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November 6, 2014

What in the Whorl?

When I see other dogs, I tend to look at the big picture items like size, shape and color. I know others do the same, and with my pups there happens to be an easy-to-spot “big picture” identifier – a ridge.  The ridge of hair, running in the opposite direction,
When I see other dogs, I tend to look at the big picture items like size, shape and color. I know others do the same, and with my pups there happens to be an easy-to-spot “big picture” identifier – a ridge. 6.1

The ridge of hair, running in the opposite direction, ends in two whorls at the top of Eko’s shoulders

But when I see Eko, that’s not the ridge I notice. Anyone can see that ridge, but you really have to look closely to see my favorite ridge,  the one on the bridge of his nose.

6.2

This little whorl is why I sometimes call Eko a Rhodesian Ridgenose

And the same goes for puppy Penny: 

6.3

Like Penny, her ridge is a bit off-kilter. Fitting, I think

In keeping with her bad-girl image, Penny has another whorl which I think makes her look like one tough chick. Check out Penny’s tribal neck tattoo:

6.4

Next thing you know she’ll be asking me to buy her a motorcycle

Since I have a pretty serious cowlick on my head, it seems only fitting Penny and Eko have an extra whorl. 

6.5

At a glance you wouldn’t notice either whorl, which I think it part of why I like them

No one knows your pet like you know your pet. And no one pays attention to the little things about your pet like you do. So I’ve always had a favorite whorl, spot or quirk on all my pets that others might not notice.

My secret is out! So what about you guys? What is a unique identifier for your pet that you love but others might not notice?

Comments for What in the Whorl?

  1. dashlilly says:

    Yes!! Dash has a sweet little white spot right in the center of his chest. Otherwise he is all red/brown color. It’s my favorite identifying mark on him — only noticed if I point it out to someone.

  2. scarlybobs says:

    Kasper has very spotted front legs but very few on his back legs, and Zoey has a splodge that looks kinda like a love heart (when she’s sitting in the right position) near her bottom! 😀

  3. Victoria says:

    Muffin is a landseer so she is black and white already but has 4 white paws, a white chest and the tip of her huge tail is white – i once accidentally said to her “is your whale tagging” and i meant is your tail wagging – so i call her tale a whale tag – its tip is white as snow and she wags it all of the time – you can never lose track of her because even in the dark you can see her “whale tag” – Rigs on the other hand has baby fine brindle hair and his belly is covered w/the finest baby hair and its all curly – i guess that is his whorl

  4. Eve says:

    Funny as Juley the hound has one on the behind going down into her tail that is a Zigzag like Harry Potter’s on his forehead. At time you don’t notice it and other it is very showy! Make me love her more for being different.

  5. Emmadog says:

    We each have our special things. Mom says it’s my eyelashes, Bailie has stripe on her ears and wears eye liner, Katie…tough with all that white fur???

  6. Ruby has a freckle on her left bottom eyelid that I adore. Boca has two little red spots on her otherwise white neck that I call her vampire bite.

    Ruby also has a whorl in the middle of her chest. Linda Tellington-Jones, a horse woman and animal behavior guru, believes the placement of whorls on a horse to affect personality…

  7. harrispen says:

    Walter has lots of little whorls on him.

  8. I love little “things” that give us all – human and animal – our uniqueness! Sam has bowed legs which I thought were adorable when he was little but which now cause him arthritic discomfort. But every inch of him is special to me…..including the freckles on his nose AND his extra thumbs!

    Pam

  9. Cody had a trail of white going up his nose, making it look like he was wearing a mask of black over his eyes. What was funny was that the trail was off center.

  10. Joan says:

    Sadie, my lab, looks like she has a harness on all the time. Her fur is lighter there.

  11. Lana says:

    Koda’s ridge is even more off than Penny’s, and it ends with a tiny “mohawk” towards the tail .. 🙂 It goes well with one nail on her front right paw that grows at 90 degrees and looks so funny and cute. As a puppy she had 14 dots on the white part of her chest that are all collided together by the time she was a year old. It is all very fitting to her vibrant and corky personality. Our boy has a whorl in the middle of his chest and unbelievably beautiful eyes with lashes to kill for. He gets a lot of treats with “the look”… Nobody can resist. 🙂 Thank you for sharing those little special things about your pups!

  12. Francesca says:

    My Pino (a Rhodesian mix) has 2 swirls on his butt cheeks. Sometimes I call him Dimple Butt! Another unique identifier is that his left eye is an incredible blue (here’s where the “mix” part comes in) and I call it his crazy blue eye! My Buddy (black shepherd mix) has the tiniest line of white on his chest and what appears to be a perfectly placed white goatee under his chin! It’s faint, but it’s there …. Love my boys …..

  13. Alkaline Sky says:

    Our Rhodie, Tsavo, has a beautiful multi-layered ridge that looks like an upside-down guitar. And, of course, the ridge face. But the most expressive thing on her entire body are her eyelids. She will tell you exactly how she’s feeling by shifting her eyes and those wrinkly, droopy eyelids.

    I write this with some tears in my eyes as she is on the decline. She is approaching 13 and is getting so slow and sore. I’ve never had a dog capture my imagination and my heart like this one. Thank you for sharing your Rhodie pics. They are incredible dogs.

  14. Sammie has a white spot on her chest, but that’s not my favorite one! She has this tiny little white spot on her left side behind her ear that you’d never notice unless you love on her a ton! Or I point it out (: I also love the way she saunters somewhere – faster than a walk but not quite a run, and it’s slightly sideways!

  15. pawedblog says:

    Aww thanks for sharing them with us! You’re right, I never would have noticed! I’m trying hard to think about my guys. A lot of people still say they can’t tell Myfie and Ellie apart and it always shocks me, since to me they are NOTHING alike!… well aside, from the fact that they are both Westies. Haha
    Hugs, Carrie & Pups x

  16. Noah has a funny paw with two tone claws that look like black and white humbugs!

  17. Laura McGrew says:

    Sir Radley of Rhodesia has this little scar on the front of his back left leg, barely noticeable, but it makes us a little sad as we don’t know the history behind it (and it reminds us how glad we are that we got to become his forever home). He also has one toenail that is half black/half white and I adore that. And last, his ridge is not a “show dog” ridge, because it has the one set of whorls at the shoulder blades, but right before the point at the end, a “bonus” set. Makes me smile. He is absolutely perfect in our eyes!

  18. Sage says:

    When Sage is dry (yes, it happens 🙂 ), she has a cute little fur flip at the base of her tail. And anyone who pets her comments on how soft her fur is–obviously the mud treatments help.

  19. raisingdaisy says:

    Daisy has one area of brown hair on her nose, all the rest of her is gray and white. It’s doubtful anyone else would notice it, but we love it. Also, the hair on one of her back paws fans out while the rest of them are just curly. Another unique feature we love!

  20. Nellie has a couple of small eye lumps. Glory has a white hairs on her belly and a birthmark on her belly. Gambler has a dented in left forehead.

  21. fredrieka says:

    momwithoutpaws has to take a picture I have a ridge like that

  22. Abbe has a cowlick that makes her hair flop over her left eye that is just adorable. Mazie has a wide stripe of hair down the middle of her back that is different than the rest that splits at her tail. Ralphie’s whiskers are two colors. Anne has these silly white eyebrows. Marty’s furs I get lost in all the time because they are just amazing. Plus each individual hair changes color down the shaft, they aren’t solid but 3 different colors when you look at them. 🙂

  23. We love those whirls. Chancy is mostly black but he has a white spot on his chest shaped like a holly leaf and a grey circle just about in the middle of it. Also he has a patch of white hair right under his tail that really stands out amidst all the black. I can’t help but smile every time I watch him run or walk in front of me and I can see that white spot. Makes me think of seeing someone with a hole in their pants and their underwear showing. lol It is really cute on Chancy though. Hugs and nose kisses

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