To get you in the mood for this post, take a listen to the song in the video below:
The singer in this video, Alannah Myles, won the 1991 Grammy for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance for this song, but our use of it here is simply to get you in the mood for velvet.
We would bet the ranch that every dog on the planet has at least one spot on their body that is as soft as velvet, but very few purebred dogs have the word “velvet” actually written into in their breed standard. How many breeds, do you suppose, and which ones?
There are actually quite a few!
The Basset Hound’s AKC standard reads, “The ears are extremely long, low set, and when drawn forward, fold well over the end of the nose. They are velvety in texture, hanging in loose folds with the ends curling slightly inward.”
From the AKC’s standard for the Bichon Frise: Coat: The combination of the two gives a soft but substantial feel to the touch which is similar to plush or velvet and when patted springs back.”
The Keeshond’s AKC standard reads, “Head, including muzzle, skull and ears, should be covered with smooth, soft, short hair-velvety in texture on the ears.”
And then there’s this: “Ears…Thin and velvety in texture, covered with fine hair forming a small silky tassel at the tip.” This is from the Bedlington Terrier’s AKC standard.
And then there’s the Norfolk Terrier: Ears neatly dropped, small, with a break at the skull line, carried close to the cheek and not falling lower than the outer corner of the eye. V-shaped, slightly rounded at the tip, smooth and velvety to the touch.”
Another terrier, the “Diehard,” or Scottish Terrier, has a standard that calls for ears that “should be covered with short velvety hair.” Not to be outdone, the West Highland White Terrier’s ears are, “trimmed short and is smooth and velvety, free of fringe at the tips.”
Perhaps the most true to the song we shared at the beginning is the Pug. It’s ears are “thin, small, soft, like black velvet.”
To be technically correct, we should mention that the Beagle’s AKC standard also mentions the word, “velvet,” but in regards to show livery: “Black velvet cap, white stock, green coat, white breeches or knickerbockers, green or black stockings, white spats, black or dark brown shoes.”