| Kangaroo dog | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Kangaroo dog ca. 1915 | |||||||||||||
| Other names | Australian Greyhound Bush Greyhound Kangaroo Greyhound Kangaroo Hound Staghound Roo Dog | ||||||||||||
| Origin | Australia | ||||||||||||
| Foundation stock | Combination of varioussighthound breeds | ||||||||||||
| Breed status | Not recognised as abreed by any majorkennel club. | ||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
| Dog (domestic dog) | |||||||||||||
TheKangaroo Dog, also colloquially known theRoo Dog or theStaghound, was created in the early 1800s from afoundation stock of primarilyBritish colonialsighthounds. The initial breeds included in creating this type were theGreyhound and theScottish Deerhound.[1] Later accounts include introduction of theBorzoi,Saluki and other breeds.[2]
The Kangaroo Dog is decidedly not abreed, but is instead classified as atype, with populations today primarily remaining in the hands ofhunters who wish to preserve the functional utility of the Kangaroo Dog rather than dwell on factors such asstandardization orANKC recognition.[3][2]
The Kangaroo Dog has been reportedly part ofAustralian hunting culture since the beginning ofcolonization, with early settlers needing a dog that could handle the rigor of hunting in theAustralian environment, particularly againstkangaroos, who were a major food source for the early settlers.[4][3][2][5][6]Kangaroos were already weary of both humans and dogs, due to 50,000 years of interactions withAboriginal peoples and theirdingo hunting companions.[1]
Greyhounds andScottish Deerhounds made up the earliest populations of Kangaroo Dogs.[7][1][5][8] Though many breeds were eventually added along the way. Interestingly, theScottish Deerhound wascolloquially known as the Scotch Staghound,[9] not to be confused with theEnglish Staghound, anextinctscenthound.[10][11]
Some accounts suggest thatDarug people had Kangaroo Dogs as early as 1802, while in 1804 colonists sailed Kangaroo Dogs toLutruwita, Tasmania where they were incorporated into the lives ofIndigenous communities.[1] The earliest known print reference to Kangaroo Dogs appear inclassified advertisements as early as 1805 in theSydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser.[12]
The goal of breeding the Kangaroo Dog was to create a sighthound fast, strong and robust enough to outrun, catch and hold akangaroo without being injured or disemboweled by the animal's powerful, clawed hind legs.[1] From the 1830s onward, colonial hunting clubs were established across Australia's colonies, with nativekangaroos,wallabies ordingoes pursued by mounted hunters and their kangaroo dogs.[8][4]
Those who continue to keep the Kangaroo Dog today have rejectedstandardization, and so there is no one correct way for a Kangaroo Dog to look. However, the Kangaroo Dog's form follows function, and continues to represent thesighthoundphenotype.[1][2][3]
TheABC describes them as "muscly, heavily boned, agile, capable of great endurance — and a bit of an eyesore."[1]
Both contemporary and historical sources indicate that both the terms Kangaroo Dog and Staghound refer interchangeably to the sametype-bredsighthound, acrossbreed coming fromGreyhound andScottish Deerhound foundations with other breeds mixed in as needed, in theAustralianhunting context with slight differences reflected inphenotype.[6][5][11][13][14][3]
Contemporary pig hunting enthusiast blogs, such asBoardogs.com, write about their experiences hunting with the dogs documenting that the rougher-coated varieties are what are referred to asStaghounds while the smooth-coated varieties retain the name ofKangaroo Dog.[3][13] Writers atBoardogs.com additionally write that hot and humid climates are not suitable for the rough-coated dog as they tend to overheat quicker than the smooth-coated dog.[13] Staghounds are preferred by hunters of large game, due to the added protection of their rough-coats, and are a common choice for pig hunting.[3][13][15] The Kangaroo Dog is preferred in warmer climates, and cautioned against using on larger game, instead promoted as a small game hunter due to their more sensitive coats and slimmer,greyhound-like features.[3][13]
Much like how some sources describeGreyhounds as "couch potatoes", the Kangaroo Dog is described by some owners as "sooks" who sleep about 16 hours a day.[1][16]
While the type was initially created for kangaroo hunting, it is now strictly illegal to hunt native species with hounds. The Kangaroo Dogs are dwindling in numbers, though still used in pockets of Western Australia and other states for the hunting of invasive pest species such asferal pigs andred foxes.[17][1][3][13]
In 1996, Australian comedian and performerKevin Bloody Wilson released "Roo Dog", a Christmas parody of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" which directly references the Kangaroo Dog and describes them as "wet-nose crossbreed" and "ugliest dog you've ever seen".[1][18]
