Anyone seen an unusual breed, lately? [or a bizarre mix / cross?]

[leashedForLife]

Join our free community today.

Connect with other like-minded dog lovers!

Login or Register

I had a marvelous encounter yesterday evening on my way to the mall  [to hunt for lightweight slacks for summer - my beloved baggy linen pants are dying, the main seam in the seat is just thinning to the point of sheer, & threads are breaking in the side seams & pockets].
I saw an unusual shaggy long-backed dog that resembled a Bassett-mix from behind,  & i asked the woman handler if he was a Southern rescue. She chuckled & said, no - he's a rare breed in the U-S, a PBGV. Son of a gun, he WAS!...
i hadn't seen one with such a crisp, wirey, wavy coat before, all the dogs i'd met previously had been clippered,  & they pluck this fella.

He was such a charmer, U have no idea - i was besotted in minutes.  :b   Calm, sociable, interested but not intrusive, gave air-kisses instead of slobbering on my face...  :wub:   Awwww.
I hated to say good-bye! - they were both lovely people. // THe dog's only flaw was his beard.  :blush:  I really don't like beards - messy, goopy, smelly, they swipe over tables, hands, any surface & leave snail-trails, LOL.
But for him... i'd have lived with the beard, to have that dog. What a doll!
- terry

 

[Peegee]

What's a PBVG?

 

[leashedForLife]

sorry, habit.  :b
A short-legged scruffy looking French hunting dog, Petit Basset Griffon Vende'en.  [Now U know why fans abbreviate it, eh?!   ]
there is also a GRANDE BGV, which is the 'large' version, same coat, etc.

Most are more terrierrrist-type than like the scent hounds we are familiar with, but the one i met had none of the reactive, itchy-for-action, scanning the environs behaviors of a JRT or Scottie, he was curious, relaxed, & very UN-hyper.
more info -
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petit_Basset_Griffon_Vendéen

 

[Peegee]

Thanks.  I've never heard of it.

 

[leashedForLife]

I also met a very recognizable Lurcher type, on MassAve in downtown Boston - 
a slender charcoal-black dog of about 35#, with slightly-wiry hairs of silver grey projecting about 1.5-inches from the coarse-textured but smooth-lying body coat.

I chatted with the owner, curious about that coat - he's a Whippet-cross, mum was a Whippet, sire was Schnauzer x Smooth Fox Terrier.
Nice temp, much-more Whippet type - calm, sociable, willing to meet me but not leaping on my legs to sniff me;  loved to be petted.

 

[Biker John]

LeashedForLife, I understand Lurchers are few and far between in the states, over here in the UK they are reasonably common. And I think most sight hound people know quite a few. For myself I love all sight hounds but rough haired lurchers are a bit special.

 

[leashedForLife]

BJ,
the sighthound silhouette was what 1st caught my eye, & that wispy stand-off 3rd layer in the coat was also eye-catching, especially since the silvery "floss" contrasted with the dark body-coat.

I've seen a few Lurcher-types over the years, but they are indeed uncommon in the U-S; to my knowledge, very few ppl deliberately cross sighthounds & terrierrrrists.   This fella - altho a charming personality, & certainly a unique look - was one of an accidental litter. //  All his sibs were also 'imported' to New England for adoption, he was born out of state.  The litter was scattered among 3 or 4 rescue organizations on arrival, & the owner wasn't sure how many sibs he had.

I was happy that he lacked the Schnauzer beard & brows - his chin was smoothly covered by slightly-coarse hair, & had already silvered as he matured - his toes had silvered, too, altho he was only 4-YO.  Very nice dog - a real sweetheart.     [Cats might disagree - he barks at them.  :b  Minor flaw, he just barks a couple times, on sight. ]

 - terry

 

[Biker John]

Cats, Rabbits and Squirrels tend to think every sight hound is a blood thirsty monster, for sure they view my Whippet as such but apart from that they make wonderful pets. And yes they can live with them I had two cats they were ok with the Whippet but any other she sees click her chase instinct on.

 

[leashedForLife]

We had an unfortunate local "accident" while i lived in VA -
a novice APO adopted an ex-racing Greyhound, & as soon as the dog learned his name, the adopter ignored the rescue's 'always leashed' rule.


Natch, eventually [within 6 to 8-weeks] they encountered a cat while walking; cat ran, dog grabbed it, dead kitty. THEN... the adopter finally grokked why they made that rule.  She was lucky [tho the cat wasn't] - the cat was feral, & un-owned; the victim could just as easily have been an owned cat, or a small dog, & she'd have been sued by the owner, or fined by the city for harboring a dangerous dog / endangerment, or possibly both - one civil, one criminal.

Some folks think instinct is on tap, & they can just turn it off - t'ain't so. // Habituation is not the same as "never" - just as U noted, our own dog lived with our cats without any strife, & the stray cats who came to our farm to be fed, he never bothered.
However - one day our neighbor's BAD dogs took him off, & he chased THEIR cats when THEY did - 'when in Rome', right? -- I saw him, yelled at him, & sent him streaking for home with his tail between his legs.  // The next spring, those 2 dogs killed one of our cats - a 9-MO kitten - right in front of me; they ran her down in a foot of fresh snow, & played tug-of-war with her;  her hind-leg was torn off, & she bled out.
The dogs were siblings, BTW - progeny of our nearest neighbor's intact-M white GSD, & a yellow Lab bitch belonging to another neighbor. Mrs Frank felt guilty when the dam's owner couldn't give the last 2 pups away, & she took them - they were awful dogs, nothing whatever like their well-behaved, sociable sire.

JRTs, SIbes, & GSDs are all 3 notorious as cat-killing breeds; one JRT who'd lived with the family cat for over 3-years was outside with the cat, as they'd been many many times before  - that particular day, the cat got playful, & streaked up a tree trunk & down again, romping across the yard.  The JRT raced after, & he killed the cat.   Just seeing the cat run away triggered predatory aggro.
 I doubt the lurcher on MassAve would literally kill a cat - chase, probly yes - but still, U can't guarantee these things. Past behavior is an indicator, but it's not a warranty.
- terry

 

[eingana]

When I'm doing a home check for any sight hound I take them through the sight hound rules.  With a sight hound you can NEVER be 100% sure that they won't chase something that they see moving out of the corner of their eye- that's why they're called sight hounds!  If it happens that there's a road between them and the thing that they want to chase, well, that's your dog either getting seriously injured or causing a crash in which humans could be injured and you could be sued for a huge amount of money.

I don't agree with off lead walking in built up areas anyway, but for sight hounds it's particularly risky and the risk could be to their long and elegant legs which rarely heal once damaged.

As far as the unusual dogs go, I met a very lovely Polish Lowland Sheepdog the other day.  They look kind of like a bonsai Old English Sheepdog   Very sweet little dog.  I also live round the corner from a Black Russian Terrier, a terrier who is about 10 times the size of every other terrier I've ever met!  He's still a baby and already weighs more than my fully grown GSD and is growing like a weed.  He is likely to end up significantly bigger than the family's giant schauzer as it stands, which is not really what one would expect from a 'terrier'.  Molly's terrified of him, as she is of all black dogs that are the same size as her or bigger (no idea why, she's a rescue dog and came with that already installed).

 

[gypsysmum2]

I have heard a theory on the "fear of black dog syndrome". Not sure how true it is but people say that dogs cannot discern the features of black dogs and so read their mood and body language as well as dog with varied colours.

Fear of them certainly seems very common

 

[Biker John]

All I can add is my Whippet is fearful of large black dogs, apart from other sight hounds, she has come across a couple of black Greyhounds and was perfectly happy going up to them, but black non sight hounds she just does not like.

 

[gypsysmum2]

My rescue boy is terrified of an Afghan Hound that lives locally. She is a lovely dog but he is truly terrified of her. I have heard that Afghan Hound owners see this sort of behaviour quite a lot. They think that their dogs smell different to other dogs. I think that it is more likely to be all the hair! My dog struggles to see a dog behind that very long curtain waving in the breeze!

 

[leashedForLife]

All I can add is my Whippet is fearful of large black dogs, apart from other sight hounds, she has come across a couple of black Greyhounds and was perfectly happy going up to them, but black non sight hounds she just does not like.

BJ,
i don't know where Ur Whippet came from [large breeder / racing kennel, small breeder / one dam, ex-racer put up for adoption by a rescue group?... or other], but in the States, it's common for ex-racers to literally have never seen any other sort of dog - but other sighthounds.
Their socialization period, that critical window from eyes-open to approx 12-WO, is long-since closed, they're anywhere from 10-MO to 2-YO, & they've never in their lives seen a GSD or any other prick-eared breed, a Siberian or any other ring-tailed breed, a Komondor or any other Rasta breed, a Poodle or Doodle or any other breed or mix in a long curly coat, a Chi / JRT / Pug or any other toy-sized breed, etc.

Many of them are terrified of other non-sighthounds at 1st glance, & it takes judicious introductions to friendly dogs, generally no larger than the ex-racer to begin with, before they begin to widen their definition of "dogs" to include animals with double coats, ring tails, drop ears, prick or rose ears, & all the other amazing diversity seen in 'dogs'.
Then they start to relax & make friends - but they start off as very wary indeed of all dogs who don't fit the silhouette of a sighthound.  // It sounds as tho Ur dog has a milder version of the same prejudice, it's possible too that she had several bad experiences with a particular Big Black Dog & has generalized her impression.
[I say "several experiences" 'cuz dogs are notoriously slow to generalize, just as humans are often too quick to generalize - it usually takes a minimum of 4 to 5 separate events before dogs begin to develop a general opinion / emotion / concept. Maybe an aggro black dog lived with a neighbor at some time in her past?... ]

U could if U wanted to, desensitize & counter-condition her to see Big Black Dogs as predictors of Happy Events - if it's a mild reaction, it's probly not worth the candle, but if her anxiety about BBDs makes her unhappy, it would be easy to do.  

Also in the U-S, most well-run dog parks have 2 sections, the smaller clearly labeled for small dogs;  seniors & pups also use that area, to avoid being overwhelmed or hurt by wild play among bigger / younger dogs. Part of that is the risk that ex-racers won't recognize a running mini-Dachs or Papillon or other toy-sized critter AS A DOG, & they'll flat-out pursue them as prey. Separating the larger dogs from the itty-bitties, & frail or grumpy seniors from bumptious youngsters, is a good idea.

 - terry

 

[Biker John]

LeashedForLife, She was from a small but successful show breeder. I got her at 8 weeks and as soon as we could go out we did. She has been well socialised, she has been to puppy socialising classes, training classes, ring craft etc. Plus we have been to some shows and she goes to racing. In general I would say that apart from large black dogs she classifies as follows: Dogs, Sight Hounds and then Whippets. With of course Whippets at the top, she can spot one a long way away and is always happy to meet them. But as I said black Grey Hounds are recognised by her, but dogs like black Labs she is worried about. And no she has never had a bad experience of one. It does not cause a big problem, its just one of the odd things I've noticed.

 

[leashedForLife]

My rescue boy is terrified of an Afghan Hound that lives locally. She is a lovely dog but he is truly terrified of her. I have heard that Afghan Hound owners see this sort of behaviour quite a lot. They think that their dogs smell different to other dogs. I think that it is more likely to be all the hair! My dog struggles to see a dog behind that very long curtain waving in the breeze!

 I got into a discussion a few years back, when i opined that the current show-lines of Afghans had excessive coat, LOL,  & 2 Afghan breeders crankily insisted that "Afghan Hounds have no more coat NOW than they ever did, we just know how to groom it so the hairs don't break!..." -- which i'll have to agree to disagree on, since comparing Zeppo Marx' champion bitch in the 1930s even to breed-champs from the '90s, over 20-years back, one seems to compare 2 different breeds.


&

... from http://afghanhoundtimes.com/zeppo.htm -
the dogs were bought in England in 1931, & imported to the U-S for breeding purposes. Phyllis Robson, then-editor of 'Dog World', helped them find 2 likely pups, as they knoew what breed they wanted. They are Azra Of Ghazni   [F] on the left, & Westmill Omar [M]  on the right, bought as well-regarded young dogs; this picture was taken in L.A. in July 1931, & reproduced in the Melbourne newspaper that fall.

even earlier, 1913 in India -


I doubt very much that anyone who imported a land-race Afghan from their country of origin today could get ONE-HALF the coat length or density seen in U-S show-lines, no matter how expertly they handled or managed that dog's coat - even if they kept the dog in a onesie, sprayed leave-in conditioner on before combing, & combed from the tips in, they'd never have the sheets of hair hanging from the COO landrace dog that are commonly seen even on show-ring rejects.

I think there's more to it than just "we're not breaking the hairs any more...", that's 10# of hair on a 45# dog, LOL.  Imagine hunting antelope or wolves with all that coat!
The first bramble would tie the poor creature in knots.
- terry
 

 

[leashedForLife]

@Biker John -
sounds like for reasons of her own, she just took agin 'em. *shrug*  Dogs can have unreasoning likes or dislikes, just like other folk.   I did have to laugh when i handled a recent ex-racer who was in foster care, he weighed an easy 90# & was a very tall, muscular dog, yet he'd want to run away from non-sighthounds who weighed one-fourth what he did, if they showed the least bit of friendly interest in him!
Poor fella, it was no joke to him - his tail would go under his belly, & he'd shrink into himself while we crossed the street or went up a driveway, or otherwise gave him some distance to reduce his anxiety. // It was 3-months before we could get him to play off-leash with a F non-sighthound, & after that, he thawed rapidly.
 - t

 

[leashedForLife]

Ah-HA! - i have not solved whatever issue my new mobile is having, refusing to e-mail my photos - however, i found a work-around.     :cheers:
Here is the MassAvenue lurcher! 
Left side view...


 ... right side



& of course, the dreaded 'devil dog', LOL -




Isn't he a handsome dog, & that is such an interesting broken coat - soft wisps over crisp slightly-wiry hair, close to the body.

I thot y'all would like a look at him - he's a sweetie, calm but approachable, interested in his surroundings & casually friendly with ppl.
- t