Chet The Dog

Posts Tagged ‘breeds’

Dog Breeds

“This piece is all about changing fashions in dog breeds,” Admin says, “but I’ve been thinking about breeding in general, and how – going back maybe ten thousand years – humans selected individual dogs who liked us. So we’ve sort of bred these friends.”

“And how about the dogs?” says Spence. “I think it’s worked the other way, too.”

“Dogs selecting humans who liked them?”

“Exactly. A human who had a good relationship with a dog would be more likely to survive to breeding age.”

“Dogs being good at finding game? And sounding the alarm at night when a predator is near? Maybe we should write a scientific paper.”

“That sounds like not fun.”

http://www.vetstreet.com/dr-marty-becker/five-out-of-fashion-dog-breeds-this-vet-misses

Welcome Katie & Tika, leapers extraordinaire.

A Gene For Grumpiness?

“Here’s an interesting NPR piece about dog genetics,” Spence says. “Turns out they’re not as complex as humans, at least in the sense that fewer genes are required to produce certain traits. Which means new breeds can be developed relatively quickly.”

Admin reads the article, tosses it aside. “Something reductive here,” he says. “Plus who knows what new ‘breeds’ of humans could be developed in some dystopian nightmare society and how long that would take.”

“Sounds like the idea for a book,” Spence says.

“You write it – I’m very busy.”

http://www.npr.org/2012/01/22/145604966/dog-gone-genetics-a-few-genes-control-fidos-looks

NYT Mag Cover Story

“Did you see the New York Times Magazine cover story yesterday?” Admin says. “The late Uga VII is in it.”

“Can The Bulldog Be Saved?, by Benoit Denizet-Lewis?” says Spence. “Yup, I read it.”

“And?”

“It raises really important issues about dogs and us. I’m wondering if any of our blog readers saw it and have some thoughts.”

Welcome Beau the General, Jim, Roxy.

Westminster (More)

“Well,” says Admin, “looks like there’ll be six new breeds at the dog show this year – Boykin spaniel, bluetick coonhound, redbone coonhound, Leonberger, Icelandic sheepdog and cane corso. You heard of any of these?”

“Nope,” said Spence. “No idea what they look like, either. Then there’s this whole question of breeds and non-breeds.”

They both turn to me, not sure why. Were they talking about burgers just now?

“You could argue,” Admin says, “that each individual non-breed is a sort of one-of-a-kind.”

“This one sure is,” says Spence.

What’s this all about? You tell me.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/welcome_to_the_dog_pack_8UYbNz7Z3bAvEVpbxfbX5M#ixzz1DekxhSH9