The Panther Dog
The panther dog of Pennsylvania is an American extinct crossbreed dog developed in the 1800s to hunt cougars, for which “panther” was a colloquial name.. It is the only breed known to have been specifically bred for hunting large felines. Note that the panther dog should not be confused with the "canis panther" dog, a crossbreed created in the 1970s.
History Of The Panther Dog
Henry W. Shoemaker wrote in 1907, “Packs of panther dogs would soon spring up in the mountainous settlements, and the breeding of these animals would give an impetus to the canine industry in these regions. Small bulldogs are said to be best for this purpose, though many prefer the ordinary whippet or "fice". Aaron Hall, the "Lion Hunter of the Juniata", slayer of fifty panthers in Pennsylvania between 1845 and 1869, bred a race of panther dogs. They were part bulldog, part bloodhound, part Newfoundland, and part mastiff. They were so large that C. K. Sober, of Lewisburg, former State Game Commissioner, when on a visit to Hall at his hunting cabin on Rock Run, Centre County, was able to ride on the back of one of them. They were trained to hunt in pairs, and when the quarry was overtaken, to seize it by the ears on either side, holding the monster until the hunter appeared. With Hall's death, in 1892, this interesting breed of dog was allowed to become extinct.”
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