Affectionately known as the "Chessie", the Chesapeake Bay Retriever is an American breed with a fascinating history.

The story goes that, in 1807, a British cargo ship was shipwrecked in Chesapeake Bay, Maryland. Among the rescued "cargo" was two Newfoundland puppies which the captain agreed to sell to local townsfolk. These dogs were then bred to local dogs, including Flat-coated, and Curly-coated retrievers, to eventually produce the Chesapeake.

Chessies are large dogs, standing up to 24 inches at the shoulder, and weighing up to 80 pounds. They are exceptional water retrievers with a physique and physiology perfectly suited to the job. They are powerful swimmers with a coat that offers protection from the elements. This coat is brown or reddish brown in color and consists of an oily outer coat and a dense, woolly undercoat.

The breed lacks the happy-go-lucky, outgoing personality of other retrievers, like Labradors or Goldens. Generally, they are loyal and protective of their immediate family, but reserved and alert around strangers.

They are also less eager-to-please than, say, a Lab, being naturally assertive and self-confident. As such, they are not really suitable for the first time dog owner and will do better with a firm, although not harsh, master.

They can do well as a family pet for an active family, but are better suited to older children, and will also have to be socialised with other pets.

Like most purebred dogs, the Chesapeake Bay Retriever is not immune to inherited health problems. They suffer from hip dysplasia, cataracts, progressive retinal atrophy, and the haemophilia known as, Von Willebrand's Disease.

Like many large breeds, they may suffer bloat or gastric torsion. Feeding the dog small, regular meals rather than one large meal per day can help prevent this. Chessies live on average for 10 to 12 years.

The coat of the Chesapeake Bay Retriever has a unique oily texture, and requires minimal grooming. A brush once a week with a bristle brush is sufficient. These dogs have a distinctive doggy odor, but you should not be tempted to bath them too often as this can strip out the natural oils from the coat.

This is not the easiest dog to train. They are smart, but also strong-willed, which means they won't follow an instruction just because you say so. Strong leadership is very important if you want to succeed with training, but you'll also need to keep things positive and reward based to get results.

It should be obvious that this is not a dog that is suited to apartment living. The Chesapeake requires lots of activity, and preferably a job to do. They do best with an active outdoor person who is prepared to involve them in lots of activities. Daily walks are a must and swimming is a favorite activity.

Good names for a Chesapeake Bay Retriever can be hard to find. The best advice is to search one of the online dog names, sites, and my personal favorite is Puppy Names HQ. This site has thousands of excellent dog names, including a mega-database of male dog names to pick from.

The Boston Terrier is a small companion dog that is affectionate, playful and energetic. These adorable guys make wonderful pets and are easy keepers, with moderate exercise needs, and a coat that requires minimal grooming.Boston’s are considered one of the few true American dog breeds, but in fact their origins are in the English Bulldog, Bull Terrier, and later, the French Bulldog. All Boston’s trace their linage back to a single sire, Judge, owned by Edward Hooper.

Another surprising fact about the breed (especially given their renowned placid temperament) is that they were originally bred as fighting dogs. The Boston Terrier is a small, compact dog, ranging from about 10 to 25 pounds in weight, and 15 to 17 inches in height. They have small, erect ears, a shortened muzzle and large, slightly protruding eyes.

They have a distinctive coat which somewhat resembles a tuxedo, and can be black and white, brindle and white, or seal and white. The Boston is not a true terrier, despite its name. The AKC recognized the breed in 1893, classifying it in the non-sporting group.

Within the breed there are variances of temperament, some are extremely eager to please, while others may be stubborn and willful. Having said that, Boston’s tend to form strong bonds with their owners and have an uncanny knack of interpreting their moods. They are very sensitive to tone of voice and don’t appreciate harsh words or treatment.Despite their stature, they are not afraid to stand their ground, and will protect their family against any threat.

Grooming a Boston is easy. These dogs shed very little and the coat only needs to be brushed once or twice a week. In addition to brushing you will need to keep the eyes clean, by wiping them daily with a damp cloth.

Although they are not the most active of dogs, you will have to get your Boston Terrier out for a walk every day. Dogs that are insufficiently exercised and lacking in mental stimulation often develop behavioral problems, and in this breed it is likely to manifest as chewing and problem barking.

You should however take care not to overexert the dog, especially in hot weather. Like many short-faced breeds, the Boston Terrier is prone to breathing problems. These dogs do very well in an apartment, as long as they get enough exercise.

Bostons have an above average lifespan, with many living 15 or longer. They do, however, have a number of health issues including, brachycephalic syndrome, skin and heart tumors, and cataracts.

Picking a name for your Boston Terrier can be a challenge. The best advice is to visit some of the many puppy names, sites online. My recommendation is puppy-names-hq.com, which has a huge database, including thousands of cute dog names.

It’s hard to think of the Cairn Terrier without mentioning Toto, Dorothy’s dog from The Wizard of Oz. Like Toto, Cairns are feisty, intelligent and loyal little dogs who may be small, but are not lacking in bravery.

The Cairn is a native of Scotland and has been around since the 1500’s. They were originally bred for fox hunting and rodent control. The name "Cairn" refers to narrow gaps between rocks, and the breed was particularly adept at squeezing through these gaps to kill rats. These days Cairns are more commonly seen as companion dogs.

Standing just 10 to 13 inches at the withers, and weighing just 18 pounds, the Cairn Terrier is a strong, compact little dog. The face is sharp and fox-like, and the ears small an erect. The coat can be brindle, cream, gray, red, sandy, or wheaten, and is rough and shaggy.

These alert, clever and mischievous dogs have bags of character. They are confident, affectionate and friendly and ideally suited to the role of companion dog. They do well with children, although are not best suited to young kids. You'll also have to supervise them around non-canine pets, particularly rodents, as they still possess a strong prey drive.

Training a Cairn is usually easy. They are eager to please and keen to learn, with a special talent for learning tricks. Males tend to be easier to train than females, but both genders respond well to positive training methods. Shouting or any form of punishment will be ineffective, because they are quite sensitive.

They are also very quick and agile, meaning that they are keen competitors in various canine sports. Cairns do exceptionally well at flyball, agility and obedience trials.

With an average lifespan of between 12 and 15 years, the Cairn is a healthy, robust dog. However, they are not immune to genetic diseases and are known to suffer from progressive retinal atrophy, cataracts, hypothyroidism, and entropion. These dogs are also very sensitive to flea bites, so you'll need to take steps to control these pests.

Grooming a Cairn Terrier is fairly easy. They shed very little and require only a good brush down every other day to keep the coat looking its best. The undercoat tends to be quite sensitive so be careful to brush gently. The dog can be bathed monthly and you should also take care to trim the hair around the eyes.

Because of their small size, Cairns can live most anywhere and do well in an apartment. They are however, highly active dogs requiring daily exercise. This should include a walk plus games, as Cairns love to play and are particularly fond of chasing a ball.

Finding good puppy names, for a Cairn Terrier can be a challenge. Your best bet is to use an online dog names database like Puppy Names HQ, which has literally thousands of excellent dog names, including a mega-list of cool dog names.

The Borzoi is an elegant sight hound that originated in Russia around the Middle Ages. Originally bred by crossing Arabian greyhounds with Russian hunting dogs, the Borzoi was used by the aristocracy to hunt wolves, foxes, and hares. These days, the Borzoi is more commonly seen as a companion dog than as a hunter.The breed has much in common with its ancestor, the Greyhound. Both dog's have a slim, athletic build a long muzzle and a domed head. They also share the high-set, widely spaced ears, and the small ears, typical of most sighthounds.

However the coats of the two breeds are significantly different. The Borzoi coat is long, silky and wavy and can be solid or patched in any color Borzois are intelligent, affectionate and gentle dogs who are extremely loyal and form close bonds with their immediate family. In common with other hunting breeds they tend to be independent thinkers and this can make them a challenge to train.

Despite this, Borzois can most certainly be trained. You will however have to be firm and persistent, using a positive reward based training method, like clicker training. These dogs do not respond well to harsh treatment and are also sensitive to voice tone.

These dogs are particularly fastidious and are known to groom like cats. They are also one of the quieter dog breeds, and seldom bark.If you're thinking of getting a Borzoi, you'll have to bear in mind that this is still a hunting dog at heart. The instinct to chase is still very dominant, and they will run after anything that they see as prey. They are astoundingly quick and you'll have absolutely no chance of keeping up with a Borzoi, once he gets going.

Although they are generally friendly dogs, Borzois simply can't help themselves once the hunting instinct kicks in. There is no malice intended, but they will track and hunt small animals, including cats that they have not been socialized with.

This is a healthy dog breed that is seemingly immune to major inherited diseases. Cardiac disease and canine cancers do occur but are rare. In addition, the breed is susceptible to gastric torsion or bloat. Like many sighthounds, the Borzoi is sensitive to anesthetics. The median lifespan for the Borzoi is a short 7-10 years, although some have been known to reach 14 years of age.

As you’d expect with that luxuriant coat the Borzoi requires regular brushing and occasional trimming to keep them looking their best. They are also heavy shedders, especially in the spring when they moult their thick winter undercoat.

Despite their athleticism, exercise needs are medium. Borzois can be real couch potatoes, but still need daily walks.

If you’re looking for a name for your Borzoi, the best advice is to visit a dog names, website. The one that I recommend is Puppy Names HQ, which has a huge database of excellent dog names including 1000s of girl dog names.

With the looks of a glamor model, and the physique of an athlete, the Afghan is an instantly recognizable dog breed.

Standing anywhere between 24 and 29 inches at the shoulder, and weighing up to 59 pounds, these lean sighthounds are characterized by a long lustrous coat that can be any color.

The face also has a black 'mask', while some dogs sport a long mandarin-style moustache called, unsurprisingly, a mandarin. As you can deduce from the name, these dogs come from Afghanistan. Like most sighthounds they were hunters of small game. The breed was unknown in the west until the 19th century, and by the end of World War 1, had virtually disappeared.

Then in the 1920's several dogs were brought to Scotland as breeding stock. These dogs caused quite a stir on the dog show circuit and were soon recognized by the major international kennel clubs. Virtually all of the Afghans we see today, descend directly from this group.

Afghans are an ancient breed, and have genetic markers in common with wolves, making them close descendants of the original domesticated dogs.The temperament of the breed is best described as aloof, even snooty. They also have a reputation as being difficult to train. It's not that they're unintelligent, just that they prefer not to obey.

They’ve even been described as cat-like, because of their ability to totally blank you out. Put it this way, if you want an Afghan to obey your command, you’d better give him a good reason to.

Having said that, they still make excellent pets, and are affectionate towards those close to them. With strangers though it’s a different story. When you meet an Afghan for the first time, you should expect to be ignored!

Despite their athletic profile, Afghans can be first-class couch potatoes. They love curling up and dozing on the couch and will do it for hours if you let them.

Outdoors though, it’s an entirely different story. The hunting instinct kicks in and they will chase anything that moves, small animals in particular.Despite its limited gene pool, the Afghan is a surprisingly healthy dog. They suffer from few of the problems that typically afflict purebreds. They are however prone to eye diseases, with cataracts a particular problem.

One of the biggest challenges for an Afghan owner is keeping that luxurious coat looking its best. This requires daily brushing, and a regular trip to the dog salon to trim the coat back into shape.

Although the Afghan is a hunting dog, it much prefers the luxury of indoor living to sleeping outdoors. Anyway, the dog is not equipped for outdoor living as the coat offer very little protection from the elements.

The easiest way to find good names for your Afghan Hound is to visit an online dog names, resource, like puppy-names-hq.com. This site has tons of dog names, including 1000s of female dog names to choose from.