Sparky is a mixed breed, or a mutt. That means his parents were not the same breed. In the story, Sparky’s father is a Border Collie and his mother is a Bernese Mountain Dog. These two breeds are very different from each other. But they came together to make Sparky a special dog.
Sparky is smart and likes to work hard. Those are qualities of a Border Collie. These dogs get their name because they originally came from the border of Scotland and England. All Border Collies are descended from one dog named Old Hemp, who was born in 1893. Old Hemp herded sheep. Unlike other herding dogs, he was gentle but he could still show those sheep who was boss!
Border collies are very smart dogs. If they cannot keep busy with work or play, they get bored. And a bored Border Collie can get into a lot of trouble! Some Border Collies on farms still herd sheep. But most people don’t have sheep for their dogs to herd. That’s why many Border Collies take part in games called agility (uh-jil-uh-tee) trials. These are tests that let a dog run, jump, and race around obstacles. Border collies also like to play with toys and go on long walks and runs.
What about Sparky’s other half, the Bernese Mountain Dog? These dogs are big and beautiful. They originally come from Switzerland, and some experts think the breed might be more than 2,000 years old. Because these dogs are so big and strong, they were once used to pull carts. A Bernese Mountain Dog can pull up to 1,000 pounds. They also make great herding dogs and guard dogs. They are great pets, too, if you have the space.