In a bizarre mix-up, a Chinese man named Liu from Liuzhou in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region was left gobsmacked when he ordered a Golden Retriever but received a completely different dog. Liu shelled out £21 (200 Yuan) for the pet, but what arrived at his doorstep was an unexpected twist.
Instead of the sought-after Golden Retriever, Liu became the bewildered owner of a Tuguo, a native Chinese canine. This particular breed is less glamorously known as a “meat dog” locally and sometimes ends up on dinner plates. The practice of consuming dog meat, especially during festivals in China, has caused uproar and disgust in Western countries.
However, the Tuguo isn’t just seen as a meal; it’s also hailed for its prowess in hunting, with roots tracing back to the Han dynasty’s domestication efforts.
The mix-up stemmed from the Tuguo being mistakenly labelled as a “Golden Retriever”. Despite the unexpected switcheroo, Liu wasn’t put off by the arrival of the wrong breed.
He instead embraced the Tuguo as his new companion and vowed to cherish and care for his new pet.