Big Woof little woof

Will There Be Two Species of Dog?

Have you noticed that there seem to be nearly exclusively two sorts of dog owner? Those who want the wee lap dogs that would fit into a purse or nearly a pocket and those who want the nastiest fighting pit bull around.

I know some people want an Alsatian -- German Shepherd -- rather than a pit bull or pit bull cross and some want some other large breed dog... mastiff and greyhound come to mind ...but some of the intent is for a dog that can take care of itself in a fight and protect property and loved ones if not only just it's master. They still want a big sturdy dog.

The small dogs seem to be getting smaller. I know the "teacup" poodles have been around as a small sized toy poodle for a long while. It isn't an actual breed but the teacup poodles are the smallest of the toy litters bred with the smallest in order to get the smallest of poodles. People are discovering more and more of these toy breeds even though some like the Papillon have been around forever -- you can see them in medieval European paintings. I guess they are very popular because you get all the companionship of a dog in a small bundle you can take travelling with you or indoors even.

I can imagine the large strong dogs getting larger and stronger -- though perhaps more in the muscular range. My imagination does think to the monster of a black lab a friend has. It seems to have a bit of Great Dane in it, but it is pure bred Lab.

I can see the future, a lady riding out in the green belt and drawing her mount to a stream while holding a nearly hamster sized Cocker Spaniel in the crook of her arm. She'll slip off whispering a command in the large animal's ear as another lady approaches riding a fine chestnut mare holding her own teacup poodle. She gets off and allows her horse a drink.

"That's a fine dog you're riding. Staffordshire-Mastiff cross?"

"Why yes, they make great mounts."

Two small shapes dart out of the underbrush -- a dwarfed Tamworth pig and a Falabella pinto.

The woman with the large riding dog exclaims, "What wonderful animals!"

"Meet Donner and blitzen. They are great companions on a ride..."

Well I guess it is a bit far fetched that they'd breed dogs large enough to ride in any near future, but the pet pigs and horses -- small enough to have even in the house -- are here. Falabella are miniature horses.

Still I wonder if we will be left with the toy breeds and the large breeds and them become so separate as to become separate species? ... oh, and Jack Russell Terriers.

Later!
~ Darrell

127.

Blended Realms -- Not Just Pictures

Realms of the Imagination From Across the World Wide Web

You might think I have enough to chew on with this column and my other writing, but I have undertaken to collaborate on another web column. This one is "Blended Realms" which I suggested to my friend Mags Alden because she is constantly finding interesting art and artists on the Internet and wanting to share them. She also has an interest in writing and I have found has a pretty good eye for interesting artwork. Much tends to be Fantasy, Science Fiction, Space Art, or Surreal Artwork so after talking about it she came up with the title "Blended Realms".

We plan on regularly taking an image we find on the Internet and writing a short review of it and giving a bit of information on where you can find it and other work by that author. We might expand into biographical pieces as well, but for now we will just showcase individual pieces and say a little bit about them leaving you to follow the link to the site hosting the artist's works.

Mags and I noted that very often we have found that people on StumbleUpon will review a picture and it is only the picture. They will say "What a cool and beautiful picture!" -- but stripped of any identifying marks as to where it might have originated before it got into the collection it was found in or who the artist is -- it is impossible to find other examples of that artists works. We intend to make sure that we are including links to collections of an artists works and if we find a great piece without any indication I'll try to hunt down the artist. I have succeeded more than on a few occasions at that.

The Image to the right is the first one reviewed: Elements IV by Frank Melech, hosted on fotocommunity.

We will not be posting any images stripped of identity... except maybe if we get a large enough audience as a wanted poster in case others might be able to identify the artist for us.

I hope that if you have an interest in this sort of art -- or perhaps are curious -- that you will stop by Blended Realms.

Later!
~ Darrell

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