An interesting new phenomenon is the deliberate creation of designer mixed breed dogs.

When I was a kid and a purebred dog managed to get tied up with another purebred dog, the result was called a "mutt." There's nothing wrong with mutts, and I say this as a mutt myself. (I'd never call myself a "NorseWelshGermanScotsman.") But today, designer mix dogs are called "cockapoos," "labradoodles," and "puggles."

And today, Coco played with another designer dog -- a "genuine" "Boglen Terrier." (That's a cross between a Beagle and a Boston Terrier.)

None of these "breeds" can be called purebred dogs until after many generations a strain is produced which breeds true -- producing definable features every time. I've seen countless different types of "labradoodles" and they definitely haven't ironed out the kinks. The Boglen Terrier pictured at the last web site looks more like a boxer than the one which played with Coco today.

The name's "Bruiser":

Have to admit, Bruiser's a cute pup.

I was toying with the idea of breeding Coco to a French Bulldog and creating a new breed -- the Franco-American Bulldog. Oooh la la! (Whoops! Someone's already created the "French American Bulldog" and started a club. But I like my name better!)

Coco also played with a very frisky young Rottweiller today. So frisky that neither could hold still for a picture, but I did get this:

And this:

I guess if I want my subjects to hold still, I should stick with statues -- like the ones on the Columbus monument in Barcelona (previously featured in my post about Queen Isabella).

The following display a form of gratitude which can only be called doglike, because it just isn't human:

I don't think the statues are accurate depictions, though, because people just aren't like that.

As Mark Twain said,

If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man.