Tarsus çatalburun
Also known as: Turkish Pointer, Tarsus Fork-nose
Breed at a glance
- Origin
- Turkey
- Weight
- 20–25 kg (44–55 lb)
- Height
- 48–50 cm (19–20 in)
- Colour
- brown, brown and white, black and white, black.
- Other names
- Turkish Pointer, Tarsus Fork-nose
intro
The Tarsus çatalburun or Turkish Pointer is a native hound of Turkey most recognizable for its split or bifid nose. [ 1 ] [ 2 ] [ 3 ] The word "çatalburuns" means forked nose. [ 4 ] [ 2 ] It is a very rare breed with only a few hundred specimens. [ 1 ] [ 5 ] The Tarsus çatalburun is not recognized by any kennel club. [ 1 ]
History
The breed is associated with the town of Tarsus , in Mersin Province , which is located on the Mediterranean coast where they have been bred for hundreds of years to hunt upland game. [ 4 ] [ 1 ] Due to the shared split nose trait as well as conformation and hunting style, it is theorized that the Tarsus çatalburuns and Pachón Navarro share a common origin in the 8th century when southern Turkey and Spain were both under the rule of the Umayyad Caliphate and Abbasid Caliphate . There is considerable debate if the Tarsus çatalburuns is the ancestor to the Pachon Navarro or vice versa. [ 2 ]
Features
Tarsus çatalburuns have a split nose, a rare genetic trait shared by two other breeds: the Spanish Pachón Navarro and the Bolivian Andean Tiger Hound. [ 6 ] [ 7 ] [ 3 ] The left and right nostrils are separated by a deep indentation or cleft, often creating the illusion of having two noses with one nare each. [ 2 ] [ 1 ] The coat is short and comes in a variety of colors, brown being the most common followed by brown and white, liver and white, black and white and black. [ 3 ] Tarsus çatalburuns are medium to large sized dogs, around 48–50 centimetres (19–20 in) in height with a deep chest and an athletic build. [ 4 ] [ 2 ] They have drooping ears that frame the face, and a long, straight tail. [ 2 ] They weigh 20–25 kilograms (44–55 lb) . [ 4 ] The Tarsus çatalburun has a very acute sense of smell, which is thought to be accentuated by the particular structure of the nose. [ 2 ] [ 3 ] They are able to track scents on both the ground and in the air, with studies finding that most Tarsus çatalburuns use both styles concurrently. [ 5 ] [ 1 ] They are particularly skilled in scent hunting as a pointing dog, especially in partridge and francolin hunting. [ 1 ] In recent years, Tarsus çatalburuns have been trained as detection dogs for narcotics, explosives and search and rescue. [ 3 ] [ 5 ] Tarsus çatalburuns begin training to hunt by 6–7 months, with puppies as young as two months displaying pointing ability. [ 1 ] Tarsus çatalburun are highly intelligent and obedient dogs, calm and quiet at home but energetic in the field. [ 2 ] [ 3 ] [ 5 ] [ 1 ]