New Guinea Singing Dog

New Guinea Singing Dog

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The New Guinea Singing Dog (NGSD, New Guinea Highland Dog, or Singer) is a relative of the Australian Dingo that is native to New Guinea. Discovered by Ellis Troughton in 1957, NGSDs have remained isolated for almost 6000 years, making them possibly the oldest of the pariah dogs. New Guinea Highland Dog, or Singer, is a type of domestic dog that is native to New Guinea, classified as a subspecies of Canis lupus and related to the Australian Dingo. Singers have remained isolated from other dogs for almost 6000 years, making them possibly the oldest of the pariah dogs. Once thought to inhabit the entire island of New Guinea, today wild populations are thought to be extinct, with captive specimens numbering from 100 to 200. 

They are exceptionally intelligent, but hard to keep because of wild behavioural traits. There is some debate as to whether Singers are truly domesticated animals, though with proper training, their pack-instincts may allow them to live with humans. They are recognized as a breed by the United Kennel Club, which places them in the Sighthound & Pariah Group. New Guinea Singing Dogs are unique in their ability to howl in a wolf-like manner, but unlike wolves, Singers modulate the pitch, hence the name.

They are unique in their ability to howl in a wolf-like manner, but unlike wolves, Singers modulate the pitch, hence the name. NGSDs have a fox-like appearance, with a double coat that ranges in color from red to brown, and have a characteristically large carnassial tooth. They stand between 14 and 18 inches (36 to 46 cm) at the withers, and weigh 17 to 30 pounds (8 to 14 kg)as adults.

Once thought to inhabit the entire island of New Guinea, today wild populations are thought to be extinct, with captive specimens numbering from 100 to 200. They are an exceptionally clever breed of dog, but are hard to keep because of wild behavioural traits. 

In the 1950s, Sir Edward Halistrom brought the first pair out of the Southern Highlands District of Papua New Guinea to the Taronga Zoo in Sydney, Australia, and it was first classified from those specimens as a distinct species, Canis hallstromi (Troughton, 1957). Currently the NGSD is classified as a domestic dog subspecies of Canis lupus, Canis lupus dingo.

The New Guinea Singing Dog has never been studied in the wild and virtually nothing is known concerning its behavior, social organization or general natural history under free-ranging conditions; and as of 2004, there were less than 50 specimens (all highly inbred) in the documented NGSD captive breeding population. Most of the NGSD in North America have descended from the original Taronga Zoo pair; in 1976 five were brought from Irian Jaya to the Domestic Animal Institute in Keil, Germany. No others have been captured from the wild.

In general, NGSD show all the behaviors described for other Canis species, with the exception of the “play bow” typical to most canids but not seen in the NGSD. Captive populations (the only ones studied) do not form packs, and wild sightings are of single dogs or pairs. They have a distinctive howl, and emit a “trill”, described as similar to a sound made by the Dhole (Cuon alpinus.)

The Kalam people of the Papuan Highlands capture pups and raise them as pets and hunting dogs, but do not breed the NGSDs. Wild dogs (not village dogs) are sometimes eaten. The taxonomy of the NGSD continues to be investigated. Naming systems are not random, but agreed upon internationally. As new information becomes available, naming may change.

The United Kennel Club began registering them as a dog breed in January 1996, in the Sighthounds & Pariah Group. The American Rare Breed Association also registers them as a dog breed, in their Spitz & Primitive Group.

There is some debate as to whether NGSDs are truly domesticated animals, though with proper training, the pack-instinct of the NGSD usually makes it possible to keep the animal. They are a recognized breed by such organizations as the United Kennel Club, which classifies them as a pariah dog.

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