RE: [pyrnet] Re: Gulliver, the golden/pyr mix

["Gunnells, Thea" <Thea.Gunnells@espire.net>]

Such a beautiful dog!!

TLG

-----Original Message-----
From: Eric M. Wacker [mailto:ewacker@indiana.edu]
Sent: Sunday, October 15, 2000 1:43 PM
To: pyrnet-l@pyrnet.org
Subject: [pyrnet] Re: Gulliver, the golden/pyr mix


On Sat, 14 Oct 2000 folks on PyrNet-L wrote:

> > I put up a few new shots of our pyr/golden, Gulliver,
> > who has yet to show a single golden trait, other than
> > looking like a pyr who rolled in golden dust!
> We continue to ADORE this mellow,
> > quiet, fluffy, thoughtful, gracious boy, and he's having
> > a ball with the goldenboys!
> >
> > http://www.geocities.com/~goldendog/Gulliver.htm
> >
> > Lori Whitwam
> >
> What an absolutely gorgeous boy!!! He is just too beautiful! I haven't
seen
> that many mixes, but he is just stunningly beautiful. And looks so happy!
> What a smile! LOL! You are blessed indeed to have this wonderful boy in
your
> family.
> Marie and Beau

	Wow.  If ever there was an argument for continued crossbreeding to
create new kinds of dogs, Gulliver is the best example I've seen yet -- he
looks beautiful, sounds good-natured...  I wonder if he's any less
independent minded/stubborn than your typical pyr!  ;)  I can't imagine
that the golden temperment wouldn't temper some of the pyrenees
less-desirable traits a little, such as the selective listening...  :)

	As a side note, (and I'm not necessarily arguing for it, but) I
have to wonder why -- after thousands of years of humanity mixing
different dogs to create the breeds we have today, why crossbreeding
suddenly receives so much negative reaction.  Does anyone have a good
explanation for this?  Is it just the possibility of creating more
unwanted animals that may or may not wind up expressing the traits that
one might have hoped for?  

	It seems to me that it may create its share of non-desirable
offspring, but so does a lot of the regular breeding, especially with all
the backyard folks out there just looking to make some extra pocket money. 
We got the wonderful range of breeds we have now thanks to that process --
I just wonder why it comes under so much fire today.  It seems to me that
someone knowledgeable and responsible could probably be doing some
interesting crossbreeding work that would have better results than a lot
of the irresponsible same-breed "littering" that's filling up shelters,
without any possible positive side effects.

	(Interestingly enough, I've heard there's a woman up in Canada
purposefully mixing Bernese Mtn. Dogs with Labrador Retrievers -- a mix,
apparently, that is extraordinarily well-suited for being guide dogs.) 

	-Eric W.

---------
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<http://www.journalism.indiana.edu/> |  Office VOX/VM: 812.855.4918 
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