# What different breeds do you think this dog is made up of (with picture)? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 17, 2009, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-different-breeds-do-you-think-this-dog-is-made-up-of-with-picture/489722 "2009-03-17T05:46:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-different-breeds-do-you-think-this-dog-is-made-up-of-with-picture/489722/1 "2009-03-17T05:46:31Z")
Today I saw a beautiful dog sitting outside a local co-op. It looked kind of like a Great Pyrenees (my family had one when I was growing up), but had a coat of many colors - tan, brown, black, gray and white. Almost like a tortoise-shell cat. I took some pictures of it on my phone. [Dog photo 1](https://oncourse.iu.edu/access/content/user/akentisa/Filemanager_Public_Files/dog.jpg) [Dog photo 2](https://oncourse.iu.edu/access/content/user/akentisa/Filemanager_Public_Files/dog2.jpg) What do you think this dog is a mix of? I would say probably Great Pyrenees, Malamute, and tri-color Collie. What do you think? Either way it is a one of a kind dog. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-different-breeds-do-you-think-this-dog-is-made-up-of-with-picture/489722/2 "2009-03-17T06:43:48Z")
Upon first glance I’d have to say collie in there somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Lyllyan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b2d939/32.png) [@Lyllyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lyllyan)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-different-breeds-do-you-think-this-dog-is-made-up-of-with-picture/489722/3 "2009-03-17T06:48:44Z")
Perhaps a Tibetan Mastiff Mixed with Collie? ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-different-breeds-do-you-think-this-dog-is-made-up-of-with-picture/489722/4 "2009-03-17T13:42:19Z")
I dunno if there needs to be collie in there to get the coloring. It’s got the hair and face of a pyrenees and the coloring of a malmute. Looks like a golden retriever with a very unfortunate coat 🙂 (I was going to say golden but I see that the pyrenees has the exact same face as a golden) ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-different-breeds-do-you-think-this-dog-is-made-up-of-with-picture/489722/5 "2009-03-17T17:09:23Z")
[Bernese Mountain Dog](http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/bernesemountain.htm) mix, maybe? ---
**Author:** ![Lyllyan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b2d939/32.png) [@Lyllyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lyllyan)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-different-breeds-do-you-think-this-dog-is-made-up-of-with-picture/489722/6 "2009-03-17T17:11:29Z")
I threw collie in there to explain the pointed snout. Mastiffs have a more squared off snout. However, the Tibetan that was at the recent Westminster Show, looked very similar in coloration and facial features (heart shape face), to the dog pictured in the OP. From what I have seen, Tibetans are usually darker, but the texture of the hair looks right. [http://www.westminsterkennelclub.org/2009/photos/breed/WS14990201.html](http://www.westminsterkennelclub.org/2009/photos/breed/WS14990201.html) ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-different-breeds-do-you-think-this-dog-is-made-up-of-with-picture/489722/7 "2009-03-17T17:31:28Z")
Simplest explanation: a collie-lab mix. Sure, it could be a number of other mixes, but those are the most common breeds that would produce something like that. ---
**Author:** ![TroubleAgain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@TroubleAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroubleAgain)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-different-breeds-do-you-think-this-dog-is-made-up-of-with-picture/489722/8 "2009-03-17T17:56:12Z")
I don’t know, but I want to hug it, and give it a kiss on the nose. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-different-breeds-do-you-think-this-dog-is-made-up-of-with-picture/489722/9 "2009-03-17T18:06:30Z")
Collie x Newfie or Collie x Chesapeake Bay Retreiver ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-different-breeds-do-you-think-this-dog-is-made-up-of-with-picture/489722/10 "2009-03-17T18:59:39Z")
Lab + Australian Shepard ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-different-breeds-do-you-think-this-dog-is-made-up-of-with-picture/489722/11 "2009-03-17T19:20:27Z")
It doesn’t really come through in the pictures, but this dog had a very stout build. Definitely a Mastiff type body build, of which the Pyrenees is one variation. It was like a little miniature bear. Not really the kind of body that I would imagine a lab and collie mix alone would create. I lived with a Pyrenees from age 5 to 18, I remember everything about it (although I haven’t seen one in person since, save for one time at a dog park) and I still hold that this mystery dog definitely has some of that breed in it. ---
**Author:** ![Spavined\_Gelding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@Spavined\_Gelding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spavined_Gelding)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-different-breeds-do-you-think-this-dog-is-made-up-of-with-picture/489722/12 "2009-03-17T19:40:13Z")
Labs can be very stout and solid, especially when there are some short-leg’d genes in the pool. My guess is what we call _The Standard Farm Dog_, the off spring of the neighbor’s mix breed bitch and what ever was passing by when she was in heat. Lots of Short Faced Collie in those farm dogs – they do have to sleep in the barn, after all. Abuse me not with this Bernese Mountain Dog, Tibetan Mastiff froo-froo non-sense ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-different-breeds-do-you-think-this-dog-is-made-up-of-with-picture/489722/13 "2009-03-17T20:12:09Z")
But the shape of this dog’s head and muzzle are distinctly mastiff-like. And if it had collie in the mix, that would have made the face thinner and longer, so if it were collie and lab mixed, I doubt it would have such a blocky, mastiff type face. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-different-breeds-do-you-think-this-dog-is-made-up-of-with-picture/489722/14 "2009-03-17T20:14:09Z")
I see shaggy Collie and some kind of Shepherd definitely, though it could be Australian or German either one. (Sometimes the dog looks like a vase and sometimes it looks like two people kissing as well.) Whatever the blend, it’s a beautiful dog. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-different-breeds-do-you-think-this-dog-is-made-up-of-with-picture/489722/15 "2009-03-18T01:11:44Z")
The white mask on his face resembles a Malamute. So does his overall build & bulk. I’d guess a Malamute/German shepherd cross since both of those dogs are readily available for mutt-making purposes. It would give his black & tan with lots of white coloring too. My first thought was the Bernese, too, but on reflection I think he looks more like a mutt. ---
**Author:** ![Oregon\_sunshine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/50afbb/32.png) [@Oregon\_sunshine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oregon_sunshine)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-different-breeds-do-you-think-this-dog-is-made-up-of-with-picture/489722/16 "2009-03-18T01:20:11Z")
Husky x bicycle trailer. ---
**Author:** ![FarmerChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a9a28c/32.png) [@FarmerChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FarmerChick)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-different-breeds-do-you-think-this-dog-is-made-up-of-with-picture/489722/17 "2009-03-18T15:39:48Z")
> [@Spavined\_Gelding](#): > > Labs can be very stout and solid, especially when there are some short-leg’d genes in the pool. > > My guess is what we call _The Standard Farm Dog_, the off spring of the neighbor’s mix breed bitch and what ever was passing by when she was in heat. Lots of Short Faced Collie in those farm dogs – they do have to sleep in the barn, after all. > > Abuse me not with this Bernese Mountain Dog, Tibetan Mastiff froo-froo non-sense I too vote for **The Standard Farm Dog** aka Hienz 57. You could see variations of that dog everywhere around here. There really is nothing exotic about her. ---
**Author:** ![hellpaso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecae2f/32.png) [@hellpaso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hellpaso)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-different-breeds-do-you-think-this-dog-is-made-up-of-with-picture/489722/18 "2009-03-18T15:54:28Z")
I vote for golden retriever/st. bernard mix. ---
**Author:** ![spifflog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@spifflog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spifflog)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-different-breeds-do-you-think-this-dog-is-made-up-of-with-picture/489722/19 "2009-03-18T18:28:41Z")
I’d be almost certain that half of that came from a golden retreiver.