How Potcakes Received Their Name
A "potcake" is the Bahamian term for the thick, congealed
food that remains in the bottom of a pot of peas and rice after several reheatings. Traditionally, Bahamians feed potcake to the outdoor, indigenous
dogs that freely populate the Bahamas. Hence the dogs have come to be known as
Potcakes, with a capital P.
Although officially considered mixed breed dogs, Potcakes are recognized as a
breeded dog in The Bahamas. They have distinct characteristics that include
everything from size and coat to temperament and genetically-imprinted behavior
patterns. This is because, until very recently, all island dogs shared the same
isolated gene pool. If for no other reason – and there are many, many other
reasons as well – this makes the Potcake an extremely unique species of canine.
Some believe the original Potcakes came to the Bahamas with the Arawak Indians
from Central or South America. If so, Potcakes are as close to nature's perfect
genotype dog as possible. More recently, in the days of Tall Ships, The Bahamas
Islands played a major role in maritime commerce. Early terrier breeds, carried
aboard ship to keep provisions safe from rats and mice, probably ended up as
shore dogs in places such as Eleuthera, New Providence and Abaco. Add to this
genetic soup the distinctive (and still existent) North Carolina dog, who came
-- primarily to Abaco -- with Loyalist Tories who settled during the
Revolutionary War, and you have the basic ingredients of a modern-day Potcake.
As a general rule of thumb, Potcakes have smooth, short fur with
little or no undercoat, cocked ears, a hound-like rib cage and long
terrier-shaped faces. More rare are shaggy or rough coat Potcakes but they do
occur naturally. While the "typical" Potcake is brown, colors range from party
to black, white, cream, yellow and red. Adults stand about 24 inches high at the
shoulder. Normal adult weight in the bush is about 25 pounds. Healthy, homed
Potcakes can weigh anywhere from 30 to 45 pounds, depending on bone structure.
Puppies tend to resemble a cross between a Chihuahua and a Labrador but don't
let that fool you. Permanent characteristics begin to appear at about 3 months.
A Potcake's general physical description calls for a dog genetically engineered
to tolerate heat, long term physical stress, extreme competition for food and
low protein diet; it's a marginal existence at best. Yet, this is how Potcakes
live and survive in their natural, compromised environment.
Information taken from www.Snip-SpayNeuter.com.
POTCAKES IN CANADA.
Rio, Lucy and Porsche, Purebred Prize Winning Bahamian Potcakes.
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For more information on Potcakes or how you can adopt one click here.