Maltese

The Maltese is a dog breed with ancient and confusing origins. It was bestowed that name "Maltese" during the 19th century, but it actually dates back much farther-- possibly to Greek and Roman times!

Maltese Dogs have always been small. Today they weigh less than 10lbs and stand less than a foot tall. It is believed that their small size came from either Spitz breeds that were bred to be tinier than normal, or from Tibetan Terriers. Either way, by around 500BC there were depictions of Maltese-looking dogs in northern Italy. These dogs were mentioned by writers like Pliny and Strabo, and were said to come from a Mediterranean Island (of which Malta is one).

By the 1800s these dogs were very popular with the upper class, though years of crossing with other breeds led to nearly a dozen different varieties. An official breed club was established, and they were recognized by the AKC in 1888. Official standards came along with the formal recognition, and today all Maltese Dogs are white furred (in the past other colors, and even mixed color dogs were seen).

The Maltese has always been a companion breed, ever since its creation thousands of years ago. They are lively and playful, and do well in small home and apartments. They also do not posses an undercoat, and shed very little. For this reason they are popular with dog owners who suffer from allergies.

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Status : Domesticated
Location : Central Europe
Size : Height up to 12in (30cm), Weight up to 10lbs (4.5kg)
Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Carnivora
Family : Canidae -- Genus : Canis -- Species : C. lupus -- Subspecies : C. l. familiaris
Image : SheltieBoy

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Affenpinscher

The Affenpinscher is a breed of dag that dates back more than 400 years. It's name comes from the German word for "monkey," probably because they have very primate-like faces.

Like many breeds, modern Affenpinschers look different now when compared to their ancestors. They are smaller now, and generally come only in black (some other colors are also recognized, but they are rare to see). The Affenpinschers of centuries past came in many other colors more commonly, and even had white feet and chests.

When it comes to temperament, Affenpinschers are very adventurous and playful. They tend to get along well with other dogs (and other pets in general) and are very active.

Affenpinschers tend to be one of the lesser-known breeds. But last year they got a spot in the limelight when one received the Best in Show award at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.

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Status : Domesticated
Location : Germany
Size : Height up to 12in (30cm), Weight up to 13lbs (6kg)
Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Carnivora
Family : Canidae -- Genus : Canis -- Species : C. lupus -- Subspecies : C. l. familiaris
Image : Kennel Imrun

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Mexican Wolf

Canis lupus baileyi

The Mexican Wolf is a subspecies of Grey Wolf-- and the most rare subspecies at that. They are listed as Critically Endangered. On top of being close to extinction, they are the smallest (about the size of a German Shepherd), most genetically distinct, and the most southern-living of the North American grey wolves.

Mexican Wolves used to have a range that spread across northern Mexico and the southwest United States. Over time, the large prey mammals that the wolves hunted became more rare, and so the wolves turned to livestock, resulting in widespread wolf hunting. By the 1970s they were extinct in the wild.

Today there are about 75 Mexican Wolves in Arizona, placed there as part of a reintroduction project that began in 1998. The population has been growing, but very slowly. In addition to those wolves, there are about 300 individuals in captivity, with 47 breeding facilities.

Unfortunately those reintroduced Wolves are being hunted, with two shot illegally in 2011. Another troubling issue facing the subspecies is hybridization. Coyotes are common in the area, and research has shown that Coyotes and Mexican Wolves have bred in the past, as genetic markers have been found across the wild populations. Keeping the two species genetically separate is vital to the full recovery of the Wolf populations.

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IUCN Status : Critically Endangered
Location : Mexico, southwest United States
Size : Height up to 2.5ft (.8m)
Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Carnivora
Family: Canidae -- Genus : Canis -- Species : C. lupus -- Subspecies : C. l. baileyi
Image : Ltshears

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Alaunt

Ready for a history lesson? Alaunt is the name given to a now-extinct breed of dog that lived for hundreds, if not thousands of years before vanishing during the 17th century.

The Alaunt originated in Central Asia, being bred by the Alani tribes that were nomadic and spoke an Indo-Iranian language. These people used the large working dogs for many purposes-- hunting, herding, and livestock protection among them.

In the 4th century AD, the Alani tribes were split following a Hun invasion, and they moved in two separate directions. The eastern group eventually merged with the Ossetians, while the western group went with the Vandals who raided Western Europe over time. The Alaunt diverged at this point as well, and interbred with breeds throughout Europe and central Asia, and continued to vary in purpose.

After several hundred years, the name Alaunt referred less to a specific breed, and more to a general working type of dog. Some where lighter, like modern sight-hounds, while others were bigger and more Mastiff-like. By the 17th century the Alaunt as an actual breed was no more, though they helped to influence the creation of several modern dogs, including the Bulldogs. Various Central Asian breeds, like the Caucasian Ovcharka, also share ancestry with the ancient Alaunt, which probably originally looked very similar to a shorter-haired version of the Ovcharka.

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Status : Domesticated, currently Extinct
Location : Europe and Asia
Size : Varied
Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Carnivora
Family : Canidae -- Genus : Canis-- Species : C. lupus -- Subspecies : C. l. familiaris

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Golden Jackal

Canis aureus

Meet the Golden Jackal, one of the most widespread dog species on the planet!

Jackals are usually associated with the Continent of Africa, but did you know they live in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia as well?  There are a dozen different subspecies of this canine, which is a closer relative to Grey Wolves than it is to the Black-backed and Side-striped Jackals.

Golden Jackals are amazing at adapting to their surroundings. They can live in just about any habitat (except exceptionally snowy areas) and they eat a wide variety of foods. Carrion, fruits, birds, reptiles, antelope, and insects are just a few of the different things that these dogs will consume, depending on their location and the time of year.

Their social structure also varies as much as their location and diet. Some live in only small pair groups, while others have more extended families. The territory that they keep depends on location as well. Some groups have a very small range, while others will mark off a spot that encompasses 12 square km.

Because of their large range and their adaptability, Golden Jackals have a long history with humans. They appear in the folklore and mythology of many different cultures, for example. Anubis, the Egyptian god of embalming, has the head of a Jackal. Other Jackals appear in stories from India, where they are depicted as cunning and intelligent creatures. Golden Jackals also have had run-ins with livestock, and have been hunted for sport, and for their fur.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : Africa, Europe, and Asia
Size : Body length around 47in (125cm) , weight up to 35lbs (16kg)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Carnivora
Family : Canidae -- Genus : Canis-- Species : C. aureus

Image : D. Gordon E. Robertson, , Thimindu

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