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Monday 28 April 2014

A-Z Challenge 2014 - 'X'


X - Crossbred; Sprocker, Labradoodle, Cockapoo

When I first met Gus I thought he was a Spaniel but his owner said he was a crossbreed resulting from the mating of a Springer Spaniel female with a Cocker Spaniel dog. That gave me the idea of what to include unde 'X'.
Sprocker Spaniel - Gus (6 months)
Of course you may obtain a Sprocker in several different ways by crossing:
  • Springer with a Cocker
  • Springer with a Sprocker
  • Cocker with a Sprocker
  • Sprocker with a Sprocker
It's not surprising then that they occur in a variety of colours, weights and heights.

If you are looking for a dog that does not shed its hair you might look no further than a dog like Milly. She's a -
Labradoodle - Milly
The Labradoodle results from crossing a Labrador Retriever with a Standard/Miniature or Toy Poodle. The term Labradoodle first appeared in 1955 but was not popularised until 1988.

In Australia they were trained as Assistance Dogs for a time.
A group of Labradoodle Assistance Dogs
Mette-Marit, Crown Princess of Norway and Crown Prince Haakon, heir apparent to the throne of Norway own a black Labradoodle.

Spaniels and Poodles get around a bit because an English Cocker Spaniel crossed with a Poodle (Miniature or Toy) produces dogs like the one we met earlier in the Challenge under P (for Pippa)
I meet her almost every day.
Cockapoo (Pippa)
She's a hypoallergenic dog too.





11 comments:

Francene Stanley said...

Aw! I love dogs no matter what their breed. After all X breeds are produced the way nature intended, not by going through an elaborate vetting process. I didn't know those dogs were used to assist the disabled in Australia at one time. Bless them all.

Anonymous said...

pretty nice blog, following :)

Bish Denham said...

I don't suppose labradoodles are considered a breed yet... They should be!

J Lenni Dorner said...

Cool post about dogs. Interesting how breeding can change them so very much!

Stopping by from the #atozchallenge !
@JLenniDorner

Author R. Mac Wheeler said...

After sharing a home with a Labrador the past 13 years, and dealing with her shed twice a year...oh boy...I could go for a Labradoodle. And they're SO cute!

Julie Flanders said...

Perfect for X. I was told my dog was a cockapoo when I rescued him but I think now he is a cross between a poodle and one of the spaniels you featured earlier this month. I'm now drawing a blank but that spaniel had the same face as my Clancy. Your dog posts have been some of my favorites of the challenge. :)

Jo said...

I had 3 German Shepherds (Alsatians) at once, can you imagine the hair!!! I believe there is someone who makes sweaters out of such hair.

No dog at all nowadays but I think I would choose one which doesn`t shed if I had one at all.

Enjoyed this post.

aw said...

I believe labradoodles may be being used as assistance dogs in the UK now, Bob. A lively mix I imagine.
Ann

Kristin said...

Creative use for the letter X. It's one of my hardest. Only 2 left!

Maria said...

In the Philippines, the most common house dogs are cross breads, they are more popularly known as "askals" or dog in the streets.

Lisa said...

My little one is a "Mauxie" a mix between a Maltese and a miniature red short-haired Dachshund. He weighs eight pounds, is apricot in color and is adorable, of course. In fact, one of the older photos you posted in "S" for the Greyfriars Bobby looks so much like him I couldn't believe it... Also, I looked Mauxie up online when we first got him and folks in New York city were willing to pay as high as $900 for a Mauxie! But I'm not sellin'!