bully whippet
n.— «When mutant, muscle-bound puppies started showing up in litters of champion racing whippets, the breeders of the normally sleek dogs invited scientists to take DNA samples at race meets here and across the country. They hoped to find a genetic cause for the condition and a way to purge it from the breed. It worked. “Bully whippets,” as the heavyset dogs are known, turn out to have a genetic mutation that enhances muscle development. And breeders may not want to eliminate the “bully” gene after all.» —“As Breeders Test DNA, Dogs Become Guinea Pigs” by Amy Harmon in Fort Mott State Park, New Jersey New York Times June 12, 2007. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
A mixed-breed dog is sometimes called a bitsa, as in it’s made from “bits of this and bits of that.” This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “A “Bitsa” Dog is Bits of This and Bits of That of that”” You know, we were talking...
Critters, co-workers, and clothes: What do you call your favorite mixed-breed dog? There are Heinz 57 mutts and Texas brown dogs in the U.S., while in parts of the Caribbean they’re called potcakes and coconut retrievers. Plus, among firefighters...