Muscular Dog or What !!!

[Jumbo Ratty]

I like certain dogs, most bull breeds, all powerfull looking dogs, but this is just mad :eek: What do you guy's think?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/10998060@N00/727663041/

[Crazy-Cat-Lover]

Big Wendy the Muscular Whippet

http://a123.g.akamai.net/f/123/12465/1d/media.canada.com/idl/vitc/20070625/2192-640.jpg
Rare genetic mutation increases muscles, weight of sleek breed

Kim Westad, Times Colonist
Published: Monday, June 25, 2007

People mistake her for a pitbull with a pinhead, but Wendy the whippet is one rare breed. So rare that the Central Saanich dog recently graced the New York Times. She also had several of her photos shown on The Today Show, all because of a rare genetic mutation that has led to her being the Incredible Hulk of dogs. Wendy is a 27-kilogram rippling mass of muscle. Forget the so-called six-pack stomach: Wendy has a 24-pack. And the muscles around her neck are so thick, they look like a lion's ruff.

"People have referred to her as Arnold Schwarzenegger," says doting owner Ingrid Hansen, stroking Wendy's sleek black coat and white chest.
Wendy was recently part of a genetics study done in the U.S. on mutation in the myostatin gene in whippets, which resemble greyhounds in appearance. The National Institute of Health study reported that whippets with one single defective copy of the gene have increased muscle mass that can enhance racing performance in the breed, known for speeds up to 60 kilometres an hour.

But whippets with two mutated copies of the gene become "double-muscled," like Wendy. It has been seen before in one human, and also in mice, cattle and sheep, says the study.

The uber-muscled whippets are called "bullies," not because of their nature -- Wendy likes nothing better than a good back scratch and isn't shy about sitting in your lap to ask for one -- but because of their size. She's about twice the weight of an average whippet, but with the same height and small narrow head -- and the same size heart and lungs, which means she probably won't live as long as normal whippets.

Hansen has had Wendy, now four, since she bought the dog from a Shawnigan Lake breeder when she was eight months old.

Wendy landed in clover. She lives on an acreage, runs around with other dogs and horses, sleeps on Hansen's bed and pretty much anywhere else she wants to.

People are often afraid when the muscle-bound dog runs up to them on her dainty whippet-thin legs, but they soon realize she's friendly, Hansen said.

© Times Colonist (Victoria) 2007

[Pawsitive Thinking]

That is just so wrong :eek:

[finn's mom]

Poor dog. :( That is so sad that her life expectancy is shortened. Sounds like she is a happy dog, now, though, and that's really all that matters in the end. Quality, not quantity.

[lizbud]

That poor dog. :( It looks freakish to me.

[Almita]

awe poor dog! that is just so sad... :(

[tikeyas_mom]

To me this seems to be a hox.... I just dont get how a dog can get THAT much muscle...

[Crazy-Cat-Lover]

Here is another one... :eek:

http://alt.coxnewsweb.com/cnishared/tools/shared/mediahub/07/30/42/slide_142307_REPORTAJES-HARMON-DOGS-01_.jpg

[3muttsandaboston]

Its not a hoax. It's a genetic abnormality which causes double the muscle. They suffer from painful agonizing muscle cramps their entire lives and are usually put to sleep by the breeders as puppies.

[binka_nugget]

I found some more pictures of other Bully Whippets.. thought I'd share :)

http://www.k9community.co.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=25995&st=0

[Danegirl2208]

To me this seems to be a hox.... I just dont get how a dog can get THAT much muscle...

Its no hoax..Heres a picture of a bull and mouse with myostatin deficiency aswell

http://fig.cox.miami.edu/~cmallery/150/neuro/belgian.blue.jpg

http://fig.cox.miami.edu/~cmallery/150/neuro/belgium.blue3.gif

[jennielynn1970]

Aawe.... those poor things. I was wondering if they'd have pain from all that, or be stiff when walking. And they get a shortened life span yet. How unfair. Genetics can do the strangest things.

[Hellow]

:eek:

[luvofallhorses]

are you sure this is real? poor dogs. :(

[Giselle]

It's real. It's a genetic abnormality that occurs in many many mammalian species as was shown in a previous post. I saw this a while ago. I wondered when somebody on this board would share :p I too am sad that she'll likely live a shorter life, but that's what you get when you start playing with genes and breeding.

[nancyweNW]

I don't know. I still wonder if someone's having fun with PhotoShop.

[Giselle]

Here's an NY Times article. They're pretty credible to me:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/12/science/12dog.html?ex=1184472000&en=62dc0046687a1359&ei=5070

[Twisterdog]

That's so sad. Poor dogs. :(

And you know what so pathetic about it? Someone, somewhere will get wind of this ... and start intentionally breeding them. They will give them a fancy name and sell them on the internet for a thousand dollars. And people will buy them ... the next designer trend, doncha know.

[CathyBogart]

Fascinating! It is sad, but it's really an interesting defect....She's a lovely dog, it's too bad her QOL isn't as good as it should be...

[mike001]

I find that so sad, I have to wonder if it really is genetic mutation or if someone might be testing the effects of steroids in some way???