Hybrids?

I can't remember where I ran across this information, but as soon as I saw it I knew I had a blog topic. Oh, wait. I saw it on Drudge

Anyway, you all know what dog breed I know and love. Whippets are for me! But did you know there is a Hybrid dog breed club? A hybrid dog breed is the cross of two pure-bred breeds. You've probably seen some of them, like the Goldendoodle (cross between a Golden Retriever and a Poodle) or the Yorkie-poo (Yorkshire Terrier and a Poodle) or Cockapoo (Cocker Spaniel and Poodle). Some of their names are really funny.

Strangely enough this page does not list Lurchers, which are a combination of a sighthound with another breed. Generally, the aim of the cross is to produce a sighthound with more intelligence, a canny animal suitable for the original purpose of the lurcher, poaching. Developed in the Middle Ages in Great Britain and Ireland, the lurcher was created because only nobility were allowed to have purebred sighthounds like Irish Wolfhounds, Scottish Deerhounds, Greyhounds, Borzoi and Whippets, whereas crosses, or curs, had no such perceived value. Similarly, nobility owned most land and commoners were not allowed to hunt game on crown land or other noble estates.

There you are, your dog breed lesson for the day. Don't you feel like you've learned something important?

On the serious side, Designer Dogs are becoming very popular. I see them all the time at the dog park. Remember my soap box topic of a few posts ago. Don't buy a dog from a pet store. Don't buy a dog from a backyard breeder or anyone that chooses to breed their dog so their children can experience the miracle of birth, and don't buy a pure-bred dog from anyone but a reputable breeder. Do your homework and visit your local shelter. There are many good dogs, purebred, mutt or hybrid there that need a good home.

Off soap box.