why do people have to put a label on a dog?

I've had the same experience.  With Woobie, I'm like, okay whatever, because I have no idea, their guess is as good as mine.  But border collie people, oh boy... No sir No sir, Indie is NOT all border collie, he's too big.  Like dogs don't occasionally run big for their breed.  Okay, whatever people, I spoke directly to the person who brought him into this world.  Mom's a border collie.  Dad's a border collie. What do you want from my life?  If he's anything else, it's 1/4 something else because the size comes from Dad.  The breeder didn't even know what a Great Pyr was, so I doubt there was one around to make a deposit to Indie's DNA.  If there was, it's way back.  It's like telling me that guy I dated who was 6'7" isn't a human because he's not the same size as the other human males. Look at that Chinese athlete, I can't remember his name, is he not Asian because Asians are short???  Gimmeabreak!  I honestly don't care, I love them both, they are dogs.  But when I get people who are persistent like your dog park lady, I want to scream.   

/rant 

I love it when people try to tell me that Morrison is a chocolate lab.  "He must be because he is so dark, GSPs are much lighter coloured than that" they say.

I then call Monroe over and have them sit next to each other.  Then I say "You are looking at two purebred dogs, only one is a chocolate lab!".  They see the difference immediately and either laugh and shrug or just walk away.

Jeez, you think people in this hunting culture would know better!

Actually though, it seems that everyone wants to know what breeds are in their dogs, now days.   Some dogs are such a mixture that even DNA testing can't sort it out.  Sometimes people will make guesses and find out that the dog is not anything that they have guessed.  I read about a person who was sure that his adopted dog was a large square headed golden retreiver, had the dog DNA tested and found out that it was mostly shar-pei mixed with several other, aparently, soft-coated breeds.  Not a gram of Golden Retreiver blood to be found.  lol. 

I think that the charm of owning a mutt is that they are so unique.  Maybe if you want to get an explanation about a certain behavior, it would be interesting to know what is in the mix. 

I've had people argue with me that Trudy is a Dalmatian mix.  I'll say, No, she's an English Setter but she's a hunting variety".  They say "Nope, sorry, she's dalmatian alright!  Look at those spots!".  There actually is a T-shirt that exclaims "There may be 101 dalmatians but my English Setter is not one of them!"  There are a lot of pure bred hunt variety English setters in shelters listed as dalmation mixes because of the spots. 

 It's basic human need/instinct to classify/catagorize - but the "hybrid" hype with dogs really just scares me.  There's so much irresponsible breeding and now suddenly all our beloved mutts are some fancy hybrid breed. 

I do own a pure bred dog, but I typically get asked "oh what breeds of dog is she mixed with"?  I love it actually, since not many are familiar with my breed of retriever.  It's actually pretty amusing I get the oh is she a "long haired black lab, a lab golden x, a setter x" guesses all the time.  'Tis fine by me gives me a chance to discuss her actually breed with them.  

Then of course they want one of her and I gently let them know what her energy requirements/mental stimulation requirements are currently at 5 mos. old and what they'll most likely look like when she's fully developed  

the_gopher

It's basic human need/instinct to classify/catagorize

I have a pure beagle and I've heard so many times that he is a basset, a mix of something, a tri-color breed, a dalmatian puppy... When my boxer was alive, he was everything, from pit bull to lab...

I usually just shake my head and walk away because most of the people who say such things don't care what you have to say and they don't listen. They keep living in their world of ignorance, believing they are right and everybody around them wrong. Sad if you ask me.

Mystic is a purebred Akita, but I constantly get asked if she's a Husky/German shepherd or asked, "what is your shepherd mixed with"  and then whe I say, that she's an Akita then next statement is almost always "well she sure looks like a >insert husky or shepherd here< with her her >tail/face<

At this point I just smile and say some kinda of non-committal yea...

I get this all the time, too. Apollo's a black lab mixed with something, but we don't know what. People always ask me though, and since I don't know I usually get "Oh, you don't know what your dog is...?" Which is kind of annoying but I'm over it, lol. Same with his age, I don't know how old he is except he's an adult, lol, and when I tell people I don't know they look at me like I don't love him or something, lol!

haha! noone knows what jason is. they ask, but he's one of those that leaves everyone clueless. i'm sure there's some pekinese in him, but most people would never guess that, cause i keep his coat short.

although i have had this one person ask, if he's a cocker spaniel (after learning that moca is one). lol..... sure dude....

Yep, I do!

haha - I know you do! =]

that's not what I'm really talking about though.... but you know that.

BlackLabbie

People always ask me though, and since I don't know I usually get "Oh, you don't know what your dog is...?"

I use to have a border collie X.  I knew that mama was a working border collie and I would guess that dad had some shepherd or dob in there.  When people would ask I would tell them that "It was a dark rainy night and mama heard a bark at the barn door.  A mysteriously handsome stranger dog stood there, sopping wet, in need of a hot meal, warm and dry place to stay and some comfort. ....... In the morning it was dry and beautiful out and in the glow of the sunrise, he said his good byes, never to be seen again."

diane303

 

BlackLabbie

People always ask me though, and since I don't know I usually get "Oh, you don't know what your dog is...?"

I use to have a border collie X.  I knew that mama was a working border collie and I would guess that dad had some shepherd or dob in there.  When people would ask I would tell them that "It was a dark rainy night and mama heard a bark at the barn door.  A mysteriously handsome stranger dog stood there, sopping wet, in need of a hot meal, warm and dry place to stay and some comfort. ....... In the morning it was dry and beautiful out and in the glow of the sunrise, he said his good byes, never to be seen again."

LMAO! I really like that one!

 Actually, if you would have seen the litter that Miss Crystal came from, you would have thought that mamma was a really round heeled hussy!

Crystal was a tri-collar, she had a brown and white brother, a gold and white brother and a sister with a ticked coat, all in quite a variety of hair coats and sizes.  Tisk, tisk....mamma!  

I think it's a trend thing, carried over from the ____a-poos and a-doodles frenzy.  People can't seem to fathom getting a dog which is not a status symbol.  I've had many experiences where I say my pups are mutts and people start telling me how much they spent on their doodles or a-poos, because they just had to have the qualities of none shedding, blah blah blah.  Really annoys me, we wanted great pets, didn't care too much about breed, but about their personalities.  Mutts just aren't trendy enough for some I guess.   I'm not spending money on a dna test that will tell me my 70 pound dog is a chihuaha, chinese crested, irish wolfhoud mix or something.

 Actually, I think that the coolest dogs are the mutts that are such a mix that you have no idea where to begin.  Real old fashioned Heinz 57 variety. 

My husband  is a retired policeman from Chgo.  He rescued our  "Socks" from the Projects when she was a youngster.  She passed away two years ago at 17.   For the record, we have always called her a DobX on paper work, but we really have no absolute idea.  He has always lovingly referred to her as a black and tan ghetto mutt.  She was the "Queen Latifah" of dogs.  The benevolent female alpha and a real diva.  She's probably made herself queen on the other side of the bridge as well.