Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

affenpinscher

(Encyclopedia)affenpinscher ăfˈənpĭnˌshər [key], breed of toy dog perfected in Europe at the end of the 19th cent. It stands from 8 to 10 in. (20.3–25.4 cm) high at the shoulder and weighs about 8 lb (3.6 k...

Yorkshire terrier

(Encyclopedia)Yorkshire terrier, breed of small, spirited toy dog originated and developed in Yorkshire, England, in the mid-19th cent. It stands about 9 in. (22.8 cm) high at the shoulder and weighs from 4 to 7 lb...

pointer

(Encyclopedia)pointer, breed of large sporting dog developed in England more than 300 years ago. It stands between 23 and 26 in. (58.4–66.4 cm) high at the shoulder and weighs between 50 and 60 lb (22.7–27.2 kg...

Gordon setter

(Encyclopedia)Gordon setter, breed of large sporting dog developed over centuries in Scotland and brought to prominence there by the fourth duke of Gordon in the early 1800s. It stands from 23 to 27 in. (58.4–68....

pug

(Encyclopedia)pug, breed of sturdy, compact toy dog that became popular in England during the 19th cent. It stands about 11 in. (27.9 cm) high at the shoulder and weighs from 14 to 18 lb (6.4–8.2 kg). Its short, ...

Belgian Tervuren

(Encyclopedia)Belgian Tervuren təvûrnˈ [key], breed of medium-sized working dog perfected in Belgium in the early 20th cent. It stands from 22 to 26 in. (55.9–66 cm) high at the shoulder and weighs from 50 to ...

dog days

(Encyclopedia)dog days, name for the most sultry period of summer, from about July 3 to Aug. 11. Named in early times by observers in countries bordering the Mediterranean, the period was reckoned as extending from...

dog racing

(Encyclopedia)dog racing, trials of speed between dogs. Now contested on oval tracks, the sport developed from the ancient practice of coursing, in which specially trained dogs chase game animals in the open field....