WorldTour of Canines

By Michelle Mantor, photos by Allison Wilkins Photography

Bonjour...Hola…Salve…Guten Tag…God dag…Hallo…or as we say in Texas, Howdy from around the world of amazing canines. In this feature, we span the globe and introduce you to a variety of breeds representing 12 countries - and all of the pups are Houston residents!

I have always been fascinated by the vast array of dog breeds that exist in our world. Big, small, fast, agile, strong, intel- ligent, loyal...the list goes on describing the sizes and types of canines. In the United States, the AKC recognizes 190 breeds, which means there are certainly more than that in the universe! With talents such as saving avalanche victims, ridding areas of vermin, retrieving birds, tracking down criminals, alerting for medical emergencies, helping blind humans navigate, identifying drugs and bombs and so much more, how can we not be amazed at the abilities of dogs! Each breed was intended for a particular use, be it hunting, companionship, guarding, etc., so let's celebrate the greatness of dogs and the fact they make our world so much better. I hope you enjoy meeting these 12 pups and what a more apropos way to start than with a Chihuahua from our neighbor Mexico in the month of Cinco de Mayo!