Is One of Your Dogs...

People ask me all the time why I have and keep such ugly cats. To me, they are all beautiful and not just because they are mine. They're all unique, and I like uniqueness. My favorite cat is named Sara, and she is a standard tiger cat but instead of just the normal grey and black stripes she also has rust-colored markings mixed in. I think it's really gorgeous, but the usual concensus is she's "ugly".

 When I got Laci I liked her because I thought she was a different looking Chihuahua, so I brought her home with me. It wasn't until later that I was told that Chocolate colored Chihuahuas are fairly rare and quite expensive. I've been offered a lot of money for her from people that want to put her in their breeding program (I'm guessing she has nice conformation or they're BYBers)... you should see the look on their face when I let them know she's being spayed in a few months and she's not for sale.

 
So I guess you could say she's the only "pretty" face I have at my house. My neighbor is one of the people who commented on my "ugly" animals and I don't really socialize with her anymore... anyone who would give up an animal because of it's looks is a sad human in my book (like she did).

Funny you mention this.  I think Sampson is a looker, he's cute and smart, but Maggie gets all the attention.  She is just beautiful and being that she is white..it draws people to her.  I always get asked about her while we are out.  I feel bad for poor ol Sam, but he's not ugly, he's just not as eye catching as she is. 

See that's funny, because Crusher is one handsome fellow of course, but I guess it's the uniqueness of a mutt that draws me more toward Onyx. She's unique, long haired, and gorgeous. Plus I have a thing for black dogs.

I only have one dog, and good thing, cause I just think she's the cutest on the planet. So I don't know if this is a "my dog" vs. "not my dog" thing, but Cherokee's DEFINITELY cuter than Jaz (my sister's dog). Jazzy's lovely, I adore him, I think he's super cute..but..Cherokee's just cuter.

Oh yes! When I van was with us, I have to say Sasha looked quite plain.  The pictures I have of him don't do him justice.  He was stunning. Strangers thought so too.  Sahsa always looked so ... country next to him.

She's a cute dog, but she's no Kate Moss. Luckily her personality is so totally lovable that everyone who interacts with her thinks she's great. With Ivan, the more you saw and the less you knew, the better he looked. ROFL!
 

I completely understand where you're coming from.  About 2 years ago my friend Jenn lived close to us and she had a husky named Shelby.  We would go out together alot w/ the dogs.  She'd take Shelby and I'd take either Co-Co and/or Blaze (both mutts, but very cute).  Everyone would fawn over Shelby and barely even look at Co-Co and Blaze.  Now Shelby is a nice looking dog (not as nice as Crusher IMO) but so are Co-Co and Blaze and it kinda upset me that if we were out with Shelby they got snubbed.  Now if it was just us out then they got fawned over pretty good, but still, my feelings were hurt for them....if that makes sense.

Someone told DH the other day that Frosty looked like an anteater.....I think he's gorgeous, I love blue merles, but Ripley gets more attention. He's smaller, has tons more coat, and, I'll say it, has a cuter face.

Crusher is the dog, that anyone that has every wanted a husky based on looks, wants.

I so know what you mean by this. Dakota has that look too and when we're out people just drool all over her saying how they want a husky just like that! I always remind them how tough huskies are to own.

I wouldn't call Neiko an underdog though. He gets his fair share of attention.

I find that Maddie gets more attention from strangers than Zack.  Despite them being brother and sister, they look completely different.  Maddie has this almost pristine look about her.  Zack looks a little homely sometimes lol but I love that, he is always up for a snuggle.  Even though Maddie gets a lot of attention from strangers, she hates it, she is kind of withdrawn and timid from people outside of my family and the usual people over at my house.  Meanwhile, Zack warms up to everyone, he loves people, he loves children, and he is just so friendly, but people try to get close to Maddie, and she'll have none of it

People are always trying to pet Otto first because he is a pretty boy :), but he is shy and likes to decide when strangers approach.  Oliver is funny looking, but has the BEST personality.  People always end up gushing over him and ignoring Otto after a few minutes lol.  Maybe it is true about having a "great personality".  Otto is very sweet, but is more chihuahuaish then Oliver.

Lexi always gets overlooked when we have all three out, because Rosco and Luna are such characters they are hard to miss. It's really sad because Lexi is the sweetest most loving dog, but she has a little head and huge ears.Her head isn't pretty/flashy in a conventional sense.

If people see her outside moving off lead, then it's a different story because she is very sleek and graceful -- the GSP movement shows up. 

I think Buckwheat's homely but everyone else thinks she's cute. Ellie is cuter than Nonnie...Ellie is like "cute" looked up in the dictionary tho so that's hardly fair lol.

Well, working line sable GSDs are my favorite dogs, so of course I'm partial to my Kenya.

Coke is really good looking though.  He has such a rich red/orange color and his black is sleek and glossy.  Lost of people ask us what breed he is and we say "oh he's a mutt" and they are surprised.  Being thin and sable, Kenya has sort of a wild, scrappy, wolf-ish look about her.  *I* think that is beautiful, but Coke's fur and coloring is just plain beautiful.  Right now he looks like a goof because his foster family shaved his butt and tail to deal with matting.  He looks like a skinny, black and red Golden Retriever with a lion trim, lol.

Movement-wise, they are worlds apart.  Coke sort of bounds up and down, his big ears flapping.  He is really leggy, partially from being neutered so early and partially from being a mutt of questionable breeding. When he walks, he is very stiff, a little cow-hocked, and is probably dysplastic in his hips.  Kenya on the other hand is impeccably bred.  She has some very successful, well-known working GSDs in her pedigree.  Her hips and elbows are being OFAed and she will pass (her breeder's husband is a vet so he knows how to examine the x-rays).  She is small, fine-boned (for a GSD) and compact, VERY quick and agile, balanced and efficient movement.  Watching her move compared to Coke is like watching a fit gazelle vs. an injured elephant, lol.  She can out-run, out-jump, and out-turn him every time.  He can only catch her if she lets him.

I understand what you're saying also. Sassy, our black lab, is purebred looking. We got her from the shelter, so who knows if she is, but she's got the look and people comment on how pretty she is. Our older girl, Buffy, is a lab/shar pei mix and she's got shar pei ears, a bit of wrinkly skin and just a sort of odd build. However, she is the friendliest dog you'd ever meet. She's one who sees you and starts wagging her tail so hard, her whole b*tt wiggles. She's truly a sweetheart but I can tell that some people are not sure what to think when they see her. She has the black markings on her tongue, so some people think she's part Chow and are afraid of her. She's just never gotten the kind of love and attention from strangers that Sassy gets, but I try to make up for it by telling her how pretty she is all the time. Come to think of it, it's time to change my avatar to her picture

When Charlie was alive, everyone fawned over her.

Now, most women are drawn to Sheila, and most men like Patriot better.

I must confess, I don't think Sheila is all that attractive. The way she moves is just silly, and I know her too well to think she's that pretty. (That sounds bad; it's not that I dislike her, she is just rather dim, and we don't get along as well as Patriot and I do.)