Pet of the Week: Peter Potcake
Apr. 2, 2014: Two weeks ago, I was visiting the vet with one of my dogs and came across a woman with two adorable puppies whose breed I did not recognize. When I asked her what kind of dogs they were, she was very proud and eager to tell me about the history of The Royal Bahamian Potcake puppies.
Although the Potcake is officially considered a mixed breed, The Royal Bahamian Potcake is now a recognized breed in the Bahamas. Its name comes from the rice and pea mixture that local residents traditionally feed their dogs. According to The Bahamas Advocates for Animal Rights group, there are 11,000 unowned dogs in Nassau alone and thousands more on the outer islands of the Bahamas.
Local animal organizations in the Bahamas rescue these dogs (both the moms and their puppies) off the streets. They have joined forces with volunteers in the United States and Canada to help find homes for these adorable and highly adoptable pups.
It is a race against time for this breed because many of the dogs do not survive long enough to be saved. In an effort to control the population, the dogs are being poisoned. They also can suffer from diseases they pick up trying to survive alone on the streets, and they struggle to find food and water during the high temperatures.
Once they are rescued, all of the dogs are fully vetted. They are spayed, neutered, and vaccinated, and every dog brought to the United States is in excellent health.
Potcake dogs are intelligent, loyal, calm, and hardy. According to the volunteers who work with them, they are incredibly easy to train. My four-year-old daughter spent about 15 minutes in the waiting room at the vet playing with them, and they were completely gentle and patient with her.
Above is a photo of a typical Potcake puppy. They come in a variety of looks and colors. The average weight of an adult is 20 to 35 pounds, and they grow to be slender, medium-sized dogs.
A Facebook page has been set up listing many of the Potcake puppies that are available for adoption:
If you would like more information on the breed or the adoption process, please contact Evelyn Vaccaro at 914-330-2642 or
The suggested donation of $200 goes toward helping to pay for the vetting, food, and airfare to travel from the Bahamas to the United States.
