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Dog Breeds, Types & Classes

Dog Breeds, Types & Classes

Dog Breeds, Types & Classes

Published by the Dublin society for the prevention of cruelty to animals www.dspca.ie

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The majority of images have been purchased from Bigstock: Stock Photos & Vector Art, for use within course material and not merchandising or branding activities. Those images that have not been acquired from Bigstock, have been acquired under various commons licenses which are specified per image in the list of figures, or independently created by the author.

First printing, September 2018

Contents

Introduction Types

Hunters

Herders

Mastiff-Like

Wolf-Like

Making Use of the Genetics

Dogs with Jobs

Class

Gundogs

Hound

Pastoral

Terrier

Toy

Working

Breeds

Pros of Breed Standards

Cons of Breed Standards

Rhodesian Ridgeback

Cavalier King Charles

Pug

Siberian Husky

Lhasa Apso Border

Cross Breeds

Bibliography

Introduction

One of the first questions a owner typically gets asked is "What breed is she?" or “What’s he crossed w i t h ?". It has become such a defining feature in modern society that even our have specific names. have been developed for an astounding number of reasons down through the centuries with many of those purposes lost to history. Some d o g s are bred f o r a specific job or function, some for their behavior, and others still for their appearance.

All domestic animals come in different types or breeds to fill some specific requirement we have of them. The differences between b r e e d s a r e not great enough to define separate species, considering that the term species is defined as a group of animals, (or organisms in general), wherein members of different breeds or types, ( formally known as hybrids), can successfully breed with t h e i r offspring also capable of reproduction. Dogs are clearly capable of successful breeding between breeds, however, successful mating can occur between dogs and , so should they be considered as the same species, or merely of the same family. These are questions best left to experts in genetics and zoology but should still be considered for developing our understanding of dogs.

In this course, we consider dogs and wolves to be of separate species, and all dogs of the one species. We discuss the difference between types, classes and breeds. However, it should be noted that the notions of types and classes are not clearly defined and a generally accepted definition should not be assumed. Clearly, no one specific breed of dog is generally superior over another as there are different metrics on which such an award would be considered. Appearance is clearly a subjective matter; how different people view beauty is not just varied but also time dependent. Health is an important factor which can vary significantly within breeds, depending on breeder standards or genetic mutations that build up within a small breeding population. Therefore, the health of an overall breed can change w i t h i n a few generations. Utility or the usefulness of a dog is debatable as a metric.

There is no doubt that medical alert dogs are vital for the people whose lives depend on them however many people w o u l d argue t h a t the mere companionship of a dog is sufficient to justify its utility. This module looks at the evolution of breeds, what got the whole thing started in the first place, and the ethical implications of breeds. It is not the purpose of this module to list all dog breeds, to advocate any one particular type of dog over another, or take a stance on morality of breeds in general.

Types

As we mentioned briefly before, dog evolution likely started with an initial self-selection for tameness w h i c h led to a mutually beneficial relationship between humans and those early d o g s . When h u m a n s did get involved in the process it was to naively preference dogs that suited a particular job best. In this portion of the development of dogs there was likely only a partially deliberate manipulation of breeding habits but was most probably more of a case of isolation of the different behavioural attributes. Of course, as time went on this led to direct selective breeding for features. While there are a multitude of different breed categories acknowledged by different organisations today1, initially 1 More on this later in the module dogs were categorised by their utility. Within each form of utility, different characteristics were given preference to narrow the speciality of each type of dog. A long term study led by a number of leading institutions2, culminating 2 in a large open database, CanMap. This database mapped the canine Kerstin Lindblad-Toh, Claire M Wade, Tarjei S Mikkelsen, Elinor K genome across 85 genetically distinct breeds of dogs, using five to ten Karlsson, David B Jaffe, Michael Kamal, unrelated specimens to source the data. This project not only resulted in Michele Clamp, Jean L Chang, Edward a database but also a myriad of studies analysing the data with many J Kulbokas, Michael C Zody, et al. identifying a number of specific genes that impact the study of disease in Genome sequence, comparative analysis humans. and haplotype structure of the domestic dog. Nature, 438 (7069):803–819, 2005. The study identified four specific genetically-based types of dog that we have bred for. These were:

• hunters

• herders

• -like

• -like

Of the 85 different breeds a n a l y s e d , each was ma d e up of some proportion of each of those four types. In some cases, the breed was almost completely made up of one type, in others there was a generous proportion of some or all types. This shows us that as the different types w e r e perfected n e w l y developed components or attributes in other types were integrated to make use of some key feature. This is best described in Figure 1 below.

Hunters

There a r e little to no ’ancient’ breeds in this group. Typically, these dogs have been developed relatively recently. There are representations

Figure 1: Proportion of dog types per breed for 85 genetically dis- tinct breeds for which between five and ten unrelated dogs were sampled. Wolf-like, Mastiff- like , Herders , and Hunters .

of some purportedly ancient breeds in this group however that likely points to a recreation of an ancient breed from visually similar dogs rather than showing a direct link to those ancient representations. While they were likely bred for it would be expected that they would have gene identification more similar to those in the wolf-like category to define their supposed ancient status.

Herders

Those dogs typical to the herding category are familiar to most. The collie and the naturally make a strong appearance in this group. Just as with the hunting group, however, there are several entries in these categories that would not traditionally be known for herding, the and the b e i n g p r i m e examples. Also, as with the outliers from the hunting group, this likely demonstrates the use of appealing characteristics of one type being selectively used to emphasise an existing trait in another or develop a new type from multiple type sources.

Mastiff-Like

This type cover quite a few different breeds but all boil down to a specific origin, that is defence, gua rdi ng or intimidation. Typically, these are large, stocky breeds. The large contribution of these genetics to, for example, the accounts for its stoutness, h o w e v e r its height is more l i k e l y a result of manipulating size of descendants via focused selection f o r size rather than the attempted i n c l u s i o n of smaller types, such as . While the German shepherd is a much slighter and n i m b l e animal than the Newfoundland its genetic proportions mirror, it is the nature of type that was taken rather than appearance.

Wolf-Like

Those breeds with a heavy component of wolf-like genetic material are much closer to their wolf ancestors than any other breeds. This signifies a retention of many of the qualities of the original or at least early domestications of wolves and hence indicates much older breeds than those with a smaller wolf-like component. As with the other groupings, not all of those dogs in this category immediately make intuitive sense. The chow chow, for example is not the first breed one would think of to be more closely related to the wolf than the German shepherd, for instance, however its supposed origin as a potential food source may reflect its age as being fr o m a time when p eo p l e were as yet unsure what to make of dogs.

Making Use of the Genetics

Another significant contribution of the CanMap project was to allow scientists a glimpse into a simplified genetic story. Typically, in most animals including ourselves, the genetic sequence that influences tiny changes is extremely large, so much so that it makes understanding the contributing factors to those differences very difficult. Dogs, on the other hand, have much simplified changes in this genetic structure that map directly to the physiological or behavioural changes. Most of the physical changes in dogs c a n be accounted for by a small handful if not a single gene region. Height in humans, for example, depends on approximately two hundred gene regions. Traits such as height, texture of coat, wrinkled or smooth skin and even the ridge on a are all controlled by single gene regions.

Typically changes such as these are caused by interactions between many regions, as mentioned above, however with dogs, down through the centuries, breeders have selected so heavily for specific and prominent features that it creates a prevalence of particularly large impact genes that allowed for the ’setting’3 of those traits. Many of the specific physical traits of different breeds have been genetically identified, however, only one behaviour has been conclusively identified. This was obsessive compulsive disorder and was identified in Doberman . The primary reasons for the lack of evidence for other behaviours that have clearly been bred for, such as the core hunting, herding and guarding tasks, is down to the number of experimental factors involved. There is no, as yet, ethical way to sufficiently account for interactions with people and other dogs, diet, early socialisation, or even how much they like children, to name just a few example factors. 3 In breeding circles, to set a feature or trait is to solidify it in the breed for future generations. This means that it is much likely that, while breeding for other characteristics, that one will change randomly as well.

Potentially, had the experimenters and technology had the opportunity to come around at the same time as the early work of the Farm-Fox experiment we would have many of those identifications, however to today create an animal so dependent on human companionship only to send it off for slaughter in any trade would be inhumane to say the least.

The ability to read the changes in the genetics so easily is extremely attractive for the study into various human diseases, particularly many cancers. If we can see what g e n e t i c interactions are more likely to go hand in hand w i t h t h e development of an incidence of cancer it will, at the very least, allow for earlier screening and identification of potential future sufferers if not a more proactive treatment of the illness itself. For a more in-depth read of these research directions turn to the overview article of the afore mentioned study as published in National Geographic, 4. 4 Evan Ratliff. How to build a dog. February 2012

Dogs with Jobs

The primary point of this module thus far has been to highlight that dogs were bred for a purpose, however that interaction initially started. What highlights this most are the specific details of some lost breeds. Many of these were much less breeds and more a description of the job that a number of very different looking dogs could still be useful for. One notable example is put forward by a number of different authors and researchers, that is the , 5. This dog was used, as the name would suggest, to turn a spit in a home or large kitchen. It was seen as overly tedious work for a person or a number of people to share the job of turning a spit for long enough to properly cook a large piece of meat. Instead, the turnspit dog was developed to do the 5 William Bingley, Memoirs of job by means of a system of cogs, pulleys and various linkages. The dog British Quadrupeds: ran in a wheel, akin to the modern hamster wheel, that provided the Illustrative Principally of their power to turn the meat on the spit. This dog was regarded as such a Habits of Life, Instincts, common animal that breed records or standards were not kept. The Sagacity, and uses to dogs had certain requirements for the job but these did not result in Mankind. Arranged according uniform looking dogs as one would expect in a breed. to the system of Linnaeus. Darton and Harvey

"The Turnspits are remarkable for their great length of body, and short, and usually crooked legs. Their colour is generally a duksy grey, spotted with black; or entirely black, with the under parts whitish. These Dogs were formerly employed to run in a wheel, for the purpose of turning meat that was roasting before the fire. The present improved modes of performing this business took place, the breed of Turnspits was in considerable request. it is now on the decline; and, in the course of another century, will probably be extinct in . These animals still continue to be used in most countries of the continent." 6 A more comprehensive list of jobs that dogs w e r e developed for, without having to ascribe to strict visual standards are as follows:

• Companion dogs

• Guard dogs 6 William Bingley, Memoirs of British • Hunting dogs Quadrupeds: Illustrative Principally of their Habits – Bird dogs of Life, Instincts, – Gun dogs Sagacity, and uses to Mankind. Arranged * according to the system of Linnaeus. Darton and Harvey

* Water dogs * * * Pointers –

* Scent hounds * Sight hounds – Terriers

• Working dogs

• Pariah dogs

• Pastoral dogs

– Herding

– Guardian

• Sled dogs

• Turnspite dogs

Class

Over time dogs became more than just companions or tools. During

the Victorian era dog shows became popular amongst those with the time and money to invest into this new past time7. To this end lists of 7 Dog shows became popular after the standards that officially differentiated between the breeds were drawn outlawing of in the late eigh- teenth century. up. This marked the beginning of the prohibition of mixing between breeds, let alone types. To qualify for registration in official registers the dog’s parentage had to be verified. A number of standardising bodies arose to manage these standards and practices around and showing, the oldest of which being the of the . Different organisations and associations have different specific categories or classes for the dogs to fall into. Despite the differences, most

8 have broad categories of the form : 8 These were developed or decided upon based on the type list, or job list pre- • Gundog sented in the previous section.

•

• Pastoral

•

• Toy

• Working

• Utility

Some organisations will have particular specialisations for areas of focus, for example the Fédération Cynologique Internationale have a separate group specifically for , which are bred specifically for the purpose of hunting badgers in their sets, hence the name Dachs- Hund, meaning badger-dog in German.

Gundogs

Gundogs are used for hunting, as the name would suggest. The co- operative nature of hunting and the variety of prey being hunted are such that a wide number of specialisations have been developed to best address the nuances of each hunt or even each component of a hunt. What dog is required is dependent on the style of hunting, the supporting tools and what the animal at the other end is. To cover the different angles there are approximately five types of gundogs that are commonly considered: spaniels; water dogs; retrievers; setters; and pointers.

Spaniels

The origin of spaniels is a point of contention with m a n y canine

historians, with many believing the group came initially from . Spaniels are used to flush animals out of dense brush or undergrowth. Typically, they are used once the hunters know where the prey is and

then send the dogs in so that they can be caught with nets or shot. These d o g s t y p i c a l l y have long s i l k y coats with d r o p e a r s . The

muzzle is typically medium length and sturdy. Hunting strains of spaniels have a tendency to stay close to handlers as they were originally bred to stay within the range of a hunter’s gun. Another 9 very desirable characteristic of spaniels is a soft mouth , that is they do not use much pressure to hold quarry in their mouths. As with many hunting dogs, they have a good . Much of the original instinct can still be seen in show s t r a i n s a n d family . The dogs Figure 2: A roan blue may get extremely excited upon finding a scent and will use a loud . shrill to flush the find. 9 Soft and hard mouths will be discussed in the training section. Water dogs

Water dogs are typically specialisations of other hunting strains, such as spaniels or retrievers. The main differences added to water dogs

were denser and coarser coats, along with webbed feet to aid in swimming. These dogs were used for both flushing and retrieving allowing hunting in areas where t h e hunters may n o t be able to easily reach without alerting their targets. Different organisations may p l a c e th ese dogs in different categories dependent on their preference of hierarchy.

Retrievers Retrievers live up to their names a n d are bred specifically for retrieving . As with all other hunting dogs, m a n y are fully capable of performing all the functions of other hunting specialists. As with s p a n i e l s , one of the main f e a t u r e s of retrievers is a soft mouth, in that way the retrieved game will not be damaged. Most

retrievers that are bred for hunting require solid marking skills, that is being able to remember where a downed animal landed even if it is no Figure 3: Golden . longer in view. This allows the hunt to continue without flushing unnecessarily other animals still in hiding. Retrievers typically have large, slightly square heads with strong jaws.

Setters Setters silently hunt game, slowly moving through dense growth so that the target does not notice. Upon finding the game, the dog does not flush or attempt to catch it, rather, it hunkers into a low crouch with snout pointed directly at the game. The reason for this

is, historically, so that a hunter could then throw a net over both dog and prey. When firearms became more prevalent this behaviour was no longer required but it was useful to be sure that the dog does not get hit with a shot. To be useful with firearms based hunting, once a has set, that is pointed out the target, other dogs are sent in to flush the quarry out. Setters need to be light-footed, and hence are typically of a slenderer and tall build than a retriever or spaniel.

Pointers

Pointers are very similar to setters in general function. They were not

originally intended to be caught under the net as the setters were. Instead, pointers give the more traditional point at prey, the muzzle points straight at the animal, head slightly lowered on the shoulders and

one paw up. Again, once a target is found, either a net is thrown over the animal or a flushing dog is sent in to raise the prey to a height for the hunter to intervene. Pointers tend to be more sturdy than Figure 4: German short- setters, with a slightly stockier body. They typically have a haired . very short coat to make the point more visible.

Hound

Along with t h e gundogs, hounds are also hunters. These d o g s u s e one of their primary senses as the main tool for hunting, either sight or scent, thus dividing the class into two. There can be some overlap between gundog classes and hound classes as traits in one are very useful in the other. The main traits of the class therefore revolve around strong scenting abilities and significant stamina to run down quarry.

Sight Hound

Sight hounds typically have dolichocephalic head shapes a n d an

overall slender body. More so than most, they have extremely flexible spines to allow for fast running to chase down prey such as deer. In Figure 5: sight hound. addition to this, they have typically deep chests to allow for better usage of heart and lung functions. They are known for their speed and agility rather than endurance.

Scent Hound

Scent hounds are known for endurance, upon finding a track, they can pursue it for an extremely long time, even at times to the detriment of

their health. Different scent hounds have different body proportions, Figure 6: , for example, notice the difference between the Basset .

hound and the . Most scent hounds will have long ears and loose skin around the head, this serves to capture scent and for eddies in the air currents to allow for agitation of scent molecules allowing them to be more easily registered. In addition, they tend to have a large booming bark which makes following them easier for the handler. Longer legged scent hounds are used for running and typically group chases, such as the , the shorter are for more long distance but steady paced .

Pastoral

Pastoral dogs are any d o g s that work with livestock. The t y p e of livestock varies considerably along with the work done with those livestock which, again, allows for a subdivision of the group into herders and guardian animals. Herders drive flocks between different locations whereas guardians tend to those herds in-situ. Due to these differences in jobs the dogs i n vo l ved can look starkly different from each other.

Herders

Herders in general need to be quite nimble to be able to get around a group of animals quickly to maintain the group. On the other hand, they should not be as sleek or delicate as a typical sight hound as

livestock can at times retaliate or be driven across difficult terrain. The animals being driven tend to be cloven footed which can deliver quite a

dangerous blow to an unsuspecting herder. For dogs that drive sheep, speed is an important factor and the likelihood of being hurt by the Figure 7: Traditional black and sheep is quite low. This allows this class of herders to be extremely agile white . and quite light. The typical example of this class of dog is the border collie, famous for its abilities in agility trials. On the other side of

the coin, there are cattle herders. In these cases, the chances of injury from the animals is much higher. This could elicit two approaches, one creates a bigger dog to withstand any damage and large enough to coax the cattle along, or two create a smaller dog that is harder to make contact with, can avoid low flying kicks and that nips at heels to drive the animals along. This second option is that used most frequently, in for example the Pembroke or Australian cattle dog.

Guardians

These dogs are required to stay with livestock in the environment without handlers. Such a job has a number of features, m a i n l y

Figure 8: Hungarian Puli, due to its size it is used for both herding and guarding.

stamina and the ability to protect oneself. Protection is the main component of guardian dogs. To this end the dogs are typically quite large and stocky. In addition, they have particular coats to protect from attack by large animals. Many have corded coats, which look like human dreadlocks. These dense strands create a thick shroud around the animals so that if a bear or wolf d o e s attach them, it tends to get a mouthful of dreadlocks rather than dog.

Terrier

Terriers were originally developed to hunt v e r m i n of varying sizes. These included rats, mice, weasels and stoats. Their small strong stature helps with speed and being able to get under objects to reach their prey. Figure 9: Their name suggests their origins, coming from the Latin terra meaning , ini- earth. Terriers are adept at travelling underground into burrows and tially bred to hunt vermin in warrens to reach their targets using scent and their whiskers to guide mines in .

them.

Toy

The toy group contain a number of different types of dogs. It primarily refers to the size of the dog rather than its original function. The smaller stature of toy dogs can be achieved in two ways, reducing the size of an existing breed, such as the Shetland sheepdog, or creating a specific small breed such as the frise. A popularity in recent years has been the ’teacup’ d o g but it is not recognised as a class or type. Those toy dogs that are bred directly for their size may be considered lapdogs or some had specific functions. Depending on its lineage, such reduction of features can have a detrimental effect on health.

Working

The category of working dogs is a divisive one, all dogs can be considered to be working in some shape or form, hunting dogs hunt, herding dogs herd, toy or companion dogs give support and companionship. Mostly, this group caters for those dogs t h a t work in areas such as defence and intimidation and as such tend to have a large and strong stature. The group also includes mushing or pulling dogs w h e t h e r it be a sled or cart. This again, focuses on a strong, muscular dog with a lowered centre Figure 10: Bernese mountain of gravity, which is accomplished by developing stout, yet still tall dogs. dog. The descendants of the Molossos dogs or more commonly known Mastiff- like dogs tend to be grouped in this category.

Breeds

A breed of any animal is a man-made phenomenon. Any breed is a relatively homogeneous collection of animals from the one species, maintained by humans rather than natural selection. With the advent of the kennel clubs in the late eighteenth centuries, breeds were cut off from one another unless mixed deliberately to create new breeds. To be a member of a breed, a dog must adhere to strict standards, as laid down in the breed standards.

Ideally, breed standards are used to define the use and purpose of an animal, providing details for breeders on how to improve the ability of that animal to achieve its purpose. For example, if there is a known propensity for a disease in an animal, then breeders c a n selectively breed to reduce the likelihood of the occurrence of that disease in the first place. Unfortunately, many breed standards for dogs focus on the aesthetic rather than function and leave much room for interpretation by breeders, for example breeding for excess skin on a Basset hound may just mean slightly loose skin or may go to the extreme of creating folds of skin on joints.

Additionally, many of these breed standards do not uphold the historically accurate versions of the dogs that were originally intended for specific jobs and rather allow for embellishment of features that would not serve the animal well in the field.

Number of Breeds Of the approximately 400 dog breeds k n o w n to the average dog enthusiast, only around 200 are recognised by different kennel clubs

Pros of Breed Standards

• Allows for directed correction of health issues

• May provide for historical accuracy of a breed

• Allows for distinction of breeds a n d p r e v e n t s faux v e r s i o n s of a breed

Cons of Breed Standards

• Open for interpretation

• Allow for over exaggeration of features

• Focus on appearance rather than health or function

Many of the commonly stated behavioural problems from dog owners are based in the difference between what the dog was originally bred for versus what is expected of a dog in the modern world. We will briefly discuss a few key examples here.

Rhodesian Ridgeback

Figure 11: Rhodesian ridgeback showing the ridge along its back.

Height Range 61 – 69cm Weight Range 29 – 41kg Life Span 10 – 12 years 10 Jemima Harrison. Pedigree dogs Origin

The Rhodesian ridgeback was developed in Zimbabwe and used as a multi-tasking dog, capable of tracking, herding, and hunting. It is particularly noted for its ability to hunt . The defining characteristics of this breed are its lack of embellishments and exaggerations, along with the ridge of hair on its back. Approximately one in twenty ridgebacks are born without the ridge10, as it is known to be a genetic defect in the breed.

While being the defining characteristic of the breed, and of no practical use11 breeders insist on maintaining the ridge. While aesthetic concerns are always prevalent in breeding ventures, the ridge in Rhodesian ridgebacks is linked with a condition known as dermoid sinus. This condition is a mild form of spina bifida. It appears as a small pin-prick hole on the skin. There are deep and shallow versions of this hole, all of which may become infected. The main problems with this occur when the hole is deep enough to burrow down to the spinal cord or into the brain, allowing a channel for infection to pass through.

As with most conditions, the prevalence of this disorder could be reduced with selective breeding with those dogs that do not have the predisposition toward the disorder. Occasionally mixing in a ridgeless dog without the genetic defects will significantly lower the chances for developing the disorder in the new litter.

There have been reports that ridgeless dogs have developed dermoid sinus however there are no genetic predispositions to it. What is most likely at the core of this is the typical genetic mutations that can occur from generation to generation. For example, without any history of it in the family lineage, a dog may be born with extreme dwarfism. predisposed to the issue, rather than a genetic mutation occurred in this one case.

11 Many breeders insist that historically ridgebacks with the ridge were better hunters, studies have shown that the genetic predisposition to a ridge only governs tissue development, not temperament Jemima Harrison. A ridge too far, 2011.

Cavalier

Figure 12: Cavalier King Charles spaniel, not to be confused with the related King Charles spaniel

Height Range 30 – 33cm Weight Range 5 – 8kg Life Span o v e r 12 years Origin UK

The Cavalier King Charles spaniel is an extremely common family and is well suited to the task. They are a small to mid-sized dog closely related to working spaniels such as the . They were originally developed by taking the small versions of cockers, and other such spaniels and encouraging that trait. Additionally, they were preference for their rounder and stubbier heads, from nose to occiput.

This preference coupled with a deformity in the occipital bone may lead to a degenerative condition known as syringomyelia. The causes of which are the formation of fluid-filled cavities within the spinal cord. The deformity of the occipital bone causes a reduction in flow of spinal fluid which in turn causes the cavities. The condition is extremely painful and can lead to reduced brain function, paralysis or even death.

This condition is an inherited one14 and incidence of it is unfortu nately on the rise. In one 2011 study15, out of a sample population of 555 dogs, t h e disease wa s detected in 25% of those dogs a g ed 12 months, and 70% of those aged 72 months or over.

The majority of breed clubs are taking steps to tackle the incidence of the disease by detecting the disease and preventing further mating of those dogs k n o w n to have it. Being a difficult disease to initially detect, requiring MRI analysis to confirm, many kennel clubs did not recognise the severity or extent of the problem until recently. 14 C Rusbridge and SP Knowler. Heredi tary aspects In 2012 the British Veterinary Association in conjunction with t h e of occipital bone hypoplasia and syringomyelia UK Kennel Club updated their scheme for dealing with the spread (chiari type i malfor- mation) in cavalier king and prevalence of the disease. charles spaniels. The Veterinary Record, 153(4):107–112, 2003 16 The scheme outlines the allowed breeding practices for animals 15 JE P a r k e r , SP K n o w l e r , C Rusbridge, E with or potentially with t h e disease, Noorman, and ND Jeffery. Prevalence of i n c l u d i n g taking severity into account. To aid in the efforts, no dogs asymptomatic syringomyelia in cava- lier king of this breed should be bred before they are 2.5 years of age. charles spaniels. The Veterinary Record, 168(25): 667-667, 2011

16 UK Kennel Club British Veterinary Association

Pug

Figure 13: Pug with a quite short muzzle, significant skin folds around the face and bulging eyes.

Height Range 25 – 28cm Figure 14: A painting of a pug from 1802. Weight Range 6 – 8kg Notice the difference in facial features from Life Span o v e r 10 years today’s standard pug, which include a short Origin China but not flat snout, no excess of flews or other skin around the mouth, no excess of skin around the head and well set eyes.

Pugs are very popular dogs in modern societies as they are quite small and do not take up too much space. Additionally, it is extremely easy to anthropomorphise the child-like face that typifies today’s . These dogs are a prime example of breeders creating a dog according to popular or self-preference rather than maintaining the historical accuracy of the breed. Pugs have extreme brachycephalic heads, where the muzzle, at least externally, is flat. Unfortunately, the internal structures typically in a dog’s muzzle must go somewhere, so much of them end up further back in the pug’s head and throat, creating difficulties with breathing, even when at rest. This shortening of the head and muzzle has also pushed the eyes out considerably. With t h e eyes essentially sticking out, it leaves them very susceptible to damage if the dog collides with everyday objects. A specific breed standard point is for the curl in the tail. 17 Pug breed standards, 2015 As per of the United Kingdom’s Pug Dog Club17

Tail High-set, tightly curled over hip. Double curl highly desirable. To achieve a curl in the tail, the vertebrae cannot be cube or rectangular shaped, as in a typical straight spine, i n s t e a d t h e y must have a trapezoidal profile to create curvature. Such vatu r e is typically called scoliosis in humans and other animals. While this curvature is not usually fatal, it can cause significant discomfort if not pain due to instabilities created by compensating for an unbalanced gait.

Figure 15: The facial features of a modern pug showing the flattened muzzle, bulging eyes and excess of skin around the head.

Siberian Husky

The Siberian husky is an extremely charismatic dog an d appeals to many different quarters. They were bred for harsh climates and, if not maintained and assisted in even moderate climates may have trouble getting comfortable if not fully overheat. This is a breed that many handlers take to classes with a very specific ’behavioural issue’. That is, that the dogs pull too much on leash. These dogs were bred for the specific purpose of pulling heavy loads in harsh environments. When breeding for the pet market, this desire to pull was not bred out, rather the original appearance was maintained at the cost of perfecting a more family-ready dog.

Height Range 51 – 60cm Weight Range 16 – 27kg Life Span over 10 years Origin Siberia

Lhasa Apso

The Lhasa Apso is a dog that typifies the transition from to lapdog. Along with many other small or toy breeds, these dogs tend to come with a complaint from o w n e r s . This complaint is centred around how v o c a l the dogs are and h o w l o u d that vocalisation is. Again, we must consider the origin of this breed. Originally developed in Tibet as guard dogs in churches and monasteries, these dogs were bred to make as much noise as possible indoors when disturbed by potential intruders. While small and unable to do much about said intruders once spotted, a second dog would then be dispatched once the Lhasa Apso has made noise, the Mastiff, to deal with the intruders. Lhasa Apso

Height Range up to 25cm Weight Range 6 – 7kg Life Span 15 – 18 years Origin Tibet

Border Collie

Border are particularly sought after dogs for their intelligence and a p p a r e n t l y suitable size as a family dog f o r younger children. When kept entertained appropriately, these dogs suit that function very well, however, if not occupied, they will tend to find their own job. This job, again, hails back to their breeding roots, as herders. Many owners are distraught when t h e i r dog b eg i n s to herd the kids, who b eha ve in a perfect manner to encourage said herding, by making noise and running away from the dog in a fluster.

Height Range 50 – 53cm Weight Range 12 – 20kg Life Span over 10 years Origin UK

Cross Breeds

It is not the purpose of this module to discourage the breeding and ownership of pure bred dogs altogether , however, it is disingenuous to ignore the issues altogether. It is hoped that the student will, again, use their critical evaluation skills and look at all angles of a discussion and reach rational and well thought out opinions.

A huge proportion of pure bred dogs are perfectly healthy and happy animals and those breeders who strive for the best health and welfare for their dogs should be applauded.

A growing trend in recent years has been the development of specific cross breeds to make best use of the prevailing features of different dogs. These are so-called designer crosses that have names made up of parts of each of their parentage, for example a cockapoo is a cross between a cocker spaniel and a . While this blending of features and thus expansion of the genetic pool is a very positive trend, there is the chance of falling into the old breeding patterns again, and focusing on looks rather than function.

Given the diverse skills of the modern breeder to quickly select for any of a huge variety of physical traits, developing the ideal family dog, temperament-wise, should be an extremely straight-forward matter. The ideal situation would be to develop a dog that is family friendly, has a predisposition to enjoy the company of other dogs, is very unlikely to be shy or reactive, and has as low as possible possibility for various diseases and health problems. Unfortunately, as a society, we are still breeding for looks predominantly and for health secondarily.

Designer Cross Breeds

Some examples of popular crossbreeds:

Cockapoo: Cocker spaniel & Poodle : Labrador & Poo- dle Shihpoo: Shih tzu & Poodle Puggle: Pug & Beagle

List of Figures

1 Proportion of dog types per breed for 85 genetically distinct breeds for which between five and ten unrelated dogs were sampled. This image was recreated from 18 and 19. 18 Heidi G Parker, Lisa V Kim, Nathan B 2 A roan blue cocker spaniel. This image was acquired from the Sutter, Scott Carlson, Travis D Lorentzen, Tiffany B Malek, Gary S Johnson, Bigstock images repository as per the terms in the copyright no- Hawkins B DeFrance, Elaine A Ostran- tice. der, and Leonid Kruglyak. Genetic 3 . Image acquired from Bigstock images as per structure of the purebred domestic dog. science, 304(5674):1160–1164, copyright notice. 2004. 4 German short-haired pointer. Image acquired from Bigstock im- 19 Evan Ratliff. How to build ages as per copyright notice. a dog, February 2012. Accessed on 02/10/2015 5 Saluki sight hound. Images acquired from Bigstock images as per copyright notes. 6 Basset hound, scent hound. Image acquired from Bigstock images as per copyright notes. 7 Traditional black and white border collie. Image acquired from Bigstock images as per copyright notes. 8 Hungarian Puli. Image acquired from Bigstock images as per copyright notes. 9 Bedlington terrier, initially bred to hunt vermin in mines in Eng- land. Image acquired from Bigstock images as per copyright notes. 10 . Image acquired from Bigstock images as per note in copyright. 11 Rhodesian ridgeback showing the ridge along its back. Image acquired via Bigstock images as per copyright notes. 12 Cavalier King Charles spaniel. Image acquired from Bigstock images, as per copyright notes. 13 Pug. Image acquired from Bigstock images, as per copyright notes. 14 A painting of a pug from 1802. This image was acquired from the Wikimedia Commons, a freely licenced media file repository. 15 The facial proportions of a modern pug. This image was acquired from pixabay.com under a CC0 public Domain licence which is free for commercial usage with no attribution required.

Bibliography

Pug reed standards, 2015.

William Bingley. Memoirs of British Quadrupeds: Illustrative Principally of Their Habits of Life, Instincts, Sagacity, and Uses to Mankind. Arranged According to the System of Linnaeus. Darton and Harvey, 1809

UK Kennel Club British Veterinary Association. 2012 british veteri- nary association/uk kennel club chiari malformation/syringomyelia (cm/sm) scheme, 2012.

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Kerstin Lindblad-Toh, Claire M Wade, Tarjei S Mikkelsen, Elinor K Karlsson, David B Jaffe, Michael Kamal, Michele Clamp, Jean L Chang, Edward J Kulbokas, Michael C Zody, et al. Genome sequence, com- parative analysis and haplotype structure of the domestic dog. Na- ture, 438(7069):803–819, 2005.

Heidi G Parker, Lisa V Kim, Nathan B Sutter, Scott Carlson, Travis D Lorentzen, Tiffany B Malek, Gary S Johnson, Hawkins B DeFrance, Elaine A Ostrander, and Leonid Kruglyak. Genetic structure of the purebred domestic dog. science, 304(5674):1160–1164, 2004.

JE Parker, SP Knowler, C Rusbridge, E Noorman, and ND Jeffery. Prevalence of asymptomatic syringomyelia in cavalier king charles spaniels. The Veterinary Record, 168(25):667–667, 2011.

Evan Ratliff. How to build a dog, February 2012. . Accessed on 02/10/2015.

C Rusbridge and SP Knowler. Hereditary aspects of occipital bone hypoplasia and syringomyelia (chiari type i malformation) in cavalier king charles spaniels. The Veterinary Record, 153(4):107–112, 2003.

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