines are used to combat, and some of the vaccines are 'combos' that are designed to guard against more than one. Parvovirus and Leptospirosis are two of the most common. Bordetella, an organism that causes 'kennel cough' is about equally common, as is distemper and corona.

Most vets will recommend vaccinations for these and, provided a quality vaccine is used, the shots are safe and effective. Some side effects do occur in Goldens and precautions should be taken to react quickly to them.

Facial swelling within half an hour after the shot is received occurs in some and treatment with Benadryl should be immediate. That swelling is a sign of a problem, and a potentially very serious one. In extreme cases, anaphylaxis (producing breathing difficulties, possible vomiting and other consequences) is possible. In any case, be prepared to see your vet instantly when symptoms are observed.

Rabies vaccines are possibly the most controversial. Though it's very rare these days for a dog to get rabies, because of past experience and the seriousness of the disease (both for pet and human) most states require the shots. Shots are typically required at six months, then every two to three years thereafter.

After the first year or two of vaccinations, current research suggests that the effectiveness and/or need of vaccines is considerably reduced. The dog's immune system builds up antibodies which remain in the system for several years.

How many years is still a matter of research, but 6-10 is not uncommon, according to some studies. Since the higher figure is at the low end of the Golden Retriever's lifespan, shots later in life is probably unwarranted.

Golden Retrievers are one of the most easily trained breeds because they are smart, active and sociable. They take readily to any sort of outdoor activity because they enjoy anything that gets them moving. From their beginning as a derivative of Russian circus dogs in the mid-19th century, they've been bred to retrieve. Fetching a tennis ball, jumping short fences and other such activities are a natural extension of retrieving game.

They're easily socialized and friendly with people and (usually) other animals. Individuals vary, but they typically adapt well to children and other pets. But proper socialization does take a modest amount of training. Golden Retrievers can be territorial and will bark at or chase animals and people who are not part of their regular environment.

In general, they don't make good watch dogs or guard dogs despite their ready bark. They will definitely alert on the approach of the delivery person, but they also will bark at random movement. Teaching them to tell the difference can be a big challenge. They may bark at a stationary car outside the front screen door or a rabbit darting across the grass outside. Too many false alarms make most of them unsuitable for that role.

Also, since they're so friendly by nature, they will almost never attack a person. Training them to do so is not consistent with their nature. Though they bark, they rarely bite. Their bark is a greeting, not a warning or a sign of anger. And though they can be mouthy, owing to their breeding history, biting in anger or protection is almost unknown.

They're among the most intelligent of breeds, though, and can learn a wide variety of behaviors with only modest effort. They're easily housebroken and will give clear signs (after initial training) that they need to be let outside to eliminate. Training them to fetch is almost automatic, but they can also be taught easily to sit, stay, roll over and more.

Reducing leash tugging for a Retriever, as with many large breeds, can be a challenge. But since they're eager to please they can be taught to patiently wait at your side, or walk along without pulling forward. Like any training program, this will take a few weeks with most individuals and is best carried out young.

Since they're so active and energetic by nature, it's important to give them plenty of room to run and lots of exercise. Inside the house, they can get into trouble without intending to. Their tails wag often because they're generally a happy and active breed and this is how they express it. That can cause objects to get knocked off the coffee table, or anywhere else low enough for them to reach.

They prefer company and being left alone for long periods is not healthy. If there's no person at home during the day, having at least one other dog as a partner is best.

Spaying is essentially performing a hysterectomy on your dog, removing the uterus and ovaries to prevent pregnancy and menstrual cycles. Female Goldens have a 'heat' about every six months, during which time they're fertile and eager to mate. Removing those sex organs eliminates the possibility of pregnancy. But it also causes her body to reduce the hormones that cause heats as well.

The reduction of those hormones is one of the chief health reasons that so many vets recommend spaying. Unspayed Golden Retrievers have about a 25% chance of developing breast cancer tumors. Spaying reduces the odds to about 6%, if the young female is spayed just after the first or second heat. Beyond tumors, there are other conditions that can represent a health risk. The odds of getting endometritis, for example, can be reduced by spaying.

There are other health-related reasons to consider spaying. Mating and pregnancy bring their own risks.

When a female is in heat, she sends out a pheromone (a biochemical attractant) that can be scented by males for a mile or more. Larger males can, and will, often leap a fence to get to the female. But mating with a larger species dog (or any other) can represent an unwanted pregnancy that puts your Golden at risk.

While it's certainly a natural process, pregnancy is somewhat more difficult in some respects for dogs than for humans, especially when they're larger than purebred Goldens. Litters number around eight pups. The odds of all surviving and being healthy are about 50-50. The effort puts a definite strain on the mother and the human who assists.

But there are factors beyond health to consider.

Females in heat ooze blood during their cycle just as other mammals do. That can be messy and inconvenient to clean up. This lasts for about two weeks. The total cycle is roughly three weeks. The first few days she'll release a scent that attracts males, even when you can't see anything.

Having to keep males away, or just tolerating their behavior, during this time can be an annoyance. Even when they're physically barred from access, in fact even more so because of it, they'll become real pests. They whine, they wander back and forth along the fence, scratch doors and exhibit other actions to show interest.

With all that said, spaying is surgery and carries some risk. The procedure is carried out by vets every day and most are experienced. But removing major organs that have evolved for a purpose is always a difficult choice. And, some Golden Retriever owners may want to undertake the perfectly legitimate process of mating their Golden.

Most pregnancies, with the proper care, can proceed with relatively little difficulty. For those with the skill and time, pups can be well cared for. Many healthy litters are born every day. The minor inconvenience of a dog in heat twice a year may be worthwhile to some.

But socializing your Golden Retriever is not only easy, it leads to a better adjusted dog and higher safety for you and your pet. Fortunately, where Goldens are concerned, socializing your dog is relatively easy. Like any animal, in the absence of exposure while young to other dogs, animals and humans they can be wary and territorial.

Goldens are naturally curious, intelligent, active and eager to please. They play with other pups in the litter, making a game of dominance activities and exploration. You can build on that in-built social nature to acclimate them to pets of other breeds or species in the home and outside it.

Start socializing your Golden at a young age, approximately 8-10 weeks. Take proper precautions, though. You want to carry out the process safely and there are two major sources of risk. The first is physical injury, the second is disease.

Goldens are not particularly aggressive, relative to many other breeds. They prefer to play. That puts them at a disadvantage when other dogs or animals attack. Carrying out socialization safely will first require the ability to control the environment and any movement that your dog and another animal can make. Use of enclosed areas and/or proper leashes or harnesses are the minimum safeguards needed.

Next, ensure that your Golden is properly vaccinated and that they're exposed only to other animals that are too. Kennel cough and other, more serious, infectious diseases are common in many environments. When exposed, vaccination makes the difference between becoming infected or not.

Once you're in a safe place, with the proper restraints and the absence of surprises or distractions, you can easily socialize your Golden. The initial phase takes only a few weeks, though the process should ideally be carried out continuously for life.

Firmly grasp the leash and allow your dog to use its natural curiosity to explore the other animal. The other animal, needless to say, should be similarly restrained. Most young Goldens will want to 'play nice'. They're friendly and eager to explore this new phenomenon.

Individual responses will differ somewhat, since even among Goldens there are alpha dogs and omega dogs, those who are assertive and those who hold back. But even shy dogs can welcome contact if they're made to feel there is no danger, and that the alpha (that's you, in this case) is in control.

Neutering ('spaying' is the procedure for females) is a surgical procedure that removes the testicles. That act has a number of consequences.

Neutering, of course, removes the ability of the male to produce sperm making successful mating impossible. At the same time, however, it causes the body to reduce testosterone and other hormones that motivate mating behavior. Males don't get aroused, and the standard behavior is lowered or eliminated altogether.

Female Golden Retrievers in heat produce a pheromone (biochemical scent) that males can sense from far away. That induces several behaviors in the male, apart from the obvious desire to mount. It incents males to lick the female's ears and vulva. If unable to reach the female, males will wander back and forth in her vicinity. They'll even forego food and water for long periods.

Altering the male's hormone levels by neutering changes all that. Males will still show an interest in a female in heat, but the reactions are very subdued. Ear licking may still occur, but they never try to mount and arousal is very rare.

Neutering removes the possibility of testicular tumors and lowers the risk of prostate disease and other conditions. These are influenced by the level of testosterone in your Golden.

When the male is neutered also makes a difference.

Males neutered very early in life may never acquire certain typical attributes and behavior. Assertiveness is reduced right away. Males neutered later may take some time for hormone levels to reduce and will have acquired some habits that may change only slowly.

Unneutered males will mark territory by urinating on trees, lampposts and even other dogs' markings. Intact males are more assertive and may engage in rough behavior with other, competing males. They often engage in stereotypical (and often comical) fake mating behavior - on your leg, a pillow or other handy objects. All those may take time to fade if males are neutered after sexual maturity.

Neutering a male has other effects that more directly impact your relationship with your male Golden Retriever.

Since a female in heat gets most of the attention, your dog will become distracted and unresponsive if unneutered. Whining and agitation are common at those times. They're more likely to try to assert dominance, often a problem with males in any case, as many will strive for alpha status. That makes training more difficult during those twice-yearly, three week periods.

But neutering, while a common medical procedure, is not without risks and possible drawbacks. Any surgery carries some discomfort and possible health impact. Assertive behavior can still persist despite the procedure. And, some people will want to make the perfectly justifiable choice to mate their males with other dogs.

Beginning as early as four weeks for some, but certainly no later than eight weeks of age, Golden Retriever pups have the mental capacity and bladder and bowel control to receive potty training.

Some owners will follow the pup around or use crate training to prevent 'accidents' on the carpet. For some those methods may work well. Others will use a technique that is not generally recommended: paper training.

Paper training involves watching the dog carefully then moving it to spread out newspapers and allowing the dog to eliminate inside the house on the papers. There are also commercially available paper-like 'rugs' made of material that is supposed to attract the dog and minimize odors. This technique can help reduce rug cleaning and odors, but it builds in a bad habit early on that is more difficult to alter later on. The dog learns to eliminate in the house.

Also, once a dog urinates or defecates in a certain spot, rug or newspaper, they tend to return to the same spot. This can be a problem especially if the dog missed the paper by a few inches. It also de-emphasizes the need for the pup to give you a sign that they need to go outside. This short-term solution creates a larger, longer-term problem.

Golden Retrievers don't require this kind of training. They learn quickly and are eager to please. Watch for signs of backing up, circling or squatting and quickly whisk them outside. Give lots of verbal praise and a nice pet when they go outside. Don't strike the dog for going inside - never hit them for something they can't control.

It's equally important not to press their nose in it, since that has an effect the very opposite of its intention. Goldens will simply regard it as a normal smell and repeat the behavior. They don't find feces offensive. In fact, Goldens will sniff and roll in other animals' feces readily.

Just as important is avoiding pressing on their hind quarters to encourage them to squat. Though the problem is sometimes overstated, Golden Retriever's are (like many large breed dogs who have been inbred over decades) prone to hip dysplasia. Don't encourage any weakness of the hindquarters by stressing the dog's rear end.

Most Golden Retriever puppies will learn quickly to defer their need to urinate or defecate (for a few minutes at least). This usually takes only a few days training. Some will require a couple of weeks to become consistent. If it takes longer than this, the dog may have developed some unfortunate habits, such as seeking out the same place inside the house. In those cases, a little extra 'un-training' will be needed. Commercial rug cleaners can help reduce the smell that attracts them to the same spot.

Even at the lower figure, the odds are high. Professional Golden Retriever organizations and breeders are taking steps to try to breed out the weakness, but that effort is a long-term solution. The average lifespan for a Golden Retriever is between 10-13 years, so changing inherited characteristics will take a long time.

Hip dysplasia is a genetically influenced condition in which the bone socket isn't well formed and the head of the femur bone not properly rounded. A similar condition called elbow dysplasia affects elbows rather than hips, but is essentially the same problem.

The result is friction when the ball of the bone moves inside the socket, with subsequent unhealthy wear on the joint. The condition is debilitating and painful. Over time, the dog has weakness in the hindquarters and eventually extreme difficulty or an inability to walk.

The diagnosis is fairly straightforward. Your vet can take a simple x-ray and a radiologist will analyze the result and provide a report detailing the presence and degree of the problem, if any. Diagnosis is only worthwhile after about six months, but most are done at around two years of age.

There's no cure, short of experimental and expensive joint replacement, which may or not be a long-term solution. But there are several things a Golden Retriever owner can do to mitigate the problem.

Step number one is to make efforts to adopt a pet that doesn't have a propensity for the condition in the first place. The AKC (American Kennel Club, http://www.akc.com) and the OFA provide a means of certifying that the parents of pups offered do not suffer from the condition. Since it's genetically dependent, the absence of the condition in the bitch and sire is a good indication the pups will be free of it.

When adopting a privately bred dog or a rescued dog from a shelter, those options may not be available. But there are still actions the owner can take to minimize the problem.

First is to discover if it exists. At two years (older, if the dog was adopted at later age), have the dog examined. If the condition is found, keeping the dog's weight as low as possible is the first line of defense.

Though underfeeding a dog is unhealthy for the dog and cruel, many dogs are overfed. They are given far more calories than they need, especially if their activity level is low. Reducing the amount of, say, dry food given by 10-20% will not endanger the dog's overall health but will help keep their weight lower.

Some activity is good, in order to keep joints in condition and muscles toned. Healthy muscles help keep bones firmly in the proper alignment, and movement causes the flow of fluids that keep the joint well-lubricated. But for a Golden Retriever with hip or elbow dysplasia, a reduced level of activity is a must.

There's no cure, but a Golden Retriever that is well cared for can still enjoy a long and happy life.

Proper coat care takes at least three steps: bathing, brushing and combing.

A Golden needs to be bathed at least every two months, approximately. Some live in cleaner environments and may get away with slightly less often. Some are outside rolling in the dirt at every chance and will need it as often as once per week. If that's the case, however, a better solution would be to keep them out of the dirt!

Always use a dog shampoo, not baby shampoo or dish detergent. Commercial dog shampoos are designed with the Golden's coat and skin in mind. They're manufactured with the proper pH and contain mild ingredients to keep them odor free. Baby shampoo has not the proper pH and dish detergent is far too rough, disturbing the skin's oil balance.

Golden Retrievers have two layers of coat, the top coat and the undercoat. Both need to be brushed correctly.

Grooming that long, thick, beautiful Golden coat is a continuing chore. It should be done at least once per week, more often if your pet tends to get collect debris from bushes and grass. Three instruments will help do the job with minimal fuss: a slicker, a Greyhound comb and an undercoat rake.

The slicker is used to brush the top coat, removing hair that has made its way to the surface. Goldens shed mostly from the undercoat, but much of that hair eventually travels outward. Firm, smooth strokes are good but take care not to get too vigorous. Avoid brush burn from forcible use of a slicker.

A Greyhound comb helps remove excess hair, both from shedding and that loosened by brushing. It's also a great tool to use to check that your brushing has been successful. If you can comb the hair on the back, sides and chest without getting snagged then you've done a thorough brush. 'No matting is good'.

The undercoat rake gets down to the lower layer, close to the skin. This undercoat helps keep the dog warm in winter and cool in summer, while the top coat helps protect from sun and friction from bushes. Goldens were bred to be game fetching dogs, much of which takes place in heavy forest and brush.

The rake is used to remove loose hair from shedding. Start at the rear leg and proceed gently forward. Lift and pull away from your body as you stroke the rake through the coat.

Nails should be trimmed as needed, generally about once per month at least. Tastes differ between the guillotine clippers and the scissor style. Use whichever suits you best, but be careful in either case not to snip the quick. That's the tender, round vessel that delivers blood to the area. Cutting it causes pain and profuse bleeding. Wetting the toenails near the foot will make it more visible.

If you have an accident, don't panic. Just have some styptic powder handy and daub some on the wound. Avoid allowing the dog run or jump for at least an hour. The wounds heal quickly, but can be re-opened.