Canis Lupus Familiaris

Common Names

Dogs, hounds, mutts, mongrels, curs

Foreword

There are a vast number of differing dog breeds; there is no possible way to cover every single dog breed in a guide such as this. Rather than offer a list of potential dog breeds to choose from, this page instead offers information on what may happen to dogs after humanity dies out, based upon inferences made from current wild dog populations and other resources.

Various outside resources list dog breeds to choose from when creating a character—remember, however, it is highly unlikely for any purebred dogs to still be in existence in the 'Soulsverse. Small pockets of a certain breed may still exist if they were particularly picky about purity, but for the most part, the specialized and distinctive breeds we see would "devolve" into what is known as a landrace, that is—an animal that lives in a specific area or environment and develops certain characteristics adapted to that environment.

With the lack of selective breeding enforced by humanity, dog breeds would quickly lose their defining features. They would become quite different from how we know them today in this post-apocalyptic world.

'Souls Range

Everywhere. Dogs were present throughout the world prior to the extinction of humanity, and they remain so after the fact. Wild canines, more easily able to survive, are generally dominant over dog populations; however, there are a few areas of the world in which dogs have become one of the top predators: South America as a whole is an example of this. The Canine World Species Map merely displays areas where dogs might be considered a dominant population.

Appearance

Depending on the environment, different breeds may do better than others. For the most part, after a few generations, there would be virtually no distinction of breeds—except in areas where there was a heavy concentration of one type of dog, or one type of dog came out dominant over the others. For example, in Alaska it would be more likely for Spitz-type dogs to survive than anything else thanks to their adaptations to cold weather. Areas with lots of farmland might end up with lots of herding-type dogs, but there's no guarantee that a particular type of dog would remain dominant.

Realistically, dogs would breed indiscriminately with other breeds. Over time, different areas may have developed different "types" of dogs—we can look at the Dingo, which evolved over thousands of years to its natural state and is highly adapted to the arid environment of most of interior Australia, for evidence of this. In general, domesticated-gone-feral dogs tend to develop tawny, yellowish or tan-colored coats, as proven by the Dingo and the Carolina dog. The specialized patterns found in breeds like dalmatians would disappear quickly as these animals would have a harder time hunting with such conspicuous coats.

Breeds with extremely long hair or breeds with "winterized" hair—e.g., Siberian Huskies—might have difficulty surviving in an extremely hot environment (southwestern United States, for example). Conversely, breeds with extremely short hair or no hair at all would have difficulty surviving in the northern parts of the world—Great Danes and American Staffordshire Terriers wouldn't do very well in northern Alaska and Canada.

Likely Breeds

• Herding Dogs: These are breeds that were bred in order to assist humans with herding. In general, these are medium-sized dogs with high intelligence. Many of these breeds are also very sociable and work well together, indicating it is likely they would form packs and find it easier to survive. Examples include the German Shepherd Dog, Border Collie, and the Australian Cattle Dog.
• Pinscer and Schnauzer Dogs: These are breeds that were originated as companion and guard dogs, as well as some herding needs. These dogs can vary in size, from the Giant Schnauzer to the Miniature Schnauzer, and also includes medium-sized dogs such as the Doberman Pinscer. These are high-intelligence dogs, and they are typically energetic and lively. However, the Pinscer-type dogs typically have shorter fur, which may make it more difficult for them in particular to survive. Long-hair Pinscers may have developed after a few generations.
• Mountain Dogs: They are generally very large, and as they were typically bred in colder climates, they tend to have longer and thicker fur. These dogs may survive very well in mountainous, cold regions, but they would not do as well in extremely hot regions. Their size also makes for difficulty surviving—dogs of this size may have difficulty sustaining their appetites. Examples include the Saint Bernard, Newfoundland, and the Great Pyrenees.
• Terriers: Terriers are a diverse group, ranging from the tiny Yorkshire Terrier to the large, ill-reputed American Staffordshire Terrier. Generally, these dogs were bred to assist humans with small animal hunting, pest control, and companionship. Though these dogs are intelligent, active, and energetic, they are typically of medium-to-small size, and many of them have very short fur. Examples include the Airdale Terrier, Fox Terrier, and the Jack Russel Terrier.
• Spitz Dogs: These are generally cold-weather dogs; most of these types of dogs were bred in the coldest regions of the world for various human uses—they are both hunters and sled-pullers. Generally, these breeds are quite old. Most of these dog breeds have been thought of as "closest" to their wolf ancestors, making it highly likely that they would have a high survival rate after humans disappear. Examples include the Siberian Husky, Norwegian Elkhound, and Akita Inu.
  
  
  
  
  
• Primitive Dogs: Primitive-type dogs are generally a rarer type of dog; they are not common breeds, and so it may be difficult for some of them to survive after the apocalypse simply because they are so outnumbered by other dog breeds. However, the advantage of these primitive dogs (sometimes referred to as pariah dogs) is that they are very adapted to their environment—one example of this is the Canaan Dog, a breed domesticated from feral dogs living in modern-day Israel. Many of these dogs were intended as hunting animals—for example, the Rhodesian Ridgeback, originally bred in Zimbabwe, was developed to assist in the hunting of lions. Examples include the Basenji and Pharaoh Hound.
• Scenthounds: Scenthounds are extremely varied. There are tracking dogs such as the Bloodhound, bred specifically to be able to follow a prey's scent trail, as well as group hunting dogs such as the English Foxhound and American Foxhound. Many of these breeds were developed to be able to hunt in large packs; as such, they are extremely social and able to work with other canines. Examples include the Black and Tan Coonhound, Beagle, and Basset Hound. Scenthounds' characteristic droopy ears might disappear quickly, however. While the drooping ears do perform the function of "funneling" the scent upward toward the dogs' noses, upturned ears are seen almost universally in wild canine sas clearly provide a distinctive hearing advantage.
• Pointers and Setters: Pointers and setters were bred in order to stop and indicate game with their muzzles for a human hunter, first for net hunters and later for gun hunters. Pointers were typically meant to work alone; they may not be as readily sociable as group hunting dogs. These dog types may find survival easier to come by; they are quiet and efficient hunters. Generations of breeding insured that these dogs did not scare prey or attack prior to the hunter's command. Hunting instincts in these dogs may display as early as two months old. Examples include the Irish Setter, Weimaraner, and the English Pointer.
• Retrievers and Water Dogs: These types of dogs were originally bred for waterfowl hunting. Golden and Labrador Retrievers are the most well-known of these dogs. Naturally, most of these dogs have an instinctive drive to swim in the water, and they may do well surviving near lakes and rivers or in swampy areas. They generally have a friendly demeanor and are quite docile, which may regulate them into middle-tier ranks in mixed dog packs. Other dogs included in this category would be the Portuguese Water Dog, Chesapeake Bay Retriever, and the American Water Spaniel.
• Sighthounds: Sighthounds were also bred originally for hunting. As their name indicates, they relied on sight rather than smell to take down their prey. Generally, dogs of this type are quite large, although they may be extremely lean and thin and have short fur. Numerous breeds in this group, such as Greyhounds, are independent and may be fiercely competitive with other canines. These competitive instincts may prevent them from forming strong packs. Other types, such as the Irish Wolfhound, were intended to hunt wolves with other dogs, and so they may not be as competitive. Other examples include the Saluki, Borzoi, and the Whippet.

Unlikely Breeds

• Flushing Dogs: Flushing dogs, such as the American Cocker Spaniel, were originally bred to scare up game, typically birds, from the underbrush for a hunter. Unfortunately, these dogs would not likely survive very long in a post-apocalypse setting—their first instinct is to frighten prey for a hunter, and this instinct does not lead to successful hunting. Other examples include the English Springer Spaniel and the German Spaniel.
• Companion and Toy Dogs: These are typically smaller dogs—most of these breeds typically do not exceed 30 pounds (13.6 kg). They were almost universally bred for their companionship—as such, they are generally docile and very intelligent. These dogs would have difficulty surviving without humanity around; they are quite small and generally unable to defend themselves against larger animals.
  Further, as many toy breeds were designed for aesthetics rather than functionality, they would not be able to exist at all without human interventions. For example, male French bulldogs are too top-heavy for regular mating and females are generally artificially inseminated. Mothers also require a caesarian section operation to deliver puppies, as the pups' heads are too wide for the mother's birth canal. Other examples of this dog type include the Poodle, Shih Tzu, and the Chihuahua.
• Dachshunds: Dachshunds are unique amongst dog breeds for their short legs and their long, thin body. Unfortunately, there is little chance of this body type being passed along to continuing generations; dachshund-type dogs may have been bred for their hunting and tracking abilities, but unfortunately, without the selective breeding of humanity, this trait and dog type would quickly die out. Short legs and such a thin, long body do not make for easy survival. Additionally, dachshunds are prone to back and spine problems.
• Molossoid Dogs: These breeds tend to be very large, ranging from the huge, lean Great Dane to the generally massive Neapolitan Mastiff. Most of these dogs tend to be on the extremely large size, and most Molossoid-type breeds feature a pushed-in, upturned nose. This can vary between breeds—the Rottweiler has virtually no Molossoid nasal features, whereas the Boxer is an extreme Molossoil in nasal formation. Extreme Mollosoid features often makes for respiratory issues in the dogs—they have more difficulty breathing and they are more prone to respiratory infections and illnessses. This feature of the Molossoid-type dogs would certainly disappear within a few generations. Examples of this type of dog include Rottweiler, Boxer, and the English Mastiff.

Other Characteristics

Survival

Size is a large factor in determining the survival rates of certain dog breeds. Smaller dogs such as toy dogs are unlikely to survive; their petite stature means they are incapable of bringing down many types of large prey. They would very likely be limited to smaller rodents, a type of prey for which there is other fierce competition: birds of prey, larger dogs, feral cats, and other small predatory animals. Very large dogs would also have difficulty surviving—a Great Dane or an Irish Wolfhound would have a lot of trouble finding enough food to satisfy their appetites, and thus they may fall prey to starvation. Most of the Molosser-type breeds—mastiffs, Saint Bernards, Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs, etc—would find it difficult to sustain their appetites as well. Medium-sized dogs would likely survive best of all breeds.

Intelligence plays a role in determining the survival of certain species and even within the individuals of dogs. Collies are among the smartest dogs, as well as poodles. Doberman pinschers and rottweilers are also very intelligent, along with golden and labrador retrievers. German Shepherd Dogs are also extremely intelligent, along with some toy breeds—though it is likely their smaller size would prove too great a detriment to survival. Along degree of working and obedience intelligence, the Afghan Hound, Basenji, Basset Hound, Bloodhound, and Mastiff rank very poorly.¹ Remember, though, that working and obedience intelligence don't equate general intelligence—a breed may simply be disinclined toward obedience. This does not necessarily make them dumb, it just means they won't go to the lengths other breeds will to satisfy mankind—which may be a different type of intelligence altogether!

Dogs are capable of adapting extremely quickly to harsh or unfamiliar environments—common street dogs in Moscow, which are technically feral, have learned to use the metro system in the city to get to where they need to go. The dogs live by scrounging and begging from people, and they are viewed by most as both a nuisance as well as an endearing part of the city. ⁸

Specialization

Dogs with extremely specialized training—for example, military dogs, police dogs, assistance dogs, and so forth—would survive much better than any average companion animal due to their training. Military and police dogs are both selected for numerous physical and mental characteristics which would make them much better survivors. Assistance dogs have a sort of "programming" acquired during their training for assistance that would also increase their capability of surviving—for example, a blind person's guide dog would be able to find its way back to the grocery store quite easily, providing food for itself for some time.² Certain dogs are often used for this sort of work because of their intelligence, strength, temperament, and size—among these are the German Shepherd Dog, Golden and Labrador Retrievers, Rough and Smooth Coated Collies, Boxers, Doberman Pinschers, Pointers, and so forth.³

Purebreds versus Landraces

In general, purebred dogs would not do as well as mixed breed or mongrel dogs. Purebred dogs are often inbred, their genetic pool so restricted that in a 2006 study, the Imperial College in London found 10,000 pugs in the United Kingdom had a genetic pool roughly equivalent to fifty individuals.⁶ Inbreeding is a serious issue—a lack of genetic diversity in a species can lead to increased health problems and weaker individuals as time goes on. Of course, as the post-apocalyptic dogs bred indiscriminately, some of these genetic problems would disappear, but on the whole, the species would be greatly weakened by the predisposition to genetic illness many show-quality dogs exhibit, and individuals would have a far more difficult time surviving.

Another problem inherent with most conformation purebred dogs is the simple fact that they have been bred for appearance rather than functionality. Compare the Seppala Siberian Sleddog, which is far closer to the original Siberian Husky dogs imported from 1908 to 1930, to the Siberian husky commonly seen in shows today—they are radically different, to say the least. Breeding for appearance completely ignores the functionality in a dog and often leads to ghastly health problems—for example, all the breathing and respiratory problems faced by brachycephalic (broad, flat headed) dogs such as Pugs, Pekingese, some types of bulldogs, and so forth. The basic functionality of the dog and its respiratory system is compromised for a look humans find attractive. Extremely short muzzles and upturned noses could be gone from the population in a generation or less.

"Landraces" are "domesticated animals or plants adapted to the natural and cultural environment in which they live (or originated) and, in some cases, work."⁷ These types of animals are different from breeds in that they typically originate without human interference, whereas a breed is developed by specific pairings based on traits that humans find desirable in animals. Dog breeds that have developed as landraces rather than breeds would do well—Wikipedia's article on landraces mentions the Border Collie and Saluki as examples; the "original" dogs from the area where they are from are generally far better adapted to the "show-quality" dogs seen in many show rings. The Saluki seen in the show ring might not be able to run a rabbit down, and the border collie might not be good at breeding sheep—in both cases, the show "quality" dog's ability to survive in the wild is greatly decreased.

Mongrels, mutts, mixed breeds dogs, and so forth would find it easier to survive in the post-apocalyptic world. Cur-type dogs would do especially well—while they are not exactly a "breed" in the traditional sense, they are bred for working purposes, and therefore they are quite a bit more functional than their show-intended purebred cousins. Cur dogs are intended to hunt large game—they would likely have little problem adapting to life without humanity, as they could easily bring down food for themselves. The same can be said in the aforementioned case of the Seppala husky versus the show-intended husky, or the work-intended German Shepherd Dog versus the show-intended German Shepherd Dog. These dogs have less health problems in general, and as they are bred for work purposes, they would be able to navigate the post-apocalyptic world relatively well.

Citations & Notes

1. "The Intelligence of Dogs," Wikipedia <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Intelligence_of_Dogs>.
2. "Life After People," Wikipedia <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_After_People>.
3. "Mobility Assistance Dog," Mahalo <http://www.mahalo.com/mobility-assistance-dog>.
4. "Life After People."
5. "Dogs 101," Wikipedia <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dogs_101>.
6. "Pedigree Dogs Exposed," Wikipedia <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedigree_Dogs_Exposed>.
7. "Landrace," Wikipedia <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landrace>.
8. Moscovian Street Dogs
9. The different categorizations of dogs (e.g., herding, molossoid, toy) was adapted from the Fédération Cynologique Internationale.