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WirSindGeschichten t1_irzi8zs wrote

Similar story with the Norwegian Lundehund. Down to just a couple of breeding dogs at one point. Coincidentally, like the Shiba Inus, Lundehunds are super flexible and bend their head all the way back to touch their back.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norwegian_Lundehund

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SumoNova t1_irzjbkr wrote

The article says they were near extinction until preservation found breeding pairs. Wouldn't you be able to "work backwards" and re-breee them from scratch by going back to whichever combo made them in the first place? Or would this make a "new" breed? I guess you'd have to be SUPER selective with the breeding and strict about which traits you keep? It's probably not as simple as I imagine.

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GiantIrish_Elk t1_irzobom wrote

Some breeders are and have done this with breeds that have recently gone extinct but these have been breeds that were created in the last century and we know or have a fairly good idea of the original breeds used to create them. For dogs this old the one or more of original breeds used to create it are most likely extinct.

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wallabee_kingpin_ t1_irzt61y wrote

>bend their head all the way back to touch their back

All dogs can do this.

Source: I had to do this to my mixed-breed dog every day to make sure she wasn't having a recurrence of inflammation in her spine. The vet said it's abnormal if they can't do it.

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The_Mdk t1_is0o9c0 wrote

Show me a pug that can do it, I double dare you

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