Mixed Breed Owners: What You See Is What You Get?

[648117]

She's not particularly intelligent.. Past fetching different toys that I ask for... She'll sit, but not for long and she will remain 'still' on command. She's adorable, just a bit 'away with the fairies', if you get what I mean!


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Skye is also like this. Loves fetch but the rest of the time she is also "away with the fairies". I joke that she is called Skye because she has "sky" in her head - she's an air head. Or that she's fluffy on the outside and inside.
But I'll admit that I haven't done much training with her, I've been trying to get my mum to do it since she is her dog. I even made her take Skye to obedience classes.

I almost see some chinese crested (powder puff) in chewie.

Pure bred chinese crested powder puff:

Mix:

Maybe even pure chinese crested as there seems to be a lot of variation in them.

 

[elissa]

Very similar face!

 

[Ripleygirl]

I can certainly see boxer take I'll take your word for the malamute
From what I know boxers are very physical dogs that love to wrestle. Whatever the word is for "not calm" it might be used to describe boxers generally (there are exceptions). I wonder if malemutes are like huskies for being difficult to train recall to?

Ripley definately likes a good wrestle... From what I know huskies and malamutes they are very similar so I guess that could well be her malamute side (I know some literature says they should not be allowed to run off lead but I don't agree with that). Her 'best mate' Ollie was a rescue lurcher (think he may have a bit of staffie in him too):

is even more difficult in recall... what are your experiences with recall with Zac?

 

[Ripleygirl]

It came up on the Papillon / Maltese mix search I did, but on closer inspection the actual blurb on the ste said 'maltese mix' - So jury's still out on exactly what Chewie is!

Some pics of 'papilese' (papillon x maltese) -

Under 6 months above.

Older dog above.

 

[running_dog]

Ripley definately likes a good wrestle... From what I know huskies and malamutes they are very similar so I guess that could well be her malamute side (I know some literature says they should not be allowed to run off lead but I don't agree with that). Her 'best mate' Ollie was a rescue lurcher (think he may have a bit of staffie in him too) is even more difficult in recall... what are your experiences with recall with Zac?

Recall with Zac? Long term project but I think that is because of me not him. I think from my experience with him that if I knew how to build value properly he would get 100% recall. I can't recall him from chasing, hot scents and not always from playing with/approaching other dogs. His main problem with recall is that he loves to chase.

The recall problems with huskies seem to often be diluted/eliminated even in a first cross. There are some people who breed sighthoundXhuskies and they claim they don't have major issues with recall. I'd be interested to find out more about the affect of cross breeding on recall. With saluki lurchers it is supposed to normally be the second cross (1/4 saluki) before they are reliable on recall.

Ollie definitely looks like he has staffie in him. At a wild guess I think he looks 1/4 staffie and 3/4 whippet, if he's much larger than he looks in the photo then maybe staffie/greyhound.

 

[648117]

Huskie X Border collie are a very popular breed for competitive obedience here. They do really really well too, obviously recall (and generally being trusted off leash) is a must for obedience. That supports your idea that even a 1st gen cross eliminates some recall problems.

 

[elissa]

Some pics of 'papilese' (papillon x maltese) -
.

Hmmm maybe not then, they don't seem too like her... She's certainly Maltese and something lol!

Never having owned small dogs before (and it's not like I researched it before finding her!) I have no idea what to expect temperament wise! All I know is she's very affectionate with me, likes to be near me at all times and is proving a little difficult to train. She's friendly towards other people ad dogs although a little wary once the initial burst of 'oh look something new!' has worn off. She loves to play fetch and recall is great with her, but I think that's more from her attachment to me, rather than her obedience to my commands!

 

[running_dog]

Huskie X Border collie are a very popular breed for competitive obedience here. They do really really well too, obviously recall (and generally being trusted off leash) is a must for obedience. That supports your idea that even a 1st gen cross eliminates some recall problems.

Thanks for that information

 

[running_dog]

I've been wondering whether it would be possible to rank dog breeds in order of which ones are the most influential over what breeds we perceive in first crosses and how well it would apply if generalised to other cross breeds. I tried thinking about what first crosses look like - for instance Gus looks like a labrador and so do most lab crosses (though not so much as him), Ripley you can see boxer but you'd know there was something else but possibly not what else, so boxers are probably not as strongly influential as labradors... So maybe:

Standard Poodle - Labrador - Boxer - Husky - GSD - Greyhound - Border collie - Staffie

The closer the breeds are together the more evenly the characteristics should show and the further apart they are then the more the earlier named breed should be visible in the first cross... see if it works for you... I'm not sure whether it does or not.

It isn't supposed to be a scientific idea, just a fun concept... I suspect that the reasons we "recognise" a breed in a cross bred comes down to whether we can see distinctive characteristics and whether we see them depends not only on how they are inherited but also our perceptions of what makes a dog look like a particular breed (and how unique they are to a particular breed). So poodles not only have very heritable characteristics they are also very recognisable. Staffies give bulk to the crossbred but that isn't necessarily recognisable as coming from a Staffie. Greyhounds make crossbreds look stretched but that doesn't tend to trump the identifying characteristics of the other part of the mix.

 

[Ripleygirl]

Recall with Zac? Long term project but I think that is because of me not him. I think from my experience with him that if I knew how to build value properly he would get 100% recall. I can't recall him from chasing, hot scents and not always from playing with/approaching other dogs. His main problem with recall is that he loves to chase.

The recall problems with huskies seem to often be diluted/eliminated even in a first cross. There are some people who breed sighthoundXhuskies and they claim they don't have major issues with recall. I'd be interested to find out more about the affect of cross breeding on recall. With saluki lurchers it is supposed to normally be the second cross (1/4 saluki) before they are reliable on recall.

Ollie definitely looks like he has staffie in him. At a wild guess I think he looks 1/4 staffie and 3/4 whippet, if he's much larger than he looks in the photo then maybe staffie/greyhound.

Sorry, behind in catching up, I know what you mean with the building value properly, I don't think I get that right totally either...

Interesting point with cross (even a first cross) diluting recall problems, that might make an interesting thread too. I also think that age of dog when training recall can affect effort needed.

Ollie is about the same size as your average lurcher so I guess possibly greyhound x staffie. He is definately taller than a whippet x.

 

[running_dog]

Ollie is about the same size as your average lurcher so I guess possibly greyhound x staffie. He is definately taller than a whippet x.

Average size lurcher?
Round here they are all sizes

I think the level of experience a dog has of being rewarded for not recalling (eg by chasing a rabbit, or by some unhelpful person giving him a treat when he's run away from a recall cue) also has an impact on effort needed for training.

 

[Ripleygirl]

Average size lurcher?
Round here they are all sizes

Okay, silly phrase I used there...! Sorry! I will measure him and get back to you...

 

[Ripleygirl]

I think the level of experience a dog has of being rewarded for not recalling (eg by chasing a rabbit, or by some unhelpful person giving him a treat when he's run away from a recall cue) also has an impact on effort needed for training.

I consider Ripley to now have good recall but there is one guy in the park that I still cannot call her back from, ever!!! He feeds her gravy bones (now bear in mind if I have gravy bones for her she is non-plus about them) but she sees him from a mile off and she is gone... I don't get it with him. She just LOVES him for some reason... Why?!!!

Bunny's and deer are the biggest problems with Ollie, he just goes completely deaf when on the run for either of them... they are better reward than if I called him back for a piece of fillet steak...

 

[running_dog]

I consider Ripley to now have good recall but there is one guy in the park that I still cannot call her back from, ever!!! He feeds her gravy bones (now bear in mind if I have gravy bones for her she is non-plus about them) but she sees him from a mile off and she is gone... I don't get it with him. She just LOVES him for some reason... Why?!!!

Bunny's and deer are the biggest problems with Ollie, he just goes completely deaf when on the run for either of them... they are better reward than if I called him back for a piece of fillet steak...

There was a infuriating woman that I used to meet when Zac was a pup and she used to feed him when he legged it to her. I used to get so frustrated with her. She always told me smuggly how her dog was trained using treats so she never ran away, her dog (a border collie) was so fat it couldn't run if it tried. It died in middle age and she now has a young border collie which she has turned into yet another barrel. At least Zac doesn't like people much anymore - I don't mean he's scared or vicious he just doesn't think they are important.

Bunnys and deer are Zac's biggest problems too but recall is only ever as good as a dog's work around distractions so I'm working Zac on the lead a lot where there are distractions that he finds distracting, we'll get to the deer eventually. And I'm building value and building value, feels like climbing Everest.

 

[running_dog]

Okay, silly phrase I used there...! Sorry! I will measure him and get back to you...

LOL

 

[Ripleygirl]

There was a infuriating woman that I used to meet when Zac was a pup and she used to feed him when he legged it to her. I used to get so frustrated with her. She always told me smuggly how her dog was trained using treats so she never ran away, her dog (a border collie) was so fat it couldn't run if it tried. It died in middle age and she now has a young border collie which she has turned into yet another barrel. At least Zac doesn't like people much anymore - I don't mean he's scared or vicious he just doesn't think they are important.

Bunnys and deer are Zac's biggest problems too but recall is only ever as good as a dog's work around distractions so I'm working Zac on the lead a lot where there are distractions that he finds distracting, we'll get to the deer eventually. And I'm building value and building value, feels like climbing Everest.

I can really empathise with the fat border collie story. I see and meet owners that are like that much and I feel for the dogs...

Get what you say here but an added problem with Ollie is that he is not 'my' dog, I walk him quite a bit but he is 'owned' by my partner's sister who believes it is fine when he disappears for an hour chasing bunny's and deer. So when I work on on lead distration training it is like I am the 'bad' guy keeping him on a lead and he is even less inclined to pay attention to what I am trying to teach him cause when he is with his 'mum' he can do what he wants to do...

 

[running_dog]

Get what you say here but an added problem with Ollie is that he is not 'my' dog, I walk him quite a bit but he is 'owned' by my partner's sister who believes it is fine when he disappears for an hour chasing bunny's and deer. So when I work on on lead distration training it is like I am the 'bad' guy keeping him on a lead and he is even less inclined to pay attention to what I am trying to teach him cause when he is with his 'mum' he can do what he wants to do...

It isn't really a fair comparison between Ripley and Ollie and how easy they are to recall train in that case...
It probably isn't completely impossible for you to train him recall but it'll be very close to it . A lot of the time I don't let the rest of my family let Zac off leash. They walk and talk but with Zac you really need to walk and watch like a hawk.

 

[running_dog]

Never having owned small dogs before (and it's not like I researched it before finding her!) I have no idea what to expect temperament wise!

I think mostly all dogs can be very individual whether they are big or small. The fact that she is very attached to you is a great foundation for training any dog. She's not very old yet and the world is very exciting, I'm sure she will settle down.

 

[elissa]

Chewie's recall indoors is near perfect, and it's good in the yard or in the park... But put her on the leash and walk the streets? It's like I don't exist!

 

[running_dog]

She's a happy, bouncy little dog who loves playing fetch and 'chase the puppy', she's a little lapdog who just wants to be near me (preferably on my lap) and to be cuddled. She's super affectionate and great with people she knows, although a little timid with those she doesn't.

She sheds so much I'm currently not sure how she has any fur left and I live in constant fear that when I step out of the door PETA will throw red paint at me convinced I'm wearing a fur coat.

She's not particularly intelligent.. Past fetching different toys that I ask for... She'll sit, but not for long and she will remain 'still' on command. She's adorable, just a bit 'away with the fairies', if you get what I mean!

I really love your description of Chewie's fur loss. My friend has a dog that sheds like that and it often feels like we end up more furry than the dog. It seems to often be a GSD and Border collie thing but I don't think there's either of them in Chewie's breeding.

Are you sure that she is not so intelligent that she's choosing to hide it from you? We had a lurcher like that. Do you use a clicker (I can't remember if you do) sometimes dogs that seem a bit dim actually are very mentally active it is just that by the time you say "good dog" they've already thought about 50 different things since the one you were referring to and have no idea what you were talking about. A clicker helps to mark the exact thing you wanted to reinforce. Sometimes dogs are a bit dim, but again the clicker helps them because it makes it easier for them to understand what you want. Dogs that are a bit away with the fairies can come in any breed so it's hard to know if it is a breed characteristic or just Chewie .

One word of caution, playing "chase the puppy" has a reputation for wreaking havoc on recall in any dog. Getting her to chase you is a much better option.