Bull Arab

The Bull Arab is a type of dog developed in Australia for hunting wild boars and feral pigs.^[2][1][3] The dog was bred from crossing dog types like Bull Terrier, Great Dane, Mastiff, Greyhound and German Shorthaired Pointer. The result was a medium to large size, short-haired, muscular dog.^[2]

Bull Arab
Other names	Australian Pig Dog
Origin	Australia
Breed status	Not recognised as a breed by any major kennel club.
Traits Weight 30–50 kg (66–110 lb)[1] Coat Short[2] Color White with black, liver, tan or brindle patches[1]
Dog (domestic dog)

Temperament

The Bull Arab combines the desired characteristics of a scent hound and a catch dog. An Australian pig dog is used to locate pigs, pull them to the ground, and hold them by the ear.^[4] The breed is able to locate pigs as far as 4–6 kilometres (2.5–3.7 mi) away by smell.^[1]

Animal welfare issues

According to shelters and animal welfare organizations, Bull Arab type dogs are bred irresponsibly, dumped often and are more difficult to rehome responsibly.^[5][6][7] Due to restrictions on rental housing agreements in Queensland that prohibit larger sized dog breeds, many large breeds of dogs including Bull Arabs are often abandoned in that state.^[8] RSPCA Australia also attributes this to a perceived rise in pig hunting, with hunters not desexing their animals, resulting in litters often being dumped.^[9]

Attack risk

Attacks on animals^{[10][11][12][13][14]} and humans^[15][16][17] have been attributed to Bull Arab type dogs. The Mackay Regional Council reports hunting dogs are not represented in greater numbers of dog bites than other dog breeds.^[18] In a 2022 analysis of 682 dog bite related injuries who presented to Sydney Children's Hospital in New South Wales from 2010 to 2020, no bites were attributed to Bull Arabs, though Bull Arabs are not within the 20 most common breeds in New South Wales.^[19][20]

Trivia

• One example of the breed is cited as being used as an assistance dog for a veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder.^[21]

Further reading

• B, Orr; R, Malik; ME, Westman; JM, Norris (2022). "Seroprevalence of Coxiella burnetii in pig-hunting dogs from north Queensland, Australia". Aust Vet J. 100 (6): 230–235. doi:10.1111/avj.13151. PMC 9306716. PMID 35156193.

See also

• Dogs portal
• List of dog breeds

References

1. Tuskers Magazine, "Intro to Australia and Bull Arabs", Adam Mirfin, February 2013, p 26.
2. Studdert, Virginia P.; Gay, Clive C.; Blood, Douglas C. (2011). Saunders Comprehensive Veterinary Dictionary (4 ed.). Saunders Ltd. p. 163. ISBN 978-0702047435.
3. Sally Harding, City dog country dog, Wakefield Press, Kent Town, 2010, ISBN 978-1-86254-915-9, p 86.
4. The Sydney Morning Herald, "Policeman’s tussle with pig dog pack", 25 March 1979, p 20.
5. Orr, Bronwyn; Malik, Richard; Norris, Jacqui; Westman, Mark (2019). "The Welfare of Pig-Hunting Dogs in Australia". Animals. 9 (10): 853. doi:10.3390/ani9100853. PMC 6826489. PMID 31652568.
6. "Dumping animals 'faster than we can save them': shelter's urgent plea to community". www.portnews.com.au. 2023-01-31. Retrieved 2024-12-28.
7. Cooley, Declan (December 17, 2015). "Most abandoned pig dogs don't make it past the pound". The Courier Mail. Retrieved 2024-12-28.
8. Sunshine Coast Daily, "The adorable dogs everyone has forgotten to love", 16 June 2014.
9. Brisbane Times, "Almost 25,000 animals surrendered to RSPCA Queensland", 11 January 2016.
10. Northern Daily Leader, "Dogs mauled 30 sheep", 20 May 2010, p 3.
11. Daily Mercury, "Four sheep dead and 18 injured in dog attack", 6 April 2015.
12. Daily Mercury, "Man scared to leave own home after dog attack", 18 December 2013.
13. myGC.com.au, "Bull Arab put down following deadly dog attack on the Gold Coast", 10 April 2014.
14. Fraser Coast Chronicle, "Attack dogs euthanised by council", 26 February 2011.
15. "Boy left with 'horrific' facial injuries after being mauled by friend's pet dog in Perth". ABC News. 2024-09-19. Retrieved 2024-12-28.
16. Cormack, Lucy (2016-05-30). "Two-year-old boy mauled by dog at South Coast home". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2024-12-28. The boy suffered injuries to his head, chest, back and legs when he was bitten by a bull Arab in the front yard of a home...
17. "Bite club: Family pet behind most dog attacks on kids". dailytelegraph. Archived from the original on 2022-08-20. Retrieved 2024-12-28. Talan Peters was mauled to death by a Bull Arab dog in Queensland.
18. Daily Mercury, "Mackay locals just as likely to be attacked by a Jack Russell", 20 March 2017.
19. Sulaiman, A; Liang, D; Gianoutsos, M; Moradi, P (28 February 2022). "Paediatric dog bite injuries: a 10-year retrospective cohort analysis from Sydney Children's Hospital". ANZ Journal of Surgery. 92 (5): 1149–1152. doi:10.1111/ans.17581. PMID 35229428. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
20. Kowal, Emily (6 July 2024). "Most and least popular dog breeds in NSW revealed".
21. "An abandoned dog has helped a Gold Coast soldier get his life back". Gold Coast Bulletin. 2016-02-07. Retrieved 2024-11-10.