African hairless dog
African hairless dogs, also known as Abyssinian sand terriers, were hairless dogs from Africa. It is unknown if any examples still exist.[1][2][3]
African hairless dog | |||||||||
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African hairless dog at the Natural History Museum at Tring | |||||||||
Other names | Abyssinian sand dog Abyssinian sand terrier Abessijnse zandterrier African elephant dog African sand dog Zulu sand dog | ||||||||
Origin | Africa | ||||||||
Breed status | Extinct | ||||||||
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Dog (domestic dog) |
A number of early European accounts from Africa mention a small hairless dog, it was described as fast moving with a short, sharp bark and in appearance it was said to be sandy-coloured with a crest of hair on its head and a tuft on its tail, although photographs fail to show any hair.[1] Three examples were brought to Britain in 1833 and were displayed at the London Zoo as Egyptian Hairless dogs; a specimen dating from 1903 is preserved at the Natural History Museum at Tring in Herefordshire, England.[1] Accounts of African hairless dogs have described them as Abyssinian, Egyptian and Zulu, suggesting hairless dogs were encountered across the continent; it is believed to be extinct, although no thorough search has been conducted across Africa to confirm it no longer exists.[1]
See also
References
- Morris, Desmond (2001). Dogs:the ultimate guide to over 1,000 dog breeds. North Pomfret, VT: Trafalgar Square Publishing. pp. 319–320. ISBN 1-57076-219-8.
- Gondrexon-Ives Brown, A. (1974). A guide to dogs of the world. Lausanne: Hamlyn Publishing Group Ltd. p. 222. ISBN 0-907812-17-1.
- Wilcox, Bonnie; Walkowicz, Chris (1995). Atlas of dog breeds of the world. Neptune City, N.J.: TFH Publications. p. 288.
External links
- Media related to African Hairless Dog at Wikimedia Commons