It might be a dog’s life, but what is in a name?
We know that lots of our customers enjoy taking their dogs out with them when they go out walking, but after the increase in more specialized crossbreeds in recent years we wondered what was the most unusual type of dog you have met on your travels? Have you seen a Goldendoodle or a Puggle on your walks?
Probably the best known of these combined names animals is the Labradoodle. This was first bred in Australia as part of a breeding programme for the Royal Guide Dog Association. The successful mix of Labrador retriever and standard poodle was a result of an enquiry to help a visually impaired women whose husband had a dog allergy. This combined then became very popular as a family pet, and joining it in the popularity stakes was the Cockapoo, a mix of Cocker Spaniel and Poodle, which had become very successful with deaf people when trained as a hearing dog.
The most popular breeds are still the pedigree ones, but pet insurers have seen a tremendous increase in policies for these new combined breeds, with some seeing 400% increases. It can be seen as a form of reverse snobbery, as crosses can be more expensive and in certain areas of the USA, with the influence of celebrity the “doodle” (involving a poodle in the mix) is the dog of choice. This is also being seen in the UK, with one event in London’s Hampstead area holding a “Cockapoo Doggie Sunday” for charity.
Wally Conron, who bred the first of the Labradoodles now regrets breeding what he describes as a Frankenstein dog, while others obviously see it as a great advantage as it has made them reassess breeds. Poodles are obviously seen in quite a different way but the standard Poodle Club are not impressed with this trend. They see that with a pedigree dog you know what you are getting, this guarantee is not available with a mixed dog.
However, one of the very first of this type of crossbreed actually infiltrated the Kennel Club back in the 1070s, and the person who achieved this remarkable feat was in fact no other than the Queen. She has bred Dorgies, a cross between a Dachshund and a Corgi for many years, and when she sat for a portrait as patron of the Kennel Club back in 1975 she insisted of having all her dogs in the picture. The secretary of the Club at the time was said to have quipped that “the Dachshund was evolved to chase badgers down holes and Corgis to round up cattle. If anyone loses a herd of cattle down a badger hole, these are just the dogs to get them.
However, in this modern world a clever name can sell anything, even a dog, so watch out for the latest that are appearing and let us know what you see out there, wrapped up in your bodywarmer, whether it’s a Puggle or a Jackuahua, and let’s see how far the naming goes. Anyone fancy a mix of Jack Russell and a Shih tzu?
Categories
- Sport (27)
- Product Reviews (3)
- Team Outdoor Look (7)
- Mike Wild (2)
- Mike Payton (2)
- Suse Hammond-Pears (3)
- Snowboarding (12)
- Latest Offers (105)
- Shop Talk (1)
- Competitions (7)
- Walking (408)
- Lifestyle Fashion (8)
- Travel (86)
- Kit Guides (176)
- Workwear Clothing (6)
- Safety Workwear (4)
- Health/Fitness (284)
- Skiing (88)
- Great Outdoors (1301)
- Cycling (90)
- October 2024
- September 2024
- August 2024
- July 2024
- June 2024
- May 2024
- April 2024
- March 2024
- February 2024
- January 2024
- December 2023
- November 2023
- October 2023
- September 2023
- August 2023
- July 2023
- June 2023
- May 2023
- April 2023
- March 2023
- February 2023
- January 2023
- December 2022
- November 2022
- October 2022
- September 2022
- August 2022
- July 2022
- June 2022
- May 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- October 2019
- September 2019
- August 2019
- July 2019
- June 2019
- May 2019
- April 2019
- March 2019
- February 2019
- January 2019
- December 2018
- November 2018
- October 2018
- September 2018
- August 2018
- July 2018
- June 2018
- May 2018
- April 2018
- March 2018
- February 2018
- January 2018
- December 2017
- November 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- August 2017
- July 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- October 2016
- September 2016
- August 2016
- July 2016
- June 2016
- May 2016
- April 2016
- March 2016
- February 2016
- January 2016
- December 2015
- November 2015
- October 2015
- September 2015
- August 2015
- July 2015
- June 2015
- May 2015
- April 2015
- March 2015
- February 2015
- January 2015
- December 2014
- November 2014
- October 2014
- September 2014
- August 2014
- July 2014
- June 2014
- May 2014
- April 2014
- March 2014
- February 2014
- January 2014
- December 2013
- November 2013
- October 2013
- September 2013
- August 2013
- July 2013
- June 2013
- May 2013
- April 2013
- March 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- October 2012
- September 2012
- August 2012
- July 2012
- June 2012
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
Submit a Comment