When a big screen movie or television commercial featuring a specific breed becomes wildly popular, it can make fanciers brace themselves for a surge of irresponsible breeders and a crop of new rescue dogs. That said, it doesn’t always happen (commercials featuring a Puli didn’t cause a rush on Puli puppies), nor is it always a movie that
The Hasbro Sweetie Pup – Afghan Hound
brings attention to a breed. In 1979, Barbie, the iconic doll responsible for over 80% of Mattel’s profits, acquired “Beauty,” an Afghan Hound, and suddenly, every little girl knew what an Afghan Hound was (Barbie, however, may have been a “collector,” owning as she did twenty-one dogs of various breeds).
Between 1989 and 1991, Hasbro introduced “Sweetie Pups,” a series of plastic toy dogs covered in long, brush-able hair that came in a variety of breeds including the Cocker Spaniel, Toy Poodle, Westie, Pekingese, Skye Terrier, Schnauzer, Bearded Collie, Maltese, Shih Tzu, Bichon Frise, Yorkshire Terrier, Lhasa Apso, Bichon Frise, Springer Spaniel, Pomeranian, Collie, Saint Bernard, Samoyed, Collie, Old English Sheepdog, and, the “dog” that lived in our house, an Afghan Hound named “Magic,” by its young owner. “Magic,” like the other dogs, came with rosette ribbon-shaped hair clip, and a comb or brush.
Did you have a dog toy growing up, and what was it?
And down the rabbit hole I go with an online search trying to find the pull along hound with the floppy ears that a friend had that I wanted. Yes, I had my own dogs to walk, but that hound….
We still have the stuffed dog we grew up with, the one that absorbed tears, secrets and joys. It was a terrier…..
Mine was a beautiful white poodle my Dad bought onboard a ship when we emigrated as a family from the UK to Australia in 1959. Both my mother and I were cabin bound for most of the journey because of seasickness. The poodle had an ornate black and gold matching collar and lead, and you wound its tail and it played “Let me call you sweetheart”. I still have it, it endured many moves and address changes. It’s not so white anymore, and it’s head is at a funny angle, but it still plays music.
A lovely memory (well, the seasickness, not so much), Jane, and we loved reading about it. Some may be unfamiliar with the song written in 1910, but it was sung in an episode of the wildly popular, Downton Abbey, which you can see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JAuLQFWhi0