Meet Danny
Danny the Active Dog
Danny is beautiful (to put it mildly). Danny is quirky (to put it kindly). Danny is a shelter dog Kristen adopted in September 2009.
Danny is, according to the paperwork at the Oregon Humane Society where Kristen found him, a Kelpie mix. He’s 46 pounds, with giant ears and a small waist. He’s tall enough for Kristen to scratch his head without bending over much, but butt scratches require more involvement.
What is a Kelpie? I didn’t know either, until we thought about adopting him. The breed isn’t recognized by the American Kennel Club, so information is hard to get in the U.S. It’s an Australian herding breed, so using Google.au turned up some information. Rumor has it that around the turn of the last century, crazy ranchers started breeding their working dogs with dingos, and Danny looks the part.
What’s the mix? That is anyone’s guess, and everyone does. Popular guesses include dingo, German shepherd, shiba inu, Rhodesian ridgeback, Native American dog, and basenji. Maybe some of these are in there, and maybe none. But he barks and whines like every Kelpie mix I’ve ever met.
What’s his energy level? Nearly unstoppable, and he’d probably run himself to the point of medical exhaustion if I let him. He is by far the fastest dog at the dog park — which isn’t as cool as it sounds — though I haven’t seen him take on any greyhounds. He’s got endurance and speed settings, so he’s up for anything. I take him for two long, one-hour walks a day, or one long walk and one half-hour run. He gets outdoor time in the fenced backyard around lunch. Sometimes I leave him to his own adventures, and sometimes we play fetch with one or two balls. In between, he sleeps and eats.
Gram said
Interesting – I had heard of Kelpies – but didn’t realize they were a mix until you got your dog. His energy will keep both of you in good physical condition. I will pass on getting a dog, and keep going to Curves.
Kristin--the one with two i's said
Hey, Gram, my eighty-somethingsomething grandpa has a giant (of course) Old English sheepdog–where’s your sense of adventure? (I say this with a smile–I’m fifty years younger and my two cats wear me out.)
Kas said
Boy is he cute. I’m sure he’d have a blast with our Diesel and Kylie
khg said
I’m sure he would – they look like a lot of fun. Maybe the three of them could finally wear each other out? That’s probably asking too much.