YET MORE OF'THE SPECIALISTS:'

The more I see of humans, The more I love Dogs

Labrador Retrievers :
Labrador Retrievers were originally fishermen's dogs. Their main task was to swim to and fom boats dragging nets and ropes.





Lundehund :


Lundehund is a Norwegian breed, specifically trained to retrieve puffin's nests, which are edible. The dog  climbs a cliff, puts the bird to flight, grabs the nest and brings it to its master. If it is working in caves, it can close its ears to keep out dripping water.





Nova Scotia Duck-tolling dog:


These dogs have one function: to excite the curiosity of wildfowl by creating a disturbance on the shore. In theory the ducks are so intrigued that they come and investigate, and the  wildfowler then takes aim. The natural reaction of wildfowl to any predator - e.g. a fox on the shore - is to swim towards it en masse: thus every bird is aware of the predator, which cannot hope to make a sneak and often slinks away in disgust with a fleet of ducks shadowing its progress along the bank.





Portuguese Water Dogs:


Portuguese Water Dogs, like Labrador Retrievers, were fishermen's dogs for centuries. As well as catching ropes, they also brought back fish which had escaped the nets.





Shar peis :


They are probably the oddest looking dogs we know today. They were developed for dog-fights, and their excessively loose and wrinkled skin, with its pig-like bristles, and their very small ears, did not give opponents much to grip.





Tibetan Spaniels :


Tibetan Spaniels were originally used to turn prayer wheels, act as sentinels, and be hot water bottles for their owners.





Tosa Mastiffs:


Tosa Mastiffs are a Japanese breed originally developed for ceremonial dog-fights. They were paraded during festivals dressed up in silk and gold blankets and controlled on the end of huge thick ropes.



Whippets:


The most perfect racing machine ever fashioned by man!!
They were bred by miners in Northern England for snap trails, the aim of which was to achieve the quickest kill of a rabbit in an enclosed area.




Raj Prateek Verma

THE SPECIALISTS

The more I see of humans, The more I love Dogs


Most of the breeds have been developed by man to cater to specific needs. here are some of the unusual specialists.

BULLDOGS :


Bulldogs and similar breeds were used to bait bulls - not merely for the sake of sports but also because butchers believed that the practice tenderised the beef.

CHINESE IMPERIAL CH'IN :


This is a breed that spent most of its day in meditation. It used to be very much a court dog; in one ancient Chinese court about a hundred of the dogs would stand up on their hind legs at the entrance of the Empress and would remain upright until she was seated.

COONHOUNDS:


Coonhounds were bred in America specifically as raccoon hunters but they also used for bear, stag, fox and wildcat. The 'treeing' breeds literally clamber into the trees in pursuit of their prey. The dogs now take part in rough and tough trails, by day and by night, which involves swimming in fast streams and climbing trees.


EASTERN GREYHOUNDS(AFGHAN AND BORZOI)


These hounds were trained to hunt as a brace. The bitch attacked the prey's hindquarters, attempting to hamstring it, and the dog went for the throat. Borzois were supposed to pin a wolf rather than kill it.


ELK HOUND:


Elk hounds were bred for pursuit of elk and bear. They have special hunting methods: they slither over the snow, cut off the prey's line of retreat and drive it into gun range.


FILA BRASILEIRO:

Fila Brasileiro hounds were originally trained to kill Indians in battle and later to capture runaway slaves!!


HEELER:

Heeler is a type of cattle dog which bites the heels of its charges and quickly drops flat to avoid being kicked!


KELPIES:

Kelpies are superb Australian sheepdogs which can do the work of six men and cover more than forty miles a day. They separate the sheep for drinking at the water-hole, and have perfected the art of walking(and running) on the backs of enclosed sheep. They also practise the unique skill of Tinning the Chicken, when they herd a chick into a tin can.




Raj Prateek Verma

BIG GAME HUNTERS

The more I see of humans, The more I love Dogs


BIG GAME HUNTERS


Dogs have been used as hunting aids from earliest times.All over the world dogs were trained to find, flush, pursue or attack different prey. For example, the Patagonians hunted with the help of horses and dogs. The dogs were trained to seize the prey. In India a number of breeds such as Alangu Mastiff, Caravan Hound, Rampur Hound were extensively used by the nobility in the Mughal period to track down big games.
Gran Chako dogs, which lived on offal and scraps and inhabited the dens which they scrapped in the ground, were used in hunting Jaguars and peccary : they were noisy and persistent in nature which so aggravated the fleeing jaguar that it paused to deal with them, giving an opportunity to the hunters to catch up!
Eskimo dogs, apart from drawing sledges, were trained in detecting and hunting of seals. They could detect the seal's breathing holes in the ice, and also attack a bear from behind so that the hunter could easily harpoon it.
In Tierra del Fuego fox like dogs herded shoals of fish into their master's net and also stole edible birds' nest for their master.
In Samoa they trained very courageous dogs to check the progress of a fleeing pig by catching it by the ears, tail and shoulders so that the hunters could finish it off. 
The early Muslim invaders in India knew that elephants dreaded small, noisy animals, especially dogs, which they to divert a charge.


Here are some of more specialists :


AFGHAN HOUND : wolf, gazelle, leopard, jackal, fox.


AIREDALE          : bear, wolf, wild boar, stag, otter.


AKITA               : bear, deer.


BEAGLE             :(oversize ones in Ceylon and Venezuela) jaguar,leopard


BORZOI             : wolf coursing and throwing


BRAZILIAN TRACKER : jaguar tracking


BULL MASTIFF     : poachers (trained to throw down but not maul)


COONHOUNDS    : raccoon,stag,bear,op[ossum,cougar,wildcat


COURSING HOUND: coyote (American Great Plains)


FINNISH SPITZ    : polar bear,elk


GREAT DANE       : wild boar  


GREYHOUND       : stag,gazelle,wild boar, fox,hare( not to mention domestic                                              
                           cats and geese!)


HARRIER            : leopard (Ceylon), large cats (south america)


HOKKAIDOKEN    : bear (Japan)


IRISH WOLF HOUND : stag, wolf,coyote,wild boar


KANGAROO HOUND  :kangaroo


ALANGU MASTIFF   : (India ) bear,wolf,deer,leopards 




Raj Prateek Verma

THE GREAT INDIAN MASTIFF: ALANGU MASTIFF

The more I see of humans, The more I love Dogs

Alangu Mastiff :

History:

This very impressive dog is from INDIA, generally found in the regions of Thanjavur and Tiruchin (South).
The dog has an ancient history. Similar type of breed was used by the Persians as war dogs. The breed probably originated in the Punjab region of India and became a favorite of the Mughal nobility as a war and hunting dog. It received huge patronage from the nobility as a result of which the breed was in great demand in medieval India. However, it lost some of its importance when cheetah was replaced for hunting purposes.

Later on, it was used and is still used primarily as a guard dog. A very similar breed is found in Pakistan by the name 'BULLI KUTTA'. This is also a very good hunting dog and can be easily found in rural areas where village folks use them for 'DOG FIGHTS. Although this sort of entertainment is totally illegal in both the countries, yet it is a common practice among the rural folks to participate in dog fights with their prized mastiffs for the sake of entertainment and for earning money through betting.

Description :

Indian Alangu mastiffs are red or tan with a very prominent black muzzle. It has a massive head with very small ears. The chest is deep and the limbs are well muscled.

Height:

Male : upto 30 - 33 inches
Female: upto 27 -  30 inches

Coat:
Very short and needs  very little maintenance.

Temperament :
This breed is quite sharp and very alert. It is inappropriate to keep this breed in a confined space as it needs wide open space for exercise. This breed is quite ferocious and requires careful handling. It is a very hardy and a robust breed and can survive without much care.


Raj Prateek Verma