Kangaroo Dog Breed

Kangaroo Dogs were first produced as hunting dogs as far back as the mid-18th century. Greyhounds taken to Australia were crossed with other dogs so as to have the superior speed coupled with strength and ferocity to take down large game. When it became illegal to hunt kangaroos, wallabies, and other animals native to Australia, the 'Roo Dog population plummeted. They are still used for hunting small game, guarding farms, and sometimes for racing (or "coursing"). They are not good as typical companions, and they are best in rural areas where they have large areas of very well-fenced land. Only people experienced with these dogs should have them as they are hard to control.

Here are some other things that should be known about these dogs:
PROS

• Intelligent
• Low grooming needs
• Few health problems
• Excellent hunting dogs
• Extremely fast runners
• Great livestock guardians
• Little to no separation anxiety
• Can endure hot, harsh environments

CONS

• Dog aggression
• Difficult to train
• Tendency to dig
• Prone to escaping
• Rare outside Australia
• Very strong prey drive

Kangaroo Dogs are keen sight- and scent hounds whose abilities vary greatly and depend on the breeds of dogs used to produce them as well as the bloodlines from which they come. This, along with their owners' lack of desire to join a kennel club or registry, contributes to Kangaroo Dogs not having much of an accepted breed description. They are amazingly fast and can remain running hard for a long time, but they have no track records nor any fields where they are professionally run. They should not be confused with purebred Greyhounds that are raced in Australia.

'Roo Dogs are well suited for their hunting duties, and they work very well with other dogs. You won't find them on any dog intelligence lists, however, due to them being a type rather than a breed. For the hunters, farmers, and other residents of the Outback, they are highly regarded.

For the right person, these are extremely loyal and hard-working dogs. Other characteristics they may have will depend on the type of dogs used to produce any given one.

If there is one shared characteristic of all Kangaroo Dogs, it is boundless energy. They are not at all suited for apartment living or even places with big fenced yards because they need a great amount of wide-open space in which to stretch their legs and to work. They need a lot of activity and exercise every day.

Kangaroo Dog varieties are not noted for the generations (F1, F2, etc.) so much as they once were for coat type. These days, what was once described as a variation is now its own type of dog, the Australian Staghound. (Like Kangaroo Dogs, a Staghound is not a breed but a type of dog.)

The 'Roo Dogs are known and easily identified for their smooth,short-haired coats that are similar to purebred Greyhounds, Whippets, and similar dogs. A century or so ago, present-day Staghounds were once identified as rough-coated Kangaroo Dogs. These days, Kangaroo Dogs come in a wide variety of colors, ear styles, and so forth. It simply depends on which dogs are used for whatever 'Roo Dog is produced.

Because these dogs are used only for hunting small game and sometimes as just companions, their size is not so much an important factor. Before it became illegal to use sighthounds to hunt native animals of Australia —such as kangaroos, breeding big dogs was important. Now, however, there appear to be those who are trying to make much smaller dogs such as Kangaroo Dog Toys and mini Australian Greyhounds.

The hybrid vigor that occurs from mating so many different dogs has perhaps helped the Kangaroo Hound (or 'Roo Dog, or Australian Greyhound) become a very healthy type of dog. Perhaps the worst thing that can happen is bloat, and the deep chest of Greyhounds and the other dogs that are usually used in Kangaroo Dog mating means this is a significant risk. The other problem is a sensitivity to drugs and, in particular, to anesthetics. Because these dogs can eat a lot and require much more exercise than most dogs, they can also become obese if allowed to eat but not to be highly active.

The average lifespan of the typical Kangaroo Dog is said to be 10 to 12 years.