07-17-2003, 10:40 AM
Got this from a site about English Shepherd dogs:<br>
<br>
"Legend states, this hard working, herding dog decended from the Roman Cattle Dog that traveled with Caesar and his army in 55 B.C., across Europe. As the cattle were eaten by Caesars's troops, extra dogs were left along the way and interbred with local dogs. The cattle dogs became part of the Great Britain Highland herding dog tradition. Out of the group, the smaller dogs that developed the strong eye, and crouching position, became what is called the Border Collie, the larger shepherds with the "loose eye" were called Farm Shepherds or Farm Collies. The term "collie" meant black; the sturdy black faced highland sheep were called collie sheep."<br>
<br>
This shows a simplified collie family tree:<br>
<br>
izebug.syr.edu/~gsbisco/ftree.htm<br>
<br>
So it looks like the collie's ancestors are ancient British and Roman dogs. Both my dogs fit in to that family tree 'cause one is part shetland sheepdog and the other is part Australian cattle dog.<br>
<br>
As for greyhouds, the following is from the link Jenny posted:<br>
<br>
Around AD 150, Arrian wrote Cynegeticus ("The Hunter"), a supplement in Greek to the manual of the same name attributed to Xenophon, written five hundred and fifty years earlier. Indicating how hunting and hounds have changed in that time, Arrian describes the Vertragus, a Celtic breed named for their swiftness, and ancestor of the modern greyhound. (Grattius, too, writes that "great glory exalts the far-distant Celtic dogs," and refers to the Vertragus, "swifter than thought or a winged bird it runs, pressing hard on the beasts it has found.")<br>
<br>
If you go to that link and click on the first 'Veretragus' you will see a really neat sculpture.<br>
<br>
Wendy<br>
<br>
<p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub27.ezboard.com/bromancivtalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=rekirts>rekirts</A> at: 7/17/03 1:32 pm<br></i>
<br>
"Legend states, this hard working, herding dog decended from the Roman Cattle Dog that traveled with Caesar and his army in 55 B.C., across Europe. As the cattle were eaten by Caesars's troops, extra dogs were left along the way and interbred with local dogs. The cattle dogs became part of the Great Britain Highland herding dog tradition. Out of the group, the smaller dogs that developed the strong eye, and crouching position, became what is called the Border Collie, the larger shepherds with the "loose eye" were called Farm Shepherds or Farm Collies. The term "collie" meant black; the sturdy black faced highland sheep were called collie sheep."<br>
<br>
This shows a simplified collie family tree:<br>
<br>
izebug.syr.edu/~gsbisco/ftree.htm<br>
<br>
So it looks like the collie's ancestors are ancient British and Roman dogs. Both my dogs fit in to that family tree 'cause one is part shetland sheepdog and the other is part Australian cattle dog.<br>
<br>
As for greyhouds, the following is from the link Jenny posted:<br>
<br>
Around AD 150, Arrian wrote Cynegeticus ("The Hunter"), a supplement in Greek to the manual of the same name attributed to Xenophon, written five hundred and fifty years earlier. Indicating how hunting and hounds have changed in that time, Arrian describes the Vertragus, a Celtic breed named for their swiftness, and ancestor of the modern greyhound. (Grattius, too, writes that "great glory exalts the far-distant Celtic dogs," and refers to the Vertragus, "swifter than thought or a winged bird it runs, pressing hard on the beasts it has found.")<br>
<br>
If you go to that link and click on the first 'Veretragus' you will see a really neat sculpture.<br>
<br>
Wendy<br>
<br>
<p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub27.ezboard.com/bromancivtalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=rekirts>rekirts</A> at: 7/17/03 1:32 pm<br></i>
