# That's not a border collie!



## JazzyTheSiberian (Feb 4, 2013)

Recently,I presented a Informative speech on Border Collies for my English class.

I presented some pictures on the different "types" of BC coats, colors,etc. After i was done, a student younger than me, said "that wasn't border collie","Border Collies come ONLY in black and white", & then she went on to claim they weren't BC's, they where another breed such as GSD, or Husky.

After I sat down, I asked her,what made her believe the pictures & information I gave were incorrect. What caused her to believe they weren't a Border Collie.She said "I never seen a BC that wasn't black, & white.

Later, she came to sit down by me, & ask more questions about the BC, & its coloring & coat types.Thankfully, she was a little more educate, not by much, she still called them any other breed beside the BC.

She apoglized, and joking,said "you should tutor me on the Border Collie". I proceed to laugh, and went on with my day.

Now here's a few of the BC's she claimed weren't a border collie, & were simply a different breed 
That's a German Shepherd! 



















That's a Husky!


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## Gogoclips (Apr 27, 2013)

People are weird. I had a guy say my dog looked like a German Shepard. Granted, he was pretty drunk and stumbling down the sidewalk, but still. He must not have seen a GSD before.


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## Amaryllis (Dec 28, 2011)

This is a golden retriever, apparently:


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## Miss Bugs (Jul 4, 2011)

want a good one? I work in a boarding kennel, I guy came in to register his dog, filled out all the paperwork, under breed he wrote "Belgian Malinios" so I was all exited, I don't see many of those. so you can imagine my confusion when the guy walked in with a large fluffy white dog with black and tan speckles! the dog looked like great Pyr. with Heeler colouring. I don't understand.. did someone tell him the dog was a Mal and he never once googled the breed and missed every last news article and police expo that's ever happened in his life? lol


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## Dog Person (Sep 14, 2012)

Maggie was a Lab mix.



Zoey is a Lab mix



Zoey looks more like a Lab then Maggie did but we were told Maggie's mom was a Lab.


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

This is my beagle/chi mix (He's actually a rat terrier).

Even better:









My pit bull.

People are just dumb.


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## JazzyTheSiberian (Feb 4, 2013)

Dog Person said:


> Maggie was a Lab mix.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Maggie & Zoey are Beautiful, love Zoeys coloring


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## Flaming (Feb 2, 2013)

This is my "adult lab" lol








Manna, a little over 6 months old


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## JazzyTheSiberian (Feb 4, 2013)

CptJack said:


> This is my beagle/chi mix (He's actually a rat terrier).
> 
> Even better:
> 
> ...


It all makes me wonder, how do people think Boston Terriers,are pit bulls?

Lovely dogs by the way.


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

JazzyTheSiberian said:


> It all makes me wonder, how do people think Boston Terriers,are pit bulls?
> 
> Lovely dogs by the way.


I. Don't. Know. It never fails to come up and I guess it's because they're sort of blocky and have really wide mouths. Or... that she's a dark brindle. I honestly don't know.


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## Flaming (Feb 2, 2013)

CptJack said:


> I. Don't. Know. It never fails to come up and I guess it's because they're sort of blocky and have really wide mouths. Or... that she's a dark brindle. I honestly don't know.


maybe the ears?

*brain breaks trying to figure it out*


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

I've been told my pup can't be a St. Bernard mix because he doesn't have a keg of booze around his neck. 

People are weird.


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## Dog Person (Sep 14, 2012)

JazzyTheSiberian said:


> Maggie & Zoey are Beautiful, love Zoeys coloring


Thanks, unfortunately we lost Maggie last year and we adopted Zoey because we missed having a dog.

Honestly two of the dogs you posted do not look like BCs.


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

Dog Person said:


> Thanks, unfortunately we lost Maggie last year and we adopted Zoey because we missed having a dog.
> 
> Honestly two of the dogs you posted do not look like BCs.


THe thing about border collies is that there is NO PHYSICAL STANDARD. It's all about how the dog works. (Well, not 'barbie collies'/akc show dogs, but there's a hard split). If it works like a border collie, it's a border collie. And that middle dog, in particular? That crouch and stare? Don't care what color it is, how big it is, what kind of fur or ears it has... it's a border collie.


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## Sighthounds4me (Nov 7, 2010)

I had a guy ask me once if my very typey, AKC champion Borzoi (Manero) was a Leonberger!


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

Sighthounds4me said:


> I had a guy ask me once if my very typey, AKC champion Borzoi (Manero) was a Leonberger!


...someone is clearly just spouting out dog breed names he head once.


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## ChaosIsAWeim (Feb 12, 2011)

BB is apparently a Greyhound.


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## SydTheSpaniel (Feb 12, 2011)

I was told Sydney was a pekingese mix the other day by someone who claims to show dogs....LOL


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## Analytical Ada (Apr 23, 2013)

I can't tell you how many times I've been asked if Ada is a Scottie. She weighs 30 pounds and is a bit taller than my knee is high...Apparently black dog with a beard = Scottie


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## Dog Person (Sep 14, 2012)

CptJack said:


> THe thing about border collies is that there is NO PHYSICAL STANDARD. It's all about how the dog works. (Well, not 'barbie collies'/akc show dogs, but there's a hard split). If it works like a border collie, it's a border collie. And that middle dog, in particular? That crouch and stare? Don't care what color it is, how big it is, what kind of fur or ears it has... it's a border collie.


Since I've grew up in NYC and live in it's suburbs the only Border Collies I know of are non working dogs, typically with black and white coloring. I am familiar that BCs crouch and stare ... that's what Maggie used to do when trotting around after something which is one of the reasons we thought she was part BC.


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## SheltieQuirks (Dec 1, 2011)

My uncle got what is clearly a little beagle/terrier mix, and told me that since she's got black and tan on her, that must mean she's part Doberman. Because only Dobermans come with black or tan, apparently...it's certainly not an extremely common and well-known color type in multiple breeds...she grew to be 10 pounds soaking wet, and my uncle is completely confused as to how a half-Doberman stayed so small. 

As for Border Collies, I have a soft spot for the working types that come in all shades and stripes. Lovely dogs.


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## Kayota (Aug 14, 2009)

I've had two chihuahua BYBs tell me that there's no way my dog could possibly have any Chihuahua whatsoever in her... One of them had a dog that looked like a mutt to me.


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## ThoseWordsAtBest (Mar 18, 2009)

Well chalk me up in the big old idiot club, because I don't believe I would have identified those dogs as Border Collies. I suppose I'll turn in my dog person license.


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## Tylerthegiant (Apr 5, 2013)

Well let me introduce you to my massive lab, JJ!










She is clearly a lab, because she's big and black and has floppy ears. No resemblance at all to danes like this:










Or this (because all danes are fawn coloring, like Marmaduke-or on occasion harl like the dogs in the lady gaga video)


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## momtolabs (May 27, 2012)

Tank who is clearly a field bred lab is called a great Dane pit bull mix all the time. A few times even Dane.


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## Tylerthegiant (Apr 5, 2013)

That is too funny! To me great danes and labs look so different, different faces, different body types, different coats....... I kinda see it, but I mostly don't.


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## momtolabs (May 27, 2012)

Tylerthegiant said:


> That is too funny! To me great danes and labs look so different, different faces, different body types, different coats....... I kinda see it, but I mostly don't.


 I think the same thing!! Body shape/structure and head is all different. Even coat is different!my cousin has a few great Danes and her black/white one gets called a "lab mix" all the time. He towers over tank and when we walk them together she even gets the same thing!! It just boggles my mind!


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## Damon'sMom (Aug 2, 2011)

I had someone tell me that Jasper was a Border collie. And that he is "perfect" for the breed. When I told him that he was in fact a working line Australian Shepherd. Well he told me that I was horribly mistaken, lied to and an idiot for believing that. *UGH* :argue:

I have also been told he was a Cute Shetland sheepdog, collie, and German Shepherd.:doh:


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## cookieface (Jul 6, 2011)

People are always asking if Katie is a ...







Uh, yeah, no one ever confuses her for another breed.

I'll admit that I'm not the greatest at breed ID, especially with certain groups like small fluffy dogs, certain collie and shepherds, and certain hound and terrier breeds. My default is to ask the owner and accept their word.


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## Dog Person (Sep 14, 2012)

I'm the same ... can't really ID breeds. Every so often I'll see a long haired Shepard and believe it's a Belgian Shepard. There's a person who walks what I believe is an Australian Shepard around the dog park and it has a docked tail so that's what gives me a clue. Heck, I don't even know what my own dog is .... have to go by what was told to me by the shelter - And not that it matters to me at all.


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## Analytical Ada (Apr 23, 2013)

cookieface said:


> My default is to ask the owner and accept their word.


That's what gets me the most. Instead of saying "What kind of dog is that?", so many people say "That's a Scottie dog, right?" Most people also generally assume that my dog is a boy rather than asking.


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## blenderpie (Oct 5, 2012)

My dad and I bonded over pouring over those HUGE akc and ukc breed books, so I know a lot of breeds (though by no stretch all, obviously). So, trying to identify breeds is fun for me (but not as fun as when popularity is taken out of the equation.)

I tend to make owners of unusual breeds days when I actually know what their dogs are. One woman was so excited I knew what her bouvier was we talked for like ten minutes...


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## LuvMyAngels (May 24, 2009)

I assume it was a joke (or a drunk) but someone once yelled from a passing car asking if Buster was a bear. So we now joke that he's a Polar/Grizzly cross. Then there are the cow comments because of his patchy markings...just wait until I get him mooing (when he howls it sounds like calf mooing!).

As far as dog breeds, I have been asked if Bus was a Dalmatian and during his lanky, teen phase a Great Dane or a Dane/Saint mix....he's 31" tall and was scrawny for a while.


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## elrohwen (Nov 10, 2011)

One time a kid, about 12 or so, said "is that a yorkie-poo?" His parents just started laughing. 

I can understand when people think Watson is a Brittany or English springer spaniel, but the English and Irish setter guesses are a bit strange since both have full feathered tails and he doesn't have any tail.

A bunch of people where I train will ask what he is. One time I heard our instructor telling someone he was a welsh springer and I guess the woman asked the difference between English and Welsh springers because I heard my trainer say "we'll, he's from Wales. They're from England." Haha. I guess that about sums it up.


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

CptJack said:


> THe thing about border collies is that there is NO PHYSICAL STANDARD. It's all about how the dog works. (Well, not 'barbie collies'/akc show dogs, but there's a hard split). If it works like a border collie, it's a border collie. And that middle dog, in particular? That crouch and stare? Don't care what color it is, how big it is, what kind of fur or ears it has... it's a border collie.


You have to be careful with that though. Some kelpies work in a very similar manner which is why at every usbcha trial I've been to there's a handful of kelpies running.

I also try to avoid the 'barbie collie' crap. It's not quite as cut and dry imo as it is made out to be. There's different lines in show dogs and many lines (especially the sport bred dogs) that have both working and show lines. Plus barbie collie doesn't really do much except tick off the conformation people. Border collie politics are terrible.

I've seen that middle dog's daughter work at a trial. Stella's even more unusual looking, imo!


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

Laurelin said:


> You have to be careful with that though. Some kelpies work in a very similar manner which is why at every usbcha trial I've been to there's a handful of kelpies running.
> 
> I also try to avoid the 'barbie collie' crap. It's not quite as cut and dry imo as it is made out to be. There's different lines in show dogs and many lines (especially the sport bred dogs) that have both working and show lines. Plus barbie collie doesn't really do much except tick off the conformation people.
> 
> I've seen that middle dog's daughter work at a trial. Stella's even more unusual looking, imo!


There's a reason that barbie collie's in quotes - that being that I'm using someone else's words, but I know the divide is pretty hard in the breed and there IS a physical standard for the conformation dogs. There isn't, so far as I know, one for the working dogs, outside ability. I don't know how far that goes as far as breeding goes, though, because theyr'e really not my breed.


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

CptJack said:


> There's a reason that barbie collie's in quotes - that being that I'm using someone else's words, but I know the divide is pretty hard in the breed and there IS a physical standard for the conformation dogs. There isn't, so far as I know, one for the working dogs, outside ability. I don't know how far that goes as far as breeding goes, though, because theyr'e really not my breed.


Well the ABCA (working registry) will de-register any conformation champions. There is no physical standard for the working dogs at all. But the sports dogs tend to be all sorts of breeding. I know one that is half sports lines, half working lines. Another is half sports lines, half show lines. Pretty much any combination so there is overlap in the breed but the working people in particular want to split it more definitively. The australian show type is the one that most people think of when they think of show border collies, but there are some other styles of dogs out there showing. As long as people breed border collies for sport there will be overlap (which will probably be forever since they're the top sports breed)


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## Kayota (Aug 14, 2009)

blenderpie said:


> My dad and I bonded over pouring over those HUGE akc and ukc breed books, so I know a lot of breeds (though by no stretch all, obviously). So, trying to identify breeds is fun for me (but not as fun as when popularity is taken out of the equation.)
> 
> I tend to make owners of unusual breeds days when I actually know what their dogs are. One woman was so excited I knew what her bouvier was we talked for like ten minutes...


Yeah I'm the same way, guess the breed is my favorite game.

At the last show I went to there was a lady there whose dogs did both conformation and herding... They did not look like barbie collies and she said she didn't like them.


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## Flaming (Feb 2, 2013)

LuvMyAngels said:


> I assume it was a joke (or a drunk) but someone once yelled from a passing car asking if Buster was a bear. So we now joke that he's a Polar/Grizzly cross. Then there are the cow comments because of his patchy markings...just wait until I get him mooing (when he howls it sounds like calf mooing!).
> 
> As far as dog breeds, I have been asked if Bus was a Dalmatian and during his lanky, teen phase a Great Dane or a Dane/Saint mix....he's 31" tall and was scrawny for a while.


I get that on a weekly basis! One jogger even wanted to have his picture taken with the bear cub. lol


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## Spirit_of_Cotons (Jun 21, 2009)

I don't think all people are stupid. Some aren't just into dogs as we are. Unless a person hasn't heard of a BC then they've been living under a rock for some time. But I can see, for the average person anyway why someone would think like that. I don't see it, but I can see where their line of thought could be. My dog has been labeled: Westie, Maltese, Bichon, and Havanese so far. I can see how they would think that way, but a Westie? Oh well. I just politely correct them.


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## Tylerthegiant (Apr 5, 2013)

I just think it's hilarious when people thing JJ is a lab, but I don't get it. No one has ever mistaken Apollo for anything, or Mia, and sometimes people ask me about Lucas _"What is that?"_ But no one ever mistakes him for a Dalmatian. And JJ's confirmation is way better than Lucas's (although she's no show dog)!

I am not spot on with my breeds, like the difference between mini Poodles and Bichons might get me, or some terriers might confuse me, fox terrier versus rat terrier and a Manchester terrier versus a minpin, a Boston terrier and a French Bulldog. I'm not a show person and so these differences that are obvious to some are not to me. But I always ask if I am not sure......what's really weird is when they INSIST they know more than you and they are so wrong.


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

I've been asked if my dogs were sugar gliders and also if they were chinchillas.


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## Crantastic (Feb 3, 2010)

Old pic, but meet the coyote, husky, and border collie (in that order).

Casper has also been called a fox a few times, and a "pomsky." Crystal has been called a shih tzu, a chihuahua, and a pomeranian/pom mix.


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## dagwall (Mar 17, 2011)

Yeah the people who make odd guesses are just amusing most of the time, it's the ones who insist your dog is something it isn't that gets annoying. For me my boy is a mutt and I can't say with any authority what he really is but to half the random people we see he's a pit because he's brindle. I usually answer that he's very much a mutt and I suspect a plott lab mix with other breeds mixed in as well but other than a brindle coat don't see much of a pit resemblance. Most either accept that or question what other breeds come in brindle which I'll tell them that most breeds CAN show up in brindle. Only a few have insisted he's a pit and I'm "fooling myself thinking otherwise". It's hard to convince them I don't have issues with pits I just don't see it in Jubel, the truth is it's very likely I'll end up with a pit mix of some sort from rescue sometime in the future as I love their personalities.

As for border collies in the not too distant past I would have been shocked to hear those dogs where border collies. Unlike the girl from the OP's class though I wouldn't have argued that they weren't simply because it didn't fit what I believed.


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

White GSD
Wolf
Coyote
Samoyed
American Eskimo
Schipperke
Australian Shepherd









Wolf
Coyote

With both of them I constantly hear "Is she a [part] wolf?!" and "Are they fullgrown?!" I'm not sure how big people think huskies are. They are both 40 lbs, which is right where they should be for AKC standards. I end up explaining it depends on the lines, and that those bred for racing often have longer legs to give them a longer stride, so are taller.


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## dagwall (Mar 17, 2011)

Sibe said:


> With both of them I constantly hear "Is she a [part] wolf?!" and "Are they fullgrown?!" I'm not sure how big people think huskies are. They are both 40 lbs, which is right where they should be for AKC standards. I end up explaining it depends on the lines, and that those bred for racing often have longer legs to give them a longer stride, so are taller.


I get asked "How big will he get?" All the time about Jubel and disbelief when I tell them he's five.


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## Miss Bugs (Jul 4, 2011)

lol I get asked on every walk how much more growing Rusty has to do....he is 10....grey face and all. I think maybe it's because he is so much smaller then my other dogs that he looks out of place in my pack, therefore "must" be a puppy? or a friend of mine had her 3 year old mix neutered and when he went back to the vet a month later for something, the tech looked at him and cooed about how much he'd grown lol


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## HollowHeaven (Feb 5, 2012)

Sibe said:


> With both of them I constantly hear "Is she a [part] wolf?!" and "Are they fullgrown?!" I'm not sure how big people think huskies are. They are both 40 lbs, which is right where they should be for AKC standards. I end up explaining it depends on the lines, and that those bred for racing often have longer legs to give them a longer stride, so are taller.


I'll just tell ya, I'm 'bout done with the wolf part. Honestly.
I had a neighbor the other say "Are you SURE she's not part wolf??!?!?!?!" Neighbor's known her her whole life.
All I could say was "Wolves are a lot bigger and don't have blue eyes."
And I think I'm going to strap a sign on her that says "I'm not a wolf. Please do not ask, howl at me or try to fight your dogs with me. Thnx."


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## AmandaN (Apr 15, 2013)

I almost never hear people call Nola a Dachshund. I've heard:
Beagle
Basset Hound
Chi x Doxie
Chi
Beagle x Doxie
Heinz 57

When I ask, people reason that she's either A) too tall/long legged for a Doxie or B) too thin to be a Doxie. People are stupid.


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## goonmom (Mar 28, 2013)

Laurelin said:


> I've been asked if my dogs were sugar gliders and also if they were chinchillas.


HAHAHA!!! Oh my. Thanks for the laugh! That is so stinking hilarious!! 


I haven't had much issues with mistaking my dogs for something else.. most people just don't know, so they ask. Luckily. Though we get "min pin" a lot for Goose, which is understandable. (10lb Chihuahua mix with black/tan markings). 

When I was working at a dog boarding/grooming facility years ago, we had a client bring her dog in-- the dog was a cattle dog mix of some sort. Super cute! The lady's words were: "Her name is Brindle, after her coloring." She was Merle. *sigh*. I wanted to correct her.. but she had already named the dog Brindle. Oh well, still a cute name and a cute dog!


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## gingerkid (Jul 11, 2012)

Sibe and I are kind of in opposite sides of the same boat. Although in people's defence, I could _kind of_ maybe see how people could think Denali was a white GSD. At least compared to the other (fluffy) breeds.

According to some people I own a husky. :doh: And huskies aren't exactly rare around here ....


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## Daenerys (Jul 30, 2011)

People have guessed white GSD and samoyed for Faolan, and I've gotten part wolf before too. Legend has gotten long haired chi.


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## Shep (May 16, 2013)

My BC's have been mistaken for everything from Siberian Huskies to coyotes to (of course) Aussies. Sometimes I direct people to this link for information on the great diversity in BC looks: http://www.gis.net/~shepdog/BC_Museum/Permanent/BCLooks_Health/BC_Looks.html


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

Shep said:


> My BC's have been mistaken for everything from Siberian Huskies to coyotes to (of course) Aussies. Sometimes I direct people to this link for information on the great diversity in BC looks: http://www.gis.net/~shepdog/BC_Museum/Permanent/BCLooks_Health/BC_Looks.html


I love that site. 

And this dog is probably the prettiest BC I've ever seen.


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

That's just because it's a creeping tan like Kylie, Mia, and Kechara.


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

Laurelin said:


> That's just because it's a creeping tan like Kylie, Mia, and Kechara.


It most certainly is! Apparently I have a type  And it's fluffy and it's tan creeps.


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## kcomstoc (Mar 9, 2013)

Laurelin said:


> I've been asked if my dogs were sugar gliders and also if they were chinchillas.


I showed someone a video of my bunny binkeying (when he's really happy he'll jumping the air and shake) and they were like "that's not a bunny that's a Schnauzer or a beagle" and I'm staring at them like "WHAT????"


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## sclevenger (Nov 11, 2012)

Damon'sMom said:


> I had someone tell me that Jasper was a Border collie. And that he is "perfect" for the breed. When I told him that he was in fact a working line Australian Shepherd. Well he told me that I was horribly mistaken, lied to and an idiot for believing that. *UGH* :argue:
> 
> I have also been told he was a Cute Shetland sheepdog, collie, and German Shepherd.:doh:


Always blows my mind when random stranger says they know more than you do about your own dog. With Luna, our AKC, papered, saw all the relatives, and bloodline Sheltie, this girl in Pet Supplies Plus told the fiance she was an Aussie. When he told her No, she is a shetie, she went off, saying we were lied too and that is no way a sheltie. She was super rude. Even afterwards when he told her we have papers, and bloodline and we saw all the relatives, she just rolled her eyes and said she didn't care what we had, she wasn't a sheltie..??? Pretty stunned and to top it off, she wasn't just a random person, she was an employee. lol


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## Vicky88 (Jan 29, 2012)

I got asked if Holly was a Rottie when she was a puppy. Yesterday a lady said is that a collie/GSD, i'm not if she was joking or not because i said no Border Collie and she said she knew that.

Although once a man ran over to me and knew that Holly was BC because his dog is also a BC and a Tri one as well. I think he was pretty happy to see another BC, or maybe another Tri BC.


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## BrittanyG (May 27, 2009)

Have some patience, people. Just because my husband can't accurately ID 238 breeds, certainly doesn't make him stupid. Use it as an opportunity to educate. Damn. =/

ETA- except the people who are wrong but insist they are right. That's stupidity.


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## Crantastic (Feb 3, 2010)

I don't get the impression from this thread that people are angry or think strangers are stupid... I know that I mostly think it's funny when people make crazy guesses for my dogs. The only irritating people are the ones who insist they're right even when you say no.


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## BrittanyG (May 27, 2009)

Eh, I could go through and quote the statement "people are stupid", but I'm not trying to argue. I just don't want dog people to be the new horse people. (Yes, broad generalization, but true IME. They're friendly enough, but I've always felt..lesser once I show my lack of knowledge. Just something I'm careful not to do to others).


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

I don't mind people that ask or guess wrong at all. There are quite a few breeds I don't know or couldn't tell apart. 

I do still wonder about the people that got all excited to meet my chinchillas though.


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## BrittanyG (May 27, 2009)

Slightly OT, but I am currently stuck on the BC looks site (=P), and came across a familiar? face.


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## Avie (Jul 10, 2011)

Daenerys said:


> People have guessed white GSD and samoyed for Faolan, and I've gotten part wolf before too. Legend has gotten long haired chi.


 Ah, guilty... I've guessed white GSD once, a long long time ago.  But I also guessed husky, hahah. 

With both Charlie and Mike, white Swiss shepherds, I've gotten husky or 'shepherd?' (yes, with the question mark, they're never sure. Color white throws them off I think) Once heard that Charlie was a golden retriever. Hmm. :/ And occasionally a child that's amazed to see our 'wolf'. That always makes me smile. 

But a week ago I got the weirdest guess ever! Apparently Mike: 










Is a sheep.


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## sclevenger (Nov 11, 2012)

BrittanyG said:


> Have some patience, people. Just because my husband can't accurately ID 238 breeds, certainly doesn't make him stupid. Use it as an opportunity to educate. Damn. =/
> 
> ETA- except the people who are wrong but insist they are right. That's stupidity.


I agree with you, Im never upset if someone ID wrongs, the problem lies with what happened to us.

My fiance wasnt upset that the girl thought our sheltie was an Aussie, the problem was that she kept insisiting and then pretty flat out told him he was an idiot. lol.


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## ChaosIsAWeim (Feb 12, 2011)

Oh yeah, I was walking to the ring with Kira one day at a show in PA, and the kid that walk passed pointed at her and said "look at the great dane dad", and I know he was referring to Kira because there was no GD in the area. I just shook my head and laughed, if I had more time I may have said something to the kid.


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## gingerkid (Jul 11, 2012)

BrittanyG said:


> Have some patience, people. Just because my husband can't accurately ID 238 breeds, certainly doesn't make him stupid. Use it as an opportunity to educate. Damn. =/
> 
> ETA- except the people who are wrong but insist they are right. That's stupidity.


I don't think anyone is implying that anyone who guesses a dog's breed wrong is stupid. I'd put money on the fact that every single person here had done it _at least_ once. Its just interesting hearing the different guesses people get. Some of them are understandable (like a white husky being guessed a white shepherd, or a samoyed and an eskie). 

But who in their right mind confuses a dog with a chinchilla!?


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

gingerkid said:


> I don't think anyone is implying that anyone who guesses a dog's breed wrong is stupid. I'd put money on the fact that every single person here had done it _at least_ once. Its just interesting hearing the different guesses people get. Some of them are understandable (like a white husky being guessed a white shepherd, or a samoyed and an eskie).
> 
> But who in their right mind confuses a dog with a chinchilla!?



Yeah. I called people dumb. Not stupid, but in my head they're not the same. And it was specifically in reference to confusing a 15lb boston terrier for a pit bull. I'm not actively hostile to anyone I talk to, as far as I go with that is NOT talking to people on walks, but here? Yes, yes I am going to boggle amongst other dog people.


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## meggels (Mar 8, 2010)

CptJack said:


> Yeah. I called people dumb. Not stupid, but in my head they're not the same. And it was specifically in reference to confusing a 15lb boston terrier for a pit bull. I'm not actively hostile to anyone I talk to, as far as I go with that is NOT talking to people on walks, but here? Yes, yes I am going to boggle amongst other dog people.



It actually makes me feel a little better that you have gotten the pit bull remark too lol. I've gotten it a few times for Murph...











And I am just mystified...


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

meggels said:


> It actually makes me feel a little better that you have gotten the pit bull remark too lol. I've gotten it a few times for Murph...
> 
> And I am just mystified...



I honestly, honestly, don't get it! Bug is reverse brindle and white, so maybe there's something in there, but it HONESTLY confuses me. I'm not sure that's even a dog person thing, that's just one of those things that leave me scratching my head. 

And that dog is ADORABLE.


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## kcomstoc (Mar 9, 2013)

I was walking Sparky *my mom's boyfriend's aussie* and a guy was sitting on a bench and Sparky has the mentality that "everyone wants to pet me and love me and hold me *even though I'm like 60+ pounds*" and so we were just going to walk by him but he asked to pet him so we warned him that he jumps on people. He said he didn't care because he had 3 pit bulls so he pet sparky and asked what he was (which was nice) so I said he's an aussie and he's like "she's a good girl" lol I said "he's a boy" he was very sorry and we kept walking but it was nice that he asked what he was (not that I would've been mad at the guy for not guessing the right breed)


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## Analytical Ada (Apr 23, 2013)

BrittanyG said:


> Eh, I could go through and quote the statement "people are stupid", but I'm not trying to argue. I just don't want dog people to be the new horse people. (Yes, broad generalization, but true IME. They're friendly enough, but I've always felt..lesser once I show my lack of knowledge. Just something I'm careful not to do to others).


My husband tells me he can't stand what he has dubbed "horse women" and "dog women." He tells me that not every woman who owns a horse or a dog fits his definition - just those who treat others as stupid and are more polite to their animals than they are to other people. I have witnessed "horse women" being rude to him when he has shown interest in learning about horses. It's like they want to keep the sport female-only.

I do think that it's important not to become this way with those who are less educated about dogs, but I don't think that anyone was consciously doing that here.


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## meggels (Mar 8, 2010)

CptJack said:


> I honestly, honestly, don't get it! Bug is reverse brindle and white, so maybe there's something in there, but it HONESTLY confuses me. I'm not sure that's even a dog person thing, that's just one of those things that leave me scratching my head.
> 
> And that dog is ADORABLE.


Thanks...that's my Murph 

Murph is very confused by it as well...but he's easily confused to begin with.










I think what he's thinking here is something along the lines of "I iz not pit bull puppy. I IZ THE TATOR TOT"


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

meggels said:


> I think what he's thinking here is something along the lines of "I iz not pit bull puppy. I IZ THE TATOR TOT"


AWWW!

Bug's just kinda like 'I'll be whatever you want, but YOU BETTER LOVE ME AND LET ME GIVE YOU KISSES'. That dog can't keep her tongue to herself.


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## GrinningDog (Mar 26, 2010)

The weirdest guess I've had for my girl is sheltie. Otherwise, we get, "Is that a collie?" and I clarify border collie. Or I get "Those dogs are really hyper but smart, right?" Hehe. 


GypsyNewCamer by grinningd0g, on Flickr

^ Not a sheltie. But they got the general herding dog type right, which was good.

I did have a rough collie breeder tell me that it made sense that my dog was a mix because BCs only come in black and white. I argued. Then she amended to, well, _AKC-registered_ BCs are only black and white. I argued that too, haha. Next time I saw her, she was a lot nicer and more respectful to me. I'm guessing she looked it up and found out she was wrong.


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

Kirsten&Gypsy said:


> ^ Not a sheltie..


Well obviously not. She's a giant Kylie whose tan got stuck instead of creeping.


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## Lexibelle (Nov 7, 2012)

I have a pointer mix and someone asked me if she was a dalmatian today.. I honestly couldn't answer I just shook my head and walked away. As my boyfriend quotes all the time "I hate stupid people"


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

My sheltie was always called a border collie.


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## lauren17 (Apr 14, 2009)

Meet my chihuahua










And my Brittany


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## Sighthounds4me (Nov 7, 2010)

The thing is, for me, it's so hard to be nice sometimes. I do it, because I have uncommon breeds, and feel I should be available to educate people. But after hearing "Is that a long-haired Greyhound?" or "Is that an Airedale?" for the hundredth time in one day, it gets tedious. Again, I try hard not to show that to people, and to be an ambassador of my breeds, But it gets old sometimes!

ETA: Sometimes, threads like this make it easy to vent this frustration to people who understand. I think that's what's going on here. Not to make excuses, but I understand when we dog people call non-dog people "stupid," we don't mean they are complete morons, nor do we intend to let them know that. But to get it off one's chest in a thread like this feels good sometimes!


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## Crantastic (Feb 3, 2010)

I know how you feel. If I take Casper anywhere busy, I get SO MANY questions and comments, and they're always the same questions and comments. Just take 1-3 of these and repeat all day: "Is that a baby husky? He's three? _Years?_ So that's as big as he'll get? How much do those cost? He looks like Demon from Snow Dogs! Can I pat him? Really? He doesn't _look_ like he'll bite me. Dogs love me. When you say he might nip, do you mean like a little nip or a real bite? What kind of dog is he again? He looks like a fox. Alaskan Klee what? Kai? That's like a pomsky, right? No, I guess pomskies are smaller."

And those are just the ones who speak to me. I hear a lot of "Look at the baby husky!" "That's not a husky, that's a mix." "Is that a mix? It looks like a mini husky" as I walk by.


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## JazzyTheSiberian (Feb 4, 2013)

Meet the Lion,according to a few people,they called a chow an lion


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