Since we adopted Nani from the Gainesville Pet Rescue, we have no information about her history or even her breed. In fact, the vet expected her to be at least 20 pounds at maturity. Needless to say, that's not happening since she's turning 2 this month and has been a stable 11 pounds for some time now!
Anyway, last Saturday, Adam and I were browsing books at Barnes & Noble when we came across a Dog Encyclopedia. We looked up the dogs people have suggested she might be...Pekingese, Australian Shephard, Papillon...no, no, no...those don't seem right...I flipped a couple of pages back, and there she was! Nani was practically staring back at me from the page! This is the image straight out of the encyclopedia:
And here's a photo of Nani taken in January 2008:
Are you convinced?! This photo of Nani was taken just after a bath so her hair is a little bit spikier than normal...and the random dog above doesn't look like he's had a haircut in a long time! I give Nani a trim at least every month. But let's compare. Both dogs have:
- fluffy, soft fur
- the exact same tail shape!
- extremely similar stance and foot position
- similarly shaped snouts
- tricolor
- a princess attitude (ok, that was a silly one, but they both look like they have an attitude, don't they???)
What is this amazing breed? Damchi! According to Wikipedia and the dog encyclopedia, these dogs originated in Bhutan and are 13-17 inches tall. While both sites claim these dogs might also be found in Germany, they are unsure if the breed exists elsewhere. Now we have proof! The Damchi has somehow crossed the ocean and entered our lives!
Is she really a Damchi? Who knows...we may never know...but I like it!
6 comments:
Wow! I'd say you definitely found out Nani's breed! That's so odd though. How did this rare breed cross the ocean and find its way into the Gainesville Pet Rescue?! Even the vet had no idea! Very cool.
Melanie, I am convinced Nani is a Damchi. The dogs look a lot a like.
Loved the pictures of Nani watching Marley & Me. She is a very smart dog. You adopted a gem.
Love, grandma
Wow, I had a rescue dog called Kelly who looks just like your Nani only with less tan and she has a heart shape on her side in black. I always thought she was a Tibetan Spaniel, which is similar to a Damchi, but I guess not.
Whoever wrote the short article on your 'damchi' link is mistaken about the dog "Khomyto". His name does not mean "my little baby", rather, "little Khamba". Kham- being the village from which he was presented as a gift to the third King, and Tu- meaning little; Kham-tu. The older generation of most families in Bhutan still tell many stories of Khamtu, his loyalty, and the love his master had for him. By the by, Nani looks adorable. She seems like a rare breed of damchi, or maybe a mix with dominant damchi genes.
id say, definately not a damchi
a tibetan spaniel, definately not a damchi
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