45-65 lbs
19-24"
Bolivia
The Double-Nosed Andean Tiger hound is an extremely rare breed of dog that is not generally found outside of Bolivia, where they originated. They were developed to help locals track jaguars, often referred to as tigrés by the locals. While not all of these dogs will sport the split nose characteristic of the breed many of these dogs do have the doubled nose, an attribute rumored to give this animal a superior sense of smell. This breed is not recognized by any major breed groups or kennels in the United States and until recorded by Colone John Blashford-Snell in 2005, and again in 2007, it was considered to be a cryptozoological animal.
The Double-Nosed Andean Tiger Hound is a rare breed from the Amazon rainforest that was until recently considered to be a member of cryptozoology by many. First encountered by Lieutenant-Colonel Percy Fawcett in Bolivia in 1913, he reported that he had encountered a single dog known to locals as the Double-Nosed Andean Tiger Hound. He described the dog the size of a pointer found only on the plains near the Marmoré River whose nose was as cleanly divided as if it had been cut with a knife. They were employed to hunt jaguars, which were often referred to by the Spanish word for tiger, tigré. Nobody believed the explorer's account of the dog and no other mention of this unusual dog occurred until 2005 when explorer Colonel John Blashford-Snell encountered a female named Bella on a recent trip to Bolivia. While the dog could easily be passed off as a genetic anomaly or birth defect, locals assured Colonel Blashford-Snell that there were several other dogs in the area like that. When the explorer returned to the area in 2007, he brought a veterinary expert with him to examine Bella but found that she had passed away during his absence. Fortunately, she had given birth to a double-nosed pup named Xingu, who the veterinarian was able to examine. He concluded that the pup did not have a cleft palate, a condition that can look very similar to a double nose. These dogs are not particularly rare in the area of the rainforest where they were located, and are believed to be descended from another double-nosed breed from South and Central American called the Pachon Navarro, but the Andean Tiger Hound is not yet recognized as a breed by any major kennel clubs and no breed groups have been established as of yet. This unusual dog has garnered a great deal of interest online, however, and not much information is available to the public, leading some unscrupulous individuals to attempt to breed dogs with split noses from other breeds like Bull Mastiffs that are somewhat prone to cleft nasal passages as well as cleft lips and cleft palates.
As this breed is not yet recognized by any kennel clubs, there is no breed standard drawn up to describe the breed. The Double-Nosed Andean Tiger Hounds found in the Amazon are medium-sized dogs with a medium to large head, somewhat short limbs, and a stout, rectangular body. They are often white with patches of color in brown, black, and liver but can come in tricolored varieties too. Their heads are broad and flat with large, round eyes and medium to long ears that are set fairly high up on the head and frame the dog’s face, and their tapered muzzle ends in a black nose that often appears split in two, a condition known as a bifid nose.
Their presumed ancestor, the Pacho Navarro dog, has a bifid nose as well, which can range in severity from a slightly deeper than normal crease to a nasal structure that is completely split in two, and like the nose of their ancestor, the depth of the split can vary. While the bifid or cleft nose is quite a bit more common in breeds that favor double noses, the incidents of cleft palate are said to be only slightly increased compared to other breeds.
By all accounts, this dog breed has a short, smooth coat suitable for the hot, moist climate of the area, which is likely to shed moderately year-round. Dog breeds that might be mistaken for or marketed as a Double-Nosed Andean Tiger Hound may have slightly different coats. As there is no breed standard nor any regulation on breeding in the remote areas that they are found, there is likely to be some mixing of this breed with other breeds, which may result in dogs with bifid noses that have several different types of coat. It is important to keep the hanging ears of this breed clean and dry in order to prevent infection or infestation.
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This breed is found only in Bolivia and is highly unregulated. While purebred specimens might be located in small villages like the one that Colonel Blashford-Snell visited, there is a high likelihood that some of these dogs have bred indiscriminately, which means that the temperaments of a dog reported as a Double-Nosed Andean Tiger Hound could vary quite a bit. When Colonel Blashford-Snell described Xingu’s personality, he described it as aggressive and dominant and even remarked that other dogs growled when Xingu approached, although it was never specified in his writings about the breed, or further studies, if this was a breed trait or a trait specific to Xingu. All interactions between children and dogs should be supervised, but there is no indication that this dog will be particularly impatient with children. If you happen to locate an Andean Tiger Hound, a challenge if you live somewhere other than Bolivia, early and consistent socialization will go a long way towards ensuring that your pup grows up well-balanced and happy.
These are likely to be active dogs who are able to keep up with you on long hikes and will generally be happiest with a job to do. Like most working dogs, they need a great deal of exercise, usually at least an hour or more of vigorous activity each day and should also be offered activities that keep their minds active and occupied. This breed was said to have been developed to track jaguar, and they tend to have an excellent sense of smell and a high prey drive which may make them well-suited to activities like lure coursing or scent work.
Written by Darlene Stott
Published: 08/14/2018, edited: 08/11/2021
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