Perhaps it's just too cute for this world

[kaitou]

I'm trying to find a toy poodle for my Japanese boss's family. My luck is starting to pick up, but the constant looking at websites full of dogs and puppies has led me to the following question...

Why are there no toy/miniature golden retrievers?

It seems like the pinnacle of dog breeding to me. It's a well known scientific fact that golden retriever puppies are among the cutest things on the face of the planet. It amazes me that we have made dogs like the chinese crested dog (I think was the name), which is almost totally bald except for a tuft of kramerlike hair, and wolfhounds the size of elephants....but there is no tiny golden retriever.

Comments

[eramundo.livejournal.com]

I remember a few months ago there was some buzz about breeding permanently "kitten sized" cats and their was apropriate rage over whether it was humane etc.... but you're right, even a 25lb retriever would be adorable. Sorta like a corgie, but happier, and more fluffy...

[kaitou1412.livejournal.com]

Yes because you're likely to see wild scottish folds frolicking in the wild. They have miniature huskies now! I demand retrievers.

[ysabet.livejournal.com]

That would be almost cuter than a baby ferret. Minature black labs and Irish Setters'd be marvelous too.

[kaitou1412.livejournal.com]

They really would, wouldn't they?

[ysabet.livejournal.com]

Yeah! Think of a bouncing, enthusiastic Black LabraDork the size of a Yorkshire Terrier. A Pocket!Dork! **dies**

[kaitou1412.livejournal.com]

I am filled with want

[twigcollins.livejournal.com]

If we ever get invaded by aliens, they're going to look like golden retreiver puppies.

I couldn't fight them, that's for sure.

[kaitou1412.livejournal.com]

especially if they were howling like that one vid. I could watch it on loop forever.

[m-steelgrave.livejournal.com]

Good question. The closest things I can think of to a miniature retriever would be either a corgi or a spaniel, though neither have that big grin temperament.

[kaitou1412.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the shape isn't quite the same

[soranokumo.livejournal.com]

Actually, wolfhounds wound up getting bred to be smaller, after the whole "save them from extinction" thing. Now they're kept to the size of elephants, but can you imagine them even taller? d00d. There would be absolutely no saving the Thanksgiving turkey from Gandalf EVER.

That said, other than Gandalf and my own kitteh, my favorite family pet was our Golden retriever who lived with us back in Texas, and with those fond memories of getting bowled over and licked/tickled in mind, I have to say... you have a very good point! They would be adorable.

Maybe that's why it hasn't happened yet? For one thing, it makes too much sense, and for another thing, it's like miniature pandas. If anyone ever breeds tiny golden retrievers, it would be the end of the world.

[kaitou1412.livejournal.com]

Yes, but you know what I mean, it's not like there are wolfhounds or chihuauha's found in nature completely without our help to get that way. (I always love your gandalf pics btw)

Panda's are probably tricky because no one can get them to have sex in the first place.

[ysabet.livejournal.com]

...and now, thinking about this, I want a giant hampster. One the size of an airdale, only with no biting tendencies. And maybe a 2-yard-long ferret, too, if somebody'll figure out a way to make them use a litterbox properly.

[mewsrissicat.livejournal.com]

A giant hamster? Oh man, I can just see the domestic woes....

"Hon? Have you seen my purse?"

"No, I haven't, where did you last... oh wait... the hamster has a suspicious bulge again. Either that's where your purse has gone, or it's nabbed the poodle. Again."

[ysabet.livejournal.com]

Oh...man; I didn't think of THAT. My ferrets *already* get into my bag and steal my mp3 player on a regular basis; shit, that'd be endlessly worse!

[ouri.livejournal.com]

I think the the closest thing to a giant hamster right now is the capybara.

[kaitou1412.livejournal.com]

From wiki: "Though now extinct, there once existed larger capybaras that were eight times the size of modern capybaras (these rodents would have been larger than a grizzly bear).[13][14] "

Sounds like another contender for Cracked's 'Formerly Kickass Creatures Ruined by Evolution' http://www.cracked.com/article_16117_6-formerly-kickass-creatures-ruined-by-evolution.html

[flidgetjerome.livejournal.com]

Bah. Also humbug.

As you well know I only find things cute when the start approaching sizes that can destroy Tokyo.

[kaitou1412.livejournal.com]

Well, I'm not a huge retriever person myself. But still, it begs the question.