There’s a new kid on the block — The Australian Cobberdog

Another dog blog by Juno. Juno is a popular dog blogger who lives with his Mawpaw and Pawpaw in Summerland in the Interior of Canada’s westernmost province, British Columbia.

I should feel threatened, but I don’t. There’s a new dog breed on the block, not another Labradoodle, but supposedly something better, an Australian Cobberdog. Some dogs resent knock-off breeds, you know, the “next generation” who supposedly will provide everything the present breed cannot, or will not, provide to their owners. It’s like software development: Most features users request from Microsoft or Apple are already available in their current bundle; you just have to search for the features a little harder. With dogs, well its training, for both owner and animal that brings out the desired features.

So imagine my delight when I received a note from friends now living  in Australia (who will shortly return home to Summerland in a few months’ time), an announcement about a new breed of dog, a “successor” to the Labradoodle (that’s me), the Australian Cobberdog.

“The main objective of the Australian Cobberdog is for the dog to have an even temperament and be nice, friendly, enthusiastic and empathetic. The ideal dog for families and to work as a therapy or assistance dog.”

Well, here we go again; “nice, friendly, enthusiastic and empathetic.” Guess what friends — I am all of these things, and more. Nevertheless, it is claimed that:

“The Australian Cobberdog is a balanced and very intelligent dog. It loves to learn new tricks and follow orders and is always eager to please. One of the characteristics that best defines it is its tendency to try and catch the eye of a person, as if trying to read what is expected of it. The Australian Cobberdog is sensitive and has great capacity to perceive moods or understand who needs to be cared for the most, whether it be a small child, an elderly individual, or someone who is physically challenged. This is due to its respectful and unimposing nature, especially beneficial for therapies addressing people who have difficulties interacting.”

I am struck by the “assistance dog” aspect of this new breed. I did train with Mawpaw as an assistance dog but things didn’t work out all that well. Despite other factors, the role may not have been ideal for me personally. Also interesting is that with Labradoodles, including Australian Labradoodles (neither breed is recognized here in Canada) there have been challenges to the integrity and purity of the breed in Australia and elsewhere, hence the interest in a new and genetically distinct breed.

“Of the first breeders who worked on developing the Labradoodle breed, we have Mellodie Wooley. Along with her mother, Beverley Manners, she set out to develop and consolidate the breed going further than a simple cross between a Labrador and Poodle. However, upon witnessing the popularity and consequential overexploitation of the term Labradoodle and how it was losing its original meaning, they reframed the concept of the breed. They decided to rid themselves of all the negative connotation that had been unjustifiably acquired by the Labradoodle, and created a new nomenclature for the breed that would disassociate it from unscrupulous breeders. The name for this genetically different line of dogs, bred under a breeding programme in accordance with its objective as a therapy and assistance dog, was Australian Cobberdog.”

So if this new breed solves all the genetic, functional, and existential problems surrounding Labradoodles, I must say that some age-old problems do continue. This new breed offers no solutions to barking from the car or at the front door when strangers enter our house. There is no response to stubbornness or our obsession with chasing birds and small ground loving animals.  Some of my own positive (pawsitive?) features receive no comment or endorsement whatsoever For instance, I am a fabulous eater; I am cuddly, vey cuddly; I rise slowly and sleep long and often; I have wonderfully sweet button eyes; and I love to play, with anyone, anytime.

What more could you ask for. No need for a new model here!

Thanks again Shirley and Art for bringing news of this new breed to us. Perhaps you could bring one back with you when you return this summer.

Woof.

DISCLAIMER
[Ken Gray, Pawpaw] We at takenote.ca produce, almost daily, blogs on a wide variety of topics. Some are humorous and light-hearted; others document local initiatives and events; some celebrate national and international personalities, and others—a majority these days—are sullen, often dark expositions of the despicable acts of the followers of Donald Trump including a clear majority of Republican politicians. I suspect that many followers and subscribers are puzzled at the variety of subjects we present here. Rest assured; coverage and response to the horrors of evil will return tomorrow. For today however, Juno has provided a necessary break. Thanks as always Juno. For more Juno blogs go here.