BREEDING WITH INTENTION
Has the emphasis on size, substance, and head properties been detrimental to its
With its origins in the mid-17th century, the breed we know today as the St. Bernard had its formative years in the western Alps between Italy and Switzerland; more specifically, in the area of the Great St. Bernard Pass on the Italo-Swiss border at a traveler’s hos- pice established by the Italian monk, Bernard of Menthon. Paint- ings from the last decade of the 1600s depict short-haired dogs used at the hospice and monastery. Its roots from the progenitor Alpine Mastiff are clearly evident. The dogs originally working at the St. Bernard traveler’s hos- pice were significantly smaller than the St. Bernard of today, being about the size of a German Shepherd Dog. Severe winters in the time period of 1815 to 1818 caused a larger number of avalanches, killing many of the dogs during their rescue work. Remaining dogs were reportedly crossed with Newfoundland-like dogs. However, the heavier, longer coats were a detriment; freezing and weighing them down as they tried to work. Following World War II, attempts to preserve the breed with its remaining numbers found them being crossed with various Molossoid breeds, including the Newfound- land, Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, Bernese Mountain Dog, Great Pyrenees, and English Mastiff. In fact, it is suspected that these breeds were used to redevelop each other following their decimation in that war. This likely explains the type of St. Bernard we see today. With the last recorded instance of an Alpine rescue by a St. Ber- nard being in 1955, the breed is no longer used in that manner. Even into the first decade of the 21st century, the Great St. Bernard Hospice retained a small number of dogs out of tradition. In 2004, the Barry Foundation started breeding kennels for St. Bernards in the town of Martigny, 40 km away, and obtained the remain- ing dogs from the Hospice. Due to the efforts of the Foundation, St. Bernards can still be seen at the Hospice during the touristy summer months. The parent club indicates a working draft test at the novice and open levels, either as singles or braces, much the same as the tests for Bernese Mountain Dogs and Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs. The question judges and breeders must ask themselves is, “Could the St. Bernard we see in show rings today perform the work it was intended to do as a rescue dog today?” (There appears to be a signifi- cant departure from the working dogs of the early 1800s.) Has the emphasis on size, substance, and head properties been detrimental to its preservation as a rescue dog? Depending on with whom one talks, opinions differ widely. Although the first three breeds discussed above all have Alpine/ eastern Swiss developmental origins, the next three have distinctly German origins. One is classified by the FCI as a mountain type Molossoid (Leonberger), whereas the other two classify as Schnau- zers (Giant and Standard). Formerly known as the Wire-Haired Pinscher, the original Schnauzer was approximately the same size as today’s Standard Schnauzer. The breed was developed as a rat-catcher, guard dog, and stable dog for the home and farm. Both the Miniature Schnauzer and Giant Schnauzer were developed from the Standard Schnau- zer using outcrosses to other breeds, though each retains charac- teristics needed to serve its original purpose. The FCI character- izes all three Schnauzer breeds within its Schnauzer section under Group 2, with no relation to the Terrier breeds of the U.K. The term “schnauzer” refers to its moustached and bearded muzzle (German: schnauze ). The Standard Schnauzer, also known as Mittelschnauzer (medium schnauzer), was developed in the southern regions of Germany, primarily Bavaria and Wurttemberg, from working and herding breeds. The breed has a common ancestry with the
preservation as a rescue dog?
Depending on with whom one talks, opinions differ widely.
German Pinscher. The Schnauzer appears as a rough-coated varia- tion of the Pinscher, possibly through crosses with the black Ger- man Poodle ( Pudel ) and the gray Wolf Spitz, influencing its black coat, and pepper and salt coat. The breed served as an all-around stable and home guardian, as well as an efficient rodent and rat- catcher ( rattler ). A 19th century statue in Stuttgart, The Night Watchman ( Nachtwächerterbrunnen ) by Adolf Fremd, depicts a dog by the watchman’s side with strong Schnauzer characteristics. The breed exhibits strong herding instincts, when given the opportunity, and participates in AKC Herding Tests and Ameri- can Herding Breeds Association tests where it is a strong and titled competitor. The parent club has offered herding tests in the past at its National Specialty shows and maintains an award system for Standard Schnauzers that have achieved various levels in the herd- ing test system. A number of Standard Schnauzers are both show champions and herding titled, as well as Barn Hunt titled. An 1880 version 1 of the German breed standard describes a Standard Schnauzer head with a conspicuous stop, round, middle- sized eyes, and a sharp expression. Today’s US standard, however, describes a slight stop, oval-shaped eyes, and an alert expression. The 1880 version calls for a body with a back that is moderately arched, whereas today’s US standard calls for a topline that is straight and slightly descending from withers to a faintly curved croup. The older version described a coat as hard as possible, in rough, uneven tufts over the whole outline of the body. Colors described allowed for significant variability at that time; a rust-yellow or gray-yellow with head, feet, and undercarriage being lighter in color or an iron-gray, silver-gray, or blackish coloration with light yellow or light brown markings over the eyes (pips) on the muzzle and the legs. In addi- tion, that early standard also allowed for a one-tone flaxen blond and a dull, grayish white with black spots. Today’s US standard describes the coat as “Tight, hard, wiry and as thick as possible, composed of a soft, close undercoat and a harsh outer coat which, when seen against the grain, stands up off the back, lying neither smooth nor flat.” 2 Allowable colors are pepper and salt, and black. Though the current FCI Standard Schnauzer standard closely par- allels the AKC standard, it does specify that distinct, light markings on the head, chest, and legs are undesirable. During the last two decades of the 19th century, three Schnau- zer breeders in Germany had significant impact on the coat, color- ation, and heads that became what is seen in show rings today. Still, within the two allowable colors, there is a difference in coat texture between the blacks and the pepper and salts. The less numerically
126 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, NOVEMBER 2020
Powered by FlippingBook