Help me identify my new pup
January 21, 2013 8:23 AM Subscribe
My husband and I adopted a shelter dog last week, who we absolutely adore. When we were looking at her I asked one of the workers if they knew what kind of dog she was and they said no....just a mutt. My curiosity is getting the best of me though, and I would like to see if anyone might have some insight into what kind of breeds she might be. Pictures are here 3 photos included and she is the bigger dog in photo 1. She's about 2 years old so I'm assuming she's fully grown, also slightly under weight. As for her height, her head is about hip height (I'm 5'5"). So please someone satisfy my curiosity about our newest baby and tell me what kind of pup could she be?
Looks like a little pit bull in there, but do you know if her tail is natural or was it broken?
posted by notaninja at 8:32 AM on January 21, 2013
posted by notaninja at 8:32 AM on January 21, 2013
Some pit from the front-on face (I know one that has the exact same bat-ears), some boxer.
posted by supercres at 8:33 AM on January 21, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by supercres at 8:33 AM on January 21, 2013 [2 favorites]
Agree with pit bull. The ears & tail also make me think Doberman.
posted by Emperor SnooKloze at 8:33 AM on January 21, 2013
posted by Emperor SnooKloze at 8:33 AM on January 21, 2013
Her smooth and tawny coat makes me suspect some pit bull heritage (or maybe boxer with her height). FWIW, pit bull crosses make wonderful pets but because that breed freaks people out, shelter workers often claim ignorance about it.
posted by carmicha at 8:35 AM on January 21, 2013 [9 favorites]
posted by carmicha at 8:35 AM on January 21, 2013 [9 favorites]
I too see some pit bull here... the ears look there might be some German Shepherd in there as well..
posted by HuronBob at 8:36 AM on January 21, 2013
posted by HuronBob at 8:36 AM on January 21, 2013
Best answer: Call her a boxer mix. If her fur is exceptionally coarse along her back, call her a Ridgeback mix.
That face and ears are going to get some votes for "pitbull", and that whip tail "pinscher".
N'thing that you don't want to ever call your dog a pitbull unless she's unmistakably so. It's a terrible slur among shelter dogs.
posted by Kakkerlak at 8:37 AM on January 21, 2013 [4 favorites]
That face and ears are going to get some votes for "pitbull", and that whip tail "pinscher".
N'thing that you don't want to ever call your dog a pitbull unless she's unmistakably so. It's a terrible slur among shelter dogs.
posted by Kakkerlak at 8:37 AM on January 21, 2013 [4 favorites]
She looks quite a bit like my neighbor's dog who is a smallish pitbull mix rescue, and very, very sweet and shy.
posted by taz at 8:40 AM on January 21, 2013
posted by taz at 8:40 AM on January 21, 2013
Her face looks like both of my pitties, one of which also has the big bat ears.
posted by MidsizeBlowfish at 8:45 AM on January 21, 2013
posted by MidsizeBlowfish at 8:45 AM on January 21, 2013
So pretty! Definitely a pit mix, looks like some boxer too.
posted by griphus at 8:45 AM on January 21, 2013
posted by griphus at 8:45 AM on January 21, 2013
She looks like a pretty typical "All American" mutt to me.
posted by muddgirl at 8:48 AM on January 21, 2013 [2 favorites]
Dogs that are not purebred are not necessarily a mix of such defined breeds.The fawn coloring and coat texture are pretty classic results of a diverse population of dogs breeding without human intervention.
posted by muddgirl at 8:48 AM on January 21, 2013 [2 favorites]
Gah! So cute!
Some sort of pit mix. Screw the pit bull stereotypes - they are great dogs.
But here's the thing about trying to identify dog or cat breeds: There are only so many ways a dog can turn out, and trying to identify the breed is not an exact science at all. Your dog has pointy ears, but there are a lot of ways that a dog can end up with pointy ears.
So I say with all the scientific know-how of an astrologer: Looks like a (very cute) pit mix to me.
posted by ablazingsaddle at 9:04 AM on January 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
Some sort of pit mix. Screw the pit bull stereotypes - they are great dogs.
But here's the thing about trying to identify dog or cat breeds: There are only so many ways a dog can turn out, and trying to identify the breed is not an exact science at all. Your dog has pointy ears, but there are a lot of ways that a dog can end up with pointy ears.
So I say with all the scientific know-how of an astrologer: Looks like a (very cute) pit mix to me.
posted by ablazingsaddle at 9:04 AM on January 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
My guess is either pit or boxer (or both) mixed with a shepherd(ish) dog. Rhodesian ridgeback is also a possibility.
posted by drlith at 9:10 AM on January 21, 2013
posted by drlith at 9:10 AM on January 21, 2013
Response by poster: notaninja- yes her tail is like that b/c it was broken and not properly taken care of. She also has quiet a few scars on her head and body. I'm thinking she's had a pretty hard life up until now :(
I thought I saw some pit in her...kind of in the face. I just wasn't sure b/c her snout is a bit longer like a shepherd. Either way, she is an amazingly sweet and shy pup. Super great with our smaller dogs and very gentle. We love her so much already.
posted by RubyDoom at 9:18 AM on January 21, 2013 [3 favorites]
I thought I saw some pit in her...kind of in the face. I just wasn't sure b/c her snout is a bit longer like a shepherd. Either way, she is an amazingly sweet and shy pup. Super great with our smaller dogs and very gentle. We love her so much already.
posted by RubyDoom at 9:18 AM on January 21, 2013 [3 favorites]
Aw, RubyDoom, I didn't want to mention it, but the same is true of my neighbor's sweet dog... some pretty bad scars on her head, face and chest. I'm so very, very glad they both have a loving family and safe harbor now.
posted by taz at 9:24 AM on January 21, 2013
posted by taz at 9:24 AM on January 21, 2013
Congratulations! You have a "Heinz 57" dog. Looks like a mix-mix. What's fun about this is when people ask you what kind of dog she is, you can say, "we don't know, what do you think?" and you'll find everyone has a different impression. It's fun to hear the responses. My guess is pit, boxer, maybe some shepherd or lab too. You could do the pet DNA test but I doubt you'd get anything that would point you toward any medical issues to watch out for so you'd just be doing that for fun. Looks like a sweet dog who now has a wonderful home!
posted by belau at 9:33 AM on January 21, 2013
posted by belau at 9:33 AM on January 21, 2013
Best answer: I have a dog that looks a bit like her, turns out she's half rhodesian ridgeback, and half some combination of pit/boxer/german shepherd. Unfortunately, lots of mixes turn out looking a lot like your dog - a vaguely pit-looking dog with short tan hair, pointed ears, and a spitz type tail.
Try the DNA test. It'll be interesting.
posted by zug at 9:35 AM on January 21, 2013
Try the DNA test. It'll be interesting.
posted by zug at 9:35 AM on January 21, 2013
If you live in a jurisdiction with breed specific laws, you might want to avoid the DNA test. Although "I didn't know" is not a good defense, "I did know, but..." is probably a worse one.
I agree with the "Heinz 57" and "All American Mutt" suggestions. You just have a dog. An awesome looking and super cute dog!
posted by OrangeDisk at 9:51 AM on January 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
I agree with the "Heinz 57" and "All American Mutt" suggestions. You just have a dog. An awesome looking and super cute dog!
posted by OrangeDisk at 9:51 AM on January 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
Have you considered a DNA test?
Asking random strangers on the internet is just as accurate, and free.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 10:01 AM on January 21, 2013 [5 favorites]
Asking random strangers on the internet is just as accurate, and free.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 10:01 AM on January 21, 2013 [5 favorites]
She might have some sight hound in her too, one of the prick eared breeds. Or dobie. she's awfully tall for a "real" pit so there's something else in there fairly recently.
posted by fshgrl at 10:02 AM on January 21, 2013
posted by fshgrl at 10:02 AM on January 21, 2013
DNA testing companies likely won't identify any dog as a "pit bull" because it's not a recognized, registered breed (not even American Pit Bull), but they can label other kinds of so-called 'bully breeds.'
posted by muddgirl at 10:04 AM on January 21, 2013
posted by muddgirl at 10:04 AM on January 21, 2013
She looks like she has some pit bull in her. Thank you for giving her a loving furrever home.
posted by SillyShepherd at 10:16 AM on January 21, 2013
posted by SillyShepherd at 10:16 AM on January 21, 2013
Best answer: You're going to hear a lot of folks saying "pit bull mix" -- and IMHO, therein lies the reason that so-called pit bulls have such a dodgy reputation with the media, insurance companies and anyone else who worries about the liability of owning what some call "dangerous" breeds.
Most people today can find evidence of what they think of as "pit bull" in almost any mongrel dog and some find it all the more eagerly because they are partisan. Love the breed and the dog is friendly? Pit bull! Fear the breed and the dog is aggressive? Pit bull! Be very careful of letting anyone slap that label on your beautiful girl. It could cause you trouble down the road.
I agree with muddgirl and OrangeDisk. She's a classic all-American mutt, probably at least three generations away from any identifiable breed. We would have called her a "yeller dog" when I was a kid -- color mostly solid in the yellow-to-gold-to-red range, short hair, medium size, ears that neither stand nor flop consistently, muzzle that is neither very snub nor very long and pointed. Take almost any three or four dog breeds, let their progeny intermix for several generations, and you'll eventually come up with a mutt that meets that description.
Revel in her embodied diversity. Long live the American mutt!
posted by peakcomm at 10:58 AM on January 21, 2013 [6 favorites]
Most people today can find evidence of what they think of as "pit bull" in almost any mongrel dog and some find it all the more eagerly because they are partisan. Love the breed and the dog is friendly? Pit bull! Fear the breed and the dog is aggressive? Pit bull! Be very careful of letting anyone slap that label on your beautiful girl. It could cause you trouble down the road.
I agree with muddgirl and OrangeDisk. She's a classic all-American mutt, probably at least three generations away from any identifiable breed. We would have called her a "yeller dog" when I was a kid -- color mostly solid in the yellow-to-gold-to-red range, short hair, medium size, ears that neither stand nor flop consistently, muzzle that is neither very snub nor very long and pointed. Take almost any three or four dog breeds, let their progeny intermix for several generations, and you'll eventually come up with a mutt that meets that description.
Revel in her embodied diversity. Long live the American mutt!
posted by peakcomm at 10:58 AM on January 21, 2013 [6 favorites]
I got a DNA test for my Heinz 57 dog and it seemed a little weird so I asked for confirmation that I had gotten the correct test. They said ran the swab again and got completely different results. So, there seems to be a lot of wiggle room. Seems like more of a party trick than anything. It was fun to see what they said but wasn't helpful in the end.
I also vote for part sharpei. Is the tongue spotty?
posted by dottiechang at 1:03 PM on January 21, 2013
I also vote for part sharpei. Is the tongue spotty?
posted by dottiechang at 1:03 PM on January 21, 2013
My son's sweetie pie looks a lot like yours. Ours is pretty clearly a pit/shepherd mix, her face is shaped just slightly differently. The look is a regular mutt mix, and here in Memphis you see them on every street corner. So we call Pixie a Tennessee Brown Dog, always said in a fake snooty tone. It always gets a giggle, and everyone she meets remembers it.
posted by raisingsand at 1:46 PM on January 21, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by raisingsand at 1:46 PM on January 21, 2013 [2 favorites]
DNA testing companies likely won't identify any dog as a "pit bull" because it's not a recognized, registered breed (not even American Pit Bull)
Sure it is. There's a national breed club that's associated with UKC and ARBA. It's not an AKC breed, but that doesn't mean that it's not "recognized," as if the AKC had the power to determine what a legitimate breed is. The AKC is just one of several umbrella organizations that organize conformation and, sometimes, performance competitions. Just a company.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 5:22 PM on January 21, 2013
Sure it is. There's a national breed club that's associated with UKC and ARBA. It's not an AKC breed, but that doesn't mean that it's not "recognized," as if the AKC had the power to determine what a legitimate breed is. The AKC is just one of several umbrella organizations that organize conformation and, sometimes, performance competitions. Just a company.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 5:22 PM on January 21, 2013
That's an awfully long snout and slender body for everyone to go right to pit mix. And lots of breed have sticky-up ears. The truth is, it's anyone's guess.
So mine is - black mouth cur/Carolina dog!
posted by Squeak Attack at 5:32 PM on January 21, 2013
So mine is - black mouth cur/Carolina dog!
posted by Squeak Attack at 5:32 PM on January 21, 2013
But even then, from what I've read dog DNA organizations can't identify many breeds of dogs, because the breeds don't have specifically-identifying DNA markers. APBT seem to be one of those breeds.
posted by muddgirl at 5:46 PM on January 21, 2013
posted by muddgirl at 5:46 PM on January 21, 2013
@raisingsand "Tennessee Brown Dog, always said in a fake snooty tone"
Friends of ours loved to tell people that their shelter dog (some sort of terrier mix) was a "Salubrian Foxhound." I suggest something similar, maybe she's a "Purebred Golden Crooktail" or a "Fawn Lurcher with Black Points" or an "Amber Bitza" or something equally fabulous and rare!
She's beautiful, btw.
posted by mon-ma-tron at 6:28 PM on January 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
Friends of ours loved to tell people that their shelter dog (some sort of terrier mix) was a "Salubrian Foxhound." I suggest something similar, maybe she's a "Purebred Golden Crooktail" or a "Fawn Lurcher with Black Points" or an "Amber Bitza" or something equally fabulous and rare!
She's beautiful, btw.
posted by mon-ma-tron at 6:28 PM on January 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
LBD for sure. Little Brown Dog. My vet identified my dog, who looks similar to yours, as an LBD.
I don't know if you know where your dog is from but I adopted mine at the Humane Society in Albuquerque, NM. Apparently there are a lot of dogs that look like ours that come from the Rez...I've heard this a couple of times both down in New Mexico and also from a shelter worker up in Colorado.
The bottom of this page has some photos of my dog if you want to see what she looks like for the reservation comparison.
LBDs are the best dogs ever! Have so much fun.
posted by fieldtrip at 7:34 PM on January 21, 2013
I don't know if you know where your dog is from but I adopted mine at the Humane Society in Albuquerque, NM. Apparently there are a lot of dogs that look like ours that come from the Rez...I've heard this a couple of times both down in New Mexico and also from a shelter worker up in Colorado.
The bottom of this page has some photos of my dog if you want to see what she looks like for the reservation comparison.
LBDs are the best dogs ever! Have so much fun.
posted by fieldtrip at 7:34 PM on January 21, 2013
Call her a boxer mix. If her fur is exceptionally coarse along her back, call her a Ridgeback mix.
Rhodesians and Viszla both have similar coats, and coloring. The vizsla is much smaller - more along the size of your dog - Rhodies are pretty big dogs.
Your dog might be a rhodie mix, or maybe a vizsla mix. It's hard to tell definitively, but either is a good guess.
my profile pic is Finlay the Vizsla - and he's got the Rhodesian ridge down his back, usually while playing. People often call him a tiny Rhodesian because if it. Either are good dogs, though. Very loyal and affectionate.
posted by Pogo_Fuzzybutt at 9:39 PM on January 21, 2013
Rhodesians and Viszla both have similar coats, and coloring. The vizsla is much smaller - more along the size of your dog - Rhodies are pretty big dogs.
Your dog might be a rhodie mix, or maybe a vizsla mix. It's hard to tell definitively, but either is a good guess.
my profile pic is Finlay the Vizsla - and he's got the Rhodesian ridge down his back, usually while playing. People often call him a tiny Rhodesian because if it. Either are good dogs, though. Very loyal and affectionate.
posted by Pogo_Fuzzybutt at 9:39 PM on January 21, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 8:25 AM on January 21, 2013