Living With Dogs (5 page)

Dog breeds fall into seven main groupings: toys, terriers, gun-dogs, hounds, working dogs, utility breeds and non-sporting dogs. When you have decided which breed you want, your vet will be able to suggest how you can get in touch with breeders. Failing that you can contact your state’s canine association, which will have a list of clubs for the different breeds.

The best-known toy dogs are the Australian Silky Terrier, the Bichon Frise, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, the Chihuahua, the Maltese, the Pekingese, the Pomeranian, the Pug and the Yorkshire Terrier. Most of these dogs were bred specifically to be pets and lap dogs. In many cases the dogs had attention lavished on them by the royal families of Europe and China, and even featured in court paintings.

The common characteristic of all these toy dogs is that they are small, and can easily be nursed and carried, and as a result of this they are often highly dependent, developing an intense, personal, one-to-one relationship with their owners. They are usually ‘boss dogs’, and their owners let them get away with murder. Very subtly, they can become the dominant partner. They do not need much exercise.

The Bichon Frise figured in the paintings of the 17th-century Spanish artist Murillo. This small, fluffy, white dog (the word
frise
means curly-coated) was brought to France from Tenerife, in the Spanish Canary Islands, and it was kept by French kings and aristocrats. It lost status at the end of the 19th century, when its role changed to circus performer and organ grinder’s dog, but it has increased rapidly in popularity in recent years. Its happy nature makes it an ideal family pet.

English chroniclers of the time said that King Charles II preferred the company of his spaniels to that of human beings. The diarist Samuel Pepys wrote that the monarch ‘often suffered the bitches to puppy and give suck, which rendered it very offensive and indeed made the whole court nasty and stinking’. The king’s dogs formed part of the early history of the popular Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, which was developed in the 1920s by an American breeder. The breed is affectionate, domesticated and well-suited to living indoors.

The Mexican Chihuahua is said to be descended from the sacred dog of the Aztecs. Christopher Columbus reported that he found small, domesticated dogs on his explorations of Mexico, but the Chihuahua did not reach the US until the 1890s, almost 400 years later. It soon became the top toy dog in the US, and has since become one of the most popular dogs in the world. Its tiny body hides a large heart, and its playful, alert character has endeared it as a companion to the elderly and people living in apartments. There is a smooth-coated Chihuahua, and a long-coated variety, which probably resulted from crosses with the Papillon or Pomeranian.

The Maltese, which originated in the Mediterranean island of Malta, was also depicted in Italian paintings. It is thought to be the oldest of the European toy breeds, and Aristotle made mention of the fact that the dog came from Malta. It was imported into Britain at the time of Henry VIII and well established as a pet dog by the 19th century. These small dogs were prized for their good nature, intelligence and attentiveness to their owners, and it was a common sight to see women holding them in their laps when they travelled in carriages. Their long, white silky coat makes them cute and cuddly, like the Bichon.

The Pekingese is the original pampered pooch. Known as the royal dog of China, the animals have been recorded in China since the Tang dynasty of the eighth century, but they became the darlings of the Chinese imperial court in the 19th century, when a force of 4000 eunuchs were housed in Peking to breed and raise the dogs, and stealing a Pekingese was an offence punishable by death. Two ‘pekes’ used to announce the appearance of the Emperor with short, sharp barks.

When Peking was sacked by the British in 1860, five dogs were transported back to England and one of them was given to Queen Victoria. The breed, with its flat face, shortened muzzle, prominent eyes and fluffy coat, quickly grew in popularity as it made a confident, charming companion with a tendency to stubbornness. The dog’s lion-like appearance sometimes led to it being known in China as the ‘lion dog’, but it was also credited with possessing the heart of a lion, and it would never turn tail if attacked. The eunuchs of Peking would sometimes entertain themselves by staging fights between the dogs.

The Pomeranian is the smallest of the spitz group of dogs, which were descended from the sledge-hauling dogs of the Arctic countries. The dogs took their name from the region of Pomerania, in Germany, where they were bred. They were gradually reduced in size, and also developed from white coats to reds, oranges, and browns. Queen Victoria helped introduce the dogs to England when she took some home from a visit to Germany in 1888, and their vivacious and affectionate nature has made them popular family pets and excellent companions for children or elderly people.

The Pug also originated in China. It was derived from the Mastiff, with a large head, wrinkled face and heavyweight body. The origin of the name has been the subject of keen debate, with some historians saying it comes from the Latin word
pugnus,
meaning a fist, as the dog’s head resembles a clenched human fist. The breed is thought to have been introduced to Holland by Dutch traders who visited China in the 16th century, and it later became popular in England, where Queen Victoria favoured the dogs. Pugs were friendly and quick to attach themselves to households. They even became a permanent fixture in some families when stuffing the family pet became fashionable.

The Yorkshire Terrier first appeared in England around 1850, but it was not given this name until 1870. The Yorkshireman spent his days in the pits and mills and his weekends hunting vermin with his terrier, and a variety of the dogs were bred in the English county. The ‘Yorkie’ is probably a cross of the old English black-and-tan terriers, the Skye Terrier and the Maltese. Originally a larger, hardier dog, the Yorkie has since become smaller, with a silkier coat, but the decrease in size has not affected its spirit or self-confidence. It is quick to sound the alarm and makes an affectionate companion.

The terrier group includes the Airedale, Australian, Bull, Cairn, Fox, Irish, Jack Russell, Scottish, Staffordshire Bull and West Highland White. They are game, loyal dogs that were bred to flush foxes, rats, rabbits or badgers out of burrows. They are highly alert, keyed-up, feisty, and fearless. They were bred to spend hours in the field hunting, so they need above-average exercise. They snap and yap because they’re alert, and regard everything as foreign. They’re dominant and need to be dominated back. Sheelagh, my Irish Terrier, would like to be the boss dog, but I’ve told her that’s not on. They can become great attention-seekers.

The Airedale, which is described as the king of the terriers, was also bred in Yorkshire, in the valley of the river Aire, around the 1850s. The dog was bred for ratting and hunting foxes, weasels and badgers, and resulted from a cross of the Otterhound and the hard-coated black-and-tan terrier. It was used by the British Army to carry messages in the First World War, when it acquired a reputation for intelligence, character and devotion to duty.

The Border Terrier essentially remains a working terrier in its country of origin, the border districts of Scotland. Despite this apparent self-assurance the Border remains a sensitive dog, companionable by nature and they take a very keen interest in everything that is going on.

They are smart little dogs that provide me with all of the joys of dog ownership that I am used to with terriers.

The Bull Terrier resulted from crossing the old English white terrier, the Bulldog and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, and in its early days it was used as a ratter and fighter. In the words of the British breeder and show judge Harry Glover, the Bull Terrier ‘was considered to be the associate of low fellows’. The breed was lifted above its humble origins by a Birmingham dog dealer, James Hinks, who produced a more distinguished all-white dog. Although the dog makes an affectionate companion, it is a fearless defender of property, and has been described as the gladiator of the canine race. Although it can be aggressive with other dogs or animals, it acts like a buffoon with humans. The Staffordshire Bull Terrier resulted from the crossing of the Bulldog and the old English smooth terrier.

The Cairn Terrier is a native of the western highlands of Scotland, and takes its name from the pile of rocks erected to identify a boundary or to mark a grave. These cairns became favourite hiding places for foxes and other vermin, and the terriers would dig their way in among the stones to drive out the foxes. The dogs are hard-coated, independent, curious, energetic and sturdy enough to face up to strong adversaries.

The Fox Terrier also has a sturdy character, and is just as good standing up to the enthusiastic handling of it by young children as it is pursuing foxes down their holes. The dog has an irrepressible spirit, and its staying power, eyesight and keen nose have made it a highly prized sporting dog. In the earliest days of fox hunting, the terriers were often carried by the riders in boxes or sacks, and only released after the larger foxhounds had driven the quarry to gound. It was then up to the Fox Terrier to flush the foxes out of their lairs.

The dog can either be smooth-or wire-coated. The smooth-coated dog is thought to have been bred from the smooth-coated black-and-tan terrier, with subsequent infusions of Beagle, Bulldog and Greyhound; the Greyhound providing the breed’s characteristic long nose.

Ireland and Scotland both produced their own terriers. The Irish Terrier has become known for its distinctive red coat and the devilish streak to its nature. Hence its nickname ‘the red devil’. The dogs were originally bred for sporting purposes, but they were frequently matched against each other in fights. They are staunchly loyal, protective of property, adapt easily to surroundings, and love to press themselves on their owners for attention. The black Scottish Terrier with its short legs and heavy build is less glamorous than its Irish cousin, but is loyal, determined and dour.

Colonel E D Malcolm of Poltalloch, in Scotland, first drew attention to the West Highland White Terriers in the 19th century, after he had been breeding them for 60 years to cope with the difficult terrain of the region. Their self-assured, playful nature has made them increasingly popular ever since, and they have also had considerable success as show dogs.

The Jack Russell is named after the Reverend Jack Russell, a passionate English fox hunter of the mid-1800s. The Reverend Russell liked a longer-legged terrier that could follow the hounds on foot, and he is reported to have developed his own strain, based on a cross bred terrier bitch he bought from a milkman. The dog he produced was game and spirited and loved to hunt and rat.

Gun dogs originated in Europe from around the 17th century, when more sophisticated guns became available to shoot game. They were divided into different groups, according to the purpose for which they were bred. Setters and pointers would locate the game; spaniels whose job it was to ‘spring’ the game, getting the birds to fly into the air, or driving the rabbits out of their holes and making them run; retrievers would bring back the wounded or dead game to the shooter. The various gun dogs include the Cocker and Springer Spaniels, English, Irish and Gordon Setters, English Pointer, German Short-haired Pointer, Golden Retriever, Labrador and Weimaraner.

Much of the work in developing the retriever breeds was done in England in the 19th century, although Germany had the Weimaraner, which was the sporting dog of the court of Weimar. Early last century the water dogs from the east coast of Canada were keenly sought by English shooters, who were looking for dogs to retrieve water fowl. One that impressed buyers was the long-coated Newfoundland, a relative of the Swiss St Bernard. Through careful breeding, a smooth-coated, water-loving dog called the Labrador Retriever was established, and named after the area of Canada close to Newfoundland.

The Newfoundland was also crossed with setters and spaniels to produce the long-coated Golden Retriever. They were large, strong, intelligent dogs with a love of water, the will to work, a capacity to bond closely with their owner, and a gentle, tolerant nature, which has since made them enormously popular as pets.

The setters would ‘set’ the game by suddenly freezing, like a statue, in the presence of game. Setting dogs were recorded in England in the 16th century, but much of the development of the English Setter took place in the 19th century. The Fourth Duke of Gordon, who lived in Scotland from 1743 to 1827, is usually given credit for breeding the black-and-tan Gordon Setters. The Irish, or Red Setter, is a deep chestnut colour, and has the graceful, flowing appearance of its English and Scottish relatives.