What kind of a dog is that?

I have a nine year old Siberian Husky. I've had her since she was about four weeks old and she is great. The only problem is that she gets so much attention when I am out and about walking her in public. I've sure a lot of people get that with their dogs. I know my dog is no more or less special than anyone else's dog. But I just don't know how people are always up for a dog chat with anyone, anytime, anywhere.

 

Today my friend Jeremy was here and we decided to take the dog for a walk since he is visiting from out of town where the Pacific Ocean is not really a common sight. We walked with my dog to the pier and encountered a few interesting dog lovers along the way. First one was this man on the pier. We walked towards his direction and I could tell that he was staring at my dog Rudy. I was just going on with Jeremy about something else as we walk by and the onlooker blurts out the following. "A Husky!" he said. "Yep." I quickly responded. He said again, "I've got two of them!" Okay, I am happy for him. What does he expect me to respond to that. I muttered under my breath in Jeremy's direction, "Congratulations...?" I am sure he felt some kind of camaraderie with me since our dogs happen to be of the same breed. But sometimes I just don't feel like striking up a conversation about dogs with a stranger.

 

We walked to the end of the pier and hung out for a bit to enjoy the nice summer day and turned around to start heading back. Not too far back down the pier a woman in a walking suit turns and smiles as she walked past us and said excitedly, "Is that an Akita!?!?!?" Even though I was in the middle of a sentence with Jeremy but I politely replied to her, "No, she's actually a Siberian husky." "REALLY!?!?" she exclaimed. Again I felt like she wanted to get into another dog conversation but we just kept walking. I've had plenty of these conversations in the past and I know how they all go. People want to know how to tell them apart and how great they think the breed is thinks Huskies are also great. Again, I just can't get into it. I told Jeremy, "I should have said 'Yes' to her." She would have been content and I wouldn't have to feel bad for walking away.

 

Not far down the pier from the last lady, an older man walked toward us from a distance and I could tell he was looking at Rudy and had something to share with me. He looked to be maybe in his 70's or 80's and had a ginormous grin as he approached. As he got near, he blurted out this phrase in his some what raspy and mildly quivering old man voice.

 

"Is that a half Border Collie and half Elk Hound mix!?!?"

 

I thought at first, 'WTF?'. But without hesitation, I responded, "Yes she is." He was ever so excited to hear that. "REALLY!?" We kept walking. I didn't have it in me to tell him the truth. I also didn't have it in me to rap to him about Siberian Huskies and how they are a Nordic breed and loves the cold weather. The conversation always somehow end up on the topic of whether or not I shave her for the summer and I will have to explain how her coat insulates her to keep her cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Also, what the hell is an Elk Hound? How can this man know what an Elk Hound is but not know what a husky looks like. I am sure he was wondering when he saw her at a distance and began wondering about her breed long before he asked the question. How excited he must have been to think that his wild stab in the dark was right on the money. I bet he went home to his wife that afternoon and gloated to her about his still impeccable ability to read dog breeds.

 

I love my dog. I also love all dogs in general and I am glad that there are so many dog lovers in the world who take care of them. But I am not always in the mood to strike up a dog conversation. I just want to get this out there so if I run into your on the street and I don't stop to BS with you about the difference between a malamute and a husky, don't be too offended. In the meantime, I need to look up and see what the hell an Elk Hound is......