My first Publication CC April Edition-19-High Resolution | Page 28

Did You Know
IV
Coursing and Racing
E
ven before the sport of polo or camel jockey existed, dogs were used for racing and
coursing. Mainly Greyhounds and Sighthounds were used for these sports. Banjara
Greyhound is one of the rare species that is indigenous to India. Its origins can be found in
either Sloughi or the Afghan Hound, but has a distinct feature of a squarer muzzle and a fur
mottled with grey or blue. Pure Banjara breeds are hardly found now, since they are mostly
bred with the Pariah dogs now.
Below mentioned are the specifi c species of dogs which have been called extinct now:
A
The St. John's water dog
T
he St. John's water dog, also known as the St. John’s dog or
the  lesser Newfoundland, was a  landrace of  domestic
dog from Newfoundland. It is random-bred mix of old English,
Irish and Portuguese  working dogs. Th ey were much loved
because of their usual adaptive and sporty behavior. Th ey were
favorite dogs of fi shermen because they have extraordinary
qualities of being obedient and even tempered. Th ey were
said to have excellent water skills and were apparently good
at catching fi sh for their masters too. Th e St. John's water dog
is the ancestor of the modern  retrievers, including the  Flat
Coated Retriever, Curly Coated Retriever, the Chesapeake Bay
Retriever, the  Golden Retriever, and the  Labrador Retriever.
Th ey were also called water dogs because of their love for water
and coat which was water resistant.
B
Alpine Spaniel
T
he  Alpine Spaniel  is an
extinct breed of dog which
was used in mountain rescues by
the  Augustinian  Canons, who
run hospices in the region
around the  Great St. Bernard
Pass. Th e  spaniel  was a large
dog notable for its thick curly
coat. One of the most famous
specimens of the Alpine Spaniel
is Barry, however his preserved body has been modifi ed on more
than one occasion to fi t with descriptions of the extinct breed from
earlier time periods. Th e breed is thought to be the predecessor
to the modern St. Bernard and the Clumber Spaniel. Toy Trawler
Spaniel is also an extinct specie which was a mix of Kin Charles
Spaniel and Sussex Spaniel. It faced extinction in 1920.
C
Molossian Hound
T
his ancient extinct breed of dog is
considered to be the ancestor of
today's  Mastiff -type dogs and of many
other modern breeds.  Mastiff -type
dogs are oft en referred to as Molossus dogs
or  Molossers. It is one of the best-known
breeds of antiquity; however, its function
and physical characteristics are debated.
Woof! Our world would have been so much better if these species
could have been taken care of. Imagine, how many more breeds with
distinct features we could have created.
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Creature Companion | April 2019 • Vol. XII • Issue 4 • Noida