Do we have a breed for you to learn about!

How would you like to see a magnificent dog famous for its courage, boldness, and protective temperament?

A large breed, it is often a playmate for his or her owner’s children, and if the kiddies get lost in the forests, the dogs are reliably trusted to find and return them safely home. That said, these dogs are more than capable and willing to dispatch threatening wolves and marauding brown bears.

An ancient Molosser-type breed, it was first mentioned in Gunno Brynolphi Blutherus’ book, Dalia, printed in 1632 AD.  The breed was mentioned again in 1843 AD when Axel Emanuel Holmberg published his book, “Bohuslän’s History and Description.” The oral history of the breed goes back even further. Legend has it that there were dogs who fought to the death saving humans from wolf packs, and one local priest even claimed in his diary in 1833 AD that his “…dog has a bite of a crocodile.”

A large, heavy dog with a long furry coat, the breed is used primarily to protect free-roaming stock, herd cattle and serve as a protection/guard dog (these are dogs often shown outfitted with a spike collar). Some think the breed looks like the Cão da Serra da Estrela or Leonberger, and we would show you a current photo except for one thing….

…….We can’t.

The breed is extinct (and yes, we fudged on the tense of the verbs we used to heighten drama. Were you on the edge of your seat?)

The breed we’ve been describing was called the Dalbo Hound, also known as the Dalbohund or Dalsland Mastiff, a Swedish cattle dog that went extinct in 1913. ‘Dalbo’ meaning Valley native, Dalsland a nod to the breed’s ​​origin.

Photo of Bella, image credit- KF Karlsson, Mellerud shared from the public domain

Until the 19th century, the Dalbo was widely found throughout Southwestern Sweden, Dalarna, Värmland and the border areas in Southeastern Norway. But at the beginning of the 19th century, it began to disappear. By the 1820s, there were so few numbers that they were found sprinkled here and there in Bohuslän, Dalsland and Västergötland.

Most breeds vanish for several explanations, and the Dalbo was no different.  By the early 1820s, the Dalbo’s numbers were already declining; it made little sense to keep and feed large dogs with no purpose, but when wolves and bears dwindled in numbers, the breed was without a job. A rabies outbreak in 1854 further devastated the Dalbo, as did the great Swedish famine of 1867-1868.

Much of what we know about the Dalbo comes from Il Öhman who in the 1950s interviewed locals who remembered the breed. Öhman wrote the book, “Nybörjarens Hundbok” (translated from Swedish to English as “The Beginner’s Dog Book”) published by Natur & Kultur, a Swedish publishing house. Several editions of the book were published, the second edition appearing in 1959, but while Öhman didn’t find any remaining Dalbo dogs, she did receive photos of a purebred Dalbo named “Bella” dating back to 1904. We’re read that the photo of Bella is the last known image of a purebred Dalbo.

The breed was never acknowledged by any kennel club, nor are we aware of any modern breeds descended or related to the Dalbo, but we share the Dalbo’s story to remind us all that extinct is forever, and too many beloved breeds are at such risk.

As we write, a shocking 18 Otterhounds were registered by the UK’s Kennel Club. The same entity registered only 36 King Charles Spaniels, 45 Smooth Collies, and unbelievably, only 35 Greyhounds. They are hardly alone. Check here to see the other vulnerable breeds in their country of origin, and the ones that are at watch.

Critically important is to do one’s research before acquiring any dog to ensure that breed and family are a good fit, but at a time when saving rescue dogs is noble, we say that buying a dog whose breed is at risk is conservation!  We strongly believe there is a breed for everyone, but do the homework first!!

We leave you with the only other photo we’ve found of the Dalbo, a breed none of us will ever see in person. Read more about the Dalbo here. 

Photo found on Wikipedia and share via Public Domain