During my weeks of walking the trails, I have seen LOTS of dogs. The labs, collies and golden retrievers especially love chasing balls. One responsible dog owner brings her two large dogs out at 8 a.m. There are very few people or dogs around in the early morning. The dogs are very excited to be chasing the tennis balls she throws in a large grassy area, regardless of what time it is.
The question that stumps me is: Why do apartment dwellers have large dogs — sometimes more than one? They are bound to be crowded into a small space. In the Savoye Apartments next to me, the private apartments are quite small, but the outdoor public spaces are glorious (swimming pool, lap pool, hot tub, barbecue grill, outdoor table & chairs, scenic overlook, sand volleyball, large fields) — which really doesn’t help during our current crisis. No wonder the dogs are thrilled when they get to chase a ball outside. They must feel like we do when we go outside after being cooped up — liberated from a cramped space.
One of the games I play on the trail with my sometime walking partner Marilu Cleaver is Name That Dog. We try to identify all the different breeds of dogs we see. Below are some of the more unusual large dogs we have seen on the trail with descriptions per the American Kennel Club.
Rhodesian Ridgeback
The Rhodesian ridgeback is an all-purpose “Renaissance hound” whose hallmark is the ridge, or stripe of backward-growing hair, on his back. Though the breed was made famous in its native Africa for its skill at tracking and baying – but never, ever killing – lions, today ridgebacks are cherished family dogs whose owners must be prepared to deal with their independence and strong prey drive.
Beneath the ridgebacks’ trademark ridge is a whole lot of hound. They are fast and powerful athletes who can weigh between 70 and 85 pounds, and often more. They come in only one color – wheaten – which spans every shade seen in a wheat field, from pale flaxen to the burnished red of a maturing crop. They also have two nose colors: black and the less commonly seen brown.
The formidable ridgebacks can be strong willed, independent and sometimes domineering. They must be guided with a firm but fair hand from puppyhood. They are faithful friends, protective of their loved ones and meltingly affectionate with those whom they trust. Still, a ridgeback can be too much hound for the novice dog owner.
Bullmastiff
The known history of the bullmastiff begins about 1860 in England. Vast country estates and game preserves of the English aristocracy were the irresistible targets of poachers. “Penalties were severe,” wrote a breed historian, “yet poaching seemed impossible to eradicate by mere laws.” Because a poacher might face the death penalty if captured, they had nothing to lose when encountering an estate’s gamekeeper. They might choose to shoot it out with the gamekeeper when cornered, rather than face the gallows.
Gamekeepers responded by breeding dogs big, swift and brave enough to pursue and pin a man prowling the grounds in the dead of night. Eventually they hit upon just the right combination of breeding stock — 60 percent mastiff and 40 percent bulldog. The new breed was smart enough to work on command, tractable enough to hold but not maul a poacher, big enough to scare the bejesus out of any intruder.
It was known for some time as the Gamekeeper’s Night Dog. A mature adult male will average 26 inches and 120 pounds. Fearless at work, docile at home, the bullmastiff is a large, muscular guarder.
After the first impression made by the bullmastiff’s size, it is the large, broad head that conveys the breed’s essence: the dark eyes, high-set V-shaped ears, and broad, deep muzzle all combine to present the intelligence, alertness and confidence that make the bullmastiff a world-class protector and family companion. Coats come in fawn, red, or brindle. These are biddable and reliable creatures, but as with any large guarding dog, owners must begin training and socialization early, while the puppy is still small enough to control.
Bloodhound
There is little known about bloodhound origins, but some authorities say the breed was known around the ancient Mediterranean. The third-century scholar Aelian mentions a hound of unrivaled scenting powers, so intensely devoted to his work that he could not be pulled off the trail until his quarry was found. The bloodhound, then, appears to be the oldest extant hound that hunts by scent.
Bloodhounds as we know them were perfected in Western Europe about a thousand years ago. Credit for the careful development of the breed goes to high-ranking members of the pre-Reformation church. In medieval times, when even bishops rode to hounds, many prominent princes of the church maintained packs of hounds on the grounds of the well-funded monasteries of England and France. So careful were the monks charged with executing the bishop’s breeding program that their hounds came to be known as “blooded hounds” —“blooded” meaning “of aristocratic blood.”
During the centuries since, the noble bloodhound has earned a reputation as a man-trailer without equal. Police departments around the world have relied on these muscular, single-minded hounds to follow the scent of humans — maybe a criminal, or a lost child or a confused senior. An assignment might last all day and night, over hills and through swamps, but bloodhounds won’t give up until they follow the trail to the end. Even in these days of high-technology, no scenting device yet invented is as accurate as the bloodhound nose.
Bloodhounds are large, substantial dogs standing 23 to 27 inches at the shoulder and weighing up to 110 pounds. Their most famous features are a long, wrinkled face with loose skin; huge, drooping ears; and warm, deep-set eyes that complete an expression of solemn dignity. Coat colors can be black and tan, liver and tan, or red. Powerful legs allow bloodhounds to scent over miles of punishing terrain.
As pack dogs, bloodhounds enjoy company, including other dogs and kids. They are easygoing, but their nose can sometimes lead them into trouble. A strong leash and long walks in places where they can enjoy sniffing around are recommended. Bloodhounds are droolers, and obedience training these sensitive sleuths can be a challenge.
Great Dane
The Great Dane is a very old breed, cultivated as a distinct type for around 400 years. No one is quite sure how or why Great Danes, a German breed, came to be associated with Denmark. (In Germany, they’re known as the Deutsche dog or “German dog.”) German nobles used Danes to hunt ferocious wild boars. The Great Dane’s name is the English translation of the breed in French: grand Danois meaning “big Danish.” Danes became famous as protectors of their home and loved ones, a job they are still happy to perform.
As tall as 32 inches at the shoulder, Danes tower over most other dogs — and when standing on their hind legs, they are taller than most people. These powerful giants are the picture of elegance and balance, with the smooth and easy stride of born noblemen. The coat comes in different colors and patterns, perhaps the best-known being the black-and-white patchwork pattern known as “harlequin.”
The Great Dane combines — in its regal appearance — dignity, strength and elegance with great size and a powerful, well-formed, smoothly muscled body. It is one of the giant working breeds, but is unique in that it is so well balanced that it never appears clumsy and moves with a long reach and powerful drive — the Apollo of dogs. A Great Dane must be spirited, courageous, never timid and always friendly and dependable. This physical and mental combination is the characteristic which gives the Great Dane the majesty possessed by no other breed.
Despite their sweet nature, Danes are alert home guardians. Just the sight of these gentle giants is usually enough to make intruders think twice. But those foolish enough to mistake the breed’s friendliness for softness will meet a powerful foe of true courage and spirit. Patient with kids, Danes are people-pleasers who make friends easily.
For your viewing pleasure, here is a video about big dogs who think they are lap dogs:
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