THIRD IN A SERIES WITH INTENTION
BY CELESTE M. GONZALEZ
T his series is a discussion about the natural tension that exists between how we view show dogs, field/ working dogs and dual-purpose (show and work/ field) dogs. The dog grouping last discussed was the sight hounds. How does the evolved morphological form relate to past and/or current function? How and why is it that some breeds have developed different types for field/work and show? What are the actual or perceived similarities and differences between the purebred show dog and field/work dog? What have breeders done to breed dogs that can do the job for which they were intended, if it still exists, and if not, what simula- tions exist that are as close to the original intent as possible? This month, we will explore those questions for the multi-sense hounds. Before standards were written for the multi-sense hounds we recog- nize today, dogs were already being used and selectively bred to perform certain work. Multiple factors impacted the development of these breeds and their continued evolution, including geography, climate and terrain, culture and customs, as well as types of game available. The term “multi- sense” is taken to mean those breeds that hunt by a purposeful combina- tion of sight, scent, and/or hearing. The Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) has interestingly divided this grouping of dogs, all found in the AKC Hound Group, mainly into two distinct groups, that of Sighthounds (FCI Group 10) and that of Spitz and Primitive Types (FCI Group 5). However, the Rhode- sian Ridgeback is characterized within FCI Group 6 (Scent hounds and Related Breeds) along with the Dalmatian, both as “related breeds.” FCI’s Group 5 is further sub-divided into sections with the multi-sense hounds falling into three sections. Within FCI Group 5, Section 6 is the primitive type which incorporates the Basenji, Peruvian Inca Orchid (aka Peru- vian Hairless Dog), and Pharaoh Hound. Section 7 of FCI Group 5 is the primitive type subsection of hunting dogs encompassing the Cirneco dell’Etna, Ibizan Hound, and Portuguese Podengo (Pequeno, Medio and Grande varieties). The Norwegian Elkhound and Norrbottenspets are >
80 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, JULY 2020
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