New Dog Breeds

Another great topic idea from www.DoggieNews.com … What are “Original Breeds of Dog”?

Breeds fall into the following groups:

Sight hounds: Afghan, Borzoi, Greyhound, Saluki

Scent hounds: Basset Hound, Beagle, Black and Tan Coonhound, Bloodhound, Foxhound, Otterhound

Retrievers: Chesapeake Bay, Curly Coated, Flat Coated, Golden and Labrador Retrievers; Poodle

Pointers: Wirehaired Pointing Griffon, Pointer, German Shorthaired and Wirehaired Pointers, Vizsla, Weimaraner

Spaniels: American Water, Brittany, Clumber, American and English Cocker Spaniels

Setters: English, Gordon and Irish Setters

Mastiffs: Dogue de Bordeaux, Great Dane, Neapolitan and English Mastiff, Tosa, Fila Brasiliero

Bulldogs: English Bulldog, Pit Bull Terrier, Bull Terrier, French Bulldog, Pug, Cane Corso, Dogo Argent

Flock Guards: Akbash, Great Pyrenees, Komondor, Kuvasz, Tibetian Mastiff

Herding Dogs: Bearded Collie, Belgian Shepherds (Belgian, Malinois, Tervuren), Briard, Collie, Corgi (Cardigan & Pembroke), Shetland Sheepdog, Border Collie

Nordic/ Spitz Dogs: Akita, Alaskan Malamute, Samoyed, American Eskimo, Shiba Inu, Jindo Dog, Siberian Husky, Finnish Spitz, Canaan Dog, Karelian Bear Dog, Norwegian Lundehund

Terriers: Australian, Bedlington, Border, Cairn, Dandie Dinmont, Fox, Irish, Kerry Blue, Lakeland, Manchester, Norwich, Norfolk, Scottish, Sealyham, Skye, Soft Coated Wheaten, Welsh, and West Highland White Terriers

Curs: Catahoula Leopard Dog

Primitive Breeds: Carolina Dog, Basenji, Thai Ridgeback, wolf hybrids

Today, We Are Seeing The Creation Of New Breeds

Here are five breeds that are currently being created by crossing the above breeds:

GoldenDoodle: This breed is a combination of Golden Retrievers and Poodles. The idea is to get a lower dander coat, smaller dog (somewhere between the size of a Golden Retriever and a Cocker Spaniel), and to bring back some breeding vitality. I have trained a GoldenDoodle, and it trains very similarly to a Golden Retriever. The main difference I have seen is the coat… it is not as “feathery” as the coat of the Golden Retriever, with larger curls and a bit more wiry coat. I have been pleased with the dogs I’ve seen…but that won’t last if breeders aren’t extremely selective when choosing the dogs they mate together. If you breed two dogs together, regardless of the breed, and either one has genetic faults, they will pass those faults on to their offspring.

Labradoodle: This breed is a combination of Labrador Retrievers and Poodles. I haven’t had a chance to train any, but they should be a lot like the GoldenDoodles.

Bandog: This breed is a combination of Pit Bull Terriers and Mastiff breeds. Generally, when you cross a pit bull terrier with another breed, it usually behaves pretty much like a pit bull terrier. The quality of the dog is dependent on the quality of the parents and grandparents. The idea is to breed a super large pit bull terrier. The first generation dogs are pretty great dogs, but I haven’t seen any successful breeding programs which can retain the qualities of the first generation. The later offspring end up being more and more like pit bull dog crosses. I see no functional reason for creating this breed. The fighting dog folks have been trying this combination for many years, but the “breed” has never taken hold.

Puggle: This breed is a combination of Pugs and Beagles. They are mainly being sold as a result of their unique looks and small size. I think this is a terrible combination of breeds. The dogs won’t be easy to own or train, will be especially difficult with small children (most likely very mouthy/ bitey), and might bring along health problems. I wouldn’t recommend getting such a dog. Both breeds are harder to house train, both are highly food oriented, neither are known to obey very well, and both have an excellent sense of smell. Thus, you’ve got yourself a new kind of scent hound, with unknown behavioral propensities, and being sold purely on looks and unique availability. Few people are suited to owning a scent hound. Unles you'd be comfortable owning a beagle or basset hound, I wouldn't recommend getting a Puggle. You will probably tire of the dog and give it to a shelter... but not before you get so aggravated that you harm the pup in the process. Scent hounds can be great dogs, but they aren't for everybody, especially people who aren't patient to properly house train a small dog that won't be very obedient. You can bet these dogs will become aggressive if they are treated roughly.

Malinois: There are two types of Malinois… the purebred ones, and the unregistered, mixed bred ones. Many police dogs are of the latter type. The Malinois is a breed that is still “under construction”. It is a fine working dog, but there are still weaknesses in the breed. Because of the decline in health and temperament of the German Shepherd Dog, police and working dog folks have been switching to owning Malinois. They are crossing other breeds in to get more size, and to stabilize the temperaments of the dogs.

I Am Not Opposed To The Creation Of New Breeds

Throughout time, humans have found that the breeds available didn’t meet their needs. Thus, new breeds were created and old breeds went into decline or extinction. This is the way of dog breeding. It also points out the folly of trying to ban certain dog breeds… you can always re-create a lost breed, or come up with a new and better version.

Most likely, my next dog will be a mutt… one that has been purposely bred for my needs… I have not been satisfied with the quality of the pure bred dogs I have been seeing. So, I need a dog more tailored to how I work with and train a dog. I have always gotten pure bred dogs, and for most people, that is the best solution. Think on that one.