The Eukanuba National Championships and the current Westminster AKC Dog Show have opened my eyes to a wonderful variety of dog breeds. Hairy, hairless, even dredlocked dogs in white, brown, spots and brindle.Is it possible to be familiar with all these different breeds? I thought I was, but I stand corrected. Here's a less common breed I recently discovered.
The New Guinea Singing Dog does indeed come from New Guinea. And, it does sing! (This image was originally posted to Flickr by rgdaniel)
The dog is small, 18-22 pounds, about 15 inches high. It looks like a wild dog or dingo, with a fox's tail.
The "Singer" is rare, possibly even extinct in the wild. There are about 200 in captivity, in zoos and homes. And, the most important thing that I learned is that they are not recommended for most families. Still very closely related to a wild dog and has a strong hunting instinct. Although with proper socialization this dog is friendly, it can be aloof and unpredictable.
This dog has the ability to vary the pitch of its howl. One tone blends with the next, giving the dog their name. Listen to an audio file of these dogs on this site, New Guinea Singing Dog Conservation Society.
