FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION
If we are going to take on the mantle of being a “preservation breeder,” then we must know our responsibilities concerning the preservation of our breed. This brings us back to breed type. We must know the “whys” of how our breed is put together the way it is. If you are not sure of the essential physical characteristics that make up your breed, you may find some hints in the first paragraphs of your breed’s AKC standard under the heading of General Description. Here is an example: “Low-set, strong, sturdily built and active, giving an impression of substance and stamina in a small space. Should not be so low and heavy-boned as to appear coarse or overdone, nor so light-boned as to appear racy. Outlook bold, but kindly. Expression intelligent and interested. Never shy nor vicious. Correct type, including general balance and outline, attractiveness of headpiece, intelligent outlook and correct temperament is of primary importance. Movement is especially important, particularly as viewed from the side. A dog with a smooth and free gait has to be reasonably sound and must be highly regarded. A minor fault must never take precedence over the above desired qualities.” If you know the writer, you probably know that the quote above is from the Pembroke Welsh Corgi standard. Compare the above to the Cardigan Welsh Corgi standard’s introduction: “Low set with moderately heavy bone and deep chest. Overall silhouette long in proportion to height, culminating in a low tail set and fox-like brush. General Impression – A handsome, powerful, small dog, capable of both speed and endurance, intelligent, sturdily built but not coarse.” If you know the writer, you probably know that the quotes above describe the two Corgis. If you guessed this while reading the first description, you knew immediately the second was the Cardigan when you read the three words in the second paragraph, “ low set tail.” If you paid attention, you should also realize that the Cardi- gan has heavier bone and a bit deeper chest than the Pembroke. You will discover several more differences in the breeds if you delve more deeply into each standard. Each of the differences would most definitely be breed characteristics, vital to delineate the dif- ferences between the breeds! What about this one: “General Appearance: A compact, closely knit dog of medium size, a leggy dog having the appearance, as well as the agility, of a great ground coverer. Strong, vigorous, energetic and quick of movement. Ruggedness, without clumsiness, is a characteristic of the breed. He can be tailless or has a tail docked to approximately four inches. Size, Pro- portion, Substance: Height – 17½ to 20½ inches, measured from the ground to the highest point of the shoulders. Any __________ measuring under 17½ inches or over 20½ inches shall be disqualified from dog show competition. Weight – Should weigh between 30 and 40 pounds. Proportion – So leggy is he that his height at the shoulders is the same as the length of his body. Body Length – Approximately the same as the height when measured at the shoulders. Body length is
Figure 1. Bas-Relief on Ancient Greek Funerary
In her article titled, “Where Did the First Dogs Come From?” Cornell University researcher Laura Shannon states, “The vast majority of breeds of dog are less than 200 years old and come from Europe. But these purebred dogs or even mixes of these breed dogs are in the minority of the dogs on the planet. Most dogs are free-ranging village dogs, which live around and among people but aren’t necessarily what you’d think of as pets.” We also know that some breeds are ancient. Some of the oldest known depictions of greyhound-like dogs were found in Turkey on temple drawings from 6,000 BC and in Iran on a 4,000 BC funerary vase. Some breeds are quite young, such as the Boykin Spaniel, which was first developed in Spartanburg, South Carolina, around 1905-1910. The Boykin Spaniel Society was founded in 1977 and began main- taining a studbook in 1979. They were recognized as a breed by the AKC in 2009. Knowing these facts, we know that purebred dog breeders are a tiny part of “where dogs come from.” I am very pleased with the increasing usage of the term “pres- ervation breeder,” which I first heard many years ago in discussion with Douglas Johnson of Clussexx fame. We need to use it when we refer to ourselves as breeders—and we should use it often! We are preservation breeders, as we are trying our very best to preserve our breeds for future generations to know and love as we do. If we do not preserve the vital characteristics that make each breed unique, we would eventually wind up with one basic type: the village dog described above. A few years ago, I could not help but notice as we drove through various villages in China’s countryside that the dogs wandering the streets from village to village all looked the same! A dog of spitz type, moderate in size, with moderate bone, prick ears, pointed muzzle, high set tail (either curled or held over the back), and square or slightly off-square in proportion. They were everywhere, from Beijing to Nanning, a distance of approximately 1,500 miles! Would one common dog be enough; one basic breed to suit all situations and human needs and personalities? What a dull world that would be. Most of us breed dogs simply because we love them. We become enamored of and establish a relationship with one breed (or several breeds) and decide to breed them, thus becoming a caretaker of that breed(s). Some breeds are quite rare, and some are as common as the copper penny. But what, exactly, is a preservation breeder? From the Livestock Conservancy ( livestockconservancy.org ) they speak of “heritage” breeding, and it is explained as “…trying to produce (livestock) animals that are the animals that you find on your great-grandparents’ farms.” We are taking that heritage and trying to preserve it for the future, placing more emphasis on the future with an eye to our chosen breed’s past and origins. Our breeds are a living link to history, but must be molded to fit into today’s society.
left: Figure 2. Boykin Spaniel; right: Figure 3. Chinese Village Dog
62 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, APRIL 2021
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