Friday 8 February 2013

You've got the eekest little baby face





This dog's pic is currently doing the rounds on the Internet and elsewhere as "the dog with a human face" - a Shih-Tzu x Poodle apparently, although I can't see much Poodle in him.

The reason that the image of Tonik - in rescue in Indiana in the US  - has proven so "grabby" is because humans are genetically programmed to respond to faces - and particularly baby-like faces. 

This may be good for babies, but it's terrible for dogs. It's the reason why flat-faced breeds have been developed and endure, despite the cataclysmic impact this so often has on the health of these breeds.  We find them appealing - and continue to find them cute even when people like me keep banging on about how awful it is for the dogs.

The Indiana rescue that has Tonik says he is in good health and microchipped - no mention of whether or not he is neutered. Hopefully so, or there'll be those wanting to start a whole new line of money-making mutts that look like humans.

And how about this for the embodiment of the problem? As a friend of mine commented this morning.. many levels of wrong.



As I've nicked the pic, I feel duty-bound to provide this link to where you can buy one - for only $250...  

But please don't. Obviously. Unless it's a straight substitute for buying a real one. And even then please keep it in a crib locked box.

41 comments:

  1. Suddenly reconsidering my support for an assault weapon ban.

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  2. I'm sure I remember a couple of programmes about how wrong and immoral it was to breed pedigree dogs and how much healthier crossbreeds were ... look at the chickens coming home to roost!

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  3. In what way, Mary? The Shit-Poo, if I may dub it thus, looks a nice enough dog - clear eyes, no wrinkling, open nares, a short muzzle, but nothing like that of a Pug or a Peke.

    We have no clues as to how or why this dog was bred. I just despair of the idea of deliberately breeding dogs to look like humans.

    Jemima

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    1. "The Shit-Poo, if I may dub it thus, looks a nice enough dog"
      "We have no clues as to how or why this dog was bred"

      You answered your own question. It was bred for a cutesy/amusing name and because cross-breeding was given the green light by PDE. ("They said on the TV that crossbreeding's all right; it's only pedigrees that are sick mutants.")

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    2. Mary

      • we have no history on this dog and have no idea whether it was deliberately bred or not - could just be the result of irresponsible ownership.
      • the rescue has described the dog as healthy
      • we never said that crossbreeding is "all right" or that only pedigrees "are sick mutants".
      • we did say that crossbreeds are, on average, healthier due to their diversity and that they live a little longer - on average - too. This is supported by research findings.

      Jemima

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    3. "the rescue has described the dog as healthy"
      So it's been hip-scored, eye-tested, patella tested etc? Or has it just had a 10-minute once-over by a GP vet?

      "we never said that crossbreeding is "all right" or that only pedigrees "are sick mutants"."

      'Mutants' was EXACTLY the term used to describe pedigree dogs by Mark Evans (ex RSPCA) on your programme, and that is the impression that was given to the public (if you didn't agree with this sentiment you would have edited it out); that pedigree dogs, especially KC registered ones, were all unhealthy freaks and that the only way to get a healthy pet was to get a crossbreed.

      You can deny all you like that that wasn't the impression you meant to send, but the very title "Pedigree Dogs Exposed" makes it clear that only pedigrees were being targetted; otherwise it would have been titled "Bad Breeding Exposed" or "Don't be sold a pup" or similar, to show the importance of only genetic health-testing of parent animals.

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    4. Actually from everybody I've discussed this with privately PDE gave the impression that some pedigree dogs have been bred with faults simply for looks and prestige (not just showing). It's the attitude of denial which did the most damage to the reputation of pedigree breeds as a whole.

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    5. Mary, if purebred dogs were vibrantly healthy, then everybody would have ignored PDE because it bore no resemblence to reality. Unfortunately, the data on pedigree dogs bears the programme out, plus the 3 independent reports that said pretty much the same thing.

      When I was learning genetics for A-Level Biology, I knew the purebred dog was heading for serious trouble. I could see it coming. You just cannot linebreed/inbreed and not get problems; it's a fact of genetic reality.

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    6. Fran, I've been working in a veterinary practice for the last 7 years and have seen thousands of dogs of all different breeds and combination of breeds come through the doors. I can say, hand on heart, that there are at least as many unhealthy crossbreeds/mongrels as there are unhealthy pedigrees (or as many caring owners of each who bother to take them to the vet).

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    7. If it all lies at show breeders doors then tell me why fench bulldogs and pug registrations have rocketed yet show entries not so. Gp like smooshy faced dogs simple as that amd they are not discerning over health tests.

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    8. But when you look at the *data* Mary, your anecdotal evidence that there are an equal number of unhealthy crossbreeds/mongrels as there are purebreds does not stand up. Sure there are unhealthy crossbreeds/mongrels - loads of 'em. But, on average, crossbreeds are healthier and they live a little longer too.

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    9. Putting aside the fact that this is just your perception, given that pedigrees make up only a small fraction of dogs, that there are as many unhealthy pedigrees as mongrels tells you a lot.

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    10. Actually, I think Mary is in the UK and here there are more purebred dogs than crossbreeds.

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    11. Perhaps you should clarifiy your statement Jemima "there are more purebred dogs than crossbreeds." dou mean by pure breeds? A) dogs bred from two parents of the same breed but have neither a written pedigree or a KC registration B) dogs bred from two parents of the same breed but do have a written pedigree but not a KC registration or C) dogs bred from two parents of the same breed and also have a written pedigree and are also KC registrated. or do you just lump them all together?

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    12. Is there any proof to make the claim you think there are more purebred than crossbreeds in the UK Ms Harrision? many would say a labradoodle come be considered to be both, as it is a cross of two breeds but some may be bred two or three generations down from that first cross and now considered to be a purebreed in their own right!

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    13. PFMA survey in 2008 found 75% pedigree, 11% crossbreeds and 14% mixed breeds. I wouldn't be surprised if the percentage of cross/mixed breeds is higher than that now, but not to the extent that they outnumber pedigrees.

      Ms Harrison

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    14. Well you make the claim "we never said that crossbreeding is "all right" or that only pedigrees "are sick mutants"." yet on this very page you have a link to another one of your post that says "A parade of mutants", or didnt you writet that one?

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    15. Did you *look* at that blogpost, Anon? If not, could you please do so and tell me if you think those Neapolitan Mastiffs are anything other than gross freaks?

      Jemima

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  4. That picture creeps me out. His nose needs to be black, the brown just looks wrong. That is why he looks more like a human.

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  5. I don't think it looks remotely human. It's not even a cute dog.

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  6. I would like to see a side view photo of this dog's head

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  7. This picture freaks me out. It's creepy.

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    1. Why? It's just a run-of-the-mill crossbreed with a clipped coat.

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    2. Stalkkeri&Daniela, agree with you both. Something is uncanny about the dog´s face. I too would like to see it from different views, because there is something not right about it. Either that photograph has been tangled with - look at the nose/ chin part! Is it possible to do it, or am I just silly wondering if a photo of a dog could be so to speak grafted on to the middle and lower parts of a chimp face?
      On the other hand, if that pic is genuine, something happened to the dog - genetic, or other, but it´s not right.

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    3. oops sorry I meant the pug puppy doll. THOUGH the first picture does put me off a bit... I don't really know why there is just something about the face that looks off to me.

      Sorry I wasn't clear!

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    4. Bodil, the dog looks slightly undershot (it'll get that from its shih tzu parent) that's all. The amount of hair on the face looks absolutely normal.

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    5. See the muzzle on this one:

      http://memberfiles.freewebs.com/00/11/60521100/photos/Past-Shih-tzu-Puppies/DSC_0131.JPG

      or this over-groomed one ...

      http://www.shihtzukisses.com/PC172022.jpg

      (Daniela, I agree the pug puppy doll IS freaky. But any dog dressed up looks freaky!)

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    6. My Carolina Dog Brandi looks darling in her sweater, her rain coat, and the bow collar thing a friend gave us. Additionally my weiner dog bear looks dashing in his bow tie collar thing andhis coat.
      The again none of these things are kids clothes they are all made for dogs to keep them warm or dry. Except the bow collars those were a gift from a friend.

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  8. Looks photoshopped to me. Even more so in the full body pictures.
    see http://www.webpronews.com/dog-with-human-face-adoption-anyone-2013-02 Proportions are wrong.
    I agree with the point, though. Breeding dogs to be baby-faced is a recipe for ill health.

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  9. Link explaining the photoshop job and showing the original
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/68217606@N03/8452825349/

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    1. Good find, Jennifer! Thanks for posting

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    2. Interesting. In the original, the dog does not look nearly so flat-faced.

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    3. Hmmmm ... I'm not convinced. The blurb says "First, the thin lower lip of a human that's been added (dogs nominally have hair on their bottom lips)" which patently isn't true; dog's _don't_ have hair on their bottom lips, whatever their breed. The lip itself is smooth skin. The picture on the left - the so-called 'original' - is the one with the really strange mouth area, looking as though the dog has turned its lips in (something dogs can't do).

      See this image of a shih tzu/poodle cross; note the normal non-hairy lip:

      http://glamorouspuppiesforsale.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/shih_poo_barton_21.jpg

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    4. That site appears to have taken this photo: http://www.webpronews.com/dog-with-human-face-adoption-anyone-2013-02 and photoshopped it to look less human. Then, the person has gone back and altered the original slightly to make it seem as though the original was the altered photo. If you compare the "original" photos, you can see that the one from www.webpronews.com actually does not have a clear box around the nose, as the /www.flickr.com photo does. Also, I agree with Mary about the lips.

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  10. sounds like there is enough hard evidence in this photograph of the evils of show dogs and the Kennel Club (neither of which have anything to do with the dog or the photograph ........ but when has that stopped you!?!) to churn out a few hundred words to try and peddle around a few broad sheets in time for Crufts. .................... or just re-hash it for Dogs Today instead.

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  11. https://www.royalteacuppuppies.com/royal-puppies May I point you to this repulsive website of alarming freaks from puppy mills.

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    1. That website is horrific. Notice in the FAQ's section nothing regarding the dogs health is mentioned? Those poor pups.

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    2. "1. Can I Come & Visit the puppies before I make a purchase?

      We are not an open kennel. We don’t want to risk tracking in germs; some of which may even be airborne. The less traffic we have, the safer the environment for our puppies. With that being said, we sometimes allow buyers to visit, with a deposit of $1,000 which you must pay before coming into our home, validating your interest. We are not an open attraction for people to visit and play with puppies lacking any interest in actual purchase."

      So if I wanted to see the puppy before I buy it, I should pay $1,000?

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  12. Or...look at rhe affenpinscher that got BIS at Westminster.

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  13. My Toy Poodle mutants are all well and healthy.
    As with everything else, there is good and bad.
    You chose to focus on the "BAD"
    you failed to mention about genetic testing that ethical breeders do.
    Back yard breeders acquire dogs and breed anything to anything, whatever makes money for them.

    Ethical breeders carefully select their breeding stock and health test prior to breeding.
    I am an ethical breeder that health tests my dogs before breeding. I am not a minority in the pedigree dog world.

    Ah but, you don't want to know about the good people, you just want to slag off all of us.

    I'd like to know where you get your stats from re cross breeds being healthier..... And, do the stats show if the dog comes from a registered breeder or a back yarders????

    You Jemima have told only half the story and have done a damned good job of victimizing the innocent breeders that try their hardest to eradicate diseases within their breed. But that's a bit boring, and quite contrary to the sensationalism you are trying to get.

    Yes there are bad apples in every bunch, but why focus only on them. What about the good apples? Ah but no, you're just out to destroy peoples' lives

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