The Veridian Wolfhound, Royal Veridian Wolfhound or Kanbris Royalle in local Snow Elvish (meaning literally "Ice-Dog"), is a large dog breed developed in Northern Virias. The breed is used as both a hunting and protection dog, and is prized for its loyalty and speed. Not considered a beginner's hunting breed by any means, Veridian Wolfhounds are headstrong dogs that need a good handler to utilise their skills properly, and despite being very popular and a wealthy status symbol, generally don't make good family pets.
History
The Veridian Wolfhound can be traced back almost 4500 years through records of Veridian royalty. The word
Kanbris can be traced back further than this, but the origins of the refined breed began around 4500 years ago when, late in her life, the Veridian Queen Maliren Askell founded the standards by which the breed is classed today. They continue to be a symbol of the royal family, and to this day tradition dictates the Coronation portraits of the Queens and Kings of Virias must picture a Veridian Wolfhound on their right.
Queen Maliren was particularly smitten with dogs, and hunted regularly with her father and his dogs in her youth, inspiring her to refine and founded the breed.
"The Kanbris should be of great size with a commanding appearance, graceful yet muscular and strong. His movements should be easy and his head should be carried high and proud. He should be grey, black or ideally, as white as the snow he came from. His eyes should always be blue or grey, and his gaze should remind of a Longwinter Blizzard."
~Queen Maliren Askell, Kanbris Royalle, Isvamelle 8,528 SA (translated from Snow Elvish to Common)
The Kanbris Royalle Association (KRA) was founded by Maliren Askell in 8,530 SA when she published her book and started the foundation as a way to cement her beloved dogs into history. She insisted that the group be continued by royalty in future, and her children became just as fascinated with the dogs as she was. No longer run by Veridian royalty but by expert breeders, most young members of the royal family still participate in dog shows with their purebred kanbris as a passtime and hobby.
Known for their size, royal history and unique coat, they are a symbol of Virias and have often been used as a symbol of the country in propaganda during war times, both positively and negatively. Notably, the marker piece used for the Queen or King of Virias on Sedian war-tables is symbolised by a silver Kanbris.
The form of the Veridian Wolfhound has varied very little since its original conception, due mostly to strict breed standards and most breeders being very passionate about ensuring their lines meet standard closely. The main exception to this is lines bred outside of Virias by hobbyist breeders of non-Veridian heritage. Sedian-bred Veridian wolfhounds come in more varied coat colours and are usually slightly shorter-coated, for example.
Description
The Veridian Wolfhound is a tall sighthound built dog with a unique coat. Double-coated like many cold-climate breeds, the Veridian Wolfhound differs in having a layer of wiry, thick, water-proof guard-hairs. These guard-hairs are rough and coarse and protect the dog from freezing in cold climates. The inner coat is fluffy and shorter than on other double-coated breeds, giving it a less bulky and more wiry appearance outwardly. Traditionally the coat comes in only three colours; grey, black and white, white being the desired coat colour of choice. In other countries "Royal Blue" coloured variations are popular and commonly sold, but are not an acceptable registry colour in the official Veridian Wolfhound studbook. Royal Blue is thought to be caused by a dilution of black-coated dogs.
Desirable height is between 75cm to 100cm at the withers, taller being better and 70cm being an absolute minimum requirement. Dogs are measured at 1 year old, and dogs that do not measure 70cm or taller are not able to be classified and should not be bred. The head should be long and tapered to a delicate muzzle with a slight convex nose profile. They naturally grow a "beard" across the snout that is traditionally braided. They have a slender neck, a large chest and tucked abdomen, impressively long legs with strong hocks.
Temperment and Use
Not a family or beginner's dog by any stretch of the imagination, the Veridian Wolfhound is naturally aloof, attentive and watchful. Though pups and young dogs are very playful and appear friendly, they require constant stimulation as they grow or can become very destructive or frustrated. They need regular exercise, consisting of more than just walking. They are working dogs, and require work to keep their minds and energy levels occupied.
A natural hunter, Veridian Wolfhounds love to chase and are very effective in sighting, spotting and dispatching prey. Able to easily stop deer in their tracks, they are prized for their hunting usefulness, and also for their ability to protect. The name "Wolfhound" is thought by some to come from the colours that they typically show, but is thought by others to have originated from the early settlers of Northern Sedia using them as protection dogs for their small budding towns defending from wolves and other predators.
Veridian Wolfhounds are very loyal and form close bonds with their owners, a natural side effect of being trained for hunting and protection. This becomes an issue in rehoming later in life however, as many dogs become anxious and aggressive if rehomed as adults. Dumped, abandoned or left-behind dogs that could not be resocialised is thought to be origins of the roaming wild dogs of Virias.
The dogs are also used as protection for guards and police by the Veridian Crown, The Kanbris Unit of the Isvamelle Guard notably commanding particularly large and formidable black Veridian Wolfhounds sporting splint armour. The Royal Family breeds a line of white, exceptionally high-quality dogs that can be traced back to the original stock that Queen Maliren used to found the breed. Dogs from this line are very valuable, and sell all across the world for exorbitant prices in auctions, as well as attracting frauds who forge stud papers to sell commonly bred dogs to unsuspecting collectors.
Health
Veridian Wolfhounds, being a working breed, are typically fairly healthy. However, dogs kept in a more "pet-like" environment often display health problems related to lack of exercise and stimulation, such as early arthritis, obesity, heart disease, back issues, obsessive behaviours and aggression. The usual lifespan for a kanbris ranges from 9-13 years on average.
Wild Dogs
Across the snows of Virias, wild Wolfhounds can often be seen skulking in packs, picking off weak and straggling O'lessi or plucking snowhares from their dens. Thought to have originated from pets once abandoned or lost, these hardy dogs remain a haunting symbol of Virias and its ability to thrive in adversity. The dogs, despite often being aggressive and fearless of humans, are often seen as a symbol of strength and valor and romanticised in a lot of Viridian art and fiction. The dogs do regularly make themselves a problem however; attacks on people living outside of the safety of city walls, as well as on farm animals are not uncommon, and they are occasionally hunted. It is thought that some of the packs of dogs are hybridized with wolves, making particularly formidable crossbreeds.
Warbris
Veridian Wolfhounds hybridize very well with wolves and sometimes, even wargs. The resulting dog is known as a
warbris, a huge unpredictable hybrid that is still sought after for protection or during times of war. Warbris breeding is highly controversial and frowned upon, especially in Virias.
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