The New Guinea Singing Dog (Canis lupus hallstromi) is an ancient lineage of dog found in the New Guinea Highlands, on the island of New Guinea. Once considered to be a separate species in its own right, under the name Canis hallstromi, it is closely related to the Australian Dingo (Canis lupus dingo). The dog is relatively unusual among canines as it is one of the few to be considered "barkless," and is known for the unusual yodel-like vocalization that gives it its name.
In 1989, the Australian mammologist Tim Flannery took a photo of a few dogs in while on a hike. He noted that these dogs lived with local tribal peoples in the mountains, and that feral populations lived in the alpine and sub-alpine grasslands of the Star Mountains and the Wharton Range. The photo was published in his book, Mammals of New Guinea. In 2012, Australian wilderness-adventure guide Tom Hewett took a photo of a tawny, thick-coated dog in the Puncak Mandala region of West Papua, Indonesia. In 2016, a literature review found no definitive evidence that the earliest possible dogs, within captive populations of New Guinea Singing Dogs, were wild animals; successive generations of puppies were raised as members of village populations, thus being domestic dogs. The debate continues to this day concerning whether or not this is a true domestic breed that has developed localized feral populations or if it is a true wild dog that has been kept as a pet - it may not sound like there is a difference, but there is. It is considered by most experts to be a domestic breed with feral populations, though there exists evidence to the contrary that we will touch on later. In 2020, a genetic study found that the New Guinea Highland wild dogs were genetically basal to the dingo and the New Guinea Singing Dog, and therefore the potential originator of both breeds.
Mitochondrial genome sequences indicates that the dingo falls within the domestic dog clade, and that the New Guinea Singing Dog is genetically closer to those dingoes that live in southeastern Australia than to those that live in the northwest. The dingo and New Guinea Singing Dog lineage can be traced back through the Malay Archipelago to Asia.
In 2017, the New Guinea Highland Wild Dog Foundation (NGHWDF) announced to the media that in 2016 it and the University of Papua had located and photographed a group of 15 of what it referred to as "highland wild dogs." DNA analysis of scats indicate that these dogs have a genetic relationship with other dogs found in Oceania, including both the dingo and the New Guinea Singing Dog.
These dogs live wildly in a harsh and remote environment between 12,800–13,680 ft in elevation, which suggests they are a lineage of proto-dog that is related to the dingo and are not feral village dogs. This has led to some researchers to suggest that the taxon Canis dingo is appropriate for the only truly wild-living dog populations – the dingo, the New Guinea Highland wild dog, and the New Guinea Singing Dog. All sightings in the wild were of single dogs or pairs, therefore it can be inferred that wild New Guinea Singing Dogs do not form permanent packs. Tim Flannery's short 1989 report on dogs in the mountains of Papua New Guinea described them as "extraordinarily shy" and "almost preternaturally canny." According to Robert Bino (1996), these dogs only use their resting places under roots and ledges in New Guinea sporadically. He conjectured that these dogs are highly mobile and forage alone and concluded that they therefore might use several hiding places in their home range.
During research observations, the examined dogs generally showed a lower threshold of behavior (such as scent rolling) than other domestic dogs, as well as an earlier developmental onset than other domestic dogs or even grey wolves (hackle biting at two weeks compared to other domestic dogs/grey wolves at 6Â weeks). The dogs observed did not show the typical canid play bow.
The New Guinea Singing Dog possesses an annual estrus, and if not impregnated will have a second estrus within a few weeks after the end of the first. This is remarkably peculiar among dogs. Sometimes, if they are not mated with during the second, they may have a third in a few more weeks.
Males often participate in raising the puppies, including the regurgitation of food for them to eat once they begin to approach 4-5 weeks old. Female New Guinea singing dogs are fiercely protective of their young and will aggressively attack their male counterpart if they suspect he poses a danger to the puppies. During the first breeding season following their birth in the wild, especially if there is a potential mate present, puppies are often aggressively attacked by the same-sex parent.
According to reports from the late 1950s and mid-1970s, wild dogs believed to be New Guinea Singing Dogs were shy and avoided contact with humans. It was reported in the mid-1970s that the Kalam people in the highlands of Papua caught young New Guinea singing dogs and raised them as hunting aids, but did not breed them. The Eipo tribe kept and bred them as playmates for their children. Although the majority of the highland tribes never used village dogs as a food source, it is known that even today they attempt to catch, kill, and eat wild canids. Tribes such as the Malakomofip Villagers hunt them for trophy hunting and are revered alongside wild pigs and Cassowaries as a challenging quarry.
A study published in 2021 surveyed owners of New Guinea singing dogs living in North America as companion animals. The study found that these dogs behave like other ancient/primitive domestic dog breeds, and demonstrated less aggression than many of the breeds included in the study. They were also found to be similarly trainable to the Basenji and Canaan Dogs. Owners reported that owning a singing dog is similar to owning a Shiba Inu or Akita.
In the past, the New Guinea singing dog was considered unworthy of scientific study, as it was regarded as an insignificant variety of feral domestic dog. However, due to its potential value as a resource for the determination of the process of domestication, particularly in relation to the dingo, as well as several of its unique genetic, behavioral, ecological, reproductive and morphological characteristics, limited research has been undertaken. The New Guinea Department of Environment and Conservation has announced protection measures.
Hybridization is one of the most serious threats facing the New Guinea singing dog. This vulnerability has, and is still, causing a "watering down" of the genes needed to maintain thriving populations.
There are two organizations formed for conserving and preserving New Guinea Singing Dogs. They are the New Guinea Singing Dog Conservation Society, founded in 1997, and New Guinea Singing Dog Club of America, a national breed club, rescue, and pet education group. Both of these organizations are based in the United States.
It is estimated that only 200-300 of these animals are in existence today. Even with the passionate dedication of enthusiasts, the awareness and demand for the breed is miniscule and this is likely to be the biggest challenge in saving them.
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