Fascinated by hairless dogs and curious about the lasting consequences of breeding practices, photographer Sophie Gamand combined both interests into a photographic series she titled “Prophecy.”
Gamand told The Huffington Post,
“To me, [hairless dogs] are as beautiful as wise, old men, shamans, prophets. There is something otherworldly about them. I felt their faces wanted to communicate something deeper.”
That something was how hoomans have influenced the evolution of dogs.
Gamand photographed two different breeds of hairless dogs to compare and contrast natural evolution and selective breeding. She used Xoloitzcuintli dogs to represent naturally evolved hairless dogs, while the selectively bred she chose were Chinese Crested pups.
Photographs alone don’t fully capture the difference between these two breeds. Gamand spoke with breeders and rescue organizations, such as Bald Is Beautiful and Bare Paws Rescue, to learn more.
Here’s what she learned:
“Chinese Crested often seem more subdued and shy, skittish even, possibly reflecting their long-time ties with humans, whereas Xolos who are considered a primitive breed and highly connected to their natural instincts, are strongly independent, prey-driven dogs with very affirmed personalities.”
Although Gamand thinks both breeds convey a unique and wise beauty, her ultimate question is whether or not the difference in pawsonalities is due to human influence with Chinese Crested dogs. She also wonders what other issues selectively bred dogs might face in their lives.
You can see more of the “Prophecy” series at Gamand’s website.
