Written by Christine Riley
Professional photography by Nat Gold ZA
I didn’t have much of a choice when adopting Surfer! I’d gone to the shelter with another specific dog in my sights… But Surfer was having none of it! “You’re my human, I’m your dog… can we go home now, please?”
Surfer looks just like the result of one of those games in which one person draws a head; hands the paper to another person, who does the body; and then to a third person who does the legs. His head is big enough for his body, which is long, but both are too big and long for the short little legs.
I thought he might have a lot of Bearded Collie in him – maybe even purebred – because he looks exactly like the breed… However, his MuttMix results reveal a different story. There’s Husky, Poodle and Staffy in the mix – he’s a Hoodaffy! A Poostusky! A Stoopuskle!
Surfer’s MuttMix Results:
Level 2 Siberian Husky
Level 4 Poodle
Level 4 Staffordshire Bull Terrier
It was quite something finding a harness for him because of his odd proportions. Yes, I know harnesses are adjustable, but still… Long enough for neck to base-of-tail, and the straps for around the body were way too big even at their shortest; narrow enough to fit snugly around the body, and it was way too long. Eventually, I found a harness specially designed for Basset Hounds and that worked!
Right, let’s go through the breeds, according to Google...
Siberian Husky: These are energetic dogs that can’t resist chasing small animals.
Yup… Surfer’s favourite thing when we walk in the nature reserve is to come across “a small animal” to chase. He’s most unimpressed by the tortoises who refuse to run – “How boring!”.
Poodle: Poodles do best with plenty of exercise for both mind and body and prefer to be with people most of the time. These dogs are exceptional jumpers, so be careful with your yard fencing!
Well, Surfer certainly gets as much exercise as he would like… hours and hours on walks in the mountain behind my house; and if not in the mountain, on the beach down the road. It’s “a dog’s life”, I tell you. And, in terms of the jumping, I had a Pit Bull who’d have given those dogs who leap up things a run for their money and, so, had already made sure the fencing was way too high for a dog, no matter how optimistic, to jump over!
Staffordshire Bull Terrier: The breed is gentle, docile, and always on the lookout for fun. They’re far too much a people dog to be exiled to the yard, and far too much an athlete to be stuck inside all day.
My comments regarding the poodle-portion of the mix apply here as well!
It’s just as well he’s not a pedigree, because I’d have had to call him Sir Surfer, which sounds as though I’m stuttering!
