Lesser-Known Dog Breeds - The Air Spotter Dog

Lesser-Known Dog Breed - The Airspotter Dog.

This breed as its origins in the First World War.

The Royal Flying Corp of Great Britain (later to go on to be renamed the Royal Airforce) faced a major problem getting enough aircrew for its fledgling service.

Prospects were not good for new aircrew, in fact the average life expectancy was a mere two weeks and there was never enough young men to fully man the aircraft.

As a means to make up this shortfall it was proposed to create a new dog breed - one with very keen eyesight that could act as a spotter and alert the pilot to incoming enemy aircraft.

Anticipating a long war ahead, a breeding program was started.

Happily for the air spotter dog, the war came to an need before they were able to take to the skies. With the war over, the very purpose for this highly specialised dogs existence was over, and many feared that the breed would die out almost as soon as it had been created.

A Most Famous Flying Fellow

Fortunately, with all the surplus aircraft left over from the war, and the boom in popular aviation, the air spotter dog found itself a loyal companion, to barnstormers, amateur pilots, and pioneering aviators around the world.

Perhaps the most famous dog was that of aviatrix Kitty DeHavilland.

Icky accompanied Kitty on all of her solos flights, and was also noteworthy in enabling her to take place in the Venice to Athens seaplane race.

Prior to the start of the race, Kitty plane has been taken over by a flight of passing pelicans who thinking it a most excellent perch on which to take a breather, had plonked themselves down and prevente the aircraft from starting take off preparation.

Fortunately Icky was able to brave the battling birds and to finally shoo them off enabling Kitty to start the race.

Icky To The Rescue!

Although able to start the race, Kitty’s hopes of victory were thwarted when her engine cut out, forcing her to hand on the sea. Her bad luck was doubled when upon handing her seaplane hit a floating log, and the resulting damage caused it to sink.

Fortunately Icky was on hand to tow Kitty to safety.

Coat Variations

The first coat colour achieved was brown on top to camouflage the dog against the ground, with a white belly to match the sky. There is also a sandy coloured coat for desert use, an all-white one for winter, and the exceedingly rare dark blue for naval use.

The air-spotter dog definately has the keenest eyesight in the canine world, and it able to spot a far distant aircraft. However, One drawback of the breed is their tendency to bark at passing aircraft. This trai is so deeply engrained in them, that it is something that prospective owners have to take into account.

Flap Those Paws!

Today Air Spotter dogs can generally be found in high altitude locations, as they seem to fare badly closer to sea level. They can also be found enthusiastically taking place in bird and competitions around the world.