Ray was listed at our Humane Society as a German Shepherd/Lab Retriever X. He clearly had a German Shepherd component and, given his head, ears and body line, a Lab Retriever could be seen as a logical addition for the end result.
After Ray had moved in with us, and the work started, Carol wanted to research his mix in more detail. The logic was quite simple. If we knew what breeds were involved, we would have a better chance of understanding him and anticipating certain potential traits.
The first revelation was that his “non-German Shepherd” head, ears and face, were closer to an Anatolian Shepherd than a Lab Retriever!
Above pic courtesy of cuteness.com
Researching the Anatolian Shepherd further was giving cause for concern because, not only can they grow to 140-150lbs, but they were also bred to chase off large wild cats such as Cheetahs.
Above pic courtesy pinterest.com
Many an evening was spent just looking at our sleeping Ray, and wondering just what on earth we had adopted!
Later, as many of you know, we had an opportunity to have his DNA tested, which would take all the guesswork out of the issue. You can probably imagine our sigh of relief when his results showed his primary breed as German Shepherd, with his secondary breed Rottweiler!
In hindsight, what Anatolian Shepherd would know what to do with a Starbucks cup? We were getting concerned over nothing really!
Lucky, lucky Ray! Wonderful account of what you both did for him!
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A Starbucks connoisseur…he’s truly a product of his environment, LOL.
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He is but, as I noted in an earlier comment, he prefers Tim Hortons! 🙂
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Oh yes, I had forgotten, since I had never heard of them before. 🙂
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Well, who wouldn’t prefer Timmy’s?
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Enjoyed this post. I enjoy y’all and Ray!
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Ray looks like he’s channeling….”This one’s MINE! Get your own.”
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That would be my interpretation of his body language also. 🙂
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When I first started to follow your blog Colin I always thought Ray was a shepherd x rottie. Hugs and treats as normal please.
Zack is believed to be a lab x shepherd, but comparing the two in photos, I think he’s a rottie x too.
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If Ray is typical, then it’s a great mix! Hugs and treats duly passed on! He really enjoys his treats, and I really enjoy his hugs! 🙂
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I think he’s wonderful.
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Yup! He has that power over people, including us 🙂
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Wow on the Anatolian Shepherds chasing wildcats! That is one breed i had never heard of. I can imagine that you were relieved that Ray wasn’t going to get quite that large!
Oh how many times do we get concerned over things that we don’t really need to be concerned about! I know how to do that pretty well!
I am pretty sure Ray is claiming that Starbucks coffee for himself, I think you will have to get your own. He doesn’t look like he is planning on sharing. 🙂
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He prefers Tim Hortons ……… because, while he cannot have coffee, he often gets a TimBit (Old Fashioned Plain). In fact, when we order a single old fashioned plain TimBit at our local Tims, they will sometimes ask “Is this for a dog?” A “yes” answer often results in no-charge! 🙂
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Well that sounds like a win-win situation. Ray gets his special treat and you don’t have to pay for it. Very nice of them. 🙂
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I still think though that Ray should try to work out a deal with Starbucks. I believe that would make a great advertising picture for them! 🙂
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Now that’s a dog of style and sophistication (We will just ignore the chewing of paws)
No matter the DNA, pretty is as pretty does – and he’s pretty cool
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An Anatolian Shepherd used to come to our dog class and while big, was not as massive as your photos. She was quite well behaved, but rather dominant and wanted to herd things!
As to Ray’s genes, I have always thought him Rottweiler crossed with GSD. Rotties are great dogs if raised properly, so you have a good mix in Ray. 🙂
But mostly he is just himself – very lovable. 😀
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Your last statement said it all. 🙂
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Ray is one handsome boy, no matter his breeds! And clearly he’s a Starbucks fan. That’s a great photo!
🔹 Ginger 🔹
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His time as a stray dictated all kinds of survival skills … like how to remove a lid from a coffee cup! We watched him do it and was really impressed! 🙂
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What an interesting mix. Love the coffee shot! My kind of pup lol
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