Dolichocephaly

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JudyN
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Dolichocephaly

Post by JudyN »

No, dolichocephaly isn't some strange and unusual disorder in dogs... it translates from the Greek as 'long face', so is the opposite of brachycephaly. I found this article really interesting: https://thehappypuppysite.com/long-face ... mksOhk2gxM

My favourite bit was about some scent detection tests done on pugs, GSDs and greyhounds. The pugs consistently outperformed the GSDs. The greyhounds? They 'showed “a general failure to participate”, so no results for them were collected' :mrgreen:
Jasper, lurcher, born December 2009
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Nettle
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Re: Dolichocephaly

Post by Nettle »

I couldn't access the link, but it used to be put about that brachy dogs were superior in intelligence because they could get more brains in their skulls :lol: which says a lot about the scientists who thought of that one.

If only the greyhounds had been given something worth scenting! You can just see them gazing into the distance with that world-weary expression and a sigh of "Oh per-leeeeze!"
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JudyN
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Re: Dolichocephaly

Post by JudyN »

It's a shame you couldn't access the article, Nettle. Here's the summay:
Dolichocephalic or long face dogs have elongated skull and jaw bones, which give them their characteristic long heads.

Dolichocephalic dog head shapes are closer to the natural shape of their ancestor, the wolf. This protects them from the myriad of health problems caused by brachycephaly.

Despite this, long faced dog breeds are gradually losing popularity to more brachycephalic breeds.

I think this is a real shame, because dogs with long faces have so much to recommend them.

Besides an increased risk of some ailments (and surely every breed has an increased risk of something), they are generally healthy.

They are more inclined to good behavior, and if you live with a messy eater, they’ll remove the evidence in seconds.

And they laugh in the face of serious scientific investigation (unless there’s food).

I think that’s why I love them.
And here's the bit about 'good' behaviour:
They found that many undesirable behaviors, such as aggression towards their owner and other dogs, compulsive staring, mounting people and objects, separation anxiety and problems with inappropriate urination or soiling (including rolling in feces) were less common in dolichocephalic breeds.

The long face dogs weren’t complete angels though: they were more likely to chase things, bark persistently, steal food, and be scared of strangers.

This backs up their reputation as the dog fraternity’s opportunists – if they see food they grab it, if something flits through their vision they give chase to find out if it was something good.
I'm not sure I agree with 'if something flits through their vision they give chase to find out if it was something good', at least as far as J is concerned. He's able to tell at an instant whether it's worth chasing (deer, rabbit, hare), and if he's unsure, he'll think about it till he decides.
Jasper, lurcher, born December 2009
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Nettle
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Re: Dolichocephaly

Post by Nettle »

Same experiences here. Dogs do a cost/benefit analysis involving complex mathematics, taking in speed, terrain, wind direction, trajectory, likelihood of fighting back, and meat poundage for effort if successful.

Whatever the dog's head (or body) shape, I'd expect it to be opportunistic for scavenging, and able to assess strangers. As for too much barking - certainly not sighthounds, though pack hounds are bred for it.
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