Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Dog Breeders' Code Words


The Babys' Old Home

What does a dog breeder really mean when he describes the father of his latest litter of pups as one that "loves to run, loves the water and is a good retriever"? On the surface, the dog seems playful and fun.

But what the breeder really means is that the dog is high-energy, wild as hell and bounces off the walls. See, the breeder who bred Archie and Dixie described those two dogs' father as a dog who loves to run, play in the water and loves to retrieve. I didn't pay much attention to that descriptor before I got the two puppies.

However, when I met the litter's father, I saw a dog that was pure energy. I asked the owner if I could pet the dog. He said yes. But he warned me not to throw the stick that was in the dog's mouth too far or else the dog may jump over the rock pond and land on rocks. Apparently, the father had done just that in a previous vigorous bout of play.

I wondered what the hell I was getting my brother and mom into. Dixie is a wild one like her dad. In contrast, Archie is a gentle soul. He's so damned sweet.

2 comments:

  1. Great point about reading between the adjectives and dog breed descriptions! The AKC is guilty of this type of cover-up too! Thanks for educating the public - Woofs to you!

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  2. Thanks for readking, Joan.

    I realize there's a little "salesmanship" in selling things, but anyone getting a labrador puppy should know that lab puppies can be little dynamos.

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