Albert

Origins, purpose and soul

I have spent a great deal of time researching and reasoning the origins and fundamental nature of the glen of imaal terrier. I, of course, primarily base my thoughts on Albert and what I have seen, heard and read of other glens, as well as other terriers. I am no glen expert. Basic glen of Imaal information and the breed standard are easy to come by on the websites of glen organisations, breeders and other fanciers, and I have chosen not to repeat it all here.

The roots of the glen of imaal terrier lie in Ireland, and that is also why the breed has such a long and strange name that no-one besides glen owners and true dog enthusiasts can ever remember. The Glen of Imaal is a remote valley in the bleak region of Wicklow in Ireland, after which the breed has been named. There are differing tales of the glen's original uses. Most commonly the glen is said to have been used for hunting fox, badger and otter, as well as for various other tasks of the houselhold, such as controlling vermin, guarding the yard, turning spits and mills on dog wheels, pulling loads etc. Glens have also been used for blood sports such as badger baiting and dog fights for the sake of entertainment and the hope of winning a bit of cash for their masters in bets. Some (mainly working terrier owners) argue that glens have, in fact, never truly been used for hunting, but have primarily been companions with the other above mentioned uses. They claim that the hunting background is purely a misconception formed by the badger baiting and similar contests, which in fact have quite little to do with hunting and much more to do with the kinds of dramatic gladiator-like events that bull breeds were previously used for.

Working terrier hobbyists are generally accustomed to working with the traditional light terriers such as jacks, patterdales and fox terrier, and claim that a silent and forceful fighting-type breed such as the glen would be useless for true ground work, and that even its structure speaks against a possible history as a true worker. However, having spoken to hunters I have found that there are very different schools of thought. Some prefer the dog to pull the quarry out of its set whilst others insist that the true working terrier should keep its distance from the quarry and concentrate on keeping it still and marking its position by barking underground until the hunter gets to it, or flush it out so it can be shot. The first type of terrier is very prone to severe injury and even death. If it is of a size and weight equivalent to the terriers commonly used such as fox terriers and jacks, that is. A select few still claim to use glens for ground work, and say that the glen's way of working is different to that of most terriers used for ground work. As already said, the glen is claimed to swiftly and silently draw the quarry out of its hiding place and kill it in an instant as soon as it gets the chance to do so. Fox and especially badger which are formidable and life-threatening opponents to jack russels and the like are in fact unarguably underdogs if faced with the mass and hugely powerful jaws of a dog like the glen of imaal terrier. There is generally always more than one way to go about things, contrary to what fanatical enthusiasts would have you understand. 

I am convinced that the glen has primarily been a multi-functional and dearly beloved companion, but I also believe that it has been used in hunting. It must be said that the glen is completely different to the more traditional working terriers, the german hunting terrier being a good example. Good small ground-workers are often like bars of dynamite with teeth. Most I know are primarily kept in kennels, and though they are of course walked and socialised with, their key function is to wait around in kennels until taken to hunt, where they perform their task extremely independently and with great passion. They are typically not excellent family dogs or companions, but rather highly functional tools with a very specific purpose at which they excel. The glen of imaal terrier has a completely different nature, and I find it very hard to believe that a typical glen of imaal terrier would be suited to a life in kennels. They are very devoted to their masters and family if properly kept, and working with their human appears to be a big motivational factor, which I believe is in fact rare in typical ground-workers with extreme prey-drive and self-sufficiency.  

Neither myself nor Teemu are interested in hunting, although we are acquainted with quite a few hunters as it is quite a common way of life here in Finland. Teemu is a biologist with a masters degree in ecology and I also studied biology for a while before choosing to pursue a career in medicine, and in fact we both believe that the quarry typically hunted with terriers, that is raccoon dogs, foxes and badger, shouldn't necessarily be hunted at all. The hunting process of these creatures is rather cruel, and the reasons by which they are hunted are generally unjustified. It is often claimed that these animals devastate the numbers of prized catch such as wood fowl and cause general disruption, but this is quite far from the truth. The true cause of the decline in the numbers of woodland ground dwelling birds are the industrialised forestry practices Finland promotes. Many hunters also argue that the raccoon dog is not native to Finland and should therefore be abolished as efficiently as possible. However a key reason why escaped raccoon dogs from fur farms have thrived and why wild ones have pushed their way over from Russia is that we have a perfect ecological niche for them to fill. Hunting will not solve these issues. I readily admit, though, that if we lived on a farm and kept chicken, lambs and maybe even rabbits, we most likely wouldn't look so kindly upon foxes.

So why on earth am I so interested in the working qualities of the glen of imaal terrier, when I have no intention of hunting badgers with them? It is because I have come to the realisation that the qualities that make Albert such a fantastic dog are not just a collection of independent traits, but rather a manifestation of his working qualities. The flip side of the coin, one could say. In other words, the same factors that would make him a good worker make him such a joy in other respects, too. It doesn't necessarily make him a particularly easy dog to live with or train, but there is something so authentic and psychologically healthy about him, that I will never again settle for anything less.

Characteristics, temperament, and a few fundamental thoughts on rearing a glen

If I had to describe the glen of imaal terrier using other breeds, I would say that there is a part of the glen temperament which is reminiscent of smaller terriers and the working wire haired dachshunds I have had the pleasure of knowing. The glen also has features very similar to staffordshire bull terriers and similar breeds. Get them wet, and it will stare you in the face physically as well as character-wise. The only dogs besides glens that have shown the kind of steady ego and complete lack of fear that I have seen in Albert, as well as a similar genuine adoration of humans as a species, have been representatives of the bull breeds. The final third comprises of something quite unique, which I haven't seen in any other breed or type of dog. It's something very lovable and charismatic, that one just can't quite put a finger on. I am not suggesting that the above mentioned breeds have anything whatsoever to do with the glen's ancestry (though it wouldn't actually be all that unlikely thinking about it now), but simply that if I had to describe this unknown breed using better known ones, those are the ones I would pick. 1/3 terrier/working dach, 1/3 bullbreed, 1/3 something you've never seen before. A perfect Irish cocktail, I would say.

A glen of imaal terrier will often have nerves of steel. He is very difficult, if not impossible to "over-heat". You may overexcite him to the best of your ability with a ferocious game of tug, and at the point where your average terrier would have long boiled over and become blind and deaf to everything else around them, the glen will listen and cool back down in an instant, despite having been totally engaged in terrier mode moments earlier. You may put him in an enclosed space with a mass of screaming, running, rustling children who all want to pet, feed or play with him at once, and he will remain at ease and, in fact, pleased with all the action and attention. He won't mind new situations, but takes them in his stride. He is not sensitive to noise or other sensory aggravation such as crowds or strange surfaces (like slippery shopping centre floors). He's one of those dogs who will quietly sit under the table at a busy and noisy pub, making his presence known only by the steady thudding of his wagging tail and the friendly moist nose he'll poke out whenever someone new appears or if someone pays attention to him. 

Why has he been blessed with such good nerves? I believe the answer is in his background. Here we have a dog, who has not only eagerly gone to pitch black ground to face and draw out a badger which is incredibly dangerous and ferocious when fighting for its life, but also done it again with equal enthusiasm even if he has lost an eye and an ear along the way the first time round. The same can be said for dog fights. He has been pitted over and over again, and regardless of consequence, he has fought with great enthusiasm and a clear head. Not out of rage or terror, and that is what makes him such a dangerous fighter.

I firmly believe that glen puppy owners should pin these facts on their fridge door. When dealing with a glen, you MUST remember, that these are the types of dogs that find life endangering combat an enjoyable way to pass the time. They will not be fazed by a tap on the nose, a pointed finger, or a bit of water sprayed in their face. They will be delighted by your average grabbing-the-scruff-of-the-neck-and-a-firm-no that is more than sufficient for the majority of puppies. What a fun game the human has finally come up with! When teaching your glen fundamental rules, you must be deadly serious, you must mean it with every cell in your body, you must be so firm that there is no question whether this is a game, and you must be incredibly fair and consistent. He will be very quick to learn, if you get it right. The glen of imaal terrier needs a solid human leader in order to thrive and live up to its potential. No dog can successfully lead a pack of humans in a human world, and a failing leader is always at the verge of a nervous breakdown and ready for desperate measures, regardless of the nerves he started off with.

Despite its natural adoration of people, the glen of imaal terrier, unlike your average shepherd, is not born with an endogenous will to work with humans. They are inquisitive, brave and self-sufficient, and easily find ways to entertain themselves. However, a will to please and a realisation of the joy of teamwork is fairly easy to coax out of the young glen, and it's definitely worth every bit of the effort. The dog is so much easier to live with and train, and the bond that this will form between dog and owner is an endless source of joy for both parties. What's more, it is crucial for discipline and fun to go hand in hand in a nice balance. Too much or too little of either won't result in anything good. When the dog thoroughly enjoys your company, finding the right balance becomes very simple.

Thoughts on breeding and the modern glen

As a fan of this unique breed with some degree of university education in genetics and population ecology, I am horrified by past and present breeding practices and highly concerned of the breed's future. The glen of imaal terrier is a rare (or one could even say endangered) breed.

Even long before its recognition, the breed was highly local, making it somewhat susceptible to inbreeding. The foundations of the glen of imaal terrier as we know it today are based on only a small number of individuals since the breed was made official in 1934 by the IKC and outcrosses to other miscellaneous terriers and unregistered dogs waned. As if this wasn't bad enough, the breed's popularity suffered an all time low during the world wars, and its survival in the 1950's appears to have rested on only one or two kennels. The breed regained popularity in the 60's and 70's and was gradually revived, though this time around glens were primarily bred for the show ring, and not for their original uses.

This history makes the glen of imaal terrier extremely vulnerable. The small stock that breeding has been founded on means that the glen of imaal terrier has a very shallow gene pool. So shallow, in fact, that if it were an endangered species, ecologists would more likely shake their heads than attempt conservation. One might think, that glen of imaal breeders would be very aware of this fragility, and make breeding choices accordingly to preserve as much genetic variation and vigour as possible. Unfortunately this, at large, has not been the case. I do not mean to underestimate or tarnish the motives and good intentions that the vast majority of breeders are likely to have had, but in the absence of indifference, there must instead have been a grave deficit in the understanding of population genetics.

When dealing with a small population, it is crucial to avoid inbreeding and use as many different individuals and combinations as possible for breeding. Instead in Finland we have very often had several litters from each breeding dog, even some repeated combinations and we have also seen matador males who have sired 7 or 8 litters and have produced tens of offspring in the first and hundreds of offspring in the second generation. One such male is C.I.B FIN MVA EE MVA Madach Jack Snipe, with the consequence that 77% (over 500) Finnish glen of imaal terriers have him within 3 generations on their pedigree. Over 90% have him within 4 generations, but at this point it becomes very laborious to precisely calculate, as so many feature him several times over in different generations. However fantastic a dog is, it does not justify this type of breeding which is highly detrimental in small populations. Thankfully Finnish breeders have been active in importing dogs, too, but it doesn't rescue the fact that fundamental mistakes with potentially devastating and long-reaching consequences have been made. The key to reviving or even maintaining a rare species or breed is not as dependent on increasing the numbers (which Finnish breeders have excelled at, the glen population has soared from 2 to 670 in the space of 20 years), as it is in preserving genetic variety. The past and ongoing style of breeding dramatically reduces the effective population and leads to a very quick rise in the inbreeding rate over generations. This increase is easily masked by the fact that most use only 5-6 generations when calculating the level of inbreeding in their litters.

But what seems to be the problem? Finnish glens have gotten a lot of praise from judges and they appear to be rather healthy in both body and mind! Despite the current situation we cannot breathe a sigh of relief, quite the contrary. Problems related to inbreeding tend to take 20-30 generations (approximately 100 years) to surface. In populations with a shallow gene pool such as the glen of imaal terrier, problems will often start to show in as little as 10 generations, or 30-50 years. We're not quite there, and that is why we aren't seeing that many problems - yet. Inbreeding is not exclusive to glen of imaal terriers. Instead it affects all our pedigree dogs, though as with other rare breeds it has been more severe in glens than your average pedigree dog. Interestingly, most breeds as we know and breed them today have been around for around 50-100 years, and now we are starting to witness the results of our dog breeding practices. Orthopaedic problems, exocrine problems, endocrine problems, cancer, loss of fertility, birthing complications, immune problems, digestive problems, epilepsy, neurological problems and extremely rare disorders becoming common breed specific problems such as Addison's disease in the Portuguese water dog and interstitial lung disease in the westie. Unfortunately this list could go on. 

Whether or not it has been intentioned, the majority of glen of imaal breeding in the past decades has been short-sighted and primarily motivated by show success and the ambition to quickly produce more beautiful, successful dogs. Though basic health issues have thankfully in general also been addressed, the bigger picture of the breed's future has been missed.

Which bridges me to the topic of shows and breeding. For centuries, the glen of imaal terrier has been bred based on its ability to make itself useful. Good health and sound structure have generally followed on the side, as an ill-proportioned or unhealthy dog has rarely been of any use to anybody. The character of the dog has also inevitably been breed specific, if it has successfully and effortlessly performed the tasks typically demanded of it. Modern day breeding is much more complicated, as dogs are often no longer used for anything other than our own entertainment. Dog shows appear to be the predominant "sport" that fanciers involve themselves in, and the only consistent way in which dogs are evaluated and judged. As very little else than the aesthetics of the animal are evaluated (I am unconvinced that "movement" on a carpeted level floor tells anybody anything of the true physique of the dog), it is up to each individual breeder to evaluate the other aspects of the dog such as temperament and health when deciding whether or not to breed. Health or the lack of it is not always easy to determine in a sedentary pet, and thus breeding dogs must (or should) undergo extensive health examinations. Defining the character and temperament of the dog is also left up to individual opinion and preference based on what the dog has shown of itself in the home and the show-ring. Contrary to how things were, deciding whether a dog is a good representative of its breed is now very complicated, if not impossible, and this easily leads to all kinds of problems.

One such issue is the misinterpretation of breed standards. When the standard describes a breed specific property, such as "heavily built", it is unfortunately often interpreted the heavier the better, when the standard quotes the muzzle as being short, it is often interpreted that the shorter the better, which is not of course the original intention, but nevertheless very human. Traits which have originally been stated as factors that distinguish the breed from others easily become focal competition points within the breed. This leads to overshots such as large breeds becoming huge, hairy breeds becoming unmanageably hairy and bulldogs going from functional and muscular to the virtually invalid creatures they are today. Even in the short space of time that glens have been actively shown, similar changes have started to affect the breed. The glen of imaal breed standard is awash with reference to strength, muscle and power, with the consequence that what was originally described as "a tough and small dog" has become a big dog on small legs. Large dogs look impressive and are often favoured at shows. In addition strength, muscle and weight are more obvious on large glens than their smaller counterparts. However, the modern showstoppers have little hope of successfully carrying out the tasks their forefathers were used and bred for. And not just physically, but also mentally. I have understood that there are alarming numbers of very soft glens, nervous glens, driveless passive glens, highly dog aggressive glens and even glens that have shown aggression to humans. This departure from the original type and character is something that I feel should be avoided at all costs, for surely we want to preserve the true glen of imaal terrier rather than modify it into something quite different that fits our own makeshift preferences and expectations at the expense of the true essence of the breed.  

It is unlikely that glen folk will ever revert to farm life, hunting or - thank goodness - dog fights on a larger scale. What practical measures should we undertake, then, to prevent the glen of imaal terrier slipping down the same (or rather an even worse) slippery slope than others have before it? First of all a good deal of ruthless honesty and bravery is required. Concerns with type, health and genetics should be actively acknowledged, and concrete plans made to combat these problem. The first step would be to devise a comprehensive breeding objectives program, where common goals, objectives and ambitions would be agreed upon. Breed specific problems would be assessed and a plan of action proposed regarding each one. Salvaging and improving our glens would thus require a united front of breeders working together. However, despite the small number of breeders here in Finland, there are two separate breed organisations which have apparently formed due to unreconciled differences of opinion. What hope is there, when even a handful of breeders are apparently incapable of working together? In an endangered breed like the glen of imaal terrier, it would also be important that the people devising the breeding objective program had good knowledge and understanding of population genetics and animal physiology. This is something that enthusiasm and good intentions just cannot compensate.

Further related reading:

Society for Canine Health and Ethics 

Basic genetics from a good Collie site part 1

Basic genetics from a good collie site part 2

Effective population and genetic drift

Population ecology basics