The San Francisco Kennel Club is having their annual dog show next weekend. How many of you own dogs? I love dogs. Aren’t they great? I own two myself. Ahhh, but how many of you own purebred, pedigreed dogs? People can go crazy with stuff like that, and that’s putting it mildly. If you ever go to one of those dog shows, it almost feels like you’re at a psychiatric outpatient seminar. These people are certifiably nuts-in-a-can!
The really fun part about going to dog shows is you get all the latest information on all of the most recent cross-breeds. You know what I’m talking about. If you go to the classified section of this newspaper, there’s plenty of crossbreed dogs being sold right now. For instance, a cross between a Labrador retriever and a poodle is called a Labradoodle. I’m serious. And there’s plenty more new and unusual cross breeds out there. While at the show, if you hear someone mention that they’re going to go get a Red Bull, they’re not talking about a drink. They’re talking about a cross between a Bull Terrier and an Irish setter.
Some of the cross breeds sound very innocent, such as a cross between a West highland Terrier and a Lancashire Heeler is called a High Heel. Others aren’t so innocent and sweet-sounding, like a cross between Japanese Spitz and a Bloodhound, which is called a Spitz Blood. That’s just not right.
Some of the newer breeds have some fairly entertaining names. There’s a new one out that’s a cross between a Mexican hairless, an American Pit Bull, and a Border collie. It’s called a Mexican/American Border. If you’re ever thinking of getting one of these, you need to keep in mind that this type of dog is a jumper and should have a secure fence around it.
Last year, the most popular dog that was given as a Christmas present was a cross between an Old English sheepdog, a Saint Bernard, and a Chinook. It’s called an Old Saint Nook. The dog is instantly recognizable as it is usually very fat with a long white beard, and an equally identifiable bark that sounds like, “ho-ho-ho”.
About five years ago, someone crossed a Bulldog with a Shih Tzu and came out with a Bull Shihtzu. It’s a cute little dog that is constantly barking. But don’t confuse this one with another dog that is a cross between a Bull Mastiff and a Shetland sheepdog. That one is called a Bull Shet. They look a lot alike, although the Bull Shet is bigger and barks more.
Sometimes when two different breeds are crossed it turns out to be a big mistake. Such as the case when you cross an Icelandic Sheepdog, a Kerry Blue Terrier and a Portuguese Pointer. The outcome is a Ice Blue Pointer. It’s just an ugly little dog that seems to get smaller during cold weather. On the other hand, every once in awhile, two breeds are crossed and it’s like a perfect marriage. A great example of this would be a cross between a Chesapeake Bay retriever and a dog called a Leonberger. The result is a pooch called a Chesa-Berger. And if that dog is then cross bred with a Bichon Frise’, it is called a Chesa-Berger & Frise. This breed has a weird affinity for pickles and ketchup, and actually condiments of all kinds, so keep an eye on it when at family picnics.
For some reason or another, Yorkshire Terriers (or Yorkies) are a very popular dog to use in cross breeding. One of the less successful attempts was a cross between a dog called a Hanover Hound, a Yorkie and a Moscow Watchdog. The result was a little mugger called a Hanover Yor Watch. These are usually thieves and should be constantly monitored. A more successful attempt was a cross between a Finnish Spitz, a Yorkie and a Chow Chow. The result was a Finnish Yor Chow. This dog seldom eats all of its kibble. Scientists still don’t know why.
A popular Yorkie mix during the month of July is a cross between a Yorkie, a Poodle and a Dandie Dinmont Terrier. The end result is a canine called a Yorkie Poodle Dandie. Uncle Sam would be so proud.
Right now I’m on my way to buy a dog. It’s a cross between a French Spaniel, an Australian Silky and a Teddy Roosevelt Terrier. It’s a gift for my girlfriend. It’s called a French Silky Teddy. I guess you could say it’s for both of us… Ruff!