What's In A Name?

I don't know you you feel about crossbreeds.  It's all we do here.  Pound puppies with a little of this and a little of that in them. Zelda is the exception but technically she doesn't belong to us but to The Big Guy. 

We met a lot of crosses on our summer walks, We did have fun making up names for the various crosses.  Goldendoodles and Labradoodles and Cockapoos are fairly mainstream, but what would you call the schnauser-poodle cross that we would have taken to the Queen Mother immediately if only her owners would have relinquished her? A Schnoodle?

I guess we're not the only ones who like inventing names for the cross-breeds.  What would you call a Pointer crossed with a Setter?  Probably a Poinsetter, a traditional holiday breed.  Or a Pekingese crossed with a Lhaso Apso?  Someone suggested a Peekasso--but that's too abstract for me.  A Great Pyrenees and a Dachshund?  Definitely a Pyradachs--a puzzling combination.

No, I didn't think these up, but I was banished from the family room where everyone else was trying to watch a movie while I was howling with laughter in the corner.  Even Kharma seemed to think I was making too much noise.

Others:

• Irish Water Spaniel x English Water Spaniel would created an Irish Springer, a dog as fresh and clean as a whistle.
• Kerry Blue Terrier crossed with a Skye Terrier--Blue Skye, the perfect dog for visionaries.
• Newfoundland and a Bassett Hound would result in a Newfound Asset Hound, for CPA's and other financial advisors.
• Bloodhound and a Labrador Retriever would create the dreaded Blabrador which barks incessantly.
• Crossing a Deerhound and any Terrier would result in the Derriere, a cross-breed true to the end.
• A Collie and a Malamute would produce a Commute, a dog willing to travel to his work.
• Whereas a Malamute and a Pointer would produce a Moot Point, usually owned by...oh well, it doesn't really matter.
• A Terrier and a Bulldog cross is not recommended as the Terribull is prone to horrible mistakes.
• Bull Terriers and Shih Tzus, alas, produce the Bull Shihtz which is a gregarious but unreliable breed.
  
• On the other hand, a Labrador crossed with the Curly Coated Retriever results in a Lab Coat Retriever which any scientist would be proud to own.
• No list would be complete without a Cocker Spaniel cross, so let's pair the Cocker with a Rottweiler and see if we get a Cockrot--the ideal pet for a woman with a philandering husband.

Kharma's bugging me to think up some Border Collie crosses.  I'll have to get back to you on that one.

     

Pretty Darn Accurate

Yesterday was a damp gray day, so I wimped out on dog exercise and declared it a browse-the-internet day instead.

I stumbled across this very cute site (the actual link is way far below, I just couldn't resist including the cute puppy graphic) called

I answered all their questions about size and care and family demographics, none of which involved a breed...and the dog they recommended for us was a Golden Retriever-Australian Shepherd cross. Uncanny!

Our first family pet was a Golden-collie cross who was very protective of our two little boys, loved car rides and taught us reams about raising a puppy.

Next in line was our half Aussie-half mutt cross who our vet insisted also had some Golden in her. I still miss her silky soft hair and her loving ways. She single-pawedly converted the entire neighborhood into dog lovers.

When it was time for another pup, we scoured PetFinder for anything Aussie or Golden. Our current girl was listed as Aussie-Border Collie, but I could see Golden in the cross almost immediately. I thought it might have been wishful thinking until I compared the photo of Zelda to the picture of Kharma's brother.
Yeah, definitely Golden!

So all of our dogs have been part Golden Retriever and the last two have also been part Aussie.

Dog Chooser was right on the mark. Try it and see how close they come to your idea of the perfect dog!