Canis lupus hominis

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Italian greyhound, lure coursing | 6 Comments

6 Responses

1. on February 15, 2009 at 5:55 pm mittelspitz

   Every time we’ve gone to a coursing event to watch, someone has had IGs (and this is in three different states, so there must be a fair number of them!) and they’re always fun to watch. I think it’s interesting how many of the toy breeds have more prey drive than people give them credit for. (And I wonder how many of them were doing more ratting than the breed descriptions imply, 200 years ago.)

   
   
   • on February 15, 2009 at 6:05 pm retrieverman

     I know that some Cavalier King Charles spaniels will get birdy.

     I think an Iggy would make an excellent rabbit courser. I’d run them as a trio, the way the Russians used borzoi to catch wolves.

     
     
2. on February 15, 2009 at 9:31 pm ms ann thrope

   Oh fun! Great choice of video! That is Donny the Wonderdog, aka Multi BIF FO URO1 UCD UCH ARCH DC Avagadro’s New Sunshine CDX RAE RL1X RL2 FCH SC CGC VCM and has been the #2 ASFA IG the past few years. He was running that day in a field of seeding dandelions which unsighted most of the iggy contingent and a bunch of whippets, too. Donny does Rally and Obedience when not chasing bunnies or catching seagulls out of the air at LC meets.
   No, he’s not mine. lol. I have the next best thing, a son from his only litter.
   Nobody credits toy dogs with much of anything, actually, except as a source of disparagement. If AKC does actually rearrange the groups and breeds as proposed, IGs will move to the Sighthound Group just as they are in FCI, and where I believe they belong.
   Thanks for choosing Donny to illustrate the breed’s keenness to chase!

   
   
   • on February 16, 2009 at 1:59 am retrieverman

     It was entirely by accident that I found this dog, so I’m glad you know his history– and even own one of his offspring.

     I’ve seen the proposed rearrangements in the AKC.

     One I that disappointed me is that dachshunds remain in the hound group. They are of partial scenthound ancestry, and they can be used as scenthounds.

     But they are really more of a terrier, and that’s their main function. Their temperament is that of a terrier, not a scenthound.

     
     
3. on February 28, 2009 at 10:49 pm Marla

   That’s MY boy! Coursing is Don’s favorite game in all we do to play, his chosen sport. While he excels at all the sports we play, this is the one he loves the most. He was filmed that day by our friend Carl, we are always grateful to Carl for his great photography and for being one of Don’s favorite fans!

   
   
   • on February 28, 2009 at 11:36 pm retrieverman

     I’m glad you don’t mind that I used a video of him in the post. IG’s were very influential in creating ratting terriers for the pits. But when I watch them move, I think of the bigger sighthounds. I’d like to try rabbit coursing with them, using three IG’s to catch the rabbit in the same way the Russians used three Borzoi to catch wolves. (I’m only half kidding).

     
     

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