[Dailydrool] Knowing breeds/lost dogs

[Elizabeth Lindsey]

> Most people know what a Basset looks like altho a lot of people, as  
> we all
> have noted, mix up Beagles and Bassets.

In my neighborhood, our Elsinore is often confused for a dachshund.  
"Look, it's a wiener dog!" they'll say with an air of smug authority.  
After all, she's not only long and low, like a dachshund, but she's  
also black and tan (albeit with a white face now). I usually don't  
correct them. After all, Elsinore doesn't care, and there are  
certainly worse things in life to be called than "dachshund."

On the topic of knowing dog breeds, I too like to pore over dog breed  
books. Later on I'll use the information at times when I  need to  
mentally distract myself, usually during unpleasant medical  
procedures or tedious monologues delivered by family I should be  
polite to. My memory game involves going through the alphabet by  
naming all the dog breeds I can remember that start with the letter A  
(akita, afghan, etc.). Then I move on to B, C, and so on. When I  
really need the distraction, I'll try to do the breeds in  
alphabetical order within each letter. I've found this game is often  
more distracting than reciting poetry, and sometimes it's as good as  
counting sheep (only I'm counting an animal I feel far more fondly  
toward than sheep).

Elizabeth