Hurricane Deck

First, go read this little piece of wonderfully investigated journalism. Or you can just read my snide comments throughout the article: Please, don't call these dogs mutts. Uh, why not? Now we know that THIS is going to be a wonderful, well researched and thought out article. They're goldendoodles , cockapoos and puggles and they are among the most popular cross-bred dogs in the U.S., according to the American Canine Hybrid Club. Nipping at their heels are cavachons , shih -poos and schnoodles , says the organization, which has registered and named 671 different hybrid combinations since it started registering litters in 1990. 671 you tell me? Wow. Currently, the AKC recognizes 230 - so just out of AKC stock alone one could possibly have 52,670 different cross bred dogs. Why are you stopping at 671? Surely there is more money to be made! More dog owners are looking to create custom varieties that combine in a single dog the best traits of two purebreds. Dog fanciers have b

Note: This started off as a post about feet, but it went elsewhere! I’ve wanted to post about feet for a while, but I have found that there is so much to get out of the way first before I can even craft it! In the world of dog fanciers, a saying that is often bandied about is “form follows function.” The origin of the phrase comes from the world of architecture; it means that the form of a building should reflect its function. It is a simple thought and some believe that it doesn’t leave room for anything other than strict utilitarianism. When I think about the true function of all domestic dogs in general the conclusion that I come to is that the function of a dog is to be a companion to humans. There are dogs with jobs (hunting, tracking, guarding, etc.) but in just about all instances a dog’s work happens in tandem with a human. An obvious exception would be the many guardian breeds that are bred to stay with and guard a flock or herd of animals without human direction and in