(In Pics) Man’s Best Friend: Why Do Our Dogs Look Like That?

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Dogs are undoubtedly one of nature’s success stories, and that is largely thanks to their close association with man. It seems that their early history is intertwined with ours, and they have remained our constant companions ever since.

But, unlike say cats, we have sought to mold dogs and adapt them for many different uses. Centuries of careful breeding starting with the wolf has led to a dazzling variety of breeds, some of which bear absolutely no resemblance to their lupine ancestors.

Many dogs look like they do for reasons long since gone, designed for a purpose they are no longer required to fulfil. Where do these dogs come from, why do they look like they do, and what role did they have to play in history?

1. Dalmatian

With their distinctive white hair and black spots, Dalmatians come from Dalmatia (obviously) where they were originally bred as hunting dogs. First referenced in 1375 by the Bishop of Đakovo who noted they came from Croatia and called them Canis Dalmaticus, these dogs are apparently the same ones as the modern Dalmatian from the early 18th century. Their unusual appearance and rarity made them a status symbol for the European gentry, such as this *Medici* *prince (Justus Sustermans /* *Public Domain*)

2. Affenpinscher

A *German* terrier and a through-and-through toy dog, the Affenpinscher (the white dog in the above painting) was prized for its distinctive monkey-like face, which led to its being named the “monkey terrier”. First bred in the 1600s, the breed proved an effective ratter and was often kept in kitchens, granaries and stables. The first Affenpinschers were somewhat larger than the modern breed and used to have pointed ears, how largely lost. The other dog in the above picture is an English Toy Terrier, a related breed (Frances C. Fairman / *Public Domain*)

3. King Charles Spaniel

*No prizes for guessing where this dog comes from. The distinctive red and white toy spaniel with its truncated nose dates to the reign of* *King Charles I* of England, and the above painting depicts two with his three children, including the future Charles II. However similar dogs had been depicted in paintings for almost a century earlier, dating back to the reign of Mary I. The small, friendly dogs originally came from Italy, but were bred with other breeds to create the distinctly English dog (Anthony van Dyck / *Public Domain*)

4. Pug

Few dogs have fallen so far from grace as the ridiculous pug, a toy dog created for the Imperial court of the Chinese Song dynasty which dated back to 960 AD. Popularized in Europe by the House of Orange and adopted as their official mascot after one apparently saved the life of the Prince, the dogs followed him to England when he became *William III. They were more than European fashion statements however, showing extremely loyalty and affection to their owners (François Boucher /* *Public Domain*)

5. Irish Wolfhound

Another dog with a giveaway name, the Irish wolfhound comes from Ireland and was used to chase down and bait wolves. Among the very largest of dog breeds, this is also one of the very oldest: a Roman Consul wrote in 391 AD of a gift of seven “canes Scotici” whom he immediately pressed into service fighting lions and bears for his amusement. The Gaels of *Ireland* *used these as hunting dogs, although their enormous size appears to be a more recent development. The above wolfhound is pictured with the amazingly named Sir Neil O’Neil (John Michael Wright /* *Public Domain*)

6. St Bernard

Not so heavyset nor so shaggy, nor even so large as its modern version, the Saint Bernard was one of a number of dogs bred for hardiness and mountain life, and to assist a mountain shepherd with his flock. The Saint Bernard was more specialized however, first appearing in 1707 where the monks of the Great St Bernard Pass in the Alps would use them as rescue dogs. The dogs themselves were self-training, younger dogs learning how to rescue travelers from their older counterparts (Beranrd te Gempt / *Public Domain*)

7. Pekingese

*One of a number of toy dogs bred in* *China* during the 19th century, the Pekingese was unique in that its ownership was banned to all but the Imperial Family, a special lion dog just for the Emperor. After the vandalism and subsequent destruction of the Imperial Summer Palace during the Second Opium War of 1860, a lone Pekingese dog was found amidst the ruins and presented to *Queen Victoria, who named it Looty. This is the dog depicted above (Friedrich Wilhelm Keyl /* *Public Domain*)

8. Pomeranian

*Another toy dog and a descendent of the larger (and more useful) German Spitz, a primordial* *Nordic* herding and guard dog, the Pomeranian is first and foremost decorative. The breed was however significantly larger than modern versions for most of its history, as in the depiction above. Boswell, inseparable companion of Samuel Johnson, recorded encountering one in his diary in 1764, and one of Queen Victoria’s granddaughters kept a large kennel (Thomas Gainsborough / *Public Domain*)

9. Peruvian Hairless Dog

*One of six dogs ascribed to the Incan Empire by the Spanish, the Pervian Hairless Dog is a far older breed and has been depicted in the art of cultures which predate the Inca, such as with this* *Moche* ceramic. Depictions have been found which date back to 750 AD, but the dogs themselves are thought to be much older. Friendly, medium sized and hairless, the dogs were prized by Andean shepherds for their body warmth at night (Rowanwindwhistler / *CC BY-SA 4.0*)

10. Tesem

*The Ancient* *Egyptians* depicted three types of dogs: a “pariah” street dog, a mastiff type and a greyhound type. The last of these had two subdivisions, of which one was a hunting dog which they referred to as Tesem. Thought to come from the *Horn of Africa*, these dogs were a part of Egypt since before the first pharaohs, and appear in the tomb of Khufu in the largest of the Giza pyramids. With a tightly curled tail and pointy ears, these dogs were depicted for thousands of years (Karen Green / *CC BY-SA 2.0*)

Top Image: An 18^th century pug: very different from a modern day example, very different from a wolf, too. Source: Henry Bernard Chalon / Public Domain.

By Joseph Green

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Joseph Green

Joseph Green is editor for Historic Mysteries, which combines his background in English Literature with a lifelong fascination for the strange and the unexplained. Read More