Recently in Breeds Category

Oh, my word. Every single one of the mixes featured in Top 25 Corgi Hybrids is criminally adorable.That's a Corgusky up top (Corgi/Husky -- I have no idea what they are really called... Corgusky just sounds good to me. Or Come-Here-Right-Now-and-Let-Me-Smother-You-With-Kisses-You-Angel. That also works for me.) Check out the Corgi/Shiba Inu all the way at the bottom of the list. *melt* You can find a few more Corgi mix images on DogBreedInfo.com's List of Hybrid Dogs; just search "Corgi" on that page.

By the way, for those of you who have Corgis (or Corgi mixes) or are thinking of it, MyCorgi.com is a friendly, lively site for Corgi owners, and members even have meetups all over the country. Here's the Facebook page for the Tampa Bay Corgi meetup group.

TARKA, THE PARSON RUSSELL TERRIER PUP, BY MIKE HALES

Mental floss has an article about the meanings of 13 dog breed names that's pretty interesting, and the comments add more information, a couple of nice anecdotes, and a few jokes (what do you call a cross between a Jack Russell Terrier and a Shih Tzu?). I love this stuff. And I didn't even know there was such a thing as a Parson Russell Terrier, but now, thanks to this article and Wikipedia, I learned that the 18th century English breeder Parson (as in "Reverend") Jack Russell created this breed to hunt foxes -- it was only later that other breeders adapted the breed to dig out badgers, hence the short legs of the better known Jack Russell Terrier. But the Parson Russell Terrier with the longer legs is actually the true breed that Russell developed.

Reading all this reminded me that I've always wondered about the word "terrier," which led me to a simple resource, the dictionary, which led me to smack my head, and say "duh." Of course. Terrier, ground (dog), terrier, from Medieval Latin terrrius, of the earth. Duh. Color me stupidus, from stupre, to be stunned. Here's another nice article on dog breed name origins (including the possible origin of the breed name "Chow Chow," which now I wish I didn't know), and here is Dog-Names.org.uk's A-Z list of dog breeds, which includes nicknames for the breed, and often includes info about the origins of the breed name, plus a ton of other great information.

All these resources failed, me, however, for the origin of the breed name "Pug." PugInformation.com to the rescue... and the (probable) meaning is absolutely charming. I totally believe the "Puck" imp connection; if pugs aren't puckish, what is? So, if you don't find the name origin of a breed among these articles, look for enthusiast web site dedicated to your breed.

PHOTO VIA SANDYPAWSSLEDDOGCLUB.COM

What a great idea for owners of Siberian Huskies and other sled dogs! The Sandy Paws Sled Dog Club of Tampa Bay is a social group that meets on the third Saturday of the month from 3-5 pm usually at Freedom Lake Park for all sorts of activities -- including sled pulling.

According to an article in the St. Petersburg Times, the group uses a wheeled practice sled to accomplish its no-snow mushing: "[Club coordinator Peggy] Wright bought the harnesses and ropes from a sledding equipment store and bought the sled used. In colder climates, people use the wheeled practice gig to train during the summer. Wright uses the sled throughout the year and organizes events, such as dressing up on Halloween or taking pictures with Santa for Christmas. She also collects donations for shelters at meetings. Wright's Siberian huskies, Minka, 7, and Bear, 3, and many others in the club were rescued. Most are from the Siberian Husky Rescue or Heidi's Legacy Dog Rescue."

The club includes over 100 members and their Siberian Huskies, Malamutes, Alaskan Sled Dogs, Akitas, Klee Kais, mixes, and more, and its members describe themselves as "a group of sled dog lovers interested in meeting other sled dog lovers in the Tampa Bay area for doggie playdates as well as getting involved in our surrounding communities by volunteering to offer education and a helping hand to schools, shelters and rescues and each other." You can view more photos of the group on their site.

The schedule at MeetUp.com shows all the club's upcoming gatherings. Tomorrow (Sat., March 12), for example, the crew will be participating in the Seminole Pow Wow Parade, so it's a good chance to spot them in action in a fun setting, but otherwise, join them at Freedom Lake Park, 9990 46th St. in Pinellas Park on each third Saturday afternoon. (More info about the Pow Wow Parade and Festival here.)

I've found a new favorite Friday place to check out: "Warming Glow" is a dudely blog that specializes in mostly sarcastic blurbs and observations on TV clips and culture -- but on Fridays, its softer side comes out, with the awesome Corgi Fridays, a collection of Corgilicious photo and video posts of the Queen's favorite pups. (You'll need to keep clicking "previous" at the bottom to see all the posts)

Actually, if you didn't know, there are two kinds of Corgis: the Pembroke Welsh Corgi which has been the favored pet of the British Royal family for more than 70 years, and the Cardigan Welsh Corgi, fondly referred to as a "Cardi." This excellent article will give you the lowdown on the background of these two herding and guarding breeds, and their differences. Are you suprised that Corgis are herders? I was, because of their short legs, but this series of fantastic photos of a backyard spat involving a Corgi shows why the short legs are actually a fantastic asset in a herding breed. That's a Cardigan in the photos, by the way; you can tell because of the long tail. The Pembrokes are the ones with a stubby tail.

The other thing you need to know about Pembroke Corgis is that they began as Fairy steeds, which is why you can still see the marking of a "fairy saddle" on their backs (see the third photo). Think back, now ... can you maybe remember seeing various illustrations of Corgis and fairies, or Corgis with fairy wings, or photos of Corgis with tiny saddles? Now you know why.