34 — Sunday. October 17, 1999 ~ North Shore News MY very first dog was a mutt. Topper was her name. She was a mix af terrier, shepherd and who knows what else. 1 actually don't remember when, as a family, we got her, for my childhood memories always included her. She lived to be eighteen. Asa teen, my second dog arrived when my neighbour announced that her champi- on Siberian husky was having pups. At seven weeks of age tour of the pups were 2 per- fect replica of the champion father. The fifth one looked more like the Border Collie, Gypsi, who lived down the road (a fitter of pups can have more than one father). | took him home and called him Zephyr ... a soft gentle wind. My third mixed-breed dog 86 SATURN SU) 4dr auto, very nice car "Fyon every option $92,908. “ $12,095 m 96 TOYOTA TERCEL 40R |. - Looks and runs great. “$10,495 canine connection was a chow/shepherd cross that I adopted from the SPCA around cleven vears ago, He was a feisty bugger. One evening after we drove home from a walk, he jumped trom my truck win- dow, as L approached home, when he spotted someone at the side of the house T was renting. He then chased the guy out of the backyard. The burglar dropped my bicvele and escaped with a minor S5 JEEP Ya New soft top, Sspd, low km $12,995 ~ 96 MISSAN P Auto, a7km, mint $29,535 97 4-RUKMER LIMITED loaded, must be seen, fe new $33,895 90 NESSAR PATHFECIER TRA 4X4, 5 spd, fcoks & runs great $1105 north shore news pets ff watchamaho flesh wound. “Big Fuzz” developed a brain tumour a vear later. My personal history and tond memories of mixed breed dogs have shaped my adoration of dogs today. Watchamalwos, as T affec- tonately call them, come ina variety of shapes and sizes. No two are alike. They are some of the smartest dogs with the quirkiest persenali tues. Ifyou are thinking about getting adog and aren't par- deular abour its parentage but want one that has 4 vedium build with a semi- .tore coat and menacing bark, vou can probably tind it in a mived breed. And since a great number of mixed breeds can be found at your local shelter, that would be the first place to look. 89 TOYOTA SUPRA 5 spd, turbo, only 118km $$8,905 2dr, auto, focal car 83 HONDA ACCORD LX 4dr, auto, ex. condition $13,485 ~ PROZE GT Loaded, auto, low km's $11,995 Choosing which dog or puppy at the shelter is proba- bly the most difficult part. With all of the variety and different looks, how do you know what vou are getting? Ifyou are not committed to a puppy, reeveled adult dogs can make wonderful companions. They often bond very quickly and form strong attachments to their new owners. Because they had been abandoned by their previous owner they want nothing more chan to be with someone, anyone, who will care for them. You also don’t have to go through the bratty puppy stages, which frustrate some peeple so much that thev end up giving up the dog because of it. As a bonus, adult dogs may have had some form of obedience Local vehicle, auto, 4X4 $18,985 G2 CAEURSLES auto, 2 dr, sport 91 MAZDA PROTEGE 4dr, 5 spd, looks & runs great Pox. $15,595 . 33 TOYOTA GAMRY LE V6, loaded, leather training which vou can improve upon, H they were given up for adoption, the staffat the shelter may be able to vive vou a brief histo- ry of the dog. Ifyou are sold ona puppy, what the mixed breed puppy will look like when it matures will be a bit of a mystery. Fortunately the size of the bitthe gay’s feet can give vou an idea of whether it will be a big dog or not. Prominent markings which resemble markings on a pure- bred dog can also give you an idea of what the dog will look like. And it can also give you an idea of what the per- sonality may be like. These days the majority of mixed breed pups are shep- herd, lab, retriever or rot- tweiller mixes with a little border collie thrown in for good measure (and higher IQ SCOFES ). Mixed breed dogs are not usually plagued with the health problems that some purebred dogs suffer from. Because of that they tend to live longer. Our local shelters are filled with a curious mix of this and that, all looking for a good loving home. Hf you are con- sidering a dog in your future, be it for the first time or to add to your existing canine family, check our the watchamahoos at a shelter near you. Not only will you get a great dog, you w ill alse he saving a life. — Jonu Klucha is the owner of Sierra K9 training on the North Shore for training tips and advice you can e-mail ber at «sierrak9@be.syinpatico.ca> or write c/o the North Shore News. Comments and letters to the editor are welcome. HALLOWEEN Specials 10% off ail Hitches, Snow & Bike Racks FOR ALL YOUR PARIT & ANTOBODY I DOMESTIC & IMPORT SPECIALISTS eu “QUALITY WORKWANSHIP™ ’ PRIVATE INSURANCE & IC2C REPAIRS 27 YEARS IN BUSINESS Chigsie Here's a fun contest that you can wrap arouid your finger! Cut: out the puppet outline along the dashed line, then draw a funny face on it, colour’ it; put your name and phone nuniber on your.” puppet and send it to: North Shore News, 1139 Lonedale Ave. : North Vancouver, V7M 2H4, Deadline is Wednesday Oct. 20. One errtry wil : be drawn at random to win two tickets to - Puppetfest at Presentation House October 23 : (&24, The winner will be contacted by phone on me . | Friday Oct. 22. Puppets will be on dieplay at Pipette 99. ofthe, ¢ * a a . a 8 . " a RBARRERG OED: Name , . Phone Number BCosseeDeuenssonecxsanasBeKsensie Limit of one entry per person.