Dig up the facts before bringing a rare-breed dog home

Uncommon canines can be fun but problematic if you don't know all the risks

Tuesday, August 23, 2005

Arthur Glasfeld is a chemistry professor at Reed College. One of the biggest perks of his job: He gets to take his dog to work. So, when it was time to get a new dog a few years ago, a great campus companion was his number one priority.

His mind kept going back to one breed: an Entlebucher mountain dog.

Huh?

Entlebuchers (pronounced EN-tell-boo-ker), the smallest of four breeds of Swiss cattle-herding dogs, are rare in the United States. Glasfeld and his wife first saw the breed several years ago when they lived in Switzerland. "Entlebuchers reminded us of Switzerland. Every time we looked at a Web site with a picture of an Entlebucher on it, our hearts started pounding," Glasfeld remembers.

More than a year of research confirmed their memory: This was a friendly, energetic, intelligent, playful breed. Glasfeld eventually purchased a puppy from a Canadian breeder and ended up with the dog he'd dreamed about.

"Benni's the perfect Reed dog," says Glasfeld with a smile.

Today's global economy means more rare-breed dogs are making their way into our neighborhoods. While the dizzying array of breeds available can be fun, it also doubles the chances to make a big mistake. Here is some things to consider if you're thinking about a rare breed:

The breed's history and temperament: "I always ask if this is a breed that wants to do the kinds of things I want to do," says Susan Fletcher of Washougal, who raises Chinooks, a rare breed of sled dog that originated during the Alaska gold rush. When she got her first Chinook in 1989, there were only about 100 in the country.

"There are some breeds that are rare for a reason," warns Fletcher. She points out that large, powerful breeds that were developed for protection can be overwhelming for an average family. Some other rare breeds have extremely high energy levels or coats that require an extraordinary amount of care, or have quirky temperaments that aren't everyone's idea of a companion dog.

Often, the rare breeds have more energy and drive than breeds that have been hanging out in suburban living rooms for the past 75 years. Lisa Harper has seen that energy up-close in her Spanish water dogs, a breed that looks a little bit like a sturdy miniature poodle. There are about 400 Spanish water dogs in the United States.

"My breed is an ancient and rustic herding breed, only a couple of generations off the farm," she says. "That working temperament is perfect for me, but may not be perfect for someone else."

Harper advises, "If you're interested in a rare breed, make a real effort to meet at least one. If your breeder is active in the breed's community, he or she should be able to locate one within a few hours of you."

All breeds have health issues, and rare breeds are no exception. Look for a breeder who is aggressively screening the breeding stock for health problems. If someone tells you the breed doesn't have health problems, so they don't need to screen for issues such as hip dysplasia, eye disease, or heart disease, don't believe it for a second.

To begin to research rare breeds, check out the American Kennel Club (www.akc.org) (click on "Breeds," then scroll down to "Foundation Stock Service" for its rare breed links) and the American Rare Breed Association (www.arba.org).

Beware of marketing schemes: There's a trend to breed "designer mixes" and dub them with a new breed name -- then charge more than their purebred counterparts. Part of the sales pitch may be that you can make a bunch of money selling the dog's puppies. One of the warning signs that this is a marketing scheme: "The designer dogs usually have cutesy names," says Lisa Peterson, a spokesperson for the American Kennel Club.

While these mixes are often adorable, it takes decades -- sometimes centuries -- to create a breed of dog that will produce puppies that have a consistent appearance and temperament. "The designer dogs have no predictability to them," Peterson says.

Do your homework, and you might find the rare gem that's just right for you. Just ask Arthur Glasfeld and Benni, the practically perfect Entlebucher.

Deborah Wood: TaoBowwow@aol.com