History of British Dog Classification Linnaeus Buffon Stonehenge History of the British Dog

It is estimated that the dog Canis Familiaris was first domesticated in 10,000BC. The Oldest European dog remains from Star Carr Yorkshire are dated at c 7538 BC.



These records and the history of the domestic dog in Britain are well chronicled in an excellent book " The British Dog - Its History from Ealiest Times by Dr Cameron i.A. Ritchie published by Robert Hale Lte, London in 1981.



Ritchie in " a Short Chonology of the British Dog" lgives a very comprehensive listing of the references to dogs in British literature and history including:





Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge 63-21 BC Strabo mentions the export of Hunting dogs from Britain

c50 AD The sons of Uisnech flee from Ulster to Scotland taking 150 hounds with them

c80-120 AD Occupation of Corbridge Roman Station in Northumberland by a garrison whose dogs have been identified as 'bassets' and 'small greyhounds'

161-180 AD Oppian describes a British dog called the agassaeus - probably a terrier

727 or 730 AD The death of St Hubert, Bishop of Liege credited with the development of the hounds bearing his name , the Black St Hubert ( possible ancestor of the Bloodhound) and the White St Hubert ( supposed ancestor of the Southern Hound).

c800 AD Pictess huntress with hounds portrayed coursing deer on the Hilton of Cadboll Slab, Scotland

c1016 First Forest Laws imposed by Canute keeping of greyhounds forbidden to anyone under the status of freeman.

c1070 Bayern Tapestry depicts only two breeds of dogs one which may be a mastiff

1301 Archbishop Winchesley allows the Abbot of Gloucester to keep twelve hunting dogs.

1335 Edward III imports Irish hounds.

1340-1400 Geoffrey Chaucer makes first reference to apaniels in The Wife of Bath's Prologue.

1371 Traditional date for combat between Aubrey de Montdidier's Irish hound and its master's murderer , Macaire.

1486 Dame Julian Berners describes the ideal greyhound as follows in her Book of St Albans; 'Headed like a snake, necked like a drake, footed like a cat, tailed life a rat, sided like a bream, chined like a beam'

1570 Dr John Caius publishes a book about British dogs.

1576 Abraham Fleming describes the use of terriers for hunting fox and badger.

1621 Gervase Markham gives a description of the setting spaniel in The Art of Fowling. He also describes the water dog.

1653 Dorothy Osborne writes to Sir William Temple to ask for an Irish hound.

1730 Sir Robert Walpole tries unsuccessfully to establish the post of Master of the Royal Foxhounds.

1732 The Newfoundland dog under the name of 'the Bear Dog' is described as being in use in England as a guard-dog and for turning water wheels.

c1770 Oliver Goldsmith , Irish author of Animated Nature , says that Irish hounds are rare and the largest he has seen is 'about four feet high'.

1780 Ashdown Park Coursing Society begun.

1782 Huo Meynell forms his pack at Quorndon from Arundel hounds .

1787 Foxhounds pedigrees begin.

1790 One of the eight remaining Irish hounds is measured by A.R.Lambert who records it to be 36inches from hind toes to hind shoulders and 28!/2 inches from two to foreshoulder.

1796 Dog population estimated at 1 million.

1800 Edwards depicts the rough and smooth coated collie.

1800-1877 Edwarde Laverack , the developer of the English Setters called Laveracks.

1803 Willam Taplin declares the Irish Hound probably extinct.

1815 Guy Mannering is published by Sir Walter Scott , in which Danie Dinmont Terriers are described

1815 The Reverend John ( 'Jack') Russell begins breeding terriers.

1820 The Bedlington terrier supposedly introduced from Holland bu a weaver of Longhorsley.

1827 Death of the Duke of Gordon , originator of the Gordon Setter.

1836 The Waterloo Cup Meet begins at Sefton Altcar, near Liverpool. Silver collars are awrded to the winners till 1830 when a cup is instituted.

1843 Skye Terrier first mentioned

1847 A description of the 'English terrier' suggests that it is a Manchester terrier.

1850-1891 Captain John Edwarde develops the Sealyham on his estate at Sealyham in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire.

1858 National Coursing Club formed.

1859 First dog show , at Newcastle.

c1860 The Hin. Dudley Marjoribanks ( later Lord Tweedmouth) starts golden retrievers from a yellow retriever, one yellow pup in a litter of black wavy-coated pups that he has bought from a Brighton cobbler.

1862 Captain G.A.Graham attempts to revive the great Irish hound, using deerhound blood.

1870 A Mr W.C of Halifax, Nova Scotia mentions the report that the Beothuk Indians had ' a dog , but that it was a small breed ..The Labrador dog is my opinion a distinct breed ..formerly they were only to be met with on that part of the coast of Labrador which to us is known as the South Shore of the mainland in the Straits of Belle Isle.

1873 Kennel Club set up.

1877 Foxhound Show at Peterborough founded.

1882 Greyhound Stid Book.

1886 First Crufts Show . Terriers only.



