Some believe that the Bullmastiff originated as a cross between Mastiffs and Old English Bulldogs.
The Borzoi used to be known as the Russian Wolfhound. Among the Russian aristocracy, wolf hunting with dogs was a popular sport, but with the 1917 Russian Revolution all that came to an end and the Borzoi almost became extinct.
The Papillon is nicknamed “the butterfly dog” because of its big, wing-shaped ears. In fact, the name is French for “butterfly.” The drop-eared variety is called Phalene, French for “moth.”
Otters are known to be smart, so Otterhounds have to be smarter. Author Robert Leighton wrote that to be equal to the otter, an Otterhound needed “a Bulldog’s courage, a Newfoundland’s strength in water, a Pointer’s nose, a Retriever’s sagacity, the stamina of a Foxhound, the patience of a Beagle, and the intelligence of a Collie.”
The Sloughi, also known as the Persian Gazelle Hound, comes from north Africa and is a member of the sighthound family, which hunt by speed and sight instead of by scent and endurance.
The above is information that Mr. Smarty Pants read in a book, magazine, newspaper, or website; heard on the radio; saw on television; or overheard at a party. Got any facts? Email them to Mr. Smarty Pants for possible inclusion in the column at mrpants@austinchronicle.com. “Mr. Smarty Pants Knows” and the logo, copyright 2013, R.U. Steinberg.
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