The only abnormality is the incapacity to love.
March 30, 2017 8:04 AM Subscribe
A pup born with a snout abnormality was on a list to be euthanized, but thanks to a rescue shelter in Oregon, hundreds now want to adopt him and his brother. He underwent successful dental surgery earlier this month. More pics of Picasso and other rescues can be found on Luvable's Instagram page.
I hope it's not too difficult for little dude to clean himself or eat. That's gotta be a complicated thing.
Mostly though I just need him to know that I love him and he is a good boy, so if one of you is in the area, please drop a note, TIA
posted by middleclasstool at 8:34 AM on March 30, 2017 [10 favorites]
Mostly though I just need him to know that I love him and he is a good boy, so if one of you is in the area, please drop a note, TIA
posted by middleclasstool at 8:34 AM on March 30, 2017 [10 favorites]
"The only abnormality is the incapacity to love."
Not my experience. We ended up adopting a pure-bred American Bulldog, temporarily, because someone had dumped it on the street. Why? Congenital joint problems. Someone didn't want to deal with it. So we did. Thousands of dollars of surgery, meds, and rehab.
This dog was extraordinarily lovable. Probably a year old, so kind of a puppy, I guess. He wanted to be friends with every living thing he ran across. Aside from a propensity to eat everything in the house (including books), he was a wonderful animal. However, more and more joint problems appeared. The FHO surgery turned out not to be the cure it was supposed to. At the end, he was howling in pain all night and he couldn't walk. (This is an especially big problem with a 100-pound dog.) We agreed with the vet's suggestion to euthanize him. This was last week.
If there is a Society against the Fetish for Purebreds, count me in.
I apologize in advance to readers who have healthy and lovable purebreds. But after euthanizing two purebreds myself (the first was a Japanese Chin, who lived ten years but had the enlarged heart that is typical for many such toy dogs).
posted by kozad at 8:45 AM on March 30, 2017 [30 favorites]
Not my experience. We ended up adopting a pure-bred American Bulldog, temporarily, because someone had dumped it on the street. Why? Congenital joint problems. Someone didn't want to deal with it. So we did. Thousands of dollars of surgery, meds, and rehab.
This dog was extraordinarily lovable. Probably a year old, so kind of a puppy, I guess. He wanted to be friends with every living thing he ran across. Aside from a propensity to eat everything in the house (including books), he was a wonderful animal. However, more and more joint problems appeared. The FHO surgery turned out not to be the cure it was supposed to. At the end, he was howling in pain all night and he couldn't walk. (This is an especially big problem with a 100-pound dog.) We agreed with the vet's suggestion to euthanize him. This was last week.
If there is a Society against the Fetish for Purebreds, count me in.
I apologize in advance to readers who have healthy and lovable purebreds. But after euthanizing two purebreds myself (the first was a Japanese Chin, who lived ten years but had the enlarged heart that is typical for many such toy dogs).
posted by kozad at 8:45 AM on March 30, 2017 [30 favorites]
Now that's how you name a dog.
posted by tzikeh at 8:46 AM on March 30, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by tzikeh at 8:46 AM on March 30, 2017 [3 favorites]
People who are officially representing shelters and rescues have to be civil about these things in order to best protect the animals, but I am not representing a shelter or rescue right now, so let me rephrase the setup here:
Picasso, likely as a result of sloppy forced breeding practices, was born with a painful disfigurement that would make him unsellable, so the breeder responsible for his problems scheduled him to be killed for financial and convenience reasons.
Hooray for everyone else involved, but let's not gloss over what the breeder has done.
(On preview: Weird, kozad. I had a discarded purebred American Bulldog once, too, but different circumstances. Those of us who have had used ABs are pretty mad at breeders, though.)
posted by ernielundquist at 8:48 AM on March 30, 2017 [20 favorites]
Picasso, likely as a result of sloppy forced breeding practices, was born with a painful disfigurement that would make him unsellable, so the breeder responsible for his problems scheduled him to be killed for financial and convenience reasons.
Hooray for everyone else involved, but let's not gloss over what the breeder has done.
(On preview: Weird, kozad. I had a discarded purebred American Bulldog once, too, but different circumstances. Those of us who have had used ABs are pretty mad at breeders, though.)
posted by ernielundquist at 8:48 AM on March 30, 2017 [20 favorites]
Hell, I've looked worse.
And: good dog!
posted by Malingering Hector at 9:20 AM on March 30, 2017 [2 favorites]
And: good dog!
posted by Malingering Hector at 9:20 AM on March 30, 2017 [2 favorites]
Picasso, likely as a result of sloppy forced breeding practices, was born with a painful disfigurement that would make him unsellable, so the breeder responsible for his problems scheduled him to be killed for financial and convenience reasons.
Hooray for everyone else involved, but let's not gloss over what the breeder has done.
And if we assume there is a finite market for adoptable dogs (e.g. that there are only so many families that want a dog, and the supply of dogs exceeds the number of available homes) then he has also taken a spot that might have been available for another dog already homeless. No human should willingly contribute to the problem of homeless animals, many of which will die as a result.
posted by epanalepsis at 9:29 AM on March 30, 2017 [2 favorites]
Hooray for everyone else involved, but let's not gloss over what the breeder has done.
And if we assume there is a finite market for adoptable dogs (e.g. that there are only so many families that want a dog, and the supply of dogs exceeds the number of available homes) then he has also taken a spot that might have been available for another dog already homeless. No human should willingly contribute to the problem of homeless animals, many of which will die as a result.
posted by epanalepsis at 9:29 AM on March 30, 2017 [2 favorites]
So sorry for your loss, kozad. You're obviously not abnormal...
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 9:43 AM on March 30, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 9:43 AM on March 30, 2017 [4 favorites]
Let's get one thing straight: Picasso is the cutest damn dog we've seen in a while.
Let's get another thing straight: Any person calling him/herself this dog's "breeder" is an incompetent, cruel, greedy, opportunistic, low-life bastard. Responsible dog breeders aren't puppy mills, which is obviously the only place pit-corgi mixes like Picasso and his brother Pablo would be purposely bred. That "breeder" was playing Russian roulette, and it's only ever the dogs who get the loaded chamber.
Responsible breeders in the 21st century never, ever mix two purebreds and try to sell them for profit. That includes all "doodles," sorry.
Responsible breeders create new life only for the betterment of the breed, period. That includes breeding only the healthiest, most well behaved dogs that match their breed's physical conformation standards. Silver "lab"? Nope. Not a thing. Yorkie-poo? You've got a mutt. White, blue-eyed boxer? Read up on genetics; it's almost certainly deaf.
If you ever got a dog from a pet store, or from a newspaper advertising "breeders" who sell to total strangers with no vetting (even with AKC papers, which doesn't denote high quality breeding), or from an Amish farm, or from a guy standing outside the grocery store, or from horrid puppy mill sellers like "Just Puppies," then congratulations! You're supporting the puppy mill industry. Where dogs are bred for size, color, and novelty--like mixing pit bulls with corgis.
(I've never bought or knowingly owned a purebred in my life. I'm just someone who loves dogs.)
posted by ImproviseOrDie at 10:07 AM on March 30, 2017 [9 favorites]
Let's get another thing straight: Any person calling him/herself this dog's "breeder" is an incompetent, cruel, greedy, opportunistic, low-life bastard. Responsible dog breeders aren't puppy mills, which is obviously the only place pit-corgi mixes like Picasso and his brother Pablo would be purposely bred. That "breeder" was playing Russian roulette, and it's only ever the dogs who get the loaded chamber.
Responsible breeders in the 21st century never, ever mix two purebreds and try to sell them for profit. That includes all "doodles," sorry.
Responsible breeders create new life only for the betterment of the breed, period. That includes breeding only the healthiest, most well behaved dogs that match their breed's physical conformation standards. Silver "lab"? Nope. Not a thing. Yorkie-poo? You've got a mutt. White, blue-eyed boxer? Read up on genetics; it's almost certainly deaf.
If you ever got a dog from a pet store, or from a newspaper advertising "breeders" who sell to total strangers with no vetting (even with AKC papers, which doesn't denote high quality breeding), or from an Amish farm, or from a guy standing outside the grocery store, or from horrid puppy mill sellers like "Just Puppies," then congratulations! You're supporting the puppy mill industry. Where dogs are bred for size, color, and novelty--like mixing pit bulls with corgis.
(I've never bought or knowingly owned a purebred in my life. I'm just someone who loves dogs.)
posted by ImproviseOrDie at 10:07 AM on March 30, 2017 [9 favorites]
Here's a hug for Picasso, who's such a good boy.
And here's a hug for kozad.
And now, if you'll excuse me, I think there are about ten million hugs for my own pup I need to deliver post haste.
posted by meese at 10:10 AM on March 30, 2017 [3 favorites]
And here's a hug for kozad.
And now, if you'll excuse me, I think there are about ten million hugs for my own pup I need to deliver post haste.
posted by meese at 10:10 AM on March 30, 2017 [3 favorites]
MOMMEH, I MADED FUNNEH FACE & IT FROZED!
posted by jonp72 at 10:26 AM on March 30, 2017 [5 favorites]
posted by jonp72 at 10:26 AM on March 30, 2017 [5 favorites]
Fuck, now I'm really sad.
Good pupper.
posted by Space Kitty at 12:00 PM on March 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
Good pupper.
posted by Space Kitty at 12:00 PM on March 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
Picasso, likely as a result of sloppy forced breeding practices, was born with a painful disfigurement that would make him unsellable, so the breeder responsible for his problems scheduled him to be killed for financial and convenience reasons.
Who would force breed a pitbull and a corgi? Is there a demand for pit-mixed that I'm not aware of?
Anyway, here's an adorably weird pitbull-dachshund mix
posted by mcmile at 2:21 PM on March 30, 2017
Who would force breed a pitbull and a corgi? Is there a demand for pit-mixed that I'm not aware of?
Anyway, here's an adorably weird pitbull-dachshund mix
posted by mcmile at 2:21 PM on March 30, 2017
So cute and best name ever!
Let me guess; now the breeder wants him back to try to breed more with an offset jaw. "We'll call them The Picasso Dog, they'll be the next must have, everyone will want one...we'll make a mint!"
posted by BoscosMom at 3:56 PM on March 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
Let me guess; now the breeder wants him back to try to breed more with an offset jaw. "We'll call them The Picasso Dog, they'll be the next must have, everyone will want one...we'll make a mint!"
posted by BoscosMom at 3:56 PM on March 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
The first time I saw a Corgi I though it was a Basset Hound/German Shepard mix.
posted by BoscosMom at 4:00 PM on March 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by BoscosMom at 4:00 PM on March 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
Whoever gets to care for this little guy is a very lucky person indeed.
posted by Bob Regular at 4:28 PM on March 30, 2017
posted by Bob Regular at 4:28 PM on March 30, 2017
Responsible breeders in the 21st century never, ever mix two purebreds and try to sell them for profit. That includes all "doodles," sorry.
So, personally I'd be happy to put the majority of dog breeders on an iceberg drifting out to sea, but from the outside I don't see any difference between breeding -doodles and breeding purebreds of whatever breed, other than that hopefully the crosses avoid at least some of the recessive genetic problems. There is a core of ethical, good breeders (some of whom are no doubt participating in this discussion), but the majority of dog breeding that I have seen first hand is just gross and weird.
I'm glad this dog found a home, and I hope that the hundreds of people wanting to adopt him went on to adopt other needy dogs from their local shelter.
posted by Dip Flash at 7:21 PM on March 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
So, personally I'd be happy to put the majority of dog breeders on an iceberg drifting out to sea, but from the outside I don't see any difference between breeding -doodles and breeding purebreds of whatever breed, other than that hopefully the crosses avoid at least some of the recessive genetic problems. There is a core of ethical, good breeders (some of whom are no doubt participating in this discussion), but the majority of dog breeding that I have seen first hand is just gross and weird.
I'm glad this dog found a home, and I hope that the hundreds of people wanting to adopt him went on to adopt other needy dogs from their local shelter.
posted by Dip Flash at 7:21 PM on March 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
So, personally I'd be happy to put the majority of dog breeders on an iceberg drifting out to sea, but from the outside I don't see any difference between breeding -doodles and breeding purebreds of whatever breed, other than that hopefully the crosses avoid at least some of the recessive genetic problems. There is a core of ethical, good breeders (some of whom are no doubt participating in this discussion), but the majority of dog breeding that I have seen first hand is just gross and weird.
I used to hang out with responsible dog breeders and trainers, even though I am neither. When I say "responsible" I mean people who breed, say, flat coat retrievers to be working hunting dogs. People who breed and own empirically the best examples of their breeds. Those breeders rarely, if ever own both the sire and the dam. That's because the point of responsible breeding is to better the breed--in this case to create the best goddamn hunting flat coat retriever that ever ran into the water to retrieve a duck, didn't eat or crush it on the way back to the hunter, dropped it when told, and was a joy to live with when not working. And it's statistically very improbable that a person could own both the best sire and the best dam. ("Best" = quant & qual data on things like field tests, regional/national hunting competitions, conformation, etc.) I mean, unless they already bred one of them into existence and then paid an arm and a leg for the other one to, say, begin a breeding program for hunting dogs really good at x behavior.
The vast majority of responsible breeders instead work like this: Breed or otherwise obtain a great example of your breed. You'd already know who owns all the other great examples of the same breed, because you run in the same circles. You might wait years to find an example of the breed you think would be a complement to your dog's traits. Then, with luck and timing, you plan a litter between your dog and another dog that works out: Puppies are born. Those puppies are almost always already spoken for by the time they're born. They typically cost a couple thousand dollars, which is still a loss for the owner/breeder, after all the training and research they've put into this one litter, and into the one parent dog they already own. (Who by the way probably only get bred a couple of times in their lifetime, not every time they're able, as with backyard breeders/puppy mills.) The puppies go to their homes around 2-3 months of age. If any puppy ever becomes aggressive or has a major health issue, the responsible breeder takes the dog back, no questions asked, and apologetically. Responsible breeders are in it for the betterment of the breed, not the money. So they want to know when they've made a mistake, and they want to understand and correct what happened for future litters. And if they rehome any of those returned dogs, they usually do it on a contract with the new owner that they will not breed them (or outright spay/neuter first), and that they will also return the dog if ever there are any problems.
Doodles and -poos, and pit-corgi mix "breeders," by contrast, are in it for the money. Breed as many as possible, whenever possible. Dump the ones that look like Picasso because they cost money to treat & relieve of pain. The dogs are very often extremely poorly behaved, in addition to having terrible health problems like Picasso.
Mixes in general are probably healthier than poorly bred purebreds, because the latter are only bred for money, not for health. But mixes aren't necessarily healthier than purebreds overall; hybrid vigor is controversial and there are numerous studies indicating it's a myth.
posted by ImproviseOrDie at 7:21 AM on March 31, 2017 [3 favorites]
I used to hang out with responsible dog breeders and trainers, even though I am neither. When I say "responsible" I mean people who breed, say, flat coat retrievers to be working hunting dogs. People who breed and own empirically the best examples of their breeds. Those breeders rarely, if ever own both the sire and the dam. That's because the point of responsible breeding is to better the breed--in this case to create the best goddamn hunting flat coat retriever that ever ran into the water to retrieve a duck, didn't eat or crush it on the way back to the hunter, dropped it when told, and was a joy to live with when not working. And it's statistically very improbable that a person could own both the best sire and the best dam. ("Best" = quant & qual data on things like field tests, regional/national hunting competitions, conformation, etc.) I mean, unless they already bred one of them into existence and then paid an arm and a leg for the other one to, say, begin a breeding program for hunting dogs really good at x behavior.
The vast majority of responsible breeders instead work like this: Breed or otherwise obtain a great example of your breed. You'd already know who owns all the other great examples of the same breed, because you run in the same circles. You might wait years to find an example of the breed you think would be a complement to your dog's traits. Then, with luck and timing, you plan a litter between your dog and another dog that works out: Puppies are born. Those puppies are almost always already spoken for by the time they're born. They typically cost a couple thousand dollars, which is still a loss for the owner/breeder, after all the training and research they've put into this one litter, and into the one parent dog they already own. (Who by the way probably only get bred a couple of times in their lifetime, not every time they're able, as with backyard breeders/puppy mills.) The puppies go to their homes around 2-3 months of age. If any puppy ever becomes aggressive or has a major health issue, the responsible breeder takes the dog back, no questions asked, and apologetically. Responsible breeders are in it for the betterment of the breed, not the money. So they want to know when they've made a mistake, and they want to understand and correct what happened for future litters. And if they rehome any of those returned dogs, they usually do it on a contract with the new owner that they will not breed them (or outright spay/neuter first), and that they will also return the dog if ever there are any problems.
Doodles and -poos, and pit-corgi mix "breeders," by contrast, are in it for the money. Breed as many as possible, whenever possible. Dump the ones that look like Picasso because they cost money to treat & relieve of pain. The dogs are very often extremely poorly behaved, in addition to having terrible health problems like Picasso.
Mixes in general are probably healthier than poorly bred purebreds, because the latter are only bred for money, not for health. But mixes aren't necessarily healthier than purebreds overall; hybrid vigor is controversial and there are numerous studies indicating it's a myth.
posted by ImproviseOrDie at 7:21 AM on March 31, 2017 [3 favorites]
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