Chihuachs? Mixed Dogs in the Vogue in Japan
Those of you dog fans ought to visit Japan this time to see what seems to be a grand parade of mixed dogs. Mixed dogs? Right, puppies with parents of two different breeds. Ever heard of Chihuachs? Chihuahua and dachshund put together, of course. What about Chihuapoo? You've guessed right - Chihuahua and toypoodle in one.
Likewise, Tokyo's petshops are flooded with eager customers looking for mixed dogs. Needless to say, orthodox breeds are just as popular, but it is obvious that dog fans in this country are definitely being "mixed up".
A leading pet insurance dealer, Anicom, Tokyo, says of the 87,407 dogs insured last year 7,376 were mixed dogs under 10 kg in weight, just about twice the number insured the previous year (3,286). Mixed dogs now rank third after Toy-poodle and Chihuahua.
Yumi Mizutani of Nagoya's Guide Dog Association accounts for the rise in population of mixed dogs lately in her own way: "Visually impaired people are often allergic to dog hair, and in Australia a new mixed dog was bled between a Labrador and a Poodle known for less hair loss - called Labradoodle. " She is saying mixed dogs are not necessarily for fun. Hidehisa Tumagari of the Veterinarian Hospital, Nihon University, objects to bleeding mixed dogs without firm conviction to conserve the canine species at large. A PR staff of the Japan Kennel Club goes further to say that mixed dogs are not a bleed but a commercial product. A dog-marketer confides: "I felt kind of bad at first selling mixed ones, 'cause one finds them plenty at volunteer groups' showrooms. Lots of people perhaps feel deep inside this isn't somehow right. But then, we can't resist the consumers' wishes".
That said, mixed dogs are in the vogue all the same. Mixed dogs are simply adorable; they are bled to draw the attention of fashion-conscious young women. So, until something else takes their place, mixed dogs will go selling like pancakes.
