Dog Tag prints - 12 Colours, 27 Breeds Available

The spaniel is widely assumed to have originated in Spain, with the word “spaniel” thought to be derived from the old French word “Espaignol” meaning “Spanish”. However another theory suggests that the name “spaniel” may come from the French verb “espanir” meaning “to crouch or flatten” (which describes a style of hunting involving crouching and springing).

Cockers and Springers are closely related. Originally these were just different names given to pups of the same litter — the smaller ones called Cockers and the larger ones, Springers. Cocker Spaniels were recognised as a distinct breed by the Kennel Club in 1885.

Immortalised as Lady (in the 1955 film Lady and the Tramp) Cocker Spaniels are no strangers to celebrity status. Famous owners include George Clooney, The Kennedy family, Elton John, Oprah Winfrey, Prince William & Kate Middleton and President Nixon.

About Dachshunds - Despite their cute and comical appearance, Dachshunds are incredibly brave little hunting dogs that were bred to chase and flush out badgers.

At least 4000 years old, the Greyhound is arguably the oldest purebred canine. Combining speed, grace and exceptional hunting ability with loyal and devoted companionship, the greyhound has been used in the sport of coursing (the pursuit of prey by sight instead of scent) since ancient times. It can reach speeds of between 40 and 45mph.

Pictured on walls of Egyptian Pharaoh’s tombs and owned by King Tutankhamen & Cleopatra 7th, the greyhound has a rich and noble heritage. The greyhound features prominently in Homer’s epic Ancient Greek poem, The Odyssey, about the Greek hero Odysseus and his journey home after the fall of Troy, upon which he is not recognised by anyone but his trusted greyhound, Argus. Having 'Argus eyes' has since become a byword to describe a person with a keen sense of sight.

Frequently a decorative emblem on tombs, the greyhound symbolized noble virtues and the aristocratic way of life. A valued status symbol in Ancient Arabia, the birth of a greyhound was said to be second only to the birth of a son. Their privileged status in society was also evident in the Middle Ages when it was a capital offence to kill a greyhound and only royalty or nobility were allowed to own one (not commoners - who were beheaded if caught with one). This ensured that the elite sport of greyhound racing remained just for gentlemen and nobility.

There is plenty of amusing greyhound behaviour terminology to learn. These big-hearted hunters like to alternate between the “Zoomies” (galloping with abandon on winged feet) and the “Snoozies” (lounging and dozing in comfort and warmth). Many delight in hoarding food and toys in their beds where they may practice “Roaching” (rolling onto their back and spreading their legs at odd angles in all directions, like a dead cockroach) and they may also enjoy a spot of “Roo-ing” (singing or howling).

About Hungarian Vizslas - Vizslas are well known for their insatiable desire to be close to their humans, hence the nickname "Velcro Dog". They are experts at wedging themselves next to their owners, climbing over them and draping themselves around their beloved human companions. They crave attention and are incurable snugglers. An old Hungarian proverb says "If you own a Vizsla, it lives on top of your head"!

Vizslas were prized companions and hunting partners of ancient Magyar warriors who, with the help of their falcons, flushed out prey on the vast plains. They were soon adopted as the dog of choice by Hungarian nobility and Vizslas were sometimes presented to favoured foreign royalty and so came to be known as 'the gift of the kings". Fortunately Vizslas narrowly escaped extinction when the Soviets invaded Hungary towards the end of the second world war.

Vizslas are very clever and are notorious mischief-makers when bored. They frequently out-think their owners and can be especially smart and sneaky when it comes to food - opening cupboards and counter surfing - and nothing is considered out of bounds! Many have a fetish for socks, laundry, tissues, shoes and toilet paper, which they particularly enjoy shredding!

With their trademark sleek, red-gold coat and amber eyes, it's hard to resist their adoring gaze and unending desire just to be loved.

The working and sporting owners of Jack Russell terriers of old were vehemently opposed to Kennel Club registration of the breed. They were proud of their hardy little dogs, preferring to call them cross breeds or even mongrels - the words pedigree or pure-bred were anathema to them. Even John Russell, after judging Fox Terriers in the show ring for the Kennel Club, was firmly against any standardisation of the breed, believing that the working spirit of the Jack Russell would be diluted by show breeding, leaving them “constitutionally and generally weaker than their less blue-blooded cousins”

But of course there were those who disagreed and sought to create a breed standard - now known as the Parson Russell Terrier - which is recognised by the Kennel Club. Regardless of Kennel Club recognition, these super little dogs are tough yet affectionate with a larger than life personality. Fearless, agile, quick and energetic, the JRT is a remarkable companion for all walks of life.

About Labradoodles - In the late 1980s The Royal Guide Dog Association of Australia received a request from a blind lady in Hawaii who needed a guide dog that would not aggravate her husband’s allergies. The request was given to a man called Wally Conron who tried in vain to train 33 different poodles as guide dogs but, despite being working dogs, none of them made the grade. In desperation he crossed his best Labrador bitch with a Standard Poodle. Of the three puppies, one of them did not trigger an allergic reaction in the blind lady’s husband and so the Labradoodle was born.

Despite often seeing Labs as assistance dogs, it was not until I researched the breed in more detail that I realised just how many different ways Labs have been trained to help humans. These steady, soft-mouthed, warm hearted and waggy-tailed dogs are the perfect companion for so many people.

About Lurchers - A Lurcher is a cross between a Sighthound and a Non-Sighthound (often a herding/pastoral breed, like a collie) to produce an athletic hunting dog.

In England, in the Middle Ages, only the nobility could own pure bred dogs. After the conquest in 1066, the Normans passed laws preventing commoners from owning purebred greyhounds and Forest Law protected huge swathes of forest for Royalty and the King to hunt. By the late 12th century almost one third of southern England was Royal Forest.

Accidental crossbreeds of these nobility owned sighthounds were snapped up by the commoners (peasants and gypsies) as stealth poaching dogs, who hunted by scent and sight to put meat for the cooking pot on the table. Rabbit and hares were the usual quarry and hunting usually took place at night.

These dogs were the perfect combination of intelligence, speed, agility, hardiness, temperament & trainability. It was essential that the purebred Greyhound hunting instinct was tempered so that the dogs could be stopped from chasing prey if someone was watching. The penalty for detection was death, so dogs had to be loyal, trainable and live out of sight in the family dwelling

The name Lurcher is thought to come from the ancient Romany word "lur" which means thief and "cur" meaning a mixed breed dog. Over the centuries it became one word - Lurcher.

About Poodles - The poodle is an ancient breed, said to have originated in Germany and standardized in France, where it is the national breed. In France, poodles are called “caniche” a name derived from chien canard, meaning duck dog. The French have and old expression "fidele comme une caniche" (faithful as a Poodle).

Many overlook the smart, funny Poodle, thinking him frou frou and put off by all the hair-dos and eccentric things people do with their coats, yet this wiry, waterproof coat was essential for its original job as a water retriever, bred to work and retrieve waterfowl for hunters from swamp, marsh & river. The name poodle comes from the German word pudel, or pudelin, which means to splash in the water.

Smart as a whip with a dignified attitude, the poodle has a goofy streak and loves to play. Its trainability, agility and clownish personality make the poodle a natural-born performer & entertainer - the perfect circus dog. It is thought that circus gypsies first cut the poodles coat into fanciful shapes, a trend that quickly caught on amongst upper class french ladies whose toy poodles were the ultimate fashion accessory and lap dog.

Famous poodle owners include Joan Crawford, Duke Ellington, Barbara Streisand, Jack Lemon, Winston Churchill, Queen Elizabeth, John Steinbeck, Richard Nixon, Priscilla Presley, Kirk Douglas, Joan Crawford, Grace Kelly, Marylyn Monroe, Judy Garland, George Washington, Geroge V, Elizabeth Taylor, Ivana Trump, Walt Disney and Mariah Carey.

About  Portuguese Water Dogs - Debbie of The Enlightened Hound has a Portuguese Water Dog, these fantastic dogs are very close to her heart!

They are intelligent, strong, energetic, sensitive and affectionate. Historically a seafaring dog, the “Portie” worked alongside Portuguese sailors for centuries, earning his share of each day's catch of saltwater codfish.

Porties worked tirelessly, swimming to retrieve broken nets, diving to herd schools of fish, and acting as a barking foghorn. They also carried messages between boats, and to shore and acted as guard dogs, protecting the sailors' fishing trawlers and their homes.

One important job was to prevent gulls from landing on the boat and stealing the catch. My Portuguese Water Dog (Figo) does his best to prevent birds landing in our garden - I wonder if he thinks he is protecting our ‘catch’?

About Pugs - The pug is often characterised by the Latin phrase “multum in parvo” which means “much in little”. This refers to the fact that these little dogs have such huge personalities!

Pugs have a fascinating history dating back to ancient China. Also known as Foo Dogs in the West, they were bred by the Chinese Imperial Family of ancient dynasties to resemble the sacred Chinese Guardian Lion. Historical documentation indicates that pugs could only be owned and bred by emperors and breaking this law was punishable by death. A very desirable feature was the "W" shape in the forehead folds, which in Chinese letters meant prince.

Pugs were treasured companions who were held in the highest esteem. They lived in the lap of luxury, eating only the best food, with their own devoted attendants to look after them and special carriages to ride in (not that different from today then!)

Pugs have long been associated with royalty, favoured as companions by several European royal households. From a Russian princess to the Dutch king, William I, French ruler Louis XIV, and British monarchs, King William III, Mary II, Queen Victoria and Edward VII and more recently The Duke & Duchess of Windsor. A more royal pedigree could not be found!

Fame and fortune go hand in hand with these great little dogs. Other celebrity owners include Josephine Bonaparte, Winston Churchill, Andy Warhol, George Clooney and Grace Kelly. Pugs have also been immortalised in many movies and books, perhaps the most famous of which is Frank the Pug in Men in Black - an extra-terrestrial living on Earth in the disguise of a pug!

About Schnauzers - Originating in Germany as farmhands, these versatile working dogs have been put to many uses, both on the farm (herding livestock, rat catching, guarding, retrieving) and in the wider community (military messenger, dispatch carrier, security & police dog). Frequently called the ‘thinking dog’ or the ‘dog with a human brain’, the schnauzer brings to mind a sage wizard, with its profuse whiskers and a gleam of intelligence in its eyes. A schnauzer was the first dog trained to detect cancer cells.

Now in 3 sizes (miniature, standard and giant) these lively, independent thinkers may look like dignified professors but they also like to let their hair down!

They hate to be ignored and their repertoire of shameless tactics for getting attention include the “poor me” stare, the woeful sigh and the pitiful whine. If that fails, they can always fall back on some good old mischief making!

They are a working terrier, at home amongst scree, rocks and cairns. Tireless and brave, the story goes that, in the late 1800s, Donald Malcolm (16th Laird of Poltalloch) owned a reddish brown terrier, that was accidentally mistaken for a fox while hunting game, and shot. As a result, Malcolm decided to develop a white terrier breed, which became known as the "Poltalloch Terrier”, the pre-cursor of the West Highland White.