The Russian Toy (also in Russia called the Russkiy Toy, Russian: Русский той) is a very small breed of dog originally bred in isolation in Russia from the English Toy Terrier which is known today as the Manchester Terrier. There are two types, smooth haired/coated and long haired, which were known by a variety of different names until brought together under the same standard as the Russkiy Toy in 2000. The breed was nearly wiped out twice; first following in the 1920s with the rise of Communism due to the toy dog's traditional link to the aristocracy and secondly in the 1990s with the influx of foreign breeds following the fall of the Iron Curtain. The smooth haired type is the older of the two, with the long haired type first appearing in 1958.

Until the 1990s, the breed was almost unknown outside of Russia, and so relatively few details on associated health issues are known. The Russkiy Toy was bred as a rat fighter and as a watchdog originally, and can still exhibit the vocalization expected from the latter. It is a friendly dog and can become very attached to a family unit. The breed has been recognized by a couple of international kennel clubs, and is registered in the Foundation Stock Service of the American Kennel Club. Due to its size and similarities to the chihuahua, the two are often compared.

Health

A Russkiy Toy will often require veterinarian assistance in changing from its puppy teeth to its adult set. Without this surgery, two rows of teeth will form which can cause gum infections, bad breath and prevent the permanent adult set from coming forward.

As with most breeds of dog, the Russkiy Toy can suffer from patellar luxation, which is where the knee cap slips out of place when the knee bends as the groove that normally holds it in place is too shallow. It is usually an inherited defect, which occurs during the development of the foetus and rarely by trauma.

Russkiy Toys can suffer from bone fractures due to their small and sometimes delicate nature. There have been reports of severe allergic reactions to certain types of flea medication and the rabies vaccine, causing epileptic seizures in some dogs.

History

The first evidence of English style terriers in Russia can be seen in the Museum of Zoology in Saint Petersburg. On display is an English style terrier dated 1716–1726 with a sign that reads "This dog is a short hair terrier named Lizetta. It personally belonged to the Russian Emperor Peter the Great. Towards the start of the 20th century, the English Toy Terrier was one of the most popular toy dog breeds in Russia. Between 1920 and 1950, their numbers were greatly diminished following the October Revolution as these types of dogs were linked to the aristocracy and frowned upon. When the breeding was restarted almost all of the dogs used had no pedigrees or were even purebred.

The original long haired Russkiy is considered to be a dog named Chikki who was born on 12 October 1958 from two smooth haired terriers. One its parents had no recorded pedigree, but had slightly longer hair than normal. Chikki was mated with a female named Irma, who had longer hair than normal and together they had three long haired puppies.

The political isolation of the country at the time caused the creation of a whole new breed as breeders sought to stabilise the toy sized terriers at the time into a standard breed. The first standard for the two varieties was written in 1966 and authorized by the Ministry of Agriculture. After the fall of the Iron Curtain, a number of foreign small breed dogs were imported, and this caused the popularity of the Russkiy Toy to decline. By the 1990s, the long haired type of Russkiy Toy had hit critical numbers, but luckily a resurgence occurred due to a new generation of dog breeders. Until this time the breed was virtually unknown outside of its homeland.

The Russian / Russkiy Toy was recognised by the Federation Cynologique Internationale in 2006 With the United Kennel Club in 2008. Russian Toys are also recognized by the American Rare Breed Association, North American Kennel Club and International All Breed Canine Association.

Russo-European Laika (Russko-Evropeïskaïa Laïka) is the name of a breed of hunting dog that originated in the forested region of northern Europe and Russia, one of several breeds developed from landrace Laika (dog breed) dogs of very ancient Spitz Dog type. The Russo-European Laika itself dates to a breeding program begun in 1944 by E. I. Shereshevsky of the All-Union Research Institute for the Hunting Industry, in Kalinin (now Tver Oblast) Province.

The Saarloos wolfdog (Dutch: Saarlooswolfhond) is an established breed of a wolfdog hybrid.

The Sabueso español (Spanish Scenthound) is an scenthound breed with its origin in the far north of Iberian Peninsula, included in Group VI of F.C.I. classification. This breed has being used in this mountainous region since hundreds of years ago in all kind of game: wild boar, hare, brown bear, wolf, red deer, fox, roe deer and chamois. It is an exclusive working breed, employed in hunting with firearms.

The Saint-Usuge Spaniel (or Épagneul de Saint-Usuge) is a dog breed of Spaniel originating in the Bresse region of France. The breed has origins dating back to at least the 16th century, but was nearly extinct by the end of World War II. Through the efforts of Father Robert Billard, the breed was resurrected during the second half of the 20th century; its national breed club was founded in 1990. The breed was recognised by the Société Centrale Canine (French Kennel Club) in 2003.

History

The history of this breed can be traced to the 16th century, however by the mid 20th century it had nearly become extinct. Following World War II, Robert Billard, a priest, was given a parish in Saône-et-Loire in the Bresse region of France. Billard was an active hunter and began to search for a suitable hunting dog. He was told of a local dog breed known as the "Epagneul de Saint-Usuge", and contacted the Société Centrale Canine in order to find what happened to the breed. In 1950 he found a male spaniel named Dick, who was a son of Braco, the dog which won Conformation show at the show in 1936. He continued to find other male dogs around the region to include in the reconstruction of the breed. In 1962, a Small Münsterländer female named Bianca von der Rumerburg was used in the breeding programme, chosen as that breed's standards mostly closely resemble the Saint-Usuge's. In 1980, the work on reconstructing the breed was handed over to Serge Bey, a local conservationist. Father Billard's breeding programme bred nearly 250 dogs over a 33 year period. While the breed is not fully recognised by the American Kennel Club, it is listed as a breed in the club's Microchip implant (animal).

The Sakhalin Husky, also known as the Karafuto-Ken, is a breed of dog used as a sled dog.

The Saluki, / ALA-LC: salūqī / Persian:سلوکی,سگ تازی also known as the (Slougui) (Arabian Greyhound) (Arabischer Windhund) (Sloughi Moghrebi) (Arabian Sighthound) (Levrier Marocain ) Royal Dog of Egypt or Persian Greyhound is one of the oldest known breeds of domesticated dog. There are petroglyphs and rock arts in Golpaygan and Khomein in central Iran that shows saluki-like hounds and falcons accompanying hunters chasing preys (ca. 8000–10,000 BCE). Also on the potteries found in, Iran (ca. 4200 BCE) are images of saluki-like hounds chasing ibex or lying next to pools. and from the period of the Middle Kingdom of Egypt onwards, Saluki-like animals appear on the ancient Egyptian pyramid#Historical development of 2134 BCE. They have connections to the Avesta, Bible, Koran and Imperial Chinese. Modern breeding in the west began in 1895 when Florence Amherst imported a breeding pair of Salukis from Lower Egypt and began working to popularize the breed. The first registered Salukis in the western studbook were Cyrus and Slongha Peri imported from Iran and registered with the DWZRV. DWZRV also records the first litter in 1922. Salukis were recognized by The Kennel Club in 1923, and by the American Kennel Club in 1929. The breed is also the mascot of Southern Illinois University Carbondale.The Saluki is a sighthound and historically traveled throughout Iran and through Silk road with caravans and nomadic tribes over an area stretching from the Sahara Desert to the Caspian Sea and China. They have been used to hunt quarry such as gazelles, hares and ibex (mostly in North Iran). Shaped like a typical sighthound, they come in two varieties, smooth and feathered. Though they are an independent breed that needs patient training, they are gentle and affectionate with their owners. Health issues in salukis include cancer and cardiac problems.

History

Salukis are considered to be one of the oldest dog breeds in existence. The name Saluqi has many theories. Linguistics agree the word Saluqi in Arabic is an adjective referring to where an individual was from. Terence Clark reports on four possible locations for the place Saluq including today's Yemen, Iraq and Turkey. In Persian language the dog is referred to as Tazi, which means to run and in Kurdish areas Tazi is also used. Also there are two more places with similar names in Northwest Iran near to the other four locations mentioned in Clark's report.
Modern science tells us the origins of all dogs are to the east in China, but we do not know where the origin of the Saluki is located. All along the Silk Road his presence was known for almost as long as the dog has been domesticated, a testimony to his function as a hunter and his beauty as a companion. His image is found in many cultures.
There are petroglyphs and rock arts in Golpaygan and Khomein in central Iran that shows saluki-like hounds and falcons accompanying hunters chasing preys (ca. 8000-10,000 BC), and as far south as Sudan.They were considered to be the "Royal Dog of Egypt". and have often been found mummified alongside the bodies of the Pharaohs in the Pyramids. It was during the Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt that Salukis rose to their place of prominence, replacing the Tesem (thought to be similar to modern Pariah dogs or a generic term for a dog).The breed is thought to be the type of dog mentioned in The Bible. One of the more amazing pieces of art in Iran is the Tangeh Savashi Canyon Relief, carved around 1800, commissioned by Fath Ali Shah Qajar to commemorate his hunting exploits.Today, the breed is still held in high regard throughout the Middle East, and have been hunting dogs for nobles and rulers around the region. They are considered clean by the Bedouins, and are allowed to be in women's quarters, while other dogs must be kept outside. Sheikh Hamad ibn Isa Al Khalifa (1872–1942), King of Bahrain during the 1930s, was known for a pack of Salukis that accompanied him throughout the Arab world on hunting trips. Following his death, his son Salman ibn Hamad Al Khalifa (1894–1961) attempted to keep the lines pure-bred but they became interbred with other breeds. However, the pure-bred lines of the royal kennel were saved by the efforts of Dana Al Khalifa who was given two pure-bred puppies by the King, and about a decade later had around pure-bred Salukis registered with the Kennel Club of Bahrain. A dog noted as being a Gazelle Hound is featured in a painting of Henry IV, Duke of Saxony, painted in 1514, by Lucas Cranach the Elder. The dog wears a collar decorated with a scallop shell, which was the badge of the pilgrim.One of these was Brigadier General Frederick Lance of the 19th Lancers (Fane's Horse), and his wife, Gladys, returned to Britain with two Salukis from Sarona, Palestine, where he was stationed during the post-war occupation. The Lances were both keen hunters, and rode with their pack of dogs, including both Salukis and terriers, to course jackal and Dorcas Gazelle whilst stationed in the desert. They imported a male, called Sarona Kelb, who became an influence on the breed in the West.Together, the Lances and Florence Amherst mounted a campaign for recognition of the Middle Eastern breed, that coincided with the phenomenon of "Tutmania" caused by Howard Carter (archaeologist) discovery of Tutankhamun in late 1922. In 1923, the Saluki or Gazelle Hound Club was formed, and the Kennel Club (UK) granted official recognition to the breed. Popularity of Salukis dramatically increased, and the Saluki Club of America was founded in 1927, with recognition by American Kennel Club following in 1929.Imports to England during the inter-war years were chiefly from areas of British military influence and commerce: Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, and Iraq. Both Florence Amherst and the Lances imported breeding stock from the latter two countries. Despite substantial populations of Salukis in Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden, none of these were imported to England.English Salukis (chiefly descendants of Sarona Kelb) were exported to many countries, but by the mid-1930s, interest slackened, and with the outbreak of World War II, breeding and show activities almost entirely stopped. The number of litters was minimal – just enough to keep the breed alive. Home front during World War II#Rationing reserved all edible meat for humans, and to prevent the Salukis from dying from starvation or being killed by The Blitz, some owners euthanized entire kennels. A small number of Saluki kennels survived the war, and along with fresh imports belonging to a second wave of soldiers returning from the Middle East, the slow process of re-establishing the breed began again. Between 2000 and 2009, 1215 Salukis were registered with The Kennel Club in the UK, while this does not approach the numbers of the more popular breeds, it is in line with similar breeds in the Hound Group such as the Borzoi, which had 1399 puppies registered in the same period. The Saluki's head is long and narrow with large eyes and drop ears. Their coats come in a variety of colors, including white, cream, fawn, red, grizzle and tan, black and tan, and tricolor (white, black and tan). They can get bored easily, and should not be left at home unattended for long periods. Sensitive and intelligent, the Saluki should never be trained using force or harsh methods, and typically does not enjoy rough games or typical dog games such as retrieving balls. Early socialization is required to prevent timidity and shyness in later life.

The Samoyed (/ˈsæməjɛd/ SAM-ə-yed or /səˈmɔɪ.ɛd/ sə-MOY-ed; Russian: Самоедская собака) is a breed of dog that takes its name from the Samoyedic peoples of Siberia. These nomadic reindeer herders bred the fluffy white dogs to help with the herding, and to pull sleds when they moved. An alternate name for the breed, especially in Europe is Bjelkier.

Health

Genetic diversity

The Samoyed is a primitive dog belonging to the spitz or northern dog group, specifically the laikas: a Eurasian dog type used for a variety of purposes, namely hunting, herding, guarding, and sledding. The Samoyed is descended from the Nenets herding laika, a dog that comes in not only white, but also a wider variety of colors. Like many breeds, the Samoyed was bred from a small number of founders (in this case, from Siberia). The founder effect then led to a reduction in genetic diversity, which may explain why some Samoyeds today are affected by the genetic disorders below.

Samoyed Hereditary Glomerulopathy

Samoyeds can be affected by a genetic disease known as "Samoyed Hereditary Glomerulopathy", a renal disease. The disease is known to be caused by an X-linked dominant faulty allele and therefore the disease is more severe in male Samoyeds. Carrier females do develop mild symptoms after 2–3 months of age, but mostly do not go on to develop renal failure. The disease is caused by a defect in the structure of the type-IV collagen fibrils of the glomerular basement membrane. As a consequence, the collagen fibrils of the glomerular basement membrane are unable to form cross-links, so the structural integrity is weakened and the membrane is more susceptible to "wear-and-tear" damage. As the structure of the basement membrane begins to degenerate, plasma proteins are lost in the urine and symptoms begin to appear. Affected males appear healthy for the first 3 months of life, but then symptoms start to appear and worsen as the disease progresses: the dog becomes lethargic and muscle wastage occurs, as a result of proteinuria. From 3 months of age onwards, a reduced glomerular filtration rate is detected, indicative of progressive renal failure. Death from renal failure usually occurs by 15 months of age.

Also known as Hereditary nephritis, it is caused by a nonsense mutation in codon 1027 of the COL4A5 gene on the X chromosome (glycine to stop codon), which is similar to Alport's syndrome in humans. The disease is simply inherited X-linked dominant, with males generally having more severe symptoms than females. Clinically, proteinuria is found in both sexes from the age of three to four months; in dogs older than this, renal failure in combination with more or less pronounced hearing loss occurs swiftly and death at the age of 8 to 15 months is expected. In heterozygous females, the disease develops slowly. The disease can be treated to slow down the development by use of cyclosporine A and ACE inhibitors, but not be stopped.

If a carrier female is mated with a healthy stud dog, the female offspring have a 50% chance of being carriers for the disease, and any male offspring have a 50% chance of being affected by the disease. A genetic test is available for this disease.^[10]

Other health concerns

For the Samoyeds in the veterinary literature several breed-specific hereditary diseases are described:

• Diabetes mellitus similar but not identical to human Type I (insulin deficiency): The disease occurs in middle-aged Samoyeds, the mean age at diagnosis is seven years. The cause is a chronic inflammation of the pancreas and / or autoimmune destruction of beta cells of islets of Langerhans. Moreover, in affected dogs autoantibodies were found to insulin. Currently, several genetic markers are discussed as possible causes.
• Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) caused by a frameshift mutation in the RPRG locus of the X chromosome. The disease leads to a slowly progressive loss of vision, which eventually leads to blindness. The first symptoms appear between two and five years of age. The disease corresponds to the X-linked PRA type 3 in humans.
• Short legs in conjunction with eye abnormalities: Due to a genetic defect at the COL2A1 locus occurs on disproportionate dwarfism with short limbs in connection with cataracts, malformations of the retina and / or retinal detachment, liquefaction of the vitreous and a persistent hyaloid artery. The malformations of the retina are dominant (i.e. before coming in heterozygous dogs); the other symptoms are recessive, so they only come to expression in homozygous affected dogs. A connection with Opticin is not.
• Pulmonary stenosis occurs more frequently in Samoyeds in comparison with other breeds. The disease can cause shortness of breath, cardiac arrhythmias and tiring on motion and increases the risk of congestive heart failure.
• Hip dysplasia is also a concern for Samoyeds.
• The breed can also be affected by Sebaceous adenitis, an uncommon idiopathic autoimmune skin disease.

Life expectancy is about 12–13 years.

Famous Samoyeds

• Kaifas and Suggen, the lead dogs for Fridtjof Nansen's North Pole expedition.
• Etah, the lead dog for Roald Amundsen's expedition to the South Pole, the first to reach the pole.
• Samoyeds serve as the sled dogs of Stone Fox in the book of the same name.
• Xiah Junsu, member of South Korean boy band JYJ formerly from TVXQ, owns a Samoyed named Xiahky (which translates as "Raised by Xiah").
• Mush was the name of the Samoyed dog owned by Karen Carpenter of the popular music group The Carpenters.
• Denis Leary owned a Samoyed named "Little Bastard".
• Michelle Collins, star of British television soap operas EastEnders and Coronation Street owned a Samoyed called Jingle.
• Annabel Karmel (a British children's cookbook author) owns a Samoyed called "Hamilton".
• Sangchu is the name of the Samoyed in the 2012 Korean drama To The Beautiful You.
• King, the dog that appears in South Korean boy band EXO's 19th teaser with Lay, Baekhyun and Chen, is a Samoyed.
• Johnny is the name of the Samoyed owned by Academy Award winning Actress Helen Hunt.
• Soichiro is the name of Kyoko Otanashi's Samoyed in Maison Ikkoku.

[image]images/dogbreeds/samoyed.jpg[/image]

The Sapsal is a shaggy Korean dog breed. The word is followed in Korean language by either gae (meaning "dog") or the suffix ee/i, but is most commonly romanization as "Sapsaree". Traditionally, these dogs were believed to dispel ghosts and evil spiritual beings.

History

The breed was very popular among aristocrats of Silla and may have been used as military dogs. After the collapse of Unified Silla, the Sapsaree breed became popular throughout the Korean peninsula, appearing in classic Chosun era literary works such as "Chunhyangjeon" and "Yeolha Ilgi". Near extinction in the mid-1980s, the breed was revived using the eight remaining dogs.

The Schapendoes or Dutch Sheepdog, is a breed of dog originating in the Netherlands. The Schapendoes was originally a herding dog and general farm dog, but today also participates in dog sports such as agility and flyball.

History

The Schapendoes descends from a general type of farm and herding dog popular in the Drenthe province of the Netherlands, and the Veluwe, an area of forests and swampland. The dogs there had many names, and were not a specific breed as we use the term today. They were the local working dog, adapted to the people, environment, and types of work needed. They were exhibited in early dog shows (in the 1870s) as Domestic herding dog.The dogs became nearly extinct during World War II, and the modern day breed descends from the few survivors. The Dutch Raad van Beheer (national kennel club) first recognised the breed in 1952, and the first standard was written in 1954. Related breeds are the Bearded Collie, the Puli, the Owczarek Nizinny, the Old English Sheepdog, the Briard, the Bergamasco Shepherd Dog (Cane da pastore Bergamasco) and the Old German Sheepdog (Schafspudel), all of which are small versions of the "mountain type" herding and livestock guardian dogs.The breed was recognised by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale in 1971, as breed number 313 in Group 1, Section 1: Sheepdogs. Exported to the North America, the breed is recognised by the Canadian Kennel Club (as Dutch Sheepdog) and the United Kennel Club (USA) in their respective Herding Groups. The American Kennel Club has listed the Schapendoes as part of its Foundation Stock Service, the first step in breed recognition. In addition it is recognised by numerous minor kennel clubs and internet-based dog registry businesses.

Health

Health problems or claims of exceptional health have not been documented for this breed. Before acquiring a puppy, make sure that sire and dame have all health clearances.