Sat 8th June: What makes a good dog?

Jenny's last time at Whiskers N Paws

We were all so happy to get the message that puppy Jenny's foster status had been upgraded to adopted today.  Not only was it a very lucky coincidence that both she and her previous lookalike best friend and ally Dudley had been taken to their respective trial homes on almost the same day, but now both have been formally adopted (Dudley with now-sister Wallis).   While these puppies are equally smart, affectionate and funny, they can't be described as especially good looking or conventionally cute, but their new families knew that didn't matter.

School time for this lovely pair

Adam and Eve are now in a foster home 

So many times we're asked "what breed are they?" when we share puppy photos, and then "what are they a mix of?" when we reply that they are mixed breed.  The answer is always at best a guess, or more usually "no idea".  The two tiny babies that arrived today, now called Adam and Eve, are impossible to identify as any breed mix or size as they are barely two weeks old.  As the weeks pass we'll have more of an idea perhaps, but even then we will never be sure until they have reached their first birthdays.

A mixed breed is another way of saying mutt, mongrel or multibreed, and that means both parents were themselves mixes of something.  To complicate matters even more, a litter of puppies born to the same mother at the same time can share different fathers if there have been multiple matings within the fertile period.  This explains why siblings can be totally different in both looks and personality, but even having the same parents can result in a variety of colourings and sizes.  It just depends on which genes are dominant in each individual puppy.

Adopted today, 5-month Flapper

Crossbreeds are a mix of two purebreeds, for example the labradoodle (labrador and poodle) and all of the other "doodles" that are so popular.  Again how each puppy will look and behave will depend on which parent's genes are more dominant, so not all labrador-poodle pups will be born with a curly coat, and those unlucky enough to inherit the flat labrador coat will be disposed of by the breeder.  Yes, please think about that when you buy these designer crossbreeds and the cruelty involved.

One of the puppies that was adopted today may well be a cross between and dachshund and a beagle judging by her looks, shape and size, but all we can say for sure is that Flapper is gorgeous and full of energy, a real jumping bean of a pup, wanting to play all the time and get your attention.

Biggles is the boy

We think that siblings Pippa and Biggles are a cross between a poodle and a (Yorkshire?) terrier but will never really be sure, especially as someone gave them a shave before they came to us.  Biggles looks more poodle-like while Pippa is more of a terrier, but ultimately, just as with Dudley and Jenny, it's the personality that really matters.

Pippa