The Other Coast by Adrian Raeside for February 26, 2021

Ours is: bulldog, mini poodle, chihuahua, 2 kinds of terrier, shi tsu, and standard poodle. She looks like a stocky terrier tricolor with wavy fur. And a pretty face.

Mixed breeds tend to be healthier.

Support local breeds, folks. They’ll go extinct otherwise.

Mine are Aussie Shepherd, Jack Russel and Chihuahua mixes.

I love dogs and cats and this is my favorite comic strip. I would only adopt from a shelter. Too many abandoned cats and dogs that need a forever home to spend their days.

I’ll take a purebred anyday.

Good one

Blazer was a greyhound-pit mix. I think that mating came with an instruction manual.

My folks raised Beagle’s for a time, but I’ve alway found mixed/mutts to just as smart and fun to have around. (tip Beagle’s will tend to take off after things and come back hours and even days later)

I did a DNA on a dog years ago. He was 100 pounds, long grey fur. It came back saying German Shepard, Daushund. NO!

I had a dachshund/chihuahua mix once. Smartest dog I ever had. She could climb a tree in our back yard.

Kudos but fair warning: they can have issues!

I raise pure bred Havanese, which sell for around a thousand dollars. They are perfect dogs, nonshed, hypoallergenic, small enough for old folks to manage, smart as a German Shepherd, and cute as all get out. BUT, I’ve had probably 20-25 rescue dogs in my life, back when $1000 for a puppy wasn’t an option. They range from crazy as a hoot owl to absolutely wonderful. I would trade a several Havanese puppies to have Duke or Dewey back and they were both rescue German Shepherds

I always rescue my dogs. All Goldens. All have different baggage and/or personalities. A lot depends on where they came from and if they are too inbred. The smartest dog I ever knew was a golden my family had when I was a kid. That dog would play practical jokes on people!

Rescues don’t necessarily have to be mixes. I rescued a pure bred Bichon Frise from a backyard breeder who’d kept her in a cage and was never socialized. She’d had several litters of puppies in her 3 years of life. Her last litter was available as well, but it was her that needed rescuing. When she finally came around and bloomed into her true self my vet said she was the most perfect Bichon she’d ever seen. Please rescue instead of buying an expensive dog. You will be richer and the dog happier for it.

My neighborhood had a brindle dachshund who was friends with a basset legged shepherd & a big red bloodhound who must have been part horse.

This lovely lady you see to the left was a rescue from Tennessee. She, her brothers & sisters, and mother were all living in an abandoned house by the side of the road until a wonderful lady named Tina took the time and effort to make friends and get them away from there. She’s mostly Catahoula Leopard, and — who knows what else! She is friendly, gentle, and sweet as Alabama moonshine. And one of the best things that’s ever happened to me.

Rescues are the best!

Visit a shelter, a rescue group, or do like we do and pick them straight off the streets. Socializing a cat is a challenge, but SO rewarding!

And live longer than pedigrees