# The Dog o' Despair.... What are your thoughts on her mix?



## KumoES (Nov 20, 2007)

I've had a few guesses on other (non-dog centric) forums which were generally consistent with what the vets at work think, so I thought I'd throw Alyssum up as a conundrum.

Some history on her: Alyssum was surrendered to me about a month ago. I am "owner" #3. First owner had a foreclosure and left his 6 dogs behind in the backyard. Second owner took Alyssum and one of her brothers. Alyssum had foxtails packed in both ears, in between her toes, all in her fur, and in a large abscess on her rear end. She was severely underweight, unvaccinated, outdoor-only, and had a swollen abdomen that made us fear she was preggers, and was anemic and hypoproteinemic. Basically, a mess. We fixed her up, spayed her, and discovered her left ear drum was rupture. Saddest doggle ever.

She's the shyest little thing. Never had real people interaction we think until owner #2... who had a three year old who basically beat on her. She refused to go through doorways at first, would freeze when inside, and became "bolder" if she was outside. 

I am a sucker, but who couldn't be for a dog with a story like that?

Sad tale out of the way, how about a bit more description on her!

Don't let the photos fool you. This dog has LOOOOONG legs. She's 11 pounds, and almost as tall as my sister-in-laws 25 pound dog. She's 7 months old in the photos, and that is her badly 'trimmed' to remove the burrs and foxtails from her fur. She has a long tail that, when she's happy, she holds in the most amazing circle over her back. Looks like someone stuck a hula-hoop to her butt.  She has a white patch on her chin, and that white left leg has orange speckling all through it. Her hair is really fine, and single coated. We shaved her shortly after these pictures, and the shortened hair is wavy and full of whorls. Very strange. She also has an underbite, and the leather of her ears is much shorter than it appears in the photos.

Personality wise, when she is not in despair mode, is mostly very sweet and gentle. Super submissive little dog, but stubborn as all get out. She's absolutely brilliant, but the moment she understands a command... she doesn't see the point in doing it anymore. And she'll give you this look saying "Yes, I get it now. Why are we doing this again?" A perfect example was when I was teaching her "touch" the first week she was at work, just a couple days after her surgery. I made her 'work' for her breakfast. After about 5 cases of touching her nose to my palm, she gave me the look, sighed, and flopped over. The stupidity of 'touch' was not worth food. I moved my hand to about 2 inches from her nose and she sighed again and touched my palm as that was apparently little enough effort to be worth a kibble.  I love her, the brat.


All right, wall of text time is over. Pictures!

Alyssum being "brave", week 2.










Dog of Despair.


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## Mizuno (Jun 9, 2010)

She sure is adorable... not many guesses, probably some poo/doodle in there somewhere but looks very terrier-ish. I hope she gains the confidence to go along with that 'tude!


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## lil_fuzzy (Aug 16, 2010)

She is so cute

I would say terrier-ish too, and maybe poodle-ish.


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## KumoES (Nov 20, 2007)

Thanks! She is one of the cutest little beasties. I can't wait for her nice loooong hair to grow back in. 

And poodle is definitely on the consensus list!


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## jenz (Aug 20, 2010)

She looks like my first dog-- a Cockapoo/Terrier mix!

Jen


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

I do see some Cocker. Maybe Cocker/Poodle/Chihuahua?


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## KumoES (Nov 20, 2007)

Our thoughts at work were first some sort of poodle/spaniel/terrier mix. Over the last few weeks, I think I'm fairly well convinced she's mostly, if not entirely a poodle/cavalier mix. Everything from fur type, to face, to size and personality seems to match a mix of those two.


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

Hmm, I just Googled "Cavapoo images" and I think you're right! She's a cutie anyway.


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## KumoES (Nov 20, 2007)

*facepalm* I didn't even think to try looking for the squished name for that mix. She does look a lot like those dogs. XD


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## Daenerys (Jul 30, 2011)

I saw your post on cornsnakes.com


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## Allyfally (Mar 4, 2011)

She's a Benji. Obviously.


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## KumoES (Nov 20, 2007)

What a happy, sassy, fat, and fluffy little goofball she's turned into over the last two weeks! There is definitely no despair left in this dog!












"Hey! hey can we play now? hunh? hunh? play?"












"I both desire and am skeptical of this 'kibble' you are offering."












"I can totally see the creek from up here!"












"Am I not the most beautiful of dogs?"











"LOL. Life be gooooood."


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## lil_fuzzy (Aug 16, 2010)

She's unbelievably cute 

I have a poodle x and a JRT x, and I stand by my poodle x terrier theory, because she sort of reminds me of both of my dogs.


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## Mizuno (Jun 9, 2010)

I want herrrrr!


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## Abbylynn (Jul 7, 2011)

Schnauzer, poodle, cocker spaniel, terrier is my guess. She is really cute whatever she is!


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## ILoveMyMutt (Aug 13, 2011)

I'd have ti agree with Abbylynn, but whatever her breed background is, she's adorable!


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