New Guinea Singing Dog - TOP 10 Interesting Facts

1) Origin
The breeds origin is not very well known and experts are divided when it comes to their theories about the foundation of this breed. What we know for sure is, that this is a native breed to the highlands of New Guinea, where it was discovered in 1950s. Most likely, these dogs developed naturaly without human intervention, by adapting to local environment. Only the strongest dogs could survive, which created a very healthy, strong and adaptable dog breed. It is believed, that this breed is related to another famous wild dog – the Australian Dingo.
2) Singing
The breed is named after the place where they live and after the distinctive and melodious howl, which is characteristic for this breed. The howling is very unique and it differs from the howling of other dogs, coyotes or wolves. The howling sounds like a mix between the wolf´s howling and whale song. They curl their tongue back and vibrate it like a reed instrument to get the distinctive sound. Here is a short example of Singing dog howling * MP3 EXAMPLE *. But this breed is not only howling and it is known for a full repertoire of vocalization, for example snorts, growls, whines, yips, short barks, chortling or sneezing.
3) Wild dogs
For a short time, it was believed that these dogs completely extinct as wild dogs, but DNA analysis of three New Guinea wild dogs matched with the New Guinea Wild dogs living in captivity, which is an evidence that the New Guinea singing dog is not extinct in the wild, as most zoologists had assumed. These dogs are just like wild animals, they are shy and alert, they avoid contact with people, they are very versatile and adaptable dogs with strong hunting instincts, independent mind, but also great intelligence and problem solving ability. Only strong dogs with these personality traits are capable of surviving in the wild nature of New Guinea island. On the other hand, the dogs living in captivity are not shy like wild dogs and they are known for their loving personality.
4) Rarity
Some people claim, that this is the rarest of all dog breeds in the world. It is hard to say, if they are the rarest, but they are definitely extremely rare and only few hundreads of them are living in zoos, private homes or private facilities. Person must be very lucky, to come across a real, pure, New Guinea Singing dog.
5) Climbers
In some areas, the New Guinea Singing dogs are similar to cats. Their spine, joints and limbs are extremely flexible. They can also rotate their paws much more than other dog breeds. These dogs are also known for their ability to jump and climb trees. All these skills enables them to hunt and survive in the steep areas covered by trees.
6) Size
The Singer is a medium sized, athletic, muscular and agile dog breed, with relatively shorter legs and broad chest and with average height between 31-46 cm, which is 12-18 inch and weight is usually between 9-14 kg, which is 20-31 lbs. These dogs also have robust paws, erect ears and mouth that turns up at the back corners, which is giving the dog smiling expression.
7) Eyes
The almond shaped eyes of Singers comes in various colors, ranging from amber to dark brown. The eyes are highly reflective, and are angled upwards from the inner to outer corners with dark eye rims. The reason of this reflective glow is most likely, that the pupils open wider than in other dog breeds, which allows in more light and which allow the Singing dog to see more clearly when it is darker.
8) Coat
This breed has a practical thick and dense double layered coat which comes in fawn or black and tan color. All dogs can be either with or without white markings. Puppies are born all black or dark brown with melanistic mask and they start having their adult color after two or three weeks of age.
9) Maintenance
Speaking of the coat, it is important to mention the maintenance and grooming as well and luckily, it is very easy. This is a dog breed that is surviving on their own in the nature, so it is no wonder, that even without any grooming at all, they will keep the coat in great condition. Of course, they do shed some deal of fur all year long and if you want to minimize the shedding, than regular brushing is very beneficial. Regular brushing will also remove any dirt from the coat. Just like with any other breed, you should regularly check the dogs ears, eyes, nails and teeth and clip them or clean them if needed.
10) Health
It is believed, that this is one of the healthiest of all dog breeds in the world and it is not uncommon for these dogs to live happily and have active life well into their late teens. Of course, just like any other breed, they may suffer from some health issues, like allergies, some eye problems, hip dysplasia or bloating, but none of those are very common with this breed.