Where do people come up with this you-know-what?
- Thread starter Miakoda
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I agree that sometimes it is just plain off the wall guessing, or stupidity. For what it is worth, a few of the fairly reasonable explanations I've heard:
1) Someone clicked the breed above or below the one they meant to. Proof reading would help, but some of the off the wall listings I've seen make sense when you look at what comes before or after the breed alphabetically.
2) They actually know one of the parents. As others said, genetics do weird things.
3) When you know one breed is pretty obvious, you put that. If you put a second breed in, the dog comes up on twice as many searches. So you do the best you can guessing on a second breed.
4) They are going off temperament to an extent. I actually find that a really good reason. For instance, if you have a dog that looks like a lab, but is very serious, showing signs of protective instinct even in a shelter environment, and maybe has a touch of dog aggression - you don't want that dog going to the average lab home. They won't be happy, and neither will the dog. You may very well get it back. So you throw it up as a rottie mix. People looking for a rottie may be looking for exactly those traits that are going to make a lab person nuts, and they may be willing to forgo the rottie appearance.
5) People are bat-crap crazy and have no idea what they are talking about.
1) Someone clicked the breed above or below the one they meant to. Proof reading would help, but some of the off the wall listings I've seen make sense when you look at what comes before or after the breed alphabetically.
2) They actually know one of the parents. As others said, genetics do weird things.
3) When you know one breed is pretty obvious, you put that. If you put a second breed in, the dog comes up on twice as many searches. So you do the best you can guessing on a second breed.
4) They are going off temperament to an extent. I actually find that a really good reason. For instance, if you have a dog that looks like a lab, but is very serious, showing signs of protective instinct even in a shelter environment, and maybe has a touch of dog aggression - you don't want that dog going to the average lab home. They won't be happy, and neither will the dog. You may very well get it back. So you throw it up as a rottie mix. People looking for a rottie may be looking for exactly those traits that are going to make a lab person nuts, and they may be willing to forgo the rottie appearance.
5) People are bat-crap crazy and have no idea what they are talking about.
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Oops, sorry I wasn't clear that I was referring to two different dogs!
Argon, the dog in the picture, is the son of the bassett hound. His father is unknown, though it must have been a whippet or IG because he looks exactly like one. Another pic of the bratdog. When Mom nursed the puppies, it looked like she was being swarmed by praying mantises (mantisi? Mantis')
Gambit is my coydog. He was genetically tested by someone doing a study on hybrid animals. His mother was listed as an aussie by the shelter, though she looked like a short coated border collie and was solid sable merle like him. I didn't see her, as she was already in 'sanctuary care', though I was shown a picture.
The coyboy
I need to get a sig made with both of the boys in it, but they are both convinced that the camera steals souls.
Argon, the dog in the picture, is the son of the bassett hound. His father is unknown, though it must have been a whippet or IG because he looks exactly like one. Another pic of the bratdog. When Mom nursed the puppies, it looked like she was being swarmed by praying mantises (mantisi? Mantis')
Gambit is my coydog. He was genetically tested by someone doing a study on hybrid animals. His mother was listed as an aussie by the shelter, though she looked like a short coated border collie and was solid sable merle like him. I didn't see her, as she was already in 'sanctuary care', though I was shown a picture.
The coyboy
I need to get a sig made with both of the boys in it, but they are both convinced that the camera steals souls.
I even had a friend who's dog she was convinced was a Sloughi mix. Now I don't think it's TOO far fetched for some rarer breeds, as they are more likely to be kept intact, but...a sloughi?
Hey look I have a pic of her.
And then my friend was convinced she was like, Sloughi wolf hybrid. She is a big girl but I'm quite convinced it's neither sloughi nor wolf. My guess would be some shepherdy dobie type mix.
Hey look I have a pic of her.
And then my friend was convinced she was like, Sloughi wolf hybrid. She is a big girl but I'm quite convinced it's neither sloughi nor wolf. My guess would be some shepherdy dobie type mix.
I think I've posted this before, but I had two sets of puppies.
These two were horribly cute, but I would guess grow up to look like very different breeds. The blonde might be considered a pit mix and the brown maybe aussie mix with a bit of a coat. The mother was an ORANGE shorter haired chow mix, father unknown.
And these two..you would consider the short haired a pointer mix, and the longer haired an aussie mix. The short haired girl had serious ivermectin sensitivity.
These two were horribly cute, but I would guess grow up to look like very different breeds. The blonde might be considered a pit mix and the brown maybe aussie mix with a bit of a coat. The mother was an ORANGE shorter haired chow mix, father unknown.
And these two..you would consider the short haired a pointer mix, and the longer haired an aussie mix. The short haired girl had serious ivermectin sensitivity.
Haha, thanks for posting those pics Laurelin, I was just about to do it myself and you saved me the work. The other thing that's not totally apparent in those pictures is that mom is about 50ish# and both the boys are around 80-85#, although one of their brothers is around 45-50# like mom. This litter has really changed my perspective on guessing breeds based on appearance alone.
ETA: I've recently been told that there is a rather... prolific American Bulldog "breeder" with progeny all over the state where Linney was at the time of her desecration (Alaska) and the puppies have a similar "look" to his dogs. So that's a possibility that would make sense at least. Who knows, though, since Alaskans have all sorts of breeds lurking in the background. Technically no matter what his father is he is still considered an Alaskan husky anyway since it's not a pure breed and you can intentionally mix whatever you like into your lines. I like to tell people who ask me what he is that he's an Alaskan husky and watch their faces go
ETA: I've recently been told that there is a rather... prolific American Bulldog "breeder" with progeny all over the state where Linney was at the time of her desecration (Alaska) and the puppies have a similar "look" to his dogs. So that's a possibility that would make sense at least. Who knows, though, since Alaskans have all sorts of breeds lurking in the background. Technically no matter what his father is he is still considered an Alaskan husky anyway since it's not a pure breed and you can intentionally mix whatever you like into your lines. I like to tell people who ask me what he is that he's an Alaskan husky and watch their faces go
S
ETA: This dog is listed on petfinder as a deerhound mix... because that's what the DNA test came up with. *facepalm* :rofl1: Yet more evidence they don't work.
http://sheltermedicine.vetmed.ufl.e...udies/current-studies/dog-breeds/dna-results/
Honestly, I don't feel that it helps ANYONE for rescues to label obvious Pit Bulls as Lab mixes or whatever. I have met many misled, ignorant dog owners who will swear on their life that their dog isn't one of those "awful Pit Bulls"... when their dog is clearly, unequivocally, a Pit Bull/mix. Not only in looks but in behavior. And those same people are expecting a Bulldog or Lab temperament, and are not prepared to handle an intense, energetic, possibly DA dog.
I grew completely disgusted with rescues when I was working as a manager at a very high traffic pet hotel with dog daycare. For insurance reasons, Pit Bulls and other fighting breeds were not allowed in daycare with all of the other dogs. If they passed a temperament screening to be dog friendly & we found compatible playmates, we'd do small groups of otherwise "individual" dogs (which could include unaltered males or dogs who were overwhelmed by daycare groups) for 30 minute play sessions... which proved much safer & tailored to the specific dog's personalities. The small play groups were actually a much better option for ANY dog, as they weren't stuck in the playroom for 8 hours with 20 random dogs, they only played with dogs that they got along with and were closely supervised. We had several awesome groups of 3-4 Pit Bulls who came in regularly on the same days and had a blast playing together, with no issues whatsoever.
People would come in with their 100% CLASSIC PIT BULL puppy, all of the time, and act like I was a moron for saying their dog was part Pit Bull and couldn't be in general daycare. They would argue with me til the end of time, saying "the rescue labeled him a Lab mix! Look, he's black! He is not part Pit Bull! I'd never own one of those!" Ummm... that sucks. For your poor dog. That you are in irreversible denial. Then they'd complain to my manager, who would let the dog in daycare rather than deal with the crazed owner, and 6 months later that dog would turn on and rip the **** out of the other dogs in daycare. And then that dog would never have the option of playing with other dogs again, because they couldn't handle a crazy, overstimulating group of 20 big dogs in a small room, and the signs of aggression were overlooked and not addressed because it's hard to notice subtleties when you're supervising that many crazy dogs. Then I'd have to tell the owner who would exclaim, "MY DOG?! Not MY DOG!!! She's a perfect angel!" Maybe she is great, with a couple of dogs who are similar in temperament. But a perfect angel doesn't maim another dog at they age of 8 months. This actually happened with dozens of dogs, and having to deal with seeing those dogs who were attacked in pain, taking them to the vet, explaining everything to all of the owners and losing business... yeah. I really hate when rescues lie, or make uneducated guesses. A dog's breed is a big deal and when rescues obviously cover up a dog's breed it helps no one, especially not the dogs.
I mean, I fully understand if people are afraid of having their dog labeled as a Pit Bull for insurance or ban reasons. And I would be totally understanding and list that dog as a Lab mix (who would still be in individual play groups), as would most Vets... especially when lineage isn't known for sure. But to completely deny that your dog is a Pit Bull, refuse to accept that fact, and act like your dog is "better" than a Pit Bull is unbearable for me to see. You need to do your research, understand your breed, and do what you need to do to train & keep your dog safe. Denying what they are is counterproductive to all of that. A litter of Pit Bull puppies (with an OBVIOUS, clearly Pit Bull mom) that I raised and fostered was labeled on petfinder as Boxer mixes. I told the rescue coordinator (who was my boss at the pet hotel ironically) that I was very uncomfortable lying to people. And I told people that they were Pit mixes, no matter what she wanted me to do. I'd much rather have a Pit Bull than a Boxer anyway!!! lolz
Fozzie was labeled as a Corgi x JRT. He was bigger than the average Corgi puppy, fluffier, and generally looked and acted nothing like a JRT! Some people might be very disappointed in what he really turned out to be and could've even led to rehoming him, which is a 50 lb Sibe x Corgi mix of some sort. I would imagine a Corgi x JRT would be like... 20 lbs?
I grew completely disgusted with rescues when I was working as a manager at a very high traffic pet hotel with dog daycare. For insurance reasons, Pit Bulls and other fighting breeds were not allowed in daycare with all of the other dogs. If they passed a temperament screening to be dog friendly & we found compatible playmates, we'd do small groups of otherwise "individual" dogs (which could include unaltered males or dogs who were overwhelmed by daycare groups) for 30 minute play sessions... which proved much safer & tailored to the specific dog's personalities. The small play groups were actually a much better option for ANY dog, as they weren't stuck in the playroom for 8 hours with 20 random dogs, they only played with dogs that they got along with and were closely supervised. We had several awesome groups of 3-4 Pit Bulls who came in regularly on the same days and had a blast playing together, with no issues whatsoever.
People would come in with their 100% CLASSIC PIT BULL puppy, all of the time, and act like I was a moron for saying their dog was part Pit Bull and couldn't be in general daycare. They would argue with me til the end of time, saying "the rescue labeled him a Lab mix! Look, he's black! He is not part Pit Bull! I'd never own one of those!" Ummm... that sucks. For your poor dog. That you are in irreversible denial. Then they'd complain to my manager, who would let the dog in daycare rather than deal with the crazed owner, and 6 months later that dog would turn on and rip the **** out of the other dogs in daycare. And then that dog would never have the option of playing with other dogs again, because they couldn't handle a crazy, overstimulating group of 20 big dogs in a small room, and the signs of aggression were overlooked and not addressed because it's hard to notice subtleties when you're supervising that many crazy dogs. Then I'd have to tell the owner who would exclaim, "MY DOG?! Not MY DOG!!! She's a perfect angel!" Maybe she is great, with a couple of dogs who are similar in temperament. But a perfect angel doesn't maim another dog at they age of 8 months. This actually happened with dozens of dogs, and having to deal with seeing those dogs who were attacked in pain, taking them to the vet, explaining everything to all of the owners and losing business... yeah. I really hate when rescues lie, or make uneducated guesses. A dog's breed is a big deal and when rescues obviously cover up a dog's breed it helps no one, especially not the dogs.
I mean, I fully understand if people are afraid of having their dog labeled as a Pit Bull for insurance or ban reasons. And I would be totally understanding and list that dog as a Lab mix (who would still be in individual play groups), as would most Vets... especially when lineage isn't known for sure. But to completely deny that your dog is a Pit Bull, refuse to accept that fact, and act like your dog is "better" than a Pit Bull is unbearable for me to see. You need to do your research, understand your breed, and do what you need to do to train & keep your dog safe. Denying what they are is counterproductive to all of that. A litter of Pit Bull puppies (with an OBVIOUS, clearly Pit Bull mom) that I raised and fostered was labeled on petfinder as Boxer mixes. I told the rescue coordinator (who was my boss at the pet hotel ironically) that I was very uncomfortable lying to people. And I told people that they were Pit mixes, no matter what she wanted me to do. I'd much rather have a Pit Bull than a Boxer anyway!!! lolz
Fozzie was labeled as a Corgi x JRT.
He was bigger than the average Corgi puppy, fluffier, and generally looked and acted nothing like a JRT! Some people might be very disappointed in what he really turned out to be and could've even led to rehoming him, which is a 50 lb Sibe x Corgi mix of some sort. I would imagine a Corgi x JRT would be like... 20 lbs?Elsa was listed as a New Guinea Singing Dog at my work. I **** you not. This is apparently a New Guinea Singing Dog:
Bar none the funniest breed guess they've thrown out there, and they make some hilarious breed guesses. To this day when any one asks about her they INSIST they knew of a NGSD breeder in the area she was found that didn't take care of their dogs, so clearly she came from them.
Bar none the funniest breed guess they've thrown out there, and they make some hilarious breed guesses. To this day when any one asks about her they INSIST they knew of a NGSD breeder in the area she was found that didn't take care of their dogs, so clearly she came from them.
K
Elsa was listed as a New Guinea Singing Dog at my work. I **** you not. This is apparently a New Guinea Singing Dog:
Bar none the funniest breed guess they've thrown out there, and they make some hilarious breed guesses. To this day when any one asks about her they INSIST they knew of a NGSD breeder in the area she was found that didn't take care of their dogs, so clearly she came from them.
Bar none the funniest breed guess they've thrown out there, and they make some hilarious breed guesses. To this day when any one asks about her they INSIST they knew of a NGSD breeder in the area she was found that didn't take care of their dogs, so clearly she came from them.
K
The best argument I've heard against it is that there are so many cities, landlords, and insurers who practice BSL that if someone adopts a dog thinking it's not a pit and then can't find anywhere to rent, etc. the dog is a lot more likely to be given up again.
ETA: This dog is listed on petfinder as a deerhound mix... because that's what the DNA test came up with. *facepalm* :rofl1: Yet more evidence they don't work.
ETA: This dog is listed on petfinder as a deerhound mix... because that's what the DNA test came up with. *facepalm* :rofl1: Yet more evidence they don't work.