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Writer's pictureSnjezana-Xena M.

TOP EIGHT DOG BREEDS IN THE PAST AND NOW

Updated: May 11, 2022



TOP EIGHT DOG BREEDS IN THE PAST AND NOW


WRITTEN BY XENA


You must be wondering, what did your best four-legged friend DOG look like 100 or more years ago and what has changed in his physical appearance since then.?

All this and a little more, you will find out in our today's post in which I will look at the appearance of then and now just a few well-known BREEDS OF DOGS. You will see what they looked like 100 years ago, and how they look today: GERMAN SHEPHERD, SHETLAND SHEEPDOG, ST. BERNARD DOG, DACHSHUND, but also AIREDALE TERRIER, BULL TERRIER, BOXER, and ENGLISH BULLDOG. Selective breeding has "cruelly" played with some BREEDS, that are today unrecognizable in relation to their ancestors. Find out now how man has changed DOG BREEDS over the years by adapting them to his own wishes.


One of the most popular BREEDS of DOG today, it has also undergone a "metamorphosis" over time. Not only has he gone from a medium-sized DOG (25 kg) to a LARGE DOG, weighing as much as 13 kg or more than his past ancestor, but selective breeding has also “gifted” him with a rounded hind hull, i.e. lowered back unlike his older relatives who had flatbacks.

Precisely because of this physical trait, the GERMAN SHEPHERD is today prone to health problems with hips, spine, and hind legs.


SHETLAND SHEEPDOG

today he looks visibly different than his 1915 ancestor. This dog, maybe you have seen in the movies and was called LASSIE because for a long time movies about the dog called LASSIE were at the top of all Hollywood charts. At the time LASSIE was the best Hollywood blockbuster! He differs from his older ancestor not only in his long hair but also in his weight. So this DOG today weighs about 9 kg, while the bodyweight of the SHETLAND SHEEPDOG not so long ago was about 4 kg.


this gentle, furry “giant” of the abbreviated name Barry owes its current appearance to breeding. The original BERNARDINS were the size of a GERMAN SHEPHERD, so much smaller than they are now. They had the role of guardians and escorts, but also of the working DOG. Thanks to their refined sense of smell, they were able to locate lost passengers. Their invaluable role proved to be very important in finding and rescuing the missing in the mountains. Maybe you saw this dog in the pictures with a small barrel around his neck and what I am going to tell you now is not a myth but a fact and the real truth, and that is that the barrel was filled with rum or cognac so that the injured mountaineers could refresh themselves and warm-up in anticipation of the savior. Today, precisely because of its excessive size, it is no longer as useful as it once was. In addition, physical changes have caused a number of health problems with the eyes and spine, as well as hemophilia, overheating, and well-known salivation.

There are Two pictures in one and it is St.Bernard dog in black and white once and St.Bernard Dog in color now.
St Bernard Dog Once And St. Bernard Dog Now

DACHSHUND

as well as other BREEDS of DOGS have changed their appearance over time. These cute little DOGS used to have a more harmonious physique than they do today when their body is almost crawling on the ground. Spinal problems in today's DOGS can lead to paralysis, and they also have eye problems.

Two dogs are on the picture, Duchsund dog in black and white versus Dachshund dog in color.
Dachshund Dog Once An Dachshund Dog Now

AIREDALE TERRIER

it is the largest among all TERRIERS and belongs to the group of MEDIUM DOGS. In their case, fur has changed the most through selective breeding, so it is longer and denser in today's DOGS.


BULL TERRIER

is a BREED that, perhaps most clearly shows that one should not play too much by experimenting in selective breeding. Once slender and head-shaped, today chunky and stocky with an enlarged American football-like head and excess teeth. They are an example of improper breeding, which is the cause of the completely unrecognizable appearance of this BREED. Exactly such cultivation has caused health problems with teeth, mental problems, and also the possibility of aggressive behavior.


BOXER

is the BREED with the highest risk of developing cancer. The changes in appearance were mainly related to the appearance of the muzzle, which became shorter and smaller while retaining its original flatness. As a result, these DOGS have difficulty controlling body temperature.

There are Boxer Dog in black and white and Boxer Dog In color in the picture.
Boxer Dog Once And Boxer Dog Now

ENGLISH BULLDOG

drooping lips and spread legs — the main characteristics of this BREED, are even more pronounced today, though it has retained most of its present features from before. Therefore, we can conclude that the appearance of the ENGLISH BULLDOG has not changed significantly over time.


It is important to emphasize that, in addition to the above, other BREEDS of DOGS have changed their appearance over time. By selective breeding, breeders sought to improve the already existing characteristics of the BREED, which in many BREEDS resulted in an almost unrecognizable appearance compared to the original BREED.

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