Dog type

Names in English

The earliest books in the English language to mention numbers of dog types are from the "Cynegetica" (hunting literature), namely, The Art of Venery (1327) by Twiti (Twici), a treatise that describes hunting with the limer (a leashed bloodhound type); the pack of running hounds, which included barcelets and brachetz (both scent hounds); and the sighthound and greyhound. More significant in recording the use and description of various dog types is The Master of Game (circa 1406) by Edward of York, a treatise that describes dogs and their work, such as the alaunt, greyhound, pack scent hounds, spaniel, and mastiff, used by the privileged and wealthy for hunting purposes. The Master of Game is a combination of the earlier Art of Venery and the French hunting treatise Livre de Chasse by Gaston Phoebus (circa 1387). The Book of Saint Albans, published in 1486, a "school" book about hawking, hunting, fishing, and heraldry, attributed to Juliana Berners (Barnes), lists dogs of the time mainly by function: "First there is a greyhound, a bastard, a mongrel, a mastiff, a limer, a spaniel, "raches" (small-to-medium-sized scenthounds), "kennets" (small hunting dogs), terriers, "butcher's hounds", dung-heap dogs, "trundel tails" (lapdogs?) and prick-eared curs, and small ladies puppies that bear away the fleas and diverse small sorts."

Almost 100 years later, another book in English, De Canibus Britannicus, by the author/physician John Caius, translated (Fleming) from Latin in 1576, attempted the first systematic approach to defining different types of dogs in various categories, demonstrating an apparent increase in types and population. "English dogs": the gentle (i.e., well-bred) kind, serving game—harriers, terriers, bloodhounds, gazehounds, greyhounds, limers, tumblers, and stealers; "the homely kind"; "the currish kind", toys; "Fowling dogs"—setters and spaniels; as well as the pastoral or shepherd types, mastiffs or bandogs, and various village dogs. Subtypes describing the function of dogs in each group were also included.

Dog types and modern breeds

"It is important", reminded Anne Rogers Clark and Andrew Brace, "not to claim great age for breeds, though it is quite legitimate to claim considerable antiquity for types of dogs".{{cite book |author1-last=Clark |author1-first=Anne Rogers |author2-last=Brace |author2-first=Andrew H. |author-link= Anne Rogers Clark

At the beginning of the 19th century, there were only a few dogs identified as breeds, but when dog fighting was outlawed in England in 1835, a new sport of dog showing began. Along with this sport came rules, written records, and closed stud books. Dog fanciers began refining breeds from the various types of dogs in use. Some of the old types no longer needed for work (such as the wolfhound) were remade and kept from extinction as show dogs, and other old types were refined into many new breeds. Sometimes, multiple new breeds might be born in the same litter of puppies.The Scottish Terrier, the Cairn Terrier and the West Highland White Terrier have the same pedigree. {{cite book |chapter-url= https://archive.org/details/newcompletescott00marv/page/27 Te Ara – The Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 18 September 2007 URL: http://www.teara.govt.nz/1966/D/DogsWorking/en

Other uses of the word '"type" in dogs

For biologists, a "type" fixes a name to a taxon. Dog fanciers use the term "breed type" in the sense of "qualities (as of bodily contour and carriage) that are felt to indicate excellence in members of a group".{{cite book |name-list-style=amp

Trainability and boldness

In 2011, a study found that herding dogs were more trainable than hounds, toy dogs, and non-sporting dogs. Sporting dogs were more trainable than non-sporting dogs. Terriers were bolder than hounds and herding dogs. Breeds with ancient Asian or African origin were less trainable than breeds in the herding/sighthound cluster and the hunting breeds. Breeds in the mastiff/terrier cluster were bolder than the ancient breeds, the breeds in the herding/sighthound cluster, and the hunting breeds.

Notes

Note 1: Every modern dog breed has a written "standard" that describes in detail aspects of its appearance. Modern breed standards are the basis of the sport of dog showing, as each dog is compared against the ideal of the written standard, and awards are based on how closely the dog resembles the standard. Their origin comes from the earliest European cynegetica: on a "sound hunting dog" see Xenophon, and the "correct type" of good sighthound, the vertragus, see Arrian.

Note 2: Many modern breeds of dogs still use the names of early types, although they may or may not resemble the original types.

References

References

1. (1967). "Webster's Third New International Dictionary of the English Language, Unabridged". G&C Merriam Company.
2. (12 November 2017). "Foundation Stock Service – American Kennel Club".
3. Twiti, William. (1977). "The Art of Hunting 1. Stockholm Studies in English XXXVII.". Almqvist & Wiksell Int..
4. ''The Master of Game'', by Edward, second Duke of York: ed. Baillie-Grohman, William.1st Ed. London: 1904 Ballantine, Hanson & Co Folio, 302pp. 52 pl
5. (1 January 1909). "The master of game : the oldest English book on hunting". London : Chatto & Windus.
6. "BNF – Le livre de chasse de Gaston Phebus".
7. Berners, Juliana. (1975). "English hawking and hunting in the Boke of St. Albans : a facsimile edition of sigs. a2-f8 of the Boke of St. Albans (1486) / by Rachel Hands". Oxford University Press.
8. (1 January 1901). "The boke of Saint Albans". London : Elliot Stock.
9. (1 January 1912). "The works of John Caius, M.D., second founder of Gonville and Caius College and master of the college, 1559–1573". Cambridge, The University press.
10. (1995). "The International Encyclopedia of Dogs". Howell Book House.
11. ''The New Complete Scottish Terrier'', pg. 17
12. (2011). "Trainability and boldness traits differ between dog breed clusters based on conventional breed categories and genetic relatedness". Applied Animal Behaviour Science.