Featured Dog Breed – the Saint Bernard

It is said that an excess of more than 2,000 lost or injured travelers are said to owe their lives to the heroic and chivalrous relief efforts of the Saint Bernard.
Not even harsh, icy winds, sleet, or several feet of snow can slow this breed’s tracking nose and skills down!

One of the largest breeds of dog with ancestral roots dating as far back as 980 AD, today’s Saint Bernard can be seen in both long and short-coated varieties in either a red or white.

Gallant, gentle, and kind, these attentive, doting, and rather “nanny-like” dogs were initially used for herding, hunting, and watch-dogging.

It was not until the 17th Century that the Saint Bernard’s unparalleled proficiency for search and rescue was discovered,

December 2007 Featured Cat Breed – Oriental Shorthair

The Oriental Shorthair has consistently ranked as one of the top feline breeds registered with the CFA since it’s acceptance by the club in year 1977.

Developed to expand the limited color and pattern diversity of the founding Siamese cat breed, the Oriental Shorthair is said to appear in more than 300 color and pattern combinations- including 4 solids and 112 tabbies, ranging from cream to cinnamon, smoke to mackerel. Shaded, smoked, parti-colored, or patched, this sleek-bodied cat nevertheless embodies the look of, “chic.”

Members of this breed are most commonly described as svelte, moderately-lanky cats with an attractive, very angular skeletal structure and long, whippy tail. Embellishing this diverse cat breed’s wedge-shaped head is a pair of almond-shaped, blue, green, or bi-colored eyes, and large, flared ears.

The responsive and personable qualities of this breed correspond nicely with their notoriously varied, unique exteriors. They are considerably people-oriented felines, apt to closely bond with their owners.