In September 1993 a belligerent wind snatched the roofs off four houses in Saginaw, Texas, and airlifted a 4-pound Yorkshire terrier clear out of her yard. "We knew she had been carried away," said Jim Davis, the dog's owner, "because a neighbor saw her flying about 15 or 20 feet in the air."
The following day Davis got a call from a man who had found the flying dog, Sadie, running along a highway two miles north of Saginaw. The caller phoned Davis after reading a newspaper story about Sadie. But for a few ant bites, the dog appeared to be unfazed by her flight.
Sadie is not the only Yorkshire terrier to survive an ordeal that might have killed a lesser dog. In June 1992 an 8-year-old Yorkie named Torver fell 600 feet down a sheer, rocky hillside in the Lake District of England. Torver's owners, who had been hiking on the hill from which he fell, searched for him in vain. Five days later, after an animal charity had distributed 50 lost-dog posters, and radio stations and newspapers had broadcast Torver's story, he was spotted under a recreational vehicle four miles from the place where he had fallen. He looked a tad bedraggled, and he had acquired a limp; otherwise he was unharmed.
The Yorkshire terrier's size and doll-like appearance — to say nothing of the dainty ribbons with which it is often adorned — belie its toughness and determination. Toy breed fanciers are wont to boast that their tykes are actually "big dogs in little dog suits," but the Yorkie is one dog that can walk the talk. How many 5-pound toy males are up to breeding a 120-pound Rottweiler? Such was the bell-ringing achievement of Gizmo, a Yorkie male in Sarasota, Florida, who is the father of two Yorkie-Rotts. "He's a bigger man than we all thought," said Gizmo's owner to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Revolutionary Developments
The Yorkshire terrier is a byproduct of the Industrial Revolution in England. Prior to 1750 most Britons worked in agriculture, but as mills and factories — and the coal mines on which they depended for energy — hung out the "Help Wanted" signs, people matriculated from farms to the communities that surrounded these sources of employment.
The weaving mills in Yorkshire County in northern England attracted a number of Scottish immigrants, many of whom brought their dogs with them. The immigrants' dogs were called "Scotch terriers," but they were, in reality, members of at least two different breeds, most prominently the Clydesdale terrier and the Paisley terrier, both of which had long, silky, bluish coats and semierect ears. These working dogs, much larger than today's Yorkies, were adept at catching rats and other small mammals. Both the Clydesdale and the Paisley terrier eventually became extinct, but not before they had contributed to the development of the Yorkie.
The Scotch terriers that accompanied their masters to Yorkshire, England's largest county, were introduced to terriers already established there: the English black-and-tan toy terrier, the Skye terrier, the long-coated, blue-gray waterside terrier and, many observers believe, the Maltese terrier, whose long coat and general outline is reflected in today's Yorkie.
In addition to working in the Yorkshire mills, many Scotsmen found employment in nearby coal mines, where their dogs were welcome as exterminators. According to some accounts the Yorkie's golden-tan head and legs were developed so the dog could be seen more easily in the dark corners of the mine shafts.
The improvements wrought by terrier breeders in Yorkshire — and the magnificent show record of a dog called Huddersfield Ben (1865-1871) — inspired Angus Sutherland, a young reporter for the sporting newspaper The Field, "They ought no longer to be called Scotch Terriers, but Yorkshire Terriers for having been so improved there."
Sutherland's suggestion was not taken up at once. In fact, after the Kennel Club of England had been formed in April 1873, dogs from the same litter might be shown as either Yorkshire terriers or broken-haired Scotch terriers. Not until 1886 did the Kennel Club recognize the Yorkshire terrier as an individual breed.
Yorkies Among the Yanks
The Yorkie came to America in the early 1870s in response to the American fascination with all things Victorian. The breed was adopted by purebred dog lovers here and was admitted to the American Kennel Club (AKC) stud book in 1885, one year after the AKC had been established. Yorkies were a diverse lot at first, weighing anywhere from 3 to 13 pounds. By the 1930s the petite size and the modern-day Yorkie look were more universal, but the breed did not start to climb the AKC's hit parade until the 1950s. Indeed, 50 years ago the Yorkie ranked 57th among the 112 breeds registered by the AKC, with a mere 173 new registrations in 1949.
During the Eisenhower regime, when many Americans were buying houses for the first time, a number of people were buying Yorkies for the first time too; and by 1960, when 1,181 new Yorkies were registered, the breed had leap-dogged 23 spaces on the AKC's popularity list. The beat went on during the following decade, and by 1970 annual Yorkie registrations had increased more than tenfold (to 13,484), which was good enough for 17th place on the AKC list. By 1980 the Yorkie was poised at number 11 with 24,665 new registrations. After vacillating between 11th and 14th on the AKC list for a decade and a half, the Yorkie made the top 10 in 1995, when its 36,881 new registrations placed it 10th among the 145 breeds registered by the AKC. Last year the Yorkie, with 42,900 new registrations, ranked 9th among the 146 AKC-recognized breeds.
Heroes and Villains
One has to wonder what Scotsmen of old would think of today's ribbon-clad and coddled Yorkshire terrier, whose breed standard dictates that the dog should stand between 8 and 10 inches at the shoulder and weigh no more than 7 pounds. Might they be disappointed that their tough little customer has become a mama's boy? The kind that could drive a man to call off a wedding three days before the I-do date because his intended "was constantly kissing and cuddling the Yorkshire Terrier instead of him," according to a Cleveland Daily Mirror report.
Perhaps, but Scotsmen could also point with pride to Yorkies like Tim, who got into a face-off with a noisy street-cleaning machine two years ago in an English town. The machine inhaled the barking dog through its intake pipe. Shoppers passing by yelled at the driver, who stopped and dismantled the machine. To everyone's amazement the Yorkie survived the experience, even though he was declared the loser by a technical knockout.
The earliest Yorkie breeders would also recognize the true grit — and the size — of dogs like Oliver, a hefty, 12-pound Yorkie who pushed open a screen door and raced across the street to the aid of a 79-year-old woman being mauled by an 80-pound Akita. The Akita turned his attention on Oliver long enough for neighbors to whisk the woman to safety. The Akita was eventually taken into custody by animal control, while Oliver was taken to the vet's for nine stitches.
In another stirring rescue two unnamed Yorkies sprang into action when their owner, an elderly woman, was accosted by a flasher. These dogs leaped up, bit the miscreant on the groin, and sent him howling away in pain.
These and other stories might convince the earliest Yorkie breeders that even though today's Yorkie is considerably smaller than its ancestors, its heart has in no way been diminished.
Nevertheless, a Yorkie's headstrong nature can lead to trouble with dogs that may not defer to his demands. For every Oliver who emerges with only a nine-stitch after a confrontation with a much larger dog, there are dozens of Yorkies that come to grief because they took on a larger dog or a human intruder and didn't have enough common sense to retreat gracefully.
Health and Welfare
Australian Gerri Grieg, whose Tejada Yorkshire terriers have enjoyed success in show rings and homes around the world, cautions prospective Yorkie buyers to seek out breeders who are highly recommended by the parent club in their respective countries. "Never consider taking a puppy home before 3 months of age," says Grieg, "and never [consider] the puppy that has not had the benefit of at least the first of its initial immunization shots" and a thorough exam by a veterinarian.
Though the Yorkie is among the smallest of breeds, it should never appear unsound in any respect, and it should also be free of skeletal deformities or gait problems. Moreover, the average Yorkshire terrier can enjoy an amazingly long life, 14 to 16 years is not unusual, but like most of the toy breeds it faces certain problems. Among them are patellar luxation (a slipped or dislocated knee joint), spinal cord problems and hydrocephalus. Though the breed's diminutive size is attractive to many people, dogs in the three-pound category are often the most fragile. They are susceptible to frequent injury and to hypoglycemia as well.
Attentive care of a Yorkie's teeth is critical to avoid the accumulation of tartar that can lead to infections and tooth loss at an early age. Regular brushing can help keep the teeth sound, healthy and functional for practically the entire life of the dog.
The most serious health problem Yorkies face is portacaval liver shunt, an ailment in which the blood is directed around the liver instead of through it. This creates an array of extremely serious medical problems. The condition can be detected as early as 6 months of age, and surgery to rectify the problem is highly recommended.
The Yorkshire terrier's long, silken coat — a shimmering golden-tan and metallic blue — is supremely attractive, but a Yorkie in full bloom requires more care and talent than the average owner may possess. According to professional groomer Susan Buhl, most Yorkie owners opt for the schnorkie cut. This style is patterned after the schnauzer's and is 3 to 4 inches long all around. The schnorkie cut is cute, stylish and vastly easier to maintain than the lovely-to-look-at-but-not-so-delightful-to-care-for show coat.
A well-bred Yorkshire terrier can get on famously with just about any other household pet, with one serious caveat: The Yorkie has to be in charge! No matter that your Great Dane may have lived there first or your pair of St. Bernards has been accustomed to ruling the roost, when your Yorkie moves in, the smallest shall be first.
As feisty and hardy as the Yorkie can be, it is not the ideal choice for young children who may not understand how easily the breed can be injured. If there are young children in a household they must be carefully supervised when they are playing with a Yorkie.
The Quarter Pounder
According to the Guinness Book of World Records a Yorkshire terrier holds the distinction of being the smallest dog in history. This matchbox-sized Yorkie, when fully grown at the age of 2, stood 2 ½ inches at the shoulder, measured 3 3/4 inches from the tip of its nose to the root of its tail, and weighed 4 ounces. Owned by Arthur Marples of Blackburn, Great Britain, this elfin dog died in 1945.
Sunday, July 29, 2012
West Highland White Terrier Good Dogs Wear White
Last spring a 2-year-old West Highland white terrier named Reggie White, after the former Green Bay Packer's star, disappeared near his Kronenwetter, Wisconsin, home. The dog's owner, Pat Rondeau, told the Associated Press, "He is just such a friendly little dog, I thought someone just picked him up."
But before Rondeau put the blame on a band of dognappers, she should've considered the inherited traits of her beloved bundle of white. Reggie's ancestors - the first terriers - were bred for seek-and-destroy missions in the fox dens and badger holes surrounding the farms of their native Scotland. Although there are few dens left among the subdivided sprawl of America - except for the kind Dad takes a nap in - there is still a tempting hole or two around for a dog with burrowing on the brain.
Sure enough, after a four-day romp through the sewers of Kronenwetter, Reggie was discovered two miles away by children who heard his bark emanating from underneath a manhole cover. After a tearful reunion, Rondeau reported Reggie was in very good shape but "was really dirty." She covered the drainage culvert that Reggie mistook for a badger hole, but noted that "he keeps going back there to take a look."
Grit and Grime
That Reggie and other West Highland white terriers are often in the mood for a down-and-dirty adventure is not surprising given the history of the breed. From an early age, the terriers of Scotland were tested for gameness by their keepers. This test frequently consisted of dropping a terrier into a barrel with a badger. If the dog killed or wounded his adversary, it was added to the pack. If the dog did not survive the altercation, no tears were shed. There was no room on the farm for any creature, man or beast, who could not perform its role.
Today's Westie frequently shows the influences of this pugnacious heritage. One of the friendliest of the terrier breeds, the busy Westie is always in the thick of things - a rough-and-tumble rogue with a gleam in its eyes and bark in its heart.
This head-first attitude is evidenced by the usually grimy condition of the Westie's otherwise beautiful white coat. In fact, we might as well deal with the Westie's coat up front, because if you own a West Highland white terrier, or plan to get one, you will soon be on intimate terms with this wooly mass of white fur.
The Westie should be double-coated, with an outer coat of straight, hard hair that is slightly shorter on the neck and shoulders. The undercoat consists of cotton-like short hair, which forms a thick, close foundation for the outercoat. In earlier days, the double coat, especially the hard, straight outer coat, provided protection from a fox's teeth, as well as from the elements. Today it serves as an uncanny magnet for dirt. These conditions make the grooming demands of a Westie labor intensive.
Westies should be thoroughly brushed and combed twice weekly, working out knots and tangles with fingers or by combing gently. Brushing should include legs, chest, under areas and tails. The dog requires shaping every two or three months, either by clipping or handstripping. To add to the challenge, the dog should be bathed as little as possible, as bathing softens the hair texture and can encourage a tendency to curl. Although the typical owner may undertake this effort at home, it is easier to take the dog to a professional groomer. For all their hair, Westies shed relatively little - providing a slight reprieve from these otherwise intensive grooming responsibilities.
Underneath all that hair is a vigorous little dog. The American Kennel Club (AKC) breed standard describes the dog as a "small, game, well-balanced, hardy looking terrier, exhibiting good showmanship, possessed with no small amount of self-esteem, strongly built, deep in chest and back ribs, with a straight back and powerful hindquarters on muscular legs, and exhibiting in marked degree a great combination of strength and activity."
From this description the dog's hunting background is easily recognizable. The terrier had to be small enough to fit in the passageways of the typical fox den. These passages were often so narrow the dog could not turn around. Short, powerful legs aided maneuverability in these cramped conditions. Formidable teeth and jaws were required to face a fox in closed quarters, while the tail needed to be sufficiently long to provide a handhold by which the dog could be pulled from shallow holes.
From Fox Dens to House Dens
Today's owner is more likely to pull the dog off the couch than out of a fox hole, but the same qualities that made the West Highland white terrier a popular companion to the farmers of Scotland make it a popular occupant of American homes and apartments. Eager, active and fun-loving, the Westie is a nice companion. The dogs like people and will usually glad-hand anyone they meet. City dwellers find the Westie's small size and good manners make it an excellent breed for an apartment, although the dog does need at least one walk of several blocks daily. As a suburban or country dog, the Westie's natural instinct for hunting can become evident. It may not be friendly toward small animals and can be aggressive with other pets. Generally, however, Westies, as long as they do not feel threatened, get along well with other canines.
The Westies' natural vitality and alertness make them excellent guard dogs. Despite their small size, their bark can be threatening. Around children, they are unlikely to become overly rough and generally remain patient provided they are not handled harshly. They love human company and are happy to take a walk, ride in the car or simply watch TV as long as they are in their owner's company. However, they can also function well without an abundance of fuss.
Obviously, those who should steer clear of the breed are people who want minimal grooming responsibilities. Potential owners should also realize the Westie is often an independent dog, with a wide stubborn streak. It barks and digs and misbehaves in other typical terrier ways.
Vision in White
Although modern-day Westie enthusiasts may have a love-hate relationship with the dog's distinctive white coat, they should remember that the breed would not have emerged if it weren't for the grime-attracting hue.
Back in the badger-in-a-barrel days, the terrier existed as a general, nonspecific breed. The cairn terrier is often cited as the forebear of many of Scotland's other terrier breeds. Early cairn terrier breeders habitually destroyed any white, creamy or lighter colored pups at birth, thinking them to be less hardy. However, in the late 18th and early 19th century, several different types of white terriers began to emerge, thanks to the efforts of dedicated breeders and enthusiasts. One such enthusiast was Colonel E.D.
Malcolm of Argyllshire, Scotland. Colonel Malcolm kept several hunting terriers, and favored the whites because of a hunting accident. Sometime around 1860, the colonel was hunting hare with one of his reddish brown terriers. While running through the brush, the terrier was mistaken for the rabbit and shot. The incident prompted Colonel Malcolm to declare that he would propagate only white terriers in his kennel so that they would be easily distinguishable from game, thus avoiding similar unhappy experiences.
Colonel Malcolm's white terriers were soon known by the name Poltalloch, after his family seat in Argyllshire. While the Poltalloch is, by far, the most documented of the white terrier breeds, there were several other white terriers bred under different names. A white strain of terrier named Roseneath, named for the seat of the Duke of Argyll in Dumbartonshire, Scotland, was bred in a similar fashion by a man named George Clarke, who was a head keeper at numerous Scottish estates.
The names Roseneath and Poltalloch were used interchangeably until about 1900 to describe white terriers. We can assume that they looked alike. As early as 1903 Colonel Malcolm was sponsoring the adoption of the current name in an effort to bring about a more collegial feeling among the various breeders of the dog. The name is indicative of the native habitat of the breed - the rugged West Highlands of Scotland.
The White West Highland Terrier Club, with Colonel Malcolm as chairman, was formed in Scotland, in 1905. Soon afterward a group of English enthusiasts formed the West Highland White Terrier Club. After considering both applications at its meeting on November 20, 1906, the Kennel Club committee decided that the breed was to be called the West Highland White Terrier and that "The Scottish Club, if they wish, can be registered as The West Highland White Terrier Club, and the South of England might be registered as the West Highland White Terrier Club of England." Registrations started in 1907, with three dogs and four bitches. By the end of the first year, 63 dogs and 79 bitches had been registered as West Highland white terriers. Three Westies gained their championship classes in 1907.
The United States was not far behind Scotland in recognizing the virtues of the Westie. The American Kennel Club first accepted the breed for registration in 1908. Interestingly, for the first year the dog was listed as the Roseneath terrier, the name given to the dogs owned by the Duke of Argyll in the very early years of the breed. In 1909, however, the name was changed in accordance with the now-accepted British name. That same year the West Highland White Terrier Club of America was formed.
Ready to Rumble
The Westie's natural good looks and spunky attitude quickly made it a favorite in the American show ring and as a household companion. Today the breed is one of the more popular terriers, ranking 25th out of 146 breeds in AKC total registrations in 1998 with 5,341 new registrations. In 1997 it ranked 28th with 4,983 registrations. Among terriers, only the Yorkshire terrier and the Boston terrier saw more registrations in 1998. Thankfully the West Highland white terrier no longer has to enter into mortal battle with a badger to earn its place in American homes, but that doesn't mean the Westie has lost the instincts honed on the rough terrain of Scotland's West Highlands. As owners and enthusiasts of the breed will tell you, this gutsy, agreeable flash of white fur is always ready for a good rumble.
Healthy Westies
The Westie is usually a healthy dog but is not immune from a smattering of diseases. Like other white dogs, the Westie often has problems with skin allergies, usually caused by fleas. Other major concerns include: Globoid cell leukodystrophy, a gradual deterioration of white matter in the brain that is eventually fatal; Legg-Perthes disease, destruction of the head of the femur bone because of a decrease in blood supply; cranio mandibular osteopathy (lion jaw), a painful though temporary inflammation of the jawbones in juveniles. Minor concerns include hernias and cataracts. Also occurring in Westies is patellar luxation, an abnormally shallow groove in the knee so that the kneecap slips in and out of position, causing lameness. This is painful for the dog and costs about $600 to fix. A typical West Highland white terrier has a lifespan of 12-14 years.
The Cairn Connection
The close relationship between all of the terrier breeds can be witnessed through only a brief look at the pedigrees of early West Highland white terriers. In a 1907 pedigree of a Westie, the names of Callum Dhu and Seafield Rascal appear. Both were widely known Scottish terriers, found frequently in the extended pedigrees of present-day Scottish terriers. This same pedigree is also known to have been the exact lineage of a cairn terrier, Inverness Sporran. The confusion in the extended pedigrees of early dogs of several terrier breeds only proves more strongly that the early Scottish terrier breeds came from common blood and frequently were found in the same litter.
Interbreeding of the cairn and Westie continued unabated until about 1917 when the American Kennel Club decreed that no cairn could gain registration if its pedigree carried a West Highland white ancestor within the first three generations. This action led to a similar edict by the Kennel Club (England). Thus interbreeding was stopped, although its effects were noted years later.
But before Rondeau put the blame on a band of dognappers, she should've considered the inherited traits of her beloved bundle of white. Reggie's ancestors - the first terriers - were bred for seek-and-destroy missions in the fox dens and badger holes surrounding the farms of their native Scotland. Although there are few dens left among the subdivided sprawl of America - except for the kind Dad takes a nap in - there is still a tempting hole or two around for a dog with burrowing on the brain.
Sure enough, after a four-day romp through the sewers of Kronenwetter, Reggie was discovered two miles away by children who heard his bark emanating from underneath a manhole cover. After a tearful reunion, Rondeau reported Reggie was in very good shape but "was really dirty." She covered the drainage culvert that Reggie mistook for a badger hole, but noted that "he keeps going back there to take a look."
Grit and Grime
That Reggie and other West Highland white terriers are often in the mood for a down-and-dirty adventure is not surprising given the history of the breed. From an early age, the terriers of Scotland were tested for gameness by their keepers. This test frequently consisted of dropping a terrier into a barrel with a badger. If the dog killed or wounded his adversary, it was added to the pack. If the dog did not survive the altercation, no tears were shed. There was no room on the farm for any creature, man or beast, who could not perform its role.
Today's Westie frequently shows the influences of this pugnacious heritage. One of the friendliest of the terrier breeds, the busy Westie is always in the thick of things - a rough-and-tumble rogue with a gleam in its eyes and bark in its heart.
This head-first attitude is evidenced by the usually grimy condition of the Westie's otherwise beautiful white coat. In fact, we might as well deal with the Westie's coat up front, because if you own a West Highland white terrier, or plan to get one, you will soon be on intimate terms with this wooly mass of white fur.
The Westie should be double-coated, with an outer coat of straight, hard hair that is slightly shorter on the neck and shoulders. The undercoat consists of cotton-like short hair, which forms a thick, close foundation for the outercoat. In earlier days, the double coat, especially the hard, straight outer coat, provided protection from a fox's teeth, as well as from the elements. Today it serves as an uncanny magnet for dirt. These conditions make the grooming demands of a Westie labor intensive.
Westies should be thoroughly brushed and combed twice weekly, working out knots and tangles with fingers or by combing gently. Brushing should include legs, chest, under areas and tails. The dog requires shaping every two or three months, either by clipping or handstripping. To add to the challenge, the dog should be bathed as little as possible, as bathing softens the hair texture and can encourage a tendency to curl. Although the typical owner may undertake this effort at home, it is easier to take the dog to a professional groomer. For all their hair, Westies shed relatively little - providing a slight reprieve from these otherwise intensive grooming responsibilities.
Underneath all that hair is a vigorous little dog. The American Kennel Club (AKC) breed standard describes the dog as a "small, game, well-balanced, hardy looking terrier, exhibiting good showmanship, possessed with no small amount of self-esteem, strongly built, deep in chest and back ribs, with a straight back and powerful hindquarters on muscular legs, and exhibiting in marked degree a great combination of strength and activity."
From this description the dog's hunting background is easily recognizable. The terrier had to be small enough to fit in the passageways of the typical fox den. These passages were often so narrow the dog could not turn around. Short, powerful legs aided maneuverability in these cramped conditions. Formidable teeth and jaws were required to face a fox in closed quarters, while the tail needed to be sufficiently long to provide a handhold by which the dog could be pulled from shallow holes.
From Fox Dens to House Dens
Today's owner is more likely to pull the dog off the couch than out of a fox hole, but the same qualities that made the West Highland white terrier a popular companion to the farmers of Scotland make it a popular occupant of American homes and apartments. Eager, active and fun-loving, the Westie is a nice companion. The dogs like people and will usually glad-hand anyone they meet. City dwellers find the Westie's small size and good manners make it an excellent breed for an apartment, although the dog does need at least one walk of several blocks daily. As a suburban or country dog, the Westie's natural instinct for hunting can become evident. It may not be friendly toward small animals and can be aggressive with other pets. Generally, however, Westies, as long as they do not feel threatened, get along well with other canines.
The Westies' natural vitality and alertness make them excellent guard dogs. Despite their small size, their bark can be threatening. Around children, they are unlikely to become overly rough and generally remain patient provided they are not handled harshly. They love human company and are happy to take a walk, ride in the car or simply watch TV as long as they are in their owner's company. However, they can also function well without an abundance of fuss.
Obviously, those who should steer clear of the breed are people who want minimal grooming responsibilities. Potential owners should also realize the Westie is often an independent dog, with a wide stubborn streak. It barks and digs and misbehaves in other typical terrier ways.
Vision in White
Although modern-day Westie enthusiasts may have a love-hate relationship with the dog's distinctive white coat, they should remember that the breed would not have emerged if it weren't for the grime-attracting hue.
Back in the badger-in-a-barrel days, the terrier existed as a general, nonspecific breed. The cairn terrier is often cited as the forebear of many of Scotland's other terrier breeds. Early cairn terrier breeders habitually destroyed any white, creamy or lighter colored pups at birth, thinking them to be less hardy. However, in the late 18th and early 19th century, several different types of white terriers began to emerge, thanks to the efforts of dedicated breeders and enthusiasts. One such enthusiast was Colonel E.D.
Malcolm of Argyllshire, Scotland. Colonel Malcolm kept several hunting terriers, and favored the whites because of a hunting accident. Sometime around 1860, the colonel was hunting hare with one of his reddish brown terriers. While running through the brush, the terrier was mistaken for the rabbit and shot. The incident prompted Colonel Malcolm to declare that he would propagate only white terriers in his kennel so that they would be easily distinguishable from game, thus avoiding similar unhappy experiences.
Colonel Malcolm's white terriers were soon known by the name Poltalloch, after his family seat in Argyllshire. While the Poltalloch is, by far, the most documented of the white terrier breeds, there were several other white terriers bred under different names. A white strain of terrier named Roseneath, named for the seat of the Duke of Argyll in Dumbartonshire, Scotland, was bred in a similar fashion by a man named George Clarke, who was a head keeper at numerous Scottish estates.
The names Roseneath and Poltalloch were used interchangeably until about 1900 to describe white terriers. We can assume that they looked alike. As early as 1903 Colonel Malcolm was sponsoring the adoption of the current name in an effort to bring about a more collegial feeling among the various breeders of the dog. The name is indicative of the native habitat of the breed - the rugged West Highlands of Scotland.
The White West Highland Terrier Club, with Colonel Malcolm as chairman, was formed in Scotland, in 1905. Soon afterward a group of English enthusiasts formed the West Highland White Terrier Club. After considering both applications at its meeting on November 20, 1906, the Kennel Club committee decided that the breed was to be called the West Highland White Terrier and that "The Scottish Club, if they wish, can be registered as The West Highland White Terrier Club, and the South of England might be registered as the West Highland White Terrier Club of England." Registrations started in 1907, with three dogs and four bitches. By the end of the first year, 63 dogs and 79 bitches had been registered as West Highland white terriers. Three Westies gained their championship classes in 1907.
The United States was not far behind Scotland in recognizing the virtues of the Westie. The American Kennel Club first accepted the breed for registration in 1908. Interestingly, for the first year the dog was listed as the Roseneath terrier, the name given to the dogs owned by the Duke of Argyll in the very early years of the breed. In 1909, however, the name was changed in accordance with the now-accepted British name. That same year the West Highland White Terrier Club of America was formed.
Ready to Rumble
The Westie's natural good looks and spunky attitude quickly made it a favorite in the American show ring and as a household companion. Today the breed is one of the more popular terriers, ranking 25th out of 146 breeds in AKC total registrations in 1998 with 5,341 new registrations. In 1997 it ranked 28th with 4,983 registrations. Among terriers, only the Yorkshire terrier and the Boston terrier saw more registrations in 1998. Thankfully the West Highland white terrier no longer has to enter into mortal battle with a badger to earn its place in American homes, but that doesn't mean the Westie has lost the instincts honed on the rough terrain of Scotland's West Highlands. As owners and enthusiasts of the breed will tell you, this gutsy, agreeable flash of white fur is always ready for a good rumble.
Healthy Westies
The Westie is usually a healthy dog but is not immune from a smattering of diseases. Like other white dogs, the Westie often has problems with skin allergies, usually caused by fleas. Other major concerns include: Globoid cell leukodystrophy, a gradual deterioration of white matter in the brain that is eventually fatal; Legg-Perthes disease, destruction of the head of the femur bone because of a decrease in blood supply; cranio mandibular osteopathy (lion jaw), a painful though temporary inflammation of the jawbones in juveniles. Minor concerns include hernias and cataracts. Also occurring in Westies is patellar luxation, an abnormally shallow groove in the knee so that the kneecap slips in and out of position, causing lameness. This is painful for the dog and costs about $600 to fix. A typical West Highland white terrier has a lifespan of 12-14 years.
The Cairn Connection
The close relationship between all of the terrier breeds can be witnessed through only a brief look at the pedigrees of early West Highland white terriers. In a 1907 pedigree of a Westie, the names of Callum Dhu and Seafield Rascal appear. Both were widely known Scottish terriers, found frequently in the extended pedigrees of present-day Scottish terriers. This same pedigree is also known to have been the exact lineage of a cairn terrier, Inverness Sporran. The confusion in the extended pedigrees of early dogs of several terrier breeds only proves more strongly that the early Scottish terrier breeds came from common blood and frequently were found in the same litter.
Interbreeding of the cairn and Westie continued unabated until about 1917 when the American Kennel Club decreed that no cairn could gain registration if its pedigree carried a West Highland white ancestor within the first three generations. This action led to a similar edict by the Kennel Club (England). Thus interbreeding was stopped, although its effects were noted years later.
The Weimaraner Eminence Gray
The weimaraner, which embodies the vision of Grand Duke Karl August of Weimar, has been called the dog with the human brain. In accordance with another vision -- that of William Wegman, the internationally prominent artist and photographer -- the weimaraner is also known as the dog with the human wardrobe. No other individual has done more to spotlight this unique-looking dog than has Wegman, and nothing has done more to invest this or any other breed with a human visage than have Wegman's studies of his weimaraners in outre costumes and eccentric conceits.
Dressed for Success?
Despite the quasicomic persona accorded the weimaraner as a consequence of Wegman's portrayals, which have appeared on postcards, calenders, magazine covers and art gallery walls around the world, this superb working dog should not be mistaken for a lens hound or a silver-gray mannequin. Longtime weimaraner fanciers are proud of their breed's dual functions -- hunter deluxe and boon companion -- and are devoted to producing dogs that are true to the grand duke's intent. The kind of trendy acclaim that would mislead anyone to acquire a weimaraner as a fashion accessory is the last thing those who champion the breed -- and those who rescue it -- would want.
"I wrote Wegman and told him he's ruining the breed," said one woman three years ago. "Between Wegman and the VW Jetta ads, weimaraners are becoming too popular. People think they're automatically trained to do the things in Wegman photographs. They get a 3-pound puppy, and six months later it's a 70-pound dog with very much its own mind."
"The weimaraner is most definitely not a plaything," adds noted breeder, judge and author Judythe Coffman of Riverside, California. "It's a dual-purpose dog, and we want to keep it that way. Nearly all of us who breed also hunt our dogs."
Every Figure Tells a Story
People who show and hunt their weimies, as the breed is sometimes called, have no desire to see a resurgence of the popularity that all but destroyed this dog in the 1950s. The flames of that conflagration were fanned by American servicemen who returned home from the Second World War with tales, both real and embroidered, of the matchless abilities of these amber-eyed hunters. In addition, many soldiers brought weimaraners back from Germany with them.
Sporting magazines and newspapers publicized these wonder-dog chronicles, which presented the Gray Ghost, another breed nickname, as a dog that possessed the courage of a lion, the speed of a gazelle, the intellect of a genius and the athletic abilities of a decathlon champion. Not surprisingly American sportsmen wanted to get their hands on this dog, which was fast becoming a legend; and the more people that sought one of the silver-haired beauties, the more unscrupulous entrepreneurs there were who found the kennel space to crank out weimaraner puppies.
In 1946, three years after the American Kennel Club (AKC) had recognized weimaraners, total registrations for the year numbered 32. Eight years later the breed had rocketed to 12th place among the 98 breeds then registered by AKC, with total registrations of 6,608 for that year alone. Needless to say, even the best-bred dogs were unable to live up to the hyperbole that had ignited their rise to fame, and the mass-produced stock barely qualified as good companions. People who bought into the tales of wonder connected with the weimaraner expected their dogs to all but add, subtract and solve algebraic equations. What these newcomers got instead was a sorry imitation of a dog that under the best of circumstances needed a steady, guiding hand and plenty of exercise to reach its full potential, a dog they had no clue about bringing to that potential.
Consequently the breed lost favor. Annual registrations peaked at 10,011 in 1957, when the weimaraner was still the 12th most popular dog in America. By 1968, registrations had fallen by nearly half, and the weimaraner stood 28th among 115 breeds registered by AKC that year. As the smoke was clearing, all that remained was the for people with the best interests of the breed at heart to sort through the rubble and start to undo the damage wrought by greed.
Three decades later, however, weimaraner registrations are on the rise again. After declining steadily from 1971 to 1988, when new registrations for the year numbered only 3,653, the trend was reversed; and in 1997 there were 7,701 new weimies enrolled by AKC, a 111 percent increase. The breed stood 39th in popularity among the 145 breeds that year.
The Grand Design
In the first decade of the 19th century the Grand Duke Karl August of Weimar set out to create a multipurpose dog to meet the assorted needs of the German forester. This dog would compete with the best hunting, fetching, tracking and swimming dogs of its day. It would, furthermore, be regal-looking, surpassingly intelligent, loyal, robust and strong.
Precise records have not survived the nearly 200 years that have passed since Karl August and others began their pursuit of the canine grail, but various observers believe the formula for his superdog included, at very least, the red schweiss hound, which resembles a bloodhound, and the Great Dane. Some claim that a French dog descended from stock brought home from the Middle East by Louis IX during the Crusades also figured prominently in the mix.
Whatever the combination of scent-hound and fowl-hunting dogs used to create the weimaraner, by the 1880s it had become a dog whose working ability in the field made him one of Germany's strongest, most highly revered hunters. The essence of versatility and intelligence, weimaraners have been used as bird dogs and water retrievers and have also been used on wolves, wild cats, deer, mountain lion and bear. In Europe weimies have further excelled at police work, making excellent use of their remarkable scenting powers and tracking ability.
Cautionary Tales
The weimaraner's short, slick coat, hardy constitution and medium size (males stand about 26 inches at the shoulder, females about 2 inches shorter) are widely appealing. Many breeders point out, nevertheless, that young weimaraners are not aware of their size and strength, and their lack of grace can present hazards for the toddler or the elderly.
Weimaraners are, in addition, people dogs. If they are relegated to outdoor runs with insufficient human contact or if they are left home alone for long periods, they can easily and quickly become neurotic, problem dogs that are almost impossible to manage. If you cannot control your weimaraner, it will control you.
Although weimaraner fanciers admit that the adolescent period of a weimie's life, which extends in some cases to 2 or even 3 years of age, can be a trying if not downright embarrassing time, they are quick to add that when maturity does arrive, there are few breeds as devoted, responsive and beautiful to behold as the silver-haired and celebrated Gray Ghost of the Weimar Republic. One is just as apt to find the breed competing in the show ring as in obedience and agility trials. Many mature weimaraners have proven to be excellent therapy dogs in hospitals and homes for children, the aged and the infirm. What's more, some of these dogs are even good sports about getting dressed up in human clothes and posing for unusual photos.
The Longhair Weimaraner
There is a longhair variety of weimaraner that many people find attractive. This variety is, in fact, recognized by and shown in all the major kennel clubs of the world except those in the United States. Although longhair weimaraners are in the minority, they are regularly born into shorthair litters. The long coat is no drawback in any of the many levels of competition or sport for which the versatile weimaraner is suitable. Unlike the shorthair weimaraner, which has its tail docked in puppyhood so that it is approximately 6 inches long at maturity, the longhair weimaraner generally is not subject to tail docking. If the longhair's tail is docked at all, only a vertebrae or two are removed.
Flaws in the Ointment
Persons interested in weimaraner puppies should be aware of the genetic disease conditions that have been associated most frequently with this breed. Like many medium- to large-size dogs the weimaraner is subject to hip dysplasia, a malformation of the hip joint resulting in a poor fit between the head of the femur bone and the hip socket, in which the femoral head normally lies. Because dysplastic dogs often produce dysplastic puppies, buyers should ask if both the sire and the dam of the puppy in which they are interested have been rated clear of hip dysplasia by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals or by Penn HIP. Do not take yes for an answer without seeing the certificate, and ask for a copy to take to your veterinarian. Hip dysplasia can be corrected by surgery, but the prudent buyer is one who avoids problems rather than having to pay to correct them.
Weimaraners can be susceptible to skin ulcers caused by excessive licking. The onset of this condition, known as lick granuloma, is caused by boredom. The dog licks certain areas until the hair is gone and the skin surface breaks. Treatment can be prolonged and cure evasive. Changing routines and ensuring the dog gets plenty of exercise appear to help considerably.
Some families of weimaraners are susceptible to a condition called hygroma, a swelling of a joint, very often the elbow, that can grow to the size of a golf ball. Hygroma is caused by repeated contact with hard surfaces such as cement runs or hardwood floors. This disfiguring problem can be avoided if a weimaraner is provided with a padded or cushioned sleeping and resting area.
Other troubles that may befall weimaraners are bloat and assorted eye problems. Bloat is a condition wherein the stomach can turn and become blocked, causing a buildup of gas. Unless treated quickly, bloat can be fatal. Signs of bloat are stomach pain and futile attempts to vomit and to salivate. Bloat may also lead to cardiovascular collapse. Bloat usually occurs when a dog is exercised too soon after eating. The risk of bloat can be lessened by feeding adult dogs twice a day and, of course, by allowing them time to digest their food before going for a run in the park.
The eye problems sometimes found in weimaraners include distichiasis, entropion and eversion of the nictitating membrane. Distichiasis or double eyelashes is a condition in which a dog is born with an extra row of eyelashes, usually on the lower lid, that causes irritation to the cornea and tearing. Entropion or diamond eye occurs when the eyelid rolls inward and hair rubs against the cornea. The effects of entropion range from irritation to tearing to loss of vision from scarring. Eversion of the nictitating membrane is a condition in which the third eyelid protrudes..
Dressed for Success?
Despite the quasicomic persona accorded the weimaraner as a consequence of Wegman's portrayals, which have appeared on postcards, calenders, magazine covers and art gallery walls around the world, this superb working dog should not be mistaken for a lens hound or a silver-gray mannequin. Longtime weimaraner fanciers are proud of their breed's dual functions -- hunter deluxe and boon companion -- and are devoted to producing dogs that are true to the grand duke's intent. The kind of trendy acclaim that would mislead anyone to acquire a weimaraner as a fashion accessory is the last thing those who champion the breed -- and those who rescue it -- would want.
"I wrote Wegman and told him he's ruining the breed," said one woman three years ago. "Between Wegman and the VW Jetta ads, weimaraners are becoming too popular. People think they're automatically trained to do the things in Wegman photographs. They get a 3-pound puppy, and six months later it's a 70-pound dog with very much its own mind."
"The weimaraner is most definitely not a plaything," adds noted breeder, judge and author Judythe Coffman of Riverside, California. "It's a dual-purpose dog, and we want to keep it that way. Nearly all of us who breed also hunt our dogs."
Every Figure Tells a Story
People who show and hunt their weimies, as the breed is sometimes called, have no desire to see a resurgence of the popularity that all but destroyed this dog in the 1950s. The flames of that conflagration were fanned by American servicemen who returned home from the Second World War with tales, both real and embroidered, of the matchless abilities of these amber-eyed hunters. In addition, many soldiers brought weimaraners back from Germany with them.
Sporting magazines and newspapers publicized these wonder-dog chronicles, which presented the Gray Ghost, another breed nickname, as a dog that possessed the courage of a lion, the speed of a gazelle, the intellect of a genius and the athletic abilities of a decathlon champion. Not surprisingly American sportsmen wanted to get their hands on this dog, which was fast becoming a legend; and the more people that sought one of the silver-haired beauties, the more unscrupulous entrepreneurs there were who found the kennel space to crank out weimaraner puppies.
In 1946, three years after the American Kennel Club (AKC) had recognized weimaraners, total registrations for the year numbered 32. Eight years later the breed had rocketed to 12th place among the 98 breeds then registered by AKC, with total registrations of 6,608 for that year alone. Needless to say, even the best-bred dogs were unable to live up to the hyperbole that had ignited their rise to fame, and the mass-produced stock barely qualified as good companions. People who bought into the tales of wonder connected with the weimaraner expected their dogs to all but add, subtract and solve algebraic equations. What these newcomers got instead was a sorry imitation of a dog that under the best of circumstances needed a steady, guiding hand and plenty of exercise to reach its full potential, a dog they had no clue about bringing to that potential.
Consequently the breed lost favor. Annual registrations peaked at 10,011 in 1957, when the weimaraner was still the 12th most popular dog in America. By 1968, registrations had fallen by nearly half, and the weimaraner stood 28th among 115 breeds registered by AKC that year. As the smoke was clearing, all that remained was the for people with the best interests of the breed at heart to sort through the rubble and start to undo the damage wrought by greed.
Three decades later, however, weimaraner registrations are on the rise again. After declining steadily from 1971 to 1988, when new registrations for the year numbered only 3,653, the trend was reversed; and in 1997 there were 7,701 new weimies enrolled by AKC, a 111 percent increase. The breed stood 39th in popularity among the 145 breeds that year.
The Grand Design
In the first decade of the 19th century the Grand Duke Karl August of Weimar set out to create a multipurpose dog to meet the assorted needs of the German forester. This dog would compete with the best hunting, fetching, tracking and swimming dogs of its day. It would, furthermore, be regal-looking, surpassingly intelligent, loyal, robust and strong.
Precise records have not survived the nearly 200 years that have passed since Karl August and others began their pursuit of the canine grail, but various observers believe the formula for his superdog included, at very least, the red schweiss hound, which resembles a bloodhound, and the Great Dane. Some claim that a French dog descended from stock brought home from the Middle East by Louis IX during the Crusades also figured prominently in the mix.
Whatever the combination of scent-hound and fowl-hunting dogs used to create the weimaraner, by the 1880s it had become a dog whose working ability in the field made him one of Germany's strongest, most highly revered hunters. The essence of versatility and intelligence, weimaraners have been used as bird dogs and water retrievers and have also been used on wolves, wild cats, deer, mountain lion and bear. In Europe weimies have further excelled at police work, making excellent use of their remarkable scenting powers and tracking ability.
Cautionary Tales
The weimaraner's short, slick coat, hardy constitution and medium size (males stand about 26 inches at the shoulder, females about 2 inches shorter) are widely appealing. Many breeders point out, nevertheless, that young weimaraners are not aware of their size and strength, and their lack of grace can present hazards for the toddler or the elderly.
Weimaraners are, in addition, people dogs. If they are relegated to outdoor runs with insufficient human contact or if they are left home alone for long periods, they can easily and quickly become neurotic, problem dogs that are almost impossible to manage. If you cannot control your weimaraner, it will control you.
Although weimaraner fanciers admit that the adolescent period of a weimie's life, which extends in some cases to 2 or even 3 years of age, can be a trying if not downright embarrassing time, they are quick to add that when maturity does arrive, there are few breeds as devoted, responsive and beautiful to behold as the silver-haired and celebrated Gray Ghost of the Weimar Republic. One is just as apt to find the breed competing in the show ring as in obedience and agility trials. Many mature weimaraners have proven to be excellent therapy dogs in hospitals and homes for children, the aged and the infirm. What's more, some of these dogs are even good sports about getting dressed up in human clothes and posing for unusual photos.
The Longhair Weimaraner
There is a longhair variety of weimaraner that many people find attractive. This variety is, in fact, recognized by and shown in all the major kennel clubs of the world except those in the United States. Although longhair weimaraners are in the minority, they are regularly born into shorthair litters. The long coat is no drawback in any of the many levels of competition or sport for which the versatile weimaraner is suitable. Unlike the shorthair weimaraner, which has its tail docked in puppyhood so that it is approximately 6 inches long at maturity, the longhair weimaraner generally is not subject to tail docking. If the longhair's tail is docked at all, only a vertebrae or two are removed.
Flaws in the Ointment
Persons interested in weimaraner puppies should be aware of the genetic disease conditions that have been associated most frequently with this breed. Like many medium- to large-size dogs the weimaraner is subject to hip dysplasia, a malformation of the hip joint resulting in a poor fit between the head of the femur bone and the hip socket, in which the femoral head normally lies. Because dysplastic dogs often produce dysplastic puppies, buyers should ask if both the sire and the dam of the puppy in which they are interested have been rated clear of hip dysplasia by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals or by Penn HIP. Do not take yes for an answer without seeing the certificate, and ask for a copy to take to your veterinarian. Hip dysplasia can be corrected by surgery, but the prudent buyer is one who avoids problems rather than having to pay to correct them.
Weimaraners can be susceptible to skin ulcers caused by excessive licking. The onset of this condition, known as lick granuloma, is caused by boredom. The dog licks certain areas until the hair is gone and the skin surface breaks. Treatment can be prolonged and cure evasive. Changing routines and ensuring the dog gets plenty of exercise appear to help considerably.
Some families of weimaraners are susceptible to a condition called hygroma, a swelling of a joint, very often the elbow, that can grow to the size of a golf ball. Hygroma is caused by repeated contact with hard surfaces such as cement runs or hardwood floors. This disfiguring problem can be avoided if a weimaraner is provided with a padded or cushioned sleeping and resting area.
Other troubles that may befall weimaraners are bloat and assorted eye problems. Bloat is a condition wherein the stomach can turn and become blocked, causing a buildup of gas. Unless treated quickly, bloat can be fatal. Signs of bloat are stomach pain and futile attempts to vomit and to salivate. Bloat may also lead to cardiovascular collapse. Bloat usually occurs when a dog is exercised too soon after eating. The risk of bloat can be lessened by feeding adult dogs twice a day and, of course, by allowing them time to digest their food before going for a run in the park.
The eye problems sometimes found in weimaraners include distichiasis, entropion and eversion of the nictitating membrane. Distichiasis or double eyelashes is a condition in which a dog is born with an extra row of eyelashes, usually on the lower lid, that causes irritation to the cornea and tearing. Entropion or diamond eye occurs when the eyelid rolls inward and hair rubs against the cornea. The effects of entropion range from irritation to tearing to loss of vision from scarring. Eversion of the nictitating membrane is a condition in which the third eyelid protrudes..
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Shiba Inu The Cat's Meow
When a cat owner wants to let you know his cat is truly wondrous, his voice will rise an octave, his hands will take wing, and he'll say, "This cat follows me around just like a dog." A dog owner, for her part, would seldom think to declare, "This dog is just like a cat; he ignores me when I call him" — although more than a few dogs share this tendency with their carnivorous cousins.
The shiba inu, however, is one breed that legitimately evokes feline comparisons. Japan's most popular dog, the shiba hates to be dirty; and instead of barking he is more apt to purr, yodel or even to scream like a panther — a vocalization he employs when he wants to register his objection to doing something contrary to his nature, like walking on a leash. Moreover, the shiba's agility, surefootedness and independent spirit are qualities that call to mind the cat. So, too, does the shiba's highly developed sense of self.
"If a shiba could only utter one word, it would probably be mine," writes one shiba owner. "Sharing is a concept he feels others should practice."
This is not to say that shibas don't require love and affection, or that they don't make wonderful family dogs. Yet it is to observe that shiba owners have to keep these charming, catlike rascals in hand because given half a chance shibas will claim the catbird seat in the house for their own.
Ancient Patterns
Ancient Patterns
Dogs have lived in Japan at least as long as humans have. The earliest known immigrants to Japan, the Jomonjin, came ashore roughly 9,000 years ago. Sometimes referred to as the rope-pattern people because of the manner in which they decorated their earthenware, the Jomonjin left behind shell mounds in which archaeologists subsequently found the oldest dog remains yet discovered in Japan. These artifacts belonged to dogs that ranged between 14 ½ and 19 ½ inches at the shoulder. Some observers believe the Jomonjin brought these dogs -- or their direct ancestors -- to Japan.
The oldest canine pawprints found in Japan were discovered at an archaeological dig at Nagahama earlier this year. The seven sets of prints, believed to be 3,000 years old, were discovered near human footprints left by people who lived in the Jomon Era (10,000 to 300 B.C.). The diameter of the pawprints, nearly 1 3/4 inches, suggests they were made by a small- or medium-size dog. The location of the prints, in soil that had once been someone's grave — together with the lack of any sign of a canine-human struggle in the area — led researchers to question the theory that dogs in the Jomon Era were mostly feral and their behavior was close to the modern-day wolf's. The dog(s) that left those 3,000-year-old prints, said officials of the Nagahama board of education, "had been domesticated and used as either a guard or for hunting."
Although a person would be hard put to identify the time when dogs were domesticated in Japan, researchers believe that Japanese breeds were created as a result of fraternization between the Jomonjin dogs and a group of dogs brought to Japan by immigrants who arrived in the third century B.C. The Jomonjin dogs and the new arrivals cooperated to produce the mother of all Japanese breeds: a dog with pointed, erect ears and a curled or sickle tail. The descendants of this dog were eventually segregated into six breeds and three sizes: large (Akita), medium (Kishu, Hokkaido, Shikoku and Kai) and small (shiba inu). Those differences among these dogs were a function of the district in which the breeds evolved and the uses to which they were put.
Preservation Societies
Preservation Societies
The shiba inu was developed in the mountains near the Sea of Japan, where the breed was used to flush birds and small game and, on occasion, to hound wild boar. The shiba's keen senses and determination and its ability to maneuver through steep hills and mountain slopes made it a superb hunter.
The meaning of shiba is a bone of linguistic contention. Some people say it means brushwood and that shibas were given their name because their fiery red coats are the color of brushwood leaves in autumn. Other lexicographers believe that shiba means bush dog, a reference to the bush land and hilly areas in which shibas hunted. Still others assert that shiba is an obsolete Japanese word meaning small. The breed's surname, inu, everyone agrees, means dog.
Unlike most other countries, which didn't spare a thought for keeping track of dogs' ancestors, Japan considered its canine breeds an integral part of the nation's culture. Therefore, as early as the seventh century, the Yamato Court established a dogkeeper's office to preserve the records and integrity of Japanese breeds. Security was breached at various times nonetheless, and during the latter half of the 19th century and the first decade of the present century, to cite just one period of transgression, the increased popularity of hunting resulted in the importation of English setters and pointers — and a certain amount of crossbreeding with Japanese stock.
The shiba inu was in peril of being hybridized beyond recognition when Hirokiosch-Saito formed a preservation society in 1930 to keep the breed from becoming extinct. In addition to seeking out uncompromised specimens of shiba inus from the more remote areas of Japan, the preservation society drafted a breed standard for the shiba as well as for its medium-size relative the Hokaido inu and its larger cousin the Akita inu. All three breeds were given official recognition by the Japanese Kennel Club (JKC) and also by the Federacion Cynologique Internationale in 1936.
Fending off the Wolf
Fending off the Wolf
Despite its official status the shiba inu found the wolf at its door again in this century. During the last desperate days of World War II food was so scarce in Japan that those animals which managed to avoid starving to death were eaten. By the end of the war dogs were virtually nonexistent in urban areas. Fortunately the few shiba remaining in the outlying districts were relatively "purebred." These dogs were used to populate the breeding programs set up to resurrect the breed. That effort — along with most of Japan's canine population — was decimated by a raging distemper epidemic in 1959, and Japanese dog fanciers were forced to begin another period of reconstruction.
The first shiba inus brought to the United States may have been imported by servicemen returning from tours of duty in Japan. Absent any records of previous importations, however, the first officially recorded shiba arrived in this country in 1954 with an armed forces family. Although the shiba's stuffed-toy appeal was undeniable, any notion of registering the breed with the American Kennel Club (AKC) came a cropper because the AKC did not honor registrations issued by the JKC. Thus Americans did not import shiba inus with any serious thought of breeding them until the late 1970s. Finally in April 1992 the AKC added the JKC to its primary list of foreign dog-registry organizations, and interest in the breed skyrocketed. In 1993, on the eve of the year of the dog in Japan, the shiba inu became eligible to compete in regular classes at AKC shows.
Personality Profile
Spirited, good-natured, forthright and dignified, the shiba inu has an independent nature. Reserved toward strangers and capable of being aggressive with other dogs, the shiba is loyal and affectionate to those who earn his respect. This is an exceptionally clean dog and an easy one to housetrain. Shibas are not so easy to lead train, however; and, in the words of one owner, "a shiba who reliably comes on command in any situation is rare indeed. Expect your shiba to be an on-leash [or fenced-yard] breed, and if he proves to be otherwise, then you are among the fortunate."
Shibas were originally included in the American Kennel Club's by-now notorious, not to mention rescinded, list of breeds that are not good with children. The truth of the matter is, shibas will respect children who respect them, but shibas do not like to be restrained or kidhandled. For a child's safety and a shiba's peace of mind, children must be taught that the proper way to approach a shiba is to wait for the shiba to approach them.
Building Blocks
Building Blocks
The shiba inu stands roughly 15 ½ inches at the shoulder and weighs between 20 and 25 pounds. Its handy size and short, easy-to-care-for coat make it an ideal apartment dog, yet its sturdiness allows it to withstand the rigors of outdoor life as well as the comfort of indoor living. The shiba can go jogging with anyone who is so inclined or can get sufficient exercise from chasing a tennis ball around the back yard.
Although a glistening red is the color most frequently associated with the shiba inu, the breed also occurs in sesame (black tipped hairs on a red background) and black-and-tan. All three colors must also display urajiro: cream to white markings on the sides of the face and cheeks, inside the ears, on the under jaw and upper throat, the inside legs, the abdomen, around the vent and the ventral side of the tail.
Like all breeds, the shiba is heir to certain genetic diseases. Those most frequently encountered in the shiba are luxating patella (or slipped kneecap); hip dysplasia, which occurs with surprising frequency in a breed so small; eye problems, including distichiasis (inwardly growing eyelashes), entropion, (inwardly rolled eyelids), and cataracts. Perhaps the most common health problem affecting the shiba inu is a variety of allergies, from flea allergy dermatitis to food and inhalant allergies.
The Shetland Sheepdog Little Oak from Large Acorn
Four years ago on a late July afternoon Chip DePhillip, age four, set out to visit a neighbor's house nearby for milk and cookies. The Clinton, Maryland, lad was accompanied as always by his Shetland sheepdog, Shelly. As they walked along, a pit bull appeared from out of the blue and rushed toward Chip. Before the pit bull could attack, Shelly, who weighed 15 pounds, leaped at the approaching bully and sank her teeth into his neck.
Chip's mother, Carolyn DePhillip, who had witnessed the attack from a bedroom window in her house, ran outside. Shelly "was being destroyed the whole time," she told a Washington Post reporter, "but she never let go of that pit bull. She could have outrun him easily, but she never let go."
Carolyn DePhillip and a neighbor grabbed Chip and carried him to safety in his front yard. Meanwhile the pit bull dragged Shelly behind a house. When police officers arrived minutes later, they found the pit bull still mauling Shelly, who was already dead. As the officers approached the pit bull, he turned on them. A shotgun blast from one of the officers put an end to the dog's marauding.
Afterward, a neighbor told the Post reporter that Shelly was never far from Chip or his older sister, Jessica, age 7. "Whenever the kids walked down the block, you'd see the little dog," the neighbor said. "They were inseparable. If you got too close to the kids, the dog would start yapping."
Ultima Thule
Shelly's courage and devotion are but two of the many stocks in trade of the Shetland sheepdog. This diminutive, dynamic and devoted breed, known as the sheltie, originated in Shetland, a clutch of 100 islands that lies in the North Atlantic Ocean about 130 miles northeast of Scotland. The Romans called Shetland Ultima Thule "the end of the habitable world," but many people would question just how habitable these craggy, isolated islands are.
"Nature is at its most elemental here," wrote one visitor, who described Shetland as a "wild, windswept" place where "you are always aware of the pervasive presence of the sea." Mainland, the largest of the Shetland Islands, is 55 miles long and, at most, 20 miles wide; yet it gathers to itself a 3,000-mile coastline, and none of its inhabitants is more than three miles from the sea. Nor is anyone at far remove from the savage winds that clatter across the Shetland Islands' wide beaches, peat bogs and grassy moorlands draped in heather. The wind is a force to be reckoned with on these gnomish islets that occupy, on average, fewer than six square miles. Not surprisingly, only 17 of the Shetland Islands are inhabited, and their total population is fewer than 23,000.
Picturesque Beginning
Shetland has been occupied since the late Stone Age, more than 5,000 years ago. A small, dark, contentious people known as the Picts held sway over the islands until the eighth and ninth centuries, when Viking invaders arrived. The Vikings had set off from the coast of Norway, 200 miles to the northeast, in search of land and treasure. These invaders, most observers believe, brought herding dogs with them that were descended from the same stock as the Norwegian Buhund and/or the Icelandic dog. In addition the Vikings brought their small sheep, cows and horses to the islands. Shetland remained under Scandinavian rule until 1469, when Christian, king of Norway and Denmark, included the islands in his daughter Margaret's dowry when she married King James III of Scotland.
In time larger sheep were imported to the Shetland Islands from Scotland, and "it is reasonable to assume," writes one sheltie historian, that these sheep "were accompanied by working collies related to the ancestors of the modern rough collie and the Border collie." Fishing fleets that put in at Shetland added Icelandic dogs and Greenland's Yakki dogs to the islands' canine population. No matter what their ports of origin, however, the dogs on Shetland had to contend with sheep that were small, skittish, lightning fast and agile. Thus, the sheepdogs developed for use on the islands were bred for agility, brains and speed.
Cute for Sale
When tourists discovered the Shetland Islands during the 1800s, residents of the islands discovered they could sell small, fluffy dogs to tourists. Soon islanders were busy turning out fleecy lap ornaments, whose parents often included Pomeranians and even a Prince Charles spaniel left behind by a departed yacht owner. Such commercial choices were detrimental to the island dogs' working abilities, and by the turn of the century more than a few people began to fear that the "authentic" island dogs were in danger of extinction.
Collies were conscripted by some breeders to restore the island dogs to their original type. These collies resembled old-time farm dogs, not the stylized collie seen in show rings today. Other people elected to re-create type in Shetland dogs by breeding only to dogs that looked like the older, pre-tourist variety, and some folks kept right on breeding small and fluffies.
As the popularity of Shetland Islands dogs grew, people began to exhibit them at agricultural shows, first on the islands, then on the Scottish mainland and eventually throughout England. In 1906 the Shetland collie, forerunner of today's sheltie, made its debut at Crufts dog show. The new breed didn't keep its surname long. Collie fanciers viewed it with repugnance, and collie was soon replaced by sheepdog. In 1914 the Kennel Club in England granted official recognition to the breed, and even though collie breeders had strong-armed the club into the changing the sheltie's last name, there was no mistaking the collie's influence on shelties. The controversy over the use - and rumored use - of collies in sheltie breeding programs continued into the 1930s. Ironically, many sheltie owners today bristle if anyone refers to their dogs as miniature collies.
When all was said and shouted about, the sheltie that had evolved into a rugged, hard-working, certifiably bright puppy, blessed with an almost uncanny ability to make decisions regarding the welfare of the small sheep and ponies in its charge. Size and type were variable for a time as a result of the different outcrosses in the sheltie's background, but through it all the breed emerged with the sweetest, most amiable temperament anyone could ask for in a pedigreed dog.
Coming to America
Shetland sheepdogs may have accompanied Scottish immigrants to the United States before 1911, but no members of the breed were registered with the American Kennel Club (AKC) until that year. The honor of being the first AKC-registered sheltie went to Lord Scott, a golden brindle imported and owned by John G. Sherman Jr. of New York. The breed's parent club, The American Shetland Sheepdog Association, was organized at the Westminster Kennel Club show in 1929. Last year - when 32,086 new shelties were registered - the sheltie ranked 15th among the 145 breeds registered by AKC. The sheltie's popularity is supported not only by its good looks and temperament but also by its stellar performances in conformation, obedience, herding and agility.
The Fair Isles' Pattern
The stylistic variation that resulted from the sheltie's multicultural background had been refined to the highest common denominator, fittingly enough, by the end of the 1950s. The current breed standard, approved by the AKC in 1959, describes a dog as singular and cunning in appearance as the plush-looking but sturdy sweaters made from the wool of the Shetland Islands sheep. The sheltie pattern specifies that shelties may be no smaller than 10 and no greater than 13 inches at the withers. Over all the sheltie is a compact dog with a moderately long head, the tiniest of ears and an expression of wisdom and kindness. It may be dressed in black, blue merle or sable - the latter ranging from golden through mahogany - marked with varying amounts of white. Brindled dogs and dogs with more than half their coats given over to white are not eligible for show-ring competition.
The sheltie's glory is its breathtaking, profuse double coat, which is most abundant in males. The sheltie's outer coat consists of harsh, long, straight hairs that spread their mantle over a short, furry undercoat so dense it gives the entire production a bouffant, stand-off appearance.
Any coat that lovely requires more than a dilettante effort to maintain. Although no clipping or trimming is necessary, at least two - and preferably more - thorough grooming sessions a week are mandatory to keep the coat healthy and to avoid skin problems. The sheltie likes to keep itself clean and will provide some assistance to its owner by grooming and preening its coat between grooming conferences.
Living With a Sheltie
The Shetland sheepdog has been embraced by dog lovers around the world and has responded to that embrace with unquestionable devotion. Nevertheless, the sheltie has several personality traits that can be difficult to cope with if an owner is not careful to control them when the dog is still young. This is not to say an older dog cannot be retrained, but it is far less difficult to avoid a problem in puppyhood than it is to correct one later in life.
As much as they adore their people, some shelties are possessed by a stubborn streak. Those that are will test their owners repeatedly to make sure they're adamant about wanting their dogs to avoid certain temptations. More vexing yet, the sheltie, which is smarter than most college students, remembers what it is taught, what it has gotten away with and how to get away with it again.
Prospective sheltie owners should not forget that this breed was created to be the guardian of its flock. Brave beyond its size, the sheltie is master of a bark that's louder than its bite. The sheltie is accustomed to using its voice and will do so more often than necessary if this tendency isn't stifled in puppyhood. Barking to let you know a stranger is approaching is acceptable. Barking for the sake of barking is not. The owner must help the young sheltie to understand that distinction.
With their high degrees of intelligence and energy, Shetland sheepdogs are easily bored, particularly if they don't have an opportunity to be active. Moreover, they're people dogs, and if they're denied the opportunity to spend sufficient time with those they love, they're apt to use their famous voices to demand attention.
One of the breed's finest qualities is its desire to bond with and to please its master. Not being allowed to do so can make even the best bred sheltie unhappy and difficult to live with. The sheltie's need to be with its owner is most certainly a holdover from the breed's herding days when there was little value in a dog that would abandon its flock or the shepherd with whom the dog shared the responsibility for the flock's welfare.
An Eye for Trouble
A well-bred Shetland sheepdog can easily live into its midteens, and thanks to the various genetic threads that make up the breed's mosaic, the sheltie generally enjoys good health. The breed is subject to several eye problems, however: progressive retinal atrophy, cataracts and trichiasis.
Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) is the wasting away of the vessels in the retina. Initially manifested as night blindness in young dogs, as PRA progresses, its victims become totally blind. Trichiasis is a condition in which the eyelashes grow in an inverted position, causing irritation and injury to the eye. In severe cases the eyelashes have to be removed in order to provide relief for the dog.
Deafness is associated with the blue merle color in shelties. Anyone interested in puppies of this color should test the puppy's hearing by clapping hands behind it or calling the puppy when it isn't looking.
Shelties are also troubled by hypothyroidism, a common endocrine disease characterized by an abnormally low production of thyroid hormones. The symptoms of hypothyroidism include lethargy, mental depression, weight gain and a tendency to seek out warm places. Hypothyroidism can also affect the coat and skin, causing hair loss and excessive dandruff.
Finally, von Willebrand's disease, a type of bleeding disorder caused by defective blood-platelet function, has been identified in shelties. A test exists that can identify the presence of the genetic potential for this disease in shelties. Before you buy a puppy, make sure its parents have both tested negative for this disease. If the breeder cannot establish this to your satisfaction, i.e., by producing the relevant certificates, look elsewhere for a puppy.
In addition to determining - as much as one can determine - the occurrence of inherited problems in a particular line of dogs, anyone who is considering a sheltie or any dog should ask the seller or provider of that dog who will be responsible for the vet bills if a radiant-looking puppy should be victimized by an obviously inherited condition later in its life.
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