#breed profile

[nabsthevulture]

Bull Terrier (Canis Familiaris)

Bull Terriers are a medium sized working terrier breed that Originates from Great Britain. It came from combining Bulldogs and an extinct breed, the Olde English Terrier. They were bred for bull baiting, and are now commonly bred as companions and for potential guard work. They’re an easily identifiable canine, both in life and death, and should be easy to spot.

BT’s generally weigh 50-70 pounds, with some change on either end. This can affect the size of the skull, at least slightly. They’ve got large heads, though a lot of that bulk is muscle. The skull itself is going to be dense and heavy. While measuring them is awkward, the sixty pound example skull measures 9 inches long. You’ll see a difference of a few inches depending on the weight differences.

The most prominent, obvious feature you’re going to come across is the incredible roman nose that these dogs have. The degree will vary depending on the dog and the lineage, but the roman nosed feature will be present in any bull terrier you come across.

With such an intense roman nose, these dogs tend to not have ‘traditional’ stops. Showline dogs will have less of a stop, as the roman nose is a breed standard and is bred for. Working line dogs will potentially have more of a stop, since it’s not necessarily what the focus of the lineage is. Regardless, you’ll see the roman to some degree.

Another big difference between working and showline is their body build. Showline dogs seem to be smaller and heavier, where the working line will be slimmer and taller. This won’t lend to identifying the skull, but it’s interesting to think about.

From above, BT’s are tapered from the muzzle to the back of the arches. They aren’t excessively blocky, despite their body build. Their cranium is narrow and rectangular in shape, much like their muzzles. The widest part of their head is going to be the back of the arches.

The eyes are another clue, beyond the roman nose. They’ve got small, oval shaped eyes that are set wide apart on their face. The small eyes are made to look even smaller, as their zygomatic arches are very broad.

The nasal opening will be flattened against the end of the muzzle because of the degree of the face tilting. The incisor beds may stretch out a little further than the tops of the nasal bridge, but it’ll be nearly flat if not totally flat. They’ve got relatively small noses in life, so the opening itself won’t be as large as say a GSD’s.

From below, the muzzle will form a round triangle, though the canines and incisors are going to widen out the top. The cranium will still appear thin from the bottom, and will form a big rectangle with the arches.

The lower jaws are also very broad and stay consistently shaped up until the incisor sockets. It’s interesting to see that they don’t taper to a sharp and sudden point. It’s typical of ‘bully’/molosser breeds, but are more likely the heavier the dog may be. A 70 lb Bull terrier may have a thicker lower jaw than a 50 lb Bull Terrier.

Another interesting trait to look at is their teeth. Like many bulky terriers, they have large teeth; And like with many shorter or strangely faced dogs, there can be a bit of teeth crowding. Teeth can be slightly turned and overlap due to the short, slanted muzzle. Their incisors are unlike the molars and are actually slightly spaced out.

So all in all, you’re not going to need much beyond the roman nose to really identify these dogs, but the extra traits are good to look at just in case you’re confused. Small eyes, wide jaws, big teeth, and so on. There are plenty of references available online to look at, so make sure to use them!

Good luck and happy identifying!

KO-FI

[nabsthevulture]

Do you guys want a GSD breed profile or a Bully Breed Profile next? GSD will be shorter and take less time, Bully will be long as fuck but thats cause I gotta cover a lot of shit.

I know yall are patient (or dont give a shit lmao) But which do you wanna see next?

[nabsthevulture]

Rottweiler (Canis Familiaris)

Rottweiler’s are Medium to Large sized dogs originating from Germany. Their initial purpose was to assist butchers in cattle herding and cart pulling, but they’ve evolved into dogs typically used for security and personal protection. Rottweilers can be easily identified by their large, blocky heads and Black and Tan coat pattern.

Their boxy heads carry through into their skulls, making them semi easy to identify if you don’t find them in identifiable condition. They have a sharp corner to their mandibles and, given how the rottweiler was bred, varying degrees of a stop. Some rottweilers have a shorter, more compact face while others have a less brachy face and thus have a more sloped stop and a longer, narrower muzzle.

Comparatively, rottweilers have relatively small eyes compared to their skull sizes. Their eye sockets tend to sit a bit further apart than others, and are small and oval shaped. The width of their arches pushes the face out and gives them the broad head-on look you see in live rottweilers.

Rottweilers have large, dense skulls that will feel heavy in your hand. The bone of their cranium is thick, so the back of the skull will feel significantly heavier than the front. Their thickly muscled necks help support their heads, along with similarly large and dense bones. Their Atlas vertebrae are impressive to say the least.

Brachy dogs, especially larger brachy dogs, tend to lose or wear their teeth down with age. Usually you’ll see this in their incisors, and this is no different for Rottweilers. They are often dogs that have an under-bite, and have canines that rub against their upper incisors. Not every rottweiler is like that, but it is considered a common trait among the breed and can be used to help identify them.

On the same brachy note, rottweilers tend to have smushed together or tightly packed teeth. This can result in them being born without certain teeth, or having their premolars be completely sideways. Though this isn’t a definite of the whole breed, Rottweilers can display widely spaced upper and lower canines and incisors. It’s a trait of brachy dogs in general, and it appears more often in conjunction with under-bites. Dental abnormalities don’t define a dog, but they are easy ways to help narrow down the search.

Of the brachy/Meso dogs, rottweilers are relatively easy to identify if you know what to look for. They can be tricky however and look like other breeds, but with a good in-depth look and some comparisons, it’ll become easier to separate out Rottweiler traits from others. Typical breed standard won’t apply to all dogs, but there are always going to be a few that you will be able to find.

(Disclaimer: Rotties are a breed of dog that can be Brachy and Meso! Some Rottweilers have longer faces, while some have mushed faces. I’ve got Hera, who I’d consider Meso, and then Lilith who i’d consider more so Brachy than Meso.)

Good luck, and happy identifying!

KO-FI

[nabsthevulture]

Breed Profile Directory

The breed profiles will be added and updated as they’re finished. If there’s any problems with links, let me know!

Rottweiler

Labrador Retriever

Beagle

Golden Retriever

Australian Cattle Dog

Australian Shepherd 

German Shepherd Dog

Bully Mix

Boxer

Fox Hound

American Eskimo Dog

If you find any of the profiles helpful, maybe Buy me a coffee? 

[nabsthevulture]

Heelers (Canis Familiaris)

Australian cattle dogs, aka Queensland heelers, cattle dogs, Hall’s heelers, etc, are a dog breed from Australia. They’re a smaller mid sized breed used not only for herding, but guarding and sport as well. Their size makes them versatile for the many jobs they can be tasked with doing.

Heelers are an easy breed to identify, namely because of their shape. A good way to describe them would be “egg” shaped. They're smooth and have a straight sloped stop. They peak above the orbit and slope downward again towards the back of the skull. They have such an interestingly defined skull that there aren’t many others they can be confused for.

Identifiable traits don't just end at their egg like shape. Heelers, in proportion to their skulls, have short, rectangular muzzles. At the end, they’ll have rather small nasal passages. Even in life, heelers have small snoots. Small nasal passages can occur in many other breeds as well, so that isn’t a strictly Heeler thing.

Heeler teeth will also be a big part of identification. They have short Canines and a wide upper jaw. This makes their face the round shape, and when taken to the lower jaws, it makes their teeth bow outward a bit. Their odd skull shape feeds into many of their identifiable traits.

Eye sockets and arches also help in identifying these dogs. Heelers have a very smooth transition from arch to muzzle, giving them a “V” shape. Within this are their small, oval shaped eyes. Their eyes sit a decent distance apart, but that is often seen in wide faced dogs. Another good example of this would be Bully breeds and mixes.

There’s not a lot to be said about these guys! Overall, Heelers are an easy breed to identify. They can vary in size, but traits will remain recognizable. Whether it be the egg shaped heads or the smooth funneled face, Heelers will display a definite trait towards IDing.

Good Luck and happy identifying! 

KO-FI

[nabsthevulture]

German Shepherd (Canis Familiaris) 

-German shepherds hail from Germany, as their name suggests. They were used for herding livestock, personal protection, and Police work. Their modern purposes are practically the same as they were back in the day, though the intensity of their tasks have changed. GSD’s are a versatile breed that can vary in color, shape, and weight. You can find a shepherd as small as 60 pounds, or one that far exceeds 100 pounds. These extremes are reflected in the skull and can be broken down into the traits covered below.

-The main tip off of a GSD is their size and shape. They look pretty uniform from dog to dog, though variation is a definite when you look at similar shepherd breeds or those that have high GSD influence. Narrowed to the GSD, it can still be a confusing read. With their weight variation, skulls can be as small as 7 inches and as big as 12 inches. Crests can be massive or nonexistent, teeth can be big and broad or almost coyote like. You’ll find endless variations, but you can almost always count on them being proportionate. Shepherds are pretty easy to identify all around, with GSD being the most recognizable of the group.

-The Shepherd stop is one of the first traits that’ll be noticed, though it’s not because of how sudden or sharp they are. Shepherds tend to have smooth stops that bear some resemblance to slides. It could be described as drastic, but in comparison to the sharp drop displayed in some breeds, it’s rather tame. Boxy dogs will have a square muzzle when looked at from the side, caused by their sudden sharp drops. Shepherds, or really any smooth stopped dog, will be more triangular.

-As a breed, shepherds display long and narrow heads, though in the case of the GSD they can be blocky if bred for that trait. GSD won’t be as narrow as a sight hound, but for a large breed they have very smooth, well proportioned skulls. The muzzle to cranium/ocular ratio is balanced and gives the skull an overall “rectangular” shape. The breed is generally seen as Dolichocephalic because of their long and narrow stature, though of course there are extremes in each breed. One shepherd may be very compact and end up being Mesocephalic due to poor breeding or birth defects.

-While they’re rectangular from the side, Shepherds are triangular from the top. From the back of the arch to the end of the nose, they smoothly taper to a rounded end. If compared to a boxy breed, it’s easy to see the difference. Even other Dolich breeds can be sharper and have wider points. Similar to many Dolich breeds, GSD have small eyes that are set back on their skull. The sockets are small because of the tapering skull, since the Zygomatic arches aren’t bowing far outward.

-Continuing on the Dolich trend, shepherds will have nicely spaced, large teeth. They have very prominent upper canines, visible even in the younger dogs. Different issues may change this, such as mouth injuries, infections, birth defects, or poor breeding. Crowding may occur, or teeth can even be completely sideways, but this is an issue that is applicable to any dog breed. That being said, a shepherd’s teeth should help you ID them, uniform or not.

-When it comes to the difference in size between GSD’s, It’s safe to tell you not to worry. A shepherd will look like one; their size won't make much of a difference. When comparing an 11 inch skull to a 9 inch skull, the only difference is that  gap. They both display the pronounced crest, the slide stop, the smooth taper, and the small eyes.

-As a large athletic breed, it only makes sense that GSD have big noses. They’re used for herding, or police work, which includes heaps of heavy physical activity. Their nasal passage is broad and wide open to allow them to breath clearly and consistently to match their task. This is not unlike a Labrador being bred for waterfowl retrieval. Their bodies and features have been changed and adapted through selective breeding, leaving behind hints in their skulls and skeletons.

-GSD are an easy breed to identify, though why they’re so easy I can’t really say. There’s just something about them, where you look at one and know that it’s a shepherd. At that point it’s just a matter of picking out the traits, such as their size, to determine which shepherd breed it is. Of the whole group, I’d argue these guys are the easiest. Of course, don’t get stressed, and use as many reference photos as you need. It helps tremendously in the long run!

-Good luck and happy Identifying!

KO-FI

[nabsthevulture]

Bully Mixes “American Bully” (Canis Familiaris)

-Bully mix refers to what people generally call “pitbulls”. They usually aren’t, however. The American Pit Bull Terrier is it’s own breed of dog, not a catch all term for broad headed stout dogs. Many “pitbulls” are really bully mixes. They can consist of different breeds like APBT, Bulldogs, Mastiffs, boxers, etc. Since these dogs aren’t set to one uniform breed, they can and will vary wildly.

-When it comes to such a broad term that encompasses so many breeds, the variations are going to be through the roof. Their skulls will have some semi-uniform shapes and elements, but you can have a bully mix that’s 6 inches long, or one that’s 11 inches long. Some could have smoother stops, some could be borderline brachycephalic. The differences and variations are endless. At the end of the day, you don’t need to focus on individual traits from each of the “bully” breeds, you just need to have a general idea of what to look for.

-The most notable trait of the Bully mix is it’s shape. They’re often big and blocky dogs, fitting smack-dab in the middle of the Mesocephalic group, meaning (simplified) that their heads are as wide as they are long. They’re proportionately square dogs, as a general statement. Of course since they aren’t a solid breed and instead one scoop of the gumbo pot of bully breeds, it can and will differ. A huge bully mix can have a smooth stop and a more triangular shape.

-Wide arches are another trademark of the bullies. They’re broad and thick to accommodate the powerful muscles atop their heads. They get thicker towards the back than in the front, but that’s a given for most breeds. The arches usually bow out a bit, giving them the “blocky” look that many bully mixes sport in life. You’ll often see people bragging about their “pitbull” having a huge Blocky head. It’s a trait commonly bred for. As a result, it’s not impossible to find a bully that’s got a head way too big for its body.

-Bully mixes, because of their muscular heads, often have impressive sagittal crests. Even though there’s muscle behind it and an exaggerated crests, it may not translate into a crushing, powerful bite. Compare a bear and a fisher; Fishers have impressive crests, but they aren’t an animal that will destroy your world with their bite. Bears on the other hand don’t have that much of a crest, but their bites are immense and deadly. Back on track, though generally you’ll see a nice crest on bully mixes, some may not display one at all. It all just depends on the dog!

-Teeth are going to be another clue to look at. “Brachy” dogs have the tendency to have exaggerated bites, i.e. Overbites and Underbites. Bully mixes can have both, though they can also be totally fine dentally. Larger examples of bullies, (those likely to possibly have boxer or mastiff influence) are going to be more prone to the under bite. On the same hand, small bullies (Like those with English Bulldog influence) may be more likely to display it as well. Of the examples I’ve personally seen, most of the mid sized dogs look to have relatively normal dental situations. My largest Specimen has an intense underbite, though the 2nd largest doesn’t display any dental changes at all. Teeth are a minor thing to look at but are helpful to consider nonetheless.

-The eye sockets on these guys are generally going to be pretty proportionate. Their ingredient breeds usually aren’t bred with large eyes in the way a Chihuahua might, so you aren’t going to be seeing anything too wild unless you’re getting into toy territory. Boston’s and Frenchies are the big eyed ‘Bully’ toys, but they don’t appear to have much influence in the modern day Bully mix. There are extremes of course, but you’re typically going to run into some pretty average eyes.

-As per their blocky, boxy heads, Bully mixes will more often than not have thick lower jaw. It’s consistent from the last molar to the canine, rather than doing a sharp taper like a Dolich breeds jaw would. This makes their chin more pronounced as well, giving the very front of their muzzle a flat look.

-Since bullies aren’t an official breed, everything here is a general statement. I have one skull, a large male bully, who displays all of these traits. On the other hand, I have another large male bully that is the complete opposite of your “typical” bully. He has a rather smooth face, no sagittal crest, thin zygomatics, no dental deformities, etc.. He’s arguably almost Dolich in structure. This dog alone defies all of the classic bully traits, even though he absolutely is a bully. What a jerk.

-Bully Mixes are dogs made of a large number of dogs, but over the years of bullies breeding with other bullies, they’ve come to display specific, distinguishable traits. If you come across a bully, chances are you’ll know. As with any other breed, make sure to use as many references as you can, and be patient!

-Good luck and happy identifying!

KO-FI

[nabsthevulture]

Australian Shepherd (Canis Familiaris)

Australian Shepherds, despite their name, are a breed originating from the United States. They’re often used for herding, namely sheep, but have been used in agility, service work, and other dog sports. Aussies are a breed that is diverse in many ways ranging from their weight to their skeletal structure, but that’ll all be covered here.

Aussies have a very obvious “shepherd” look to their skull, but they look different enough to make people do a double take. “Is this a mixed breed?” or “Is this a mini GSD?”. Their size is a big factor into the confusion around placing them. Aussies can be as little as 35 pounds, and be as big as 70 pounds. The weight difference will have heavy influence in the skulls and the rest of the skeleton, but for simplicity sake we’ll focus mainly on the skull. 

A key point to look at is their stop. While they do have the telltale smooth shepherd stop, their brows round out a bit above their eyes. It’s a faint change, but noticeable enough to be a definable trait. Their degree of stop will differ between dogs, but the gently rounded brow seems to be pretty uniform. It leads into a “short” cranium, made to look smaller by their long muzzles. It’s mostly appearance wise, as Aussies are a very proportionate breed anatomically.

 Their muzzles are narrow, much more so than that of a GSD. They have uniform, nicely spaced teeth, though again it will vary between dogs. A dog with a more pronounced stop and a shorter face may have mildly crowded teeth, versus a more streamline aussie having spaced teeth.

The jaws of these dogs aren’t a singular trait, but more so a trait that affects the whole skull. Their heads are tapered from the arch down to to the muzzle, giving them smooth sides. Dogs with a more pronounced stop may not be as smooth, but they likely won’t display excessive boxiness.

Small, far back eyes are a trait that most shepherds display, Aussies being no exception. Their brows are round but short, keeping decent level with their eye sockets. The small sockets are part of what gives them their triangular shape, as their arches don’t bow outward.

Like most other shepherds, the nasal passages are going to be small but proportionate. Though this may be a “general” trait, but combining it with the other characteristics is a good way to reach a conclusion. Compared to a breed like Labs, who have large nasal openings, It would become obvious the two are different breeds on that trait alone.

Now, if you have the entire skeleton and you aren’t certain the breed, a huge tip off will be the tail. Australian shepherds can have natural tails, bobbed tails, or docked tails. Naturally bobbed tails are blunt in life, but will be apparent in death. They’ll be short of course, with less vertebrae than a full tail. Chances are the last vertebrae will be smoothed and rounded.

A full tail will look like any other dog tail and probably won’t lend you too much help when identifying. Looking at skull traits is the best bet if the body isn’t available.

A Docked tail will look docked. Typically when tails are docked, it’s before the Caudal (round) tail vertebrae begin. You’ll be left with varying numbers of sacral vertebrae. Depending on the age of the dock, the opening of the last vertebrae should be closing up. That’s how you’ll be able to tell if it’s a dock, bob, or if tail vertebrae are missing.

Generally speaking, it’s easy to put Aussies in the category of Shepherds, but a little harder to narrow them down to Australians. The variation within the breed also makes them tough, but with enough physical clues it shouldn't take too long. If you reach the conclusion of shepherd, but the skull doesn’t quite match a GSD, consider that it may be a smaller shepherd breed, or could possibly be a shepherd mix.

Patience is always recommended when narrowing down breeds, but especially when you hit the labyrinth of shepherd breeds. Look for those key traits, take location into account, and use as many references as you can!

Good luck, and happy identifying!

KO-FI