Dec 2009 - We obtained our Markiesje female from a family living in a trailer court in Louisiana back in 1992. She still loves to run with a bounding gate, ears flopping and long tail trailing far behind. A dog bite at a bad kennel in January led to blindness in one eye, so now she is prone to do tight circles unless walked on a leash (we use a harness) or given a 16-inch wide track or our igloo doghouse to walk around. She loves her evening walks, but arthritis slows her down for the first 15-20 minutes each morning. After her accident, she no longer wags her tail, which used to be very expressive: Ordinary side to side wagging indicated happy excitement, but propeller wagging (45 degree angle from the base) indicated apprehensive concern about being approached by another dog. Her fur consists of the finest (thinnest) strands of hair in the animal kingdom. Brushing every couple of weeks is highly recommended, otherwise baths will be a hairy mess. Plus her gradual shedding will quickly clog up your furnace AC filters. Sandy used to jump into our bed and onto roofs of dog houses. Even today, she tries hard to exit confined quarters. She jumps for food, but is very picky. Lately we've started feeding her low-protein Science Diet mixed with bacon grease and fat pieces, along with Blue Dog Bakery peanut butter and molasses treats. Otherwise she shuns the Science Diet mix. When she was young, she ate only at night, sometimes not at all, as if she didn't want us to know she would be willing to eat something we gave her.

Yes, they shed terribly but they are wonderful pets. I have a four year old that is my first dog and he is my truest companion.

They have long hair which can be really thick in winter in cold climates. My dog doesn't shed but lots of fur comes out when I brush her. If you don't brush them it forms small rastafarian locks which have to be cut. So best to brush often to keep them looking pretty and avoid getting debris on your floors which they can carry in on their coat.

hi yes the markiesje shed a lot after winter heading into spring time. i have owned 1 for 11 years now and she is still competing and winning at shows. the best breed ever.