Game or gameness is a trait most often attributed to fighting dogs,

working terriers A working terrier is a type of terrier dog Dog breeding, bred and trained to Hunting dog, hunt vermin including a badger, Fox hunting, fox, rat and other small mammals. This may require the working terrier pursuing the vermin into an underground ...

, and

fighting cocks Cockfighting is a blood sport involving domesticated roosters as the combatants. The first documented use of the word gamecock, denoting use of the cock as to a "game", a sport, pastime or entertainment, was recorded in 1634, after the term " ...

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 ...

, referring to their ability to persevere in a fight even when losing. Dogs that demonstrate this trait can also be described as "ready and willing", "full of fight", "spirited", or "plucky", and are able to resist mental and physical challenges in order to win a fight. Gameness contrasts with

prey drive Prey drive is the instinctive inclination of a carnivore to find, pursue, and capture prey; this instinct can be refined for industrial purposes such as herding livestock. Aspects The predatory motor sequence follows a sequence: search (orient, ...

insofar as gameness refers to a dog's motivation to fight other dogs, and prey drive refers to a dog's motivation to hunt prey. The factors that produce gameness are not well understood. Though the selective pressures involved in breeding dogs for dogfighting appear to be a significant component of gameness, dogfighters disagree about the importance of genetics to the trait. While dogs that exhibit a high degree of gameness are more prone to have offspring who are also game, the inheritance of the trait is not consistent.

Dog fighting breeds

In dog fighting pitbulls bred for gameness are valued as the ability to not quit, despite injury,

dehydration In physiology, dehydration is a lack of total body water that disrupts metabolic processes. It occurs when free water loss exceeds intake, often resulting from excessive sweating, health conditions, or inadequate consumption of water. Mild deh ...

exhaustion Exhaust, exhaustive, or exhaustion may refer to: Law *Exhaustion of intellectual property rights, limits to intellectual property rights in patent and copyright law **Exhaustion doctrine, in patent law ** Exhaustion doctrine under U.S. law, in ...

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, ...

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 terriers

Pertaining to

working terrier A working terrier is a type of terrier dog bred and trained to hunt vermin including a badger, fox, rat and other small mammals. This may require the working terrier pursuing the vermin into an underground warren. These working dog breeds are ...

s and other small

hunting dog A hunting dog is a Dog, canine that hunts with or for hunters. There are several different Dog type, types of hunting dog developed for various tasks and purposes. The major categories of hunting dog include hounds, terriers, cur type dogs, and ...

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 huma ...

s are used to determine the dog's gameness in hunting dangerous

pest species A pest is any organism 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 environment fo ...

underground. The American Working Terrier Association currently offers a Certificate of Gameness (CG) title which is more of a basic prey drive test. All working terriers, including but not limited to:

Bedlington Terrier The Bedlington Terrier is a dog breed, breed of small dog named after the mining town of Bedlington, Northumberland in North East England. Originally bred to hunt, the Bedlington Terrier has since been used in dog racing, numerous List of dog s ...

Cairn Terrier The Cairn Terrier is a terrier breed originating in the Scottish Highlands and recognised as one of Scotland's earliest working dogs. The name "Cairn Terrier" was a compromise suggestion when the breed was brought to official shows in the Unite ...

Dandie Dinmont Terrier A Dandie Dinmont Terrier is a small Scottish dog breed in the terrier family. The breed has a very long body, short legs, and a distinctive topknot of hair on the head. They are friendly but tough, and are suitable for interaction with older ch ...

Fox Terrier Fox Terriers are two different breeds of the terrier dog type: the Smooth Fox Terrier and the Wire Fox Terrier. Both of these breeds originated in the 19th century from a handful of dogs who are descended from earlier varieties of United Kingdo ...

, Glen of Imaal Terrier, Jack Russell Terrier,

Patterdale Terrier The Patterdale Terrier is a breed of dog descended from the Northern terrier breeds of the early 18th century, originally bred in Patterdale, Lake District. Description Appearance There are three breed standards for the Patterdale Ter ...

Plummer Terrier The Plummer Terrier is a working terrier. It was originally bred by Brian Plummer to primarily be a Ratter (dog), ratter and hunt vermin. The breed, while unrecognized by any kennel club, is known for its rugged determination and hardiness. ...

Rat Terrier The Rat Terrier is an American dog breed with a background as a farm dog and hunting companion. They share much ancestry with the small hunting dogs known as feists. Common throughout family farms in the 1920s and 1930s, they are now recognize ...

, Scotch Terrier,

Sealyham Terrier The Sealyham Terrier () is a rare Wales, Welsh breed of small to medium-sized terrier that originated in Wales as a working terrier, working dog. It is principally a white-bodied, coat (dog), rough-coated dog breed, breed, developed in the mid- ...

and

Skye Terrier The Skye Terrier is a Scottish dog breed that is a long, low, hardy terrier with short legs. It is "one of the most endangered native dog breeds in the United Kingdom" according to the Kennel Club. Appearance Coat The Skye is double c ...

display gameness.Glover, John. (2014).
Ratting With Terriers
'. Suffolk, England. Skycat Publications.

References

{{Reflist Baiting (blood sport) Cruelty to animals Dog behavior Terriers

Dog fighting breeds

Working terriers

See also

References