Village Dogs - A Name All Dog Lovers Should Know
Someone asked me recently: What is a Village Dog? I remember when I couldn’t answer that question — and it wasn’t that long ago. How is it possible that most of us have never heard of the dogs that represent roughly 750 million of the world’s estimated 950 million to 1 billion dogs?
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The answer, I suspect, is somewhat disturbing.
After living in nine countries across five continents—including three of the poorest in the world (Haiti, Mali, Nicaragua)—I began to notice the striking similarity in appearance among “street” or “stray” dogs. I was fascinated to learn that the majority of the world’s dogs are, in fact, “village dogs.” These dogs are descendants of the first ancient canines that chose to live alongside humans nearly 15,000 years ago—long before humans began artificial selection and formal breeding.
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As one biologist noted, “The similarity in size and overall design of all the street dogs and village dogs should give you a clue—a clue about natural selection.” Found worldwide, village dogs are not commercially bred or officially recognized; they are the product of natural selection, finely tuned over thousands of years.​ After living in Mali, it became my enduring passion to spread the word about village dogs, hoping to impact animal welfare on a broader scale.
“Village dogs” are more genetically diverse and geographically widespread than “purebred” dogs, and they tend to have robust immune systems. Despite these strengths, village dogs are often referred to pejoratively around the world: “Common Breed,” “Coconut Retriever,” or “Cane Dog” in Barbados; “Potcakes” in Turks & Caicos; “Perro Indio” (meaning “indigenous dog”) in Nicaragua and Peru; “Pariah Dog” or “Indie” in India; “Sato” in Puerto Rico; “Askals” in the Philippines; “Wasteland dog” in Romania; and more. Why do locals use derogatory names for their indigenous dogs?
My suspicion is that this reflects several hundred years of Western domination—philosophically, economically, and culturally. Western ideas about dogs have influenced perceptions worldwide in similar ways. Could this be another form of cultural imperialism? Why should developing nations discard their local breeds, products, and traditions to embrace Western ideals?
The veterinarian who spayed my village dog in Nicaragua botched the surgery. I later learned from an inside source that it wasn’t the veterinarian who performed it, but an unsupervised vet tech—because my dog was a “perro callejero” (stray dog) and deemed worthless. Because village dogs are perceived as less valuable, locals often asked me, “Why do you want that dog?” I’ve also witnessed people throwing boiling water on or poisoning village dogs, while dressing their “purebred” dogs in fancy outfits. Why does this happen?
Although village dogs make up the majority of dogs worldwide, there has been very little research on them. Aside from what we call the “Carolina Dog” and the “Rez Dog,” few village dogs exist in the USA or Canada, so our understanding of them remains limited.
Meanwhile, locals around the world often adopt the Western answer to the question, “What breed is your dog?” This preference has serious consequences for most of the world’s dogs. Village dogs are relegated to a second-class status in the canine world because people tend to choose what’s familiar—usually highly marketed purebreds.
Popular culture and Hollywood worsen the problem: celebrities promote certain breeds as cool and trendy. Personal ownership, social media posts, commercials for dog food, and movies like Marley & Me all influence how people select pets.
Western celebrity influence permeates the globe. In Mali, children wear t-shirts emblazoned with 50 Cent’s image, and Tupac’s likeness is spray-painted on buildings in Bamako. The impact of popular culture is evident in the numbers: between 2013 and 2017, registrations of French Bulldogs in the UK surged by 342%, inspired in part by celebrity owners like Madonna, Lady Gaga, and Reese Witherspoon. According to the The Kennel Club, which tracks puppy registrations, there were nearly 37,000 French Bulldogs registered in 2018—up from just 1,007 a decade earlier. During the same period, registrations of Pugs and Bulldogs roughly doubled, reaching about 10,000 each by 2018. The actual populations of these breeds are likely several times higher.
Unfortunately, this surge has triggered a health crisis among brachycephalic dogs and indirectly affected thousands of shelter dogs who are euthanized because potential owners chose French Bulldogs instead. Recognizing the media’s role in fueling demand, the British Veterinary Association no longer uses advertisements featuring brachycephalic breeds. Similarly, the Australian Veterinary Association avoids images of breeds with exaggerated features, such as Shar Peis and dachshunds.”[2]
Although village dogs aren’t favored by Western media or celebrity owners, they are friendly, highly intelligent, and remarkably adaptable—not to mention attractive and well-proportioned. With unusually strong immune systems and freedom from the genetic disorders that often result from inbreeding, they thrive in sweltering tropical climates and beyond. Village dogs deserve a platform—and our respect—too.
Among the few academic studies of village dogs, scientists have demonstrated their ancient origins. Embark even offers a DNA test specifically for village dogs. According to The New York Times, “there are about a billion dogs on Earth,” and approximately 750 million of them don’t wear flea collars. They are called village dogs, street dogs, or free-breeding dogs, and they roam garbage dumps and neighborhoods across much of the world.
In the book, “What Is a Dog?,” Raymond and Lorna Coppinger argue that to truly understand dogs, you need to understand these animals. The vast majority are not strays or lost pets, but rather superbly adapted scavengers—living closest to the original dogs that emerged thousands of years ago. The Coppingers have been major figures in canine science for decades. Raymond was a founding professor at Hampshire College, and together with Lorna, a biologist and science writer, they have done groundbreaking work on sled dogs, herding dogs, sheep-guarding dogs, and the origins and evolution of dogs.[3]
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Is cultural imperialism responsible for the lack of pride non-Western countries have in their indigenous village dogs? Why do people often prefer expensive imports from Japan (Akita), Germany (Rottweiler), or England (Mastiffs, Terriers, Jack Russells)? Why place value on imported breeds made famous by dogfighting traditions in Rome, European royalty, or hip-hop videos in the USA?
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Mastiffs and bloodhounds were once used to chase runaway slaves. Jack Russells were bred to assist hunters and require high levels of exercise and stimulation. When left tied up as “watchdogs,” as often is the case in former British colonies or rural areas in the UK and USA, these dogs can suffer severe psychological distress.
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I remember taking a young boy to have his dog neutered and he didn’t know that “Akita” is a Japanese breed from cold mountain regions. Akitas are prone to heat stress and not suited for warm climates—yet Barbados has many Akitas, and Husky ownership is high in Trinidad and Tobago.
Many stray dogs have a bad reputation because locals perceive them as “wild,” but often they are escaped, dumped, or abandoned Akitas, Mastiffs, Terriers, Rottweilers, or mixes of these breeds. These dogs can be aggressive due to their nature, training, or as a result of being tied up—a practice scientifically proven to increase aggression[4]. When these dogs get loose, they may attack or mate with village dogs. In contrast, village dogs tend to be more submissive, a trait shaped by thousands of years of evolution living alongside humans. They are extremely unlikely to attack unless they have been mixed with breeds known for aggressive qualities.
Non-Western countries often adopt Western notions of pet ownership, which typically means buying pedigreed dogs while treating village dogs as second-class citizens. Beyond popular Western culture—Hollywood, celebrities, Westminster, and more—Western expatriates living in lower-GDP countries frequently impose their own definitions of dogs on the local population. For example, Americans I worked with in Nicaragua, who should have “known better,” still bought purebreds from roadside sellers sourcing puppies from mills. A former colleague bred her Golden Retriever in Nicaragua’s hot climate and sold the puppies to locals who might otherwise have given native (and homeless) village dogs a new home. Within the diplomatic community alone, I knew multiple colleagues in Nicaragua, Mali, Haiti, and Barbados who bred dogs instead of offering shelter to the many strays, despite the village dogs’ remarkable traits. These expats contributed not only to pet homelessness and abuse but also to a black market for dogs, while promoting breeds unsuited to the local culture and climate.
Many locals view pedigreed dogs as status symbols, but often abandon them when owners realize the high demands of time, attention, training, and cost these breeds require. I witnessed this repeatedly in Nicaragua, Haiti, Mali, China, and Barbados. A neighbor in Nicaragua bought two Golden Retriever puppies, but after they destroyed his home, he gave them away to someone who could not properly care for them—they soon died. Meanwhile, the same neighbor left a maimed village dog to die by the roadside, deeming it worthless.
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In many countries, there is little culture of walking or training dogs, leading owners to become frustrated by the behavior and needs of purebred puppies. Village dogs, with their high intelligence, often require less training and tend to be more independent. Additionally, purebreds have a 42% higher incidence of ten common genetic disorders than genetically diverse village dogs.[5] Village dogs are better suited to their native cultures and generally cost less in veterinary care—a crucial factor in pet ownership. Yet, popular culture frequently prevails.
While veterinary training covers many important areas, education on animal behavior, breed-specific needs, and nutrition can vary. Additionally, there may be challenges in fully promoting mixed breeds or village dogs, which often require less intensive care. It’s unclear how widely these messages reach pet owners.
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In an age when vast information is available online, why do people continue to buy expensive, inbred dogs prone to health problems, often fueling an underground, cruel dog-selling industry? Meanwhile, millions of perfectly healthy, sociable, and beautiful village dogs are abandoned or placed in shelters, only to be euthanized because they are not deemed “cute” or status symbols. What does this say about society? One shelter in Baker, California is averaging euthanizing 200 healthy dogs a month due to consumers' choices. Hidden from public view, Americans are mostly unaware of this horrific reality.
After living in countries where people poison, bury alive, and throw boiling water on village dogs—committing other unspeakable acts of animal abuse—I believed I had finally moved somewhere I wouldn’t witness such cruelty. I was wrong. My neighborhood is a known pet dumping ground. A few years ago, I tried, but failed, to rescue a beautiful village dog convulsing on the road; the vet concluded she had been intentionally poisoned with blue slug pellets. Would this have happened to a Rottweiler or Labrador? I also witnessed someone speed up to hit a stray village dog after complimenting a woman’s Golden Retriever and calling it beautiful.
He then asked, “Is that your dog too?” She replied, “No, it’s a stray.” He proceeded to try to hit it with his car. Cruelty and neglect exist in every country. In some places, it’s simply more visible—or more easily directed at animals perceived as less deserving of care. Would locals in Barbados, Haiti, or Mali still choose to buy foreign breeds and abandon their indigenous dogs if those native dogs were truly valued? Given its size, Barbados and other small countries have a real opportunity to make a meaningful impact and gain international recognition for their animal welfare efforts.
After founding and running a nonprofit in Mali for 16 years and serving 12 years as a diplomat, I felt compelled to write this article to advocate for loving all things local—including Village Dogs. My husband, my best friend and soulmate, passed away at age 35 from a pulmonary embolism. Though I didn’t want any more trauma in my life, we shared a belief: dogs are among the greatest supports for human mental health during difficult times. There’s something especially therapeutic and deeply rewarding about saving one from certain death.
My late husband, Evan Bliss, was an award-winning singer-songwriter. While living in Nicaragua, we took in a village dog straight off the street—she was starving. Evan wrote a song to to raise awareness about village dogs, who are not only free (no price tag) but truly extraordinary. After several years of trying to “spread the word,” I had almost given up hope for meaningful behavior change, believing that people often treat dogs like commodities—buying and selling them like cars and then disposing of those they no longer want.
Evan and our Village Dog, Tila, in Nicaragua
An old friend once said to me, “Mary, you can rescue your dog, but I chose a responsible breeder to buy a golden retriever. Stop making divisive statements about rescuing versus buying. We should be able to choose what we want. I donate to shelters—stop dividing dog lovers.” I understand where she’s coming from, but my response is shaped by a different perspective—one rooted in spending most of my career in countries where there is a heartbreaking surplus of homeless dogs. These village dogs have evolved over thousands of years to thrive in their native climates and cultures. It’s deeply troubling to see them neglected or abused, while purebred dogs—often ill-suited for local environments—are imported and celebrated.
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I believe that developing countries could lead a powerful movement by valuing their indigenous dogs. If their example catches on, more people in wealthier countries might rethink their choices too. Imagine a world where shelters are no longer overrun or even necessary—not because we donated more, but because we changed the system. If we stopped breeding and selling dogs for profit, there would be fewer animals to “rescue” in the first place.
I often hear people say, “If people can’t take care of themselves, why would they care about dogs?” But the truth is, pets—especially dogs and cats—have been scientifically proven to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, ease loneliness, encourage exercise and playfulness, and even improve physical health. Caring for an animal can help children grow up more secure and active, and pets offer meaningful companionship for older adults. During COVID-19, they became invaluable sources of emotional support and stability for countless families. Beyond that, there is deep psychological reward in saving a life. Rescuing my dog gave my own life new meaning—especially after the sudden loss of my husband. She helped pull me out of depression and supported both my emotional and physical healing. Even a respected physician once asked, “So, what if, instead of killing those shelter dogs, we could save them, love them, and train them for cancer detection?”[6] It’s a brilliant idea. The Search Dog Foundation is already doing something similar—strengthening disaster response in the U.S. by rescuing and training dogs to work alongside firefighters and first responders, locating people buried alive in disaster zones. [7] This mission is especially close to my heart, having spent over 16 years working in disaster response with USAID.
We can’t fix deep-rooted societal issues with fundraising alone. The rejection of spay/neuter, breed favoritism, and the black-market sale of dogs are cultural problems—ones that no amount of money will solve. As a society, we need to ask hard questions: would we ever justify hitting a homeless person with a car because they’re seen as less valuable—then slow down to admire Billie Eilish in Gucci? What about human “mutts”? Aren’t we taught to embrace people of all races, genders, and backgrounds? It’s time to question a culture that idolizes “purebred” dogs, showcases them on social media, and subtly reinforces the idea that some lives are more worthy than others.
Psychology Today puts into perspective our cultural tendency to view dogs as status symbols rather than companions: “We should consider that purebred dogs represent to many commentators the attitudes of the late Victorian era, when dog breeding first became popular, and when most modern breeds originated. Purebred dogs were bred from a narrow set of ancestors, and an idea developed that this made them superior in appearance. Englishman Francis Galton used the term eugenics to refer to his ideas for applying domestic animal breeding techniques to humans, to produce a 'pure' and 'good' elite; the idea became an intellectual fad.[18] Purebred dog breeders of today have therefore been accused of following ‘a breeding paradigm that is anachronistic in the light of modern genetic knowledge, and that first arose out of a misinterpretation of Darwin and an enthusiasm for social theories that have long been discredited as scientifically unsupportable and morally questionable.’”.[18]​
The article points out that the ongoing snob appeal of so-called “purebreds” allows many people to rationalize away the breed-related health crises—because their emotional investment in a specific image of dog ownership outweighs the evidence.
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Further, according to biologists:
“Numbering only about 15 percent of the world’s population of dogs, the purebreds, if left to mingle with a free-ranging population, are not going to have any effect on the genetic structure of the world population of dogs. If you released those 150 million purebred dogs into the wild all at once, they would not survive for very long.” [8]
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So consider the question: Why do you want a specific breed?
If you truly view a dog as a companion, you wouldn’t focus on finding a particular "type"—but rather a connection. Dogs aren’t fashion accessories. They’re not cars or purses to be bought and sold based on materialistic traits. They are living beings—soulmates, even. As long as society continues to prioritize physical traits and status, millions of dogs will remain homeless, confined, or euthanized in shelters.
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In tough economic times, especially during and after COVID, horrific practices in the dog-selling industry have flourished in the shadows. But people have the power to stop this. By choosing adoption and rejecting the marketplace for dogs, we send a clear message: there is no demand for this cruelty.
If we want to build a world that truly celebrates diversity, then it’s time to question the outdated obsession with genetic “purity.” Science has shown that inbreeding often leads to serious health issues and deformities. Instead of glorifying “purebred,” perhaps we should call it what it too often becomes: “inbred.”
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Imagine a day when animal shelters are no longer needed—because we’ve decided that all dogs, regardless of their lineage or looks, have equal value and deserve love. When will we make that decision—for the sake of man’s best friend?
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About the Author: Mary Bliss
Ms. Bliss has 16 years of experience with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), including over six years in senior management roles and as Acting Mission Director for USAID’s Eastern and Southern Caribbean Mission. A Fulbright Scholar, she was selected by the U.S. Department of State for the Faces of Diplomacy exhibit at the National Museum of Diplomacy in Washington, D.C.
She is the founder and former Executive Director of a U.S. nonprofit dedicated to expanding health, education, and economic opportunities in West Africa through the provision of potable water systems, health care centers, schools, and solar energy. She also co-founded a solar business.
Her work has been featured in Voice of America, Wired Magazine, and PBS, and she appeared in numerous television and print media publications for USAID. She was a featured speaker at the World Bank, Millennium Challenge Corporation, the United Nations Association, and various international conferences.
She holds an MA from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey and a BA in Spanish from Bucknell University. A certified mediator, she has lived and worked in nine countries over 15 years. She speaks advanced Spanish and French and studied Mandarin in Shanghai.
Beyond her professional achievements, she is a classical pianist, snowboarder, surfer, wakeboarder, and dancer, with training in Praying Mantis martial arts. She was married to award winning singer/songwriter and humanitarian, Evan Bliss, who passed away in 2012.
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Sources:
Village Dog History by Biology Professors
African Village Dogs Genetically Unique From All Breeds
A Matter of Breeding: How We've Greatly Harmed BFF Dogs by Professor Emeritus of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Veterinarian’s Perspective - Popularity doesn’t justify breeding dogs with shorter and wider heads
This is a calamity': the surgeons keeping pugs and bulldogs alive
Saving Dogs’ Lives Can Save Human Lives
What is a Dog?
[1] https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/feb/27/this-is-a-calamity-the-surgeons-keeping-pugs-and-bulldogs-alive
[2] https://theconversation.com/vets-can-do-more-to-reduce-the-suffering-of-flat-faced-dog-breeds-110702
[3] https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/19/science/the-world-is-full-of-dogswithout-collars.html
[4] https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/chaining-and-tethering-dogs-faq#:~:text=Dogs%20tethered%20for%20long%20periods,fight%2Dor%2Dflight%20instinct.
[5] Health of purebred vs mixed breed dogs: the actual data - The Institute of Canine Biology
[6] Saving Dogs' Lives Can Save Human Lives | Psychology Today
[7] SDF-2020-2021-The-Quest.pdf (searchdogfoundation.org)
[8] Only Street Dogs Are Real Dogs - Nautilus