Don’t forget that this Sunday before the big game is the Puppy Bowl on Animal Planet!
The “game” is two hours of watching adorable puppies play on a fake football field. They relay that same game 6 more times Sunday so you can catch it after the real football game if you don’t get a chance before.
If you would like to read some more interesting facts about Puppy Bowl check out CNN’s article 66 Adorable Reasons to Watch Puppy Bowl.
Puppy Bowl X is coming on “big game” Sunday (Feb 2) on Animal Planet!
If you have not heard of or watched one of the previous 9 Puppy Bowls it features adorable puppies, 66 of them this year, all playing together with toys on a fake puppy sized football field. Getting a toy to the end zones results in a touch down, rough play results in penalties. It is not so much about the “game” but rather about watching adorable puppies! The puppies all come from local rescues to help raise awareness for these pups and all rescued animals in need of homes.
Viewers get to vote for the MVP – Most Valuable Puppy – during the live event. There is also a half time show featuring kittens and keyboard cat, and cheerleaders.
Puppy Bowl X has penguin cheerleaders for the first time!
(source: LA Times)
The best part is that this plays before the big game so you can watch both! It also replays after so you can watch puppies instead of football if that is your thing.
Here are just a few of the adorable puppies in this year’s starting line up:
1. Alvin – Male Poodle
2. August – Female Boxer
3. Aurora – Female Dalmation
4. Cody – Male Spaniel
5. Ginger – Female Old English Sheepdog Mix
6. Jillian – Female Shih Tzu and Pekingese Mix
7. Lily – Female Bassett Hound
8. Mila – Female Pit Bull
9. Opie – Male Schnauzer and Terrier Mix
10. Roxy – Female Shih Tzu and Chihuahua Mix
11. Suri – Female Siberian Husky
12. Wyatt – Terrier Mix
All of these pictures come from Animal Planet’s website, where you can see all the rest of the starting line up along with pictures of other years of the Puppy Bowl.
I encourage you to check out more pictures!
-Fizz
I just love German Shepherds too much to not post this lovely photo:
(source)
I wonder how long it took to get this shot? I can imagine the parents staying in place, but the young puppies? I would never think to try getting a shot like this, and it so fun to see them all together.
–Cola Pig
Middle of the week once again! Where does time go?
Are you fan of Great Dane puppies, or maybe you just really like Star Wars? This picture has both covered!
(source)
I think the resemblance is very close!
What do you think?
– Cola Pig
Yesterday a friend asked me if I had ever heard of a Pomsky, and I must admit I have not. So I sent Cola and Fizz on the hunt for information. Below are the results of their findings:
The designer dog mix of a Husky and Pomeranian is often called a Pomsky (plural Pomskies). There is a lot of good information out there about this new crossbreed, but also a lot of misleading information and pictures. Please, always do your research first! If you ever buy a puppy from a breeder make sure they are reputable and you can check out their facility and dogs.
We are looking at a cross of a Pomeranian:
(source)
A small breed of dog which is friendly, playful, and intelligent. They pick up training, but can also train their owners to get what they want. They are a healthy breed. Pomeranians often bark at new situations and people, which can develop into a problem.
With a Husky:
(source)
The Husky is a robust and strong breed of working dog most often used in sled pulling. I am guessing that the type of husky used for breeding a Pomsky would depend on the individual breeder. “Husky” is a term which refers to any dog used to pull sleds differentiated by their pulling style. These huskies can be mixes of many types of dogs and vary in particulars like coat, height, build, and color. These dogs are often crossed based on ability and in an attempt to create better working dogs, but are not registered as purebred dogs for show purposes. On the other hand, the Siberian Husky is a specific large sized working dog originating in Siberia with a set breed standard and appearance. These differences would affect the outcome in a mixed breed pairing.
So here is the result, a Pomsky:
(apexpomskies)
Given that these dogs are a mix, sometimes first generation and sometimes mixes of already mixed animals, individual dog’s characteristics vary. Most often Pomskies are small in size like a Pomeranian but have Husky coloring. This is, I believe, what breeders are working towards. Of course, with further development of the crossbreed and more generations there will be standardization of qualities like size.
Size?
Actual adult size will depend on the parent’s size and can range from around 15 to over 25 pounds. Smaller adult Pomskies will be possible with further generations.
Coat Considerations?
Pomskies can have the entire range of colors for both Pomeranians and Huskies. Coat length and fluffiness will depend on parent crosses, so some will be fuller like a Pom while others smoother like a Husky. Shedding will be close to whichever parent’s coat a puppy gets. First generation crosses are often more Husky like, medium shedding dogs which blow their coat during the summer.
Ears and Tail?
Ears should always be erect, especially if both parents had erect ears. The tail should be curled over the back like both parent breeds.
Note: This is in regard to an ideal standard, as with any other dog that should have erect ears or a curled tail. If a dog’s ears fail to come up, stand up all the time, or has an uncurled tail such a dog still makes a great pet quality animal but those traits are a “defect” detracting from a breed standard and are therefore not ideal and would disqualify a dog from being show quality.
Temperament?
Temperament is a mix of the parents, and will vary based on individual, but most Pomskies are energetic, intelligent, and may be loud. They are said to take well to training with your effort, and to be good family pets.
Puppy Cost?
A Pomsky puppy will cost around $1500. This will vary by area, breeder, and availability. These dogs are still “rare.” There are not many breeders specializing in this crossbreed and there could be a lot of puppy mill style breeders (or simply inexperienced breeders) trying to take advantage of the low supply.
If you are looking for a puppy I will direct you to the breeders page at the Pomsky Club of America.
There is misinformation that these dogs will always look like Husky puppies, often featuring pictures of actual Husky puppies or Pomskies as puppies and claiming they are fully grown. If you feel that this is actually true after seeing images of adults, then enjoy the breed for that. However, I do not find this to be true after looking at the pictures of adult Pomskies. The dogs just look like small sized Huskies.
Here are actual Pomsky puppies:
(ApexPomskies)
First generation Pomsky adults:
(ApexPomskies)
More Pomsky Adults:
(ApexPomskies)
— Cola and Fizz
UPDATE: I am not, nor have I ever been, a Pomsky breeder. As I mentioned above, if you are looking for a puppy you should check out Pomsky Club of America or Google to see if there are local breeders in your area. Please make sure you check out your breeder first before buying a puppy to make sure they keep their dogs and puppies in a good enviroment. A good breeder will allow you to see where they keep their dogs and allow you to meet the puppies before you pay the full amount for the puppy. I have seen too many fake listings for Pomskies that use puppy pictures from a Google image search. Be careful and do your research always!
Sources:
Wikipedia – Husky
Widipedia – Siberian Husky
Wikipedia – Pomeranian
Pomsky Club of America
Pomsky Information
Another Wednesday, a new month, hope your day is going well!
Here is a puppy to help:
(source)
This puppy looks so happy to be running around! This picture is excellent with a great angle and it captures the scene around the pup well.
– Cola Pig
I hope that this little guy makes you feel a bit better today if it is too hot where you live!
(source: imgur)
So fluffy! The snow on his nose just makes the picture even more adorable.
The Tibetan Mastiff is a large and fluffy breed of dog which originates from Central Asia. Adult male dogs have been found weighing up to 280 pounds, but the average weight for a fully grown adult is 180 pounds.
Here is a puppy:
This ancient breed has been, and is still today, used as a herding or guard dog. There are said to be two types of Tibetan Mastiff – the monastery (Tsang-khyi) which is larger and heavier boned and the nomad (Do-khyi) which has less face wrinkles and is a bit smaller. Both types are born in the same litters, and distinctions seem to be more among what breeders desire from the dogs for temperament and work or show potential.
(image)
(source)
(Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images, CBS)
The dogs come in varying coat colors. The coat sheds once a year, but regular brushing is required for proper maintenance. These dogs have rather independent temperaments, that as always can vary across individual dogs. Highly intelligent and energetic, these dogs excel at herding and guarding but may not be easy to train. The protective instinct is natural to the breed and they will act protectively (maybe aggressively) over their family and their property. This dog is not the perfect choice for all families due to size, maintenance, and exercise requirements.
A Tibetan Mastiff has also earned the title of world’s most expensive dog when a red coated puppy sold in China for 10 million yuan, or over $1.5 million US dollars. In the US prices are bit more reasonable for puppies, but you can still expect to pay an average of around $800 – $1000 for a well bred puppy.
Here is the million dollar puppy, named Big Splash:
You can read more about Big Splash at the Daily Mail.
German Shepherds are my favorite dog breed, so here is an adorable fuzzy puppy for your Friday enjoyment!
Picture from Imgur
