Border Collie

Border Collies are an intelligent, biddable breed with an instinctive desire to work closely and intensely with a human handler. They are very well behaved and can be very excitable dogs.

Although the primary role of the Border Collie is that of the working stock dog, dogs of this breed are becoming increasingly popular as pets. True to their working heritage, Border Collies make very demanding, energetic pets that are better off in households that can provide them with plenty of exercise and a job to do.

Border Collies are now also being used in showing, especially agility, where their speed and agility comes to good use. However, in an appropriate home, with a dedicated, active owner, a Border Collie can be an excellent companion. Participating in dog sports is popular with Border Collie owners.

The Border Collies range of skills and high intelligence also make it an excellent detection dog which is commonly used by police, customs and other government agencies.

Collie

Certain types of collie (for example Rough Collies, Smooth Collies, Shetland Sheepdogs and some strains of Border Collie and other breeds) have been bred for many generations as pets and for the sport of conformation showing, not as herding dogs. These types have proved to be highly trainable, gentle, loyal, and well suited as pets.

Their gentleness and devotion also make them quite compatible with children. They are often more suitable as companions than as watch dogs, though the individual personalities of these dogs vary.

The temperament of these breeds has featured in literature, film and popular television programmes. The novels of Albert Payson Terhune celebrated the temperament and companionship of collies and were very popular in the United States during the 1920s and 1930s.

More famously, the temperament and intelligence of the Rough Collie was exaggerated to mythic proportions in the character Lassie which has been the subject of many films, books and television shows from 1938 to the present.

Bearded Collie

The Bearded Collie ranks 104 out of 155 breeds in popularity in the United States, according to the American Kennel Club's yearly publishing of breed rankings.

A Bearded Collie is best obtained from a reputable dog breeder or a dog rescue, not from a pet store situation where dogs are bred specifically for profit. Bearded Collies make excellent pets for those who are willing to accommodate their high energy level and grooming requirements.

Weekly brushing is mandatory for keeping their long hair mat-free. Some Bearded Collie owners opt to keep their pets in a puppy cut haircut, which does reduce the need for brushing, but does not eliminate it. Bearded Collies are a very high energy breed, originally bred to work in the Scottish Highlands herding sheep.

Beardies also excel at dog agility trials. They also prefer to be kept indoors with their families.

Old English Sheepdog

They are bubbly and playful, and some times may be stubborn, depending on their mood. Sheepdogs are excellent, intuitive and loving companions, even earning the title babysitter around young children.

The herding instinct that has been carried down through the generations is astonishing. They have been known to not only herd livestock, but also their family members. They will push (not bite or nip) any family member away from dangerous objects and people.

These animals are gentle with other dogs and are always willing to play with you.
The Old English Sheepdog breed is intelligent, funny, social, and adaptable which means can live outside and inside, although they sometimes seem to not be all that intelligent on first impressions. It generally gets along well with children, other dogs, other pets, and visitors. Like all herding breeds, it requires plenty of exercise, both mental and physical.

English Shepherd

The English Shepherd temperament is the defining characteristic of the breed, with great intelligence and often a unique type of kindness for those in his home, both animals and people. The English Shepherd is often an independent worker.

English Shepherds are adaptable and learn routines quickly. Some can be watchful of strangers and are more one-person dogs. However, once he accepts people or children or stock as his own, there are few better caretakers than an English Shepherd.

The English Shepherd frequently exhibits an independent, bossy or enforcer of the rules streak in his temperament. If the dog's desire to enforce order is not channeled and directed to a suitable end by a strong, confident leader, he may exhibit many undesirable behaviors.

English shepherds can thrive as companion dogs in many environments. This breed was selected on diverse small family farms in the past and has been selected to work in a partnership arrangement with his master.

English Springer Spaniel

The typical Springer is friendly, eager to please, quick to learn and willing to obey.

The Springer is an affectionate and easy-going family dog, and its alertness and attentiveness make it the ideal hunting companion. An intelligent dog, active and eager to please, an English Springer is easily incorporated into a family setting.

Although good with children, it tends to have a moderate energy level. Its long-legged build makes it among the fastest of the spaniels. It has exceptional stamina and needs moderate amounts of activity, to focus its mind and to provide exercise, although this is different for each dog.

English Springers need plenty of exercise in order to run off their excess energy. These dogs can be slightly skitty or over excitable but adequate walking can prevent this

Hummingbird

There are nearly 350 known species of hummingbird, found throughout the Southern Hemisphere. Although some species of hummingbird are occasionally found further north, these small birds tend to prefer the more tropical climates.

Hummingbirds beat their wings 15-80 times every second (depending on the species) meaning that the hummingbird has the incredible ability to hover in the air. The hummingbird is also the only species of bird that is able to fly backwards.

The bee hummingbird is native to Cuba and is the smallest bird in the world, measuring around less than 5cm tall and the bee hummingbird is around the same weight as a penny. The giant hummingbird found in the Andes is the world's largest hummingbird measuring more than 20cm in height.

Hummingbirds have a long, pointed beak which when combined with the hummingbird's extendible tongue allows the hummingbird to gather nectar from deep inside flowers. As nectar is not an adequate source of protein, hummingbirds also prey upon insects and spiders in order to get all of their nutrients, especially when the hummingbirds are feeding their young.

Many species of hummingbird do not survive their first year of life due to their vulnerability. Those hummingbird individuals however that do survive tend to have an average lifespan of around 4 years but some hummingbird individuals can live for much longer, with the oldest recorded hummingbird being at least 12 years old.

Female hummingbirds make a cup shaped nest in the trees with male hummingbirds not helping with the nest building at all. Most species of hummingbird lay 2 white coloured eggs which are surprisingly large when the small size of the hummingbird is considered. The hummingbird eggs usually hatch within 3 weeks to reveal the tiny hummingbird chicks.

Due to their small size, hummingbirds are preyed upon by a variety of animals including snakes, lizards and larger birds. Both wild and domestic cats also prey on the tiny hummingbird, but hummingbirds are known to be a difficult meal to catch for any predators due to their speed and agility particularly in the air.

Hummingbirds have played a significant part in local myths and folklore. One of the Aztec gods was depicted as a hummingbird and one group of people believed that the hummingbird brought fire to the world. The tiny Caribbean islands of Trinidad and Tobago is known as the land of the hummingbird and the hummingbird can even be seen on their coat of arms.

The hummingbirds name is thought to have originated from the noise the hummingbirds wings make when the hummingbird is hovering.

Birds Of Paradise

The birds of paradise are a group of birds that are found in the tropical rainforests of south east Asia, mainly in the jungles of Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and parts of eastern Australia.

Birds of paradise are best known for the beautiful array of feathers which are existent on the male birds of paradise, which the male bird of paradise uses to attract the attention of the surrounding female birds of paradise. As with many species of bird, the female birds of paradise are dull looking in comparison to their male counterparts and are generally smaller and have light brown feathers, and have a similar appearance to the nightingale.

There are around 50 different birds of paradise species that range in size from 15cm to over a meter in height. Many of the birds of paradise species are extremely rare and are only found in particular habitats and in certain places. The birds of paradise were unknown to the western world until 1996 when David Attenborough stunned the world with his footage of the incredible birds whilst on a trip to Papua New Guinea.

Many birds of paradise species feed on fruits and berries found in the canopy of the surrounding jungle. Some species however, are very partial to eating insects and other birds of paradise favour particular species of spider.

Birds of paradise are known to be the most dramatic and attractive birds in the world. The brightly coloured plumage of the male birds of paradise contains colours ranging from red, to yellow, to green and along with their unique dance moves, the male birds of paradise really stand out on the forest floor.

The beautiful, bright colours of the birds of paradise have made these birds a highly prized target for hunters and tribesman alike who use the brightly coloured feathers of the birds of paradise to create clothes and costumes. This practice and tradition has meant for enormous population declines for the birds of paradise, with some species being worse off than others.

Birds of paradise tend to be solitary birds and only come together to mate. The male bird of paradise attracts a female bird of paradise using his bright feathers and perfected dance routine. The female bird of paradise lays her eggs in a nest. Unlike many other species of bird, the birds of paradise can nest on ground level, in the trees or in dense foliage.

Birds of paradise chicks usually hatch within 20 days but the specific incubation period differs between species. The birds of paradise chicks are often born with no feathers at all although some hatchings are born with a few. The newly born birds of paradise chicks are unable to walk or stand and rely on the mother bird of paradise to find food. Birds of paradise chicks are usually independent by the time they are a month old.

Adult birds of paradise have very few natural predators in the wild but the more vulnerable birds of paradise chicks are preyed upon by large birds of prey and the odd snake. The main predator of the birds of paradise is the humans that live in settlements in the same habitat. Birds of paradise are also being continually threatened by deforestation and habitat loss

Saint Bernard

St. Bernards are gentle, friendly, and generally fond of children. It is strikingly similar to that of the English Mastiff, since it was used to redevelop that breed when it was near extinction after World War II.

Extremely loyal, this breed is eager to please its owners but due to its size, it is essential that proper training and socialization begin early in life while the dog is still a manageable size. An unruly St Bernard presents a problem for even a strong adult so control needs to be asserted from the beginning.

St Bernards will bark at strangers and their size makes them good deterrents against most intruders although their aggression as guard dogs rarely equals breeds designed for that purpose. 

Electric Eel

Electric Eels are found in the waters of South America, and are capable of generating a 500volt electric shock through 28ft of still water. The shock that the electric eel produces is enough to harm any large mammal, including humans.

Electric eels can grow up to 2.5 metres and only need to surface for air every 10 minutes due to the eels complex circulatory system. Electric eels tend to live in muddy beds in calm water, eating fish and small mammals.

Despite the name electric eel, the electric eel is actually related most closely to a catfish and not the common eel fish and many electric eel adults tend to be smaller than their eel fish counterparts.

The electricity that the electric eel uses to shock its prey, is produced in pairs of organs that are found in the abdomen of the electric eel. These electricity producing organs take up around of 80% of the body of the electric eel leaving only 20% of the electric eels body free to hold the electric eels vital organs that it needs to survive.

Electric eels are found inhabiting fresh waters of the Amazon and Orinoco river basins in South America, and the electric eels tend to prefer the river floodplains, swamps, coastal plains, and creeks. Electric eels tend to live on muddy bottoms in calm water and in stagnant arms of rivers, where the electric eel spends most of its time hunting.

The electric eel is also known for its unusual breeding behaviour. In the dry season, a male electric eel makes a nest from his saliva into which the female electric eel lays her eggs. As many as 17,000 young electric eels will hatch from the eggs in one nest. These young electric eels feed mainly on invertebrates found on the river bed, however, first-born baby electric eels have been known to gobble up the eggs from batches of other electric eels that were laid only a short time after themselves.