History of Guardian & Working Breeds

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History of Guardian & Working Breeds Freds World of Dogs - The History of Guardian & Working Breeds. Promoting Functional & Healthy Breeds.
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Mrs Kernochan and 4 off her beloved Smoothly Collies.1903 - Sent to me via Pinterest.
17/08/2025

Mrs Kernochan and 4 off her beloved Smoothly Collies.
1903 - Sent to me via Pinterest.

The Magyar agár is a dog originating in Hungary and lands that previously belonged to the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It i...
16/08/2025

The Magyar agár is a dog originating in Hungary and lands that previously belonged to the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It is used for hunting and coursing, and is also kept as a companion.
Although the Magyar agár is also called the 'Hungarian greyhound, this is a misnomer. The Magyar Agár is a distinct breed with its own breed designation and unique characteristics. A more proper alternative name would be Hungarian gazehound or Hungarian sighthound.
The Magyar agár is a sighthound of elegant yet rugged stature. While they bear some resemblance to Greyhounds, there are several significant differences in conformation between the two breeds. Magyar agárs are longer in body than they are tall and have a heavier bone structure than Greyhounds. Their heads are more wedge-shaped, with substantial jaw muscles and shorter snouts, giving them a less refined appearance than most Greyhounds. They also have much thicker skin with a short, dense and smooth coat that is slightly longer during winter months. As such, they are very hardy dogs and can tolerate lower temperatures better than some of the other short-coated sighthounds. They have rose-shaped ears that are raised about halfway and oval-shaped eyes with a bright and gentle looking expression.
The amount of greyhoundness in the MA is the point of controversy among European breeders and enthusiasts. This issue revolves around the fact that greyhounds were bred with MAs in the 19th century and early 20th century. Some prefer an "old fashioned" variation of the MA with its robust frame and musculature, while some prefer a more "greyhound-like" dog with a lighter frame and more speed.
The sturdy frame of the Magyar agár makes it ideal for coursing game over a rugged terrain. Given their conformation, Magyar agár are not as fast as Greyhounds on short sprints, but possess greater endurance and stamina, making them much more suited to running longer distances for longer periods of time. In the old days, these dogs would have been expected to trail alongside their master’s on horseback

The Amercican book of Dog - 1891
16/08/2025

The Amercican book of Dog - 1891

Dogs being prpared for the hunt.Turberviles Book of Hunting - I576
16/08/2025

Dogs being prpared for the hunt.
Turberviles Book of Hunting - I576

1891- Poodle & clipping Chart.
16/08/2025

1891- Poodle & clipping Chart.

Greyhound - This image was first published in the 1st (1876–1899)
16/08/2025

Greyhound - This image was first published in the 1st (1876–1899)

Request 1931
14/08/2025

Request 1931

Forgot, I have many requests about Staghounds, another while I’m sitting at the airport trying to get home.I have all ty...
13/08/2025

Forgot, I have many requests about Staghounds, another while I’m sitting at the airport trying to get home.
I have all types of related information. There is no doubt many more experienced people on the page, on the current breed type. I just post for discussion, as the page is designed. So I may double up. Thanks…

The American Staghound, referred to by various names including the Cold-Blooded Greyhound, the Longdog of the Prairie and the American Lurcher, is a crossbreed of various sighthounds. It has been bred in the United States from the 19th century where it is used for hunting.

As European pioneers moved west into the American frontier in the 19th century, their livestock frequently fell victim to predation from wolves and coyotes, and large sighthounds were found to be the most effective hound variety for hunting these predators. The American staghound developed as a distinctive variety of dog from crossings of various breeds of sighthound found in America at the time, principally the British Greyhound, Scottish Deerhound and Irish Wolfhound, and the Russian Borzoi. In the Wild West the pioneers hunted predators in hunting parties mounted on horseback and accompanied by their staghounds. After settlement these hunts continued as recreational sport but with the reduction in numbers of predators to hunt, frequently deer was also pursued. In recent decades deer has become the primary, if not exclusive, quarry pursued by these dogs.

Different hunters in various regions preferred different crosses, with field performance in local conditions and the quarry pursued being the primary factor in pursuing certain characteristics. Greyhounds, Scottish Deerhounds, Irish Wolfhounds and Borzois have always been the most commonly used foundation stock; other sighthound breeds such as Whippets or Salukis have rarely if ever been used. While some American staghounds have always been and are still bred from pedigree parents, many are bred to each other, resulting in successive generations of staghound ancestry. American staghounds have been known by various names including the "Longdog of the Prairie" and the "American lurcher"; one version is referred to as the "Cold-Blooded Greyhound", these dogs tend to be smooth-coated animals that resemble large Greyhounds, with Greyhounds being the predominant breed in their ancestry and other sighthound blood included to add size.

The English Staghound, is an extinct breed of scent hound from England. A pack hound, the breed was used to hunt red dee...
13/08/2025

The English Staghound, is an extinct breed of scent hound from England. A pack hound, the breed was used to hunt red deer and became extinct in the 19th century when the last pack was sold.

The Staghound most likely developed from Southern Hounds, which were themselves developed from Talbot Hounds and Norman Hounds introduced into England by the Normans in the 11th century after their conquest of the country. As seen from the Norman Forest laws, in medieval England the hunting of red deer, or stag, was the exclusive domain of the monarch and their favourites, and the Staghound was developed to hunt the stag in packs, becoming an important dog breed in England. From at least the reign of Henry III (1216–1272), different hounds were maintained in England for hunting different deer species, with the Staghound kept to hunt stag, and the smaller Buckhound kept to hunt fallow deer or buck.

The Staghound shared many characteristics with French hound breeds; there was likely interbreeding between the hounds of France and England as the exchange of hounds as gifts was common between royal courts and noble houses. It has been claimed the Staghound most closely resembled the King's White Hounds, the hound breed of the French kings. At the beginning of his reign, Louis XV of France wanted to improve the quality of his royal pack, and sought English Staghounds, procured by the Count of Toulouse, to achieve this, as English Staghounds were described as "fleeter and more vigorous and better hunters" than the hounds in the royal pack.

With the gradual destruction of the forests of England and the increased cultivation of the country, the deer's habitat was reduced, and from the 17th century, the sport began to decline in popularity, being supplanted by fox hunting. The Staghound was one of the foundation breeds used in the development of the Foxhound.

The last pack of Staghounds in England were those of the North Devon Hunt, predecessor of the Devon and Somerset Staghounds, which pursued stag in the Royal forests of Exmoor until 1825, when the pack was sold at Tattersalls. The pack was purchased by a Mr Charles Shard of Somborne House in Hampshire; the terrain in Hampshire consists of flintier soil than Devon, and it was found that whilst hunting this country the ground caused consistent injuries to the Staghound's paws, so the pack was sold again in 1826 after just one season. The majority of the pack was purchased by a German buyer who exported them to Germany; most of these animals were subsequently destroyed during a rabiesoutbreak. After this time, all hound packs kept in England for the hunting of deer are predominantly derived from Foxhounds, despite their usually being referred to as "Staghounds".

Prior to their 1825 sale, some of the North Devon Staghounds were acquired by enthusiasts in Devonincluding Parson John Froude, and it is thought that their bloodlines contributed to the development of the West Country Harrier. Parson Jack Russell was so upset by the impending loss of the breed to England that in 1826 he managed to purchase three bi***es prior to their departure for Germany. Hoping to somehow resurrect the breed from these three hounds, when this proved impossible Parson Russel passed these hounds on to a friend called John Dillwyn Llewelyn of Swansea who used them to improve local Welsh Hounds, their influence is still seen in that breed. In 1826, some of the North Devon Staghounds were also purchased by enthusiasts who resided near the Epping Forest; the fate of these hounds is unknown.

Romanian Shepherd- Approx 1933
13/08/2025

Romanian Shepherd- Approx 1933

This is a photo of a whippet from 1885
12/08/2025

This is a photo of a whippet from 1885

Robert Morley, Will He Come Back, c. 1918
10/08/2025

Robert Morley, Will He Come Back, c. 1918

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