South Carolinians are partial to dogs as well as their lands.
A while back an enterprising Carolina hunter got interested in the fact he'd been seeing the same looking kind of wild dog all over the Carolina hunt country for as far back as he could remember. One thing led to another and now there is a "Carolina Dog" breed.
No lie, this new-old breed is also known as the American Dingo or the Dixie Dingo. In fact, that "dingo" label isn't just chat but scientific. Seems like the dna studies say this product of natural selection is a close relative to ancient dogs of Egypt and the Australian dingo species too. Down at the University of South Carolina they are researching to establish if this Carolina Dog is or isn't a true "biological breed".
This handsome dog is recognized by the UKC and the ARBA, but not, as yet, by the AKC. One of the more interesting things the breeders say about these dogs is they are well socialized to humans but maintain undomesticated behaviors of things like pack hierarchy, communal pup rearing, (including pre-digested foods for the weanlings), and they are neat for wild creatures cause they bury their output.
Some folks call these fine looking animals the "natural" dog cause it hasn't been messed around with. As a result of this "natural" state these dogs don't have skeletal malfunctions or problems with skin and coat. They are......I love this...."unnaturally healthy" !!!!
A while back I was visiting in Aiken, SC and met a lady from the Mane Chance horse farm who also is a registered breeder of these Carolina Dogs. She was one proud lady! Loves her dogs and is fiercely discrimatory about who gets to buy em. You can't just plop down your thousand bucks and walk off with one of her pups. No siree.... you got to get vetted to your character and purpose first.
At the moment, we've got all the dogs we need at our Pond, but if ever I go about needing another dog, I just might get me one of these ancient -natural-dingo-carolina-dogs!
10 comments:
I have enough dogs in my life too, but these are beautiful and fascinating creatures. They bury their "output"?
Fabulous.
And that face?
like art.
Gracious! Dixie Dingos? What a name--bu this here is fscinatin' history.
Uncle's family onc't had a dawg that were , ah, strange lookin'. When folks asked what he was Uncles' Pa jes' deadpanned, "An Alagainian."
And the folks would nod an' say how they had a neighbor/boss/ cuzin who had one of them Alagainians ...
Heh heh. The dawg were a mutt, an' "Alagainian" was a smash up between Alachua (county) an' Gainesville (city).
a.b.
I agree, these Dixie Dingos have very engaging faces. Very handsome, and to my eye they do have an ancient dog look to them. Most of em are smart.....seems like some of the professionals into this breed are big on the agility training. As for the "bury their output".... yep, I could use a dog on my property that cleans up after itself!!!!
Aunty Belle,
I don't suppose you have a picture of that strange lookin "Alagainian" pup from the past? Sounds like your pa-in-law had hisself a fine sense of humor too!
Come over an see mah BIRD (Front Porch)--ain't so awesome as all these dawgs, but...well, you'll see.
This is fascinating. I did more research and was struck by this sentence:
"In the wild, Carolina dogs live in swampy, sparsely settled land instead of the highly populated areas stray dogs commonly occupied."
It makes me think they are separate species indeed.
And I want two of them!
i love these dingo dogs. and absolutely this is natural selection in action. on any continent where dogs are breeding freely this is what nature boils it down to. reminds me of a dog i knew that was a wnderful loving animal - danced on the tips of her toes in excitement to see ya.
Troll,
glad to learn you are a discerning dog man! Every Troll needs a loyal companion,. I've met a couple of these dogs.... and they are not like other breeds so I am looking forwad to the findings the University publishes. Hope your business is good, these pups go for a grand each.
K9!
I knew you would like this post cause of course it's about canines. Wonderful, wonderful dogs, beautiful faces and, of the ones I have met, a quiet self confidence you rarely see in other breeds.
Dingo Dixies likes swamps must BE Dingo Cracker dawgs.
more empirical proof:
is it "old blackie"? no.
how about "old brown"? nope.
"old whitey"? no.
"old red"? no.
its OLD YELLER!! for a reason. its the "ur" dog.
I love a good Ol Yeller dog! Had me a great yellow lab mix for nearly 14 years, loved her dearly and miss her still. She was a Florida Dog...much bigger than a Carolina Dog!
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