Dalmatians are one of the few breeds with no definitive past that most agree on much less have proof for. Genetically they have yet to be linked with any current breeds as well. The country of origin is also shrouded in mystery. There is documentation of spotted dogs across cultures and continents which includes paintings of spotted dogs chasing a boar. Due to these findings, it is thought that the Dalmatian might be a cross between a Cretan Hound (which is still alive on the island of Crete) and a Bahakaa Dog. Apparently this cross resulted in dogs that were great with running alongside horses (foreshadowing?). According to some sources, the Dalmatian appeared in the Croatian province in the mid 1800s, but that is not where they are thought to have originated. Due to the Dalmatian being so versatilely skilled at being a great traveling companion and protector, they were used to trot alongside wagons and would attack anyone who threatened the troupe, commonly Romanian Gypsies. This could explain why their country of origin has been so difficult to pin down. The versatility has included jobs such as: dog of war, sentinel, hunter of large game and small rodents, herder, retriever, and entertainer. What they are most known for nowadays are being associated with horses and the fire brigade, especially in the USA. Historically Dalmatians would run under the carriage, beside the carriage or in front or behind. When their job switched from traveling guardsman to firehouse employee they would run ahead of the horse drawn fire carriage barking to alert those in the area, and who may be in the way, that they were to make way for emergency services. Then once at the emergency the Dalmatians would stay with horses not only to keep guard so that no one would steal them but also to keep them calm during all the mayhem. Once horsedrawn carriages were replaced by fire trucks the Dalmatian had no interest in switching from running beside a carriage to a truck. The did end up with a place of honor though and since the 1950s they sit beside the drivers of the Anheuser-Busch Clydesdales whenever they put on a show.

Today we are going to get a little wild…or feral and talk about the Dingo. This dog is in Australia and considered as Australian as Koalas and Kangaroos with some sources suggesting they may not be indigenous to Australia. They are likely to have evolved from an East Asian dog and have relation to the New Guinea singing dog. These claims are still being studied so it is subject to change as more discoveries and scientific breakthroughs occur. Some sources believe that Dingos were brought to Australia by Asian mariners around 4,000 years ago with some sources stating that it could have been as far back as 10,000+ years ago. Scientists collected DNA of ancient Dingo skeletons all across Australia and was compared to DNA of current Dingo populations. It was determined that Dingos today do not interbreed with domesticated dog populations and instead still share most of their DNA with their ancient ancestors. Dingos weigh between 26-44lbs and are commonly either red brown or yellow brown in color with the occasional black or white coat. Dingos also have longer muzzles, larger ears (which are erect), larger molars and longer, slender canine teeth. It is currently unclear if Dingos have always been wild (never domesticated) or if they were at some point and are now feral (returned to the wild after being domesticated). According to one source the Dingo is thought to have replaced the thylacine (which looks like a fox/dog/cat animal with tiger stripes on the lower back) and not only that but is responsible for their disappearance on mainland Australia. Dingos are known to hunt alone most of the time but have been noted to hunt in packs up to 12 and being able to take down a kangaroo. In southeastern Australia the Dingo population has been eliminated and so the kangaroo population has increased which just further shows how effective these wild dogs are at having kangaroo for lunch. Dingos also help with population control of the invasive red fox. Depending on who you ask Dingos are seen as a pest, especially to ranchers, since they go after animals such as livestock. It got so bad that a “dingo fence” was placed to keep Dingos in the outback and ranchers will shoot them on sight to protect their livestock. There is also a claim about a Dingo apparently taking a human child/baby named Azaria Chamberlain (I did not read the specifics of this claim but it is mentioned in National Museum Australia source). Conservationists see Dingos as a vulnerable and important to the population control of other animals such as rabbits and other small rodents.

Akbash This weeks Breed of the Week was requested by @Katrina Aggelopoulos . The Akbash is a breed that originates from the old country of Anatolia which is now modern day Turkey. They are considered related to the Kangal, also known as the Karabash, which is also from modern day Turkey. Akbash is Turkish for “white head” (and Karabash is Turkish for “dark head”). The precise history of the Akbash is currently unknown but they are thought to be the oldest livestock guardian breeds at around 3,000 years old according to some Turkish sources. Much like the Great Pyrenees, the Akbash was bred to blend in with livestock to have the upper hand (upper paw?) on predators. The Akbash is a rather large dog with one of the oldest canine jobs since dogs had become domesticated: livestock guarding. They are considered one of the, if not original, main livestock protection dog breeds and their origin is thought to go back as far as the founding of agriculture in the Fertile Crescent which is located in the middle east. The Akbash was dominantly kept in the western part of the country where there was plenty of sheep herding. As modern day starts to roll around and vehicles aid in better and faster transportation it is likely that various livestock protection dogs interbred which also caused there to be variety in the coat color (cream and white). The breed is thought to be a cross between a sighthound and a mastiff according to a couple of the sources. This cross gave them the athleticism of the sighthound with the size of the mastiff. The sources where I found this information did not provide any primary context as to why this was believed. Perhaps the answer lies in DNA testing. They are typically between 90-145lbs with a short-medium double coat and stand between 28-34in tall. They are very independent and know how to do their job well but are not typically the type to get into a fight if they believe they will be overpowered such as with a bear or pack of wolves.

This weeks Breed of the Week is thanks to @Katie Schobel The Turkish Pointer is an exceptionally rare pointing breed that is found almost exclusively in the Tarus region of Turkey. They are one of three breeds with the split nose genetic trait which leaves the nose appearing as if it was split in two with one nare each. Some of their other names are Turkish Split Nose Pointer, Turkish Fork Nosed Dog, Catalburun and Tarus Catalburun just to name a few. Due to this breed only being recently discovered by those outside of the region the ancestry is currently unknown. According to one source there are only around 200 individual dogs which means that inbreeding is high whether or not it is accidental. Even though inbreeding probability is higher due to the smaller gene pool the Turkish Pointer does not have many health issues outside of hip dysplasia, hypothyroidism and allergies. Sometime around the early 1900s this breed became known outside of its homeland but no one knows when they arrived to the area. The breed could go back centuries and might be indigenous to the area. Some speculated that the breed may be part of the origin story of other pointer breeds such as the English Pointer and German Shorthaired Pointer but I have done posts on those and did not see that reflected. This is also pointed out in the sources for today’s post. The Turkish Pointer is used to hunt small birds and rabbits and are quite agile hunters despite being smaller and heavy bodied compared to other pointers. They are also resilient, have great stamina, committed and intuitive with a well boned and muscular body. All great attributes to have in a working hunting breed. Now let’s talk about their nose. Their nostrils are divided by a cleft which gives the illusion of two noses with a single nare each. In some individuals this cleft can continue all the way to the top of their head under the skin (you won’t see it). This cleft nose is considered a genetic defect and can also be seen with a cleft lip and/or cleft palate.

The Finnish Spitz, the national breed of Finland, can be traced back to ~100 A.D. with their ancestor being imported to Finland by some tribes in Russia. The historical writings related to the early history of the Finnish Spitz are long gone so what we do know is from the documentation of Finnish Spitz enthusiasts and preservers of the breed along with artifacts from excavations of the area. The Finnish Spitz has had many names in Finnish (which is a very complicated language) but in English the names they have been known as are Finnish Spitz, Finnish Barking Bird Dog, Finkie, Finsk Spets. While the translation does not change when in English (or French) in 1946 the breeds name was changed once again giving it more of a name than a description in the native language. The historic life of a Finnish Spitz was not an easy one. They not only would search and hunt alongside their humans but were also responsible for feeding and fending for themselves. Due to this life being a reality for the breed for generations (and the Finnish Spitz learning to chase and consume small birds and animals for food and staying close to home for protection from predators) these traits are now a feature in the breed not a bug. They are very faithful to their home, are great guardians of their human/family and skeptical of strangers. Before the 19th Century the Finnish Spitz was relatively isolated from genetic influence and so was a purebred with a good sized population. It wasn’t until by 1880 with the development of improved modes for passage that other types of dogs were brought into the area and bred with the local Finnish Spitz. This happened without much interjection of humans which led to the Finnish Spitz almost becoming extinct just due to breeding influence. It wasn’t until two forestry experts named Hugo Richard Sandberg (1849-1930) and Hugo Johnathon Roos (1863-1963) had met and went hunting with the breed that the dwindling population stood a chance for survival. They selected pure examples of the breed in order to recover the breed and the many wonderful qualities that caught their attention in the first place.