Hounds, huskies and Labradors around America gained four new cousins on Thursday as the American Kennel Club announced four breeds would join its pack of dogs next year.
The hounds are joined by the Cirneco dell’Etna, an Italian breed with a tan, short-hair coat, elfish ears and a face that wouldn’t look out of place on an ancient Egyptian facade. Called “the Sicilian greyhound”, the island dog is an active rabbit hunter and grew up in the shadow of Mount Etna.
Another Italian breed, the Bergamasco, joins the sheepdogs and collies of the herding dogs. Bergamascos, a friendly breed, have dense, matted fur that reaches the ground after five years, gradually transforming a puppy into a shaggy muppet lookalike who fears no sunburn or snowstorm. The dogs require bathing only one to three times a year, according to the Bergamasco Sheepdog Club of America.
Herding dogs’ second new relative is the Spanish Water dog, a medium-sized, very active dog with curly hair that flops over its eyes, which may explain why the Spanish Water Dog Club of America warns the dogs “will sometimes herd anything that moves”. At least once a year the dogs’ coats should be evenly sheared, a necessity that may affect their temperament: “quirky, inventive, strong-willed, moody, territorial and manipulative”. They are not for first-time dog owners, the SWDCA cautions.
Finally, the South African Boerboel joins what the AKC calls “the working group”, which includes Great Danes and Boxers. Like those breeds, Boerboels are large, athletic dogs who grow very attached to their families and are good with children. But Boerboels are dominant dogs and need to be well socialized, the American Boerboel Club recommends. Fulfilling the perception that owners take after their dogs and vice versa, the spartan ABC website instructs readers that Boerboels have a “truly utilitarian nature and high biddability” and that one should look for “rock solid ethics” in Boerboel breeders.
The four types of dogs will become official members of the AKC on 1 January, increasing the total number of recognized breeds to 184. To be eligible as a new breed, the AKC requires there to be several hundred examples around the US and an established club of breeders and owners. Eligible dogs can compete in the varied dog shows and field events that the AKC holds every year.
For dog lovers less particular about their pet’s pedigree, there are adoption centers for dogs of all ages around the US, at SPCA locations, city-run services and independent organizations.
