| Carolina
Dog
(Canis
lupus familiaris)
Interview
with Palmer Brisendine
What
is a Carolina Dog?
UKC registered as Little Danny Darko, his line can be
traced to wild dogs captured in South Carolina. He is 74 pounds, sable
in color, and about 20 inches at the shoulder. Dan is the Aboriginal North
American dog. The base of the canine DNA tree, The American Dingo. ( Although
I hesitate to call him that because I just read, that in Australia, they
have decided that because so few people ever purposely bred the Dingo
it has been pretty much absorbed into the pariah dog population of escaped
house pets and wild dogs in general. Only a tiny fraction of real Dingos
exist in the wild or in captivity and soon there may be none.)
Positive attributes of the species?
I find it
very appealing that Dan is a true pack member. He is far more aware of
the pack and it's needs and activities than the rest of us. Don't misunderstand,
he does not challenge the pack leaders, myself and my wife, but he is
concerned that we all move as a unit. He adores his people.
Dan "owns the border". That is to say when he barks it is at
something and I must see what that is and acknowledge it. If I don't,
he will bark until the "threat" has passed.
He is easy to take care of. He does shed a lot but if I brush him everyday
during the period he is shedding the most, it helps a lot. It seems that
he has two periods a year that the hair just seems to flow off his body.This
seems to occur with the change in temperature, cold to hot in the spring,
hot to cold in the fall.
Negative
attributes of the species?
Dan is intense. He needs to be managed when he interacts with new people
and other animals. I would not characterize him as aggressive but focused
and his intensity sometimes triggers negative reactions from other dogs.
If left on his own he can pursue another dog for play until it is a problem
with that dog.
Anecdotes/stories
regarding your experience with the species?
I don't know if this is a breed trait but if given a choice he will hide
his feces in a bush or somewhere it is not easily seen. Never out in the
middle of the yard. Once in town he backed up to a telephone pole and
made a deposit onto the pole itself.
Also Dan will stand up on his hide legs and look at you when he meets
someone new. He is not hopping. His is not jumping up on you. He just
stands there like a biped. Some one said it is a trait left over from
when they had to hunt in the tall Savannah grass.
I said he is intense and that is true, but when he stares at me, it's
is not a threatening stare it is more like "Orders , Sir?".
We kid about him being Gunnery Sargent Daniel Darko reporting for duty.
And how he may have just a little Post Traumatic Stress from his "time
in the field" because he whines and whines when we tell him that
the Postman really is OK and not a terrorist and he can stand down.
He is very vocal and beyond his alarm bark, makes sounds and woofs that
we have come to understand as hello, good morning, let me back in the
house. He has trained us well.
What
is their average life span?
I do not know. Four and very healthy.
How
well do they interact with people?
Dan needs to be introduced to new people to reinforce the idea that they
are ahead of him in the pack. Dan is very aware of pack hierarchy and
new folks have to be instructed how to treat him when they first meet
to insure he sees them as on the same level as his people. Basic Cesar
Millan. No talk, no touch, no eye contact. After a brief "get to
know you period" all is well.
How
easily do they train?
He was very easy to get to do all the basic actions. We have not tried
to do anything advanced and he is always on lead when not in his fenced
yard. He does wait for each meal or treat. That is, when offered food
or a treat he will sit and look the giver in the eye, when they say "OK"
he can eat but not before. This is sometimes used to prove to him the
new people are part of his pack but above him in the hierarchy.
What
type of housing do they need?
Dan lives in the house with us. When he is outside with our other dog,
he has a place under the deck to get out of rain or sun. He never sleeps
outside and stays inside whenever it is too cold or too hot during the
day.
What
do you feed them?
Science Diet Large Breed, and an occasional Milk Bone, never any people
food. He does not beg because he doesn't know he can eat people food.
How
do they interact with other household animals?
We only have one other household animal. A Standard Poodle. They are best
friends and eat from the same bowl without any problems.
How
destructive are they for an average household (gnawing, climbing, etc.)?
After the first year of normal puppy chewing, no problems other than digging
under the stairs of the deck if it gets too hot and he wants to find cool
earth.
Are
there any problems associated with their nails?
No
Do
they have any potentially offensive odours?
No
How
messy are their dropping and can they be litter trained?
Messy? I think it is normal. As I mentioned in Anecdotes/stories, Dan
likes to hide it. We have never tried to make him go in a particular place.
Our back yard is large enough and wild enough we don';t see it. We do
have to pick up after the other dog.
What
vet care should be expected?
Nothing additional after shots and flea/tick supplies
At
what age would it be best to get one?
We got him as an eight week old puppy. We are his pack
What
personal traits should someone keeping them have?
Karen and I feel it is very important to commit to spend considerable
amounts of time with this breed. Some one who works full time away from
the house and can not give them the attention and exercise they need should
not have one.
Other
consideration for owners of them?
This dog needs a strong framework of rules. They like that. Routine and
boundaries allow the animal to relax, be themselves and become a member
of the pack. |
