Woman rescues dog about to be put down and then realises it's 'holy grail' breed
A dog lover shared a dog that she called a 'holy grail' breed from the shelter when he was due to be euthanised that day, and people praised the unusual and rare breed
Dogs are our best friends and we'd do anything to protect them. We invite them into our homes and make them the kings or queens of our lives. And that's exactly what one dog owner, @darth889 on TikTok, did when they decided to rescue a dog that was "due to be euthanised" later that day.
But they didn't just rescue any old dog. They adopted "the holy grail" breed, in their opinion, which is a "basset hound and pit bull mix". They referred to their dog, named Darth, as "such a lovely boy".
Basset Hound and pit bull mixes – sometimes called Basset Bulls or Pit Bassets – are relatively rare compared to more common designer mixes like Labradoodles or Puggles.
The pooches have very different body types, temperaments, and purposes, so breeders don’t often intentionally cross them.
There also isn't widespread demand for this mix, so you’ll find far fewer of them in shelters or through breeders. However, as this case shows, they can be totally adorable.
Even though the adopters gushed about their new pet, there are some that have negative associations with pit bull breeds. And often, this is totally unwarranted.
The Humane Society has debunked some common myths about pit bull dogs. First off, they shared that pit bull is an umbrella term for various breeds, including American pit bull terrier, American bully, and Staffordshire bull terrier.
They also say that pit bulls are not inherently aggressive dogs, sharing that the American Temperament Test Society found that pit bull-type dogs generally scored higher on the temperament test compared to other dogs.
The Humane Society also shared that pit bulls can be friendly, but of course, it depends on many lifestyle factors. They're also not more likely to bite than other dogs, nor do they have locking jaws. They, of course, can also be trained, which some claim they cannot.
These misconceptions may have been part of the reason that the shelter was choosing to euthanise Darth, despite the fact he's absolutely adorable.
According to Purina UK, the Bassett Hound breed, which Darth is mixed with, is lovely. They write: "Despite looking morose and serious, the Basset Hound dog breed is sociable, calm, polite and quietly playful.
"Affectionate with people they know and reserved with others, they love children and get on well with other dogs and with some training, other animals in the home.
"They are very companionable dogs who hate to be left alone and so always need some company - whether human or canine."
The two breeds that Darth is mixed with made an adorably handsome dog – and in the comments, people couldn't get enough of how utterly cute he is.
"Oh my, I love a Bassett mix," someone gushed, posting a picture of their pooch, which looked very similar to Darth.
Another joked that he looked like "Scrappy Doo" and that he was "perfect".
Meanwhile, a third lover of Basset Hounds and pit bull mixes wrote: "Mine is also a Basset Hound pit bull mix! And we also saved him a week before he was set to be euthanised".
In the UK, American Pit Bull Terriers are a banned type of dog under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991. Other banned breeds include Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, and most recently, the XL Bully.