Choice of dog breed. Elena A. Kozheva

Introduction
The purpose of this brochure is not a detailed description of each breed (the volume of the brochure does not allow this), but to help the reader in choosing the breed of dog that best suits his needs, taste and living conditions. Often, communication between a person and a dog turns into a real torment due to a lack of understanding between them or creates problems in communicating with others. Often this happens because the owner of the dog does not know the purpose of the breed, the character traits and the physiology of the animal. Often a person, admiring the imposingness of a particular breed, succumbing to emotions at the loss of a previous four-legged friend, or taking pity on a mongrel, without thinking about other circumstances, immediately seeks to acquire a puppy or an adult dog. And then he deeply regrets what he did. The influence of fashion in choosing a breed leads to the same results.

For example, in the late 1980s, a wave of passion for the Afghan hounds reached us from the West. Their number in St. Petersburg increased tenfold in 5–6 years, and in the mid-1990s, about 500 dogs appeared in the city. To date, for some decade, only 50–80 individuals have remained. Such a sharp fluctuation in the number of "Afghans" is due to two main reasons: on the one hand, the specific nature of the behavior of dogs; on the other hand, the difficulty in caring for their coat in the conditions of the North-West. But it's not just about Afghans - hundreds of different dogs, abandoned to the mercy of fate, suffer through the fault of irresponsible owners.

That is why, before choosing a particular breed, you should think: why, in fact, do you want to get a dog?
By the way

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An anecdote from the world of dog lovers: A child is asked: "Who feeds the dog?" - Mother. "Who is walking the dog?" - Dad. "What are you doing?" - And I love her!

Around and around "things"
About the history of the origin of dogs and the classification of breeds
The history of the relationship between man and dog goes back centuries. It was the dog that was first domesticated by man. This happened 10-15 thousand years ago. This is evidenced by the remains of animals found in the excavations of ancient human settlements located in different parts of the world. Based on these studies, biologists have built an evolutionary classification system for dogs. They There are 7 main types: spitz-shaped, huskies, mastiffs, Asian shepherds, Western European shepherds, hounds, greyhounds. In cynology, the basic approach is applied: by the nature of the use of dogs. The International Cynological Federation (the leading cynological organization in the world) divides all breeds into 10 groups:

● 1 - shepherd dogs;

● 2 - Pinschers, Schnauzers, Molossians;

● 3 - terriers;

● 4 - taxes;

● 5 - spitz and primitive;

● 6 - hounds;

● 7 - cops;

● 8 - retrievers, spaniels, water dogs;

● 9 - decorative dogs and companion dogs;

● 10 - greyhounds.
But this system is also imperfect. So, the bulk of the Greyhound breed dogs (English greyhound) is used in the industry of racing for a mechanical hare, and the small Italian greyhound-greyhound is a companion dog, although as a true greyhound it also participates in races with great pleasure. Or the Labrador Retriever, originally a hunting breed, has proven itself to be an excellent guide dog for the blind, an excellent companion for children, and also a good drug detecting police dog. Nevertheless, the classification mentioned above unites and describes about 400 breeds.

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In fact, there are over 600 breeds in the world. The difference in figures is explained by the fact that there are many cynological organizations in the world competing with each other for the right to register. Some recognize some breeds and keep their breeding records (register puppies and give them documents of origin), others do not. Russia is currently an associated (that is, incomplete) member of the International Cynological Federation (FCI). We cultivate 15 domestic breeds that are not recognized by the FCI. This is an East European Shepherd Dog, Moscow Watchdog, Buryat-Mongolian Wolfhound, Deer-Hound Spitz, Chukchi Sled Dog, Russian Hound, Anglo-Russian Hound, Russian Spaniel, Russian Toy Terrier, Russian Colored Bolonka, Moscow Dragon, Hortaya Greyhound, Greyhound Tazy, Greyhound Taigan, Afghan native hound - bakhmul.

Dog breeding in Russia
Our country is the birthplace of more than two dozen breeds, the vast majority of which belong to hunting and shepherd breeds and were created back in pre-revolutionary Russia. local (under this term means a breed bred in a given area) decorative breeds did not exist. The harsh living conditions of the people did not have such a luxury as a small dog for the soul, or rather, dogs had to combine this role with a purely utilitarian approach. Another hunter-nobleman did not look for this very soul in some of his favorite cops or greyhounds, as evidenced by Russian literature. After the Great Patriotic War, many different breeds were brought to our country. Some of them have become very popular, including small dogs such as Pekingese, lapdogs, etc. In the middle of the last century, two domestic decorative breeds were formed: the Russian colored lapdog and the Russian toy terrier in two variations: long-haired and smooth-haired. In addition to them, in the Soviet period, several more domestic breeds belonging to the service group were created. Of these, the Black Russian Terrier and the East European Shepherd Dog deserve the most attention, as they are more suitable for housing. The pinnacle of Russian cynological art is the Russian canine greyhound, recognized even in the West as the most majestic and imposing breed in the world. In its shadow stand two Russian breeds of hounds, not as spectacular as, for example, basset or bloodhound (hounds of Western origin), but ideal for hunting with hounds in our conditions. Since the early 1990s, many new breeds of dogs have appeared in our country. Some of them, having survived the peak of popularity, have become rare again. Others initially retain a low level of numbers. Others have become very popular. In any case, choosing a dog breed in modern times has become much more difficult.

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At the moment, the leading cynological organization in Russia is the Russian Cynological Federation (RKF). It unites several cynological unions responsible for breeding hunting, service and decorative breeds.

These are the organizations:

• RFSS - Russian Federation of Service Dog Breeding;

• RFOS - Russian Federation of Hunting Dog Breeding;

• ROLS - Russian Association of Amateur Dog Breeding;

• ANKOR - Association of Independent Cynological Organizations.
About cynological terminology

Common among dog lovers there are disputes about which breed is better. Moreover, as a rule, their breed is praised, and the other is judged by the only neighbor's dog, which, not only is of a different breed, but also has its own individual features not only in the exterior, but also in behavior. And endless disputes begin about which breed is better, smarter, more convenient to maintain, etc. Let us first turn to the definition of the term breed.

A breed is a large group of animals that have a common origin and inherit similar signs of exterior (appearance), behavioral characteristics and working qualities. At the same time, one cannot demand absolute identity between individuals within a breed. Breed standards describe the most typical traits. What does this mean in practice? If you met a cowardly shepherd dog or a Rottweiler affectionate as a kitten, this does not mean that all other representatives of these breeds have the same qualities. I pay such close attention to this because, within the framework of this publication, I can only give the most typical features of a particular breed. Do not take them for granted. In each breed there are individuals with individual character traits.

Before making a final choice, take an interest in the breed more carefully. Look for specialized literature, surf the Internet, go to exhibitions, meet different breeders (a breeder is not just an owner of a purebred dog, but a person who breeds dogs professionally). If you have realized even before purchasing a puppy that you want to join the ranks of professionals, do not rush to buy a puppy. First, read books that talk about general concepts: the structure of the dog, the types of constitution, the concept of general and particular exteriors, the principles of breeding. Bring your knowledge to the level where you will not be embarrassed by the phrases of professionals outside the ring like: “Yes, his (dogs) have jump ropes” and frantically not look for makloks (parts of the ilium that protrude above the spine line) in the area of ​​​​the head or wax (so called nose of hunting dogs) somewhere in the region of the tail. After that, with the standard (a detailed description of a particular breed, approved by official cynological structures) in your hands, stand behind the ring, look at the exhibited dogs and collect different opinions of these very pros. Remember that in pursuit of a buyer, not all breeders can be conscientious. The merits of his favorite breed can be greatly embellished, and the shortcomings, accordingly, are reduced to insignificant. For example, if you choose a breed that has a very short muzzle (Pekingese, French and English Bulldogs, Griffons, etc.), you may not know that such dogs tend to snore loudly in their sleep. And if you categorically cannot stand night noises, you should think about another breed. My words do not mean at all that all representatives of these breeds will certainly snore. Therefore, "falling in love" at first