Dog breeds Flashcards
(129 cards)
40 million years ago, what species did the dog evolve from?
Miacis (a small tree-dwelling carnivore)
describe the Tomarctus
prototype dog
resembles the present-day wolf.
Dogs were the 1st species to have been domesticated. Why?
- early dogs probably followed human encampments, scavenging wastes
- dogs became hunting companions
later they became guard dogs - by the time of the Egyptian rule, they were being kept as pets
what are the 4 prototype breeds?
Canis familiaris metris-optimae
* forerunner of sheep-herding breeds
Canis familiaris intermedius
* forerunner of many hauling, hunting, and toy
breeds
Canis familiaris leineri
* forerunner of the sighthound and many terriers
Canis familiaris inostranzewi
* forerunner of mastiffs and some water dogs
how did we breed dogs to appear so different from their ancestors?
selective breeding
What are some of the differences between dogs and wild canids?
- Many wild canids are
monogamous, which is not true
for today’s dog - earlier sexual maturity (2y in the wild, 6-8m in the domestic dog)
- Wild dogs only produce one
litter per year, whereas
domestic dogs can produce 2
even 3 litters per year
Inbreeding
the breeding of closely related progeny.
allows the strongest, most desirable traits to be fixed but also concentrates any weaknesses
what are some problems with inbreeding?
- concentrates the weaknesses
- the products can either be much better or much worse
- breed can be strengthened by culling
line breeding
the breeding of individuals that are more distantly related, but with common ancestors in the pedigree for 4 or 5 generations
the breeding of individuals that are more distantly related, but with common ancestors in the pedigree
line breeding
what are the benefits of line breeding?
allows for the establishment of certain families or strains with similar characteristics
what is the downfall of line breeding?
doesn’t stabilize characteristics as efficiently as proper inbreeding
Outcross breeding
the breeding of individuals with no common ancestors in the last 4-5 generations
the breeding of individuals with no common ancestors in the last 4-5 generations
outcross breeding
What are the benefits of outcross breeding?
- bring hybrid and vigor
- minimize undesirable characteristics
parents are often products of line breeding chosen to complement each other - in theory, this means the shortfall of one parent is balanced by the strength of the other
what are the downfalls of outcrossbreeding?
lacks uniformity in the offspring
What are the characteristics of sporting dogs?
- high energy
- great stamina
- have a desire to retrieve, point, run, and flush out
- great noses
- very active which may lead to destructive tendencies if not given enough exercise.
What are the 4 sub-categories of sporting dogs?
- setters (require some coat care)
- spaniels (tend to be smaller than the others, require some coat care)
- retrievers
- pointers
Dewlap
loose pendular skin under the throat (e.g. bloodhound)
Flews
fleshy, sometimes pendulous upper lip (English bulldog)
stop
step up from the muzzle
also indentation between the eyes
tucked up
shallow body depth at the loin
small waisted
e.g. grey hound
roach back
convex curvature of the back towards, but not including, the loin
sway back
concave curvature of the back