The Kangaroo Dog is a purpose-bred Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

n sighthound

Sighthound

Sighthounds, also called gazehounds, are hounds that primarily hunt by speed and sight, instead of by scent and endurance as scent hounds do.-Appearance:...

 that is considered a "type" of dog rather than a purebred

Purebred

Purebreds, also called purebreeds, are cultivated varieties or cultivars of an animal species, achieved through the process of selective breeding...

. The breed is maintained purely for hunting game by sight, and little interest is shown by breeders in joining the ANKC. However there is some discussion among a small group of hunters on starting a working registry which focuses on the working ability of these dogs rather than solely on their looks.

Origins

Hunting sighthound

Sighthound

Sighthounds, also called gazehounds, are hounds that primarily hunt by speed and sight, instead of by scent and endurance as scent hounds do.-Appearance:...

s such as Greyhounds and Scottish Deerhounds accompanied early settlers as they spread across Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

, providing meat for their masters by catching game animals such as emus, kangaroos

KangaROOS

KangaROOS are an American brand of sneaker originally produced from 1979 through the 1980s, with a later revival that continues in present. They were notable for having a small zippered pocket on the side of the shoe, large enough for a small amount of loose change, keys, or more recently,...

 and wallabies

Wallaby

A wallaby is any of about thirty species of macropod . It is an informal designation generally used for any macropod that is smaller than a kangaroo or wallaroo that has not been given some other name.-Overview:...

. They also protected the early pioneers' sheep flocks against dingo

Dingo

The Australian Dingo or Warrigal is a free-roaming wild dog unique to the continent of Australia, mainly found in the outback. Its original ancestors are thought to have arrived with humans from southeast Asia thousands of years ago, when dogs were still relatively undomesticated and closer to...

es.

The best of these dogs were bred together, to combine the qualities of each breed to create a running dog that could cope with Australia's harsh and rugged conditions. The Greyhound

Greyhound

The Greyhound is a breed of sighthound that has been primarily bred for coursing game and racing, and the breed has also recently seen a resurgence in its popularity as a pedigree show dog and family pet. It is a gentle and intelligent breed...

 was used for its speed and fantastic eyesight, while the Deerhound blood added tougher feet, a thicker coat, a more powerful body and excellent stamina. There is evidence that other running and working dog breeds such as Borzoi

Borzoi

The borzoi is a breed of domestic dog also called the Russian wolfhound and descended from dogs brought to Russia from central Asian countries. It is similar in shape to a greyhound, and is also a member of the sighthound family.The system by which Russians over the ages named their sighthounds...

, Whippet

Whippet

The Whippet is a breed of dog in the sighthound family. They are active and playful and are physically similar to a small Greyhound.- Description :...

, Saluki

Saluki

The Saluki, also known as the Royal Dog of Egypt and Persian Greyhound is one of the oldest known breeds of domesticated dog. From the period of the Middle Kingdom onwards, Saluki-like animals appear on the ancient Egyptian tombs of 2134 BC. They have connections both to the Bible and Imperial...

 and Irish Wolfhound

Irish Wolfhound

The Irish wolfhound is a breed of domestic dog , specifically a sighthound. The name originates from its purpose rather than from its appearance...

 were added into the mix, but the majority of the heritage comes from greyhound and deerhound lines.

From these breeds two separate yet similar types emerged, the smooth-coated Kangaroo Dogs, and the rough-coated Australian Staghound

Australian Staghound

The Australian Staghound is a hybrid of the Greyhound and the Scottish Deerhound dogs that were brought to Australia by European settlers. They were used for hunting in Australia dating back to the late 18th century, but have not been recognized as a distinct breed...

s. Both types are noted for their great speed, excellent stamina and powerful bodies.

Present day

Although quite rare, "roo dogs" still persist as a type in rural communities where hunting rabbits and foxes remains a popular pastime. Apart from being bred to continue the type, Roo Dogs are also often cross-bred with molosser and bulldog breeds to add speed and stamina in some lines of hog dog

Hog-baiting

Hog-baiting, also known as, hog dogging, is a spectator event that simulates wild boar hunting with dogs. It requires specially bred "hog dogs" that are used to bay a hog or boar...

.

The smooth-coated Kangaroo Dogs are better suited to warmer parts of Australia as they have less protection from the elements. Because they are generally more greyhound-like than their staghound cousins and lack the thick protective coat, they are also prone to skin tears when hunting dangerous game such as dingoes and feral pigs, and despite their powerful stature are probably more suitable for smaller game such as rabbits, foxes and hares. The hunting of native animals such as kangaroos with sighthounds is now strictly illegal.

The ability of Kangaroo Dogs to use their scenting abilities while hunting is variable from bloodline to bloodline, although most seem to have an average nose and rely much more on sight to hunt their prey. Staghounds or Kangaroo dogs with an infusion of Great Dane

Great Dane

The Great Dane , also known as German Mastiff or Danish Hound , is a breed of domestic dog known for its giant size...

 or Wolfhound

Wolfhound

Wolfhound can refer to various breeds of dogs that have been bred to hunt wolves or to established lines of wolf-dog crosses that retain significant characteristics of wolves. Wolf-dog hybrids crossed in recent generations are often referred to as wolfdogs, wolf-dog hybrids or wolf crosses, but...

tend to display better scenting abilities.

External links

• Pictures of Kangaroo dogs This is the official site of the Kangaroo dog and Australian Staghound.