If you’re a dog lover, the chances are you have a particular breed that just makes you go weak at the knees. You probably even own one of that breed or would one day love to. This week we’re going to take a look at some of the UK’s most popular dog breeds and try to work out why that is! Read on to see if your perfect pooch is part of the party!

1. Labrador Retriever – aside from this being a very pretty pup, the Labrador retriever is one of the most loyal, most loving, caring and affectionate dog breeds out there! Their good nature make them wonderful family pets. They do require training from an early age like most dogs and can be wayward, but if given the right amount of love and attention, they make friends for life.

2. English Springer Spaniel – this dog is very gentle and even-tempered. Not only that, but they are incredibly intelligent animals capable of learning very quickly. Their tails never seem to stop wagging, making them one of the most cheerful, life-loving dogs out there!

3. German Shepherd – a lot of people might think ill of this misunderstood pup, but German Shepherds make excellent companions. They are very active dogs, are keen, courageous and also very strong. If owners make it clear who is in charge, they make for excellent family pets and will guard and protect their loved ones with their lives.

4. Boxer – these are exceptionally loving and friendly dogs, despite their slightly intimidating appearance. They are very curious and energetic and will keep their owner as fit as they are! They bond with their family and are very affectionate and sociable.  They are also very well known for getting along with children, making them the perfect family pet!

These are just a few of the UK’s most popular dog breeds, but if you’re interested in finding out about more, visit the UK KC website.

You probably have a couple of animals in mind when we say ‘heroic pets’ to you. Lassie, Skippy, Black Beauty and maybe even White Fang if you’re from that generation. They’re all animals with an uncanny ability to communicate with humans, thus able to let ‘Old Man Tom’ know when some hapless child has fallen to the bottom of his structurally unsafe well again.

Well, we doubt that the animal actors behind the heroes could really save any lives, but there are a few plucky pets out there who really deserve the praise for showing limitless bravery in the face of adversity. Take Trackr for instance, the German Shepherd responsible for finding the last survivor of the tragic events of 9/11.  He was so successful during his time as a rescue dog that he was even cloned not once, not twice, not three times, but a staggering four times.

Then there is the miraculous story of a dog that appeared from nowhere to save the life of a man risking being gorged to death by a bull in Spain! The man in question had just about given up on his life when the pup raced onto the scene and launched itself at the bull to free its victim and even continued to attack even after the man had scrambled free. Thanks to the dog, the man escaped relatively unharmed.

It’s not just dogs that are capable of  being heroic, either! Winnie the cat is responsible for saving the life of her family when a gasoline powered water pump was leaking an odourless gas into the house. Their 14 year old son lay unconscious next door while Winnie pawed, nudged and wailed at her owners to wake them up. If it hadn’t been for Winnie sensing something was wrong, they would never have survived.

One of the most heart-warming stories of an heroic pet is all about Lulu, a pot-bellied pig that tried desperately to raise the alarm when her owner’s mother was taking care of her and suffered a massive heart attack. Not-so-little Lulu ran into the street and spread herself out in the middle of the road to stop oncoming traffic, returning to the house every so often to check on JoAnn until she finally got someone’s attention. They followed Lulu to the door and discovered JoAnn unconscious. If it hadn’t been for her, JoAnn would surely have died.

It just goes to show how invaluable our animals really are. They’re more than just our companions, they’re our friends and in some instances, our rescuers!

Body language obviously isn’t exclusive to humans. Animals don’t have the luxury of being able to communicate so thoroughly using words. You may think you know your pet pretty well, but there might be one or two hints of NVC (non-verbal communication) that you weren’t aware meant anything at all. You may even recognise a few; cats kneading, dogs cocking their heads, rabbits stomping. If you’ve ever owned any of these three pets, you’re bound to have seen this behaviour at least once. They’re not the only ones that do it, too – every animal on the planet has a unique way of communication, including rats, ferrets and reptiles!

Over the new few weeks, we want to clear up some mysteries and help you to understand your pets needs and emotions a little bit better with a breakdown of some common and uncommon bits of behaviour from a few of our furry friends.

This week is the turn of man’s best friend, the canis (or simply ‘dog’ to you and I).

Dogs

1. Tail between its legs – everyone should know this one, but just in case you don’t, a dog holding its tail between its legs is usually frightened or nervous. It may also arch its back, bend its legs and its ears will likely lie flatter. A dog that shows these signs is likely to snap at someone or something it’s are afraid of. Its pupils also tend to dilate.

2. Wagging tail, panting, erect ears – these indicate the dog is a very happy, relaxed and confident pooch that is probably having fun.

3. Lifted paw and flattened ears – this often suggests fear and submission.

4. Twitching or pricked ears, tail low – the dog is likely to be listening for something so is attentive, but not necessarily frightened. Dogs tend to be curious about every little sound they hear, especially if it’s new to them.

5. Tail erect or curled – this is a sign the dog is confident, happy and relaxed. Its ears will probably also be erect or pricked, though it is difficult to tell with some dogs.

6. Rear end in the air, upper body to the floor – this is called ‘baying’ and dogs normally exhibit this behaviour when feeling playful and happy.

7. Rolling over - a dog that exposes its belly is often being submissive to either another dog, or to you. It doesn’t  want to show any aggression.

8. Maintains eye contact, ruffles fur, stands tall, growls – this behaviour suggests a show of dominance either directed towards another dog, or to a person. It can be dangerous for both if not handled with care. Any dog exhibiting this behaviour towards a person should be dealt with cautiously. The dog may also start to bear its teeth and lunge. Experts suggest you maintain eye contact and calmly back away.

Stay tuned for next time when we’ll tell you all about cat communication!