Little-Known Facts About the 10 Most Popular Medium-Sized Dog Breeds

You may have heard that Border Collies are one of the smartest dog breeds. And for the most part, they live up to their brainy reputation. For instance, a Border Collie named Chaser knows more than a thousand words and can make inferences about words she doesn’t know.

The Cocker Spaniel, who is a member of the Sporting Group, gets his name from his talent for hunting woodcock, a type of wading bird.

There are two types of Springer Spaniels: those from hunting lines and those from show lines. So what’s the difference? English Springers from show lines have solid patches of color next to their solid white fur; long, flowing coats; and heavier bodies. Springers from hunting lines have coats of moderate length and lots of brown ticking in their white fur.

The Brittany hails from the province of Brittany in France and was bred to point and retrieve in different types of terrain.

According to Welsh legend, Corgis were a gift from the fairies, who rode them like horses. Need proof? Some Corgis wear a “saddle” on their backs, and others have white “harness” marks behind their shoulders.

Although the Sheltie is a distinctive breed from the Collie, he’s gone by several names that reflect both his Collie ancestry and diminutive size: Miniature Collie, Lilliputian Collie, Toonie Dog and Fairy Dog.

There's a right way to hold a Dachshund: Help protect his back by tucking one arm beneath his hind end and supporting his front end at the chest with your other arm, while keeping his body in a horizontal position.

The French Bulldog originated in England but became popular in his adopted homeland of France after the Industrial Revolution. When lacemaking became mechanized, many English lace workers lost their jobs and moved to France, where their skills were still in demand, and they took their beloved Frenchies with them.

Thanks to their generally friendly disposition and excellent scent-detection skills, Beagles are often used at airports to sniff out weapons, drugs and illegal food items without making passengers nervous like a large police dog might.

The Bulldog is relatively easy to groom, but his facial and nose wrinkles may require special care. Depending on the individual dog, you may need to clean his wrinkles a couple times a week or every day with a soft damp cloth or baby wipe, then dry them thoroughly.