It's A Burden Being Different...

[cali]

ok now I am curious lol are Bassets not common in Aus? cuz they are a dime a dozen here, the whole concept of "different" and "basset" in the same sentence baffles me lol I see at LEAST 3 bassets every single day....

I'm 50 years old, loved dogs all my life and often go to doggy events (although not dog shows as such) and have never seen one!

I was cleaning up my photos on my pc yesterday and came across this pic. It was taken at Greenheart Fair - two pei puppies asleep in a baby's cot. We had people four deep to see those puppies! And people kept coming back to see if they were awake! So while we see loads of pei in rescue most people have never seen one either and can't understand why they need rescuing.

lol that's so weird! Iv never met a "well bred" basset, only BYB ones, but they are still super common! on any given day at work we will have at least 3 (buttons, tacken and copper) in the small room but sometimes more (buddy, lily, riggs, daisy etc..) plus the bassets that play in the large like gordon, fred, winston, baxter, phoebe etc.. we have a basset "rescue"(read: hoarder) just outside the city and about a year ago more then 20 bassets were dumped at one of our local rescues by a "breeder".

[Guest Maeby Fünke]

I've seen a real Basset. My uncle's wife's parents had one when I was a kid. I can't remember his name. I will have to ask.

[madredeperros]

I've never met a Basset. Not a single one, even though I've travelled to dog shows, and have lived in many different cities/towns. I would probably be astonished if I met one, and would probably fawn over it too lol. They are gorgeous!

Of our two dogs, the Dobermann gets all of the attention while the ACD does not. Poor ACD, lol. HE'S the 'pet me, pet me, pet me!!!!' one while the Dobermann is the more stand-offish. We figure it's just because the Dobe is so much taller, that people see him first. If I walk the ACD alone, that's when I get all the questions, comments, and photos taken. While ACDs are not very rare in Canada, they're still not really common either, so people just love to try and come up with what mix he could possibly be.

And, I've had the breed arguments too. One girl was very convinced my boy was an Aussie. She wouldn't listen to me at all, because she OWNED an Aussie, and my dog looked just like hers so he HAD to be an Aussie too. She showed me a pic on her phone, and her "Aussie" was actually an ACD...although an obvious BYB one. She still wouldn't believe me that she was wrong on both for both of our dogs. She persisted that she had got her dog from a 'papered breeder'' and her dog was an Aussie Shep. It took me going back to my apartment, grabbing all of my dog breed books, and running back to the park to finally make her realise that she was wrong, lol.

Edited November 11, 2013 by madredeperros

[minimax]

I met a basset pup at the park recently, her ears were filthy because she hadn't grown into them yet and kept stepping on them and tripping over them and they were dragging on the ground :laugh:

She was adorable, and probably about the 3rd one I've seen around here.

[rusty&biscuit]

Loved reading through the thread and hearing everyone's stories! To those of you walking 5-6 dogs, that's awesome! Would definately turn my head if I saw you in the streets :laugh:

I myself quite enjoy getting attention :laugh: Walking the 3 dogs usually gets a few comments, then people will often comment and/or talk about Rusty and/or Biscuit. Poor Cherry is the one who'd really appreciate all the attention the most, but no one is particularly attracted to the little generic staffy mix!

Have to add, I find it interesting how different people would be attracted to different dogs. If I didn't own a schipperke, to me, they are not the most amazing, head turning dogs (it's their temperament that won me over!), however so many people are so intrigued by Biscuit. Whereas if I see an Aussie, or a striking red and tan kelpie, or nicely bred ACD, it really captures my attention. And giant fluffies like newfies :D What breeds would have your heads turning?

[ellz]

Oh and off topic but today Josie got to meet a Petite Basset Griffon Vendeen, I was thrilled to meet one in the flesh. poor Josie didn't know what to make of her shaggy cousin though :laugh:

Woger met a PBGV too.....AND....he gets to sleep with her every night! :laugh:

I used to show Bassets for a friend of mine years ago now. And the first dog that was ever "mine" was a lovely tricolour boy from the now defunct Houndsleigh Kennels in Sydney. Of course, he had the UBER original name of "FRED"! Well I was only five....

[Loving my Oldies]

Ellz, I can understand heads turning at Biscuit. Schipperkes are definitely worth a head turn. My Danny is a Finnish Spitz cross (mostly FS according to a breeder) and he has been a head turner too. At nearly 15, he still looks good: thick, red, glossy coat. The pic below was take a couple of years ago, but I don't have any recent on photobucket.

[blakkjackal]

Danny's Darling, what else is mixed in your dog? How common are Finnish Spitzes in Australia? I've never met one over here and didn't think there would be many as they are mainly used for hunting game birds. I could imagine your dog being rather vocal. :D

[Blackdogs]

Loved reading through the thread and hearing everyone's stories! To those of you walking 5-6 dogs, that's awesome! Would definately turn my head if I saw you in the streets :laugh:

I myself quite enjoy getting attention :laugh: Walking the 3 dogs usually gets a few comments, then people will often comment and/or talk about Rusty and/or Biscuit. Poor Cherry is the one who'd really appreciate all the attention the most, but no one is particularly attracted to the little generic staffy mix!

Have to add, I find it interesting how different people would be attracted to different dogs. If I didn't own a schipperke, to me, they are not the most amazing, head turning dogs (it's their temperament that won me over!), however so many people are so intrigued by Biscuit. Whereas if I see an Aussie, or a striking red and tan kelpie, or nicely bred ACD, it really captures my attention. And giant fluffies like newfies :D What breeds would have your heads turning?

Do you get people guessing at the breed? I usually get Pom X, Pug X (because of the tail) or they think she is my Kelpie's puppy. When I say 'Schipperke' they invariably say 'a what'. I feel like I have to launch into the history of the breed in order to make them believe that it's not a made up name for a designer breed. I am also surprised at the amount of attention she gets. I always figured they looked pretty generic as well.

[Loving my Oldies]

Danny's Darling, what else is mixed in your dog? How common are Finnish Spitzes in Australia? I've never met one over here and didn't think there would be many as they are mainly used for hunting game birds. I could imagine your dog being rather vocal. :D

LOL. He is a bit of a barker at birds and other dogs passing by on the footpath LOL. I have no idea of his cross as he was adopted from a pound in 2002. It only occurred to me a years or so ago to contact a Finnish Spitz breeder to ask their opinion and they def agreed with me that he was mostly FS. He is also very stubborn and believes that with age comes privilege :D . My forum name is due to his "Velcro-itis" :laugh: :laugh: - he is always either by my side or where he can see me.

[rusty&biscuit]

Loved reading through the thread and hearing everyone's stories! To those of you walking 5-6 dogs, that's awesome! Would definately turn my head if I saw you in the streets :laugh:

I myself quite enjoy getting attention :laugh: Walking the 3 dogs usually gets a few comments, then people will often comment and/or talk about Rusty and/or Biscuit. Poor Cherry is the one who'd really appreciate all the attention the most, but no one is particularly attracted to the little generic staffy mix!

Have to add, I find it interesting how different people would be attracted to different dogs. If I didn't own a schipperke, to me, they are not the most amazing, head turning dogs (it's their temperament that won me over!), however so many people are so intrigued by Biscuit. Whereas if I see an Aussie, or a striking red and tan kelpie, or nicely bred ACD, it really captures my attention. And giant fluffies like newfies :D What breeds would have your heads turning?

Do you get people guessing at the breed? I usually get Pom X, Pug X (because of the tail) or they think she is my Kelpie's puppy. When I say 'Schipperke' they invariably say 'a what'. I feel like I have to launch into the history of the breed in order to make them believe that it's not a made up name for a designer breed. I am also surprised at the amount of attention she gets. I always figured they looked pretty generic as well.

A pug X, that's interesting :laugh: Yes, usually always a pom or pom X, and if he's in his crate at a show he's been a kelpie puppy and a GSD puppy :laugh: I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks they look a bit generic But I agree, you can't get away with saying "it's a schipperke" just once, it's always "a what!?" followed by a brief description of the breed, because no, it is a designer dog :p

[Loving my Oldies]

Well a Pom is close in that some believe that a Schipperke is a Spitz breed. :)

[rusty&biscuit]

Yes DD I don't blame people for guessing he is a pom or a pom X, I'll admit they look a bit similar :) I just don't want anyone thinking I've fallen into the designer breeds, you know, that Biscuit is some sort of magical non-shedding pomeranian X

[kelpiecuddles]

Bassets aren't particularly common in the BYB circles here Cali so thankfully the ones I do meet seem to be well bred. Probably also explains why they aren't that common, it really is a matter of waiting for one from a breeder here and they run in at around the $1200-1500 mark so most people getting one are serious and not just looking for a cheap basset.

[daisygirl]

My two are the same, everyone wants to stop and chat, call them Roley, sing me the song from the toilet paper ad, because I have never heard it of course. Take photos of the dogs with, and then without them in it. Tell me they are aggressive, (usually as their child is hanging off Alf's neck much to his delight). I don't mind if we are walking, but when you are sitting at a cafe it does make it hard to eat! LOL. I always try to chat though because I find so many people have so many misconceptions about Shar Pei that I want them to see they can be calm, gentle, dogs, and to dispel some of the myths they usually can't wait to tell me.

We have had Sharpei for 16 years now and I have always said its like going out with a supermodel or movie star. Try getting a puppy Sharpei out of the car just after its thrown up everywhere and you are trying to clean up, pouring rain and a crowd gathers and just wants to pat the puppy. When we go camping its OK because most of our friends know "the girls" but last Easter we made the mistake of going through the markets. There was a crowd trailing behind us and an angry women yelling that there were no dogs allowed (not my fault the sign was hidden behind a car when we arrived).

[Crysti_Lei]

I personally love it, and think what better way to advertise our beautiful purebreds.

Same.

and if it is at a time or place that is not really convenient, i just remind myself that once i was a kid that would have jumped out of a moving car to meet a St Bernard, so giving these people a moment of my time is the least i could do.

[cassie]

I personally love it, and think what better way to advertise our beautiful purebreds.

Same.

and if it is at a time or place that is not really convenient, i just remind myself that once i was a kid that would have jumped out of a moving car to meet a St Bernard, so giving these people a moment of my time is the least i could do.

So true Crysti! I think my dogs are beautiful so can't blame others for thinking the same, and wanting a cuddle :D