Welcome to my snowy world! I have a true tyrant of a PCP, who insists on my walking each and every day. It doesn't matter that I am held together by the best efforts of the American pharmaceutical industry, out I must go, come hail, snow, or Biblical showers of frogs!
The one GOOD thing that this 'compulsory walk' does, is that I sometimes meet the most delightful dogs, who are also being 'walked'!
Crunching through the snow in this part of Massachusetts, I heard a deep, ringing, almost bell-like bark, from the other side of a series of private tennis courts (I live opposite a girls' school of some note). 'That is a seriously large bark, generated by a seriously large dog', I thought. Rounding the end of the tennis courts, I found myself facing Bogie and Ollie. Although we have Newfies and a St Bernard, locally, these lovely woozles were new to me.
By the size of them, as I approached, I thought 'mountain dog-ish', and I was right. They are Great Pyrennes crossed with an 'I'm not sure'. As I petted them and they played with me, I took the chance of doing a little 'judging' (heck, no, I didn't try to classify by conformation or any breed standard). Bogie had the height of a Pyrenees, and some of its coat characteristics, but they were both narrow of muzzle and chest. There was also considerably more 'feathering' in the areas of foreleg and chest. That, along with 'freckles' on the lower legs made me think 'Setter!'.
That was partially confirmed by a 'squirrel moment' that Bogie had as I chatted with his owner. He leapt and twisted on his leash in a most un-Pyrenees way.
Sometimes cross-breeds are good. After all, we have to thank Lord Tweedmouth for breeding at least 5 distinct dog breeds together to produce the magnificent Golden Retriever. This is because, despite all their differences, dogs are just ONE species, Canis lupus familiaris, so the periodic stirring of the gene pool is good for the species as a whole, although I would NOT advise a Great Dane/Yorkshire Terrier cross - everyone would be unhappy! Mutts CAN win the genetic lottery in terms of the amelioration of some in-bred genetic faults, however, and I have had 'non-pedigree' dogs who enjoyed amazingly long and healthy lives.
Suffice it to say, that I had a great time with Bogie & Ollie - my Presidents' Day Woozles!
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