Chance
Chance Duncan
After doing quite a bit of research and speaking to a number of people, I've came to the conclusion that the 'dingoes' I thought I was getting are actually New Guinea Singing Dogs. This is a very close relative of the dingo, used to be in the same species in fact, but they are a bit smaller. They also differ somewhat in coloration, but as with the dingo, they are variable. Mine are, as you can tell by the photos, tannish with white collars, white tipped tails, and white on the legs.
NGSDs are an extremely rare breed of primitive dog. Currently they are classified as Canis familiarus like all domestic dogs, but efforts are underway to again restore their species or at least subspecies status along with the dingo. Canis dingo hallstromi or Canis hallstromi are both being considered. I am currently trying to trace the background of my particular singers in hopes of registering them. I'll keep any interested parties updated with my attempts.
Just a little FYI on singers, like I mentioned, they are a close relative of the dingo, most likely predating them by sometime, to the point of probably being their ancestor. They are in the pariah dog group, primitive dogs brought down through Australasia by early settlers many thousands of years ago. Singers developed a smaller size than the dingo because of habitat and prey availability. The name, singer, comes from these dogs' abilities of howling with very unique tones. My pair howled for the first time today, and generally the male would start it, then the female would come in at a slightly different pitch. They aren't known to bark, but can vocalize with whines and yipes. They are small, averaging 20 lbs or less. I'm including a couple of decent size comparisons in this ad. Being that they aren't completely domestic dogs, they certainly aren't for everyone! They have an extremely high prey drive and can't be allowed access to smaller family pets. They also tend not to get along with other sexually mature dogs of the same sex. They are best kept in 1.1 pairs if you want to keep more than one. They certainly can be socialized to be okay with the family cat or family chihuahua, but it must begin at a young age or the singer will simply consider the animal prey and react accordingly. The males have a very high mating drive also, so if you don't wish to propogate your singers, neutering/spaying is a must. If he can possibly do it, he *will* find a way out of his pen/home to go find that female in heat he recently detected.
Unlike wolves and wolf hybrids, singers aren't far enough away from domestication to pose much of a danger. Care should be avoided around young children though, just incase. If raised with a loving hand, they are known to be some of the most affectionate canids around. Mine absolutely *love* human contact and will whine as I walk away from the pen. They don't tend to be a rough playing dog with people, unless you make them that way. In fact, they are somewhat feline in their movements and habits. Harshness doesn't get very far with them, and will only help to create a very scared singer.
As state earlier, they are fairly small dogs and as such don't require a huge amount of room. A 10 x 10 dog kennel is fine for one or two singers. Of course, bigger is almost always better, and in any rate, it's always a good idea to give your singer some exercise outside it's normal habitat no matter what you keep it in. Just always keep in mind, they can not be left to run and play in an un-inclosed area, especially if other pets are around. In a park-type setting, they must be kept on a leash to avoid any nasty experiences with smaller dogs or other potential 'prey.' The fence should be tall, at least 6' and preferably covered, as they are known for their agility despite their size. Also, reinforcement of some sort should be made for the bottom, as they will dig. Resting the kennel on concrete is an idea, but be sure to keep the roughness of the floor in mind and try to give them something soft to retreat to occasionally.
Diet is pretty basic. They can be fed on any high quality dog kibble with a relatively large protein percentage. Most keepers feed their singers a protein level of 25 to 26%, and also supplement the diet with raw meat on occasion. They don't eat a ton of food and retain their slender body build, so you will not be spending half your salary for your singer's meals.
Anyway, that's just a little bit about the New Guinea Singing Dog. I hope that by now I have sparked someone's interest and will be getting an e-mail or even call or two. If the words haven't done it yet, the pictures are sure to. As I said before in my former ad, I'm planning to breed them when the female comes back into heat. She just had a litter of puppies not more than a week ago, so it'll be another 6 months or maybe even a year before she's ready again. However, I'm also planning to breed the male singer with my female blue heeler, a domestic herding-type dog that was partially created by the singer's close cousin, the dingo, and making singer/heeler hybrids. These puppies should be available relatively soon, as my female is, I believe, about to go into heat. I'll be posting another ad if anything comes of that.
Since singers are classified under Canis familiarus, the USDA does not cover them unless in a kennel breeding type of set up. In other words, you can keep, breed, and sell them, as long as you have 3 or less breeding females. That being said, if the NGSD Conservation Society is successful in getting them upgraded to species status, they will be USDA regulated. Until then, though, they are just considered domestic dogs.
I am a Delta verified shipper, and when puppies are ready to go from either the singer female or heeler female (probably at between 6 and 12 weeks of age, depeding on whether they are pure or the hybrid), I can ship anywhere in the US. The general charge on mammalian shipment is around $170, plus the crate cost. Keep this in mind if you don't live anywhere near my location (central Arkansas) and will have to have your puppy shipped. All puppies will be sold with their current vaccinations and a care packet addressing the needs of the singer. Any interested person should be prepared to demonstrate the ability to properly care for these dogs before contacting me. These are not domestic dogs, and like I said earlier, they are NOT for everyone. I have to know that you will be able to provide a life-long (upwards of 20 years) home for any puppy you buy from me. Most puppies I sell will either be desexed before they leave here if possible, or sold on a spay/neuter contract. Some exceptions will be made if you are sure you want to breed singers and/or the hybrid. For any more information, questions, or if you just want to chat about singers, I can be reached at [email protected] or 479-477-0434. I appreciate your time. Now enjoy the pictures. By the way, the lighter one in the pair is the female.
NGSDs are an extremely rare breed of primitive dog. Currently they are classified as Canis familiarus like all domestic dogs, but efforts are underway to again restore their species or at least subspecies status along with the dingo. Canis dingo hallstromi or Canis hallstromi are both being considered. I am currently trying to trace the background of my particular singers in hopes of registering them. I'll keep any interested parties updated with my attempts.
Just a little FYI on singers, like I mentioned, they are a close relative of the dingo, most likely predating them by sometime, to the point of probably being their ancestor. They are in the pariah dog group, primitive dogs brought down through Australasia by early settlers many thousands of years ago. Singers developed a smaller size than the dingo because of habitat and prey availability. The name, singer, comes from these dogs' abilities of howling with very unique tones. My pair howled for the first time today, and generally the male would start it, then the female would come in at a slightly different pitch. They aren't known to bark, but can vocalize with whines and yipes. They are small, averaging 20 lbs or less. I'm including a couple of decent size comparisons in this ad. Being that they aren't completely domestic dogs, they certainly aren't for everyone! They have an extremely high prey drive and can't be allowed access to smaller family pets. They also tend not to get along with other sexually mature dogs of the same sex. They are best kept in 1.1 pairs if you want to keep more than one. They certainly can be socialized to be okay with the family cat or family chihuahua, but it must begin at a young age or the singer will simply consider the animal prey and react accordingly. The males have a very high mating drive also, so if you don't wish to propogate your singers, neutering/spaying is a must. If he can possibly do it, he *will* find a way out of his pen/home to go find that female in heat he recently detected.
Unlike wolves and wolf hybrids, singers aren't far enough away from domestication to pose much of a danger. Care should be avoided around young children though, just incase. If raised with a loving hand, they are known to be some of the most affectionate canids around. Mine absolutely *love* human contact and will whine as I walk away from the pen. They don't tend to be a rough playing dog with people, unless you make them that way. In fact, they are somewhat feline in their movements and habits. Harshness doesn't get very far with them, and will only help to create a very scared singer.
As state earlier, they are fairly small dogs and as such don't require a huge amount of room. A 10 x 10 dog kennel is fine for one or two singers. Of course, bigger is almost always better, and in any rate, it's always a good idea to give your singer some exercise outside it's normal habitat no matter what you keep it in. Just always keep in mind, they can not be left to run and play in an un-inclosed area, especially if other pets are around. In a park-type setting, they must be kept on a leash to avoid any nasty experiences with smaller dogs or other potential 'prey.' The fence should be tall, at least 6' and preferably covered, as they are known for their agility despite their size. Also, reinforcement of some sort should be made for the bottom, as they will dig. Resting the kennel on concrete is an idea, but be sure to keep the roughness of the floor in mind and try to give them something soft to retreat to occasionally.
Diet is pretty basic. They can be fed on any high quality dog kibble with a relatively large protein percentage. Most keepers feed their singers a protein level of 25 to 26%, and also supplement the diet with raw meat on occasion. They don't eat a ton of food and retain their slender body build, so you will not be spending half your salary for your singer's meals.
Anyway, that's just a little bit about the New Guinea Singing Dog. I hope that by now I have sparked someone's interest and will be getting an e-mail or even call or two. If the words haven't done it yet, the pictures are sure to. As I said before in my former ad, I'm planning to breed them when the female comes back into heat. She just had a litter of puppies not more than a week ago, so it'll be another 6 months or maybe even a year before she's ready again. However, I'm also planning to breed the male singer with my female blue heeler, a domestic herding-type dog that was partially created by the singer's close cousin, the dingo, and making singer/heeler hybrids. These puppies should be available relatively soon, as my female is, I believe, about to go into heat. I'll be posting another ad if anything comes of that.
Since singers are classified under Canis familiarus, the USDA does not cover them unless in a kennel breeding type of set up. In other words, you can keep, breed, and sell them, as long as you have 3 or less breeding females. That being said, if the NGSD Conservation Society is successful in getting them upgraded to species status, they will be USDA regulated. Until then, though, they are just considered domestic dogs.
I am a Delta verified shipper, and when puppies are ready to go from either the singer female or heeler female (probably at between 6 and 12 weeks of age, depeding on whether they are pure or the hybrid), I can ship anywhere in the US. The general charge on mammalian shipment is around $170, plus the crate cost. Keep this in mind if you don't live anywhere near my location (central Arkansas) and will have to have your puppy shipped. All puppies will be sold with their current vaccinations and a care packet addressing the needs of the singer. Any interested person should be prepared to demonstrate the ability to properly care for these dogs before contacting me. These are not domestic dogs, and like I said earlier, they are NOT for everyone. I have to know that you will be able to provide a life-long (upwards of 20 years) home for any puppy you buy from me. Most puppies I sell will either be desexed before they leave here if possible, or sold on a spay/neuter contract. Some exceptions will be made if you are sure you want to breed singers and/or the hybrid. For any more information, questions, or if you just want to chat about singers, I can be reached at [email protected] or 479-477-0434. I appreciate your time. Now enjoy the pictures. By the way, the lighter one in the pair is the female.