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While the Romans themselves did not go to the central Asian Steppes, the Goths (a confederation of Germanic tribes) did. The Goths won many battles against the clans of the Steppes, and carried away (among other things) herding dogs as spoils of war. But the Goths did not stay together. Those that ventured west were Ostrogoths, and their dogs became the German Pudel (Poodle). Those Goths that went south were called Visigoths, and they eventually came to Italy and battled with the Romans. The Visigoths’ dogs became known as the Lion Dog – probably both for their strength and boldness, and also for the way their coat was sheared. In the course of battle, many dogs would have been left behind. A similar type of water dog, known as “Canis piscator”, is said to have been known to the Romans as long as 2200-2300 years ago. Some time later, records of the era point to these dogs having the name “Canis leo”, and images show these dogs in their traditional lion clip. |
During the time from 133 B.C. to 337 A.D., the Romans exerted control over much of the Mediterranean and are known to have developed many settlements in Portugal. The Romans had taken dog training and breeding to a new level, even teaching their dogs how to herd fish into nets. It is well known that the primitive societies of the Algarve region of Portugal trained their dogs to do the exact same thing – as well as teaching them to retrieve lost tackle & broken nets, and serve as courier from boat to boat and boat to shore. The Algarve society was built around hunting & fishing, and logically bred & selected their dogs to fit into these life-sustaining activities. This semi-natural selection gave rise to the distinct breed that came to be known as the Algarve Water Dog. |
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