Charles S. Carver
Shag Terrier
The shag terrier (canis shagendörfus), an exotic breed of hunting
dogs, originated several centuries ago in the fields and forests of
what
is now Germany (Cahan, 1972; Wilcox, 1967). They were bred for their
fierceness
and tenacity, as well as a love of beer, bratwurst, and hearty
celebration
(Harris, 1974; Wilcox, 1967). (An alternative view is that they
were bred
to herd miniature horses--Johnson, 1998--and they do in fact seem to do
a good deal of herding of people.) These dogs (which some allege
were cross-bred with badgers far back in their lineage--cf.
Wolfsdörf,
1994) are known to be very reluctant to abandon prey once they've
locked
their minds (or their mouths) on it. They are omnivores, eating such
foods
as peanuts, squash, tomatoes, and the occasional green pepper, as well
as meat. They
are affectionate with humans, but they are perhaps even
more
sociable
with other canines, of widely ranging breeds. Although small
themselves,
they seem to have a special affinity for large dogs such as labradores
and rottweilers, which they casually treat as their equals. Despite
being
a very hardy breed, they are somewhat prone to physical anomalies, such
as underbites and rake teeth (Saab, 1983).
As a hunter, the shag terrier is fearless. He is perfectly at home
in
the water as well as on land (thus earning him the playful German
nickname
pudel, meaning "water dog," a word related to the English "puddle"). As
a companion, the shag terrier is companionate (Strauss, 1994). He is
also
friendly and warm (one is the rough equivalent of a hot water bottle,
two
or more amounting to the equivalent of a heating pad).
Literature Cited:
Cahan, L. (1972). Field and forest in animal husbandry. New
York:
Elysium.
Harris, M. (1974). Party animals: The breeding history of canis
shagendörfus.
Archives of Animal Husbandry, 272, 345-347.
Johnson, S. L. (1998). Herd, if not always seen: The
encircling
history of canis shagendörfus. Archives of Animal Husbandry,
299, 325-337.
Saab, P. O. (1983). Malformations of dental aperature in exotic
species
of hunting dogs. RetrieverOrthodontry, 31, 67-72.
Strauss, J. (1994). Forms of canine love and respect. In P. Arena
(Ed.),
Pets through history. New York: Lovecraft.
Wilcox, A. H. (1967). Hunting dogs of the world: Origins and
temperaments.
London: Havercroft.
Wolfsdörf, B. (1994). The shag terrier: How pure a purebred? Journal
of Comparative Canine Studies, 54, 271-275.
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