Terrierman rules!

I like Terrierman. He's full of sense. Here is some Terrierman wisdom: Terrierman's Top Ten Tips for Avoiding Expense & Misery.

Summary:

1. Avoid giant breeds.


2. Avoid "tea cup" dogs.


3. Try to get a dog weighing less than 40 pounds.


4. Avoid dogs with misshaped bodies.


5. Avoid flat-faced dogs.


6. Avoid merle-coated dogs, dogs with pure white coats, spotted dogs, and dog with blue eyes.


7. Avoid dogs with exaggerated features.


8. Avoid any breed with a disease named after it.

A friend of mine has a basset and is looking to buy an English bulldog. Sigh... How much do you want to spend on vet bills when these two dogs reach 7 or 8 years old? People have no sense some time. Buy a dog that looks like a dog, eh?

And this is also part of why the "she looks just like a little fox!" comment is so aggravating. Tinky-Winky looks just like a little dog. A dog is supposed to look exactly like that: proportioned body, coat to match the climate, pointy ears, pointy nose. Yes, pointy nose too. I always go "no she doesn't" and people say "it's because of the pointy nose." Dogs are supposed to have pointy noses. Having a pointy nose makes her look like a little dog, not a little fox.

It's really sad that dogs have gotten so misshapen (thanks to our efforts) that most people don't even recognize the normal shape of a dog when they see one.