As a rule, dog people aren’t crazy about dog books. Most of them are justifiably considered rehashed content written by people who know less than we do. Therefore, I’m going out on a limb with this recommendation, but in this case, you gotta have it.
The pack has expanded! The American Kennel Club® (AKC®) announced today that the Spanish Water Dog, Cirneco dell’Etna, Bergamasco, and Boerboel gained full AKC recognition. This brings AKC’s roster of recognized breeds to 184.
“The AKC is thrilled to recognize these four very unique breeds,” said AKC Spokesperson Gina DiNardo. “While each of these loveable dogs differs in temperament, exercise, and grooming needs, they make wonderful companions to a variety of people. We’re glad to give dog lovers more breed options to fit their lifestyle.”
by Amy Fernandez Carefully crafted bloodlines are the bedrock of breed type. They are nurtured over the course of countless canine and human generations, and stamped with the personal convictions of dedicated breeders. The dog world lost another source of this rare commodity on December 11, 2014 when Robin Gianopoulos lost her long courageous battle […]
By Amy Fernandez This week’s mainstream dog news put German Shepherds in the spotlight, specifically Bella, the nine-year-old pet of a recently deceased Indiana woman. As a responsible owner, her will included provisions for him. And it has ignited that perennial powder keg of social media. Since the story broke, Connie Lay has been labeled […]
by Amy Fernandez One aspect of Westminster is predictably devoid of the thrills and surprises that keep us coming back. Exhibitors collectively dread those endless hours of benching. It’s hard to imagine what it was like when show regulations required all exhibits to be benched throughout the show, which customarily ran four or five days. […]
By Amy Fernandez One of the most interesting aspects of Westminster’s long history is the fact that its evolution parallels the evolution of the American dog show. The slick glamour that defines it today belies its kinky, homespun past. Along with an avalanche of technical and management disasters, early shows featured a panorama of bizarre […]
The Bearded Collie is a member of the growing and diverse herding group that includes dogs of many sizes, shapes, coats, and colors depending on where they were developed and the type of herding job they were bred for. The Beardie hales from Scotland and was known earlier by other names, such as the Highland Collie. Its background includes other European working breeds such as Polish Sheepdogs and Komondor.
Recent additions to the AKC studbook are collectively regarded as “new” breeds. From the perspective of American fanciers, that’s true. Among the latest arrivals, the Finnish Lapphund debuted in 2011. The Icelandic Sheepdog entered the ranks in 2010 and the Norwegian Buhund in 2009. Although they qualify as newcomers to the Herding Group, it’s been a long strange trip for all three of these ancient Nordic breeds.
A glance at the monthly statistics confirms that plenty of Herding breeds rise to the top of the game. However, this only reflects their accomplishments since the formation of the Herding Group in 1983. Countless Herding breed superstars launched their careers from the Working Group, and even earlier. Before AKC implemented group divisions in 1924, Herding breeds competed from Non-Sporting.
Theories abound about how humans and dogs became such an integral part of each other’s lives. According to the experts, Canis familiaris was domesticated somewhere between 33,000 and 15,000 years ago. DNA evidence supports the belief that our vast array of modern breeds of dogs are all descended from the grey wolf, and additionally, that it is highly likely that “domestication” took place more or less spontaneously in multiple locations in the world. Just how that happened, we may never know for sure. Some have surmised that dogs basically “self-domesticated”.
