AKA: New Guinea Highland Dog, Singer, NGSD

Description: The New Guinea Singing Dog has the appearance like that of a fox, with a triangular head, prick ears, and triangular eyes. It is a small- to medium-sized dog with a plush coat that can be either average or long in length. Its body is muscular, and the New Guinea Singing Dog is agile and graceful. The body ends with lean hindquarters and a brushy, soft, and fluffy tail.

Dynamics: The New Guinea Singing Dog is not as domesticated as a regular pet dog. This breed is closely related to wild dogs. One of its wild characteristics is that it howls more than it barks, even dramatically changing the pitches of its howls. This is where they actually got their name. But it can be tamed and can become devoted to an owner when properly socialized. Generally, this is not a dog for may people.

As a breed of the wild, the New Guinea Singing Dog is active and alert. It is instinctive and uses its fives sense when exploring its environment. It has a great hunting drive, coupled with optimizing all its senses in hunting and chasing prey. It is flexible and can slip through any opening wide enough for its head. The New Guinea Singing Dog is also an aggressive animal, especially with dogs of the same sex.

Breed Group: Southern

Weight: 18-30 pounds (8-14 kg)

Height: 14-15 inches (35-38 cm)

Color: The New Guinea Singing Dog can come in red or shades of red, black, and tan. There can be white markings on the body but it should not cover more than one-third. The white markings can be on the muzzle, face, neck and shoulders, belly, legs, feet, and tail tip.

Country of Origin: The New Guinea Singing Dog is from New Guinea. In the 1950s, breeding with imported dogs almost made the breed extinct. Thankfully, pure dogs were found in the isolated Lavanni Valley , and another pair was caught in Irian Jaya’s Eipomak Valley in Indonesia. This breed can be seen in many zoos around the world, but is already rare in New Guinea.

Activities: The New Guinea Singing Dog needs a lot of exercise and physical activities. As a wild dog, it should be taken outside everyday.

Grooming: Brushing is enough for the New Guinea Singing Dog. Its coat is weather resistant, and does not really need regular grooming.

Other Info: The New Guinea Singing Dog has a life expectancy of 15 to 20 years. This is a hardy breed and has no irregularities. This dog is versatile and can adapt to any place and under any climate.

Photo: Valerie Abbott

AKA: Australian Native Dog, Maliki, Warrigal. Noggum, Mirigung, Boolomo

Description: The Dingo is a medium-sized wild dog that is widely seen in Australia. It is well-furred, with the texture of the coat varying according to the climate. It has wild eyes that ranges from yellow to orange. Its ears are naturally round and stand erect on its head. The tail is bushy and relaxed. The legs are lean and muscular, and do not have dewclaws like other breeds.

Dynamics: The Dingo is one of the most mysterious of the dog breeds, due to its nature that has never been fully domesticated. Its personality can be unpredictable and are not suited as family companions when untrained. Dingoes have to be trained starting before they reach their sixth week of life. When they are more than 10 weeks old, they should not be taken out of the wild as this breed will already be too hard to train.

Training the Dingo has to be firm, consistent, but gentle. Despite its wild beginning, the Dingo can become a nice pet when properly trained and cared for. It can be a bit aloof and reserved with people.

A wild Dingo usually shies away from people, rarely showing aggression. After many years of persecution, the Dingo has inherited the habit of flight (instead of the bite temperament) when in the presence of people. It has also learned to play possum (playing dead) as a means to survive in the wilderness.

Breeding season for the Dingoes only happen once a year, around May or June. A male dingo taken in as a pet will be restless during this season.

Breed Group: Southern

Weight: 50-70 pounds (23-32 kg), however dogs up to 120 pounds (55 kg) are documented

Height: 19-23 inches (48-58.5 cm)

Color: The Dingo’s coat color is usually yellow-ginger, but can also be tan, black, or white, or an occasional brindle. Albino Dingoes are also not rare. A purebred Dingo has white hair on the feet and on the tip of its tail.

Country of Origin: The Dingo coming from Australia is a misconception, although it is now very rare outside of the continent. It is a direct descendant or original pariahs from the Middle East and southeastern Asia, and was brought to Australia about 4,000 years ago.

Activities: As an animal undomesticated and brought out from the wild, the Dingo needs a lot of exercise. It should be taken outdoors from time to time.

Grooming: The Dingo’s coat is weather-resistant and was made to take care of itself. This breed also doesn’t have doggie odor.

Other Info: The Dingo has a life expectancy of up to 20 years. It is physically healthy and able. It is not recommended to raise the Dingo in the city or in an apartment. This wild breed needs lots of action and space. They should not be taken off the leash when outdoors and a securely fenced yard is needed. Unlike other breeds, the Dingo only has one breeding cycle each year. It also chooses a mate for life and the pups are protectively cared for by them. Dingoes hunt in packs in the wild. They howl and do not bark.

AKA: Cape Hunting Dog , Tri-colored Dog

Description: The African Wild Dog has a marked patch-like markings on their fur. Their coat are close to its skin and very thick on their tail. Their ears are round, large, and set closely high on head. Has black mask that lightens on their eyebrows through the side of their face. Despite its thin frame it is very muscular and strong. The lean frame and long legs enable it to achieve high rates of speed that is often necessary to capture its prey.

Temperament: They are an aggressive nature, but in the group, only a single male and female exhibit controlling behavior. If it faces their opponent, usually with another animal, it will not back down. The African Wild Dog is very encouraging. Weaker pack members, such as the young, injured, or elderly are taken care of by all members of the pack,Pack members are friendly and jovial with one another and there are rarely any violent fights among them.

Activity: Sufficient daily exercise is required of them. In a zoo they will require a significant amount of exercise.

Grooming: The short coat of the African Wild Dog does not require a significant amount of grooming. With the help of pack members, they could remove any insects or debris from each other’s coat.

Health Problems: The African Wild Dog may suffer distempter, parvovirus, and rabies. The African Wild Dog has an average lifespan of 10-12 years.

Color: The coat of the African Wild Dog is characterized by patches of black, white, blonde, and a very light yellowish-brown. The patches vary from one dog to the next.

Height: Height: 24-31 inches

Weight: 38-79 pounds

Country Of Origin: Africa south of the Sahara Desert in areas of semi-desert to mountainous and in zoos.

Dynamics: The wild dog is a highly intelligent and very sociable breed. They have an important role in preventing sick and weak animals, The stereotype of the wild dog as a cruel butcher is slowly being replaced by a less harsh image.