The World"s Most Perfect Dog

My cute baby

Your favorite dog will not be my favorite dog.  And most dog-people love all kinds of dogs.  But when it comes to having a long-term companion who lives with me, I do have my preferences. 

One of my current pet companions is an almost 3-year-old mixed breed I named Poppy.  I think I’ve loved Poppy from the time I first saw her when she was just a few weeks old.  Now that I’ve had her for a few years, I cogitate on whether I will find another like her 10 or 15 years from now.  How can I live without my Poppy?  I know dog owners will understand this sentiment. 

Poppy is a Germaussie – 1/2 German Shepherd Dog and 1/2 Australian Shepherd Dog.  All dogs are individuals and any breeding, whether planned or accidental, can never be guaranteed due to something called “nature.”  I was fortunate enough to find a puppy who inherited the best of the GSD genes and the best of the Aussie genes without any of the behaviors or deformities that can plague either breed. 

I grew up with German Shepherds so when my neighbor’s Australian Shepherd had unplanned puppies, I immediately focused on the big one in the middle of the pack who didn’t look like any of the other fuzzy teddy bears.  Her litter mates were fuzzy blue or red merles with blue eyes and folded ears.  Poppy was a smooth tan with a black mask and dark eyes. 

Poppy as a pup

The positive traits of a German Shepherd Dog are loyalty, easy to train, loves to work, intelligent, well-behaved.  The negative traits, when they manifest, can include snappish behavior, too protective, aggressive, and medical symptoms such as hip dysplasia. 

The positive traits of the Australian Shepherd include very intelligent, always looking for work, easy to train, friendly.  Negatively, they can be obsessive/compulsive, smart enough to get in trouble if bored, and like to run.  The occasional Aussie may end up chasing things they shouldn’t be chasing, such as neighbor chickens or cats. 

Take one unfixed tendency to roam GSD, one too smart for her own good Aussie who liked to escape, and you get my perfect dog.  Poppy is the perfect size at 50 lbs.  She has the GSD traits that I love — a thick neck and big shoulders, and black beauty marks on her tan cheeks.  She’s smart enough to be easily trained but not so smart that she tries to outwit me.  Since I’ve had her, we’ve done some agility training, some scent-track training, and she’s a primo tennis ball retriever. 

Poppy and her sister

My wish for all dog lovers is that once in your life, you too will have the perfect dog.

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