# What breed of dog is she?



## Plushie (Aug 9, 2010)

(Newb here! I hope I'm posting this in the right section. Sorry if I fail.)

This is Maple! Our family got her on July 20th from a friend of a friend who was giving away a dog she did not want. No idea why they didn't want her, she is gorgeous (we get comments on her during her walks all the time, not to brag or anything ) and has been extremely well behaved ever since we established the rules of the house, and stopped her pulling problem.

But we have no idea what kind of dog she is...after a long time pondering and asking his assistants the vet suggested terrier mix. Her vet papers from her first owner (she's had 4 owners and 4 different names, but only one vet record?!) said she was a chihuahua...
After snooping around in books and asking other friends, I admit she looks a lot like a Kooikerhondje (obviously mixed with something else) in terms of body size, fur, and the black tipped ears (she just has a few wisps). But since Kooikers are relatively new in America I'm probably just grasping at strings here. Can someone help me identify what breeds she might be? Might Kooiker be a valid guess, or no go?
She also looks a lot like a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever but those and Kooikers are descended from each other somehow so...yeah.

She also has a black/blue splotch on the back of her tongue if that counts for anything. She weighs about 22 pounds (but she's overweight), I haven't measured how tall she is but she is slightly past my knee height. She's reddish brown with a black saddle, I think that's the term?, has a white chest, and has white speckles on the tip of her nose and on her paws. Her eyes are brown.

...Aw, who am I kidding, here are some pictures. I can provide more if needed.











































Sorry for the long winded post, I like to talk.


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## JessieLove09 (Mar 27, 2010)

Probably some sheltie or border collie in their. But either way she is a total cutie!! She looks so much like my Sheltie Mix Simba.


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

I agree with the Sheltie guess. And I want to say Beagle, maybe? Her ears look sort of Spaniel-ish. Anyway she's adorable!


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## Nargle (Oct 1, 2007)

She looks like she may have some non-show-quality Pomeranian in her. They tend to get bigger and less refined/fluffy with poor breeding. Maybe also Sheltie? And she really does remind me a little bit of a Toller, but I don't know how common they are in your area, so I don't know how likely that is!


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## jess4525 (Aug 27, 2009)

The black spot on the tongue, could mean there's some chow in there. My parents have a chow mix and her tongue is spotted black.

Either way she is a beautiful girl!! I can understand why you get compliments on her!! Hopefully she's found her forever home with you and your family.


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## Shandwill (Jul 23, 2010)

What a pretty girl! My grandfather had a dog that looked similar to her years ago, and he was told she was a Sheltie or Border Collie mix.


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## Trzcina (Aug 9, 2010)

I think I'd second a guess of Beagle/Sheltie. She does have a lot of Sheltie traits, and I'd be quite sure of the Beagle--the saddlebacked color pattern seems to be a dominant trait genetically, and Beagle ancestry would explain it better than Pomeranian or Sheltie or anything like that, and that might also help to explain the ears (when crossed with a breed--like a Sheltie or whatever else--that has smaller ears). I doubt she's a full half Beagle (unless it's on both sides)--the longer/feathered coat like she has is usually recessive and I've never heard of a longcoated Beagle. So perhaps some spaniel of some kind or maybe even the Pom that someone else mentioned. But I would say mostly Beagle and Sheltie.

Black marks on the tongue don't necessarily mean anything, so far as I know. I've known plenty of dogs with no Chow or Shar-Pei blood (purebreds of various other breeds) with spotted tongues.

I would very much doubt Kooikerhondje--I don't know any Kooiker people, but from having a rarer (in the States) breed dog (a Finnish Lapphund), I know that most rare breeds that haven't been taken up by irresponsible breeders tend to be quite closely watched--the people involved in the Kooiker club would likely know if there is any likelihood of a Kooiker mix in your area. She does look a bit like one, though. I can also see where you're saying Toller--but as Tollers are seemingly a blend of many breeds that were in the Yarmouth area of Nova Scotia around the turn of the century and before, if there's say, some sort of spaniel mixed in and some sheltie and so on, you might very well end up with a dog that bears some resemblance to a Toller.


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## InkedMarie (Mar 11, 2009)

no idea what she is outside of gorgeous. She has a face to diet for! What breed did you mention, Kookie something or other? LOL, never heard of that one!


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## ThoseWordsAtBest (Mar 18, 2009)

She reminds me A LOT of my childhood dog. Best photo I have (which is like.. over a decade old):










We always thought he was some sort of Aussie and Spaniel mix. He lived to be nearly 21- I hope the same for your girl!


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## chul3l3ies1126 (Aug 13, 2007)

She reminds me so much of one of my favorite dogs on the movie "Homeward Bound 2: Lost in San Francisco"! She's so pretty! Looks alot like her!




























Nessa


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## Keechak (Aug 10, 2008)

I was thinking the exact same thing as Nessa looks like the dog from homeward bound 2.


My best guess is Chow Chow X Shetland Sheepdog


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## Marsh Muppet (Nov 29, 2008)

Plushie said:


>


That is a killer smile. She's probably a mix of several breeds, but I would guess Sheltie x spaniel and maybe even a dash of Toller. Rare and uncommon breeds usually don't make it into the mix, but Tollers are somewhat popular in some areas. To throw some confusion onto the fire, I know a guy with a purebred Brittany that has perfect Beagle coloring. From a distance she looks like a longhaired Beagle.


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## Dr.PetVet (Jun 1, 2009)

jess4525 said:


> The black spot on the tongue, could mean there's some chow in there. My parents have a chow mix and her tongue is spotted black.


I'm sorry to say, but the black spot on the tongue does not necessarily mean that it has chow. My collie has it, even my uncle's purebreed standard poodle has it. It has to do with the evolution of dogs. If the entire tongue was tainted blue, that would mean it has chow in it.

Back to the dog, I believe it has some duck tolling retriever in it. The eyes have the shape of a retriever and the reddish-brown coat also makes be think so.


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

ThoseWordsAtBest said:


> She reminds me A LOT of my childhood dog. Best photo I have (which is like.. over a decade old):
> 
> 
> 
> ...


TWAB your dog looks very sheltie to me!

I always thought the dog in homeward bound was a saddled border collie. Border collies come in that coloration too.


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## Dr.PetVet (Jun 1, 2009)

There may be sheltie but not a whole lot. Look at the nose of your dog and then a sheltie's. Notice how much longer the sheltie's nose is? and look at both of their fur coats. Even though they have the tricolour pattern the sheltie's fur coat is much thicker than your dog's. Maple probably has some sheltie, but not a lot.


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## Yvonne (Aug 6, 2010)

Toller cross


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## hachna (Jul 31, 2010)

Hi,

my guess is huntaway x spaniel.

She is a charmer!!!!


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## ThoseWordsAtBest (Mar 18, 2009)

Laurelin said:


> TWAB your dog looks very sheltie to me!
> 
> I always thought the dog in homeward bound was a saddled border collie. Border collies come in that coloration too.


You think? We never had any idea. He passed away earlier this year and I think that photo was from 15 or 16 years ago, if not longer. You can't tell in the photo, but he did have quite long hair on his back and haunches, so it's possible! He was also out of his mind hyper. Flying around and barking are pretty much my first memories of him.



Dr.PetVet said:


> There may be sheltie but not a whole lot. Look at the nose of your dog and then a sheltie's. Notice how much longer the sheltie's nose is? and look at both of their fur coats. Even though they have the tricolour pattern the sheltie's fur coat is much thicker than your dog's. Maple probably has some sheltie, but not a lot.


I don't know if you're talking about my dog, but like I said, that photo was from ages ago and he died this year not quite looking like himself anymore. He had QUITE a coat. Very thick and long and matted easy. His muzzle was fairly long, but not snippy.


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## Thracian (Dec 24, 2008)

Spaniel mix of some sort. Definitely NOT a chihuahua.


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## spanielorbust (Jan 3, 2009)

Maple is a beautiful girl. As well I think she is Spaniel mix of some sort. Obvious Chihuahua traits can blend away really quickly in a mix, and I would not rule Chihuahua out. With the width of skull Maple has I would suggest your girl could easily have Chihuahua behind her as close as a grandparent (probably not a parent though). 

Tibetan Spaniels offer that earset, and as well it crops up commonly when dropped ears/upright ears are blended in parents. I know, currently, a little girl with a Tibetan Spaniel as one grandsire, and a Papillon as another. One grandmother had Cocker/Cavalier in her (long drop ears) and the other grandmother was a spaniel type as well. Despite a dam with Cocker Spaniel length ears and as well a Phalene type ear on the sire, this pup has exactly the earset of Maple - she threw back to the Tibetan Spaniel and Papillon grandsires. 

Mixbreeds are tricky, as traits can be so varied.

As and example of how much variation can come up, these two are littermates. I emailed their owner/breeder and they had aTibetan Spaniel sire and an unregistered Papillon dam. Look how very different their heads are (still I can see both breeds in them).



















More examples. These are Cavalier x Chihuahua mixes. 



















SOB


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

ThoseWordsAtBest said:


> You think? We never had any idea. He passed away earlier this year and I think that photo was from 15 or 16 years ago, if not longer. You can't tell in the photo, but he did have quite long hair on his back and haunches, so it's possible! He was also out of his mind hyper. Flying around and barking are pretty much my first memories of him.
> 
> 
> 
> I don't know if you're talking about my dog, but like I said, that photo was from ages ago and he died this year not quite looking like himself anymore. He had QUITE a coat. Very thick and long and matted easy. His muzzle was fairly long, but not snippy.


Yeah, my guess would be sheltie x spaniel for your dog. That face is like looking at a slightly broader version of a young Nikki's face. And the first time I met Trey he ran and jumped over the couch. The big drop ears with the fringe and the tighter fitting coat say spaniel. Although not all pet bred shelties have that massive coat. My first sheltie, Rosie, was bred on a farm and was 35 lbs and had a very lightly feathered kind of coat but was 100% sheltie. Nikki didn't have all that much coat either until she got spayed. It was very fine to the feel and soft. Very much unlike our show bred sheltie who had a rough, coarse, and thick coat. 

Sheltie x golden is also a common mix nowadays (I think they call them golden shelties or something?) and other than color they tend to look a lot like the dog in the OP. I've known quite a few sheltie mixes (my favorite was a sheltie x pap of course- it literally looked like a tiny border collie) and that extra long head gets more moderate very fast in crosses.


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## ThoseWordsAtBest (Mar 18, 2009)

Laurelin said:


> Yeah, my guess would be sheltie x spaniel for your dog. That face is like looking at a slightly broader version of a young Nikki's face. And the first time I met Trey he ran and jumped over the couch. The big drop ears with the fringe and the tighter fitting coat say spaniel. Although not all pet bred shelties have that massive coat. My first sheltie, Rosie, was bred on a farm and was 35 lbs and had a very lightly feathered kind of coat but was 100% sheltie. Nikki didn't have all that much coat either until she got spayed. It was very fine to the feel and soft. Very much unlike our show bred sheltie who had a rough, coarse, and thick coat.
> 
> Sheltie x golden is also a common mix nowadays (I think they call them golden shelties or something?) and other than color they tend to look a lot like the dog in the OP. I've known quite a few sheltie mixes (my favorite was a sheltie x pap of course- it literally looked like a tiny border collie) and that extra long head gets more moderate very fast in crosses.


I'll have to share ths with my parents, since we never really had much of an idea. Never saw a parent. 
I vaguely remember getting him. He was at a definite puppy mill (TONS of dogs in a barn, in pretty bad conditions, all different breeds and mixes) and he was in a cage so small he could not stand. He was full of worms and had parvo.


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## Plushie (Aug 9, 2010)

Thanks all for the help! So I guess the general consensus is sheltie, beagle, and/or spaniel? Her muzzle /does/ seem a bit too short, though, to be a sheltie. I can definitely see some beagle and spaniel; there was a Brittany spaniel mix at our shelter which looked a lot like her but a cream color instead...
This is all so confusing xD But thanks guys, you're all super helpful!


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## dapperenbobbie (Jul 28, 2011)

so your guestion is if maple might have some kooiker blood in there well i have a kooiker and a beagle at home an im almoust sure it is a kooikerxbeagle mix she has the friendly kooiker face,the long hair,the funny ears and the lovely brown kooiker eyes but the small but still strong beagle body and the gorgeous black back


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## jenz (Aug 20, 2010)

My vote is for Spaniel/beagle/sheltie too. You have a Cocker Sheagle on your hands!! 

Jen


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## Polywoggy (Mar 7, 2011)

My first thought was Sheltie x Spaniel, though I think Toller or Beagle are good guesses too. 
She really is a very pretty dog, and a nice size too.
"Maple"? I love tree names! Please tell me that her middle name is "Walnut"! lol. (on my list of possible future names)


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