Thursday, June 30, 2011

The History Of Dog Breeding

By Evangeline Chandler


Dog breeding is the process of mating animals to achieve desired characteristics in their offspring. Skilled breeders select mates based on traits, such as personality, size, skills and strength. Some are bred to produce loving, family-friendly pets, while others are mated to produce working animals who are able to perform alongside farmers, police officers, rescue workers and others. Some canines are bred to become service animals, and can be trained to assist blind or physically disabled individuals.

Beginning with prehistoric humans, canines have been important members of communities. For many centuries, the relationship between humans and canines has been evolving. Today, three separate groups of canines function as human companions. These include sighthounds, hunters and livestock guardians.

Those who protect livestock against threats from predators perform their tasks by instinct. They become acquainted with their herds as puppies, and develop a bond with them. They are effective at protecting their home herd, but will not perform their duties in other herds. As an example, a canine who has bonded with a herd of sheep will not protect herds of goats or cattle. Some effective livestock guardians include Sheepdogs, Armenian Gamprs, Mastiffs, Komondors and Great Pyrenees.

The hunters are gun canines, including Dachshunds, terriers and hounds. The hound group is sub-divided into three categories, lurchers, scent hounds and sighthounds. The sighthounds have high visual acuity and great speed. These include Greyhounds, Afghans and Whippets. The scent hounds have highly advanced olfactory senses and can effectively track game. This group includes Coonhounds, Bloodhounds, Dachshunds, Basset Hounds and Beagles. The lurchers are a mixture of working dogs and sighthounds. A common combination is a blending of terriers and Greyhounds.

Terriers are effective at hunting mammals. They can track an animal's den, and go underground to drive them out. These include Jack Russells, Bull Terriers, Airedales, Pit Bulls, Kerry Blues, Yorkshire Terriers and Boston Terriers.

The short-legged, long-bodied, speedy Dachshund can effectively track animals into deep burrows. Their prey includes foxes, rabbits, badgers and prairie dogs. This canine is the only one to be certified for above and below-ground tracking.

Members of the gun canine group frequently accompany game hunters who carry shotguns. These include setters, retrievers, spaniels and pointers. They can locate small prey on both land and water. These canines include English Setters, Labrador Retrievers, German Shorthaired Pointers, Chesapeake Bay Retrievers and Cocker Spaniels.

Since prehistoric times, humans have practiced dog breeding to develop helpful partners. Their inherent dependability, loyalty, adaptability and agility make them ideal companions. In addition to the traditional fields which have used canines for many years, their use is expanding into new regions, such as medicine.




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