Dingo

The Dingo (Canis lupus dingo) or Warrigal is a type of Australian canid, which was thought to be descended from the Iranian Wolf (Canis lupus pallipes).[3] DNA analysis has shown it to be more closely related to domestic dogs, suggesting that they were introduced from a small population of domesticated dogs, possibly at a single occasion during the Austronesian expansion into Island Southeast Asia.[4] It is commonly described as an Australian wild dog, but is not restricted to Australia, nor did it originate there. Modern dingoes are found throughout Southeast Asia, mostly in small pockets of remaining natural forest, and in mainland Australia, particularly in the north. They have features in common with both wolves and modern dogs, and are regarded as more or less unchanged descendants of an early ancestor of modern dogs. The name dingo comes from the language of the Eora Aboriginal people, who were the original inhabitants of the Sydney area. The New Guinea Singing Dog is also classified as Canis lupus dingo.

Appearance Adult dingoes are typically 19–23 inches (48–58 cm) tall at the shoulders, and weigh on average 50–70 pounds (23–32 kg), though specimens weighing 120 pounds (55 kg) have been recorded.[5] Males are larger and heavier than females.[6] Dingoes in southern Australia tend to be smaller than dingoes occurring in northern and north-western Australia. Australian dingoes are invariably larger than specimens occurring in Asia.[6] Compared to similarly sized domestic dogs, dingoes have longer muzzles, larger carnassials, longer canine teeth, and a flatter skull with larger nuchal lines.[6] Their dental formula is 3/3-1/1-4/4-2/3=42.[6] Dingoes lack the same degree of tooth crowding and jaw-shortening that distinguishes other dog breeds from wolves.[5]

Fur colour is typically yellow-ginger, though tan, black, white or sandy including occasional brindle can occur. Albino dingoes have been reported.[5] Any other colours are indicators of hybridization.[6] Purebred dingoes have white hair on their feet and tail tip and lack dewclaws on their hindlegs.[5]

Chromosome number is 2n=78.[6]

[edit] Temperament and behaviour Dingoes are mostly seen alone, though the majority belong to packs which rendezvous once every few days to socialise or mate.[6] Scent marking, howling and stand offs against rival packs increase in frequency during these times.[6] Packs of dingoes can number 3 to 12 in areas with little human disturbance, with distinct male and female dominance hierarchies determined through aggression.[6] Successful breeding is typically restricted to the dominant pair, though subordinate pack members will assist in rearing the puppies.[6]

The size of a dingo's territory has little to do with pack size, and more to do with terrain and prey resources.[6] Dingoes in south-western Australia have the largest home ranges.[6] Dingoes will sometimes disperse from the natal home ranges, with one specimen having been recorded to travel 250 kilometers (155 miles).[6]

Dingoes do not bark as much as domestic dogs, which can be very loud, and they howl more frequently. Three basic howls with over 10 variations have been recorded.[6] Howling is done to attract distant pack members and it repels intruders.[6] In chorus howling, the pitch of the howling increases with the number of participating members.[6] Males scent mark more frequently than females, peaking during the breeding season.[6]

[edit] Ecology

[edit] Reproduction Like wolves, but unlike domestic dogs, dingoes reproduce once annually.[6] Male dingoes are fertile throughout the year, whereas females are only receptive during their annual estrus cycle.[6] Females become sexually mature at the age of two years, while males obtain it at 1 to 3 years.[6] Dominant females within packs will typically enter estrus earlier than subordinates.[6] Captive dingoes typically have a pro-estrus and estrus period lasting 10–12 days, while for wild specimens it can be as long as 2 months.[6] The gestation period lasts 61–69 days, with litters usually being composed of 5 puppies.[6] There is usually a higher ratio of females than males.[6] Puppies are usually born from May to July, though dingoes living in tropical habitats can reproduce at any time of the year.[6] Hybrid dingoes often enter estrus twice annually, and have a gestation period of 58–65 days.[6] Puppies are usually born in caves, dry creekbeds or appropriated rabbit or wombat burrows.[6] Puppies become independent at 3–6 months, though puppies living in packs will sometimes remain with their group until the age of 12 months.[6] Unlike in wolf packs, in which the dominant animals prevent subordinates from breeding, alpha dingoes suppress subordinate reproduction through infanticide.[6]

[edit] Dietary habits Dingoes feeding on human handouts in BorneoOver 170 different animal species have been recorded in Australia to be included in the dingo's diet, ranging from insects to water buffalo. Prey specialisation varies according to region. In Australia's northern wetlands, the most common prey are magpie geese, dusky rats and agile wallabies, while in arid central Australia, the most frequent prey items are European rabbits, long-haired rats, house mice, lizards and red kangaroos.[6] In north-western habitats, Eastern Wallaroos and red kangaroos are usually taken, while wallabies, possums and wombats are taken in the east and south eastern highlands.[6] In Asia, dingoes live in closer proximity to humans, and will readily feed on rice, fruit and human refuse. Dingoes have been observed hunting insects, rats and lizards in rural areas of Thailand and Sulawesi.[6] Dingoes will usually hunt alone when targeting small prey such as rabbits and will hunt in groups for large prey like kangaroos or even wild boar.[6] Dingoes in Australia will sometimes prey on livestock in times of seasonal scarcity.[6]

[edit] Relationship with invasive species In Australia, dingoes compete for the same food supply as introduced feral cats and red foxes, and also prey upon them (as well as on feral pigs). A study at James Cook University has concluded that the reintroduction of dingoes would help control the populations of these pests, lessening the pressure on native biodiversity.[7] The author of the study, Professor Chris Johnson, notes his first-hand observations of native rufous bettongs being able to thrive when dingoes are present. The rate of decline of ground-living mammals decreases from 50% or more, to just 10% or less, where dingoes are present to control fox and cat populations.

[edit] Conservation status As a result of interbreeding with dogs introduced by European settlers, the purebred dingo gene pool is in decline. By the early-1990s, about a third of all wild dingoes in the south-east of the continent were dingo/domestic dog crosses, and although the process of interbreeding is less advanced in more remote areas, the extinction of the subspecies in the wild is considered inevitable.[8] Although protection within Federal National Parks, World Heritage areas, Aboriginal reserves, and the Australian Capital Territory is available for dingoes, they are at the same time classified as a pest in other areas. Since a lack of country-wide protection means they may be trapped or poisoned in many areas, in conjunction with the hybridisation with domestic dogs the taxon was upgraded from 'Lower Risk/Least Concern' to 'Vulnerable' by the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) in 2004.[1]

[edit] Relationships with humans

[edit] Origins and Western recognition Dingoes were transported from mainland Asia, through South-East Asia to Australia and other parts of the Pacific region by Asian seafarers throughout their voyages over the last 5,000 years. Dingoes arrived in Australia around 3,500–4,000 years ago, quickly spreading to all parts of the Australian mainland and offshore islands, save for Tasmania.[9] The dogs were originally kept by some Australian native groups as an emergency food source.[5]

The arrival of dingoes is thought by some to have been a major factor in the extinction of the thylacine in mainland Australia. Fossil evidence and Aboriginal paintings show that thylacines once inhabited the entire Australian mainland, only to suddenly disappear about 3,000 years ago. Since dingoes are thought to have arrived around 500 years prior, certain people think this was sufficient time for the canids to impact on mainland thylacine populations, either through interspecific competition or through the diffusion of disease. Considering that thylacines managed to survive in the dingo-devoid island of Tasmania until the 1930s, some put this forward as further indirect evidence for dingo responsibility for the thylacine's disappearance.[9] Some however doubt the impact of the dingo, as the two species would not have been in direct competition with one another. The dingo is a primarily diurnal predator, while it is thought the thylacine hunted mostly at night. In addition, the thylacine had a more powerful build, which would have given it an advantage in one-to-one encounters.[10]

European settlers did not discover dingoes until the 17th century, and originally dismissed them as feral dogs.[6] Captain William Dampier, who wrote of the wild dog in 1699, was the first European to first officially note the dingo.[5] Dingo populations flourished with the European's introduction of domestic sheep and European rabbit to the Australian mainland.[5]

[edit] Dingoes as pets Currently, dingo puppies are only available within Australia and it is illegal to export them, though this may change through the urgings of breed fanciers. Puppies can cost from AU$500–1,000.[5] Although dingoes are generally healthier than most domestic dogs, and lack the characteristic "doggy odor",[5] they can become problematic during their annual breeding season, particularly males which will sometimes attempt to escape captivity in order to find a mate. Some Australian Aborigines will prevent a dingo they have become attached to from escaping by breaking its front legs.[11]

[edit] Attacks on humans Although humans are not natural prey for wild dingoes, there have been a number of instances in which people have been attacked by them. Currently, the most famous fatality case is that of 10 week old Azaria Chamberlain, who was thought to have been taken by a dingo on the 17th April, 1980 on Ayers Rock. The body itself was never found, and the child's mother was found guilty of murder until released on appeal.[12] All other recorded attacks occurred on Fraser Island, where dingoes have become habituated to humans feeding them. This has lead to an increase in aggressive encounters between dingoes and humans. Between 1996 and 2001, 224 incidences of dingoes biting people were recorded,[12] and on the 5th of May, 2001, two children were attacked near the remote Waddy Point campsite. The older of the two, a 9 year old schoolboy was killed, while his younger brother was badly mauled. Three days later, two female backpackers were attacked in the same area, leading to the government authorising a cull, and the establishment of a A$1,500 fine to anyone found feeding dingoes.[13]

The Carolina Dog, or American Dingo, is a type of wild dog discovered in the late 1970s.[1] They were located living in isolated stretches of longleaf pines and cypress swamps in the Southeastern United States.

Dr. I. Lehr Brisbin Jr., a Senior Research Ecologist at the University of Georgia's Savannah River Ecology Lab, first came across a Carolina Dog while working at the Savannah River site. Horace, a stray white dog with brown markings, was wandering the site’s boundary when he caught Brisbin’s attention. Brisbin, who had seen many rural dogs chained to the back of porches and doghouses, assumed this was just a normal stray. Many of these dogs roamed the woods and would turn up in humane traps, and Brisbin began to wonder how many more of these were in the wild. On a hunch, he went to the pound and was surprised by the resemblance the dog had to dingoes.[2]

[edit] Evidence of ancient roots

[edit] Physical Carolina Dog / American "Dixie" DingoSome ancient paintings and rock art of Native Americans depict dogs that have physical traits similar to those of Carolina Dogs. Carolina Dogs also have a ginger-colored coat that is found on other wild dogs, including Australian Dingoes and Korea’s native dog, the Jindo.[3] Experts have said that Carolina Dogs are seemingly indistinguishable from the Jindo[citation needed]. Also, fossils of the dogs of Native Americans exhibit similar bone structures to Carolina Dogs. Brisbin found a resemblance between 2,000-year-old skulls and those of the Carolina Dogs, but concluded that there was too large a difference to prove any connection.[4] Along with this, DNA testing have pointed to a link[citation needed].

[edit] Behavior In the 1980s, most Carolina Dogs were removed to captivity for study.

Female dogs had three estrus cycles in quick succession, which settled into seasonal reproductive cycles when there was an abundance of puppies.[5] Brisbin noted that this was most likely to ensure quick breeding before diseases, like heartworm, take their toll. Some pregnant dogs also dug dens in which to give birth. After they gave birth or while pregnant, the bitch would carefully push sand with her snout to cover her excrement. The dogs also dug “snout pits”, or hundreds of tiny holes in the dirt that perfectly fit their muzzles during this time. More bitches dug them than males.[6]

The pack dynamic was unique. When hunting, Carolina Dogs used an effective pack formation. They used a whip-like motion when hunting snakes.

In the wild, Carolina dogs live in swampy, sparsely settled land instead of the highly populated areas stray dogs commonly occupied.

[edit] DNA testing The preliminary DNA testing may provide a link between primitive dogs and Carolina Dogs. Brisbin stated, “We grabbed them out of the woods based on what they look like, and if they were just dogs their DNA patterns should be well distributed throughout the canine family tree. But they aren't. They're all at the base of the tree, where you would find very primitive dogs.” This wasn’t conclusive, but it did spark interest into more extensive DNA testing.[7]

[edit] Breed recognition Carolina DogCarolina Dogs can be registered with the American Rare Breed Association[8] and the United Kennel Club.[9] ARBA includes the breed in its "Spitz and Primitive Group", which includes primitives such as the dingo and Canaan Dog. The UKC has classified them as a pariah dog, a class which includes other primitive breeds such as the Basenji of Africa and the Thai Ridgeback.

The word pariah is derived from a Tamil word first used in English in 1613, to refer to the lowest level of the traditional Indian caste system; in English, it is used to mean "a social outcast".[10] The Indian feral dog was considered an outcast as well. The term "pariah" when referring to feral or wild dogs of the Indian feral dog type is sometimes replaced with primitive, in the sense of "relating to an earliest or original stage or state" or "being little evolved from an early ancestral type".[11] It is assumed that dogs placed in "pariah" or "primitive" groups are of an older type than other modern dog breeds. Future genetic testing may show the actual heredity of these breeds or types.

The Korean Jindo Dog (Hangul: 진돗개; Hanja: 珍島개) is a breed of hunting dog known to have originated on Jindo Island in Korea. Although relatively unknown outside Korea, it is celebrated in its native land for its fierce loyalty and brave nature.

The Jindo is a medium-sized, double-coated spitz-type dog that gives the initial impression of agility, strength, alertness, and dignity.

Within the Jindo breed, the head carries a great deal of type. Identifying and separating the Jindo from mixes and other breeds is often done by close examination of this feature.

The topskull of an adult dog should be broad and rounded between the ears and free from wrinkles. The underjaw is well-developed and helps give a round or octagonal shape to the head when viewed from the front. Abundant, stiff hairs stand away from the cheeks. The ears are triangular in shape, ranging in size from small to medium. From a side view, the upright ears lean forward past vertical. When the dog is relaxed, the ears lean slightly off to the sides of the head instead of on top of the head. When the dog is alert, the mobile ears move higher on the head. The inside of the ears should be well-furred. Ears in puppies are normally down up until 5-6 months of age. The eyes are almond/round. They should be always be a shade of brown, with dark red-brown being preferred. Some dogs have light brown eyes but this color is not desired. No Jindo should have blue eyes. The outside corners of the eyes are angled upwards and gives the dog an alert, cheerful expression. The nose color should be black on non-white dogs. White dogs may have flesh or pink in the center of the nose. (Looks like black was rubbed off rather than having solid edges.) The muzzle is round and in proportion to the head, never giving a bulky impression. The lips should be tight and black-pigmented. The tongue is strongly desired to be solid pink. No Jindo should have a solid blue-black tongue such as found in Chows and Sharpeis. Typically, males have heavier heads and females have more fox-like features.

The Jindo naturally comes in a range of body styles and/or proportions. Several organizations have attempted to catagorize the different body styles while others have simply posted a single ideal standard for the body. In common speech, there are two body styles that are used most often. The Gyupgae and the Heutgae. The former is very muscular and shorter in body, with a depth of chest equal to one-half the height at the withers and a shorter loin, while the latter is more slender with somewhat less depth of chest and a slightly longer loin, resulting in a height to length ratio of 10:11.

Because of the different body styles, there will be a range of what organizations consider desirable height/weight in dogs. It would be fair, though, to consider the average height for male dogs to be 19 1/2 to 21 inches and for female dogs to be 18 1/2 to 20 inches. On average, males weigh in at 35-45 lb. while females weigh in at 30-40 lb. Many dogs reach full height by 5 months of age, but it may take 2 years to physically mature.

In Jindos, front and rear leg angulation should be moderate. Dogs should be built for ease in traveling long distances over various hilly terrain but also for strength and speed in hunting game animals. Feet are tight and compact.

Tails are thick and strong. Tail shapes are straight up, sickled, or curled.

Color: Korean law currently only recognizes white Jindos and red(tan colored) Jindos, thus they are the most popular colors. Some Jindo Island residents have valued black, black/red and red/white Jindos for being good hunters over the years. The UKC recognizes five different coat colors: white, fawn, gray, black and tan, and brindle (tiger pattern).

[edit] Temperament Hwanggu (Yellow Jindo)The Korean Jindo Dog is well known for its unwavering loyalty and gentlemanly nature. Because of this there is a misconception that a Jindo will be loyal only to its first owner or the owner when young. However, there are many examples of older Jindos being adopted out of shelters in the United States and becoming very loyal friends to their new owners. They are highly active and are certainly not indoor-only dogs. Jindo dogs need reasonable space to roam and run. Jindos require a lot of care and attention. If kept in a yard, the fencing must be at least 6 feet high.

Because the Jindo is an active and intelligent dog, it requires frequent interaction with people or another dog in the family. For some the Jindo may even be too intelligent, for it will commonly think for itself. The same intelligence that allows the dog to pick up commands and tricks very fast can be a bit too much to handle. If left alone for a long stretch, it finds its own entertainment. A young Jindo may attempt to climb over a fence or wall, even by way of a tree or digging under, or tear up the house if confined indoors. Because of this many Jindo dogs are found in animal shelters, abandoned by owners who often did not know what they were getting into when accepting the responsibility of a Jindo. Also because the breed is not well known, there are many good Jindo dogs available for adoption.

With Jindos, establishing the hierarchy (humans above dogs) with care and affection is essential. It is important to socialize Jindos at a very early age. As with humans, Jindos will test boundaries to establish themselves at the top of dog hierarchies--a true alpha dog--due to the way in which the breed evolved.

Jindos serve as excellent watchdogs, able to distinguish family from foe, friends from strangers. The Korean army is known to use Jindos as guard dogs at major bases, where it is said they can learn to recognize 30,000 individual scents. They are conscious of their owners' reactions towards others and act accordingly. Because Jindos so rarely bark aggressively, especially in familiar environments, an owner may lend special credence to the warning of his/her pet. Many are also finicky eaters and will not take food from strangers.

Some Jindos display a curious aversion from running water and avoid situations that might get them wet. They let themselves be washed, although with great reluctance.

People adopt Jindo dogs because of their beautiful appearance, high intelligence, loyalty, and sometimes for their fighting spirit, then quickly realize that raising a Jindo dog to be a well-behaved member of the family takes a lot of effort and time. Many Jindo dogs are abandoned in the U.S. because of the difficulty of training them. Potential owners who are prepared and determined to have an intelligent, loyal, but independent companion can adopt a Jindo dog from shelters.

[edit] History There is no written record of the origin of the Korean Jindo Dog but many authorities agree that the Jindos originated and existed on Jindo Island for a long time.

It is now protected under the Cultural Properties Protection Act.

In 1962, the Korean government designated the Jindo as the 53rd Natural Monument [2]; and passed the "Jindo Preservation Ordinance". Jindos marched in the opening ceremonies of the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea. The United Kennel Club recognized the Jindo on January 1, 1998.

[edit] Hunting The Jindo is renown for their outstanding hunting ability, due to their courage, cunning, and pack sensibility. Besides the usual prey consisting of medium to large game, they have been known to hunt extremely dangerous animals such as Siberian Tigers (one of the three dogs that are able to, the others being the Siberian Laika dog and the Pungsan/Poongsan Dog) in the wild. Also, they have mainly been utilized as deer and boar hunters. There have been anecdotal reports of Korean owners being awakened by their Jindo one morning to be led deep into the forest to a deer the Jindo had taken down alone. There have also been reported cases in America of intruding coyotes being killed by Jindos defending its territory.

In traditional Korean hunting without guns, a pack of well trained Jindos was extremely valuable. A master with a loyal pack could hunt without much trouble at all, for when the pack brings down a deer, boar or other target, one of them returns to the master to lead him to the prey while the others stand guard against scavengers.

[edit] Baekgu the Jindo Dog In 1993, a 7 year old female Jindo dog named Baekgu, born and raised in Jindo Island, was sold to a new owner in the city of Daejeon which is located about 300 kilometers (186.4 miles) away from the island. The dog escaped her new home and returned to her original owner after 7 months, haggard and in skin and bones. Baekgu lived with her old owner, who decided to keep the loyal dog, until the dog died of natural causes 7 years later. The story was a national sensation in Korea and was made into cartoons, a TV documentary, and a children's storybook [1]. In 2004, Jindo County erected a statue of Baekgu in her hometown to honor the dog. [2]

[edit] Miscellaneous

[edit] Other characteristics Jindo dogs amazingly will house train themselves as puppies. Even off lead or without direction, they will often relieve themselves in the farthest corner of the yard. They are also renowned for their almost uncanny homing instinct.

Jindo [edit] Availability It's stated that pure Jindo dogs are rare outside of Jindo Island even in Korea, however this very much depends on the definition of what a pure Jindo dog is. The situation is complex and not easy for an outsider to navigate.

Dogs born on Jindo island are not necessarily purebreds, and dogs born outside of Jindo island are not necessarily mixes. Indeed, a Korean documentary revealed gaps in the checkpoint of Jindo island, which allowed the export of an adult Jindo dog from the island and the import of a crated Japanese Shiba inu into the island. A dog with pedigree papers has no guarantee of purity. Even if there is no issue of impropriety in registering dogs, closer examination of pedigree papers can reveal unknown dogs, often referred to as "Jindo-sans", in a 7- or even 3-generation pedigrees. Conversely, a dog without pedigree papers could have a known history for 7 generations but the breeder simply chooses not to participate in politics and does not register the dog with any organization.