When I was looking for a dog, I saw an ad on Kijiji for what ended up becoming our Winnie. She was advertised as being a black lab mixed with a golden retriever and I just took it as that without questioning. It was very obvious that she was indeed a black lab based on her overall shape, color, tail, and so on. As for the golden, well, I just figured that must account for he shaggy ears and the furry back.

Yesterday I was looking at a few videos on YouTube about agility (something I’d love to try out eventually!) and I suddenly realized I do not have a golden retriever mix. I looked at another video and then some pictures and I had a hunch. I Googled a specific mix of dogs and discovered that I had accidentally gotten the type of dog that I had originally been searching for – I actually have a Border Collie mix.

A friend of mine had suggested this summer that I seek out that type of dog because she felt that it would be ideal for me and for my family – not a pure Border Collie mind you. That would be way too much dog for me because I wouldn’t be able to give it the exercise it would need. A mix though, yes.

I had found two that I fell for while perusing Petfinder but there was no point in adopting a dog when I knew we were going to be leaving for three weeks on vacation in Halifax. It would be cruel at worst, and confusing at best to get a dog and then toss it into a kennel for three weeks. How would she know who her “people” were or where her home was? It was illogical.

In the end, both the dogs were gone by the time I had a chance to look more seriously. I was disappointed but figured I’d find the right dog if I was patient. I am so happy with the dog that I got. Winnie’s big flaw is her resistance to polite leash walking and somewhat related, her reactivity to other dogs (she’s not aggressive, she just REALLY wants to go see other dogs when we’re out, even if that means choking herself and nearly dragging me across the street). Other than that she’s been quick to learn, a ton of fun, a great companion for the kids, and my constant shadow.

I loved her anyway, even when I thought she was a lab and golden mix. Finding out that she’s actually a mix that I specifically wanted only makes it better. It definitely explains a lot. In hindsight (and it’s so obvious I feel very “duhhhh” about it), there’s no logical reason for a black lab and a golden retriever to have a white crest on her chest. That’s a classic Border Collie marking. Here’s Winnie:

And here’s a dog I found when searching for lab/BC mixes:

Other than the white paws on the other dog, there’s an undeniable similarity. I need to get a better picture of Winnie sitting straight up to show off her white chest.

It also explains the way she runs when she’s chasing the kids around. She doesn’t nip, but she definitely herds. And it explains her ability to quickly pick up on cues and tricks.

It really doesn’t matter in the end, she could have been mixed with a pug or a Doberman and I wouldn’t have cared as long as she was a good fit with our family, but finding out you ended up with your original ideal is like finding a surprise gift a month after Christmas is over.