Scavi and Dickens

9th Jul, 2020

Written by Tatum Cooper

Professional photography by Emma O’Brien Photography

We lost our four-year-old cat unexpectedly in May 2017 and were devastated. I couldn’t imagine having another pet. Our house felt so empty when we arrived home from work, but I wasn’t ready for another cat.

Although I love all animals, I have never been a “dog person”; I’ve always been a cat lady. But somehow, at that point, adopting a dog just felt like the right thing to do.

My husband and I headed to Kitty and Puppy Haven one Saturday morning in June just before they closed. We decided to look at the older dogs and only to adopt someone if we really felt a connection.

Scavi was totally disinterested in me when I walked into his enclosure. He opened his eyes when I called him, then promptly closed them again and carried on snoozing. But eventually he came to say hello and just gently rubbed himself against me without making a fuss. This was my cat-dog! I just knew he was my dog and adopted him immediately.

Four weeks later, I saw a photo of Dickens on Facebook advertising him for adoption the following day. His overbite was (and still is) irresistible. I said to my husband, “I’m going to fetch Dickens tomorrow morning.” The next morning, I was waiting outside the gate at Kitty and Puppy Haven early in the morning and managed to snap Dickens up.

Scavi is what could only be described in breed terms as “non-descript”, and Dickens defies description! We heard about MuttMix from a friend and decided to find out more about our new family members.

Scavi’s MuttMix Results:

            Level 3                        Pembroke Welsh Corgi

            Level 3                        Chihuahua

            Level 4                        Miniature Pinscher

            Level 4                        Airedale Terrier

As surprising as it may seem, we were less shocked by Scavi’s results than Dickens’s. Scavi gets his size from the Airedale Terrier, his fur from the Chihuahua, his stature from the Miniature Pinscher, and he has a bit of Corgi in his facial features. His mix is more physically obvious, although he’s made up of mostly small breeds.

Dickens’s MuttMix Results:

            Level 1                        Yorkshire Terrier

            Level 4                        Border Terrier

Dominique (from MuttMix) explained to me that this means Dickens had a “thoroughbred” parent. Just have a look at the photos of him and you’ll see why we were surprised. Personality-wise, he’s a total diva, so his true roots are evident.

Two of the breeds of which Scavi is made up are described as being good with children. This has been obvious watching Dickens grow up with Scavi as a big brother. He has endless patience with Dickens, who’s always looking for trouble. Both of them have been wonderful with our baby boy who arrived last year, as well as our two cats who arrived the year before.

Both of our dogs came to our home in wonderful condition. Kitty and Puppy Haven cared for Scavi for many months before he was finally adopted. They’re doing a wonderful job at providing a home for so many animals. Unfortunately, we don’t have space for another animal in our home. If you don’t have space, time, or it just isn’t the right time in your life for a pet – please consider sponsoring a pet at Kitty and Puppy Haven (www.kittypuppyhaven.org.za). It’s a hassle-free monthly debit order that will feed and care for an animal for an entire month. You’ll make a big difference in an animal’s life!

Dominique of MuttMix adds…

Scavi’s many lower level breeds indicates that he comes from a few generations of mixed breeding, resulting in a blend of “bits and pieces” with a quite remarkable outcome.

Dickens is most likely the result of a breeding “accident” but, as is the case with all mixed breeds, has produced a very unique dog with characteristics you simply cannot “shop” for.

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