Doggone Etiquette —

Breed History

By Bardi McLennan

A Word to the Dog:

Do you ever think about how big, or how small, you are? There are a lot of places where you would not be allowed to live if you were considered to be “too big.” Not too big for your breed or whatever job you may be meant to do, but too big for the people who own the property (like an apartment or hotel) or who are in charge of it (like government). If you are very small, your people might hide you in a tote bag and sneak you in, but if you are too big – well, there’s not much your good people would be able to do about it. And there’s nothing you can do about it. Your fully-grown size depends on your breed (or breeds) and how big or small your own parents were. That’s where breed history comes into our picture.

A Word to the Dog’s owner:

The subject of size has come up because Chinese New Year is next Monday and, while there are not too many Made in America breeds of dogs, there are quite a few that can be traced back several centuries in China. These small dogs were honored in historic paintings, in statues and ornaments and were even represented in silk hangings. We refer to them now as “Toy” breeds. Originally they were only toys to the rich and famous. However, not all Chinese dogs lived in palatial grandeur. The lucky dogs were owned by emperors, noble families and Buddhist monks; the unlucky ones were generally larger and provided meat for human consumption.

The first breed we usually think of as being strictly Chinese is the Pekingese, known as the “Sacred Dog of China.” His sole purpose was to be lovely to look at, a pleasure to hold, and a somewhat haughty royal companion. The origins of the Shih Tzu are still somewhat in debate, but the breed is possibly a cross between the Pekingese and the Lhasa Apso a breed from Tibet. The Lhasa was kept by monks as a barking sentinel. All three of these ancient breeds are currently popular here in the States.

Another well-known toy breed is the Chinese Crested which was recorded in China in the 13th century. The Japanese Chin was originally from China, presented by Chinese Emperors to Japanese royalty, and hence the “combo” name by which we know it today. The gift of such a coveted breed was considered to be a great honor to the recipient. (And also a very long trip for the poor dogs traveling on those ancient trade routes!)

The Shar-Pei dates back to about 200 B.C. and was used in the southern provinces of China for hunting and fighting. (Its wrinkled, pliable skin added to its longevity in a fight.) This larger breed didn’t come to the States until the 1970s. The Pug is also an ancient breed, going back over 2,000 years. It is said to have made its way to Europe when two Pugs were captured from the Emperor’s palace in China during the Siege of Peking. There are many such stories as to how the dogs of China arrived in other parts of the world – a fascinating portion of canine history.

Recently the Chinese government relaxed their rule that “no dogs over 14 inches tall” be allowed as pets in Beijing. That had presumably restricted the ownership of a dog to those native toy breeds. The general public, however, has come to see the value of all dogs as pets and companions regardless of their size or ethnicity, thus the laws have been somewhat relaxed.

It’s Chinese New Year – the Year of the Dragon – and it goes on for ten days, each with special celebrations. On the second day, people are asked to show exceeding kindness to all dogs. It is believed to be the birthday of all dogs, so I guess that means on Jan. 25th your dog with a Chinese background will be one year older! (Of course, if you happen to have a Scottish breed of dog, he can celebrate Robbie Burns’ birthday on that same day! More history?)

Until next time – BE GOOD!

- Bardi

Bardi McLennan bred, trained and showed Welsh Terriers for 30 years, during which time she wrote a monthly column on canine behavior in Dog Fancy Magazine. In addition to contributing to numerous dog publications, she has written 15 books on dogs, the latest being Rescue Me!, which received the ASPCA Humane Issues Award in 2008.