Game or gameness is a quality of
fighting dogs and
working terrier
A working terrier is a small type of dog which pursues its quarry into the earth. According to the ''Oxford English Dictionary'', the name dates back to at least 1440, derived from French ''chien terrier'' 'digging dog', which is from Medieval L ...
s that are
selectively bred
Selective breeding (also called artificial selection) is the process by which humans use animal breeding and plant breeding to selectively develop particular phenotypic traits (characteristics) by choosing which typically animal or plant ma ...
and
conditioned from a very early age to develop traits of eagerness despite the threat of substantive injury. Dogs displaying this trait can also be described as persevering, ready and willing, full of fight, spirited, or plucky.
Dog fighting breeds
In dog fighting breeds gameness is valued as it gives the dog the ability to maintain the attack in
baiting, despite ripped
flesh
Flesh is any aggregation of soft tissues of an organism. Various multicellular organisms have soft tissues that may be called "flesh". In mammals, including humans, ''flesh'' encompasses muscles, fats and other loose connective tissues, but ...
,
dehydration
In physiology, dehydration is a lack of total body water, with an accompanying disruption of metabolic processes. It occurs when free water loss exceeds free water intake, usually due to exercise, disease, or high environmental temperature. Mi ...
,
exhaustion
Fatigue describes a state of tiredness that does not resolve with rest or sleep. In general usage, fatigue is synonymous with extreme tiredness or exhaustion that normally follows prolonged physical or mental activity. When it does not resolve ...
or broken
bone
A bone is a rigid organ that constitutes part of the skeleton in most vertebrate animals. Bones protect the various other organs of the body, produce red and white blood cells, store minerals, provide structure and support for the body, an ...
s. As one writer describes it, "Game is the dog that won't quit fighting, the dog that'll die in the ring, the dog that'll fight with two broken legs." The scope and method of training to develop a game dog varies dramatically depending on the level and experience of the dog-fighter. Most "gamebred" dogs have a high pain threshold.
Working terrier breeds
Pertaining to
working terrier
A working terrier is a small type of dog which pursues its quarry into the earth. According to the ''Oxford English Dictionary'', the name dates back to at least 1440, derived from French ''chien terrier'' 'digging dog', which is from Medieval L ...
s and other small
hunting dog
A hunting dog is a canine that hunts with or for hunters. There are several different types of hunting dog developed for various tasks and purposes. The major categories of hunting dog include hounds, terriers, dachshunds, cur type dogs, and ...
s,
earthdog trial
An earthdog test or earthdog trial tests the working ability and instinct of the small, often short-legged terriers or Dachshunds. These dogs were bred to hunt vermin and other quarry which lived in underground dens. Earthdog den tests involve ma ...
s are used to determine the dog's gameness in hunting dangerous
pest species
A pest is any animal or plant harmful to humans or human concerns. The term is particularly used for creatures that damage crops, livestock, and forestry or cause a nuisance to people, especially in their homes. Humans have modified the environ ...
underground. The
American Working Terrier Association currently offers a Certificate of Gameness (CG) title
as a basic instinct test (meaning that it is done without conditioning/training the dog, to see if the dog naturally exhibits gameness) for working terriers and
dachshunds. In the past, the
Irish Kennel Club
The Irish Kennel Club or IKC is an organization dedicated to supporting dog breeds and their owners. It maintains a register of purebred dogs in Ireland, issuing pedigree certificates, transfer of ownership certification and export licenses wh ...
required the now-discarded
Teastas Mor certification for champion animals (intended for breeding) which involved "showing gameness in attacking
badger
Badgers are short-legged omnivores in the family Mustelidae (which also includes the otters, wolverines, martens, minks, polecats, weasels, and ferrets). Badgers are a polyphyletic rather than a natural taxonomic grouping, being united ...
s. Five minutes is the minimum period a terrier shall be in contact with the badger, except when the terrier draws the badger in less time." "Drawing" means pulling the badger out of the hole. The purpose of the Teastas Mor was to determine the dog's capabilities for work and fitness for breeding, not primarily for entertainment as in the
blood-sports of
baiting.
See also
*
Dog aggression
Dog aggression expressed by dogs is considered to be normal behaviour and various types of aggression are influenced by a dog's environment and genetic predisposition. Dogs commonly display possessive aggression when defending resources or thems ...
*
Dog behaviourist
A dog behaviourist is a person who works in modifying or changing behaviour in dogs. They can be experienced dog handlers, who have developed their experience over many years of hands-on experience, or have formal training up to degree level. Some ...
*
Instinct
Instinct is the inherent inclination of a living organism towards a particular complex behaviour, containing both innate (inborn) and learned elements. The simplest example of an instinctive behaviour is a fixed action pattern (FAP), in which a ...
*
Prey drive
Prey drive is the instinctive inclination of a carnivore to find, pursue and capture prey. The term is chiefly used to describe and analyse habits in dog training.
Aspects
In all predators the prey drive follows an inevitable sequence: Search (o ...
References
{{Reflist
Dog training and behavior
Baiting (blood sport)
Cruelty to animals